Chapter 610: Difficulty Too Low, Increasing the Difficulty

The small conference room was silent.

Zhong Lin had originally opened her mouth slightly in astonishment, but as someone accustomed to big scenes, she quickly closed her rosy little mouth, shifting instead to a deliberately calm smile to stabilize the situation.

The two male staff members from the Review Department sitting beside her exchanged a glance, their faces full of shock, feeling that their work content was no longer so dull and tedious; this shift was actually quite interesting!

Their thoughts were quite uniform.

"What is going on with this Luo Mo?"

"Just a moment ago, when the team leader told him 2 billion per film, he didn't even answer."

"As a result, he jumped from 6 billion for three films to 8 billion all on his own!"

"Is this a big sale? Units of 2 billion, then buy three get one free?"

Inside the conference room was a long table, and Tian Ou happened to be sitting directly across from Luo Mo.

He could not understand what this young man with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, who was extremely handsome, was thinking in his head.

Honestly, it wasn't just him who couldn't understand; everyone present couldn't understand.

Yes, this included He Yuanguang and Guan Fei!

It was just that the other directors were thinking: "How does he dare!?"

Guang Shu and the working-stiff Guan Fei were thinking: "He is the big boss; how could the big boss be wrong?"

Honestly, 8 billion for three films—this number was a bit too ridiculous.

Averaged out, that would be over 2.66 billion per film.

Of course, this thing called film box office definitely cannot be calculated this way.

But even if we change the algorithm, 8 billion is still an absolutely impossible number to achieve!

"Even if your *Dying to Survive* can replicate the glory of *Medicine God*, the total box office breaks 4 billion!"

"Then there is still over 3 billion in box office left—are you relying on *Nezha* and *The Winners*?"

The box office record for an animation film is your *Monkey King: Hero is Back*.

This phenomenal hit, with its own strength, raised the ceiling for domestic animated films by several times!

From this, it can be inferred that the box office of this work should be the limit of the animation market.

Even if it can reach a new high, it shouldn't be much higher.

There are market laws involved here; we must be realistic and speak with data and the general market environment.

"Then, even if *Nezha* also performs very well and garners over a billion in box office like *Monkey King: Hero is Back*, there is still about 2 billion left!"

"With this box office poison Guan Fei, after having your help, can he suddenly transform into a director with a massive box office hit?"

"2 billion—that is a result that could make it onto the all-time film box office list!"

"Is it possible?"

"Judging from the currently announced cast and the subject matter, *The Winners* is clearly a small production, a low-budget film."

"The total investment is estimated to be at most a few tens of millions, perhaps not even reaching 30 million."

"You, Luo Mo, as the investor of *The Winners*, are reluctant to put too much money into it, which shows that even you have no confidence in your own heart!"

Therefore, this so-called 8 billion of yours is just like playing a gimmick during the film's promotion period, deliberately talking big to attract attention, right?

The most critical point is that Luo Mo's original words were: "Then I won't say much; three films, let's just make it 8 billion total."

You call this not saying much!?

Does that mean you are being conservative?

So what are you trying to do? Pack all 10 billion into one go?

Turning the 【Hundred Billion Box Office Plan】 into 【Luo Mo's Hundred Billion Box Office Plan】?

The remaining directors couldn't help but think: "Should I just leave then?"

………

………

Inside the conference room, Zhong Lin gave a light cough and then said: "Director Luo is as surprising in his speech as ever."

"But I am taking it seriously."

"I hope Director Luo will not let down the expectations of our Review Department," Zhong Lin said.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Luo Mo, truly hoping to see a hint of a rogue's smile on his face, and then have him say with a cheeky grin: "Don't, Team Leader Zhong, I was just joking earlier, just trying to liven up the atmosphere."

However, Luo Mo just nodded calmly.

Whoa, is he trying to take off right here on the spot?

Zhong Lin looked at the remaining five directors and said first: "It seems that for next year's Hundred Billion Box Office Plan, everyone's expected total box office is no longer just 100 billion added together."

This was Zhong Lin's way of telling everyone: don't you five go splitting this remaining 2 billion among yourselves.

400 million each would not be worthy of our Review Department's support and such a large tilt of resources.

"Director Tian." Zhong Lin called out, signaling that it was his turn.

Tian Ou only felt his throat go dry; in the end, he gritted his teeth and said: "*Car King 3*, 2 billion!"

He said it decisively, as if he had great momentum.

But with Luo Mo's gem ahead of him, he appeared a bit like a minor wizard in the presence of a great one.

However, if you asked him to raise the number higher, to say 2.5 billion or 3 billion, he didn't have the guts, fearing he would make a joke of himself again.

"Don't let it be that when I, Laozi, get 2 billion in box office—which is already Ox-level explosive and strong as hell—the whole internet mocks me: Hey, didn't you say you wanted 3 billion?"

Zhong Lin nodded with satisfaction and said: "Then that's already 100 billion, hmm, that's very good."

The remaining four directors looked at each other, feeling as if they were sitting on pins and needles, as if their backs were pricked by thorns, as if they had a fishbone stuck in their throats.

The rhythm has already been set by you two; aren't you just playing with us!

That director named Sun Meng, who was sitting next to Tian Ou, said: "Then I... 1 billion?"

After saying this, he wanted to slap himself.

1 billion! That was 1 billion!

If this were any other occasion, shouldn't he have stood up and put his hands on his hips to say it?

The tone I just used was simply pathetic!

