Chapter Ten: The End of the Arrangement, The Beginning of Fame

At that time, Penguin’s user base had already surpassed one million, making it the leader in instant messaging across the country. The growth remained explosive, and it was entirely foreseeable that the platform would soon reach tens of millions of users.

Gu Zhi and Pony Ma had a smooth conversation on QQ, both candidly stating their intentions. After clarifying their goals, they quickly reached an investment agreement.

Over the following week, Gu Zhi and Lin Zhi visited Penguin’s headquarters—a small office less than fifty square meters in size—where they began detailed negotiations on investment and equity.

Ultimately, Gu Zhi injected three million dollars into Penguin, acquiring forty-seven percent of the shares.

Both parties were thoroughly satisfied with the result. Pony Ma even allowed Gu Zhi to select a five-digit exclusive QQ number.

"10086!"

Gu Zhi thought for a moment, then a familiar number flashed through his mind. He got his wish and obtained this rare QQ number.

With both Alibaba and Penguin settled, Gu Zhi had spent nearly all his family’s money. It was time to shift the focus of his work.

On August twentieth, "Wukong Chronicles" officially went on sale in major bookstores.

Its release did not disappoint either Editor-in-Chief He Jianping or Gu Zhi. In just a week, "Wukong Chronicles" sold two thousand copies nationwide, with some bookstores even selling out.

When Guangming Daily Publishing received the sales figures, He Jianping immediately called Gu Zhi to share the good news.

The first print run of "Wukong Chronicles" was only ten thousand copies, and within a blink, a fifth had already sold—a veritable sales miracle for a new author!

The publisher decided on the spot to reprint thirty thousand more copies for the market, and the news media affiliated with Guangming Daily began preparing to interview Gu Zhi.

With a week’s sales in hand, the publisher could already foresee the book’s popularity, and its young author was sure to become famous—his youth alone made him a hot topic.

Thus, the publisher quickly coordinated with their own media to ensure they would be the first outlet to interview Gu Zhi, offering him an exclusive feature.

When He Jianping asked Gu Zhi for his opinion on the interview, Gu Zhi agreed without hesitation.

Expanding his fame was the most important reason he wrote, and he was only too glad for the media attention.

On September third, Guangming Daily’s reporter Li Li, carrying a Canon camera and a black backpack, spent twenty-nine hours on a train to reach Gu Zhi’s home.

The interview was straightforward, with no unnecessary fuss.

The reporter asked in detail about Gu Zhi’s family background and personal experiences, then focused on "Wukong Chronicles": its original inspiration, challenges during writing, and the deeper meaning behind the novel.

After just half an hour, with a click of the camera, the interview was complete.

Despite repeated invitations from Lin Zhi and Gu Zhi’s advisor, Li Li shared a somewhat awkward lunch at their home before departing.

He still needed to hurry to the metropolis to interview the winner of the year’s New Concept Essay Competition.

Under the blazing sun, the reporter’s figure quickly vanished in the depths of the new village.

A month later, Guangming Daily published an article about the young author on the second page of its main section, including the sales figures for "Wukong Chronicles" from its first month.

From August twentieth to September twentieth, the novel sold over thirty-six thousand copies nationwide, with fewer than three thousand left on the market.

In response, Guangming Daily Publishing announced in the article that, to meet the people’s enthusiastic demand, they would reprint two hundred thousand more copies of "Wukong Chronicles."

That edition of the newspaper was quickly snapped up by fans.

For the first time, readers saw information about the author. Beyond marveling at Gu Zhi’s youth, many young women were captivated by his looks.

What is it like when you love a book and then discover its author is an undeniably handsome man or beautiful woman?

Surprise! An unexpected delight!

When Han Han became wildly popular, it was not just his sharp writing that drew fans, but also his handsome and slightly roguish appearance, which earned him many casual admirers.

Gu Zhi now found himself in similar circumstances—male readers weren’t put off by his looks, while female readers became enamored with him, transforming from book fans to half-fans of Gu Zhi himself.

And some women who had never read "Wukong Chronicles," upon seeing Gu Zhi’s appearance, felt compelled to buy the book, unwittingly swelling his ranks of fans drawn by his looks.

Women truly are a passionate group.

The impact of the article was beyond Gu Zhi’s expectations.

It turns out, regardless of the era, the world is always obsessed with appearances.

Online, there was already a frenzy. Overnight, countless fans of "Wukong Chronicles" appeared on rudimentary forums and BBS sites.

Where there are fans, there are also detractors. Besides book lovers and admirers of Gu Zhi’s looks, plenty of critics roamed the major forums, gleefully lambasting both "Wukong Chronicles" and Gu Zhi himself.

"What kind of garbage novel is this? Turning Journey to the West into this mess, utterly ruining the legacy of our ancestors!"

"The author didn’t even finish high school and dares to rewrite one of the four great classics? Where does he get the nerve?"

"It’s a chaotic jumble with no clear direction. And so many people like it—clearly, you fans haven’t read any real literature, worshipping trash as if it were divine!"

"The novel is too childish, all about fighting and killing. Can’t people mature a bit, read more foreign classics—that’s what counts as real literature!"

...

The voices of the detractors were always prominent, sparking endless debates on every forum.

Initially, the criticism focused on the novel, but soon it shifted to Gu Zhi himself.

Suspicions and doubts gave way to personal attacks, and the insults grew increasingly vicious.

Fortunately, "Wukong Chronicles" had plenty of fans, mostly energetic youths, who battled the critics across hundreds of rounds on the forums.

When a user named "Shiyu" posted a thread across the major forums, the volume of criticism declined significantly, giving the fans a brief victory.

"The author of 'Wukong Chronicles' became a bestselling writer at just sixteen, creating a novel that stirs so much debate.

How many people can have such influence online? Ask yourselves—what were you doing at sixteen?

If you don’t like it, discuss it; but personal attacks online are beneath you.

No manners, no upbringing!

You haters better watch your mouths. Whether a book is good or not is subjective, but the most objective measure is sales. 'Wukong Chronicles' has already proven its worth.

Enough digression, now let’s talk about the novel itself..."

If the online forums weren’t so outdated, Gu Zhi would have gladly given this user a big thumbs-up.