Shame

Soon.

Zhao Fang Sheng understood the whole story.

Simply put... Fate/Zero was too popular!

Because of Shang Tao's special classification maneuver, most of the readers who came with anger ended up reading the two manga Tang Yao drew!

And after they finished reading... their reaction was the same as Su Deqiang's. They instantly forgot their original purpose, only marveling at how good it was and looking for the continuation of Fate/Zero!

As for the other works released in advance.

Readers didn't even care about Ou Congquan! Why would they care about other works!

Ever since some of the manga award entries were released early, Shang Tao had been staying in his department, monitoring the backend data with his subordinates. He had planned to control the comments if the plan failed in the end, deleting any that were too harsh to minimize the impact.

Yes.

Even though they were released early, for testing purposes, each of the twenty-odd works released in advance had a separate rating system and comment section.

However, the so-called rating system was a bit crude. Readers could only give a thumbs up or thumbs down, and the website would only display the number of likes and dislikes, without detailed reviews.

After all, there weren't many mature online manga reading websites in the country yet.

Shang Tao could only feel his way forward.

But that wasn't the point. The point was... Shang Tao had originally intended to control the comments.

But later he discovered he couldn't control anything!

For the other works, let alone malicious criticism! Hardly anyone was reading them!

Meanwhile, the data for Uzumaki and Fate/Zero was skyrocketing! Compared to the other works released in advance, their growth rate could only be described as terrifying!

Truly terrifying!

In less than one morning! The number of likes for Tang Yao's two manga had already surpassed 100,000!

One hundred thousand!

While other works were still struggling in the hundreds, these two works stood out from the crowd, directly reaching 100,000!

The website had only just launched!

This was truly outrageous!

Mainly because Shang Tao and Ou Congquan's actions were so clever, they had made almost the entire manga reader circle aware that the manga award entries were released early.

Whether readers were there for the drama, or like Su Deqiang, seeking 'revenge', most readers were very interested in seeing what the Literary Hall was up to.

Then, due to Shang Tao's specially treated 'highly recommended' classification.

Good heavens.

It could be said that as soon as readers opened the website, they were all directed to the manga drawn by the Third-rate Painter... Tang Yao.

By the time Shang Tao realized something was wrong, it was too late.

It was too late to revoke the special classification! Because Uzumaki and Fate/Zero had already spread through word of mouth among readers! They were spreading like wildfire in the manga enthusiast community, and many readers who hadn't paid attention started coming out of curiosity...

And what was even more terrifying!

It would have been fine if both manga were short stories, but Fate/Zero wasn't finished...

It was a serialization, and it stopped right when the story was getting interesting!

This was a disaster!

Readers who had already been hooked and were looking forward to the next issue immediately turned their attention to the new media department.

The readers' demands were simple! Where's the next issue!? Where's my next issue!?

Even just telling us when the manga will be serialized is fine! Don't play dead!

Tell us!!!

Clearly, they were unwilling to believe that Fate/Zero was just over.

Such interesting settings! Such a captivating story, how could it just end abruptly! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

"..."

Zhao Fang Sheng held Shang Tao's phone and looked at the latest post on the manga award's social media account, where the reply count had already reached 20,000. He saw countless readers asking about the serialization of Fate/Zero and was stunned.

Although he had already read Fate/Zero and felt that this manga was truly excellent, he had been captivated after reading it.

But the readers' urgency... bordering on desperation.

It was still beyond his expectations. Combined with what Shang Tao had just said...

Perhaps, this manga... had the potential to become a new pillar!

Thinking of this.

Zhao Fang Sheng was a little excited! A pillar!

He had initially just wanted to see how readers would react, but he hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise.

The readers will love it!

However, although Zhao Fang Sheng was excited internally, he didn't show it at all. He quickly suppressed his thoughts and slowly raised his head, looking at Shang Tao and asking, "Who told you to specially categorize and list those two works separately?"

