Chapter 130: Recruited to Liangshan, Excellent Meals, and a Journey to the Desert in Person (Extended Chapter)

After several days of fermentation, the insinuating exposé by "Black Material Jun" had become a massive hit online. Since it was an exclusive scoop that no other gossip account possessed, everyone’s attention was locked onto his profile. However, beyond the frenzied likes from fans, there were also voices of skepticism. Some argued that the claims about Su Mu were fabricated. After all, Su Mu had left Giant Elephant Media, lacked a formal operations and publicity team, and his studio hadn’t even registered an official social media account. Consequently, the exposé was unofficial, and without evidence, it was hard not to question its authenticity.

[I think this is just pure fiction! Signing onto several new dramas? Who would believe that?]
[Getting an endorsement from a state-owned car manufacturer just like that? 65 million over two years—is money really that easy to make?]
[They’ll really make up anything for clicks. Is Black Material Jun starting to post fake news now too?]
[I don’t know who’s winning, but let the facts speak for themselves.]

The online skepticism was not insignificant. However, before anyone could stir up more trouble with this topic, the official accounts of Huaxia Wuling and Xu Jiang’s Jianghe Film & Television released their latest announcements.

【Huaxia Wuling V: We are honored to invite @SuMuV to be our brand ambassador! Thirty years of manufacturing vehicles, never knowing defeat in sales, we look forward to the future! Huaxia Wuling’s new "NB Single-Drive" sets sail!】

【Jianghe Film & Television V: Thank you all for the year-long wait, "Ghost Blown Out" is officially restarting! We will join hands with @SuMuV to embark on a mysterious and thrilling expedition! Stay tuned!】

These two official messages felt as if they had been coordinated. They followed up just as the skepticism toward Black Material Jun’s account reached its peak, effectively sealing the path for detractors. The internet trolls and haters fell silent, while the fans began to celebrate. The accounts for Huaxia Wuling and Jianghe Film & Television were instantly overwhelmed, creating a massive wave of hype. Topics like "Su Mu endorses the national legendary car" and "Su Mu takes over Xu Jiang’s grave-robbing hit drama" trended on the search lists.

The situation had turned around. It was safe to say that Su Mu had won this battle. It wasn’t that Lin Haoming was completely defenseless, but he had run out of ways to strike back.

…

Time flew by, and December approached. At Su Mu’s studio, the floors, tables, windows, and hallways were all spotless. This wasn’t due to a cleaning service, but rather the work of Master Zhu. He was naturally a clean person; whether it was his car or the office, everything had to be perfectly organized and dust-free. Eventually, this standard extended to the entire studio.

Little Orange stole a drink from Master Zhu’s refrigerator and remarked with admiration, "Master Zhu, aren't you a bit too obsessed with cleanliness?"

Su Mu smiled, "Now do you know why he has his own office?"

Little Orange pouted, "Hmph, I have my strong points too."

Su Mu asked, "Like what?"

Little Orange replied, "Uh... I haven't thought of them yet. I'll tell you when I do."

Su Mu rolled his eyes. At that moment, Qian Jida walked in, his face glowing with excitement. "Haha, it’s here! The cars are here!"

The two looked back at the sound and exchanged a knowing smile. They naturally understood what Qian Jida meant. The two commercial vehicles that Li Rong of Huaxia Wuling had promised to gift had arrived downstairs at their studio.

Qian Jida said excitedly, "Master Zhu is downstairs signing for them. Do you want to go take a look?"

Su Mu replied, "Let’s go."

Little Orange cheered, "New cars! Yay!"

The group headed downstairs. By then, Master Zhu had already signed for the delivery. The new vehicles were parked side by side in the parking spots. In reality, the studio wasn’t in dire need of cars; Su Mu was the only one using them, with Qian Jida occasionally borrowing one. However, Su Mu had a nine-million-yuan RV to maintain his celebrity status. While the black and white Wuling commercial vehicles weren't particularly expensive—Su Mu had checked the online prices, and the top-spec models were only around a hundred thousand or so—he was now an ambassador and needed a Wuling car on standby. If he had to attend public events, he could arrive in the endorsed vehicle. Besides, since they were free gifts, he wasn't going to turn them down.

Su Mu took a look; the vehicles had plenty of space, the designs were standard, and while he didn't know much about the configurations, he wasn't picky.

Qian Jida suddenly looked at Su Mu, "Aren't you usually all about taking cash instead?"

Su Mu shook his head, "If it's under a million, there's no need. It's too little money to bother with."

Qian Jida: "..."
Little Orange: "..."
Master Zhu: "Indeed."

