Chapter 155

As the most active local forum in Los Angeles, the Hollywood Entertainment Forum is a hub for all kinds of gossip—both real and fabricated—about Hollywood, attracting many users who are keen on entertainment news.

Recently, an "old story" from the past has resurfaced in the Hollywood Entertainment Forum: the "New Zealand Elf Incident." The post, which had been quietly sinking into obscurity, suddenly made its way back to the homepage.

This post originally came from the Yahoo forum. Because it gained a lot of traction and was connected to The Lord of the Rings, it was moved to the Hollywood Entertainment Forum by a moderator. At the time, this caused quite a stir.

However, nearly half a year had passed, and the post's popularity had dwindled as more recent news took over.

On this particular day, Jennifer, who worked in the sales department of a pharmaceutical company, opened the Hollywood Entertainment Forum, as usual, checking out the "Entertainment Fun Facts" section.

As is often the case with sales staff in the pharmaceutical industry, Jennifer was attractive, and she was no exception. She had always dreamed of becoming a star, but as she grew older, life had a different plan for her, and she ended up working in the pharmaceutical field. Thankfully, her job paid well, though it didn't completely satisfy her restless nature.

Still, Jennifer's childhood dream kept her connected to Hollywood news, so she had been a loyal member of the Hollywood Entertainment Forum for years. Due to her long-time involvement, she had plenty of free time and served as a moderator for the "Entertainment Fun Facts" section of Forum 413.

Although this position was unpaid, Jennifer enjoyed it immensely. It made her feel closer to the "dream world" she had always longed to be a part of.

"Wait, what's this?" she said, noticing the old post had resurfaced on the homepage.

"Isn't this over by now? Why are people still talking about it?" she thought as she clicked on the post. To her surprise, there were a lot of people actively discussing it.

"Is this elf for real?"

"I heard someone called the New Zealand government office."

"How did the New Zealand government respond?"

"No response—neither confirmed nor denied."

"Wait, this silence seems like an admission. Is it true?"

"Stop joking, elves don't exist in the real world!"

"Just because you don't know doesn't mean they don't exist!"

"If it's true, I'll stand on my head and eat shit and take a video to prove it!"

It was this comment about "standing on my head and eating shit " that made the post go viral once again, sparking countless replies. Initially, the comments varied, but eventually, they all followed a pattern: "Sitting and waiting." Jennifer found it amusing and added her own comment: "Sitting and waiting to eat shit."

She thought, If it turns out there really are elves in New Zealand, this guy won't actually stand on his head and eat shit, will he? The thought made her chuckle.

Meanwhile, across the world in New Zealand...

Peter Jackson looked at the renewed interest in the post on his computer and gave Martin a thumbs-up in admiration.

"Martin, you're really something! How did you know that comment would blow up like this?" Elijah Wood, who had joined the fun, said with admiration.

When Martin and Peter had first discussed the comment, several of the leading actors were present. At the time, everyone had been puzzled about why Martin had insisted on using such a vulgar comment, though they were sure it would help the post gain attention. Now, everyone was in awe of Martin's foresight.

"Yeah, Martin, how did you know?" Peter Jackson asked, equally curious.

Several other stars gathered around, eager to hear Martin's secret.

Martin grinned confidently and said, "Can I tell you? Because I've already seen it happen!" He flashed a self-assured smile and continued, "It's simple. First, this comment sparks curiosity. When you first read it, your first thought is, 'I want to see this guy stand on his head and eat... shit, right?'"

Everyone nodded; it made sense.

"Second, the comment is very visual and humorous. After reading it, didn't you all picture it in your mind and laugh?"

Everyone nodded again, agreeing.

"Third, I asked Peter to have a few people reply in a neat, coordinated manner, all saying 'sit and wait.' This creates a bandwagon effect, making others want to join in with the same comment."

Once again, everyone nodded in agreement.

"And that's how it became popular!" Martin shrugged nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal. This confident display left everyone even more impressed.

"Martin, did you study psychology or something?" Orlando Bloom asked with admiration.

"Just a little," Martin replied modestly.

"Our posts have gained traction on major online forums like Yahoo, the Hollywood Entertainment Forum, and the New York Classic Forum! Martin, are we ready for the next step?"

Peter Jackson was eager, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Sure," Martin said, "let's start releasing our videos, but let's space them out. We'll save the most exciting ones for last to keep the buzz going longer."

"Got it!" Peter replied enthusiastically.

The following day...

Jennifer, still amused by the "standing on head and eating shit" comment, clicked on the post once more out of curiosity.

To her surprise, there was a new post that had gained traction as well, titled: "Is this the elf you were talking about?"

Jennifer clicked on the post, which contained a series of clear photos.

In the pictures, an elf-like figure with pointed ears, a chiseled profile, and an elegant posture stood gracefully before a forest, almost as though in mid-dance.

"Wow, is this a real elf? This looks so beautiful!" Jennifer was instantly captivated by the lifelike quality of the image.

Since only the side of his face was visible and he wore an elf costume, Jennifer—familiar with Hollywood stars—didn't recognize that this was Martin himself.

Not only did she not recognize him, but neither did the commenters below.

"He's so handsome! I'd marry him in a heartbeat!"

"Confession: I'm literally licking my screen right now!"

"I've decided. From today, I'll use these pictures as my screensaver, on my pillow, on my bedside, and under my desk!"

"Who is this guy? Ten seconds, I need to know!"

"He's an elf, and I want to have a baby with him."

"Wait, what species are you, and how are you planning on having a baby with an elf?"

Perhaps because of his drastic change in appearance—from his pitiful or cute characters to a suave and graceful figure—it wasn't surprising that no one could recognize Martin. Of course, the trolls also played a part in confusing everyone.

Reading these odd and funny comments, Jennifer decided to print out the elf photos using the company's printer and secretly place them around her office: one by her bed, one under her desk, and, yes, even one on the bathroom ceiling.