Chapter 30 - Is This Kid Trying to Become a King with This Competition?

Chapter 30: Is This Kid Trying to Become a King with This Competition?

[They’ve gone up to 200,000! Xinli Media is going all out!].

[Quick question, what’s the actual bidding rule? If someone bids 200,000 and no one counters, do they just buy the script for that amount?].

[Don’t be ridiculous. A high bid only grants the right to exclusive negotiations. The final price still depends on further discussions between the production company and the screenwriter.].

[For example, if the final price for the script is set at 3 million, the 200,000 is just a deposit.].

[Then what happens to the other bidding companies? Is their money wasted?].

[No, if they don’t win the bid, they get their money back—unless they drop out midway, which incurs a small fee.].

[Got it.].

[So basically, whoever wins the initial bid gains the upper hand, right?].

[Exactly. It’s the first-mover advantage—it aligns with standard business logic. Whoever dares to be the first to act has the best chance.].

[Makes sense now!].

With Xinli Media joining in, the bidding war officially kicked off!

_____

Two minutes earlier, in the judges’ room, the panel—stunned by Lu Chen’s episodic storytelling approach—was just as shocked as the audience.

“Wow! This brat is really treating this as full-fledged scriptwriting!” Exclaimed Shu Ping, his jaw dropping in disbelief.

If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he never would’ve believed it. How confident must this guy be in his own work and abilities to pull off something like this?

“Looks like his initial draft must’ve been pretty complete,” Yan Geling speculated.

“No matter how complete his draft was, just look at this, Teacher Yan. He’s already woven in Zhao Jialiang’s storyline from the second episode—and explicitly identified him as a Hong Kong businessman. What does that mean?

“It means that in those 20 minutes of thinking time, he managed to integrate Zhao Jialiang’s plotline into the script! That’s the truly astonishing part!” Shu Ping exclaimed.

As someone deeply familiar with the challenges of scriptwriting, Shu Ping knew the sheer number of hurdles involved. Yet, Lu Chen’s writing speed and coherence left him utterly speechless.

If he hadn’t witnessed Lu Chen piece the story together bit by bit—from the countryside, to Tazhai, to Lin Yaodong, to Li Weimin, crafting a seamless narrative—he might have suspected that Lu Chen had planned it all beforehand.

Or worse, that the show’s producers had leaked the prompt to him in advance. But on second thought, that was impossible. With the reputation and influence of The Writing Competition in the industry, there was no way they’d stoop to such tactics.

So, Lu Chen’s decision to dive straight into episodic storytelling left Shu Ping completely floored.

“Xiao Sa, could you check which school Lu Chen graduated from?”

“Of course, Teacher Shu Ping!”

The equally dumbfounded Xiao Sa quickly flipped through the contestant dossier. When he found Lu Chen’s page, his pupils contracted.

“No wonder!”

“What no wonder?”

“Lu Chen graduated from the National Film Academy!”

“The National Film Academy?”

Shu Ping and the others were shocked.

That’s the top-tier institution for film and television in Longguo—there’s no higher level!

“Not only that, but he was the top student of his graduating class!”

“Hiss!”

Yan Geling drew a sharp breath.

“That makes him one in ten thousand of one in ten thousand!”

“And according to the records, during his time at school, he achieved a grand slam of honors and was named ‘Outstanding Screenwriting Student’ for four consecutive years!”

“This kid! Not only does he look good, but he’s also insanely talented!”

Shu Ping finally understood.

It wasn’t that Lu Chen’s methods were over-the-top. His skill and talent were simply undeniable.

“No wonder he won first place in the regional competition as a graduate! I didn’t realize he had such a background!”

“But his previous works were pretty average. They didn’t show anything particularly outstanding,” chimed in Chen Sicheng, whose rising frustration couldn’t be hidden as the judges heaped praise on Lu Chen.

“Teacher Chen, there’s something called hiding your strengths, keeping a low profile, and biding your time!

“Maybe he held back during the regional competition to conserve energy, only to showcase his full potential during the nationals!”

“This…”

Chen Sicheng was once again at a loss for words.

Shu Ping, watching Lu Chen feverishly drafting his script in the livestream, couldn’t help but squint slightly.

“This kid has quite the ambition, doesn’t he? Could it be that he’s aiming to use this year’s Writing Competition to become a king?”

“A king?”

Yan Geling was visibly moved.

Chen Sicheng, incredulous, chuckled awkwardly.

“Teacher Shu Ping, don’t you think that’s a bit of an exaggeration?”

“Exaggeration?” Shu Ping chuckled and said, “Back in the first season, Teacher Hai Yan was also an unknown name before the national competition. But as soon as the nationals started, in the round of 32, he wrote the now-legendary Plainclothes Policeman. That script shook the entire industry.

From there, he gained unstoppable momentum, and in the finals, his Everlasting Regret established him as a top-tier screenwriter.

So tell me, Teacher Chen, do you think Hai Yan’s story was exaggerated?”

Shu Ping smiled as he countered.

“But that was Teacher Hai Yan, not Lu Chen!”

“Back then, Plainclothes Policeman only had three companies bidding. Lu Chen’s Operation Icebreaker already has five…”

Before Shu Ping could finish, another bidding animation appeared in the livestream.

“Another company has entered the bid! It’s Xinli Media!”

Xiao Sa exclaimed, “And they’ve bid another 200,000! The price has increased!”

Shu Ping turned to Chen Sicheng, smiling faintly.

“Teacher Chen, my apologies, it’s not five anymore. It’s six now. This level of interest is double what Teacher Hai Yan had back then!”

Hearing this, Chen Sicheng forced an awkward smile, but his expression visibly darkened.

At the same time, Shu Ping’s remarks, uttered so boldly, sent shockwaves through the livestream audience.

[Teacher Shu Ping’s words just gave me chills!].

[The path to becoming a king is a battlefield littered with obstacles and sacrifices. To survive to the end is to forge greatness!].

[I don’t recognize last year’s champion, but the first and second season champions, Teachers Hai Yan and Wang Shuping, are undisputed giants of the screenwriting world!].

[Exactly—one dominates realistic dramas, the other rules female-led epics. Both are kings in their respective domains!].

At that moment, the program team seemingly coincidentally gave Liu Heping a close-up.

On-screen, Liu Heping’s expression remained indifferent, calm, and unshaken…

But his eyes sparkled brightly, sharper than ever.