Chapter Thirty-Six: Unmask Him

What the viewers in the livestream hadn’t expected was that the host, “West Tower,” answered every question with ease and confidence, laughing as he did so.

“He truly is a talented streamer!”
“So amazing! So amazing!”

He possessed a remarkable breadth of knowledge, and his voice was almost identical to “Wang Mo’s.”

For many of Wang Mo’s original fans, it was as if they had discovered a hidden treasure.

Some were moved to tears.

“I can hear my brother’s voice again.”
“Mo Bro, is it really you? Is it truly you?”
“Even though I know it’s not you, just hearing your voice makes me feel I have no regrets left.”
“Streamer, just because your voice is like my brother’s, I’m a fan now!”
“Streamer, I’ll tip you a Carnival—please, kneel and say to me: ‘I love you.’”
“Streamer, let me sponsor you—name your price.”
“Streamer, stand up, let us see your figure.”
“...”

This was the real reason Yuan Xiong wanted Wang Mo to start a livestream.

As soon as Wang Mo’s fans heard his voice, they flocked to the stream, and soon began spreading the word, sharing it across all their fan groups.

As a result, the number of viewers skyrocketed within half an hour.

Five thousand.
Eight thousand.
Ten thousand.
Fifteen thousand.
Twenty thousand.

For a newcomer in his first broadcast, it was nothing short of a miracle.

Even though the company invested ten thousand yuan in boosting and promotion, the results were astonishing.

Even Yuan Xiong, who had been monitoring Wang Mo’s broadcast from the back end, was stunned by this influx.

But soon, he was exhilarated: “I made the right bet. Having Wang Mo livestream was the right choice. If he can maintain this momentum, the money he earns in the future may not match his peak days, but it will surely rival second-tier, even first-tier celebrities.”

That day,
Wang Mo’s livestream went extremely smoothly.
Two hours later, he ended the stream.
By then, the number of viewers had reached 31,000.

Wang Mo was very satisfied: “My charm is indeed unparalleled. Just my voice alone can attract countless fans.”

He glanced at his account’s follower count: 4,512.
Not bad.
Of course, what excited him most was that the two-hour broadcast had brought him over 5,000 reputation points.
He remembered that when he released “It Doesn’t Matter,” it took a whole month to earn 20,000 reputation points. Later, as “Speechless” was frequently mentioned by the media and online, his reputation soared.
“Indeed, to gain reputation, one must step into the spotlight,” Wang Mo nodded to himself.

Only with public attention could he earn enough reputation. If he stayed behind the scenes, he’d never turn his negative twenty million reputation into a positive figure, even in a lifetime.

This made Wang Mo resolve inwardly: for the sake of reputation, he had to make livestreaming bigger and stronger.

Yuan Xiong walked over with a smile. “How did it feel?”
Wang Mo nodded, “Not bad.”
Yuan Xiong said, “Today was just the first day, and the results are already this good. I bet the next time you stream, your popularity will surge even higher.”
Wang Mo raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Really?”
“Of course!” Yuan Xiong’s face brimmed with confidence. “You were once at the top—no matter how thin the camel, it’s still bigger than a horse. Though your reputation has collapsed, your fan base is still huge. Just today, you attracted thirty thousand viewers with your voice alone. Most people haven’t even heard yet. Once the news spreads and word of mouth grows, when you stream tomorrow night, your viewers will easily exceed fifty thousand, perhaps even more.

“But tomorrow, many haters will also show up, so you’ll be scolded far more fiercely than today. Haters don’t care who you are—if your voice sounds like ‘Wang Mo,’ they’ll attack. Make sure you hold your ground and don’t lose composure on camera.”

Wang Mo laughed, “Don’t worry, with Brother Xiong’s guidance, what are haters to me? Even if the earth shakes, I won’t flinch.”

Yuan Xiong: “Are you praising me or mocking me?”
Wang Mo: “Of course I’m praising you.”
Yuan Xiong: “Excellent. I’ll keep training you like this from now on.”
…

Outside,
Though “West Tower’s” livestream had ended, an invisible storm was brewing.

At an entertainment company,
A group of executives in suits gathered for an emergency meeting.

The leader, a middle-aged man, spoke in a deep voice: “Everyone has received the news. Tonight, on Douyin, a streamer appeared whose voice closely resembles the former top star Wang Mo. However, this streamer claims to be a ‘talented host’ and has used his abilities to prove he’s not the disgraced, illiterate Wang Mo, but a newcomer.

“But our company has had professionals analyze his voice using specialized software. From timbre, pitch, loudness, as well as his speaking style, pauses, and habits, there’s an over 80% chance this person is Wang Mo!”

His words made the conference room erupt in noise.
“Wang Mo making a comeback?”
“He’s planning a return?”
“No way, absolutely not!”

The middle-aged man signaled for calm, then continued: “I imagine you’ve all guessed it—Yunhai Media wants Wang Mo to make a comeback. After all, Wang Mo was never officially banned; he still has a chance. But due to public pressure, it’s hard for him to appear on screen normally. So Yunhai Media plans to use livestreaming as a circuitous path, gradually warming up the audience, and when the time is right, reveal his identity, letting Wang Mo re-enter the entertainment industry.”

Someone asked, “But I watched the stream tonight. The host really seemed talented. Maybe it’s not Wang Mo?”

The middle-aged man glanced at the speaker, frowning: “And you work in entertainment? Do you understand personas?”

Another explained: “Old He, you’re a tech guy, so maybe you don’t get how celebrity personas work. In entertainment, most stars have a crafted persona:
Some are ‘good men.’
Some are ‘foodies.’
Some are ‘good girls.’
Some are ‘adorably clueless.’

A good persona makes a star more likable and gives them a clearer career path. Right now, Yunhai Media wants ‘West Tower’ to livestream and build the persona of a talented artist. But don’t think he’s truly gifted. I guarantee all the cultural knowledge he showed, all the answers in the stream, were orchestrated by the team behind him.

Even if Wang Mo is illiterate, with company planning, he can become a ‘talented star’ and make a comeback.

True talent doesn’t have time for livestreams—they’re busy writing novels!”

Old He suddenly understood, shaking his head: show business was too complicated; he’d stick to his tech.

The company in question was called Enlight Entertainment.

On Blue Star’s Huaxia, Yunhai Media, Enlight Entertainment, and Brilliant Star Culture formed a triumvirate, known as the three giants of the entertainment industry.

Usually, the three are locked in silent rivalry, none willing to yield to the others. But when one faces trouble, the other two unite to take it down.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Back then, Wang Mo’s downfall was jointly orchestrated by Enlight Entertainment and Brilliant Star Culture.

Otherwise, how could a top star collapse so easily?

It’s fair to say that behind every celebrity’s fall, there’s a dramatic battle of capital.

The blood and thunder, the cruelty, are unimaginable to ordinary people.

Now, seeing Yunhai Media intent on Wang Mo’s comeback, Enlight Entertainment would never stand idly by.

If Wang Mo returned to the top, their interests would be threatened.

A top star claims resources worth billions.

The middle-aged man said gravely, “So, whether ‘West Tower’ is Wang Mo or not, as long as there’s over an 80% chance, we have to snuff him out in the cradle.”

Someone asked, “How?”

The middle-aged man replied, “Simple. The ‘talented’ persona is fake. We just need to find the right opportunity to expose his mask, reveal his true self.”