The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 176: Bro, your move is on the fifth level!

Jiang Ci did as he was told.

He picked up his own phone and opened Weibo, an app he hadn't proactively opened in a long time.

The moment the backend page loaded, Sun Zhou also nervously leaned his head over.

The two of them saw those words simultaneously.

Total fans.

5.2 million.

5.25 million.

5.3 million.

With every manual refresh, that number was skyrocketing wildly upwards.

Just half an hour ago, that number had been just over five million.

On the speakerphone, Lin Wan's voice was still steady, but upon careful listening, a slight tremor could be detected.

"See it?"

Jiang Ci hummed in acknowledgment.

Sun Zhou was already speechless.

"Five minutes after you posted that clarification Weibo, the company's Public Relations Department held an emergency meeting," Lin Wan's speech wasn't fast.

"Everyone believed your move was a risky gambit, no, a losing move."

"They had already prepared crisis management plans, ready to deal with the ensuing nationwide condemnation."

Sun Zhou's heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest.

"However, the final conclusion of the meeting was..."

Lin Wan paused.

"Maintain the status quo, take no additional action. All public relations plans, completely scrapped."

Sun Zhou: "Huh?"

"Jiang Ci." Lin Wan's voice was filled with unconcealable excitement and amazement.

"That 'straight guy-style clarification' of yours, the effect was unexpectedly good."

"It's too pure, too clumsy, and too sincere."

"Every single word you used to try and distance yourself has, in the eyes of the currently shipping-crazy audience, turned into ironclad proof of 'being inarticulate but extremely cherishing and protecting the woman'."

"You've perfectly crafted the image of someone who is deeply affectionate yet humble, who clumsily steps forward to take on the whole world to protect their beloved."

Jiang Ci: "..."

He looked at those "tragic romance" interpretations pushed to the top comments under his Weibo post and fell into a long silence.

So, his rigorous logical analysis, his flawless factual statement, the conclusion he ultimately reached, was actually this?

"Bro..." Sun Zhou murmured beside him in a hushed tone, "So... you were operating on the fifth level..."

Jiang Ci ignored his assistant's nonsense.

On the other end of the phone, Lin Wan dropped today's final bombshell.

"Starting from half an hour ago, my phone, the company's front desk phone, haven't stopped ringing."

"The editor-in-chief of 'Vogue Man', the marketing director of the national juice brand 'Fresh Fruit Joy', and the chief director of the S+ variety show 'All-Star Sports Meet'..."

"They're all asking the same question."

"Who is Jiang Ci? Who is currently in charge of his commercial collaborations?"

"You've become a 'phenomenal Potential Stock' in the eyes of capital."

After speaking, Lin Wan was filled with the relief of having survived a disaster and the wild joy of an imminent harvest.

"So, Jiang Ci."

"Keep it up."

"You don't need to do anything now, just focus on preparing for your next role."

The call ended.

The room returned to quiet.

Sun Zhou looked at Jiang Ci as if looking at a monstrous genius who had secured victory from a thousand miles away.

Jiang Ci, however, was now frowning, once again sinking into that ultimate problem that troubled him immensely.

Scandal, causing popularity to skyrocket.

Skyrocketing popularity means the base number of spectators watching the drama will increase.

So, will this dilute the concentration of tragedy because "reality is too sweet",

or will it cause the total final Heartbreak Value to not decrease but actually increase because of the "larger base"?

...

At the same time.

Inside Su Qingying's entourage van, the atmosphere was oppressive.

Her agent, Sister Wang, was swiping her fingers rapidly across a tablet, her face ashen.

A low-pressure aura emanated from her.

"Qingying, take a look."

She handed over the tablet. On it was the blood-red hashtag #JiangCiSuQingyingTragicRomance#.

"The 'Qingying Guards' have split internally. Solo fans are attacking Jiang Ci on the public square for 'blood-sucking and hype', while the newly emerged CP fans believe this is true love. The two sides have already argued over thirty thousand comments, and a ten-year veteran fan just announced they're leaving the fandom."

"More importantly, the public relations departments of two brands we're about to sign with have called, probing indirectly about whether this public opinion will affect your 'aloof and independent' commercial persona."

Sister Wang's analysis was calm and deadly.

"This Jiang Ci, with one clarification, cleaned himself up completely and even conveniently built a 'deeply affectionate' persona for himself. All the fire is burning over to our side now."

"You must speak up, and your attitude must be firm. One Weibo post to strangle this inexplicable scandal to death."

However, Su Qingying hadn't even lifted her eyelids from start to finish.

Her gaze remained fixed on her own phone screen.

What was displayed on the screen was precisely Jiang Ci's clarification Weibo post that was being "publicly executed" across the entire internet.

Her fingertip unconsciously, lightly brushed over the text that said "to avoid causing trouble for Teacher Su Qingying."

Teacher Su Qingying.

This form of address was polite, distant, yet carried a kind of carefulness unique to young people.

Looking at those wildly imaginative "tragic romance" interpretations in the comment section, a faint, almost imperceptible curve suddenly appeared at the corner of her cool lips.

[He's for real, I'm crying! He doesn't even dare to call her by her name!]

[What kind of humble yet deeply affectionate protection is this!]

Kinda... interesting.

Just as Sister Wang's patience was about to run out, Su Qingying finally looked up.

She looked at her agent, who she had worked with for many years and who now wore a face full of anxiety, and gently shook her head.

Her voice was as calm as still water.

"No need."

Sister Wang was stunned: "What no need?"

"Clarification." Su Qingying uttered two words, crisp and clear.

Sister Wang was completely bewildered.

"No clarification? Why? Qingying, this isn't a small matter! This will affect your commercial value!"

Su Qingying offered no further explanation.

She lowered her head again, her gaze returning to the phone screen.

Her finger tapped lightly on the screen.

She liked the comment under Jiang Ci's clarification Weibo that had been pushed to the top, the one by the "tragic romance class representative."

After doing this, she turned off her phone, leaned back in her seat, and closed her eyes.

"Sister Wang, I'm very tired. I want to rest for a bit."

...

Four days later.

The storm triggered by a single clarification, boosted by Su Qingying's "accidental" like, reached its peak, and finally, with the passage of time, gradually subsided into calm.

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport.

Jiang Ci, wearing a baseball cap and a mask, pulled his suitcase, moving inconspicuously through the crowd. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Sun Zhou, similarly fully geared up, muttered softly behind him, "Bro, are we really going to visit Director Zhang Mouyi? Not waiting for the crew's notification?"

"Mm." Jiang Ci grunted in affirmation. "Teacher Gu Huai's face, we can't not give it."

More importantly, he had to confirm in person what this director's attitude was towards something like "using camera angles for kissing scenes."

This was directly related to his life-extension plan. He couldn't afford the slightest carelessness.

The two of them made their way through the flow of people towards the exit of the arrival hall.

A black entourage van had long been quietly waiting by the roadside.

The van door slid open silently.

A man also wearing a baseball cap got out of the car and gave him a slight nod.

It was Gu Huai.