…

Sun Liaojun and his two companions drove to a high-end restaurant. Looking up at the building, the atmosphere grew tense.

Xiao Li asked, "Boss, what do you think Su Mu wants with us?"

Xiao Zhang added, "We helped him boost his hype, so it should be a good thing, right?"

Looking at his two incompetent assistants, Sun Liaojun sighed helplessly, "What are you two nervous about? He just wants to thank us for our help. With your mental fortitude, how do you expect to make a living in this industry? Is this how I taught you? Don’t embarrass me when we go up there."

Xiao Li asked, "Boss, aren't you nervous?"

Sun Liaojun gave a confident smile, "Pfft, of course not. How many years have I been in this business? What kind of storms haven't I seen?"

Xiao Zhang whispered, "Boss, your pants are on backwards."

Sun Liaojun: "Damn it! Why didn't you say anything when we left? Quickly, block me..."

Inside the private room, Su Mu checked the time, "They should be here soon."

Qian Jida nodded and smiled, "I bet no one online would guess that this entire wave of hype was orchestrated by Black Material Jun. He really has a talent for this, though it’s a shame he’s just doing gossip."

Su Mu nodded, "Indeed. That’s why I think I should persuade him to walk the straight and narrow path."

Qian Jida asked, "Will that work?"

Su Mu replied, "We'll see."

A short while later, Sun Liaojun entered with Xiao Li and Xiao Zhang. Seeing Su Mu, Qian Jida, and a table full of high-end dishes, they were somewhat flattered.

Sun Liaojun said, "Oh, Su Mu, you’re being too polite. It was just a small favor, no need for such a grand gesture."

Su Mu said with a straight face, "How could I not? Little Jun-jun, you were the number one contributor this time. Don't be modest, sit down."

Sun Liaojun: "..."
Xiao Li: "???"
Xiao Zhang: "???"

The nickname "Little Jun-jun" was incredibly lethal; it left the three of them completely stunned.

Sun Liaojun said awkwardly, "Big brother... can we please use my real name, Sun Liaojun?"

Su Mu asked, "Doesn't 'Little Jun-jun' sound nice? It's great."

Sun Liaojun had no choice but to accept his fate. They sat down and began to eat. Perhaps because it was their first time dining with a big star, Xiao Li and Xiao Zhang were a bit nervous, eating very delicately. However, Qian Jida was good at breaking the ice, and soon everyone relaxed. The conversation flowed freely. Since they were all in the industry, there were no barriers. They chatted about insider secrets and celebrity gossip, getting more and more excited, almost crossing the line into prohibited territory.

Xiao Li said, "President Qian, you have no idea, we know this star very well!"

Xiao Zhang added, "Last year, the boss had us stalking her for half a month, and we finally caught a story. It was wild! Hahaha!"

Qian Jida was shocked, "She... she’s actually that kind of person! My god, a few years ago she almost got paired up with Su Mu for a celebrity couple stunt..."

Su Mu: "!!!"
Sun Liaojun: "???"

…

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere was excellent. Everything that should—and shouldn't—have been said had been said. Qian Jida exchanged glances with Su Mu.

Su Mu: *Knowing so many celebrity secrets, wouldn't it be a huge profit to poach them?*
Qian Jida: *We are a studio, not a gossip media outlet.*
Su Mu: *So, do you want them or not?*
Qian Jida: *Don't be ridiculous, of course we do!*

Su Mu rolled his eyes. He picked up his wine glass and turned toward Sun Liaojun, "Little Jun-jun."

Thinking Su Mu wanted to toast, Sun Liaojun raised his glass as well.

Su Mu said, "Since we are all gathered here today, let me say a few words..."

Sun Liaojun: "..."
Xiao Li: "!!!"
Xiao Zhang: "!!!"
Qian Jida: "Good!"

Su Mu nodded with satisfaction, his expression incredibly sincere, "Since everyone agrees, I’ll speak my mind about the gossip industry... Actually... why would any media person be born wanting to make a living by exposing people's dark secrets? Isn't it just a result of the environment? Isn't it just to earn a living? I understand you! I completely understand you!"

【Speech Proficiency +1】
【Emotional Proficiency +1】
【Skill Point +0.01...】

"Right! Exactly!"
"Yeah, it’s been so hard for us..."

Xiao Li and Xiao Zhang were moved to tears by Su Mu’s words. Sun Liaojun couldn't help but reflect on his own past. What hardships hadn't he endured for a scoop? He had even slept in public park restrooms. The more he thought about it, the more bitter he felt. He downed a glass of beer in one go.

