Want to read extra chapters?
Just go to (patreon.com/kurato6180) and read an extra 5 chapters for FREE!
---
Chapter 45. Eating and Drinking For Free
---
Did Jolyne Cujoh's desired tragic performance have the desired effect?
Of course, it did!
After all, when faced with characters they love, how could anyone remain emotionally unaffected after witnessing their death?
If someone does exist who not only feels no discomfort but also experiences joy from such scenes, then that person is definitely a psychopath! (Like Yoshiyuki Tomino)
Or perhaps they were tortured by some psychopath during childhood, leading to a distorted worldview! (Like Gen Urobuchi)
Naturally, the audience was deeply affected by Zeppeli's death scene. After overcoming their initial shock, they finally grasped the implications of the recent events...
Whether it was Zeppeli's bisected body, his aged face after losing all vitality, or the tearful cremation by JOJO and the others to prevent DIO from turning him into a zombie, all these scenes unequivocally conveyed to the audience that Zeppeli was dead. He was so dead that even a Stone Mask couldn't revive him!
Even JOJO found it hard to accept Zeppeli's death at first. How could the audience be any different?
Unable to change this outcome and mercilessly informed of the truth by the "Phantom Blood" team, the audience was understandably filled with anger, much like a bag of potato chips filled with air.
They gathered in the comments section of "Phantom Blood" to vent their dissatisfaction and rage, warning those who hadn't watched the episode or series that they were in for a hellish experience!
...This was why Jolyne Cujoh had been so gleeful earlier.
With things like this, how could she not lose money?
It was impossible!
Even if the audience's opinion eventually turned positive, what did it matter?
There were only two or three episodes left in "Phantom Blood," leading up to the finale. And in these final episodes, more characters besides Zeppeli would die, including Dire, who responded to Zeppeli's call from Tibet, and JOJO himself.
When that time came, would the audience still be rational?
They'd probably storm the comments section of "Phantom Blood" in outrage!
By the time their emotions stabilized and they rewatched "Phantom Blood" with a clear mind, the rebate period offered by the system would have long passed, and Jolyne would have already collected her rewards!
After that, whether "Phantom Blood" was good or bad, profitable or not, it no longer mattered to her.
So, for Jolyne Cujoh, the current situation was like knowing she could score a perfect 100 on a test and repeatedly checking her answers for the satisfaction of seeing them correct.
Still, she found time to add fuel to the fire in the comments section of "Phantom Blood," leaving comments like: "The latest episode of 'Phantom Blood' is the best thing I've seen all year!"
"Why is 'Phantom Blood' a weekly show? If it wasn't, I could watch the next episodes immediately!"
How to bring bad publicity to a work?
By excessively, almost excessively, praising it beyond what one would do for their own parents... No, more than that, treating it with filial piety in praise, raising it to the heavens until people found it annoying!
This would naturally achieve the effect of one fan equating to ten haters!
This method should ideally be paired with exaggerated literary praise for the best results.
But Jolyne Cujoh couldn't bring herself to write such embarrassing sentences.
Given the current situation, steady, earnest praise was almost as effective.
After all, when everyone was mourning Zeppeli's death and protesting Green Dolphin Studio for daring to write such a plot, having someone who seemed like a bot constantly praising Green Dolphin Studio and this episode of "Phantom Blood" would undoubtedly attract a lot of hate!
So...
White Snake: "The OP is absolutely right! I also think Green Dolphin Studio's handling of this episode was incredibly strong! Not only did they successfully establish Zeppeli's character, but they also showcased his brilliant golden spirit to all of us!"
Naturally, such a comment elicited responses...
Wait!?
"This doesn't seem right..."
Seeing the immediate responses to her fire-starting post, Jolyne Cujoh was puzzled: "To prevent bots from controlling the comments, I didn't hire any bots..."
Of course, the main reason was that she had invested all her money into "Phantom Blood" and hired Kamikaze Studio to assist with production, leaving her with no money.
"Could it be industry sabotage?"
Aware of the harsh and chaotic industry, Jolyne Cujoh could only think this.
Logically, this should be a good thing.
But somehow, seeing this response made her sixth sense unusually alert, as if the reputation of "Phantom Blood" would truly reverse under this reply...
"How could that be? 'Phantom Blood' is in this state; could it still turn around?!"
Thinking this, she felt like a student waiting for the teacher to hand back her perfect score test, ready to receive praise from the teacher and modestly wave to classmates, pretending this achievement was no big deal while internally ecstatic.
Confidently, she declared: "If you can reverse the reputation of 'Phantom Blood' under these circumstances, I'll eat my full-dive device right here!"
Then...