wavenovel Chapter 50: Nearing the End, the Counterattack of the Celestial Master Qi'ao
Chapter 50: Nearing the End, the Counterattack of the Celestial Master Qi'ao
Jinghai City, Chasing Light Studio.
The air was thick with the low pressure that preceded an approaching storm.
With "Ultraman Tiga" nearing its end, especially after a series of phenomenal episodes, the popularity of this tokusatsu drama has reached an astonishing level.
Especially on Bilibili, the main platform, countless edits, analyses, and so on have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.
But Gu Nan, sitting at his desk, did not look relaxed.
"Brother Nan, it's finished."
Chen Bo, sporting two huge dark circles under his eyes, handed over the hard drive.
"The amount of special effects in this episode is more exaggerated than all the previous episodes combined. Our rendering farm almost burned down, all for the opening of the Gates of Hell later on."
"Thanks for your hard work."
Gu Nan took the hard drive.
Episode 25: "The Devil's Trial".
This is the final episode of the first season of Ultraman Tiga, and also the first true "collapse of faith" in the entire series.
In this parallel world, viewers have become accustomed to Tiga's existence as a "guardian deity".
Although Daigo experienced moments of confusion in previous episodes, Tiga remains an invincible symbol in the eyes of ordinary people.
In this episode, Gu Nan will personally shatter this pedestal.
Subsequently, a new god was established, one that possessed even greater "humanity".
A "god" "created" by humankind.
"Release the ending preview."
Gu Nan tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "The title will be—Will the Light Be Extinguished?"
……
Wednesday, noon.
Bilibili's official account for "Ultraman Tiga"—Light Chaser Studio—unexpectedly updated with a 45-second trailer.
It was lunchtime, and countless office workers and students were habitually scrolling through their phones.
When that familiar red, silver, and purple giant cover popped up, everyone's first reaction was to excitedly click on it.
However, the moment the video was played, a chill ran down my spine and straight to the top of my head.
There was no rousing theme song.
Instead, a low, mournful aria filled the air.
The overall tone of the scene also became somewhat dark.
The scene begins with the sky above Jinghai City.
The once bustling city is now enveloped in a peaceful glow.
The clouds churned, and a colossal white shadow, like that of a god, looked down upon the world.
Immediately afterwards, an elegant, gentlemanly voice, yet tinged with extreme arrogance, rang out:
"Are you still worshipping that giant of light?"
Camera angle change.
It was a man in a black suit standing on the top of a tall building, arms outstretched as if embracing the entire city.
"The final judgment is about to arrive!"
The man's figure and his words were displayed on electronic screens around the world.
"Ultimate darkness is about to engulf this planet..."
"We...will save the souls of humanity."
The scene suddenly sped up!
Countless blue flames rose up in the city streets.
"If the true demons are not eliminated, humanity will face annihilation!!!"
Instead of fleeing from the flames, people worshipped the phantom within them as if possessed.
"An angel...an angel has descended!"
Before the audience could even react to what was happening, the camera focused on Ultraman Tiga.
But this time, Tiga is no longer the invincible god of war.
He was tortured to death.
Yes, torture and murder.
A Kirieloid, with an even more ferocious appearance and exaggerated muscle lines, is tightly gripping Tiga's neck.
Tiga's proud powerful form appeared so weak in front of this demon.
"boom!"
Tiga was slammed to the ground, his massive body crashing into a stadium.
Before he could even stand up, the Kirieloid's sharp wrist blade had already pierced his shoulder.
Golden light particles gushed out like fresh blood.
Finally, the scene freezes on the Kirieloid standing with its foot on Tiga's head, uttering a boastful declaration towards the slowly opening "Gates of Heaven" in the sky, an aura of despair:
"I'll show you just how utterly vulnerable your so-called guardians are!"
"Now, the door is open."
The screen went black.
The moment the trailer was released, the entire internet exploded.
[Holy crap! What's going on? Ultraman Tiga got destroyed?!]
Wasn't that Kirieloid man dead a long time ago? Why is he back?
[This looks like it's on a completely different level!]
[Those muscles look terrifying; even Ultraman Tiga's Power Type couldn't withstand them?]
What the heck is that door? Why do they call it the Gates of Heaven?
Am I the only one who finds the "angel" concept appealing?
[This villain is something else—a devil on one hand, and a disguised angel on the other!]
In less than an hour, the hashtags #Tiga'sDefeat# and #GatesOfHell# surged into the top three trending topics on Bilibili.
That sense of oppression and despair filled everyone with a mixture of fear and anticipation for Friday's update.
……
However, just when Ultraman Tiga was at the height of its popularity...
At the other end of Jinghai City, the headquarters of Qiaotianzun.
Zhao Rui stared at the trailer, his face dark and gloomy.
This surge in traffic has reached its peak on Bilibili.
Other platforms also saw a large number of entries related to "Ultraman Tiga's finale".
"Mr. Zhao, this pre-launch hype is really strong."
The secretary cautiously reported, "The trailer for the finale of 'Psycho-Master Z' only got a fraction of the views of 'Ultraman Tiga'..."
