Chapter 17 Seal Added

After Wang Jian hung up the phone and waited for Roy to come, another new change occurred.

Because, at present, 2pac can be said to be the most popular rapper in the United States.

Therefore, all major entertainment news outlets had lengthy reports on the shooting incident that happened in Los Angeles last night.

And the surveillance footage clearly recorded the sequence of events.

So that day, many people across America saw the images of two gunmen reading books, putting them down, looking perplexed, and then opening fire.

It was unclear whether it was the unusual sight of gangsta rappers looking at books, or if there was a sense of absurdity in the transition from laying down books to drawing guns.

Therefore, a few TV stations re-edited this footage into slow motion and used 2pac's "Me Against The World" as the background music.

When the song began, the two gunmen were seen seriously reading books.

Halfway through the song, the two gunmen put down their books and looked around confusedly.

As the song reached its climax and the chorus repeated, the footage of the two gunmen pulling out their handguns and firing was also played over and over.

The entire process of the incident was edited into a MV that, while not so well-produced, suited the situation quite well.

Especially since the lead singer was the 2pac who was shot, making it all the more sensational.

This video instantly became the closing clip for several news programs.

And "I'm a Great Mage" was frequently featured on television along with this video.

Watching the familiar cover of his novel on the TV screen, Wang Jian couldn't help but sit on the couch, holding his head.

This,

What should I do!

But what he couldn't imagine was that this was not the end of it all.

In the stronghold of the conservatives, a Republican Party congressman from Texas jumped out, claiming to take advantage of this incident to severely crack down on the escalating violence between East and West Coast gangsta rappers, and the situation truly peaked.

Many white supremacist conservative media, which never broadcast news related to black gangsta rappers, also began to quote the MV of the shooting process.

And "I'm a Great Mage" also made its way out of its niche, really entering the sightlines of the entire American audience.

Half an hour.

Wang Jian stared blankly at the TV screen, his hand unconsciously pressing the remote control.

All of a sudden, the doorbell rang.

He stood up like a zombie, opened the front door.

Presenting a smile more unsightly than crying to Roy outside,

"You're here?" Wang Jian asked dully.

Roy was startled by Wang Jian's demeanor.

He hurriedly asked, "What happened to you?"

Wang Jian just stared blankly at Roy and then pointed vaguely at the TV.

Roy turned his head to look at the TV, only to see that MV still playing.

Meanwhile, Wang Jian muttered to himself, "I'm finished."

Roy first looked confused, then burst out laughing moments later.

"This is great news, really great!" he patted Wang Jian on the shoulder.

Then he took out a stack of new contracts and handed them to Wang Jian.

Wang Jian took the contract listlessly and began to read.

After a moment, he looked up, very surprised, at Roy, "You're sure Scholastic Publishers wants to print an additional 100,000 copies, even though it's caught up in such a large-scale shooting?"

"Of course," Roy said as he made himself comfortable on the sofa, "The bigger the buzz, the bigger the sales. Now, don't just say 'I'm a Great Mage' is a somewhat compelling novel, even a pile of scrap paper could sell."

"But could I end up in a lawsuit because of this book?" Wang Jian raised his most pressing concern.

In his past life, as a most ordinary law-abiding citizen, Wang Jian had never been remotely connected to any nationally scrutinized violent incidents.

"A lawsuit? That would be Scholastic Publishers' problem, what are you worried about?" Roy pointed at the contract.

"As long as there's no plagiarism or other violations of someone else's copyright in the novel, all matters of paper book distribution are the responsibility of the publisher."

"And at most someone could sue for a lax rating evaluation. The worst-case scenario is having to raise the rating, issue an apology statement, and that's that. These kinds of things have happened before, haven't they?"

"They have?" Wang Jian relaxed upon hearing this and his curiosity reclaimed its throne.

"The Shining, ever heard of it?" asked Roy.

Wang Jian nodded.

It's touted as the scariest thriller, right?

"The Shining was initially released for all ages but later, after causing actual deaths from fright and repeated complaints, it was reassigned a PG-13 rating. Did that affect its translation into over a dozen languages and nearly a hundred million copies being published?"

"And because of its claim to be the scariest, The Shining's movie rights sold for three million US Dollars."

"That was in the seventies' three million US Dollars!"

Roy looked at Wang Jian's face, now lively again, and said, "Besides, 'I'm a Great Mage' doesn't promote violence excessively. So, don't worry."

"Right now, you just need to focus on how to make the signature look nicer in the next print-run contract after these hundred thousand copies sell out." Roy pointed at Wang Jian's signature on the contract.

That's how Wang Jian was reassured for the time being.

Meanwhile, at the same moment, a middle-aged fat man with a full beard stood outside a bookstore in Manhattan, looking at the long line with puzzlement.

Manhattan's bookstores weren't like those in the impoverished areas that sold comics and books together, so why were so many youngsters lining up to buy books?

Wasn't it supposed to be like this at comic book stores when issues of Spiderman or Batman were released?

He looked at those black youths with tattoos and gang bandanas on their heads and, after much hesitation, mustered the courage to step forward and inquire.

"Excuse me for bothering you, but can you tell me what you're all lined up to buy?"

The black youth was gesturing with his hands as if showing a gun, excitedly saying something to his companion.

Getting barely a glance from the youth, he said, "Of course, it's 'I'm a Great Mage', what else?" and then turned back to his friend, "If it wasn't for the bookstores in the Bronx District being sold out, I wouldn't have come to Manhattan. Too many cops around here!"

The fat man was even more perplexed after getting his answer.

'I'm a Great Mage'?

It sounded like a fantasy novel.

But lately, were there any good fantasy novels out there?

Enough to have black kids lining up to buy them?

He thought for a moment and decided to line up and buy a copy, too.

He had been too consumed with his own writing to pay any attention to industry trends.

If he hadn't come to the publisher today to submit a synopsis and the first volume of his novel, he wouldn't have known about the release of such a phenomenal fantasy.

And so, an hour and a half later, the fat man returned home with the black-covered paperback in hand.

Then he headed to his study, sipped on coffee, and opened 'I'm a Great Mage'.

On the desk was the manuscript displaying his and his next work's names.

They were: George R. R. Martin and 'A Song of Ice and Fire'.

ps: I haven't received any messages on-site, so I don't know if I can sign a contract. So, I'm just writing for fun, and if you like it, read it for fun.

Don't take it seriously.

Thanks!