Just as Shaxs was tossing and turning, trying to figure out exactly what kind of horror would be exciting yet sweet, Huanyu had recently taken inspiration from the marketing model of the animation “Bei Xing’s Necklace” and was wickedly experimenting with a few new promotional strategies.
Ever since “Bei Xing’s Necklace” began airing, the plot had progressed to the latter half of Bei Xing’s search for the twenty-four solar terms, and Lightyear Pictures had continuously released new merchandise centered around the plot.
Aside from the standard Bei Xing necklace and solar term clothing, an array of exquisitely crafted 3D stickers, a wide variety of stationery, and even themed backpacks had practically covered every daily necessity a fan could possibly use.
Any little fan of Bei Xing could be spotted at a glance on their way to school.
Carrying a backpack identical to Bei Xing’s, with a plush keychain of Domi dangling from it, and shoes possibly featuring their favorite of the twelve solar terms…it could only be said that Lightyear Pictures had an expert grasp of fan psychology.
Moreover, “Bei Xing’s Necklace” had introduced a very cute yet classic villain in its mid-story arc– Ruila, who was the complete opposite of Domi.
In the plot, Ruila was a black, furry ball, but because she wielded the power of dark solar terms, she constantly tried to snatch and obstruct Bei Xing’s efforts to reclaim the solar terms.
However, she always ended up failing miserably due to various unexpected reasons.
At first, the little fans were quite upset about this villain’s appearance, but since “Bei Xing’s Necklace” was a heartwarming romantic fantasy, Ruila and the girl she chose, Zuo Yue, were not true villains in the strictest sense.
As the plot unfolded, many young viewers soon realized that Ruila actually had many cute qualities.
For example, despite constantly proclaiming herself as the master of evil, she had a huge sweet tooth. She often sneaked into dessert shops and ate greedily, only to be caught by the shop owner and leaving the helpless young lady Zuo Yue to pay the bill.
Moreover, Zuo Yue, a proud and aloof girl, had her own unique charms.
For example, her extremely strict self-discipline, her consistent ranking at the top of her class, and her seemingly cold but actually soft-hearted character.
As the two competed against each other, they gradually grew to understand one another. In the latest episode, they even joined forces to battle a solar term spirit that had been corrupted and driven into a berserk state.
It could be said that the continuous rise of Bei Xing’s Necklace in the later-episodes was inseparably linked to the fresh and exciting dynamic brought by these so-called “villainous” characters, Zuo Yue and Ruila.
The most amazing thing was that a fanatical group of fans obsessed with the cold beauty, Zuo Yue, had gradually emerged. Even the plush merchandise they bought was all of the black fluff ball, Rulia.
Some even declared that “going dark” was just so cool!
“It’s just part of being a teenager. “Going dark” and all that is the new trend. Fans are drawn to Ruila’s dark aesthetic, so we can’t afford to ignore this demographic, we must capture them!”
The head of Lightyear’s marketing department scrutinized the promotional materials with a grave expression, looking as if he was prepared to market “Bei Xing’s Necklace” all the way to the outer star systems.
“This “villain” character is actually fascinating. She completely complements Bei Xing’s opposite side, so no matter what type of audience tunes in, they’re bound to find a favorite.”
Another staff member nodded in agreement.
Ever since “Bei Xing’s Necklace” launched, it had attracted the widest possible fan base, but many self-proclaimed nonconformists had initially dismissed it, insisting, “This story is way too romantic and fantastical. We don’t care for that.”
Who would’ve thought that the appearance of Rulia would give these rebellious viewers a character that caught their eye.
What was more bizarre was that as the show continued breaking new viewership records in its later episodes, Lightyear Pictures rolled out a limited-edition blind box figurine event.
Fans could purchase blind boxes at various “Bei Xing’s Necklace” merchandise counters or partner offline stores, with each box containing a random figurine of a popular character from the show.
The moment this blind box promotion launched, it ignited a frenzy within the Bei Xing fandom, rivaling the hype of the first release of Bei Xing’s necklace and themed outfits.
Moreover, because the blind boxes could be bought repeatedly, yet buying a bunch wouldn’t guarantee getting the character you loved, many fans were soon trapped in this blind box “pit”, starting their painful but joyful journey of collecting.
