At this moment, the author group chat had exploded, with everyone tagging Mo Huang Tai Yi, urging him to post a screenshot of his subscription numbers.
This had become a popular game among authors. The rules were simple: everyone would place a bet and provide a number. The person whose number was closest to the actual subscription count when it was revealed would win all the bets.
Now, everyone was eagerly awaiting Mo Huang Tai Yi’s screenshot, but he remained silent, increasing their impatience.
Meanwhile, Mo Huang Tai Yi, sitting in front of his computer, slumped in his chair.
The subscription count on his screen was only in the four digits. It had barely increased by a few hundred since last night.
Mo Huang Tai Yi couldn't accept this result. He was convinced the website had made a mistake. He had over five thousand subscriptions in the first hour alone last night. How could it only be 6213 after a whole night? This had to be a calculation error or a system malfunction.
“Brother Xi, can I ask if there’s an issue with my book’s backend statistics? These subscription numbers don’t seem right,” Mo Huang Tai Yi asked Wen Xi, sending him a screenshot of his subscriptions, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“There’s no issue. The technical department just finished restoring and maintaining all site data. There are no problems with yours,” Wen Xi replied with absolute certainty.
Seeing Wen Xi’s firm response, Mo Huang Tai Yi had no choice but to drop the matter. The day wasn't over yet, and it was only morning. Perhaps his readers were still asleep, and the outcome wasn't decided.
Mo Huang Tai Yi tried to comfort himself. However, seeing the entire group chat tagging him and demanding to see his subscription data ignited his temper.
“What are you all looking at? The initial subscription period isn’t over yet! I’ll post the screenshot in our group at midnight tonight!” Mo Huang Tai Yi declared in the chat.
“Great Emperor Mo, didn’t you say you’d show us once the data was restored?”
“Yeah, why do we have to wait until tonight? That’s no fun!”
“I heard from our editor that a huge hit book was released today. Could it be Great Emperor Mo’s book?”
“A huge hit? How many subscriptions?”
“Around fifty to sixty thousand, and that’s just from last night. It’s estimated to break one hundred thousand subscriptions tonight!”
“Is that true? It sounds like bragging.”
Suddenly, when the group members heard about a book that had generated fifty to sixty thousand in initial subscriptions last night, they were all excited. They had been writing for so long and had never seen a novel achieve such first-day subscription numbers.
Mo Huang Tai Yi, who had been silently observing, felt a growing sense of unease. It was clear that the massive hit they were talking about wasn't his book.
He then opened the New Book Bestseller List on Zhong Dian Novel Network.
As expected, the book ranked above his was none other than "Douluo World."
“Damn it!”
Mo Huang Tai Yi slumped back in his chair, looking disheveled and helpless.
Who was this person named ‘Gou Lan Ting Qu’? Why were they deliberately targeting him?
...
Throughout the day, boosted by various charts and exposure, the subscription numbers for "Douluo World" continued to surge.
For the entire day, everyone in the editorial office stared wide-eyed at the real-time subscription numbers for "Douluo World."
This book was about to set a record: breaking one hundred thousand initial subscriptions on the first day!
At three in the afternoon, this achievement was met. The subscription count for "Douluo" successfully surpassed one hundred thousand.
Meanwhile, Wang Shu was engrossed in the art of transforming instant noodles into a gourmet meal. He spent the entire afternoon experimenting with over ten different methods.
He tried frying, deep-frying, steaming, baking, boiling, and stir-frying. He tested every method he could think of.
His conclusion was: instant noodles are instant noodles, and they taste good no matter how you make them!
After dinner, Wang Shu resumed writing. It wasn't until midnight that his editor, Xiao Chui, sent him a message.
“Congratulations, Gou Lan Da Da! Your novel has set the industry's highest first-day subscription record!”
“Congratulations to you too, my patron!” Wang Shu replied politely. He found his editor to be quite interesting.
Even though it was midnight, the editorial department of Zhong Dian Novel Network was still brightly lit.
All the editors sat in their offices, their faces beaming with joy.
“Brothers, tonight I’m treating! Let’s go out for a feast!” The chief editor, Wen Xi, said happily to the group of editors.
For Wen Xi, the industry had been difficult this year, and Zhong Dian Novel Network was no exception. The reason was the influx of capital, which had acquired a number of novel websites, monopolizing content and traffic. This left smaller companies like Zhong Dian Novel struggling to breathe. Despite Zhong Dian Novel’s deep roots in the online literature circle, history meant little in the face of capital.
As a result, many talented authors had either jumped ship or been poached with high salaries over the past six months. Traffic had plummeted, and even the existing user base was shrinking. At this rate, Zhong Dian Novel Network could have declared bankruptcy within six months.
However, at this critical juncture, "Douluo World" had emerged, giving Wen Xi a glimmer of hope.
Breaking one hundred thousand initial subscriptions was an unprecedented achievement in the web novel community. This single book could secure them tens of millions in further investment.
...
“Xiao Chui, starting tomorrow, you’ll be promoted to Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Fantasy Channel!” Wen Xi announced to Xiao Chui at the dinner table.
The sudden surprise left Xiao Chui somewhat flustered. She had been with the company for less than a month, and not only had she successfully become a full-time employee, but she was also being promoted to Deputy Editor-in-Chief. However, she understood that all these opportunities were brought about by the book "Douluo World." Therefore, her greatest gratitude should go to the author Gou Lan Ting Qu!
*Should I perhaps visit him personally to express my thanks?* Xiao Chui thought to herself.
The next day, she directly requested leave from her chief editor, booked a flight to Jinzhou according to the address on the contract, and then found Wang Shu's specific residence based on the signing contract.
...
Early in the morning, Wang Shu, deep in slumber, was awakened by a series of urgent knocks on his door.
Rubbing his greasy hair and wearing a casual shirt, he opened the door to find a girl with twin ponytails standing outside.
“Who are you looking for?” Wang Shu asked the girl with twin ponytails, his face full of confusion.