Because the monster newcomer “Stellar Medal” had become the most popular rookie author during this period, Omir was surrounded by countless flying cameras broadcasting his every move the moment he got out of the car.
When Omir’ face first appeared on-screen, enthusiastic fans practically jumped with excitement on the spot.
This was because Stellar Medal turned out to have a rugged charm, with a scar running down one side of his face that exuded an undeniable tough-guy aura!
[Oh my god, he’s so cool! Teacher Stellar Medal is actually the epitome of a tough guy?! No wonder, someone who writes such a thrilling adventure story can’t be ordinary!]
[Right! This is this year’s biggest surprise. I never thought the author would resemble his characters so closely!?]
However, the countless gasps of admiration in the live broadcast room were soon replaced by a wave of confusion when Omir’ slightly contracting pupils were caught on camera, followed by his sudden, agile turn and rapid sprint.
His speed was so fast that even the high-speed floating cameras couldn’t keep up at first, leaving nothing but a blur on the screen.
[Wait… I just took a screenshot, how come the cool teacher is gone?! (Screams)]
[Why did Teacher Stellar Medal just run away? Although his movements were so cool! That leap like a cheetah… is this some new way for authors to make an entrance?]
For a moment, book fans and netizens watching the live broadcast were bewildered. Some even mistakenly thought Omir was putting on a show.
It wasn’t until the editor’s confused shout echoed across the feed, followed by the sight of a group of plain clothed young military fans chasing after him, and Omir’ shocked exclamation of, “They’re not setting some trap set to arrest me?” that the barrage in the live broadcast room erupted in chaos.
[Huh? Huh! What does he mean by ‘not setting a trap to arrest him’? Aren’t those his fans? And they look so righteous…]
[They look like undercover soldiers! But why did Teacher Stellar Medal turn around and run? [Shocked] Is this a normal reaction for a normal person??]
[Isn’t my Teacher Stellar Medal a retired soldier? Could it be that he doesn’t want to reunite with old comrades and expose his identity?!]
The barrage of comments exploded in a frenzy of speculation, with fans unable to comprehend how such a simple author’s red-carpet appearance at the Huanyu Carnival could suddenly turn into the plot of an action movie.
It was like a scene from “Stellar Justice” had come to life.
If Omir had done it intentionally, this move would undoubtedly push the already trending pen name “Stellar Medal” to new heights of fame.
Unfortunately, the entire incident was purely the result of residual muscle memory, causing Omir to act on instinct.
So, a few minutes later, under the suspicious gazes of the young military fans surrounding him, Omir, who was feeling very embarrassed, walked back to the venue to face the interviews. Holding a pile of reader question cards picked by the host, he looked at the camera expressionlessly.
“Yes, I am Stellar Medal. But who on earth spread the rumor online that I’m a retired soldier?!”
“What?! But your “Stellar Justice” is written so well. How could you not be a Federation soldier? The way you wrote Jackrey’s battles of wits and courage against the space pirates… every detail was so vivid and meticulous. How could someone outside the profession write something with such expertise?!”
In response to Omirs’s first depressed and embarrassed question, the host immediately asked back in disbelief.
After all, the cue cards in her hands were all filled with questions along those lines:
“What thrilling experiences did you have during your time in the military?”
“Did your vivid, realistic adventures come from your personal experiences?”
“And why did you choose to write a book after retiring?”
“…”
“Is it possible that the reason my writing is so realistic is that I was arrested before?”
After a long silence, Omir finally delivered this line with a dark expression, which made the entire venue fall silent in an instant. Even the live broadcast’s barrage went quiet.
Everyone’s eyes widened and they looked towards the center of the red carpet in disbelief.
“Huh? Huh… You mean you were arrested before?!”
Even the highly professional host lost control of her facial expression at this moment and held the microphone in shock.
“Yeah… Ugh, if I’d known it would be such a hassle, I wouldn’t have agreed to come. Of course, I’ve completely changed careers now.”
Omir rubbed the scar on his face with frustration, then admitted everything without hesitation.
With Omir’ shocking confession about the “secret to his writing success,” the opening of the Huanyu Authors Carnival reached its climax.
