To be honest, he felt like a complete idiot. Otherwise, why would he have agreed to meet Sun Qian? This was simply a waste of time!
Using TT Group's promotional channels did sound great at first, but the wording mattered.
"Apply"! Sun Qian had said "apply," which meant they had the right to apply, but he also had the right to refuse!
The contract was filled with a whole pile of obligations they had to fulfill, and in the end, all they got was a TT promotional plan that might not even be implemented?
Brilliant. As expected of TT Group—they were masters at getting something for nothing!
"Mr. Sun, which of us do you think is the idiot—you or me?" Fang Zheng looked at Sun Qian with a face full of mockery. The other man was clearly trying to fool an idiot.
"I, Fang Zheng, am making this clear today: I'm not joining this pan-entertainment plan! I wouldn't before, I won't now, and I never will!"
"Bring on whatever tricks you have. I'd like to see whether TT Group can really cover the sky with one hand!"
Fang Zheng sneered as he picked up the contract from the table, then tossed it in front of Sun Qian with another cold smile and said, "Siyu, show our guest out!"
After being rejected so mercilessly by Fang Zheng, Sun Qian's expression immediately darkened.
Looking at Fang Zheng's back, he said, "Young man, you seem not to understand what TT Group represents."
Sun Qian looked at Fang Zheng mockingly. TT represented immense capital. Before the overwhelming power of capital, all resistance was nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot—pale and powerless.
"You know nothing about the power of capital." Sun Qian straightened his clothes, walked over to Fang Zheng, and placed the contract in his hands. "Soon, you'll understand how childish you are. Once you've thought it through, sign this contract and come find me at TT Group."
"Wait!"
The instant Sun Qian stepped out of the reception room, he heard Fang Zheng's voice.
With a smile on his face, he knew it. In the internet industry, no one dared to defy TT Group. To a company like ACG Culture Company, which could not even be considered small-scale, TT Group was a colossal giant.
"What is it? Director Fang, have you come to your senses so soon?"
Sun Qian turned around. He thought Fang Zheng had regretted his decision. After all, not everyone had the courage to challenge TT Group.
"Come to my senses?" Fang Zheng looked at Sun Qian as if he were an idiot. Only someone with a screw loose would agree to such an overbearing contract.
Fang Zheng pointed at the shattered tea set and ornaments on the reception room floor and said, "Our company is small and poor, unlike your wealthy TT Group. So pay for all of this before you leave."
"You...!"
When Sun Qian heard Fang Zheng's words, his face instantly flushed with anger. He pointed at Fang Zheng, trembling so badly that he could not speak.
"President Sun, the total comes to 88,888 yuan. To round it up, just give us 100,000."
Fang Zheng ignored Sun Qian's furious expression. He casually tossed the contract Sun Qian had placed in his hands earlier into a nearby trash can, then watched the other man with leisurely composure.
At some point, the cleaning lady who had made Sun Qian lose face came over with a broom. She seemed to be faintly blocking his way.
It was as if she were saying: if you don't pay today, don't even think about leaving.
Seeing the cleaning lady's actions, Fang Zheng gave her 120 likes in his heart!
Look at that, look at that. Now that was the kind of talent a company needed~
Seeing Sun Qian glaring at him with bloodshot eyes, Fang Zheng thought the other man was finally about to explode. Yet Sun Qian suddenly began to laugh.
"Hahahaha, Fang Zheng, you're very good. Very good!"
Sun Qian took out his bank card and handed it to his secretary, signaling for her to run it through the card reader. He then looked at Fang Zheng and said with a smile,
"I'll be waiting for the day you come crying and begging me!"
Fang Zheng paid no attention to Sun Qian's words.
It was true that TT Group had gotten its start earlier and was an established internet company. In terms of capital, perhaps ten thousand ACGs combined still could not compare with a single TT Group.
But when it came to anime... ACG Culture Company was the god of this field. TT Group was still far behind!
Sun Qian had arrived at ACG Culture Company full of confidence, then left in disgrace. This dramatic scene made many ACG employees feel deeply proud.
See that? Even TT Group's vice president couldn't get the better of us at ACG!
Fang Zheng himself had not expected that his rejection of Sun Qian would actually further increase the company employees' unity and improve their work efficiency by more than a little.
It counted as an unexpected bonus~
After leaving Qinghui Building, Sun Qian had just gotten into his business car when he took out his phone and made a call.
"How are the preparations for the plan?"
"Don't worry. Even heaven is helping us. After the latest episode of 'Akame ga Kill!' aired yesterday, the internet was flooded with criticism. This is the perfect time to deal with Fang Zheng!"
"Good. Start your plan immediately. I want to turn Fang Zheng into a rat crossing the street, hated and attacked by everyone!"
