Chapter 67: Emergency Sale

Not only Zhang Chu, but even the Nanhai Publishing Company hadn’t anticipated the rapid shift in online public opinion, which had unexpectedly benefited from the popularity of the recently released film, "Detective Holmes."

"Detective Holmes" had been showing for almost two weeks, raking in a box office total of 510 million yuan in the mainland market. With the weekend approaching, projections suggested it might reach 800 million by the end. Despite such impressive numbers, the film was met with notably low ratings; casual viewers, Holmes enthusiasts, and critics alike almost unanimously gave it poor reviews.

Faced with a Douban movie score of only 7, no one attempted to vindicate it, as its ratings were equally unimpressive on sites like IMDb. For a detective film, failing to stand out or redeem itself was perhaps the worst possible critique.

The Yanjing Youth Daily remarked, "[‘Detective Holmes’ is essentially a Holmes fan fiction, a subversive take on the character. While the director successfully recreated the gloomy atmosphere of Victorian London, ‘Sherlock’ seems much more suited to adaptation for the big screen, even within the same genre.]"

The Rongcheng Evening News offered an even sharper assessment: "[Why did ‘Detective Holmes’ fail? First, the character portrayals are too radically altered—Watson is overly competent, Holmes is far too disheveled. While Holmes was known for his unconventional lifestyle, he remained a quintessential British gentleman, maintaining personal hygiene even while roughing it in a stone house on a mountain.

Second, the plot is absurd—black magic, female spies, and even making Sherlock Holmes’ lover a central figure, which is simply unacceptable. Most importantly, the film never showcases Holmes’ deductive prowess. All this is disastrous, as none of it reflects the London we associate with Holmes.

By contrast, another piece of fan fiction, ‘Sherlock,’ which has also become the focus of heated debate, stands in stark contrast. With similar elements and a fresh darkness, it doesn’t alienate fans of the original work!

The worst adaptations subvert the original worldview; the best preserve it. If I ever see ‘Sherlock’ appear on TV or in theaters, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.]"

With "Detective Holmes" as the hottest adaptation on screen and "Sherlock" as the most popular fan fiction novel, the two works inevitably became the subjects of comparison.

Die-hard Holmes fans in particular felt frustrated; no matter how high the box office climbed, it could not restore their trust or affection.

Now, Zhang Chu’s novel seemed to steal the spotlight. Originally conceived as part of "Detective Holmes"’s promotional campaign, it ended up receiving far more praise than expected.

...

"You didn’t conduct any PR for it, did you?" Zhang Chu asked curiously, sensing the shift in online sentiment. On one hand, more people were becoming aware of the differences between domestic and foreign copyright laws; on the other, the quality of "Sherlock" was genuinely impressive.

Buoyed by these accolades, Zhang Chu’s online serial "Psychological Crime" benefited as well; paid readership per chapter surged, with over 4,000 purchases for the first chapter and 2,800 for the latest one.

Of course, these numbers seemed insignificant compared to the thousands or tens of thousands of subscriptions for other online novels, but Zhang Chu was content.

"Psychological Crime" was never intended for mass appeal—it was a niche interest for certain readers. Selling books and licensing rights was the real goal; subscriptions were merely a small bonus.

Upon seeing Zhang Chu’s question, Gu Xinxue, his editor, pondered and replied, "You overestimate us. If anyone’s doing PR, it’s Warner Brothers. Do you think our little publishing company can compete with the Hollywood giants?"

"True, there’s no comparison," Zhang Chu admitted. In his previous life, the TV series "Sherlock" was also compared to "Detective Holmes" in every way. Now, in this alternate world, fate had led to the same outcome—an inescapable entanglement!

"Given the high level of attention your book is getting, our publishing company has decided to fast-track its release, hoping for a strong performance."

What could be better publicity than this? Many authors and publishers spend money to make a splash with a new release, but Zhang Chu now sat at home, waiting for opportunity to knock.

Yet Zhang Chu felt a bit anxious. "How many copies do you think it will sell? I’m worried no one will buy it."

Gu Xinxue, an experienced editor, immediately recognized this as the typical anxiety of a debut author.

He reassured him, "We’ve already begun distribution. As previously agreed, the first print run will be 100,000 copies. Ideally, those will sell out quickly, prompting a reprint. According to the marketing department, your book’s online sales may even match or surpass physical sales."

Zhang Chu had never encountered anything like this before. Based on his royalty rate, selling 100,000 copies wasn’t a huge windfall.

Still, it was an honor, and no one would complain about selling more books.

It was clear that Nanhai Publishing was being cautious. They weren’t sure if online enthusiasm would translate into real-world purchases, so they hadn’t expanded the initial print run.

After finishing his call with Gu Xinxue, Zhang Chu was filled with excitement. He wanted to see the sales of his work firsthand, but in his hometown, it was impossible to buy the latest releases.

After a few days as a shepherd, he’d mastered some basic skills; now, he packed his things and said goodbye to his grandmother.

At that moment, Zhang Bowen’s call came through. With a hint of envy, he said, "Your ‘Sherlock’ is being released early. Our bookstore has already received stock from the distributor, and it should be displayed on the shelves tomorrow. My ‘Deduction Method’ doesn’t even have a publication date yet."

"Don’t worry, it’ll definitely be published. If I become a famous author, you’ll be the father of a famous author. I’ll help promote your book anytime," Zhang Chu teased, enjoying the prospect of his family’s bookstore selling his own book.

"Come back quickly and prepare some signed copies. Out of all the bookstores nationwide, only our Hanlin Pavilion will have signed editions. At least your readers in Jiangcheng should come buy it, right? This month’s revenue depends on you."

"Uh, Dad, I’m still an unknown nobody. No one recognizes me. If I sign the books, people might think they’re fake!"

"Don’t worry, your book includes an author profile with a photo identical to your ID card. Unless they’re blind, people will know it’s you."

Zhang Chu was speechless. Having a real-life photo identical to your ID card—how was that a compliment?

It was an insult, pure and simple!