Chapter Five: Escalation! System Rewards!

Chapter Five: Escalation! System Rewards!

"You have no idea—Zhou Tai is truly inhuman. He threatened me outright, saying if I didn't agree, I'd never get on a variety show again, never have a chance to shine, and even threatened my personal safety!"

"It's pitiful, really. My fate was always to one day have my own career, that was my lifelong pursuit, my faith. Yet they wouldn't even offer more money, just wanted to exploit me behind the scenes. I'm so aggrieved!"

"And there's President Wang, who claims to be Starshine's Casanova, boasting of countless conquests. My group members—all targets. Oh, they're so unfortunate..."

"But I really admire my group sisters. President Wang is one hundred and fifty centimeters tall, weighs two hundred and fifty pounds—a heavyweight in the company. I just don't have the skills my sisters do... sob..."

Listening to Bai Ling’s account, countless people were numb with shock.

"Ah, what..."

"A heavyweight at 150 tall and 250 pounds, damn!"

"Don't envy lovers, don't envy immortals, envy capital every day!"

"With that appearance, she claims to have resisted temptation?"

"No way, right?!"

"Sister is beautiful, her words must be true."

"Starshine really is rotten to the core."

"The other group members aren't good either, they're constantly dissing Sister Bai Ling in their posts—too much!"

"Who says otherwise? Sisters, let's go after them!"

Bai Ling was adept at stirring things up.

Before crossing over, he was a grand exorcist.

Now, the forums and trending topics were lively again.

Once targeted as the scapegoat, Bai Ling had swiftly turned the tide.

Though not everyone following the drama was swayed, at least a portion now believed Bai Ling’s account and began targeting the instigators.

Even this fraction was enough to deal Starshine a significant blow.

Under the posts of the girl group members who had been gloating, demands for explanations now flooded in.

The uproar was no less than the earlier online abuse against Bai Ling.

Meanwhile, inside Starshine’s office.

Fat Wang—real name Wang Tianhai.

He gazed at the screen, trembling with rage, his fat rippling like waves.

"Dammit!"

"These ignorant netizens, they dare to abuse me online?"

"Ban their IDs, ban them all!"

He dialed without hesitation, ordering Starshine’s PR department to spend money silencing accounts.

Yet despite this, the curses continued.

Wang Tianhai never imagined that he would become the target simply for threatening a girl as he routinely did.

How had the fire turned on him?

Was it just her beauty—did she really have such power?

What he didn’t understand was that most girls facing such situations would feel aggrieved, anxious, and afraid, unable to seize the chance to retaliate.

But Bai Ling was different.

Confronted with Wang Tianhai’s tactics, she had only one thought:

This slap, I must return it!

Now, the situation was escalating, with potential to hit trending searches.

The platform managers controlling trending topics began calling Starshine.

"President Wang, this is quite a stir."

"You wouldn't want this to hit the trending list, right?"

Receiving the call, President Wang’s face turned ghastly.

"Name your price!"

Thinking of the money needed to suppress the trending topic, his heart ached.

And his hatred for Bai Ling only grew.

He’d never expected to be outmaneuvered by a mere girl.

After ending the call with the social platform operator, Wang Tianhai summoned Zhou Tai.

Zhou Tai was already panicking, "President Wang, what do we do?"

Wang Tianhai glared at him in exasperation. "What do we do? You ask me what to do? Are you brainless?"

"I told you to handle the girl—how did you handle it? You stirred up this mess!"

"What now? Get the water army, fast! Or do you want to invite the Buddha himself?"

"Use any dirt you have, throw it all!"

"And send a lawyer’s letter!"

"Hurry!"

Zhou Tai fled, shaking.

Soon, waves of hired trolls flooded Bai Ling’s livestream and social media posts.

Simultaneously, Starshine’s official account issued a lawyer’s letter targeting Bai Ling.

Though Zhou Tai was sly, his efficiency was undeniable.

The commotion was outrageous, yet precisely because it was so overblown, many quickly realized these were paid trolls.

But this water army was somewhat capable.

They clung to previous arguments, and released new rumors as well.

"I’m a Starshine staff member, and I’ve interacted with Bai Ling. Don’t be fooled by her—she’s a scheming woman!"

"She’s extremely arrogant, fake! Among the five group members, her skills are the worst, especially singing—absolutely terrible!"

"Finally someone’s talking about Bai Ling’s abilities. Have you really paid attention to The Light? Bai Ling is basically just a pretty face—have you heard her sing?"

"She’s got no talent, so she’s trying to climb via shady means. Now that she failed, she’s live streaming—planning to become a streamer by stirring up drama?"

"From idol to streamer, what a joke."

"Starshine cultivated Bai Ling, but she repays the company like this, biting the hand that feeds—what a joke!"

"If you have no ability, just leave the industry quietly—why stir up trouble?"

"Disgusting..."

Most barrage comments attacked Bai Ling’s character, even slandering her professional skills.

As if proving Bai Ling had no talent would prove she sought out the managers herself for exploitation.

Perhaps the manipulation was too extreme, and even those swayed by looks began to waver.

"If this is true, Bai Ling is indeed awful."

"Yes, yes, we shouldn’t be deceived!"

"Bai Ling’s abilities are really lacking."

"The Light isn’t an outstanding girl group, but other members like Xiao Ge and Nuan Nuan have some highlights. As for Bai Ling... hmm..."

"I’m starting to doubt now!"

Public opinion began to shift!

Bai Ling watched the situation unfold, feeling irritated.

"Those two bastards really aren’t easy to deal with."

But just then, the system’s voice sounded in her mind.

"Based on the host’s actions, you’ve earned a reward blind box!"

"A blind box?"

Bai Ling was surprised.

After the last reward, the system refreshed—he understood that.

But last time, the blind box was awarded for sleeping, whereas this time she was live streaming. Why only a blind box?

Was it reasonable?

Soon, Bai Ling figured it out.

"Is it because my makeup removal and storytelling don’t relate much to ‘entertainment,’ so the system only offers a blind box?"

Regardless, a reward was good news.

She opened the blind box.

"Congratulations, host, you’ve received Voice Quality +30! One Performance Booster Card (effect random)!"