Impossible

"You mean..."

After a long while.

Zhao Fang Sheng looked at Shang Tao, seeming to finally understand. He raised an eyebrow and slowly said, "You want to use the controversy surrounding Girl, Boy, and Sword to promote the manga awards and the online website?"

Shang Tao understood his superior and knew this was a sign of displeasure. He quickly explained, "From an operational standpoint, that's correct, but it's also a last resort. President, you've seen it yourself, all the readers are currently angry at the manga awards and the website..."

He then repeated Tang Yao's "black is also red" theory.

"..."

The Vice President, Zhao Fang Sheng, listened to Shang Tao's explanation. The raised eyebrow slowly lowered, as if he understood Shang Tao's plan. He tapped the table with his hand, "So, according to your plan, while you're releasing the manga award entries early, you'll also be mentioning Girl, Boy, and Sword from time to time to highlight the 'normalcy' of the manga award entries?"

"It could actually work..."

Shang Tao's eyes lit up at the suggestion. However, just as he started speaking, he noticed the Vice President's expression had soured.

This was practically equivalent to stepping on their flagship work to get ahead.

It was too unethical.

He quickly tried to explain, "No, no, no, I won't do that. I'll only leverage the readers' current anger. I won't actively promote the current controversial arc of Girl, Boy, and Sword that's causing outrage..."

"That's still putting Girl, Boy, and Sword on the fire."

Zhao Fang Sheng's expression improved slightly as he saw Shang Tao backtrack at the last moment, but he remained angry. "Do you really think I'm Ding Yilong? The readers are angry at the manga awards, so the manga awards release entries early, making it seem like they want to show readers how excellent the award-winning works are. Isn't that clearly inviting readers to compare?

You're going to roast your own flagship manga? Do you know how many people in the company oppose the new media department? If this website takes off, but then Ou Congquan messes up again and Girl, Boy, and Sword falls, do you know how many knives will be aimed at the new media department and me?"

"I know."

Shang Tao replied immediately. Noticing his president's suspicious gaze, he continued, "I really do know, Vice President. I raised the same concerns just now, but that editor Tang said she could fix it. She said... she'll make that AORI phrase a reality, and that the current arc of Girl, Boy, and Sword won't be a mistake, but merely a detour to pave the way for a explosive development later on."

"Editor Tang?"

Zhao Fang Sheng's anger paused. Looking at Shang Tao's confident expression, he finally realized something. "The editor in charge who wrote that AORI phrase? So... there really is a reversal coming for Girl, Boy, and Sword?"

"Currently, there isn't."

Shang Tao gave a wry smile and began to recount his visit to the editorial department, explaining the reasons and consequences behind the current plot of Girl, Boy, and Sword.

He didn't exaggerate.

Because even the unembellished, original version was enough to make one's blood pressure skyrocket.

Ding Yilong, the editor-in-chief, not only didn't read the original manuscript but also told his subordinate editor, who was trying hard to change the manga artist's mind after discovering a problem, to not bother.

As for helping the subordinate editor, that was even more preposterous.

Forget helping; he later used every trick in the book to shift the blame onto the diligent editor.

Anyone normal would have a stroke hearing this.

As Shang Tao spoke.

Zhao Fang Sheng's face slowly turned red. "I'll be damned..."

Although he knew Ding Yilong had significant issues before, he couldn't help but curse at this moment.

Because it was simply too outrageous!

"I was also very shocked,"

Shang Tao said with a wry smile. "But it's understandable, I suppose. He's been here since your time as president, and he has past achievements, so he's become too complacent..."

"Past achievements don't guarantee present success!"

Zhao Fang Sheng couldn't help but slam the table. "But there's a problem now! Who does he think he is? The emperor of the editorial department?"

Shang Tao remained silent.

Because it was possible Ding Yilong actually thought that way.

Meanwhile.

Zhao Fang Sheng was furious, but after slamming the table, he calmed down. He took deep breaths, forcing himself to regain his composure, and said, "Shang Tao, you know why I had you go to the editorial department under the guise of AORI."

"Yes."

Shang Tao nodded. "To see what Ding Yilong was up to, and to assess his control over his important manga artists. Ding Yilong probably suspected something too, which is why he's been shirking responsibility in front of me."

"That AORI phrase, I always thought it was a product of communication between the editor and the manga artist. I thought the situation wasn't that bad."

Even though Zhao Fang Sheng tried to hold it in, he couldn't help but laugh bitterly at this point. "And now you're telling me it was forced upon the editor to comfort the readers?"

Shang Tao realized something was wrong and added, "Not for much longer."

