Chapter 353 Exploding Again

Chapter 353 Exploding Again

Fans of "Dark Academy" were quick to defend the show, pointing out that its popularity and viewership were perfectly normal according to data from various platforms. 

On the other hand, "Missing is like flowing water" experienced a suspicious spike in viewership late at night. Tessa's fans were left scrambling for explanations, claiming that many viewers stayed up all night rewatching the show.

"Dark Academy" was dominating "Missing is like flowing water," so much so that Victoria's fans were too busy celebrating to bother arguing with Tessa's fans. "Dark Academy" wasn't just a hit in Aerion; it was also performing exceptionally well abroad, topping viewership charts in over a dozen countries. 

Audiences from different languages noticed Victoria, the stunning Aerion girl, and many flocked to AerionTwitter to follow her. Victoria's fan count quickly surpassed ten million, and at this rate, it could break twenty million by the time the new series concluded.

Even the Elie brand congratulated their spokesperson on the success of her new show. During internal meetings, they were relieved they had signed her before she became this famous, saving a lot on endorsement fees. Now, several luxury brands were vying to sign Victoria.

The show released one episode daily, with each episode garnering over two hundred million views, showing no signs of decline. Stars who debuted around the same time as Victoria were green with envy; Victoria's luck was just too good. 

Anneliese, a relatively unknown screenwriter, managed to write such a global hit, and Victoria happened to benefit from it! Investors and available stars were all reaching out to Anneliese, hoping her next big hit would feature them.

Victoria was now the top young actress! She hadn't even graduated college yet and had already won Best Actress, holding two phenomenally successful series. She was beautiful, talented, and had a keen eye for scripts—she had no weaknesses! Luxury clothing, shoes, bags, and top-tier jewelry brands were all knocking on her door, leaving Wilmer overwhelmed with choices.

Since the main cast was spread across Aerion and Marigoldia, Electra suggested they do a live stream on Instagram, with the cast watching the show together. Victoria dressed up as Lucy, the show's protagonist, wearing a uniform but with a bright, sunny smile that Lucy never had. Fans were moved, commenting, "Seeing Victoria is like seeing Lucy after she's been saved, stepping into a bright future. It's so touching! I believe Lucy will overcome her darkness, and my life will get better too!"

The live stream was bustling, with comments in various languages scrolling by rapidly. Victoria and the cast had to pause the stream to read them. The highest number of concurrent viewers reached five million, and within an hour, the total viewership exceeded one hundred million. 

The crew had prepared many props and pendants from the show for giveaways, and selected viewers were thrilled, while those who missed out rushed to the website to buy them. Even if they didn't win, they could still buy the merchandise, with the cheapest items costing just a few dozen dollars—about the price of a cup of coffee.

During this period, wherever Victoria appeared, fans would flock there. Wilmer had to keep her schedule tightly under wraps and even hired a team of bodyguards for her. Victoria repeatedly urged her followers on her account not to chase her private schedule and to maintain order during public appearances, ensuring they didn't disrupt traffic or business operations.

Seeing Victoria so triumphant, Tessa was fuming but felt powerless. "Missing is like flowing water" was doing okay, but the competition was fierce, overshadowing its stars' promotional efforts. No one wanted to be a distant second. The stark contrast hit Tessa hard, leading her to spend several nights drinking at clubs and partying non-stop with her boyfriend Albert, even showing up late for live streams.

Unfortunately, Armando's fan growth also stalled. The company cut back on marketing for him and started casting him as the lead in low-budget dramas. He had some fame and a good image, and while he didn't have a major hit like Victoria or Poppy, landing secondary lead roles wasn't difficult. This path would be slower, but with Starlight Entertainment's resources, he wouldn't lack roles.

Ella had anticipated "Dark Academy" would be a hit, but she hadn't expected it to boost Victoria's career so significantly. With Victoria's political connections, the show didn't get her blacklisted; instead, it made her a nationwide sensation. Ella was now certain Victoria had been reborn; otherwise, how could she have known how to avoid the controversial scenes in "Dark Academy"? 

She couldn't understand why Victoria, who had a smooth life in her previous existence, would need to be reborn. She could only maintain her persona on reality shows while scouting for her next project. This season of the reality show was ending soon, and she couldn't just stick to reality TV without acting.

Meanwhile, Jasmine was also looking for scripts. Despite her efforts to build fashion connections, it didn't compare to the boost from a hit series like Victoria's. Moreover, Roy's mother had intervened, causing several brands that had been friendly to Jasmine to refuse to collaborate with her. She needed acting roles to increase her exposure and quickly find a suitable marriage partner.

With Jessica's help, Jasmine chose a fantasy series called "Meeting the Divine." It was a project developed by the established entertainment company Good Luck Brothers, based on a popular web novel, with three planned installments and a future game adaptation. 

The production team was reliable, funding was ample, and starring in the first installment would give her an edge for the sequels, with the original cast enhancing viewer engagement. Through Jessica's connections, Jasmine had dinner with the producers and directors, securing their interest. 

The first installment focused on the female lead, making Jasmine the top choice. However, if Jasmine was confirmed as the lead, the male lead would have to be a less popular newcomer, causing some hesitation among the producers, and the contract remained unsigned.

At this time, Ella, having finished filming the last episode of her reality show, learned that "Meeting the Divine" was in preparation and had her agent reach out. She remembered the series had a lukewarm reception initially but became a classic over the next decade, significantly boosting the careers of its stars. 

More importantly, Victoria had starred in it in the previous timeline, and Ella wanted to take anything that belonged to Victoria.

Her agent returned with news: Jasmine was being considered for the lead role. It made sense; Victoria's career was even better than in the previous timeline, so she might not be interested in a script like "Meeting the Divine." 

But Jasmine's lead role was something Ella wanted to snatch. She remembered Jasmine had taken the lead role in "Sky Garden" from her when she first entered the industry, and now she wanted to take it back. Her popularity was similar to Jasmine's before, but after the reality show, her recognition was higher. So taking Jasmine's role wouldn't be difficult, just requiring some marketing strategies.