"Gu Nan..." Zhao Rui gritted his teeth as he uttered the name.
He can't afford to lose.
If Ultraman Tiga finishes its first season smoothly, its status as a legendary series is almost a certainty.
At that time, this cake will completely belong to the "Gu" family.
The market that the Celestial Master Qiao has monopolized for over a decade will eventually collapse.
It might not collapse instantly, but it will only die a slow death...
"We can't let him be deified so easily."
Zhao Rui suddenly sneered. "Since we can't win in a head-on fight, let him 'rot' in the hearts of the people."
"Mr. Zhao, what do you mean?"
"What do today's audiences hate the most?" Zhao Rui stood up and walked to the French windows. "What they hate the most isn't bad movies, but 'fan cults'."
In Zhao Rui's view, Su Man's strategy was very useful.
"They rave about it being the greatest masterpiece in history, a universal truth. Then they flood the comment sections of other popular shows with comments like 'Anyone who doesn't watch Ultraman Tiga is a fool,' and 'No other show is even worthy of shining Ultraman Tiga's shoes.'"
"in addition,"
Zhao Rui's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Find a few internet celebrities who're desperate for fame, pay them, and have them wear Ultraman Tiga's costume and cause a ruckus on the streets. Block roads, disturb the peace, dance on car roofs. I want every passerby to feel a physical revulsion upon seeing Ultraman Tiga!"
Praise to death, stigmatization
This is a vicious scheme.
In this digital age, the actions of fans will ultimately be paid for by the celebrities themselves.
Once Ultraman Tiga is labeled as "fandom," "idiotic," or "disrupting public order," its profound message will instantly become a joke.
"Go ahead and do it. By this Friday, I want the entire internet to 'hate' Ultraman Tiga."
……
They moved very quickly.
Or rather, the power of money is limitless.
That afternoon, the online sentiment began to turn strange.
While everyone was still enthusiastically discussing the plot, suddenly, a large number of "die-hard fans" with Ultraman Tiga's image flooded into various forums and video websites.
Comment section of a popular historical drama:
[Why watch trashy historical dramas? Everyone go watch Ultraman Tiga! Those who don't watch Ultraman Tiga aren't Chinese!]
[People actually watch this trashy show? Ultraman Tiga could blow your entire crew away in one episode!]
Under a food blogger's video:
[Eat, eat, eat! All you do is eat! The Earth is about to be destroyed and you're still eating! Go boost Ultraman Tiga's stats!]
Moreover, a large number of "wild Ultraman Tiga" suddenly appeared on short video platforms.
Several young men, dressed in cheap leather suits or even plastic clothes and with out-of-shape figures, stopped passing vehicles at a crossroads during the evening rush hour.
They stood on the roof of the car, making exaggerated and contorted gestures, shouting, "Believe in the light! Everyone, believe in the light!"
The resulting traffic jam stretched for two kilometers, with countless drivers honking their horns frantically behind them, and some even getting out to curse.
The video was uploaded online, accompanied by sensationalist captions from marketing accounts:
Shocking! Ultraman Tiga fans block cars in the street, causing traffic jams!
Is this what they call "light"? The behavior of tokusatsu drama fans is worrying!
Parents report again: Child imitates Ultraman Tiga hitting someone, should this show be banned?
In an instant, the public's perception of the situation took a sharp turn for the worse.
I was originally planning to watch this show, but after seeing the attitude of these fans, I instantly lost interest.
[It's just a sci-fi movie, why are they calling it a masterpiece? Have the fans gone mad?]
That person who blocked the car was disgusting; I suggest calling the police and having them arrested!
[Isn't the Light Chaser Studio going to do anything about this? This kind of misleading behavior is appalling!]
[I think this is a cult, isn't it? The whole "believe in light" thing is like brainwashing.]
The backlash from public opinion was more intense than expected.
The rating for "Ultraman Tiga" on Bilibili dropped from 9.9 to 9.0 in just a few hours.
Although the number of comments is still very high, the comments section has started to emerge, with hostility and insults gradually appearing.
……
Chasing Light Studio.
Chen Bo paced anxiously in his office, sweating profusely.
"Someone's targeting us! This is definitely organized! Look at these comments, most of them have the same IP address! And these internet celebrities blocking the car, they're clearly paid to deliberately harass people!"
"There are a lot of people online criticizing us now, saying we're promoting fan culture, and some parents are even going to report us to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television!"
Chen Bo's voice was trembling.
He was all too aware of the destructive power of such public opinion.
Many works in the past have ended up in a mess because their fan base got out of control, resulting in a backlash from the general public.
If not handled properly, the reputation of this 25th episode will collapse before it even airs.
"Brother Nan, should we issue a statement urging fans to be more rational? Or should we just sue those internet celebrities?"
Chen Bo asked anxiously.
Gu Nan sat in the chair, quietly looking at the chaotic comments on the tablet.
Looking at those so-called "fans" who use the "Tiga" banner but are actually doing "devilish" things.
