Chapter 411

On the presidium, Feng Ju felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar; the blood drained from his face in an instant, leaving him pale as a sheet of paper.

His eyes were fixed dead on that thick blood mist, as if trying to see through that layer of crimson and find his daughter's figure.

Luo Ji's complexion was equally ugly, looking like his first love had died; in his heart he prayed frantically again and again:

"Don't die, don't die... I haven't bound successfully yet, Feng Yuhuai, you absolutely must not die too quickly!"

Zuo Bai could barely stay seated; he abruptly stood up and strode quickly toward the area below the stage. His right hand unconsciously rubbed the glasses frame, fingertips trembling slightly, the gaze behind the lenses cold as if coated in a layer of ice.

He muttered in a low voice, his tone laced with suppressed anger:

"A bunch of idiots, make your movements gentle for me! I want her alive! If you kill her, I'll go back and feed you all to E-37!"

In front of the television.

Wang Xiuli sat on the living room sofa, at her feet a shattered teacup, tea spilled across the floor, soaking her slippers.

Her fingers trembled as she dialed her phone again and again, the name "Feng Ju" on the screen flickering nonstop.

"Pick up, pick up the phone!"

Her voice carried a sob, almost pleading.

But the other end never answered, only the cold "beep beep" echoing in her ear, like relentless mockery again and again.

Suddenly, a series of booming roars came from inside the television.

Wang Xiuli jerked her head up, pupils contracting sharply — on the screen, her daughter Feng Yuhuai was leaping from the platform, seven hideous monsters hot on her heels.

"Yu Huai—!"

Wang Xiuli's voice was heart-rending.

Inside the Nine Districts Guangliang Television Station.

Station Director Wei Guangming pretended to smile apologetically as he hung up the phone, then turned a cold face toward the director beside him.

The director shrank his neck, carefully leaning in: "Station Director, do we cut the live broadcast now?"

The Station Director let out a cold laugh, the corner of his mouth hooking into a mocking arc, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world:

"Cut the live broadcast? Did a door clamp your brain? Do you know how high the ratings are right now?! Do you know what we're doing right now? We're making history!"

His gaze swept toward the top of the screen, where the ratings curve displayed like an ignited rocket, soaring straight up, and still climbing nonstop.

A morbid excitement surged on the Station Director's face; his eyes bulged wide, as if about to pop from their sockets.

"17% ratings! Heavens, this is even higher than the Martial Arts Joint Examination ratings?! This has already broken our station's historical record, and by more than double!"

He slammed the table hard, the drink cup on it jumping up, the splashed liquid looking just like the fresh blood spraying in the lens.

The Station Director waved his fist, voice excited to the point of cracking:

"Do you know what this means? It means every second from now on, we're making history! We are witnessing Guangliang Television Station's most glorious moment!

Every second from now on is more precious than gold!"

The director swallowed, muttering softly: "But Station Director, people have died on the platform, if we keep broadcasting like this, will it..."

The Station Director waved his hand impatiently, like shooing away an annoying fly:

"Dead people? So what if people die?! You think the audience is watching what? Justice and morality?

No! They're watching stimulation, blood, the thrill of adrenaline spiking! We're satisfying market demand, understand?!"

The Station Director grabbed the director by the collar, saying viciously, spittle nearly spraying the other's face:

"A few school leaders stuffed full of fat and intestines, not thinking to hurry and save students, yet wanting to interfere with our television station's management? Who do they think they are?!"

The director thoroughly grasped the Station Director's meaning, nodding like a garlic-pounder, face plastered with a fawning smile.

He hurriedly turned his head and roared at the work crew below:

"What are you spacing out for?! Hurry up and focus the lens into the pit, zoom in and zoom in more! The audience wants to see monsters, we give them monsters! We want blood, stimulation, make them watch until they're satisfied!"

A worker lifted their head with difficulty, voice timid:

"The camera distance is a bit far, the blood mist is too thick, can't see too clearly inside..."

The director roared in anger, blue veins bulging on his forehead:

"What about the drones?! Operate the drones to follow in! Don't tell me you can't even handle this little thing!"

"Only two drones still operable, don't dare follow too close, or they'll be destroyed too..."

"What about the reporters?! Aren't there our people on site?!"

"Reporter Wang and Reporter Li just got stomped flat by monsters... Reporter Liu and Reporter Ding are fleeing outside, almost escaped the school..."

The director slammed the table hard, voice nearly lifting the roof:

"Make them all go back and film! As professional reporters, how can they run away?!

Tell them, if they dare run they don't need to come back to the station! On the contrary, as long as they complete today's filming task, they'll get promoted and a raise when they return!"

He finished, turned to look at the Station Director: "Okay, Station Director?"

The Station Director nodded with satisfaction, tone resolute:

"Exactly! Rank up two grades, salary tripled! As long as they film what the audience wants to see, this year's station 'Golden Microphone' I'll award to them too."

He finished, casually pointing at several young people in the office, gaze sharp as knives:

"You, you, you, and you! Go to the scene to support right now! Young people must seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! This might be the moment in your lives where you can best demonstrate your self-worth!"

The several young people looked at each other in dismay, one timidly speaking up, voice sounding squeezed from the throat, carrying a strong tremble:

"Station Director, we... we're not reporters... we do post-production editing..."

The Station Director laughed heartily, waved his big hand, tone incomparably heroic:

"That's perfect, you're reporters now! Remember, opportunity is left for the prepared, and you, you are those 'prepared' people!

Congratulations, you can go from behind the scenes to in front of the camera!"

He finished, turned and walked toward the office door, turned back to add:

"Right, remember to bring the camera, don't let me down, when you get back I'll personally celebrate your success for you."

Several young people stood in place, their faces flushed red as if they were so excited they couldn't even walk.

The director looked at their expressions and couldn't help but laugh out loud:

"Don't be afraid, young people, this is the station's trust in you, outside countless young people envy you and can't wait to be in your shoes, you absolutely must not disappoint the Station Director's high hopes for you."

He finished speaking, then added earnestly, as if imparting some workplace secret:

"Don't keep a straight face, all of you smile! Later when you go to the School, it's a Live Broadcast, although you're filming others, you also have a chance to show your faces.

You must pay attention at all times, display the style of our Guangliang Television Station reporters! Remember, the camera is your Bulletproof Vest!!"

End of Chapter