Chapter 9 Icheng: This Is a Betrayal
[I never understood before why martial arts novels depict fighters instantly recognizing each other’s sects with just a single exchange, but now I finally get it. No matter how many variations a move has, its essence remains unchanged. Marvelous!]
“Frog Style Fist!”
“The only one who can surpass Brother Frog is Brother Frog himself!”
“This has become an art form!”
“How impressive, Brother Frog!”
“This is executed so perfectly, it’s as if a whole new school has been founded!”
[I used to be a fan of the uploader, but… oh, the uploader is Brother Frog? Never mind then!]
“Funny as it is, he really seems to have some skill!”
“Why am I starting to become a fan of Brother Frog?”
“Once you go deep into the darkness, you naturally become a fan!”
“I’m actually a bit moved!”
“Just got off work and opened this video, and my eyes went dark instantly!”
[Brothers, I didn’t want to bother with Brother Frog’s nonsense before, thinking such viral sensations come and go, but after watching this video, I really want to do something! Don’t laugh at me—I think Brother Frog might actually be telling the truth. He’s not staying silent because he doesn’t want to speak, but because the company is restricting him! He’s lost everything now; all he has is us. Can we help him make a comeback?]
“Charge!!! I believe in Brother Frog too! Honestly, the fact that he acknowledges his past mistakes—admitting his poor acting, marketing stunts, and weak singing—makes him seem sincere. At least he’s more genuine than 80-90% of people in the entertainment industry! His biggest problem now is the cheating accusation; as long as that’s proven false, dating isn’t an issue. It’s mutual consent after all—why can Li Xia’er date, but Brother Frog can’t? We’re adults; stop passing the blame. Some female fans might see this as a scandal, but we can’t let him be slandered!”
“Cheng Cheng was criticized partly because he lacked talent and was inadequate in many ways—basically, ‘undeserving of his position.’ But the main issue was his brainless fans’ outrageous statements. He himself didn’t commit serious wrongs. Now that his fans have abandoned him, it’s our turn as haters to step up!”
“Exactly! When his darkness arrives, we’ll shine the light upon him!”
“Brother Frog, come back! We believe in you!!!”
“Fans might be fake fans, but the haters are real!”
“This is the first battle of the newly formed official squad! If we win, our Frog Clan will make a name for itself! There will be doubts and insults, but we have no other choice! Frog Clan, form ranks! I’ll charge ahead! Assemble! Sound the call!”
“Ribbit ribbit ribbit~”
“Some want to see him ruined; we want to see him soar!”
“Going all out against the fandom!”
—
The internet exploded!
This was beyond anyone’s comprehension: Cheng Cheng actually made a video with the leader of the haters!
How could he!
How dare he!
Especially for Cheng Cheng’s fans—whether those who left in disappointment or those who stayed—it was a devastating blow, because for four years, the war between icheng and the haters never ceased!
They fought from online to offline, from virtual to real, even going so far as to unbox and dox each other, sparking a ‘box war.’
In the eyes of the haters, icheng was brainless, lacking independent thought, blindly following superficial appearances.
To icheng, the haters were jealous and vicious cyberbullies attacking their idol.
They fought so fiercely it was as if the world was collapsing, the universe itself blurred!
They viewed each other as mortal enemies.
But now, Cheng Cheng had thrown aside icheng and teamed up with the haters, even playing into Brother Frog’s memes and performing the Frog Dance! These were the very things they had once railed against with righteous fury!
This was undeniably a betrayal!
A blatant betrayal!
As they struggled to believe it, they let out mournful cries: “Your Majesty, why rebel against us?!”
“Why couldn’t you come to us with your troubles? Why confide in the haters? What did we do wrong? We spent five years supporting you—boosting your numbers, spending money, cheering, and rallying fans—was it all for nothing?”
“Are we just unlucky?”
“Are we a joke?”
They couldn’t accept it!
They were utterly broken!
“He didn’t even mention us… those who gave him their true hearts deserve to swallow a thousand needles!!!”
“Yes, you play these memes at such a critical moment. The public’s opinion of you improves; they say you’re visionary, that you gain fans for daring to joke, that you might even convert haters. You gather people to prove you didn’t cheat. Everything you do benefits you—but you never considered us, because you never cared! Only we are foolish; only we are left abandoned.”
“I never thought my first real fandom experience would end like this. I’m so sad, I can’t breathe from crying~”
“I’ll never follow a celebrity again!!!”
“Those lame memes weren’t meant to break you down, but to break us fans. And you stand up and say you like those memes? You even try to please the haters? Don’t you realize you stabbed us in the back and betrayed us?”
“You never deserved our love; it was all one-sided.”
—
“Crazy, just crazy! This fool is truly mad!”
At Xianghua Entertainment, smashing sounds echoed from the general manager’s office. Passersby dared not breathe loudly, lowering their heads and hurrying past.
Inside, Tang Fang was petrified, her heart in her throat.
Tang Fang never imagined Cheng Cheng would team up with the leader of the haters for a video. Even madness has its limits!
She was terrified, fearing the general manager’s wrath would fall upon her.
“Tang Fang!”
Huang Bo, general manager of Xianghua Entertainment, pointed at her angrily: “You were supposed to nurture a star! Such a lucrative asset entrusted to you, and this is what you’ve made of him! You cannot shirk responsibility!”
Tang Fang’s heart tightened. She didn’t argue, quickly apologizing: “Mr. Huang, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I’ve let the company down and failed your expectations.”
Ma Rong, head of the artist department, stepped forward to smooth things over:
“I share some blame too. I didn’t notice the artist’s issues in time. Little Tang is still young and inexperienced with someone like Cheng Cheng.”
His words implied that Cheng Cheng was difficult to manage—a troublemaker.
When things go wrong, someone must bear the blame; the easiest is to pin it on the ‘dead man.’
Huang Bo sat down, fuming: “We’re in a passive position. Public opinion is pointing at us, questioning why we didn’t let Cheng Cheng respond. Cheng Cheng disrupted all our plans!”
Ma Rong said, “Mr. Huang, I’m afraid we have to cut our losses. Cheng Cheng has lost all commercial value now. He sought help from the haters, thinking they’d support him, but that was foolish. Those haters are just a disorganized mob. They don’t actually like Cheng Cheng; they’re here for the entertainment his downfall provides. His unworthiness, his brainless fans, the scandals, the memes he plays himself—they’re all just amusement. Their loud voices are deceptive; they come for the fun and leave the same way! They have no real value and won’t buy endorsements! Cheng Cheng was too naïve, blinded by false voices, thinking he’d grasped something, but it was poison! These two moves have been self-destructive.”
Huang Bo asked, “What do you suggest?”
Ma Rong replied, “If he wants to terminate his contract, let him go. He has no value left anyway. Even if he clears the cheating accusations, it won’t matter. But if he leaves, he must sign an agreement to keep his mouth shut.”
Huang Bo looked troubled and reluctant. After all, Cheng Cheng was once their top-earning artist.
Ma Rong gave Tang Fang a look.
Tang Fang understood and timidly said, “Mr. Huang, judging by his phone calls, Cheng Cheng’s mental state might really be off…”
Hearing this, Huang Bo sighed helplessly and waved his hand: “Forget it. There’s no chance of salvaging this. Handle it properly—no more trouble.”
“Understood.”
Ma Rong led Tang Fang out of the office.
Huang Bo gazed out the window and sighed:
How did such a top star end up destroyed like this?