C21 Becoming the Number One Person in the Live Broadcasts

As Everett's Weibo following grew, so did the influx of private messages—first a few, then dozens, quickly escalating to hundreds and thousands. Each one questioned why he hadn't accepted the challenge from Money Nightingale. Were fear and trepidation holding him back?

Everett was at a loss for words.

He wanted to craft the perfect Weibo post in response, but the words eluded him. After some contemplation, he simply snapped a photo of the night sky and added a caption.

"The beauty of the stars is undeniable, but it's lost on those who won't stand to see it."

Once Everett's post went live, the comments and shares on Weibo skyrocketed.

Jiang Dong Daily: Is this a declaration of war against the outdoor legend?

Hua Tian Entertainment News: Chili Live has finally spoken. Everett, the farmer at heart, has officially thrown down the gauntlet to Money Nightingale!

Newsflash: Under the weight of public scrutiny, Everett has been compelled to respond. There's a fear he'll be outmatched by Money Nightingale, leaving him restless through the night.

…

"Seriously, have you media outlets no decency? Can't you see what you're reporting?"

Everett was incensed. He clicked through the news on Weibo, only to find a barrage of articles criticizing the education system.

"Rural teachers earn more than city teachers. City Teachers: Why should this be?"

"Rural teachers' average salary hits 100,000 yuan with calls for further increases. Netizens: We don't agree!"

"The Ministry of Education decrees that schools must not disclose student test scores. Netizens: We object!"

"A father messages a teacher late at night about his child's homework, only to receive a disheartening reply."

Everett was infuriated by the slanted news coverage. He reviewed several articles, some accompanied by screenshots of heated exchanges between teachers and students, each post garnering thousands of comments.

"Come on, this has to be a joke, right? A bit of Photoshop incites a war of words between parents and teachers, and you just sit back and reap the benefits?"

Everett left a pointed comment: "I hear you get paid by international spies based on click rates for spreading this negative spin on education."

I've done some digging, and it's sparked a massive conflict between parents and teachers. Ushines pays a thousand, Sun Country five hundred, and India just twenty-one.

I remember you complaining at my restaurant about how little the off-campus tutoring centers pay you. Honestly, considering the shady dealings in education, you're doing quite well to earn that much.

Everett was promptly silenced with a permanent ban after posting his comment.

Southern Entertainment: Tomorrow's showdown between Cat's Tooth and Chili Live will determine who takes the lead in the streaming world. The story is already trending.

World Entertainment: Reports indicate that Cat's Tooth has conducted thorough research on Chili Live and is unafraid to face them. Everett, the farming enthusiast, raised suspicions of publicity stunts with his late-night Weibo post.

Everett, faced with the media's negative coverage, felt helpless. If only he were as famous as Money Nightingale, they'd be fawning over him. But no matter, he thought, they'll be singing a different tune tomorrow when he proves them wrong.

Late at night, his phone rang—it was Sara. What could she want at this hour?

"Hello, Everett, delete your Weibo post."

Sara's voice was icy, her demeanor just as cold.

"Why?"

"We need to keep a low profile. Without a solid fan base, and with your stream on Cat's Tooth already seen, we can't outdo Money Nightingale. Plus, Wilber mentioned our Chili Live stocks are plummeting. He's considering pulling back. If the first day's stream flops, you might lose the homepage spotlight."

Everett felt a wave of frustration. Was she pushing him to reveal his ace? It seemed Cat's Tooth and Money Nightingale were indeed flexing their muscles at him.

"No, a promise is a promise, and I won't back down."

"Everett, you're young, only nineteen. The future is wide open. Don't rush or clash with Money Nightingale. Value your prospects, or else..."

Everett hung up the phone. As someone diagnosed with a terminal illness and farming in the desert, what could possibly scare him in this world?

After the call, he lay down on the grassy expanse, falling asleep under a blanket of stars.

While Everett slept, the teams at Chili Live and Cat's Tooth Live were wide awake, the tension palpable as they anticipated the upcoming showdown.

At Cat's Tooth headquarters, the lights in the sixty-story skyscraper shone brightly despite the late hour of one in the morning. Chairman Elwood and the department heads had not yet gone to bed.

In the conference room, the head of the new content department stifled a yawn and addressed the group: "Chairman, there's no need to worry. His chances of winning are nil. He's just a rookie with no fan base. On the other hand, Money Nightingale is a seasoned outdoor broadcaster with five to six years under his belt and a fan base of over a hundred million. There's simply no comparison."

The operations director stood up, adding, "Exactly, Chairman. Tomorrow, we'll just watch Chili Live embarrass themselves. Their stock is going to plummet. Then, we'll swoop in for the acquisition and see how they fare."

"We shouldn't underestimate him," Elwood cautioned. "If Meyer is willing to leave Cat's Tooth's lucrative offer for this guy, it shows he's got some skill. Plus, Chili Live has invested billions to promote him. His debut could be explosive. Director Qian, make sure we push Money Nightingale's outdoor broadcast across all channels tomorrow. And remind Money Nightingale to double-check his locations. We can't afford any slip-ups."

"There won't be any," assured Director Qian. "Money Nightingale's broadcasting from Hartlepool Film and Television City, with plenty of celebrities to back him up. He's set to outshine Everett, the farming enthusiast. Moreover, Money Nightingale insists he doesn't need top billing—it would show a lack of trust in him and his fans."

Elwood nodded in agreement, confident that with Money Nightingale's celebrity collaborations, the victory was nearly in the bag.

Meanwhile, at Chili Live's Hangzhou headquarters, the staff worked tirelessly on the top floor of a seventy-story office building. Chairman Wilber sat with several managers in his office, strategizing late into the night.

Wilber's eyes were riddled with red veins from several sleepless nights. He was beginning to regret bringing Everett, who had a passion for farming, onto his platform. Chili Live's assets had dwindled by more than a third, and it looked like they were on the brink of another nosedive today.

"Mr. Wilber, I think we might want to consider canceling the God Creation Project scheduled for tomorrow. If the live broadcast doesn't go well, it could trigger another plunge in our stock. We could lose hundreds of millions in assets in just one day. At this rate, we could be facing bankruptcy in under a week."

The Finance Director's words hung in the air as Wilber reclined on the sofa, his eyes closed, aching with fatigue.

"Mr. Wilber, we've been preparing for days. To give up now without even trying, wouldn't that be a terrible waste?" Meyer interjected, taking a stand.

The Finance Director shook his head, "Director Zhang, I'm not sure if I should say this, but we never should have taken this gamble. I'm starting to wonder if you're actually a mole from Cat's Tooth."

The stakes were high; if the website went under, all the directors would suffer, especially since they were shareholders.

No sooner had the Finance Director finished speaking than Meyer rose to his feet, and the two were suddenly embroiled in a scuffle.

"Who are you calling a spy?"

"I'm calling you the spy! Are you satisfied only once you've run Chili Live into the ground?"

"Break it up, both of you, let go!"