169: 169. Crash

Wang Yuxi's decisiveness was astonishing.

The day after reaching a consensus with Lu Feng, the registration process for Tingfeng Media was efficiently initiated. Leveraging her deep connections and excellent reputation accumulated over years of experience in the entertainment industry, she began assembling a team at an incredible pace.

Lu Feng provided ample startup capital and gave her complete authority, so she immediately started recruiting, securing top agents, veteran publicists, and content producers.

Simultaneously, she privately contacted several talented actors and singers who had either suffered unfair treatment at their previous companies or possessed great potential that hadn't been fully realized.

Tingfeng Media, backed by the towering presence of Tingfeng Capital, undoubtedly had abundant funds. Now, with Wang Yuxi's golden reputation and her formidable initial team, a powerful "siphon effect" was created.

The list of the first batch of signed artists was quickly finalized, prominently including several currently popular first and second-tier celebrities. This move instantly shook the entire industry, drawing attention from all sides.

Even netizens, who were just observing, were stunned by Wang Yuxi's dazzling series of maneuvers, speculating about the true identity of this "Tingfeng Media" that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

At the same time, with several energy giants secretly fanning the flames, negative public opinion targeting Tingfeng Energy and Lu Feng began to ferment.

"Shocking! Tingfeng Energy's lab data suspected of being falsified, when will this colossal scam be exposed?"

"Energy revolution or portable bomb? In-depth exposé of solid-state battery safety concerns!"

"The next exploding model? Experts call for caution regarding Tingfeng Energy products!"

Such sensational headlines began appearing on influential marketing accounts, accompanied by carefully edited and out-of-context "expert" interpretations, ready to steer public opinion.

However, this time, the previously unfailing tactics fell flat.

Wang Yuxi immediately announced that she would become the spokesperson for Tingfeng Energy. Leading the newly signed celebrities, who had excellent audience appeal and reputation, she launched a series of well-produced and creative advertising campaigns with lightning speed, directly showcasing the absolute safety and powerful performance of solid-state batteries.

Coupled with the company's strong public relations capabilities, Tingfeng Energy was quickly vindicated.

After several rounds of concerted effort, public opinion rapidly reversed, and Tingfeng Energy's reputation not only did not decline but actually rose, with orders entering a new peak of growth.

"Sister Yuxi is like a completely different person when she works now; she's incredibly enthusiastic and full of drive. It's totally unlike how she used to be, which was professional but always carried a hint of subtle melancholy."

Over the phone, Xu Ting's voice was filled with genuine joy for her friend.

Lu Feng held his phone, imagining Wang Yuxi commanding the business world at this moment, and smiled from the bottom of his heart: "It seems she's not only a good actress, but her business talent has also been unleashed."

Xu Ting laughed: "Of course. After all these years in the industry, what kind of scoundrels, open attacks, and hidden schemes hasn't she seen? She's long been an expert in these marketing hypes and public opinion battles. Before, she was constrained and couldn't exert her full strength. Now that she has a platform and confidence, she can naturally show her true capabilities."

Lu Feng nodded in agreement: "Sister Yuxi is an Empress-level figure after all, with keen intuition for audience psychology and content dissemination. Once this period of crisis public relations and team integration is complete, we can start planning some high-quality film and television projects."

Xu Ting laughed: "That's true. After all, it's a media company; we can't just do public relations and endorsements. Appropriate and clever brand placements, integrating our products and concepts into high-quality content in a 'subtle and pervasive' way, will subtly influence a wider audience. That's the long-term approach."

After a long conversation, Lu Feng hung up the phone, put it down, glanced at the bustling library, and quietly closed his eyes.

His consciousness returned to that vast and mysterious dream space.

Lu Feng did not look at the dream bubbles, but instead, with a wave of his hand, a black bubble appeared before him.

Inside was a constructed single-room prison, where the Fei Country warlord colonel was still trapped.

The colonel, once a powerful and ruthless warlord leader in reality, was now curled up in a corner.

His camouflage uniform was tattered, his eyes hollow and vacant, and his once lean physique was now hunched like an old man on his last legs.

This was a manifestation of his consciousness shrinking.

Lu Feng pointed a finger, and he was already standing silently outside the cold cage.

He did not speak, but merely watched silently with his deep-set eyes.

At first, the colonel's muddy, lifeless eyes merely shifted mechanically, thinking it was just another hallucination, born of endless solitude, that had tormented him countless times.

Over countless years, he had experienced countless auditory and visual hallucinations, but they had all vanished the moment he tried to touch them, tearing his hope into even smaller fragments.

But this time, the figure did not disappear; it was so real, so... familiar!

It wasn't a hallucination!

He... he really came!!

"Ho... ho..."

A wheezing sound, like a broken bellows, came from the colonel's throat. The immense shock and disbelief made his stiff body begin to tremble violently.

He struggled, like a rusty machine, trying to get up from the ground, but years of being curled up and his mental breakdown made his movements clumsy and ridiculous.

He almost stumbled and crawled to the edge of the invisible cell, his emaciated fingers reaching out, frantically clawing forward, trying to touch Lu Feng.

"Mas... Master! Great Master! It's you! It's really you!!"

He finally confirmed that it was not a hallucination. The fear and despair accumulated over countless years, like a bursting dam, instantly broke through his last defenses.

This warlord, who had once been ruthless and unruly, now resembled a child who, after being abandoned by the whole world, finally saw a loved one. Tears streamed down his face, his voice hoarse and distorted, filled with a frantic wail.

He no longer cared about any dignity or decorum, banging his forehead against the ground with a "thud, thud," letting out a mournful wail and plea for mercy:

"Spare me! Please, spare me! I know I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! I am willing to submit! I am willing to offer everything I have!!"

"Fei Country! Everything in Fei Country! My army! My territory! The Jialan Mine! All the mines! They are all yours! All yours!! Just please let me out! Take me away from this hellhole! Please!!"

He raised his face, streaked with tears and grime, his eyes filled with the most primal fear and humility, as if gazing at his only deity:

"You are my God! My only true God! I pledge allegiance to you from the depths of my soul! Whatever you command, I am willing to do anything for you! Even die instantly! Just please don't leave me alone here again!! Please! Great Master! Merciful Master!!"