[Who understands my pain? I bought ten boxes and got nine fat Domis. Just kill me. I just want Bei Xing and Zuo Yue, wuuu.]
[I want my male gods Jingzhe and Yishui! But no matter how many I open, they never appear. I like the others too, but they’re not my top picks. I’m losing my mind! (Balding.gif)]
[Damn you, Lightyear! Who taught you about blind boxes!? I can’t stop myself from buying two every day after work. Even my little sister’s entire class is obsessed with them, it’s terrifying.]
At schools teeming with Bei Xing fans, a unique bartering system quickly emerged.
For example, one Bei Xing figurine and a collectible card could be traded for five Domis. Alternatively, a Yishui and Jingzhe pair could be exchanged for another mirrored twin set, such as Xiaoshu and Dashu.
The blind box craze became so intense that teachers had to issue an official ban on bringing figurines into classrooms.
[On a side note, what does it feel like to see my students collecting more comprehensively than I ever could? I’ve been drawing for hours and still haven’t gotten my radiant beauty, Xiazhi. Yet, our class president has three! He said he got them in exchange for helping with homework. [Sluggish]]
The battle of wits between teachers and student fans led to plenty of amusing incidents, especially since many young teachers themselves were avid viewers of “Bei Xing’s Necklace”.
When this post surfaced online, netizens couldn’t help but gloat.
[Tell your class president his figurine got ‘stolen’. Teach him a lesson about the dangers of society. (Puts on sunglasses. No, I’m totally not jealous because I failed to get Xiazhi.)]
[Hahaha. Confiscate it and enjoy it yourself, then return it at the end of the semester? I don’t know why, but I feel bad for that kid. Haha.]
[Have you been through the rain just to snatch the umbrella away from others? Hahaha. If I had known writing assignments could get me Xiazhi, I would have done it ages ago. College student writer for hire! TwT]
Watching Lightyear’s overwhelmingly successful marketing campaign made Huanyu think and reflect.
“Look at this. Teacher Fish Soup Noodles just wrote a script for Lightyear, and they turned it into this massive phenomenon.”
“Teacher Fish Soup Noodles has published so many works under Huanyu. Why haven’t we thought of launching a blind box lottery ourselves?”
Even Huanyu’s chief editor, upon noticing the situation, rushed in to analyze potential strategies.
The chubby deputy chief editor wiped his sweat as he listened, quickly assuring, “We’ll get right on it.”
“Should we release figurines, then? Maybe a random Q-version figurine with each book purchase?”
“It’s possible, but packaging might be tricky.”
“Why don’t we include character cards instead? Each physical book could come with a randomly inserted character design card that has never been seen before. That way, it wouldn’t take up space in the book and would be highly feasible.”
As soon as one of the editors proposed this idea, it immediately piqued everyone’s interest.
“Isn’t this the perfect opportunity? The eighth volume of “Rebirth Of The Interstellar Soldier King” is about to be released. We can experiment with this right away. Just insert a limited-edition character card for Lin Mu, Commander Bol, Officer Tucker, or Hilton into the books. It could serve as an extra collectible.”
“We can also refine the craftsmanship and make them look more appealing. That way, they’d look stunning when displayed on a shelf!”
With priority approval from the higher-ups at Huanyu, samples of these “Rebirth Of The Interstellar Soldier King” mini character cards were swiftly produced and displayed on the long conference table in the editorial office.
Each one was exquisitely crafted. There were three different designs for Lin Mu alone, each with a different illustration and varying rarity.
“Heh, if you collect the full set, you can exchange it for an ultra-rare hidden SSR card featuring the author’s personally signed photo. That would be incredible.”
One of the younger editors’ words instantly made the entire room turn and stare at him in shock.
Ah, this idea was so diabolical.
“Just like how other authors attended Universal’s annual carnival, why don’t we bring Teacher Fish Soup Noodles over this time for a promotional photoshoot?”
Back when Fish Soup Noodles never showed up, fans had regretted that he never appeared at offline events. People had assumed there was some reason he preferred to stay out of the public eye…
But after that brief live broadcast that was immediately shut down, just a few seconds of exposure had already caused an online sensation. If they launched a character card event now, wouldn’t it sell out instantly?
