Chapter 181: Show Your Face, Fugly

After ending the call, Li Ran immediately contacted Qingshan Green Water Studio.

Li Ran: What the hell are you guys doing?

Li Ran: I paid you, and this is your KPI performance? It’s pathetic!

Just look at how much that streamer’s popularity has soared since your studio took over this job!

Boss: Our studio deeply regrets this outcome, but all our operations were carried out according to the steps in the proposal you provided.

Boss: The results may not be what you wanted, but the process was executed exactly as you instructed.

The subtext was clear: even though the result was a total shitshow, they had done exactly what she’d told them to do. She couldn’t refuse to pay up.

Li Ran: Show me how you followed the steps. Send me the process logs. I’ll see for myself.

’So arrogant,’ the boss thought. ’I’m only talking to you for the money. Otherwise, I would’ve blocked you ages ago.’

The studio recorded everything: the movements of the hired trolls, their posting activities, operational procedures, and attempts to steer public opinion.

Although Li Ran wasn’t a highly experienced editor, she had been in the business for a few years. She could review things quickly and had a decent eye for this stuff.

The methods Qingshan Green Water Studio used were, in fact, correct.

You could even say their performance was decent. They infiltrated Jiang Jiujiu’s fan groups, provoked disputes in other communities, and lured a batch of their fans into Jiang Jiujiu’s stream to stir up trouble—

Except???

Public Opinion Reversal Prediction: 5%??? (An industry term in the interstellar era for the predicted percentage of people who will be swayed by an online smear campaign, a figure that is typically overestimated.)

With a sea of positive reviews, any negative comment stood out like a sore thumb and was instantly identified.

The trolls’ cover was blown with the slightest poke.

Once their cover was blown, they fought with their backs against the wall, sparking a three-way free-for-all where everyone accused each other of being hired trolls. As the client, Li Ran felt this move was solid—even quite good.

A chaotic situation would make people dislike everything involved. Since Jiang Jiujiu’s name was popping up so frequently, she would definitely be—

Wait, what was this mixed in with all the data? Swearing an oath?

Curiosity?

A huge wave of curious onlookers entered Jiang Jiujiu’s stream, and then it was just a frenzy of gaining fans, gaining fans, gaining fans.

"You saw this happening and you didn’t stop?"

"We reported the situation to your side. Your assistant said to proceed according to your proposal."

’Proceeding according to the proposal meant going all out with the smear campaign.’

Arguing was pointless. What was done was done, and there was no use debating it now.

Li Ran asked, "Looking at your data, is the food this streamer makes really that good?"

Boss: "Initially, the bystanders on those smear posts would often ask the same question after seeing the streamer’s fans."

Such fervent fans, so full of energy, like they were tirelessly chasing the light, using all sorts of hilarious ways to promote her.

You could feel a love for her that practically overflowed from the screen, making people wonder—

Is this streamer’s food really that good?

Does this streamer really attract fans so easily?

What kind of streamer could possibly have such a gem of a fanbase?

"And what happened after that?"

"As you can see." The boss sighed. "They became the streamer’s new fans."

Li Ran: ...

Goodbye.

"Alright, let’s not talk about what’s already happened. I paid you a huge sum of money—"

"And we performed the corresponding labor for that money!" A refund was impossible.

"I’m not asking for a refund, but the results were too poor. This won’t do."

"I need you to plan another campaign for me." Li Ran figured this Jiang Qiuqiu’s cooking skills must be up to par; she was a pretty capable chef.

In that case, it would be difficult to slander her cooking skills.

’No more slandering her cooking. I’ll come at it from another angle.’

"She doesn’t show her face."

"I want you to use public pressure to force her to show her face."

"If you can successfully make her reveal her face, the payment will be the same as before."

"Understood." The boss was an old hand at this kind of job. "So, will you be providing us with another proposal to guide our work this time?"

"No." Li Ran’s face darkened. "Just use your usual methods."

’Just think,’ she mused, ’if they actually saw the face hidden behind that robot... maybe it’s as wide as a basin, or her features are all out of place, or she’s just fat. Would those fans still be so eager to defend her?’

’Just wait until your face reveal, you ugly hag!’