280: Chapter 280 A Scam!? — Bonus Chapter Sponsored by <The New Type of Salted Fish>

Wen Xun's mouse cursor hovered over the suffix of the book title.

ordinary world · [Part One]》.

Part One?

Wen Xun froze for a moment.

His upper body suddenly sprang up, and the old swivel chair, unable to bear the weight, dragged an ear-piercing screech across the floor.

He didn't even bother to straighten the thick glasses sliding down to the tip of his nose; his eyeballs were nearly pressed against the screen.

The shock and panic of the previous second, along with that insignificant trace of guilt, were instantly washed away by a surge of morbid ecstasy.

A twisted, vengeful satisfaction flickered across his face.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

Wen Xun leaned back against the chair, letting out a sharp, short sneer.

He slapped his thigh hard, laughing until his shoulders trembled, even laughing to the point of tears.

"What 'tribute to the ordinary'! What 'for the common people'! It's all just a trick to fool ghosts!"

Wen Xun rubbed his hands excitedly, his greasy hair shaking with the movement.

He stared fixedly at those two words.

Having knocked around in this industry for so many years, he knew the faces of those capitalists all too well.

What 'literary decentralization', what 'tribute to the ordinary'—it was nothing more than the internet's lowest 'pig-farming' routine!

He lit a low-quality cigarette, took a deep drag, and his brain began to whirl at high speed, deducing the so-called 'truth'.

Xinchao Publishing House and Jian Shen had set up a massive scheme.

First, they used a soul-stirring preface to package themselves as compassionate saints.

Then, they threw out the seemingly loss-making gimmick of 'one cent per thousand words' to herd the massive number of users across the web into the New Tide APP's enclosure like pigs.

Once the readers finished this so-called 'Part One'...

Once everyone was completely trapped in the suffering of Sun Shaoping and Sun Shaoan, worrying for their fates and unable to stop...

The fangs of capital would be fully bared!

"There will definitely be a Part Two, Part Three, Part Four..." Wen Xun bit his cigarette butt, staring fiercely at the screen as he exhaled a cloud of thick smoke.

"When that time comes, it won't just be one cent per thousand words; they'll even pull out sky-high unlock prices, bundled consumption, and restricted purchases!"

"The so-called one cent per thousand words is just fragrant bait to lure people in and eventually harvest them like leeks!"

Wen Xun's fingers trembled uncontrollably.

He felt as if he had finally grasped the throat of that high-and-mighty deity.

Long-suppressed jealousy and resentment found an outlet at this moment.

He impatiently created a new document, his fingers smashing heavily against the keyboard.

In less than ten minutes, a highly inflammatory long-form article was produced.

He skillfully switched between several sock-puppet accounts he had nurtured for a long time.

He sent this manifesto simultaneously to Microblogging platform, Tieba, the New Tide APP comment section,

and the largest gathering place in the web novel circle, the Dragonsky Forum.

He bolded and highlighted the title in red, using the most venomous language to provoke the public's nerves.

【SCAM! Uncovering the Capitalist Fangs Behind 'One Cent Per Thousand Words'!】

The post's content hit right at the pain points:

"Everyone, open your eyes and look at the book title! ordinary world · [Part One]》! Only releasing Part One—this is a classic 'pig-farming routine'!"

"First, they use a cheap start and hypocritical tears to fence you in. Once you're addicted, the subsequent Part Two and Part Three will be priced at a premium!"

"'One cent per thousand words' is just a smokescreen! It's bait! You actually believe in the tears of capitalists? Don't be harvested like leeks while you're still counting money for them!"

"Wake up! There's no such thing as speaking for the lower class, only butchers sharpening their knives!"

One o'clock in the morning.

This was the time when people's rationality was at its weakest, their thoughts most impulsive, and their emotions most easily incited and driven to extremes.

Wen Xun's angle was far too cunning.

In this era where people were scared of being scammed by various routines, netizens had a natural sensitivity and resistance to words like 'capital', 'routine', and 'harvesting leeks'.

As soon as this post, filled with conspiracy theories, was published,

it quickly triggered a violent reaction in the already turbulent online world.