"Don't worry, Boss!"
After hanging up, Sun Qian went online and checked the latest comments on "Akame ga Kill!" Sure enough, just as the caller had said, the internet was filled with criticism.
Although Sun Qian did not know what had happened, seeing Fang Zheng condemned by countless netizens made the corners of his mouth lift slightly. A wave of satisfaction filled his heart.
Thinking about how Fang Zheng would soon be driven into a dead end and forced to lower his head and beg him, Sun Qian could not help bursting into laughter.
"Hahahaha, Fang Zheng, Fang Zheng, even heaven is helping me! What can you possibly use to fight me?!"
Some rejoiced while others worried. Sun Qian's furious departure had not only increased ACG's employee unity; it had also given Zhang Siyu a headache.
Others might not know, but she was perfectly aware.
The real clash had only just begun—or rather, it had already begun.
"Director Fang, we need to keep an eye on TT's movements recently. They won't let this go."
It was the internet age, and TT Group was an internet giant. Going up against a group like that made it difficult not to be cautious.
"Relax. Don't you know what TT Group is like? At most, they'll hire some paid posters to smear us—an all-out smear campaign. It's nothing. Go do whatever you need to do~"
Having grown accustomed to arguing with fans online, Fang Zheng felt that the paid posters' fighting ability was nothing special~
Who was he? He was the man who dared to banter with countless fans on Weibo. Wasn't he still alive and kicking?
Paid posters? Heh, what were those supposed to be?
Watching Fang Zheng walk slowly toward his office with the gait of an old man, Zhang Siyu could only sigh helplessly.
If only things were really as Fang Zheng had said. After all, when it came to online public opinion, they truly were not especially afraid of the other side.
Paid posters were certainly frightening, but Fang Zheng's fans were no pushovers either.
Though at present, those fans wanted to kill their Big Shot Fang~
"Hopefully, nothing will go wrong~"
In the end, Zhang Siyu also returned to her office helplessly.
Ultimately, ACG had been established for too short a time. It was simply not on the same level as a major group like TT.
If ACG were just a little larger, she would even dare to take the initiative and strike.
But for now... they could only take things one step at a time.
Fang Zheng—his crimes were unforgivable!
The next day, a post by Yang He on Weibo quickly shot onto the trending list, attracting countless people's attention.
"Xia Country is peaceful and prosperous today. At this moment of stable development and vigorous vitality, Fang Zheng suddenly released 'Akame ga Kill!' as a creator. What is he trying to express?"
"Is he implying that the government is as dark and rotten as the empire in his work?"
"I also heard that Fang Zheng deceived his fans. He once publicly stated during a televised interview that 'Akame ga Kill!' was a battle-type anime, but the result was deeply disappointing."
"How can someone with such flawed character, someone who lies so constantly, call himself a creator? He is clearly instilling unhealthy ideas in his audience. I even have reason to suspect that Fang Zheng is a spy planted in our country by another nation!"
The post ran for several thousand words, starting with how "Akame ga Kill!" reflected the country, then moving on to Fang Zheng's deception of the audience and his flawed character. It tore Fang Zheng apart until he was worth less than dirt.
"After Professor Yang's analysis, Fang Zheng really isn't a good person~"
"If you don't like Xia Country, get out of Xia Country! We don't need shameless people like you!"
"A creator? Bah! No wonder my son has been glued to his computer these past few days. So it was all because of you!"
"I suggest banning Fang Zheng and ACG Culture Company. They're simply a social scourge!"
"..."
Most of the replies in the comments section were also criticizing and cursing Fang Zheng. Any rational comments were quickly buried, unable to cause even the slightest ripple!
Fang Zheng's side naturally noticed what was happening online.
If the other side had merely focused on him "deceiving" his fans, he truly would not have been too worried.
But they had singled out "Akame ga Kill!" and claimed that it was an anti-government work. That made him somewhat concerned.
Although he knew that this had not been his original intention when creating "Akame ga Kill!", others might not see it that way.
Preconceptions were powerful. If people really viewed "Akame ga Kill!" through the lens Yang He had presented in his post, then the anime did indeed carry some political overtones.
That was what worried Fang Zheng the most.
"Director Fang, it looks like TT has made its move. Otherwise, the online attention wouldn't have risen so quickly!"
Zhang Siyu logged into the most mainstream communication software of the time, a TT Group product, and was immediately bombarded with numerous notifications.
Shocking! "Akame ga Kill!" actually reflects reality!
Fang Zheng—a creator with no moral integrity!
The public is unanimously petitioning for the closure of the Magic City ACG Culture Company!
After reading the notifications, Zhang Siyu looked worried. TT's position on the internet was no joke; its influence was truly immense.
Before you continue