C20 Disappointing Pacific Ocean Touched Millions of Netizens!

"Conboat" was garnering considerable attention.

Other tracks were trickling in with some plays and downloads.

That's why the numbers were soaring so quickly.

Clearly, Conboat hadn't continued their support for him, yet they hadn't throttled his exposure either.

Qin Mo was strapped for cash, leaving him with limited options. He had to bank on the inherent allure of his music to draw in organic traffic and fan conversions.

When the popularity score on the virtual panel hit the ten million mark, a mere half-hour had passed since the song's release.

Qin Mo opted for a different music platform to launch his latest single.

On "Qiuqiu Music," he debuted his freshly recorded track, "Sad Pacific Ocean."

This was a sentimental rock ballad by Xiaoqi from his past life, with plain, heartfelt lyrics and a soothing melody.

Yet, this song had sent shockwaves through the Chinese music scene!

Back in 1998, it had taken the world by storm!

Qin Mo's criteria for selecting songs were straightforward.

First, it had to match his persona as "Mr. Vicissitude" – a smoky voice, a touch of sorrow, a love song.

Second, it had to have been a hit, with a high sing-along factor, something that caught on quickly!

He was down on his luck, not here to indulge in artistic vanity.

To make it in showbiz, he'd sing whatever got popular fast!

The heartfelt lyrics of "Sad Pacific Ocean" were designed to strike a chord with the public. He intended to use this song to rocket up the charts on Qiuqiu Music.

At her computer screen.

Urban professional Xu Lina had just wrapped up her workday.

She stretched languidly, ready to shut down her computer.

As she was about to close the music app running in the background, a notification popped up.

"Mr. Vicissitude, Qin Mo, whom you follow, has dropped a new track. Check it out now!"

"Mr. Vicissitude has a new song?"

Xu Lina mused aloud.

She had stumbled upon Qin Mo's street performance a few days earlier and had been captivated by his music, prompting her to follow his account.

Until now, Qin Mo's tunes weren't available on Qiuqiu Music, and Xu Lina had been streaming them on Conboat.

To her surprise, Mr. Vicissitude had just released a new hit on Qiuqiu Music!

Xu Lina, a self-proclaimed die-hard fan, eagerly clicked on the link.

She slipped her headphones back on, letting herself be enveloped by Mr. Vicissitude's sultry, raspy voice.

She was utterly captivated by Qin Mo's distinctive sound.

"Is leaving truly cruel?"

"Or is tenderness the real disgrace?"

"Does it even matter to the lonely?"

"Unconditionally."

"Is danger truly ahead?"

"Or is betrayal the kindest gesture?"

"Maybe escaping is just easier."

"Whispers in the wind, sand in the air."

Xu Lina tapped her foot to the rhythm, pondering as she listened.

"The intro is captivating, but the lyrics lack a punch."

If it weren't for Qin Mo's latest track, she might have exited the music app.

But she kept listening.

"The boat I've been waiting for still hasn't arrived."

"The person I've been waiting for still doesn't get it."

"Loneliness sinks silently into the sea."

"The future may not include me, but I remain."

"If the heart leaves with the tide."

"If the tide returns without you."

"Life's ups and downs bring the past to the surface."

"Memories return, but you're long gone."

As the chorus soared, so did the emotion.

"One wave subsides only for another to assault."

"A sea of faces, a tempest unleashed."

"One wave barely passes before the next is gone."

"A lifetime, awakening from a dream."

"In the deepest Pacific depths, my heartache lies."

By this point, Xu Lina's cheeks were streaked with tears.

The song had struck a chord, awakening deep-seated memories.

She never imagined a song with such a buoyant rock vibe could move her to tears.

Last year, she ended a love that had etched itself into her soul—eight years with her high school sweetheart, ultimately defeated by harsh reality.

The sky-high housing prices in Carrimon turned dreamers into workhorses, tirelessly chasing money.

Who had time for love? Who could afford marriage?

It seemed everyone lived on their own island, lonely, watching the tides ebb and flow.

Yet time and again, they plunged into disappointment.

Memories of sweeter times brought Xu Lina an agonizing pain.

The song's evolving melody and lyrics resonated deeply, drawing listeners into its emotional landscape. Xu Lina, drying her tears, played it two more times. Initially unremarkable, the song grew on her, revealing a rhythmic allure. Surprisingly, she found a note of carefree liberation within the sorrowful words. She discovered an undercurrent of inspiration amidst the loneliness and pain conveyed by the vocals. Was this feeling of isolation and endless waiting a signal to retreat or a call to boldly forge ahead? Her heart was a tumultuous sea, yet she refused to back down.

She downloaded the song, saving it to her computer and phone, and even set it as her ringtone. That night, like Xu Lina, millions of netizens across the nation gave Qin Mo's "Sad Pacific Ocean" a listen, their hearts entwined with complex emotions, deeply moved.

After releasing the song, Qin Mo dove back into his world of novels. He spent the night poring over the popular works on Wasteland Literature and Red Fruit Literature websites, focusing on the titles, synopses, pivotal first three chapters, and the climactic first 100,000 words. Understanding the pulse of this world's online literature gave him a solid foundation for his own work. He realized he could not only write for the web but also aim for print publication. Online novels often spanned millions of words, whereas print novels typically ranged from 50,000 to 200,000 words, offering a tighter narrative and requiring less writing time.

Armed with this knowledge, Qin Mo set out to craft his second novel. He chose "The Eleventh Son of Xiao" by Gu Long, a favorite from his past life when internet literature was still nascent and his peers were engrossed in classic martial arts tales from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Gu Long's works, particularly "The Eleventh Son of Xiao," were incredibly popular, and it was this novel that captivated Qin Mo the most. The protagonist's blend of solitude, wanderlust, and a profound sense of loyalty and justice resonated with him deeply. He had read the book five times, each time dissecting its narrative structure with admiration.

He had read "The Eleventh Son of Xiao" cover to cover five times and even did a complete breakdown of the plot. As the story made its way onto the silver screen time and again, Qin Mo watched every adaptation without missing a beat. This martial arts novel was second nature to him, making writing about it feel like a breeze!

After pulling an all-nighter, Qin Mo completed the first draft of "The Eleventh Son of Xiao." As dawn turned the sky from black to light, he rubbed his weary eyes and stretched. Despite having a Grade A physique pill at his disposal, his body wasn't indestructible. Marathon writing sessions took their toll.

He crashed into bed, succumbing to sleep. Upon waking at noon, Qin Mo checked his phone to find a barrage of missed calls—all from the same unknown number. Clearly, there was an urgent matter at hand. Just as he was about to return the call, his phone screen sprang to life once more—the caller was persistent.

Qin Mo hit the answer button, and a courteous male voice greeted him.

"Hello, is this Mr. Qin?"

"Yes, speaking," Qin Mo responded.

"I'm Ding, the head of Autumn Autumn Music. You can just call me Ding. I noticed that your song 'Disheartening Pacific Ocean' has been making waves. I'm reaching out to see if you'd be interested in selling the rights to the song?"