The camera cut back, and the three commentators were still teasing Tang Long and Skocenițis about their duel. However, the producer stared at the screen without saying a word.
The director glanced at the producer and felt a prickle of unease. Every time the producer wore that thoughtful expression, it meant he had come up with some wild idea. The problem was, his whimsical notions often caused a lot of trouble for the production team. "Heaven help us if he's cooked up some bizarre, half-baked scheme," he thought.
"Director, what do you think about us broadcasting Tang Long and Skocenițis's duel?"
The director was stumped! This guy was actually considering broadcasting such an event just to chase ratings. With no other options, the director quickly found an excuse. "Uh, our program schedule is set in advance. Making a last-minute change..."
"What's the big deal? We can just add a live broadcast and have other programs make way," the producer said dismissively, picking up the program schedule. "Go and communicate with the basketball folks. If the game is in the afternoon, squeeze in the table tennis replay time."
"This... isn't that a bit inappropriate? Would the table tennis fans agree?"
"What's inappropriate about it? Everyone is competing for national honor. I believe the audience will understand."
"But..."
"But what?" The producer glared at the director. "I'll handle the negotiations with the station. You go and contact the basketball team, try to finalize the project early, and then find advertisers for sponsorship. Forget those tens of thousands of dollars; for this kind of viewership, we need major sponsors!" The producer then scanned the room. "If this project is confirmed and we get a major sponsor, everyone's bonus will be doubled, and you'll all get a week of paid leave."
Doubled bonuses and a week of paid leave! The production team members felt invigorated, as if they had been injected with adrenaline.
Smart people weren't just C5's producer. As soon as it became known that Tang Long and Skocenițis's duel venue had been moved to a boxing ring, someone immediately spotted a huge business opportunity! It was none other than Tang Long's boss, Gilbert. Maximizing profit was something capitalists excelled at. Even though the tickets were free, the sheer number of people paying attention was astounding. Not only China and Greece, but even mainstream countries like the United States and Europe were filled with enthusiasm for this unique duel!
When the director approached Tang Long, Gilbert shrewdly recognized the commercial potential. Later, after agreeing on a profit-sharing arrangement, Gilbert formally approached C5 to discuss broadcasting and sponsorship distribution plans. Thousands of television stations worldwide sent in requests for broadcasting rights.
Team leader Guo felt even more pressure. It was originally just two players sparring, but now the whole world was watching. If Tang Long lost, it wouldn't just be personal honor at stake, but national honor!
And this was just the beginning. Within an hour, the Basketball Association called, and the General Administration even dispatched an expert skilled in combat to guide Tang Long.
Tang Long had initially intended to teach Skocenițis a lesson for being too arrogant, never expecting it to escalate into such a massive event. Seeing the combat expert, he was a bit stunned, but he had no choice but to accept the guidance. Team leader Guo had issued an ultimatum: if Tang Long refused the expert's coaching, he wouldn't be allowed to compete against Skocenițis's coach. Tang Long had no choice but to comply!
...
"Who do you think will win between Tang and Skocenițis?"
Swift and the others had planned to go shopping with Tang Long after the competition and celebrate China's advancement in the group stage. However, due to the duel with Skocenițis, the three of them could only sit idly in the boxing training hall, watching Tang Long train with the combat expert.
"Tang, for sure!" Scarlett had blind confidence in Tang Long. Furthermore, as Tang Long sparred with the so-called combat expert, although he was initially at a disadvantage, he gradually began to gain the upper hand. Now, he could use his height and strength to launch attacks against the combat expert.
"But the weight difference between them is too much!" Gal Gadot wasn't as confident as Scarlett. Skocenițis's punches, when landing on someone, could likely be unbearable for an ordinary person.
"Taylor, what do you think?" Gal Gadot and Scarlett turned to Swift.
"I still think Tang will win. He was the one who issued the challenge. Knowing him, Tang isn't the type to act impulsively." Swift thought for a moment. "Besides, there's a Chinese proverb that says one doesn't fight unprepared battles. Since Tang dared to challenge Skocenițis, he must have a plan!"
Scarlett and Gal Gadot exchanged glances. Taylor was playing dirty, knowing Chinese proverbs. Unbeknownst to them, this guy had already surpassed them by leaps and bounds. Swift, oblivious to their expressions, her eyes gleaming, said, "When Tang competes, do you think it would excite him more if we went up to hold the round cards?"
"That seems like a good idea!" Scarlett and Gal Gadot also became excited. Indeed, Swift's suggestion brought a spark to their eyes.
"Then let's give Tang a surprise quietly."
"Exactly! He'll be shocked when he sees us in the ring." The three girls chatted and laughed, their conversation veering off course.
...
Apart from Swift and her friends, the duel between Tang Long and Skocenițis had become a topic of conversation for everyone. Previously, people on the street would usually greet each other with "Have you eaten?" Now, when they met, they would say, "Have you heard about the duel between Tang Long and that foreigner?"
While most Chinese people sided with Tang Long, a small minority began to reflect. They argued that Tang Long challenging Skocenițis damaged China's international image. "People come to China for the Olympics, and you want to fight them? Who will dare to come to China to compete in the future?" Some even claimed that China was barbaric and only knew how to use fists to solve problems, unlike people abroad who helped each other without suspicion. These individuals found countless justifications but never mentioned the reason Tang Long issued the challenge to Skocenițis. Fortunately, the number of these "second-class citizens" was small, and they were quickly silenced by the backlash.
Meanwhile, on forums and message boards, people spontaneously created threads for Tang Long. Each person posted messages like "Go Tang Long!" and "Tang Long is invincible!" In just a few hours, hundreds of thousands of posts had accumulated!
Tang Long remained oblivious to all this, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to training with the combat expert. Initially, upon seeing the expert, who was less than 1.8 meters tall and weighed under 200 pounds, Tang Long had scoffed. However, as they sparred in the ring, Tang Long gradually shed his contempt. This expert was not only proficient in combat but also in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a natural counter to brute strength!