Although Boss Huang currently appears to have no connection to science fiction, everyone implicitly reserved the most crucial seat for our Boss Huang.
Otherwise? Would you dare let the richest man sit aside while you occupy the center position?
Naturally, on Boss Huang’s left and right were Da Liu and He Xi, the leading recipients of the Galaxy Award. Qin Li and another renowned author followed, while the reporters and audience members at the scene watched Boss Huang with nervousness and curiosity, wondering why he had suddenly appeared and what he intended to say on this occasion.
“Actually, there’s no need for everyone to be overly reserved. I am just an ordinary sci-fi enthusiast, here to chat with everyone about science fiction, and also about other matters. We can talk about anything!” Boss Huang said with a smile.
Upon hearing Boss Huang’s words, the atmosphere at the scene immediately lightened considerably. A young author who had won the Best Newcomer Award that season asked, “Mr. Huang, you mentioned you enjoy science fiction works. Have you read any of the award-winning works this year?”
“Naturally, I have!” Huang He nodded. Although Boss Huang had actually only read Da Liu’s works, these works were among this year’s award recipients, so Boss Huang wasn't exactly lying.
“Do you have a favorite work?” the newcomer author pressed further.
“I do, of course, but it’s not among this year’s works. It was in the year 2000, a work called The Wandering Earth that left a very deep impression on me. To this day, it remains my favorite science fiction work!” Huang He stated very frankly.
Given Boss Huang’s identity and status, there was no need to be evasive or consider anyone’s feelings; he could simply state what he liked.
A very important reason for Boss Huang’s interest in science fiction was that he watched the movie The Wandering Earth years ago, then read all of Da Liu’s works in one go, which got him hooked on sci-fi.
However, Boss Huang hadn’t read many other traditional sci-fi works because he later discovered that Qidian’s sci-fi novels were the most enjoyable and exhilarating to read.
Speaking of which, Huang He’s favorite sci-fi work was actually Age of the Great Universe, but unfortunately, it was left unfinished.
Returning to the topic, upon hearing the name The Wandering Earth, many readers present showed surprised expressions. They truly hadn’t expected Huang He to mention this work by name.
It wasn’t that the work was terrible, but rather that if one didn’t genuinely love science fiction, they likely wouldn’t be familiar with this particular work by Da Liu. In fact, it was also the favorite sci-fi work of many veteran sci-fi enthusiasts, and many people present immediately felt that Huang He was one of them upon hearing this answer.
Next, there was a lively discussion for about another 30 minutes. However, Boss Huang spoke less, and it was the other authors present who expressed their views on science fiction and the sci-fi industry.
Although they mainly discussed issues related to the creation of science fiction novels, their words also conveyed dissatisfaction and deep concern regarding the current state of the entire sci-fi landscape.
The most core issue was the decreasing readership. For instance, Qin Li frankly stated that the sales of Science Fiction World had dropped from a peak of 1 million copies to around 340,000 copies, a decline to about one-third of its former level.
And if this trend continued, it would only be a matter of years before sales dropped below 100,000 copies.
Then, everyone discussed why the industry’s situation had worsened, and they unanimously agreed that the increasing number of games, movies, and television series were drawing readers away from science fiction novels.
Finally, an author, whether intentionally or unintentionally, sighed, “A few days ago, I was engrossed in writing at home. Perhaps it was because I was home alone at the time, and it was very quiet. So, even through the door, I could hear children playing in the stairwell.”
“The games these children were playing were simple, just role-playing. One child said he was a Mahayana stage cultivator of the Chongxuan Sect, another said he was an Eight Tribulation Loose Immortal, and another claimed to have cultivated the Cultivation of the Divine Heavenly Recommendation Chapter, skipping immortal cultivation and aiming directly for divine cultivation!”
“Then there was the great battle between cultivators, loose immortals, and divine cultivators. The children’s chatter was very amusing to listen to, and I didn’t think much of it at the time. But when I reflected on it later, I suddenly felt a profound sadness.”
“When I was their age, the greatest entertainment every day was to hold a sci-fi magazine that I had read more than ten times but still cherished as a treasure, constantly fantasizing about the marvelous sci-fi worlds described in the magazine, imagining what the future would be like, rather than this ridiculous feudal superstition!”
After this person finished speaking, they noticed that the atmosphere at the scene was somewhat off. The audience below stared at them with their mouths agape, and the flashes from the reporters’ cameras were wildly flashing on their faces. The other writers sitting beside them were also restless, and they secretly glanced at Huang He.
