Miranda Priestly, in her high heels, placed a report on Hans's desk.
"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy has broken its ratings record for the past decade."
"Our target audience, white men over 40, saw their approval rating surge by 37% overnight."
"Very good."
Hans's face showed little joy, only a calm that indicated he had everything under control.
He has already played the Soldier Boy piece.
This is a simple and brutal move, used to break down the doors of the conservative market and awaken the silent majority.
It was effective, but crude.
Hans swirled his wine glass, watching the frenzied comments on the screen.
"Public opinion is like a pack of hungry Wild Dogs; give them a piece of raw meat, and they will bark wildly for you."
He needs more sophisticated prey.
Those young people who pride themselves on their superior taste and scoff at the "masculinity" of the Soldier Boy.
Those who chase trends, worship nothingness, and are willing to spend a fortune on "style" and "aesthetics".
Hans turned to the second page of the report.
There is only one name there.
Yasuo, the Unforgiven.
Hans's fingers tapped lightly on the photo of Yasuo's aloof profile.
Miranda began, "He can't be on talk shows."
"Of course not," Hans laughed. "He doesn't even need to speak."
"Language is cheap, Miranda. Especially for a swordsman. Every time he opens his mouth, it diminishes his status."
" The Soldier Boy sells a sense of identity, a crude tribal sentiment."
"And Yasuo... what we're selling is mystery. Distance, longing, a realm that ordinary people can never reach."
"I want to make young people all over the world go crazy for his silence."
Miranda's pen flew across the notebook as she scribbled.
"Specific plan?"
"A short film." Hans snapped his the Snap. "A top-quality short film."
"The series is called -- Rurouni Kenshin."
"We won't film how he fights, that's too superficial. We want to film how he exists."
Hans began to speak faster, as inspiration flowed freely.
"The first episode takes place in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, where he stands before a rushing glacial waterfall, eyes closed in meditation. The roar of the water is deafening, yet he remains unmoved."
Then he reached up and plucked a leaf from a nearby tree, held it between his fingers, and gently waved it towards the waterfall.
The next second, the waterfall was severed in two by an invisible sword aura, creating a momentary vacuum! Sunlight pierced through the gap, leaving a dappled light on his face. He never drew his sword.
In the second episode, he goes to a mountain forest, the kind where the ground is covered with red maple leaves. He walks slowly by, the gourd of wine at his waist swaying gently. A gust of wind blows, and bamboo leaves and red maple leaves fall together. After he passes, the camera pulls up. On the ground, the fallen leaves actually piece together a poem!
He still didn't draw his sword.
Hans became more and more excited as he spoke.
"Every time he took action, he only resolved the problem, never saying a word. After the enemy fell, he sheathed his sword and turned to leave."
Then, the screen went black, and a haiku appeared in the center of the screen.
Landa picked up the pen on the table and wrote a line on a notepad.
[The wind stirs the leaves, the sword clashes silently.]
"Style, Miranda, we need to go all out with style!"
"Let those self-righteous artsy youths frantically interpret its Zen-like meaning, and let those anime-loving brats worship it as a god!"
Miranda looked up, and her eyes behind her glasses shone brightly.
"I see."
"Budget?"
"There's no budget limit." Hans waved his hand. "I need the world's top special effects team and a director who best understands Eastern aesthetics."
"I want these short videos to spread like a virus on every young person's phone."
"Let them know that true strength isn't about words."
Three days later.
While the fervor surrounding Soldier Boy had not yet completely subsided.
The official YouTube channel of Vought News Network quietly uploaded a video titled " Rurouni Kenshin: Chapter 1 - The Flow Ends".
There was no prior notice.
There was no advertising.
Just one hour later, a massive wave was unleashed.
The video's visuals are outrageously exquisite; every frame exudes an aura of wealth.
When Yasuo used a leaf to cut down a waterfall, the entire internet's comment section fell silent for three seconds.
Then, it exploded completely!
"WTF?! Is this a movie trailer?! Vought is making a movie?!"
"Is this... is it real footage or CG? I can't tell!"
"My mom asked me why I was kneeling while watching the video! Who is this man?! How can he be so handsome!"
"He didn't even draw his sword! He used a leaf! My God!"
At the end of the video, a black screen appears.
A line of elegant calligraphy.
[Across the vast sky, a single sword slices through the clouds]
This video spread at an inexplicable speed.
Unlike the controversial and politically charged comment sections surrounding Soldier Boy, the comment sections for Rurouni Kenshin have become a global aesthetic celebration.
"This is a true hero! Powerful, silent, and elegant! Unlike some brute old soldier who only knows how to flex his muscles!"
"I hereby declare that from this day forward, I am Yasuo's dog! Nobody can take me from him!"
"Upstairs, draw your sword! Yasuo is mine!"
"Is there anyone who can analyze this haiku? It seems so profound!"
"This isn't just strength, this is the Way! It's Eastern philosophy! Vought International, you understand this too well!"
Following closely, the second and third chapters of " Rurouni Kenshin " were released one after another.
Fallen leaves in the bamboo grove become poetry.
Atop the snow-capped mountain, dancing with the wind, sword energy sculpts lotus flowers from ice crystals.
Yasuo's image has completely broken away from the category of "superhero".
He became a symbol.
A cultural symbol that blends powerful energy, Eastern mysticism, and top-tier aesthetics.
On Twitter, # Yasuo # became a trending topic, with countless people starting to imitate it by writing some nonsensical three-line poems.
Major luxury brands are finally getting restless.
The image of the Soldier Boy is too "rustic" and too "redneck," completely inconsistent with the high-end style they pursue.
But Yasuo is different!
He's practically the perfect spokesperson for luxury goods!
Vought International, Public Relations Department.
Miranda Priestly's office phone was ringing off the hook.
She walked into Hans's office with a complicated expression.
" Cartier wants to invite Yasuo to be the global ambassador for their new Child of the Wind collection, with an eight-figure endorsement fee."
Landa smiled and nodded, signaling her to continue.
" Nintendo, one of Japan's largest game companies, wants to buy Yasuo's image rights to develop a AAA action game. They are willing to pay a licensing fee of $100 million and promise a 25% cut of global sales."
"And Gucci, Armani, Patek Philippe..."
"Their PR directors are all lined up downstairs in the lobby, hoping to meet with you."
Just then, his personal phone rang.
A phone number from France.
Hans glanced at it and gestured for Miranda to quietly press the speakerphone button.
On the other end of the phone came a very respectful voice with a heavy France accent.
"Mr. Hans Landa? This is Chanel. We're calling about our new men's fragrance..."