[The uploader I'm following is seriously inhuman.]
[Exactly! Who gives out five hundred movie tickets as a giveaway? And horror movie tickets at that!]
[I don't really care. As long as I get a chance to draw, I'm in.]
Watching the livestream room instantly fill with people flooding in for the giveaway, Smiley's face bloomed into a proud bright smile. He happily narrowed his eyes as he looked at the barrage of comments on the screen, occasionally picking a few to interact with.
And it wasn't just Smiley—other uploaders also held similar events. After all, the name The Grudge was thunderously famous. Even people who rarely watched horror movies had heard of it; that alone showed how terrifyingly huge the franchise's reputation was.
What's more, this was the final installment—its official conclusion. This naturally meant it was the last entry in The Grudge series. Some people did worry that the capital behind the franchise might eventually abandon such a massively popular IP. But once they remembered Edward's identity and personal wealth, they felt that was unlikely. The Grudge might be unique, but even its uniqueness couldn't compare to Edward's own value.
To put it simply: if Edward said the series was ending, then it was ending. His net worth didn't require him to milk the IP for attention. Because of that, people still trusted him quite a bit.
And right around this time, someone finally found an angle of attack. After a day or two of coordinated stirring and manipulation, the entire public discourse flipped upside down.
[You still plan to watch The Grudge? Rich people really don't need money, huh!]
[Do you have any idea how much Director Edward has earned in recent years through his films?]
[Movie tickets are already so expensive. Why does someone as rich as Edward insist on setting such a high price?]
"Boss, this is very obviously an organized attack. Not only is it a malicious attack on our company—their intent is also to smear you personally!"
Inside the conference room at Ghost Films, Edward sat calmly as the head of the public relations department spoke with a stack of printed comments in hand.
"And it hasn't stopped. In fact, some people are already guiding public opinion, trying to get netizens to boycott our unreleased The Grudge 3." The PR chief continued talking while Edward quietly listened.
Of course, he knew exactly what was going on. Edward understood this territory better than anyone—this market was a single pie. If he took a bigger slice, others naturally got less. In doing so, he essentially cut off someone else's income.
And as the saying goes: cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents.
Edward knew very well that plenty of people disliked him and disliked Ghost Films yet they'd been forced into silence because Devon Corporation stood firmly behind him. They were all lying dormant, waiting for an opportunity. Now, the hyenas believed their chance had finally come.
To be fair, their methods were quite impressive.
Stoking resentment toward the wealthy was the easiest emotional manipulation tactic. People always harbored complicated feelings toward the rich—especially toward someone like Edward, one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Edward's eyes flickered with amusement as he examined the page of reports.
[Stop hating Director Edward Stone—look at what he has contributed to us!]
[In a world dominated by materialism, resentment toward the rich seems to have become a common sickness. Just hearing the word "rich" makes some people's eyes burn with outrage, as if all wealthy people became rich through shady means. But perhaps we should examine this mindset more closely. Take Director Edward for example—someone like him is the last person we should resent; we should be thanking him.]
[Director Edward is extremely wealthy—mansions, sports cars, high-end venues. But do you think he's some nouveau riche who only knows how to enjoy luxury? Absolutely not! His contributions to the film world are exceptional.]
[Think about the incredible movies he's made—how many emotional and spiritual experiences he has brought us. Behind every work is the crystallization of countless days and nights of effort. He spends enormous sums building realistic sets just to present the most authentic visuals. He hires top-tier actors and personally guides them to bring their characters to life. He invests tremendous time and money in post-production, editing, and special effects, all to give us the best viewing experience imaginable.]
[So, isn't it natural that his movie tickets cost a little more?]
[Without Edward's financial backing, how could these high-quality productions even exist? People complain that tickets are pricey, but have they ever considered what's behind that cost? It is the embodiment of Edward's commitment to quality. Without his willingness to invest, would we have these exceptional films? We'd be stuck with cheap, sloppy productions.]
[More importantly, Edward's work stimulates the entire film industry. His success inspires countless young people to join the field, injecting fresh life into it. While earning money for himself, he also creates vast employment opportunities—from screenwriters and actors to the dozens, even hundreds of staff behind each production. Many people rely on his films for stable jobs and livelihoods.]
[Look at the people online who resent the rich. They complain that Edward earns money without lifting a finger, but they don't see the pressure he bears—financial pressure, market pressure, creative pressure. He earns money because of his talent and hard work; he deserves it.]
[We should view Edward with appreciation. A wealthy man like him, who uses his resources and talent to create value for society, deserves respect—not resentment. It's because of his contributions that we enjoy such rich cultural experiences. His effort pushes society forward.]
[So let go of narrow-minded resentment. Let's learn to appreciate and be grateful. People like Director Edward truly deserve our respect. Support his films more!]