“What is happening?! Teacher Fish Soup Noodles didn’t show up, but his diehard fan just made this year’s carnival blow up in popularity again?”
Backstage, Huanyu’s chief and deputy chief editors were at a loss as to whether to be shocked or overjoyed.
After all, Fish Soup Noodles’ absence had caused the opening of this year’s carnival to suffer a noticeable dip in attention.
Who would have thought that even in his absence, Fish Soup Noodles would indirectly stir up such a storm?
During the host’s interview, everyone learned that Omir was not a retired soldier at all. Instead, he had once strayed down the wrong path and spent time as a space pirate.
After being caught and serving his sentence, he stumbled upon Fish Soup Noodles’ “Rebirth of the Interstellar Soldier King” in a bookstore while seeking shelter from the rain.
“After finishing the book, I thought, ‘If Lin Mu can start over from scratch, why can’t I?’”
“Besides, waiting for updates was unbearable, so one night, I decided to write my own book. Of course, I never expected it to become so popular after publishing…”
Omir answered the questions from the host and the barrage in an unusually casual and straightforward manner.
All the while, he clutched the autographed set of “Rebirth of the Interstellar Soldier King” that the editor had given him, making it abundantly clear that his sole reason for attending the carnival was to get his hands on those signed copies.
“So, you’ve completely left the space pirate trade behind now?”
The host nervously confirmed with one last question.
“Of course. After all, the royalties are enough to live on, so I’m planning to use the money to buy a small house and settle down, no more wandering like before…”
“All of this is thanks to Teacher Fish Soup Noodles’ influence. My only regret is not being able to meet him at the carnival this time.”
As Omir finished speaking, the topic exploded on the hot search, with “Stellar Medal” becoming the hottest topic of this year’s carnival.
[Wow, the secret to writing success is…actually getting arrested?! Teacher Stellar Medal, this is too unbelievable! QAQ]
[So you’re telling me, while others write novels, you’re writing an autobiography?! No wonder the opening chapters about Jackrey’s rogue days felt so down-to-earth and realistic. I was even moved to tears when he turned over a new leaf!]
After all, the biggest attractive point of “Stellar Justice” had always been its compelling portrayal of the protagonist Jackrey, who transformed from a small-time thug who used to live a life of idleness and waiting for death to a Federation soldier determined to defend the universe.
The carefully crafted character arc, paired with heart-pounding, interconnected missions, made “Stellar Justice” stand out among the countless rebirth and upgrade flow novels and became a hit.
At the end of the interview, as Omir left the stage, he held up the autographed set of “Rebirth of the Interstellar Soldier King” and showed it off proudly to the live broadcast camera. With a playful smirk, he leapt off the stage and disappeared backstage in one swift motion.
[Help! I feel like I just saw the real-life Jackrey! TAT]
[Does this make Teacher Fish Soup Noodles a leader in rehabilitating dangerous individuals? Teacher Stellar Medal is such a diehard fan, he hugged those signed copies the whole time, and even flaunted them as he left?!]
[Ugh, I want Teacher Fish Soup Noodles’ signed books so badly too… Could the best way to approach him be to become an author and camp out to meet him?!]
Omir’ carefree and unconventional exit naturally created another wave of attention and discussion.
The topic of the space pirate turned writer, influenced by Fish Soup Noodles, continued to dominate the hot searches.
However, despite his newfound fame, Omir declined countless interview invitations, stating that he only wanted to focus on writing and creating even better works, hoping for a chance to meet Fish Soup Noodles someday.
Meanwhile, readers were pleasantly surprised that, although Fish Soup Noodles did not attend this year’s Huanyu Authors Carnival in person, Huanyu still organized numerous promotional events revolving around his works during the following days.
The most eye-catching attraction was an exhibition inspired by Yu Mian’s recent short stories, in collaboration with several renowned magazines.
Among them was the “King of the Tian Mountains-Snow Leopards” exhibit, which featured an immersive beast world.
Readers could interact with holograms of Da Xi and Gredo and share their photos online. After the hype took off, countless fans shared photos of themselves with the two snow leopards on star network.
