Chapter 67: Hype

Deng Li Buduo came back to his senses, looked at the screen full of "WTF," and followed up by spitting out two words: "WTF!"

Crack!

A bolt of lightning flashed by.

Having finally recovered, Deng Li Buduo was once again scorched into an afro.

"Filthy language, you should be punished!" Lin Bai, who had been forced to release a bolt of lightning, glanced at Deng Li Buduo with annoyance and scolded him.

Having been struck by lightning for no reason, the emotions Deng Li Buduo had felt from the impact of the poetry vanished without a trace, and he was forcibly dragged back into the miserable reality.

……

"Hahaha! Deng Cancan gets electrocuted in his daily routine."

"Only the master can say 'WTF.' Children shouldn't use dirty words; you need to strengthen your moral character."

"Speaking of which, who is the programmer behind the City Lord? I must offer him some incense; his level is much higher than my professor at the School of Literature!"

"The copywriter behind Shopkeeper Lin is the real genius. How many golden sentences has he popped out in these two days?"

"With this talent, why be a copywriter for a Game Company? What a waste of talent!"

"It's not that I want to be one, the key is that they pay too much."

……

The suddenly appearing lightning gave the three members of Song Jinnan's family a fright. They reflexively huddled together, a trace of terror flashing in their eyes as they looked at Lin Bai.

This was an innate fear of Yang Thunder stemming from their yin-evil nature.

Song Jinnan looked at Lin Bai, a deep anxiety flashing in the depths of his eyes.

He did not know how many things Shopkeeper Lin was hiding.

With such abilities, he could subdue his entire family by himself; there was absolutely no need to trick Longxi into coming here to die.

At this very moment.

In his heart, the mysteriousness of Shopkeeper Lin had far surpassed that of the original Daoist Li.

……

Song Shiqing was also startled by the lightning. He sobered up and glanced at the afro-haired Deng Li Buduo, though he did not show any surprise.

Without a bit of skill, who would dare open a shop in a Haunted House?

Unlike Luo Congwen, he had not the slightest interest in seeking immortality or the Dao.

Substituting the two lines into the entire poem, Song Shiqing repeated them twice and couldn't find a single flaw. He couldn't help but look up in astonishment and ask in disbelief, "Shopkeeper Lin, did Xu Longyun really fill these in?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Lin Bai said.

"She is a mere woman, and busy with government affairs at that; how could she possibly have such talent?" Song Shiqing muttered to himself, still unwilling to believe it. "And it hasn't even been three days yet?"

"Articles are born of heaven; one happens upon them by a stroke of luck. Perhaps the opportunity has arrived!" Lin Bai smiled. "Brother Song, since ancient times, literature has no first place, and martial arts has no second. Who knows when someone might have a flash of inspiration! City Lord Xu has already made a good start. We should distribute the 'Collection of Remnants' as soon as possible, let more people participate, and let these dust-covered pearls shine once again!"

"'Articles are born of heaven; one happens upon them by a stroke of luck.'" Song Shiqing's eyes lit up, as if he had found some comfort in this. He cupped his hands in a salute to Lin Bai. "I understand, Shopkeeper Lin. I shall return now to complete the poetry and distribute the 'Collection of Remnants' tomorrow."

"Remember to note that 'Magpie Bridge' was completed by City Lord Xu," Lin Bai reminded him.

"Rest assured, Brother Lin." Song Shiqing gave Lin Bai a strange look and laughed. "Song is not the type to engage in identity theft."

……

That night.

A complete version of "Magpie Bridge" spread throughout the literary circles of Jiamu City, as well as the Real World where Deng Li Buduo resided.

Jiamu City had few people, and although the public sentiment was surging, it didn't stir up much of a splash for the time being.

But in the Real World, the calls for an open beta grew louder and louder.

Not just game players, but big shots in the literary world, the historical world, and even various other industries began to cast their eyes toward this game.

As time passed, the things revealed by "Xianxia World" became more and more numerous. It was as if an alternative, true civilization with a completely different development path had been placed before everyone, embodying huge commercial and research value.

Even though Lin Bai's performance was like an NPC with a bug, more people were convinced that it was a real world over there.

……

"Lin Bai, what exactly are you trying to do?" In the City Lord's Mansion, Xu Longyun lost all her composure. Like an angry lioness, she slammed the table at Lin Bai for the first time.

"What is the City Lord asking about?" Feeling the Negative Emotion provided by Xu Longyun, Lin Bai played dumb with a calm and composed air.

