Lu Chen: The Mad Genius Of Creativity

Chapter 8 Livestream Viewership Plummets, but the Climax Begins!

After all, the ‘small character rising to prominence’ theme has been adapted countless times.

Not only was it formulaic, but audiences were also tired of it. It was tough to pique interest unless Lu Chen delivered an extraordinary follow-up to the story. Otherwise, it was just another clichéd tale. So, at this stage, Yan Geling found the story progression falling short of her expectations.

At this moment, Liu Heping, who had been mostly silent, finally spoke up, “The regional background serves as the soil from which the story grows. Different regions give rise to different stories. For instance, the Yellow Earth Plateau could never produce the delicate and poetic ambiance of Jiangnan’s water towns. Similarly, in Guangdong, where clan culture is prevalent, even a ‘small character’s rise’ story would naturally differ from those in other areas.”

“Exactly, Teacher Liu is right! The question is whether Lu Chen can organically combine the concepts of personal success and clan dynamics. If he only introduces the regional setting and Guangdong’s unique cultural environment without fully leveraging it—focusing primarily on the individual’s journey while sidelining the background—then I believe Contestant 48’s story will likely disappoint,” Shuping added.

Yan Geling and Chen Sicheng both nodded in agreement, and even Liu Heping slightly inclined his head, acknowledging Shuping’s viewpoint.

Previously, the judges had been intrigued and pleasantly surprised when Lu Chen introduced the keywords ‘clan culture’ and ‘ancestral hall culture’. However, as the story unfolded, it became clear that he hadn’t yet fully utilized these elements.

Of course, it was worth noting that the story was still in its early stages. Drawing conclusions too early would be premature. Nevertheless, Lu Chen’s beginning was, to be honest, overly conventional—hence the judges’ mild disappointment.

_____

Meanwhile, Chen Sicheng was quietly amused. He had always claimed that Contestant 48 was average in ability, despite Liu Heping’s high praise for him. But now, it seemed Lu Chen’s performance was leaning towards his evaluation.

The subject matter lacked novelty and even felt dated. Expecting to advance with such a story? It might not be impossible, but the odds were slim.

Chen Sicheng didn’t care what the other three judges thought. From his perspective, such a tired and clichéd story deserved an automatic two-point deduction. If the narrative didn’t shine later, even more points would be deducted.

In Chen Sicheng’s opinion, a good story must have absolute commercial value. Since he was a judge, he couldn’t endorse something as stale as this!

_____

In the livestream chat, viewers reacted to the judges’ discussion with a mix of agreement and disappointment.

[The judges are right. The story’s development is underwhelming! I thought it’d delve into clan conflicts, but it’s just this?].

[This is just a typical online fiction plot, and an outdated one from 10–20 years ago. Too old-fashioned!].

[48 isn’t as impressive as Teacher Liu made him out to be.].

[Honestly, when 48 wrote ‘clan and ancestral hall culture’ at the beginning, I was intrigued. But it turned bland so quickly!].

[Let’s wait and see. Hopefully, Teacher Liu doesn’t end up slapping his own face if 48 doesn’t advance. That’d be awkward!].

[Awkward with a capital A!].

[Wait, look! He’s picking up the marker again!].

_____

On the screen, after pacing for a while, Lu Chen returned to the whiteboard, picked up the black marker, and began writing again.

[Since Lin Yaodong spent years on the streets, he learned to be highly observant and resourceful. He noticed that collecting scrap was far more profitable than running a small food stall. In the 1990s, during a period of booming coastal trade, foreign goods and waste began flooding into China.

Dongshan City (a fictional city in Guangdong Province) was one of the first port cities to ride this wave.

Learning about this lucrative opportunity, Lin Yaodong immediately decided to get into the scrap business. For him, whatever made money was what he would do—he had been poor for too long. His hunger for wealth was etched into his bones. To earn money, Lin Yaodong believed there was nothing he wouldn’t do!].

Lu Chen paused briefly after writing this, then quickly resumed.

[Because Lin Yaodong was clever and socially adept, he quickly established himself in the scrap industry. Over the next few years, he earned his first pot of gold through this trade.

At just over 20 years old, Lin Yaodong had already been immersed in society long enough to carry himself with the demeanor of someone nearly 30. His growing financial success brought significant changes to his life.

First, his family’s conditions improved—they could eat well and live in a house that didn’t leak when it rained.

Second, his family’s reputation in the village began to rise. Villagers greeted him warmly whenever they saw him.

These dramatic external changes allowed Lin Yaodong to tangibly feel the power of wealth. His craving for money grew exponentially during this period. He came to believe that money could bring him everything. Therefore, He became desperate to earn even more money!

To change himself!

To change his family!

And even…

To change Tazhai Village!

To change the fate of his lineage!].

Upon seeing the final line on the whiteboard, Shuping’s eyes widened slightly.

“It ties into the clan theme!”

“As expected, it’s progressing from personal development to leading the village.”

Chen Sicheng, however, smirked and shrugged. This plot was not only logical but also entirely predictable.

Yan Geling pursed her lips and took a deep breath.

“The character’s personality is starting to take shape, but… it’s still not enough!” Yan Geling commented.

Liu Heping continued to watch silently, offering no comment.

“Teacher Xiao Sa, I think… we should switch rooms. We can’t just stay in Room 48 forever,” Chen Sicheng suggested.

Xiao Sa glanced at the time. Indeed, they had been in Room 48 for several minutes already, perhaps too long.

“Let’s switch rooms, then. What do you all think?” Xiao Sa asked the other judges.

Shuping and the others had no objections. As judges, there were many contestants to evaluate, and they couldn’t focus on just one person. Moreover, Lu Chen’s story, to be fair, wasn’t particularly captivating—at least not at this stage.

With that, Xiao Sa switched to another room, and the judges resumed reviewing other contestants.

____

In the livestream chat, viewers echoed the judges’ sentiments, with interest waning.

[Sigh, this story’s not very engaging. I’m heading to another room.].

[Same here.].

[Check out Room 4! It’s pretty interesting. Contestant 4 designed a stage play-style plot, and it’s quite fun!].

[A stage play? In a rural setting? Sounds intriguing. I’ll check it out.].

[I’m heading there too!].

Like a tide, the livestream’s audience surged in and out quickly. Within moments, the viewership in Room 48 dropped by more than half, plummeting from over 300,000 to under 100,000—and the numbers were still declining rapidly.

_____

Meanwhile, inside Room 48, Lu Chen, oblivious to the outside world, continued his story development. By this point, Lin Yaodong’s mental framework had been largely established. His values, perception of money and his worldview. These elements had taken initial shape.

A person only becomes obsessed with and driven by something when they desire it deeply. This desire breeds greed and ambition. With greed and ambition, a person becomes willing to stop at nothing to obtain more.

This mentality and motivation ultimately paved the way for Lin Yaodong’s transformation into a drug lord. The next part of the story was pivotal. It was the event that marked Lin Yaodong’s first step into the world of crime.

It served as a turning point and catalyst, profoundly impacting him and leading to his first metamorphosis. This moment laid the groundwork for his eventual rise as a drug lord. The key turning point was car smuggling.

Though the original series didn’t explicitly detail this, it’s easy to infer. As Lin Yaodong gained experience, he grew dissatisfied with the ‘petty profits’ of the scrap business. Eventually, he discovered that smuggling was incredibly lucrative. Taking a leap of faith, he began smuggling cars.

This decision set the stage for his later escape to Hong Kong and eventual involvement with drugs, planting a crucial narrative seed. Thus, the next section of the story marked the true beginning of the plot’s climax!