“No, no, no. Teacher Fish Soup Noodles definitely wouldn’t agree to that. Let’s drop this idea.”
Shaxs quickly shut down the growing fantasy before it spiraled out of control.
“Remember, when Director Gu Qi wanted to invite Teacher Fish Soup Noodles for a cameo role in the “Eternal Night Rose” movie, he declined back then too.”
The entire room let out deep sighs of disappointment.
Come to think of it, why didn’t Teacher Fish Soup Noodles ever consider becoming a star?
Then again, if he had, where would fans get all these exciting novels to read?
The eighth volume of “Rebirth Of The Interstellar Soldier King” was also rushed into early release in response to the overwhelming demands from eager fans.
“Huh… What just fell out?”
One of the first batch of fans who got his hands on the physical books in bookstores excitedly flipped through the pages, only to have a card slip out.
He quickly bent down to pick it up and discovered…it was a Lin Mu character card.
The artwork was really well-done, and the card was shimmering under the sunlight with a dynamic glow.
Lin Mu had always been portrayed as a sharp and energetic young man after his rebirth. The character design on this card captured that perfectly. He was tall and lean in his legion combat uniform, exuding an effortlessly cool aura.
There was a determined glint in his eyes.
“This looks amazing! Is this a bonus gift for this release?”
In fact, the cards alone weren’t an issue, the key was….
“Wait a second, why is mine different? Fuck, this ..this…this one… By the cosmos, I’m about to have a maternal breakdown.”
A book fan behind him had drawn a different version, an exclusive battle-damaged young Lin Mu card.
The young man’s heroic eyes and brows were splashed with blood, his expression very resolute as he pulled a blade from his chest, and his eyes seemed to say, “Do it again!”, in a defiant manner.
The artist had drawn the muscle lines with stunning precision, giving Lin Mu’s physique a strong yet aesthetically pleasing form from years of rigorous training.
For the Soldier King mother fans, this card was practically lethal.
“Help! I love this one too! How can I collect both?!”
As the saying goes, what is worrying is not the lack of things but the inequality of things; what is worrying is not the lack of things but the differences. Seeing others with different designs immediately ignited a burning collector’s desire.
Many “Soldier King” fans, who originally planned to unbox their books at home, could no longer hold back and started opening their copies on the spot. Soon, excited exclamations filled the air.
Though perhaps the most tragic reaction was…
“Fuck? Hilton has a card too?! Huanyu, I’m seriously calling the police on you!”
Even though Hilton’s villain card looked very elegant and handsome, for “Soldier King” fans who drew him, it was like a bolt from the blue.
Unexpectedly, Huanyu’s randomized bonus card event also led to an unforeseen situation.
Previously, there had been a problem where book fans from distant star systems, who found it difficult to purchase physical copies, would pool their resources to buy one book together. Since shipping rights for “Rebirth Of The Interstellar Soldier King” hadn’t yet expanded to certain star systems, multiple people often shared a single copy.
But now, with every official book coming with a character card…
That once peaceful arrangement suddenly became tense.
“No wonder sales in outer star systems are skyrocketing this time. Lightyear’s marketing strategies really are brilliant. We should consider more ways to engage book fans like this in the future.”
“Deputy Chief Editor, you’re really keeping a tight lock on these cards. Even us internal staff can’t collect a full set?”
It didn’t take long before a number of editors began complaining in frustration.
“This thing seriously has no backdoor?”
“Matters involving internal staff and fairness have always been strictly regulated.”
Shaxs himself had also drawn multiple duplicates. He even went to a second-hand shopping website the day after the release and found that some rare cards were already being resold at prices even higher than the book itself.
Especially Lin Mu’s battle-damaged card, it was proving to be overwhelmingly tempting.
Meanwhile, upon hearing about Huanyu’s latest promotional bonus event, Yu Mian couldn’t help but chuckle at how the Interstellar book culture was getting wilder and wilder.
Who could resist buying into this?
If one collected all the photos and posted them on star network, they would get over 10,000 likes in a matter of minutes.
Amid this craze of “show-off your card”, Yu Mian was finally convinced that there were indeed many people from all walks of life among his book fans.