Looking at those passersby who were stirred up and began to doubt and loathe "light".
Suddenly, he smiled.
His smile had a somewhat meaningful quality to it.
"Chen Bo, don't you think...this scene looks familiar?"
Chen Bo paused for a moment, then asked, "Familiar? What do you mean?"
Gu Nan stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling street outside.
"What tactics did the second-generation Kirieloids use in episode 25, which is the episode we're about to air?"
Chen Bo recalled the script for a moment, then his pupils suddenly contracted: "You mean...?"
"That's right."
Gu Nan's voice was calm yet powerful: "The Kirieloids did not conquer with force from the beginning. Instead, they created panic, disguised themselves as 'angels,' and used people's blind obedience and fear to incite humanity to deny Tiga and attack him."
"How similar are the current online public opinions to the plot of a script?"
Zhao Rui's move was indeed insidious.
But despite all his calculations, he overlooked one crucial point—
The surreal reality is that it coincides with Gu Nan's script.
Or rather, the weaknesses of human nature are the same in any world, whether facing real monsters or online mobs.
"Then...what do we do?" Chen Bo swallowed hard. "Are we just going to watch them throw dirty water on us?"
"No."
Gu Nan turned around, his eyes gleaming with absolute confidence.
"Since they want to start this fire, then we'll add fuel to the fire."
"There's no need to issue a statement or offer any explanation. At times like this, any weak written explanation will be interpreted as an attempt to whitewash the situation."
"The real counterattack is in the TV series."
Gu Nan pointed to the video file waiting to be released on the screen.
"This episode, 'The Devil's Trial,' is itself a resounding slap in the face to these online mobs and those who are manipulated by public opinion."
"Zhao Rui wants us to die because of public opinion."
"Then I'll show him what a prophetic film of reality looks like."
Gu Nan picked up his phone and posted a very brief update on Weibo, which was already in an uproar.
There was no explanation for the internet celebrity incident, nor was there any angry confrontation with the haters.
There was only one sentence and one still from the show.
The still shows Captain Megumi's resolute gaze as she faces the angry questions of the citizens.
With text:
"When the devil disguises himself as an angel, people are often blinded by the light that shines so brightly."
It seems like this is just a "warm-up" for the finale...
……
This Weibo post immediately went viral and became a trending topic.
[Another trailer for Ultraman Tiga?]
What does this mean? Is the director implying that those internet celebrities are demons?
Wow, that's a pretty strong response!
[A prophet? Could this episode's plot be related to a prophecy?]
Stop playing tricks and control your brainless fans!
The online flame war continues, and is even escalating.
Those paid online trolls and influencers became even more brazen when they saw that Gu Nan had not taken legal action.
Some people even started an online poll to "boycott Ultraman Tiga" and drive the show off Bilibili.
Time passed second by second in this tense and volatile atmosphere.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the time point of 8 PM on Friday.
Some are waiting to see the joke, some are waiting to see the pedestal collapse, and some... are silently waiting for the answer from the light.
……
Friday, 7:50 p.m.
The popularity of Bilibili's live stream has broken all previous records.
However, the comments on the screen were no longer uniformly filled with anticipation, but were instead mixed with a large amount of abuse and mockery.
Let's see how this legendary masterpiece fell apart.
[A gathering place for brainless fans, what bad luck.]
I'm just here to see what kind of surprises this episode will have. If it's the same old formula, I'll report it.
Of course, there are also true fans of the show who are struggling to keep it going:
Ignore the haters, trust Director Gu!
Regardless of what others say, the emotions Ultraman Tiga evoked in me were genuine.
Can't we just watch TV quietly?
It's exactly eight o'clock.
The screen lit up on time.
There is no opening theme song.
Let's jump straight into the story.
The very first scene is a television interview program.
That seems to be some "previous episode recap" from episode three...
The host is interviewing Captain Megumi.
Meanwhile, countless citizens in front of their televisions were watching her with suspicion, scrutiny, and even anger.
The host pressed him further, asking:
"Captain Megumi, recently some people have said that the existence of Ultraman Tiga is what attracted the monsters. What do you think about this?"
This line was spoken.
The trolls who were furiously typing and cursing on their keyboards suddenly froze in front of the screen.
These lines...
How come it's exactly the same as some of the things that have been said about Ultraman Tiga online these past two days?
"Isn't Ultraman Tiga a jinx?"
"Would Earth be at peace if Tiga didn't exist?"
The questions raised by citizens during street interviews in the drama perfectly overlap with the comments on the screen in real life.
A strange sense of "breaking the fourth wall" instantly enveloped all the audience.
Gu Nan sat in his studio, looking at the data in the backend, a slight smile playing on his lips.
The show is about to begin.
Zhao Rui, do you think you're using public opinion to kill me?
Little did I know, you were just doing the perfect, free publicity campaign for my 25th episode, and even for the upcoming finale.
After tonight.
The second generation of Kirieloids will die.
And you, Celestial Master of Wonders, will also understand a principle.
Do not try to cover the light with darkness.