Chapter 117: Just Like This?

If she had the capacity to assist her two friends, Chu Luoxi did not mind offering a helping hand. The entertainment industry was already lived under a microscope; to go through it without any close confidantes would be far too miserable. Come to think of it, in her past life, she had felt quite lonely toward the end—and that was a completely different matter from whether or not she had a husband.

While she was still offering suggestions to the two women, Chu Luoxi’s phone rang. To her surprise, it was her agent, Lan Lun.

After agreeing to meet outside, Chu Luoxi arrived at the location on time to find Lan Lun already waiting. "What’s the matter that’s so urgent?" Lan Lun usually made decisions on his own, and since they hadn't taken on any new projects lately, their paths rarely crossed.

"There is an endorsement deal. I think it's good, so I wanted to ask your thoughts." That was the benefit of the cool, iceberg-like Lan Lun: he always got straight to the point, concise and to the point.

"An endorsement? For me?" Chu Luoxi was taken aback. She had just been discussing endorsements with Zhu and Liu, and now it was her turn? But their situations were different. In terms of popularity, she currently had none; "The Empire" was still in its promotional phase and couldn't really count for much yet.

"Yes. The person is quite clever; they aren't waiting for 'The Empire' to air!" Lan Lun spoke coldly, though even his praise sounded a bit peculiar.

Hearing this, Chu Luoxi understood. He was complimenting the other party's vision—they knew how to invest in a potential star. Once "The Empire" aired, her popularity would surely soar, and by then, her market value would be entirely different.

"Then why didn't you put it off until after 'The Empire' airs?" Chu Luoxi asked, puzzled. That would be the most advantageous path for her. Generally, endorsements weren't finalized immediately; they often required evaluations and negotiations, so a delay of a month or two was standard. However, "The Empire" was airing two episodes daily; once it started, it wouldn't even take a month to complete.

Lan Lun paused for a moment, his demeanor as icy as ever. "Although he approached us proactively, he is... a friend."

"Oh?" Chu Luoxi was surprised by the answer, but she understood what Lan Lun meant. The relationship was not ordinary, so he hoped she would accept it as a favor. "What is the endorsement for?" She decided to get the facts straight first. She wasn't short on money and didn't just take anything, but if possible, she didn't mind giving Lan Lun this favor.

"A game called 'Seeking the Way'."

"Oh? A game?" Chu Luoxi was momentarily stunned. In her previous life, she had endorsed many products, though she hadn't been happy with all of them, she had never touched the gaming industry. Reborn, she hadn't expected her first endorsement to be this.

"If you are unwilling, I will decline," Lan Lun added, seeing her dazed expression.

"Hmm, let me think about it," Chu Luoxi said, pulling herself together.

In truth, Chu Luoxi was searching her memory for information on "Seeking the Way." She remembered it well—in her previous life, this game had been incredibly famous, and it had enjoyed a remarkably long lifespan. It was so well-known that even non-gamers were familiar with it, largely due to a technical breakthrough by its developers, combined with the game's exquisite design and playability. As soon as it hit the market, it swept up countless players, becoming one of China's most iconic games.

The only pity was that "Seeking the Way" was a quintessential Chinese Xianxia game. Outside of China, even in neighboring countries with high cultural integration, it was difficult for others to fully grasp or appreciate it. Thus, it became a national game of China, deeply representative of its culture, but it never managed to travel very far abroad.

However, the technical breakthrough made by the development team earned them enough in patent fees that it was rumored they were nearly nominated for a Nobel Prize. It was the closest any true Chinese domestic project had ever come to a Nobel—they had been nominated and had boasted about it for quite a while.

Chu Luoxi couldn't possibly know the technical specifics, nor was she the type to understand them, but she knew that "Seeking the Way" was the first game that, when used with a camera, could project the game's environment within a certain range, allowing players to feel fully immersed in the beautiful atmosphere of the game. It wasn't just wearing 3D glasses—at least, the level of immersion wasn't quite that extreme—but it was considered an early attempt at the legendary holographic gaming.

It was a small step in a technological revolution, but such small steps sometimes take many years to perfect, much like the discovery of electricity or the advent of computers. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been nominated for a Nobel. With both the technology and the quality, it would have been a miracle if the game hadn't become a hit.

She still remembered that before "Seeking the Way" became famous, it was just an emerging tech company—likely established by a few friends who were severely lacking in capital. When it was time to launch, they needed promotion, and hiring a celebrity spokesperson was a crucial step. But because the company had nothing impressive to show yet, the game hadn't been released, some of its highlights were confidential, and they were short on cash, very few stars were interested. After running around, the company had been quite helpless and ended up settling for a newcomer, signing a long-term contract because it was cheaper. In the end, it was that newcomer who struck gold, gaining returns even higher than those from starring in a blockbuster film.

Although the initial pay had been meager, the boost in popularity and fame left the newcomer over the moon. At the same time, it made many A-list celebrities regret their choices, as the company had approached them first, only to be met with disdain.

"Alright, I agree!" Chu Luoxi nodded. She felt it was better to agree to such a good opportunity now to avoid any complications.

"Hmm? Wait?" Lan Lun finally showed a reaction. His expression, usually icy, held a hint of bewilderment, as if he were wondering if he had misheard. He had been prepared to try and persuade her further, as he truly believed this endorsement was a stellar opportunity.

"Pfft—" Chu Luoxi couldn't help but laugh. It really wasn't easy to make the great Agent Lan lose his poker face, and it was quite an achievement. "I said, I agree." She had played this game herself and liked it, so there was no reason to push away an opportunity for both fame and profit—not to mention, she had to give the great Agent Lan some face.

"But you haven't even heard what they are offering in payment!" Lan Lun was struggling to keep up, his mind momentarily tied in knots.

"Isn't it for a friend of yours? Then everything is negotiable. Besides, since they approached me at this stage, they can't possibly be offering too much, right?" Chu Luoxi said with righteous conviction—it was certainly a good excuse.

"Ah, just like that?" Lan Lun was clearly conflicted.

"Yes, just like that!" Chu Luoxi nodded, hoping to increase her credibility.

The process didn't really matter; what she valued was the eventual outcome.