"'Magpie Bridge'?" Xu Longyun gritted her teeth. "What do you take me for? Someone who fishes for fame and compliments? Lin Bai, let me tell you, not everyone is willing to let you play with them!"

"So that's what it's about." Lin Bai pretended to understand, stood up, and bowed to Xu Longyun. "If the City Lord is angry because of this, I, Lin, apologize first. I should not have acted on my own authority."

"It's not about acting on your own authority. If you fill in the poem, you shouldn't have used my name." Xu Longyun panted a few times and said, "You aren't helping me build a reputation; you are ruining my good name."

"City Lord, is one person's reputation more important than the livelihood of a whole city's people?" Lin Bai sighed. "The 'Collection of Remnants' is about to be published. Without a gimmick, how can we attract the interest of the world's famous scholars? Jiamu City has already become a Remnant City, the people are complaining, and we are already riding a tiger and cannot get off..."

"You shouldn't have used my name..." Xu Longyun said.

"The City Lord is the most suitable candidate." Lin Bai interrupted her again. "If I, Lin, were to fill in the lyrics, the 'Collection of Remnants' would be met with groundless suspicion. If it were filled in by some unknown person, the effect would be discounted."

"And using my name doesn't discount it?" Xu Longyun said coldly.

"Of course not," Lin Bai smiled.

"Give me a reason," Xu Longyun said.

"Because the City Lord is a woman," Lin Bai said.

"..." Xu Longyun was stunned.

"A mere woman, not even a member of the literary circles. If those famous scholars and masters knew that the finishing touch of 'Magpie Bridge' was done by the City Lord, what would they think?" Lin Bai asked.

Xu Longyun stared blankly at Lin Bai, not saying a word.

Lin Bai smiled and continued: "Throughout history, most scholars have been proud and arrogant. If these fragments hadn't been completed, so be it. But once someone completes them, and elevates the poem into a work that will be passed down through the ages, such glory is no less than that of an original creation.

If a master of the literary world had completed the poem, everyone would think it was only natural. But for it to be completed by an unknown woman, it would be a humiliation to the entire literary world."

Xu Longyun snorted: "You don't have to keep emphasizing the words 'unknown'!"

"Once the news of the City Lord completing the poem spreads, those famous scholars and masters will want to compete for the sake of their pride." Lin Bai looked at Xu Longyun and said confidently, "And when the scholars and literati all over the world see that even someone like the City Lord can complete the poem, won't they be unable to resist trying it themselves? What if they succeed!"

"..." Xu Longyun's brow twitched a few more times, and she couldn't help but clench her fists; she had the urge to kill again. What did he mean by even someone like the City Lord could complete the poem? Was she really that unbearable?

"Therefore, it would be best for the City Lord to complete the first poem." Lin Bai looked at Xu Longyun and cupped his hands, saying, "For the sake of the people and the future of Jiamu City, please, City Lord, humble yourself and take on this honor! There is no greater appeal for hosting the Tiancan Cultural Festival than having the person who filled in the first poem do it."

Nowadays.

For a massive consumer of Internal Energy like Lin Bai's Palm Thunder, the little bit of Internal Energy supplied daily by 【Deng Li Buduo】 was no longer enough.

The missions for farming Residual Value were still faster.

After all.

The Internal Energy reward for the next mission was as high as over seventy years; although he didn't know why Internal Energy had to be calculated in years, once he received the reward, he would have the cultivation of a centenarian.

【Deng Li Buduo】 would need at least a hundred days of training to catch up to him; only by getting his hands on the Internal Energy early could he maintain a safe distance from the players.

His fame was too great now; who knew when the players might come here to farm him as a BOSS...

Xu Longyun was silent for a long while before letting out a long sigh. Looking at Lin Bai, she said, "That may be true, but why are there rumors in the streets that you and I have secretly pledged our love, but are suffering because we cannot be together, and it was only out of sentiment that I completed the poem? Was this your idea too?"

Damn it!

Lin Bai's eyes widened; he finally understood what that look Song Shiqing gave him before leaving meant!

This guy must have also transmigrated from Earth!

He even knew how to stir up a scandal!

Brilliant!

Lin Bai gave a sheepish laugh and said, "Completing a poem for no reason would seem too fake; adding a story makes it seem much more real. I couldn't just sacrifice the City Lord alone, could I..."

(End of this chapter)