Guan Fei, sitting across from him, looked at Director Sun—who wouldn't even spare him a glance, who had once released a film at the same time as him, rubbed his face in the dirt, and even made snide, sarcastic remarks to his face—and grinned directly at him.

Sun Meng looked at the corners of Guan Fei's mouth, which were stretched almost to his ears, and felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

"Pugai Fei, with your record as Box Office Poison, so what if you've joined up with Luo Mo? Look at how full of yourself you are!" Sun Meng said in his heart.

Next, the remaining 3 directors followed suit and also said 1 billion.

Thus, the 【Hundred Billion Box Office Plan】 2.0 version headed down a very bizarre path.

The task officially set was clearly 100 billion, yet these participants insisted on raising the quota, and there was no stopping them!

Zhong Lin could guess how strange the expressions of the leaders above would be when they saw the total sum of 14 billion.

"Hah, the young directors of the new era really are different!"

……..

……..

The meeting ended, and Zhong Lin left first; she still had to report to the higher-ups.

Luo Mo patted Guang Shu and "Worker Fei" on the shoulders and said, "Let's go, shall we go eat?"

It was already past eleven, time for lunch.

"Sure, you're a local of Beijing, you have to play the host." Guan Fei's meaning was clear: the rich guy should treat them.

Luo Mo nodded and said, "Fine."

Just like that, Luo Mo took the two of them and left first.

The remaining directors had originally thought about chatting for a bit in the conference room after the people from the Review Department left.

But once Luo Mo left, they felt there was nothing left to talk about.

After all, a total of 14 billion had been set, and he alone accounted for 8 billion.

In the end, everyone just chatted casually for a bit before dispersing.

There was no helping it; participating in the 【Hundred Billion Box Office Plan】 was a great advantage, but it also came with immense pressure.

Everyone wasn't really in a cooperative relationship; it was a competitive one.

Even though their films weren't necessarily being released at the same time, the entire internet would compare these directors together.

Tian Ou and Sun Meng were quite close, so the two of them also made plans for dinner.

After arriving at the private room, Tian Ou thought for a moment and said to Sun Meng, "You order first, I'm going to make a call."

"Sure."

Tian Ou walked into the restroom and dialed Director Li Dongliang's number.

As mentioned before, he had been brought into the Beijing Circle by Director Li and was currently making his way within it.

The big shots of the Beijing Circle were all very concerned about the 【Hundred Billion Box Office Plan】.

Of course, Tian Ou didn't know that the famous Beijing Circle in the entertainment industry had long ago extended an olive branch to Luo Mo, a Beijing local, but this young man had no interest and couldn't be bothered to mingle in the circle.

If Luo Mo had joined, then Tian Ou, who had taken the initiative to provoke Luo Mo, likely wouldn't have been able to get in.

Circles, after all, like to stick together.

Honestly, in terms of directing films, Tian Ou already looked down on Li Dongliang, who was becoming more useless with every film.

But since the man had the resources, Connections, and status, if he wanted to mingle in the circle to reap benefits and huddle together for warmth, he had to curry favor with him.

On the phone, Li Dongliang's incredibly surprised voice soon came through.

"How much? How much did Luo Mo say?"

Tian Ou swallowed his saliva, looked at his own fat face in the restroom mirror, and said, "8 billion."

"And his exact words were: 'Then I won't say much more, three films, 8 billion.'"

On the other end of the line, Li Dongliang fell into a long silence, and in the end, only said, "Alright, I know."

On the other side, Zhong Lin knocked on He Ping'an's office door and went in to report on the work.

He Ping'an's reaction was, one could say, exactly the same as Li Dongliang's.

"How much? How much did Luo Mo say?"

Zhong Lin smiled and said, "Three films, 8 billion."

He Ping'an had a strange expression and said, "So, in the end, adding it all up, the total became 14 billion?"

"Yes, it's even 4 billion more!" Zhong Lin didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

This was the first time she had encountered such a thing.

You throw them a 【Difficult Mode】 task, and they end up turning it into 【Hell Mode】 themselves.

Of course, the main reason still lay with Luo Mo alone.

Without his 8 billion, this result would never have happened.

He Ping'an thought for a moment and finally smiled, saying, "Young people, having ambition, daring to speak and daring to act, that's quite good."

He looked out the window and said, "In our day, we had nothing."

"The things we said were laughed at internationally."

"And now? Many things have already been achieved as promised!"

After finishing, he looked at Zhong Lin and said, "In your personal opinion, can he achieve this 8 billion?"

Zhong Lin said directly, "If it were anyone else, I would tell you directly: impossible."

This was an inference made based on the general market environment and various factors.

If Luo Mo had filmed three live-action movies by himself, that might have been easier to explain.

As for an animation movie, no one believed it could break 2 billion.

The kind of low-budget movie that Guan Fei films wouldn't have a very high ceiling either.

Honestly, for a Suspense film like "Sheep Without a Shepherd", judging from the current data on the box office charts, its ceiling wouldn't be very high either.

However, the moment she thought about how this young man had never fired a blank, she said, "Since it's what Luo Mo said, I can only say that I don't know either."

"Fine, That's How It Is," He Ping'an said. "When promoting these things, just promote them truthfully."

"Mm, okay," Zhong Lin said.

And what was Luo Mo, the originator who upgraded the difficulty of the Hundred Billion Box Office Plan to Hell Mode, doing?

He was treating people to a meal.

At the same time, he was also deploying his troops and arranging his formation!

(PS: First update.)

(End of this chapter)