"I went back and read the two manga recommended by Editor Tang, and I thought they were absolutely amazing, better than all the other works... So I thought it would be best to let readers see these two first, to let them know as quickly as possible how excellent the manga award-winning works are.

By the way, I also wanted them to see how amazing Ou Congquan's editor is, to give readers some confidence in Ou Congquan's next issue."

Shang Tao said with a crestfallen face, "But who could have imagined it would turn out like this."

"You already know those two manga are better than all the other works."

Zhao Fang Sheng shook his head. "By doing that, aren't you just giving all the popularity to those two works?"

"Then, Vice President, what do we do now? The other works are being ignored, and there's also Fate/Zero..."

Shang Tao had come to his senses by now, realizing that his actions were indeed inappropriate.

But overall, the problem wasn't that big. After all, the manga award was initially meant to drive traffic to the website. One work driving traffic or twenty-plus works driving traffic was still traffic. As for the popularity going to Uzumaki and Fate/Zero... so be it.

So the biggest problem was still—Fate/Zero.

This manga wasn't finished yet!

Tang Yao had only provided one issue's worth of manuscript!

Now readers were all clamoring for the next issue, asking about the serialization.

"..."

Zhao Fang Sheng hesitated for a moment, then tapped his desk lightly with his finger. "The other works are being ignored... then let them be ignored. These two works are enough, they were worth it.

As for Fate/Zero, just post a message on social media saying 'Please wait patiently, we won't disappoint our readers'... I'll handle the rest."

"Is that enough?"

Shang Tao was a little uneasy. "Won't it affect the website?"

"It's enough."

Zhao Fang Sheng shook his head and handed his phone back to him. "Readers have always been patient with excellent works. The reason they're targeting you now is just because they're worried you're toying with them, releasing one issue of Fate/Zero and then having no follow-up, leaving them hanging.

Actually, I shouldn't have let serialized works appear on the list in the first place, but the final result isn't too bad... This Manga Artist is indeed talented; the readers' reaction proves it. Perhaps when this work is officially serialized, it could even surpass Girl, Boy, and Sword."

"Surpass Girl, Boy, and Sword?"

Shang Tao was stunned when he heard this. "Impossible, right?"

Zhao Fang Sheng retorted, "Then do you think Ou Congquan's work could get 100,000 likes in a single morning if it were posted on the website?"

Shang Tao was stunned, then gently shook his head. "Impossible."

"That's the point."

Zhao Fang Sheng took a deep breath and looked towards the office door. "Perhaps we are about to witness the rise of a legendary Manga Artist who is no less than Teacher Rumi... I need to meet that Manga Artist through Editor Tang."

Rumi.

Tang Yao felt like he was the Oda Eiichiro of a parallel universe.

So when Shang Tao heard this, he directly gasped in shock.

However, his thoughts were much more mundane.

He was just thinking, if they're no less than Teacher Rumi, and they draw for more than a decade, how much money would that make!

At the same time.

A certain "talented Third-rate Painter," as some called her... was lying on the sofa, her head resting on her younger sister's fair and slender thigh. Still wearing simple pajamas, she held her phone, her face filled with shame.

Tang Xun's fair and plump, long thighs were pressed together. She lowered her head slightly, looking at the person lying on her lap. "I'm your sister... you can still make a shy expression about this?"

"It has nothing to do with you."

Tang Yao put down her phone, turned her face towards her sister's flat stomach, and said with some shame, "...It's all Shang Tao's fault, that idiot! 'Tang Yao's heartfelt recommendation'! Why did you drag me into this!"

Today was Sunday.

Neither sister had to work or go to school.

And this morning, after seeing Shang Tao's stunt, Tang Yao had been paying attention to the manga award.

Then, she saw the "Tang Yao's Heartfelt Recommendation" category on the website's homepage.

It was truly... so embarrassing.

Although the final result was excellent, and she could understand why Shang Tao did it, and she was grateful for his actions.

But still... it was so embarrassing.