FWTS Chapter 149: The Second New Book (Part 1)

This circle isn't too big, but it's not too small either, and news spreads incredibly fast. 

Another characteristic of this circle is that people rise quickly and disappear even faster, with many experiencing ups and downs. Especially now in the age of the internet and the rapid rise of "self-media," it's not just a period of time we're talking about; every day, new people emerge. Many of them become very popular as soon as they appear, but many of these blazing stars burn out quickly, fading into obscurity within days. 

Take Hou Muyun, for example. Initially, he gained fame by performing as a pianist on the stage of "The Singer" for Shi Shiwuben. During those few days, Hou Muyun's name was undoubtedly red-hot, but he was soon forgotten by many. Unlike many others, Hou Muyun re-emerged shortly after, recording "Everyday" and participating in "Music Wars." 

Then came the scandal involving a fight video, which made even more people aware of Hou Muyun, giving them a deeper understanding of him. It turned out he was also a writer, a comic artist, a popular livestreamer, a great singer, and a good cook. And he had a very manly personality and physique. 

This thorough "exposure" caused Hou Muyun's fame to spread like wildfire! 

And then, there were even more events. Was he popular? Undoubtedly, he was a major sensation. Recently, the most talked-about name was Hou Muyun, and it was evident to many that his fame wasn't the kind that would just flare up and die down quickly. He had a steady stream of fuel and genuine talent!

Not just any talent, but the kind that would astonish onlookers and earn the respect of insiders. 

Wang Han and Zhang Nana invited Hou Muyun to dinner. Although they had their own motives, it wasn't about currying favor. They simply wanted to get to know him better, recognizing him as a talented and interesting person with stories to tell, not just a flash in the pan.

Having real talent always makes it easier to gain respect, and this holds true even in the cutthroat entertainment industry.

Since there was still a recording session that night, the impromptu dinner gathering didn't last long, but the atmosphere was great. During dinner, Zhang Nana naturally brought up the topic of inviting songs for Tang Weiwei and her husband. Hou Muyun laughed and said he would send suitable songs their way. 

As for the permanent role on "Everyday," Wang Han wouldn't bring it up in such a casual setting, as it was a much more formal matter than asking for songs.

Zhang Nana and Wang Han left early due to their duties as hosts of the gala, while Hou Muyun and his friends took a stroll back, chatting along the way. Shi Shiwuben and a few others shared stories and talked about mutual friends, while Dongfang and Xi Yao conversed with Hou Muyun.

"Brother Monkey, is your music studio in Shanghai? My home is in Shanghai too. Can I come over for a meal sometime?" 

"Uh, as a Victoria's Secret supermodel, is it really appropriate for you to eat like that?" 

"Heeheehee, don't you know that the order of appearance and type of wings for Victoria's Secret shows are decided by how many chicken wings you can eat in one go?" 

"... So, do you decide the rounds by how many pig trotters you can chew?" 

"How did you know! Oh right, I remember, He Xiangu is from your city, isn't she? Did she tell you that?" 

"..."

"Mr. Hou, I'm curious, did you really write that script?" 

"The script for 'Xuan Yuan Sword Master'? Has the production team contacted you?" 

"Yes. I've read the script; it's the best one I've encountered lately! After reading the script, I couldn't help but look for the original novel. I really like it. You're incredibly talented! It's just that the word count is too high; it's only at over a million words now."

"You think it's a lot now, but you'll definitely want more later. By the way, are you considering the role of Yin Luo?"

"Besides Yin Luo, there's also Yan Nv. Which one do you think I chose?"

"Yin Luo is a very likable character. In modern terms, she's a sweet and naive girl. Your image fits well, and you can certainly portray a sweet girl without being annoying. So, you chose Yan Nv."

"... Well, I want to challenge myself a bit. Yan Nv doesn't have many scenes, but she's a character worth delving into. Since there's only one season of the script, I went to read the novel."

"I hope you won't regret choosing that role after you finish the novel."

"Huh?"

"..."

Hou Muyun and Shi Shiwuben finished recording around 9 PM and returned to the hotel. Hou Muyun didn't attend any of the industry gatherings, preferring to stay in his room and write.

Before midnight, Hou Muyun conducted two checks and one revision of the already completed sections of his other new book. He uploaded the prologue and the first volume, "Shooting Down the Starship (Part 1)," chapters 1-10, and contacted the editor for review. At precisely midnight on the 20th, the book was released, and he posted a new book announcement on Weibo:

"The new book 'Chronicles of Future Wars' has been released! This book tells a story set a hundred years in the future, focusing on war, peace, and exploration! The new book will continue to be serialized on Qichuang Chinese Network (link), but the serialization method will be very different from before: three updates per month, on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of each month! Additionally, a physical book will be released on the 30th of each month."

Hou Muyun's post left many fans stunned.

"Damn, another new book!"

"Damn it, only three updates a month!"

"Are you crazy? This is even lazier than weekly updates!"

"I'm a bit confused! What does it mean to update on the 10th, 20th, and 30th, and also release a physical book every month? Is he prioritizing the physical release?"

"Monkey! If you don't have enough time, just start fewer projects. You're already working on three!"

"Can you finish 'Xuan Yuan Sword Master' first?"

"Please speed up the updates for 'Nine Heavens'!"

"You haven't even completed the side stories, and you have the nerve to start a new book!"

"I'm okay with a new book, but three updates a month is too ridiculous!"

"... Hey, stop complaining and check out the word count of the new book!"

"Whoa! The new book is already at 120,000 words?"

"The prologue is 17,000 words, and the first volume has ten chapters, each with at least 8,000 and at most 13,000 words, totaling over 105,000 words!"

"The new book starts with 120,000 words uploaded. Is there anyone else in the web novel industry who does this?"

"If that's the case, three updates a month would still be over 30,000 words a month, no wonder it can be released as a physical book!"

"The release time of each physical book is synchronized with a volume!"

"Keep discussing; I'm going to dive into the book! 100,000 words will keep me busy for a while."

...

"Damn, it's already 1 AM, and you're still not sleeping?"

"Sleep? I haven't finished reading yet!"

"I'm just getting started!"

"Have you noticed? Monkey's new book is written differently from his previous ones!"

"The pacing feels weird!"

"I'm also not used to this pacing, but it's really good!"

"This doesn't follow the usual web novel pacing! I'm on the third chapter and haven't seen many web novel elements!"

...

"Finally finished it, damn, it's 4 AM!"

NXT