Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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“Of course! We! Should! Find! Taicang! Sect!”
In the silent broadcasting room, a group of retired leaders sat around the screen, remaining silent for a long time. Their dark, large eye bags bore the marks of their sleepless nights. After a long while, one of the leaders finally spoke, taking a deep drag on his cigarette, then raising his hand through the hazy smoke to stroke his almost bald head: “Xiao Gu…”
Mr. Gu sat at their feet, sobbing for a long time.
Taicang Sect Headquarters —
Even after the impassioned advertising slogans were switched to the next shampoo commercial, the lingering echoes of the lead actors’ clear and articulate lines still resonated long afterward.
Chairman Wei Xi sat on the sofa staring at the screen, his heart pounding with unprecedented excitement. It hadn’t been easy; Taicang Sect had finally taken this historic step.
No one spoke in the room. After his initial excitement subsided, Wei Xi remembered that Wei Tianyi seemed to have been talking to him the whole time, but he hadn’t been listening carefully. He turned around and looked at the other person: “Tianyi, what did you just say?”
Wei Tianyi: “…”
Wei Tianyi didn’t look at him, just turned around blankly, and stepped straight into the cold wind outside without even putting on a coat.
What’s wrong with this world? He felt like he’d just had a nightmare that came out of nowhere, and he desperately needed some cool air to clear his head.
Wei Xi: “?”
Why is he behaving like this?
Wei Xi couldn’t figure it out, so he looked at Old Lady Wang. Although this believer was old, she was very knowledgeable and experienced. She had also been involved in the business world in her youth and had a wealth of business knowledge. The idea for Wei Xi to advertise for the sect originally came from her. In a way, she deserved a place on this list of achievements.
The old woman, Wang, remained silent for a moment under his gaze. Then, after searching twice, she finally found the armrest of the sofa and stood up shakily: “…I, I’d better go and offer incense to the Heavenly Venerable.”
The two walked away one after the other. Neither the disciple nor the believer seemed happy about their sect’s first advertisement. Wei Xi couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed and wanted to ask his disciple what was going on.
The second apprentice sat beside him, propping his chin on his hand. When he saw the man looking at him, he seemed reluctant to speak, and his eyes held a hint of speechlessness.
Fortunately, at that moment, the eldest disciple ran over with tears in his eyes, holding his phone: “Master! Master! Listen! Please listen!”
On the other end of the phone, a cacophony of wails erupted. The ghost employees of the Taicang Sect were ecstatic, with Uncle Shen sobbing uncontrollably, “Sect Leader!!!! We’re on TV! Waaaaaah!!!!”
Tuan Tuanyi couldn’t stop his tears either: “Master, what do you think of my advertising copy? I spent a whole week with Fang Xiaojie reviewing viral marketing case studies to write this simple, direct, and touching script. From now on, our Taicang Sect will definitely develop better and better!”
That’s a normal reaction!
Wei Xi was finally relieved. It seemed that the decision to advertise was indeed very correct. His sect’s reputation would surely soar from now on, becoming known throughout the world. In that case, a future of flourishing incense offerings and countless believers didn’t seem too far away.
….
To be fair, his predictions weren’t entirely wrong. After all, at that moment, countless question marks dominated the real-time updates on major forums and social networks—
[?????]
[?????]
[Was anyone watching channel xx with me just now? Could you please confirm that the ad I just saw wasn’t just my imagination?]
From that question onward, the discussion exploded like a detonator with its fuse lit, becoming unstoppable.
The main thing was that the audience was completely stunned.
Think about it, when did that Taicang Sect advertisement air? During prime time. What program aired during prime time? “Believe in Science”! What kind of audience watches “Believe in Science”? People might complain about the program, but at most, it’s just playful banter. Who among those watching TV at the same time isn’t simultaneously complaining and firmly believing in science? Then, at the end of the program, while these fans are laughing and cursing the terrible program for deceiving people’s feelings, and at the same time, as the program reveals the truth without any mystical elements, they are suddenly bombarded with a whole bunch of feudal superstitions.
How can the helpless audience possibly process this?
Listen to what those advertisements say— “What if you’re afraid of ghosts? What if you’re afraid of demons? What if the feng shui in your home is bad?”
No, putting aside what your TV station is actually promoting, this ad seems to be a Taoist temple advertising itself. But why are Taoist temples getting on TV these days?! What’s going on in your industry?!
What’s even stranger is what follows: the Taicang Sect Haunted House Detective Agency— what kind of bizarre services are these?!
Netizens were baffled by this, with some initially speculating it was a prank program by a TV station. However, the sheer number of netizens proved their ingenuity, and a quick search revealed that these supposedly fictional industries were actually real. The Taicang Sect Haunted House, for example, had become a popular spot among haunted house enthusiasts and young people in Beijing, and even the detective agency, previously unknown to most, had numerous well-documented reviews from its customers online.
The remaining agencies, such as brokerage firms and health clubs, could still be found with legitimate registration certificates on the business registration website, and their operations appeared to be in good condition and legal.
Things had already gotten to this point, which was enough to be confusing, but what was most baffling was undoubtedly the stroke of genius at the end of the advertisement.
The villain thanks the Taoist priests for introducing him to a job and transforms himself into a winner in the ghost world. What exactly is he trying to express?
Some bewildered netizens even left comments with a laugh, saying, “Is this advocating for harmonious coexistence between humans and ghosts, and working together for a common cause? I’m crying. This is practically an inspirational job recruitment story promoting world peace. It’s like a public service advertisement!”
Of course, after the comment sparked a burst of laughter, no one took it seriously. As the initial wave of criticism subsided, everyone’s attention shifted to what deeper meaning was hidden in this nonsensical advertisement.
What? You’re saying this is really just a simple advertisement? No way! Everyone was joking at first, but who doesn’t know how strict the censorship standards are these days regarding feudal superstition? Not to mention, what’s a Taoist temple trying to do by going to such lengths to evade censorship and appear on TV? Not anti-humanitarian, not anti-national, just to promote their ghost-catching skills? Looking back over five thousand years of history, who has ever seen such a mad religion?
Netizens possessed a strong ability to logically align themselves. After the advertisement went viral and countless reports went unanswered by the authorities, they finally managed to piece together the whole story using their own powerful imaginations.
The government doesn’t care; so Taicang Sect must have powerful backers.
Since the Taicang Sect had powerful backers, the government’s move was certainly not without reason; it probably had a deeper meaning.
Many angry bloggers on the internet began to speculate rationally: “Could this Taicang Sect be someone sent by the propaganda department?”
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