Chapter 18: An Overnight Sensation

In the backstage statistics, the number of viewers for Li Lekang’s magic performance reached the peak of the show’s ratings, breaking through ten million, with a maximum of 10.1 million! This was almost a ten-point increase over last season’s premiere, which attracted 9.3 million viewers, and set off a wave of jubilation among the production team and the television network—they had chosen the right bet this time. The magic was astonishing, and Li Lekang lived up to expectations!

Congratulations poured in immediately, with the first call going straight to Li Lekang. He exchanged words of celebration with the caller, and as soon as he hung up, another call came through. Mike, brimming with excitement, said, “That was brilliant! Now it’s our turn to fan the flames for you. You’ll leave countless people in awe!”

Even through the phone, Li Lekang could sense his exuberance and replied, “Thank you! As the one who discovered me, you’ll have to work hard these days!”

“Leave it to me. I’ll make sure you shine! Even though I watched it before, I have to say your performance was fucking genius! My friends here watched the whole thing with their mouths open! Haha! I bet you’ll be busy, so I’ll let you go!”

Naturally, Li Lekang and his team were celebrating, drinking and reveling in their success.

His agency’s team was about to kick into high gear.

America’s Got Talent had featured many excellent magicians in the past, some of whom even became popular in China, so they had plenty of case studies for reference.

After the show aired, the company partnered with a well-known YouTube creator to upload the full content of Li Lekang’s performance. This creator had four million subscribers and specialized in magic videos, both original and reposted. Their most popular video had reached a hundred million views—an ideal platform for Li Lekang’s promotion.

The company was confident that, after the show, many would want to revisit the performance online. By having the creator upload the video immediately, they ensured it would quickly catch viewers’ attention.

Moreover, the company had contingency plans. Astro-turfing and hype manipulation were among their options; after all, fame and capital have always worked hand in hand.

YouTube was just one avenue; Twitter and TikTok would receive equal attention. Whether through trending topics or the show’s impact, the buzz would be built swiftly.

In the second phase, they would upload clips of Li Lekang’s past magic performances in bars, editing the best moments to keep the momentum going.

With fame and buzz, if Li Lekang could release another high-quality act—something he excelled at and could produce effortlessly—he could showcase it on stage, then prepare for a solo show, performing from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Houston, and New York… He would become the new king of magic!

All of this depended on whether Li Lekang’s performance was strong enough.

In fact, the outcome was already clear.

With the premiere of America’s Got Talent and the related topics gaining traction, the heated discussions didn’t let up.

Just hours after the YouTube release, the video had garnered over a million views and successfully soared onto the “Trending” page, which meant even the platform itself was funneling traffic to it!

The likes surpassed fifty thousand! It's worth noting that YouTube users are not particularly active in interacting—one or two thousand likes for a million-view video is normal, unless the quality is exceptional.

In the comment section, talent abounded. One highly liked comment read, “I swear he’s a real wizard. That’s the only explanation!”

Someone replied, “Asians really do have a talent for sorcery.”

Another chimed in with a knowing tone, “Yeah, there’s something uniquely Asian about him. I know what it is, but I can’t explain it to you here on YouTube.”

The conversation began to veer off, “The Ministry of Magic should come investigate this guy!”

Of course, there were also rational, technical minds analyzing the act: “The first trick can be done, but the second starts to delve into the magical. He definitely uses props, but the way he presents it is so natural—it’s incredible!”

Someone responded below, “You didn’t mention the third trick.”

The analyst replied, “Sorry, I’d categorize the third as a supernatural phenomenon.”

That was followed by a flood of LOLs. No one really believed it was magic—after all, these weren’t eight-year-olds. The process was simply so fantastical that no one could figure it out at first.

Li Lekang’s performance, though brief, brought forth so many novel variations that even industry peers could only marvel at his ingenuity!

With the advancement of the times, magic’s formulas and forms have mostly been explored, making innovation increasingly difficult. More often, it’s about repackaging old tricks in new ways.

Li Lekang was no exception, but his “new wine in old bottles” stunned everyone, solidifying his reputation as a genius magician!

Peers couldn’t help but be jealous, but the general audience was thoroughly entertained.

The buzz didn’t fade the next day—it only grew, with views reaching six million and likes exceeding 250,000. The video was officially a sensation!

Some quick-thinking creators had already jumped on the bandwagon, with videos like “Top 5 Most Unsolvable Levitation Acts in the World” and “Another Levitation Miracle in the Post-Copperfield Era.”

Though these videos sought to cash in on the hype, they didn’t steal Li Lekang’s exposure; instead, they brought him to the attention of even more people!

LAA acted even faster, having arranged for news outlets—no matter how small—to feature the trending story. Even tabloids have their audience!

They embellished the facts, claiming Li Lekang had clairvoyant abilities since childhood, weaving together rumors and half-truths. The masses enjoyed the spectacle, and sales soared.

Surprisingly, despite America being a leading developed nation, educational awareness was polarized. The elite, regardless of intelligence, were top-tier. The ordinary masses, on the other hand, often exhibited mindless, anti-intellectual stubbornness. With tabloids hyping the story, some actually believed it and began to publicly promote such views online.

Of course, most people just enjoyed the entertainment.

After all, when you’re shown something so openly, told “this is magic,” do you really think mainstream audiences will believe it?

That’s the most intriguing part, and what fascinates viewers. Americans’ love for magic runs deep—from Houdini in the early 20th century to Copperfield in the eighties and nineties, and now, the passion remains undiminished!

LAA knew how to strike while the iron was hot. The levitation video was short, so they quickly uploaded clips of Li Lekang’s other performances, equally astonishing.

Though not as shocking as levitation, his close-up magic was also bewildering, and gradually, the focus shifted from “the most amazing levitation” to “Li Lekang’s magic.”

When people began to remember his name rather than just the video, it meant Li Lekang had truly arrived!

Overnight, his name entered the search bars of millions, and videos about him were unearthed by countless viewers!

LAA cunningly posted the videos on social media accounts, making it easier for viewers to follow him and become fans. Thus, the towering edifice of his popularity began to rise, brick by brick!