Amusing Ourselves to Death Arc
Agent 30
Shen Yun didn’t run away, and she had no intention of causing trouble. Public opinion was now under control, but that wasn’t her problem.
Her manager was going against her, and she had no resources left.
Shen Yun was acutely aware that even if she could temporarily manipulate the situation with online trolls right now, without resources to support her, she would still end up in a dire situation.
Wearing a mask, she walked down the street and made a phone call, firm in her determination.
She couldn’t just collapse like this.
Xin Yan saw this scene through the broadcast, and immediately, Zero forwarded the contact information of the person Shen Yun had called to Xin Yan.
It had to be said, Shen Yun was determined to go all out.
She had sought out a notorious talent agent within the industry, a well-known manipulator.
None of the artists under his care were squeaky clean, and Shen Yun was truly willing to get her hands dirty.
Indeed, this person’s ego was relatively flexible, and she also knew what kind of approach would be the most rapid and effective now.
Xin Yan dialed a phone number and exchanged pleasantries with the person on the other end.
“Don’t say I’m not generous. I’ve got an exclusive scoop for you, guaranteed to be thrilling.”
The talent agent acted swiftly; after all, Shen Yun was quite attractive, and there were still many interested parties.
Shen Yun received the message, which contained the address of a hotel and a room number.
She gripped her phone tightly and called a taxi to her destination.
She had to win, couldn’t let Xin Yan and Star Map to manipulate her like this.
(Originally translated on littlepandatranslations.com, let's go!)
She knocked on the hotel room door and was met by an overweight middle-aged man wearing a bathrobe.
She clenched her clothes, realizing that reality was far more brutal than she had imagined.
A person like this… a person like this…
Did she really have to…
No, she couldn’t back down.
She removed her mask and smiled at the man.
Just as she was about to enter, several people suddenly rushed toward her from somewhere, carrying long lenses and flashlights that kept flashing. Microphones were practically shoved in her face.
How could there be paparazzi here?!
“Miss Shen, may I ask why you are appearing at this hotel? Do you intend to engage in any improper transactions?”
“Miss Shen, do you have anything to say about the online videos?”
“Miss Shen…”
Panicking, Shen Yun quickly put on her mask and tried to retreat into the room, but she found that the door had already been closed.
Her back pressed against the cold door, and in front of her were several people blocking her path.
The relentless questioning felt like knives piercing her heart, making her feel embarrassed and helpless.
“Miss Shen, please answer my question, Miss Shen…”
“I don’t know, I don’t know…”
Shen Yun was completely flustered, and she could only cover her face and shake her head incessantly.
It was over, truly over.
How had she ended up at this point? How had things turned out like this?
She shouldn’t have been like this, she should have been adored by the masses; she shouldn’t have been like this!
The commotion attracted the hotel’s security, and Xin Yan, a female, promptly arrived to handle the situation.
Politely, Xin Yan persuaded the leader of the group to leave, conveying an expression they all understood with her eyes.
The reporter barely nodded and departed with the journalists and photographers.
“Let’s go. Do you still want to stay here and be surrounded by onlookers?”
Xin Yan crossed her arms, looking at the woman wearing a mask with despair in her eyes.
“Is it you? Did you do this?”
Suddenly, Shen Yun became agitated, staring straight at Xin Yan.
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“Are you sure you want to discuss this here?”
“Why can’t we talk about it here? If you have the guts, call the reporters back, don’t let them leave. Make them come back and continue filming. Let them see what kind of person you are, and who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes!”
Shen Yun sneered; she wasn’t foolish, but she hadn’t expected Xin Yan to be so astute, to know every move she made.
“Did I force you to come here?”
“Did I make you accept the hidden rules?”
“Do you think I’m afraid? Afraid of getting myself involved?”
Xin Yan continued to coldly interrogate, watching Shen Yun tremble with anger.
Shen Yun was unwilling, truly unwilling.
She had only made a small mistake, and she didn’t even consider it a mistake. Yet, she was subjected to such treatment.
Ever since that failed audition, it seemed like everything had been going downhill, and she could almost imagine how today’s incident would be reported and the image they would create of her.
Even buying fake online reviews wouldn’t help; she was targeted, and she needed other forms of assistance. But now, that help had been cut off, and she carried other scandals on her back.
At this rate, no company would likely want to sign her, allowing her to break free from Star Map.
Even if she felt desperate, even if she wanted to go down in flames with Xin Yan, Xin Yan told her she didn’t care.
She didn’t care?
Hahaha, yes, she didn’t care!
But she did care! She cared about her reputation, and Star Map. She wanted to be the shining star in the spotlight, not end up like this.
“Let’s go.”
Xin Yan left these words behind and walked towards the elevator.
“Or perhaps you’d like to stay here and greet more reporters?”
Shen Yun still couldn’t bring herself to throw a tantrum like this; she lowered her head and entered the elevator.
“Can’t you really let me go?”
Shen Yun spoke up again.
“Even if I let you go now, you won’t spare me,” Xin Yan’s voice paused as she watched Shen Yun’s eager attempt to speak. She shook her head. “Don’t rush to defend yourself; let me speak for you. If I stop now, help you manage this PR crisis successfully, and after the scandal fades, you can continue to thrive in the limelight, what will you do?”
“You might consider changing jobs, perhaps leaving Star Map, or in the worst case, leaving me. Then, at the right time, you’d launch a counterattack.”
“You can’t just swallow your pride.”
“Because you’ve never felt like you were in the wrong, have you? You believe you should enjoy the adoration of the masses as the esteemed Miss Shen.”
Xin Yan’s voice carried sarcasm, and she rarely spoke so much.
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In reality, it would have been more satisfying to just give someone a good beating than to speak so much, but Shen Yun was a girl.
Girls were generally more delicate, and if they got hurt, they might cry and whimper unless they were trained fighters. She was afraid of causing any serious harm.
Occasionally saying a few words like this actually felt okay.
Shen Yun wanted to defend herself but ultimately remained silent.
She didn’t want it to end like this.
She sat in Xin Yan’s car, silently letting Xin Yan drive her away.
As the car reached a crossroads halfway, the traffic light ahead turned green.
Shen Yun looked at the steering wheel, feeling a sudden daze.
She didn’t want everything to end like this, she didn’t want to become a destitute figure, subject to ridicule.
Almost as if on impulse, she reached out her hand, intending to grab Xin Yan’s steering wheel.
Xin Yan was quicker than her, grabbing her hand directly, giving it a hard twist while using her other hand to steady the steering wheel.
Shen Yun cried out in pain, suddenly snapping back to reality, realizing what she had just attempted and feeling a bit frightened.
She didn’t want to die, not at all.
“You think being in the news isn’t enough; you want to make it into the news together with me?”
“It seems like you’re trying to change the narrative from your hidden rules to attempted murder.”
Shen Yun appeared to be startled, staring blankly ahead without saying a word.
Xin Yan, seeing her like this, suddenly ran out of patience.
Would someone like her commit suicide?
No one could say for sure.