Chapter Seventeen: Do Not Worry About Scarcity, But About Unequal Distribution

“Each of you has your own distinct qualities, and several started from quite a high point. Yet in the first phase of the competition, despite strong algorithmic support from the company’s streaming platform, your results didn’t reflect that advantage and remained largely unchanged. So what’s the point of the company’s investment in you?”

In the Hundred Butterflies Rising competition, the ultimate measure was, of course, popularity. But at the initial stage, the company was more interested in seeing growth—real, tangible progress brought about by genuine investment, benefiting the streamers and the platform alike.

“I want everyone here to watch Monroe’s videos carefully and reflect on your own shortcomings. The first round is already one-third over. If you can’t even make it to the second round, the company will naturally bring in new talent.”

After a little motivational speech, Ice finally softened her tone.

“There is one streamer who deserves recognition in this first stage—Coco.”

Ice’s gaze swept across the team and landed on Coco, who suddenly felt nervous.

“Among all of you, Coco started from the lowest point. She barely had any loyal fans, only a few accidental viewers caught up in trending topics. It was considered a disastrous start in the Hundred Butterflies Rising competition.

“But Coco did very well. She seized that accidental opportunity and produced very refined, well-planned videos.”

For two full weeks, Lin Ke posted only one video per day. Each video cleverly capitalized on the previous day’s trending topics while remaining completely true to her core theme—freedom. No matter which topic she touched on or how she presented it, she never strayed from her pursuit of freedom.

Her most popular video read: “Pigs never realize that the person holding the knife to kill them is the same person who feeds them three meals a day. So whatever protects you also limits you. The same shelter that shields you from the storm can also keep you from seeing the light of day.”

It was posted under a trending topic about a “rich heiress.” This heiress had previously flaunted her luxurious life under the label of “the only daughter from Jiangsu and Zhejiang,” doted on by her powerful father.

But soon after her father’s death, a secret son took her to court, demanding a share of the inheritance. Curious onlookers realized that this heiress wasn’t the pampered only child she seemed to be, but a mere pawn in a fairy tale built on indulgence.

Many of the heiress’s past remarks surfaced, revealing that her compromises and concessions toward her father had reasons. Behind her glamorous facade, she had endured countless silent sufferings.

Netizens, overflowing with sympathy, fully supported this “avenging heroine” as she fought her stepmother and half-brother. Yet Lin Ke’s single short video cut through the noise of countless marketing accounts, garnering over ten thousand fierce comments.

Lin Ke didn’t even need to explain; the viewers had already filled in the blanks for her. The message about being protected but also restricted applied not just to the heiress, but to herself.

That’s why she refused the so-called family, refused a man’s shelter. She had set out alone from the mountains with her own two feet to pursue her freedom!

No one escapes pain; some simply don’t cry out!

Such a brave and clear-headed streamer like Coco—how could she not be another trailblazing “heiress” fighting through thorns?

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Whether Ice knew that Lin Ke’s videos were actually drafted directly by the content department was unclear, but the admiration in her eyes was unmistakable.

“In just two weeks, most of the accidental viewers you gained have been solidified into a loyal fan base through your efforts. Although the numbers aren’t impressive yet, the heat is rising quickly. Keep it up.”

“Thank you, supervisor,” Lin Ke replied, utterly confused as to why she had been singled out.

Everyone’s account dashboard was open to creators’ data, and her completion and interaction rates were dismal.

Monroe’s hovered around ten percent; hers was so low that even a zero and a decimal point wouldn’t accurately describe it.

The only metric she could boast about was daily unique visitors, which showed a cliff-like surge every day.

According to the tech department, this meant she was constantly being placed in new traffic pools. Lin Ke knew well this was the company’s powerful push, not her videos’ inherent appeal.

Yet, paradoxically, she was being portrayed as a positive example.

No surprise then that as soon as the meeting broke up and the supervisor left, the rest of the team immediately voiced their discontent with sneers.

“Out of 101 contestants, ranked in the nineties and still getting praised?”

“She’s the biggest improver, but that’s just because she started so low.”

“Improving from 20 to 60 points is obviously easier than going from 90 to 91.”

“Keep it down! She’s a real ‘seed’ player, got someone big backing her! If the overall rank was judged by views alone, she’d be number one, believe it or not.”

Lü Xiaotong, known for her sharp tongue and no fear of online battles with fans of popular celebrities, was especially cutting.

Even the usually carefree Liu Feixia was displeased: “People really do start at different points. Who says looks can’t be cash?”

Putting aside how much of the company’s traffic for Coco could be converted into real fans or sustained, just the initial wave of views alone had already pushed her base salary of 5,000 beyond limits, and every penny she earned now could be shared anew.

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Rising from obscurity to prominence always invites jealousy.

“If I had that traffic pool, I’d be first already.”

Sun Yali was also a small streamer in the group without much fame, selected mostly because her intangible cultural heritage niche had the right timing and conditions. She couldn’t compete with Monroe or Liu Banshou, and now even Lin Ke, starting from nothing, was ahead of her. Naturally, she was seething with resentment.

“Pathetic country bumpkin. I wouldn’t want that kind of shameless money even if it was handed to me.”

Since ancient times, people have not feared scarcity but inequality. The harsh words stung, and Lin Ke had no response.

Never mind; worse insults had been hurled online, and at least she had already paid back the borrowed rent.

What Lin Ke didn’t expect was that while she stayed silent, Monroe stepped in.

“Just sour grapes because you can’t get the grapes yourself!”

Monroe strode directly over to Lin Ke, threw an arm around her shoulders: “If I were as shameless as you all, I might be number one already.”

Mimicking Sun Yali’s tone, rolling her eyes and twisting her neck, Monroe led Lin Ke away.

“Coco, don’t mind them. It’s no big deal to keep your head down when you’re climbing uphill. You don’t waste time looking back at the jealous chickens left behind.”

Lin Ke smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Sister Monroe. You’re so kind.”

“Of course! I told you I’ve got your back. Come on, let’s go have spicy hotpot chicken today.”

Sun Yali watched the two conspiring together with a scowl, nearly breaking her perfectly manicured nails.

What’s so great about them? One relies on vulgarity, the other on coarseness! Just shameless lowlifes!