NOVEL WEB Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Emperor Engine?
"Is this...the sound of Wu Bin's heartbeat?"
Because the effects of the anesthesia hadn't worn off, Wu Bin hadn't woken up yet.
But his strong, powerful heartbeat was especially clear at this moment.
Dong dong!
Dong dong!
Everyone fell silent.
Who would have thought that this heartbeat would come from someone who had almost died of heart disease?
The netizens in the live stream were also unsettled.
"Is this heartbeat for real, the emperor's engine?"
"Isn't this sound too much? Are you sure it's not a sound effect?"
"The official is playing tricks, the deadliest kind."
"What the heck, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger?"
"I'm going to have heart surgery tomorrow too, I hope I can also have a smooth operation like Wu Bin, and then get an emperor's engine installed."
"Sorry, Director Li, I doubted your abilities before, I know I was wrong."
If it weren't for seeing it with her own eyes, not to mention the netizens, He Bingbing would have found it hard to believe that Wu Bin could have such a heartbeat.
This heartbeat was frightening, almost as if it wanted to leap out of the chest, and it even resonated with everyone else's hearts!
"Director Li, he...he's really okay?"
Xu Wenyao looked worried.
Before, he was afraid that Wu Bin's heart wouldn't beat.
But now he was afraid that Wu Bin's heart would beat erratically.
After all, it was he who had signed the surgery consent form, and no matter what happened to Wu Bin, he would have to take responsibility.
Li Guotai massaged his temples, looking a bit fatigued as he spoke, "I know what you're worried about, but rest assured, we've done a comprehensive examination of Mr. Wu Bin, and he is very healthy now."
"Alright, I need to go back to rest, if I don't get some sleep, I'm afraid I'll end up with heart disease myself."
Li Guotai gestured to the nurse to quickly wheel Wu Bin back to his ward.
...
At the headquarter meeting room of Magic City TV Station,
Station Chief Zheng He sat in his executive chair, listening to his staff report on their respective programs.
In his hands, he held the comprehensive data from these programs for the past week.
He flipped through them casually, and his expression grew increasingly grim.
"Stop for a moment."
Zheng He interrupted the director who was presenting, and posed a fatal question.
"What's the average number of live viewers for your program's broadcast?"
The director replied a bit sheepishly, "Five hundred people."
Upon hearing this number, Zheng He couldn't help but laugh out of frustration.
"You're telling me that for your program 'The Taste of Home,' including all of your salaries, the station has to spend tens of thousands every week."
"And now you're telling me that the average daily online viewership is only five hundred people, huh?"
The director was scolded and didn't dare to talk back.
The others also bowed their heads, sipping tea or letting their minds wander.
As long as Zheng He didn't call out their names, they acted as if he wasn't scolding them.
"You don't need to continue with this program, wrap it up with the next episode."
The director quickly said, "We can't, Station Chief, please give us one more chance!"
"Let us air for another month, we will definitely turn a profit next month!"
Zheng He snorted coldly and took a sip of tea.
The others sighed inwardly.
Knowing that Zheng He had made up his mind, this program was bound to be gone in the future.
Seeing the low spirits in the meeting room, Zheng He explained,
"Comrades, don't look at us as Magic City TV Station, as if we are too big to fail, but the expenses are everywhere."
"We have over forty programs in the station, and only two or three are profitable. The rest are losing money!"
"If this continues, we'll all be out of jobs, the station itself might even go under!"
The others kept their heads down, not speaking.
They all understood the principle of sharing both glory and loss.
But the problem was that their programs just weren't as popular as short videos, what could they do?
As Zheng He grappled with frustration, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a document.
"The 'Elite Campus Life' program crew, requesting two follow-shoot photographers and two vehicles for transportation?"
Zheng He was very displeased inside.
Although the program had received a good response, it was actually making a loss for fame.
Besides, you're just going to film campus life and such, why would you need so many photographers?
Just when Zheng He was about to reject the request, he suddenly saw the live streaming data for 'Elite Campus Life' from the past two days.
Hiss!
Zheng He drew in a sharp breath, and his voice became shrill.
"The peak online viewership hit two hundred and ten thousand!"
"The average online viewership was one hundred and forty thousand!"
"The live streaming room's earnings were twenty-three thousand!"
This set of data was too dazzling among many other programs!
Keep in mind this was just two days' worth of data.
If this were a week's data, how terrifying would that be?
"What's going on, how did this program's data suddenly become so good?"
Zheng He hastily took out his mobile phone, reviewing the program's edited videos.
Soon, he understood.
The reason for the program's explosive popularity was a college student named Wu Bin.
Zheng He also read He Bingbing's application rationale.
She felt that Wu Bin was excellent live streaming material, hence she prepared to have someone follow and capture more of Wu Bin's daily life.
Zheng He furrowed his brows, feeling hesitant.
After all, Wu Bin's surge in popularity was too sudden, too coincidental.
Having a heart attack from fright while eating hot pot in the dormitory was certainly topical.
But getting sick, this kind of one-off event, seemed unnecessary as a long-term follow-shoot target.
Zheng He looked at the data again, clenched his teeth, and signed his name on the application.
Take a gamble!
What if it blows up!
...
Hospital, private room.
Wu Bin, who had just regained consciousness, was sitting on the bed, enjoying the feeding service from the nurse.
Although he had emphasized more than once that he was fine now.
But at the strong insistence of Xu Wenyao and Li Guotai, Wu Bin still led a life where everything was done for him.
"Wu Bin, do you really not feel any abnormal sensation now?"
He Bingbing sat beside him, microphone in hand, exuding professionalism.
This morning, the station head had specially approved her application.
So from now on, three photographers would follow Wu Bin around the clock, and the live streaming room would be open 24 hours.
Of course, all this was with Wu Bin's own consent.
The two parties also negotiated the details regarding gifts and rewards in the live stream and signed a contract.
"Thank you, Miss He, for your concern; I do feel much better now. My heart doesn't hurt anymore, and I feel relaxed all over."
From the moment he woke up, Wu Bin had felt that his heart had grown stronger.
What is the heart? It's the organ that provides blood to the body, the center for supplying and pumping blood.
Comparable to a racing car's engine.
Now, his heart might just be the strongest heart in the whole world.
How could he not feel liberated?
However, before Wu Bin could celebrate for long, the system's notification sounded in his mind again.
Ding.
[Congratulations Host, you have successfully cured one disease, earning 100 Life Coins]
[A new disease is ready for you, please select]
Wu Bin's face changed drastically.
Damn it!
Does this damn system ever stop?
Again?