Zhao Fang Sheng looked at Shang Tao. "You have that much confidence in that editor?"

"Rather than confidence, it's more like hope,"

Shang Tao said helplessly. "Otherwise, whether I put Teacher Ou on the spot or not, the situation with Girl, Boy, and Sword would still be dire."

"..."

Zhao Fang Sheng fell silent. After a while, he finally said, "So, according to Ou Congquan's original plan, he would have continued drawing according to the current trend?"

"According to that Editor Tang, yes. There's no reversal... the next two months will be hell-related scenes until the protagonist finally reappears resurrected at the very end."

"What is all this?"

"I'm shocked too..."

"So why did Editor Tang try four times and still couldn't change Ou Congquan's mind?"

"On one hand, Ding Yilong is completely inactive, not intervening at all, and even suppressing his subordinates. On the other hand, it's probably due to the Manga Artist's distrust... that Editor Tang is too young, and too beautiful."

Zhao Fang Sheng was a little surprised: "A woman?"

Shang Tao nodded, then his expression turned strange: "Yeah, she doesn't look like an editor at all, more like a member of a girl group, the kind who can steal the spotlight from everyone around her when she's in the center position..."

"..."

Zhao Fang Sheng had a 'what are you talking about' expression but didn't continue the topic: "So why does she think she can change Ou Congquan's mind this time?"

"Uh..."

Shang Tao got stuck. After a while, he said: "Ou Congquan can see the reader feedback too, right? His attitude will probably soften?"

"What if he gets stubborn and thinks his drawing is fine?"

Zhao Fang Sheng shook his head: "That's not impossible. When I was an editor before, I encountered a Manga Artist who, when readers pointed out issues, insisted on going against them to prove they were right."

Shang Tao was stunned, his excited heart instantly cooled like being doused with a basin of cold water.

That's right.

Editor Tang couldn't convince him in the previous four attempts.

Could this time really work?

"Unless."

At this moment.

Zhao Fang Sheng thought of that phrase, AORI, and slightly frowned: "Unless that Editor Tang has her own unique insights into the future plot direction, even knowing better than Ou Congquan how the next chapters should be drawn, and also knows how to perfectly connect it with the already drawn plot. Then, perhaps, she could take advantage of the readers' dissatisfaction with the current situation..."

Shang Tao's eyes lit up again, his heart, which had been doused with cold water, became hot once more.

"But the probability is too low."

Zhao Fang Sheng shook his head, pouring another basin of cold water on Shang Tao's heart. He then pondered for a moment: "But let her try first. You can release the manga award works in advance. You go prepare. That Editor Tang is right, this is indeed a good opportunity, but just prepare. Keep an eye on Editor Tang's progress."

"Okay."

Finally.

Hearing this, Shang Tao's heart stopped its hot and cold cycles.

"Go ahead."

Zhao Fang Sheng stood up: "You must closely monitor the progress. If that Editor Tang can't do it, I will step in and visit Ou Congquan with her... On the other hand, the content department can't go on like this. They've already lost control over the Manga Artists. Ding Yilong... this Ding Yilong."

"Okay."

Shang Tao nodded in agreement. He didn't say anything more: "Then I'll go prepare and screen the works to be released in advance."

"Mhm."

Zhao Fang Sheng responded, then thought of something: "Oh right, what's that Editor Tang's name?"

"Tang Yao."

"Tang Yao... I know."

Zhao Fang Sheng nodded and stopped talking.

He was already considering the time to visit Ou Congquan with Tang Yao tomorrow, as well as the upcoming reform of the Youth Magazine Editorial Department.

It wasn't that he didn't believe Tang Yao. From Shang Tao's description and that phrase, AORI, he knew clearly that this editor was capable. It was just that Ding Yilong was too outrageous.

But no matter how capable she was, it would be difficult to have her own unique insights while also fitting the original author's ideas, let alone connecting it with the already drawn plot.

This was too difficult.

Highly unlikely.

If she could really do it... she could directly replace Ding Yilong.

Although a thirty... wait, how old was that Editor Tang?

Zhao Fang Sheng frowned, recalling Shang Tao's description of that Editor Tang – young and beautiful; probably around thirty. It wouldn't be impossible for her to be an editor-in-chief. The Shoujo Manga editorial team also had a very young deputy editor-in-chief.

Wait... what was he thinking.

As he was thinking...

Zhao Fang Sheng finally came to his senses and shook his head self-deprecatingly.

He was actually seriously considering something impossible.

...Perhaps it was because he was too eager to replace Ding Yilong.