Su Mu patted Sun Liaojun on the shoulder, "But there’s an old saying: exposing secrets is not as good as formal operations; the path of righteousness is the true way!"

Sun Liaojun’s eyes were moist, "I understand the logic, but... are you sure that’s an old saying?"

Su Mu sighed, "That’s not important... The key is, what do you really want in your hearts? Do you want to live in the shadows forever? Sleeping in the wind and dew every day just for a bit of traffic revenue? What kind of self-actualization is that?"

Sun Liaojun: "But..."

Su Mu: "Join the rebellion... ahem, join my studio!"

Sun Liaojun: "!!!"
Xiao Li: "!!!"
Xiao Zhang: "!!!"

Su Mu suddenly stood up. He reached out, as if there were light shining down upon him, illuminating the earth: "Come, come to me, come to our studio! I will give you a career! I will give you your own territory and dignity. No more looking at people’s faces, no more skulking around. Stable salary, excellent food, generous year-end bonuses, and even Wuling commercial vehicles provided! Let’s join hands and grow strong in this industry together! Let’s create brilliance!"

【Speech Proficiency +1】
【Emotional Proficiency +1】
【Skill Point +0.01...】

The atmosphere in the private room reached a climax. Sun Liaojun’s face was flushed, "Is... is it really..."

Xiao Li: "Boss, don't hesitate!"
Xiao Zhang: "The food is super good! The food is super good!"

After a long silence, Sun Liaojun said, "I can do operations for you, but the Black Material Jun account cannot be shut down."

Su Mu smiled, "Deal. You can continue to post your scoops. Having inside access is a perk for you."

Sun Liaojun wept with gratitude, "Okay, Boss! Give me a few days, and I will bring them to report for duty on time!"

…

The meal went smoothly. After a simple discussion, Sun Liaojun took Xiao Li and Xiao Zhang back. They needed to return to the capital to settle their affairs there. It would take about a week. Then, they could move to Galaxy City and officially start working. The specific details and contracts would be settled after they arrived, but that could be left to Qian Jida. He naturally knew the industry standard for salaries.

Qian Jida felt a sense of relief, "Finally, we’ve managed to get three departments set up before the new year. Our studio is starting to look like something. Legal, Finance, and Operations/Publicity—that should be enough for now."

Su Mu nodded noncommittally. From the studio’s perspective, they had the important parts. But to grow, it would require much more than just this. Above a studio was an entertainment media company. At the level of the former Giant Elephant Media, there were dozens of agents alone, not to mention the small teams in various departments. Of course, a larger company had a larger roster of artists. Giant Elephant had dozens of artists, from unknown nobodies to stars of his caliber. Imagine that he alone could generate nearly 100 million in revenue for the company at his peak. Even if the commission on most artists was lower, it was still a highly profitable business.

Su Mu asked, "President Qian, should we sign a few more artists? We could make more money."

Qian Jida smiled helplessly, "You make it sound so simple. Not to mention the complexity of contracts, what can you offer them in terms of resources? If you don’t have much in your own hands, why would they sign with you?"

Su Mu: "Then what about cultivating newcomers?"

Qian Jida shook his head, "Newcomers don't make money in the early stages; you have to spend money to package them. Right now, we have 60 million in the account. It seems like enough for everything, but it's not enough for anything. Plus, aren't you planning to invest in film projects? We need capital reserves. I think we should accumulate for a year or two, or just pick up ready-made talent."

Su Mu asked, "What do you mean by ready-made?"

Qian Jida: "Just like you. Artists who have terminated their contracts with other companies, have some fame, and can work independently. You bring them in, and they start making money immediately. Simple and direct."

Su Mu realized, "That makes sense!"

…

Once New Year’s Day passed, the work for the new year began. Sun Liaojun took seven days to handle his affairs and officially reported for duty with Xiao Li and Xiao Zhang. The office space for the operations department was already ready. It was an independent area, and they were provided with a Wuling commercial vehicle to make it easier to travel with Su Mu and capture daily photos.

The entertainment industry is different from others; often, there are no holidays. Sometimes, the busier it is during festivals, the more work there is—either attending galas and events or starting to prepare the workflow for the year. That was exactly the case for Su Mu. He thought he could rest for a month and watch how Lin Haoming’s Lunar New Year film fared, but he received news from Xu Jiang. The crew was ready and wanted to start filming ahead of schedule, completing the location shooting first before returning to the capital’s film base for the rest.

According to the description in the *Ghost Blown Out* script, the Ancient City of Jingjue was in the desert. Therefore, they would be heading to a "desert province" for on-site filming.