The first to be hit was the Dragonsky Forum.

A large number of web novel authors gathered here, and they were already feeling panic and jealousy over the blow dealt by Jian Shen.

Seeing Wen Xun's post, this group of people instantly became excited.

【Heartless Coding Machine】: "Holy crap! The OP found the blind spot! I knew something was off. One cent per thousand words can't even cover operating costs; the big trap was waiting behind!"

【Failure Old Li】: "I knew it! When traditional authors play the routine game, they're way darker than us! First they set up a virtuous facade, then they harvest the leeks. Brilliant!"

【Xuanhuan Overlord】: "Hurry up and repost! Let those brain-dead fans who were singing praises for Jian Shen see how the 'Great God' in their eyes is slaughtering them like pigs!"

【Rationalist】: "Everyone, calm down first. Isn't it normal to split a work into several parts? Many epic masterpieces are divided into volumes. Calling it a scam right away is a bit arbitrary, isn't it?"

【Failure Old Li】: "@Rationalist Is this your first day in the web novel circle? Dividing into volumes is fine, but haven't there been enough routines where they lure people in with ultra-low prices and then hike them up later? Get lost, you white knight!"

The heat in the forum was instantly pushed to the top of the front page.

Countless web novel authors began to frantically transport this post to Microblogging platform, Zhihu, and Tieba.

Next, the 'righteous souls' of the traditional literary circle also joined the fray.

They had previously been slapped in the face by the 'Preface to the Readers' and were holding back a stomach full of anger with nowhere to vent.

Now, seeing these remarks, they were immediately like they'd been injected with chicken blood, reposting on Microblogging platform with their main accounts in a sarcastic manner.

A well-known book critic posted: "Actually, I said long ago that once literature is tainted by the smell of money, it becomes a business. 'Part One' means exactly what it says; this is just the beginning. Let's wait and see."

A major short-video influencer recorded a video overnight: "Revealing the series of traps behind Jian Shen's new book! You think you're reading a book, but you're actually just a leek in someone else's eyes!"

In just half an hour, the direction of public opinion underwent a bizarre reversal.

The carnival of emotion that had originally swept the web was torn open by this 'pig-farming theory' with a cold and discordant gash.

In the New Tide APP's comment section, a large number of questioning voices began to appear.

"No way? Is it really a routine? I just topped up a hundred bucks!"

"I knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. If Part One is a cent, will Part Two be a dollar?"

"Teacher Jian Shen, please come out and explain. Is there really a Part Two? Will the price increase later?"

"If it's really pig-farming, I'm uninstalling right now! I hate being played for a fool the most!"

Negative emotions spread extremely fast across the internet.

Those readers who, just hours ago, were shedding tears over the preface and hitting the top-up button without hesitation,

after seeing the overwhelming conspiracy theories, found their original moved feelings gradually replaced by self-doubt.

They were afraid their sincerity was being exploited, and even more afraid of becoming a joke in the eyes of others.

Yun City, inside a rented room.

Wen Xun constantly refreshed the web pages, watching his post being reposted by tens of thousands of people, and seeing the questioning of Jian Shen grow louder on major platforms.

Excited, he picked up the instant noodle bowl on the table and gulped down a large mouthful of soup that had already gone cold.

"Jian Shen, oh Jian Shen."

Wen Xun stared at the screen, his fingers tapping forcefully on the desk, making a thumping sound.

"Your altar—I'm going to smash it to pieces today!"

At the same time.

Xinchao Publishing House, top-floor command center.

Operations Director Lao Zhang held a report and walked quickly to Wang De'an.

"President Wang, it appeared as expected."

Lao Zhang handed over the tablet.

"A large number of press releases suddenly appeared online, accusing us of only releasing 'Part One' as a 'pig-farming routine' and asserting that we will significantly increase prices later."

Wang De'an skimmed through those unsightly comments. Not only did he not get angry, but his tense face actually relaxed.

He pushed the tablet back to Lao Zhang, his voice carrying a sense of calm composure.

"Since they've set up the ladder for us,

then that notarized announcement is just right to be sent out now."

...