The Shadow Tycoon
Copyright© 2026 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 159: The Age of Mass Entertainment
William had been absurdly busy these past few days. After finishing his inspection of the club and seeing off the extremely enthusiastic Baron Reynolds, the Foxes informed him that James had finished the script.
It was a script perfectly suited to the tastes of modern audiences: aliens, bloodshed, pretty girls, and one stimulating plot twist after another. Merely reading the script, the Foxes immediately realized just how terrible the screenplay written by Mr. Fox Jr.’s former classmate had been. Just as William had said, those people had come to swindle investors.
James’s script also contained a large number of storyboards, a style of scriptwriting that was gradually becoming popular. In the past, most scripts consisted solely of written descriptions.
But as more and more failed productions ended with everyone shifting blame behind the scenes, screenwriters had undoubtedly become one of the hardest-hit groups. No matter whose fault it was, people could always blame the writer.
If the director did a poor job, they could claim the script lacked depth.
If the actors performed poorly, they could claim the characters in the script were badly written.
Even when people disliked the publicity photos, the makeup artists could say they had simply followed the script’s requirements.
As a result, more and more screenwriters began incorporating their own ideas directly into scripts. They added storyboards to illustrate how particular scenes should be filmed. They included character sketches to prove that sometimes the problem wasn’t vague descriptions, but makeup artists misunderstanding their intentions.
In short, it was a good script, and they intended to begin recruiting actors.
This was only a small-budget film. As one of the investors and shareholders, William naturally had to discuss related matters with the Foxes. William indicated that they could proceed according to the original plan: auditions.
Perhaps because of the economic downturn, more beauty pageants and bodybuilding competitions were appearing across the market. Even various board games had suddenly become popular overnight.
Even in a second-tier city like Sabine City, clubs dedicated to these activities had begun appearing. It felt contradictory and yet strangely harmonious.
People were spending more and more time in front of televisions and games. Beginning Monday, City Hall started distributing food vouchers and relief vouchers to unemployed families. The city’s anxiety immediately stabilized, and public order improved noticeably.
One could also say that people were gradually adapting to this way of life. They no longer had to worry about survival. The government was handing out relief payments, and local television stations had begun adding free channels this month. Some people were perfectly content to remain indoors and spend their days in front of the television.
All kinds of scantily dressed pretty girls and muscular men coated in shiny oils appeared on television, delivering a blunt visual impact while occupying more and more of people’s time. Physical fitness was becoming a fashionable topic.
Some unemployed people, inspired by television programs, began exercising. They turned whatever simple tools they had available into workout equipment and spent their spare time sweating through makeshift training sessions.
As this wave rapidly swept through society, not only male bodybuilding physiques but female bodies as well became the center of public attention.
Women had only recently won the freedom to wear shorter skirts from men and society at large, and they were already appearing before the public in the simplest clothing imaginable. It undeniably attracted enormous attention.
Whenever bodybuilding competitions or beauty pageants aired, the ratings reached extraordinary heights.
An amusing story even emerged during this period. A female bodybuilding enthusiast broke up with her boyfriend, and the matter eventually made its way into the media.
The boyfriend tearfully complained to reporters that they had been together for more than half a year, and she had shown more of herself on television than she ever had to him in private.
Funny little stories like that could not alter the pulse and direction of the era. Certain things were becoming popular in ways that defied common sense, one example being hair removal.
After a week of preparations, the Foxes reached an agreement with Sabine City Television Station. The audition to select the film’s heroine would be broadcast on television. In exchange, the station agreed to pay a broadcasting rights fee. It wasn’t much, only several tens of thousands of dollars.
However, all advertising revenue and related income generated during the broadcasts would belong entirely to the television station.
Another weekend arrived.
William sat in his living room, scribbling on a newspaper. The recently popular crossword puzzle had become unstoppable. Even board games that had begun hosting national tournaments were being overshadowed by this simple pastime.
To boost circulation, some newspapers offered cash prizes to the first one hundred readers who completed the latest crossword puzzle. As a result, whenever a new edition was released, large crowds would gather outside newspaper offices, solving puzzles on the spot. Crossword puzzles were rapidly taking over the country.
It was an incredibly simple game, yet it had unexpectedly become a sensation throughout the entire Baler Federation. Television stations across the nation even devoted an hour each week to explaining how these crossword puzzles should be solved.
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