Chapter 57: Chapter 57 The Theme of Grass Growing on a Grave?

Lin Chuan smiled and pondered for a moment.

Hacker, network security engineer, Red Hacker… it should be considered a normal profession, right?

So, Lin Chuan replied, “It’s a normal profession.”

When Youyou saw the words ‘normal profession,’ she breathed a sigh of relief and asked, “What profession?”

Lin Chuan typed two characters.

“Hacker.”

Youyou’s willow-leaf eyebrows immediately knitted together, and she replied, “Lin Chuan, I didn’t expect you to have been a hacker. Don’t get involved in technical crimes, okay!”

“Youyou, when have I ever been a hacker?” Lin Chuan said in surprise.

“It’s good that you haven’t, but this theme is quite unpopular in the web novel circle. Are you sure you want to write about it?” Youyou was a bit worried.

The hacker theme was indeed unpopular in the web novel circle.

Hacker culture was not particularly prevalent in the country, and while it had an audience, it wasn’t large, which is why many authors were reluctant to touch it.

Those who wrote about hacker themes generally had deep expertise in computer technology.

There was an influential author in the circle who, with hacker-themed content, led many readers to mine cryptocurrency, and when a certain coin surged in value years later, both the author and the readers made a fortune.

But this author was only playing around.

Ordinary authors stayed clear of the hacker theme.

Three words: Can’t write it!

“Sure.”

Lin Chuan replied.

No matter how unpopular the theme was, the system had already auto-generated the novel, and had updated the system panel. There was no choice but to bite the bullet and go ahead.

[Work: “Hacker Kingdom”.]

[Current Status: Unpublished.]

[Popularity Value (Average Subscription): 0/6000.]

An average subscription requirement of 6000 was incredibly high for a hacker-themed novel, equivalent to a hot theme reaching ten thousand subscriptions.

After some thought, Youyou sent Lin Chuan a message, “Lin Chuan, when are you planning to release your new book?”

“Next month, I’ll pick an auspicious day,” Lin Chuan replied.

“Okay, but I have to remind you that the hacker theme is really niche, you have to be mentally prepared,” Youyou typed with a wry smile.

To be honest, she couldn’t help but worry.

As Lin Chuan’s responsible editor, she had explosively succeeded with two novels in a short period, achieving great recognition.

If Lin Chuan’s new book were to flop, it would undoubtedly be a big blow to him.

Most authors, especially those who had been unsuccessful for too long, shared a common problem: as their performance soared, they would start fantasizing non-stop—boutique hits, blockbusters, ten thousand subscriptions, becoming one of the Twelve Heavenly Kings this year, an Influent Author the next, and reaching the pinnacle the year after.

But when the next book flopped, they would fall into a state of self-doubt.

Repeatedly denying their own creativity, sinking into a mire.

Even big-name authors could find themselves in such a situation.

This was something Youyou had seen plenty of.

“Don’t worry, my will is strong; I won’t easily succumb to delusion,” Lin Chuan said with a grin in his rented room.

He was somewhat confident in this novel.

After all, it was generated based on his ‘personal experience.’

A thrilling life as a professional hacker.

It should have a chance to succeed, but whether it could reach the threshold of six thousand average subscriptions for a blockbuster was still uncertain.

…

At that moment.

Inside the Sailing Novel office building.

Ming Yue brought over two cups of coffee and handed one to Youyou, “What theme did he say he’s going to write about?”

“Hacker.”

Youyou slowly uttered the two words, then took a small sip, the slight bitterness echoing in her mouth.

Mingyue’s hand holding the coffee stiffened, her brows furrowed, “Recently, there have been frequent attacks by foreign hackers, and many domestic hackers have also been using their skills to commit crimes. The authorities have been cracking down hard, and the online literature community is also under close scrutiny. Tell him to be more subtle in his writing and not to cross the line.”

Youyou found herself in a dilemma, “Should I try to persuade him?”

Mingyue shook her head, “I don’t think you can persuade him.”

Youyou looked up, puzzled, and asked, “Why?”

“Because his goal is to acquire Sailing Novel. What’s your goal?” Mingyue teased.

“My goal is not to be fired by Sailing Novel.”

Youyou pouted, then suddenly remembered something, “Mingyue, the top hacker in the online literature community is under your name, right?”

Mingyue took a sip of coffee, narrowing her eyes slightly, “Are you talking about ‘Formula’?”

“Right!”

Youyou nodded vigorously, “His novel ‘Cyber Hero’ once set the trend for hacker themes. Has he been writing about hackers recently?”

Mingyue shook her head, “He hasn’t written for a while. He’s taken a job at a local network security company as an engineer. I think the company’s name is Jintang, as in ‘impregnable as Jintang’.”

“Mingyue, could you ask him for me? See if there’s anything to be careful about with hacker themes so I can remind Lin Chuan.”

Youyou blinked expectantly at Mingyue.

If Formula was willing to mentor, it should be a great help for Lin Chuan’s writing on hacker-themed novels.

After all.

‘Formula’ was a real hacker with impressive hacking skills.

Mingyue smiled. “Only because you, this little girl, are asking, would I do this favor. I wouldn’t for anyone else.”

“Thank you, Mingyue,” Youyou said with a beaming smile.

With one hand holding the coffee and the other picking up her phone, Mingyue scrolled through her contacts for a while before she found Formula’s phone number.

Beep beep beep—

“Mingyue, what’s up?”

On the phone.

A magnetic voice came through, flat and devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

Mingyue smiled and began, “Formula, have you been thinking about starting a new book recently? How about another one on the hacker theme?”

“You’re talking about that?” Formula chuckled softly, “You know, Mingyue, the hacker theme has completely cooled down. Nobody reads it anymore.”

“That’s true.”

Mingyue nodded and glanced at Youyou, continuing, “But the boyfriend of a good sister of mine has a soft spot for hacker themes. Do you have any advice?”

“Is he a new writer?” Formula inquired.

“No, he already has two influential works,” Mingyue answered.

“Is he there with you?” Formula asked again.

“No.”

“Well then, for an experienced author, his head must be in the clouds to write about a theme that’s like grass growing over a grave. My advice is to switch to another theme as soon as possible.”

Formula was candid, not beating around the bush.

‘Old Fang, come over for a meeting.’ Another voice came from Formula’s side.

“Mingyue, I have a meeting to attend, and a tough battle ahead. Starting a new book isn’t urgent, we can talk about it another time.”

“Beep beep beep—”

The call ended.

Mingyue put away her phone, letting out a sigh, and looked at Youyou, “You heard it, it’s up to Lin Chuan now.”

Youyou’s lips pressed together, her expression a bit downcast.

The number one hacker in the online literature community, ‘Formula,’ thought the hacker theme was over.

Lin Chuan, could he really make this theme work?