Cover to cover, the article was ostensibly defending him—yet Edward felt no warmth in its words. This was a smear piece in disguise, and a rather high-level attack at that—certainly far more sophisticated than mindless trolls.
The good news was that, thanks to the Medal of Valor Edward received, he didn't have to worry about people directing attacks at him personally. These manipulators were smart; they only targeted his films, encouraging boycotts rather than directly attacking him.
"Release the details of my donations to the Prayer Wall Foundation. And issue a statement: the profits I earn from Ghost Films—aside from what goes into growing the company are all used for charity." Edward waved a hand dismissively. He truly didn't care. Becoming a director wasn't something he'd done to get rich; he simply wanted to create horror films for the world.
So, he really didn't care about movie profits. He donated most of them anyway. The foundation had survived its early days almost entirely through his contributions. Later, he funded hospitals, launched multiple projects—he never felt he owed society anything. His moral standards were already far above average.
Once PR received the documents, they began working. Overnight, the internet was filled with solid proof of Edward's donations. Some helpful users even did simple calculations, discovering that nearly all of Edward's earnings had been donated—confirming that he was indeed using his film income for charity.
Many beneficiaries of the foundation also stepped forward to defend Edward. The comment sections quickly turned into heated battles between them and the trolls. And when a man—who had nearly died in the past but survived thanks to the foundation and now worked hard every day—angrily typed:
[If you've got the guts, don't go to any NewHope Hospitals when you get sick. Don't apply for foundation assistance either!]
A large number of haters instantly went silent.
Of course, there were still people who insisted Edward should be doing this, and some even complained that what he donated was too little. Some claimed he should donate all his savings—then it would count as "truly doing good."
Edward almost laughed out loud at their audacity.
"Boss, these people are really…" Zoroark couldn't take it anymore. Edward just chuckled. The world was big—there was no shortage of bizarre people. In his previous life, he had seen every sort of extreme behavior.
There were people who bullied a family simply because the daughter was the only one left—extorting, dividing assets, draining them dry. Cases like that still happened in the modern world, let alone in older days.
There were people who shamelessly took advantage of wealthy acquaintances, righteously saying: "You're rich, so giving me some shouldn't matter."
And then there were the truly outrageous relatives: "I want to buy your house but I don't have money right now. Give me the property certificate first, and I'll pay you through rent. Once the rent adds up, that'll count as the house payment."
All he could say was—reality produced stranger stories than fiction.
Even demanding kidney donations from younger relatives "because family should help each other" was far from rare. If one were to compile a list of such bizarre incidents, it could easily reach hundreds of thousands of words. Edward had no desire to deal with such people anymore.
"Handle whoever needs handling. Send lawyers' letters to whoever needs them." Edward yawned. He didn't seek much in life—only a clear conscience. And he felt fully confident he had one.
When you do everything you can with a sincere heart—such as caring for your ill parents, bringing them to the hospital, paying their bills—then even if things end badly, you've done your part. No need to hold grand funerals just to prove your filial piety to outsiders.
"Yes, boss."
Zoroark noted everything down, while Edward leaned back, already thinking about his next film.
Originally, he planned to shoot Saw, but considering Saw's scare factor was a bit low—not ideal for his lottery system—he decided it was better to make something truly terrifying.
That naturally led him to One Missed Call 2.
The One Missed Call series, as one of Japan's iconic horror film franchises, had more than enough fear factor. Edward had previously filmed One Missed Call 1, which brought in tremendous popularity. Even now, many people jumped when they heard its ringtone. Some even used the ringtone for pranks.
With that in mind, releasing One Missed Call 2 seemed like a great idea.
"Alright, time to think about the script. I should earn more lottery draws during this period… Who knows what might require a directional draw later." Edward yawned again, sank into his office chair, and began drafting the script for One Missed Call 2.
…
Meanwhile, at the Rustboro City Film Review Department, employees were discussing a certain matter.
"Hey, isn't Director Edward's The Grudge 3 still not submitted for review?"
Corey checked his schedule and realized that later in the week, he would be on duty with two other coworkers. And based on past experience, the three of them on the same shift almost guaranteed they would be assigned Edward's film.
"The Grudge, huh…" Corey's mouth twitched. He didn't want to review it. Edward's The Grudge films were terrifying enough individually—but this time was the final installment, which meant it would be longer.
The Grudge 1 and 2 were both roughly 93 minutes each.
This time, the runtime was 120 minutes—two full hours.
Two hours of close-range contact with The Grudge… Corey silently pulled out his phone, contemplating whether he should buy some fast-acting heart medicine—just in case.
Several clever coworkers had already tried switching shifts, but of course, no one would accept. When facing Edward's horror films, everyone was equally human.
Corey sighed. What could he do? He could quit—but finding a stable, well-paid job in this economy was nearly impossible.
The pressure was just too much.
(End of Chapter)