It was at this moment that the writer remembered that the feudal superstition they had just condemned was seemingly created by our Boss Huang himself. If they were now calling these things feudal superstition, wouldn’t that be directly slapping Boss Huang’s face?
Thinking of this, they became somewhat uneasy. Fortunately, Boss Huang, who was beside them, immediately said, “It’s nothing. Everyone has their own perspective. If a person doesn’t even have the freedom to express their opinion, then life would be too boring!”
“I remember that my favorite thing to do when I was a child was to read wuxia novels, but wuxia novels were also denounced as heretical back then. My father used to lecture me, saying that we used to love reading world-renowned literary works, but now children like to read fabricated wuxia novels. The future is doomed!”
“And a friend of mine is now lecturing his child in a similar way, saying, ‘We grew up reading wuxia novels and learned about righteousness and helping the weak. But today’s children like to watch Tiga Ultraman and fantasize about becoming light to fight monsters all day. What kind of madmen are they?’”
“So, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with children’s hobbies; they have always loved what they love. It’s just that we adults are too fond of imposing what we love onto children, thinking that what we like is correct and that children should follow our preferences. Is that correct behavior either?”
Boss Huang’s words elicited a warm round of applause from the audience. What he said was truly moving. Upon careful reflection, their parents had indeed lectured them in the same way.
Huang He then continued, “In fact, rather than worrying about what culture children like, it’s more important to worry about which country’s culture they like.”
“Earlier, I heard this friend say that the children downstairs were all role-playing as cultivators. I actually felt very relieved. Because about a year ago, I saw children on the street playing role-playing games. However, one said he was the Hokage of Konoha Village, with the Nine-Tails sealed inside him.”
“Another claimed to be a descendant of the Uchiha clan, with the Sharingan in his left eye and the Byakugan in his right eye, and everyone was a ninja. So, think about it, instead of letting your children role-play as ninjas, it’s better to let them role-play as cultivators. At least cultivators are our own people, while ninjas have nothing to do with us!”
The audience nodded repeatedly. Thinking about it this way, cultivators indeed seemed much better.
“Since we’ve reached this point, let me share some more of my personal thoughts!” Huang He seemed to have opened the floodgates, continuing to speak eloquently, “I’ve actually been listening to everyone speak, and I’ve noticed that almost everyone is concerned about the current industry, believing that sci-fi culture might disappear or even become extinct at some point in the future.”
“I believe such worries are unnecessary because as long as humans continue to enjoy imagining the future, the soil for science fiction will always exist, and there will never be a possibility of it disappearing.”
“However, it is indeed a fact that science fiction literature is currently in a downturn and is declining rapidly! So, what is the reason for this situation?”
“It’s very simple: the current science fiction literature creation does not meet the market, nor does it meet the audience’s demands!”
“When many authors were speaking earlier, I detected a sense of inexplicable superiority in them, as if only when science fiction is written as a novel and printed on paper is it a noble work of science fiction, and everything else is inferior and unworthy of being called science fiction.”
“Let alone cultural works like movies and television series, even if a science fiction novel is published on an online novel website instead of being printed on paper, it is considered inferior, a low-class product!”
“How ridiculous and arrogant is this idea? The future of science fiction is being ruined by these thoughts of yours!” Huang He spoke unceremoniously, his voice resonating powerfully, leaving many with pale faces.
“These people are very amusing. They hope that science fiction works will become mainstream global cultural works, yet they wish for science fiction works to be printed on paper, unwilling to transform them into more forms of communication.”
“What is this equivalent to? It’s like riding a bicycle and claiming you’ll travel around the Earth in 80 days… At least Verne knew to take a hot air balloon!”
“Also, isn’t the United States currently the strongest in terms of global sci-fi literature, works, and even awards? Their entire industry is an object of envy for many, and some famous sci-fi authors can achieve astonishing incomes.”
“Has everyone ever thought about why? Is it really because Americans are more cultured and everyone wants to land on Mars?”
“Of course not, but their sci-fi industry and film production industry have long formed a seamless collaboration. Once their sci-fi works are completed, they are immediately adapted into various film and television works.”
“For example, Star Wars, War of the Worlds, Alien, Starship Troopers, Terminator, The Matrix, and so on, these are all typical cases where sci-fi works were adapted into film and television works, which then became hugely popular, driving the development of the entire sci-fi industry!”
“What we need is such diversified cooperation that can drive the entire industry!”