Following the massive financial windfall from the National Arts Council (NAC) victory and the overseas licensing deals, Leo Vance didn't waste a second. While still sitting at the long hotpot table with his core team, he pulled out his phone and dialed his sister, Lauren Vance.
"Lauren, I'm wiring the one hundred million back to the family account now. Loan settled with interest," Leo said casually, dipping a slice of prime wagyu into the spicy broth. "Also, I need you to finalize the transfer for Riley Evans's contract. From today on, she's officially the first signed artist of Celestial Peak Entertainment."
The surrounding employees, including David P., Sydney, and Tia, felt their minds go momentarily numb. They vaguely heard snippets of the conversation, terms like "overseas rights," "forty million dollars per episode," and "billion-dollar valuation."
The numbers alone were enough to make a seasoned industry veteran faint, yet their young boss sat there in a hoodie, more concerned about whether the beef was overcooked than the hundreds of millions flowing through his accounts. It was as if he wasn't interested in money at all; it was merely a tool for his "Art."
After hanging up, Leo tapped his glass for attention. "Listen up. The fifty million prize money from the NAC? I'm not keeping a cent of it. David, Sydney, coordinate with HR. I want that entire amount distributed as bonus 'Red Packets' to every single member of the cast and crew of The Outcast. From the lead actors to the lighting assistants who hauled gear up Dragon-Tiger Mountain, everyone gets a slice of the victory."
The room erupted. Cheers and whistles echoed through the private theater. Leo now had nearly a billion dollars in liquid assets and revenue shares; fifty million was a small price to pay for the absolute loyalty of the best production team in the country.
8:00 PM.
National Broadcasting Network (NBN 1).
After the national news broadcast concluded, a hush fell over the country. On NBN 1 and the Global Stream app, The Outcast officially premiered.
The opening theme, "Boundless," began to play. The music was a haunting, high-octane blend of Appalachian fiddle, deep cinematic drums, and an ancient-sounding vocal track that felt rooted in the very soil of the continent.
"In dreams, I don't know how many years have passed...Forgetting the dust of worldly thoughts...Origin and end, scenes replayed again and again...Flowers wither, flowers bloom, years change one after another..."
As the audience was immersed in the atmospheric opening, the plot slowly unfolded. The first episode used a series of stylized, ink-wash-style animations to describe the world's history, specifically the history of the "Sakura Tribe."
In this world's lore, the Sakura Tribe had been reduced to a small, isolated village in a protectorate territory, but historically, they had been a source of immense bloodshed, pirates and raiders who had plundered the coastlines for centuries. When the audience saw this historical background, a strange, inherent surge of passion flared in their chests. Leo had tapped into a deep cultural nerve, framing the "Outcasts" as the secret defenders against these ancient shadows.
Then, the suspense began. The ancestral grave of Thomas Reed (Asher's grandfather) was dug up.
Asher Reed (Asher Reed) received a call from the local sheriff and rushed back to his rural hometown. That night, under a pale moon, he encountered a mysterious figure in the graveyard.
The moment the audience saw Jo (Riley Evans), the live chat on the app exploded.
Riley was unrecognizable. Her long, black hair was messy and matted, her face was smudged with dirt, and she was wearing oversized, drab clothes. And yet, she looked stunning. Her porcelain skin and "clear yet foolish" eyes gave her an ethereal, ice-cold beauty that even a potato sack couldn't hide.
[Wait! Is that the girl who played Miwa in JJK?!]
[Oh my god, the difference is night and day! From a shy sword-user to this 'Sinister Miss'!]
[Riley Evans is a literal chameleon. I want her to bury me!]
But the next moment, the "visual feast" turned into a scalp-tingling nightmare. A group of reanimated corpses, the victims of an Outcast technique, rushed Asher. Jo didn't flinch. She transformed into a killing god, wielding a short kitchen knife with a speed that made the frames blur. She chopped down a dozen zombies with a vacant, terrifying efficiency.
The audience was speechless when Jo, without saying a single word of comfort, dragged the terrified Asher Reed and threw him into an open coffin pit. She picked up a shovel and began systematically filling it with dirt.
[This girl is a menace!]
["Do you want to fall in love? The kind where I bury you in a pit!"]
[Asher Reed: 'I'm being a good boy, please stop digging!']
As the plot developed, the audience was introduced to the philosophy of the Reed family through a flashback of Asher's grandfather.
"The monsters of this world only fear those who are different," the old man's voice echoed. "If you're too evil, they destroy you. If you're too good, they suppress you. Only if you look like them will they let you breathe. Why must our power stay hidden, Asher? Because the tallest tree is always the first to be broken by the wind."
The dialogue resonated deeply with the viewers. It felt real, a commentary on the greed and jealousy that defined modern society.
Then, the mood shifted again. Scarlett (Sophie Vane) made her appearance.
She was the embodiment of "Pure Desire." Dressed in impossibly short denim cutoffs and a tight white top that highlighted her legendary curves, Scarlett's pink hair and watery, captivating eyes were a lethal weapon.
The "Male Gaze" segment of the audience collectively stood in salute.
[Holy... where did this enchantress come from?!]
[Sophie Vane isn't acting. She's a siren! I can't resist!]
[I have a friend who is currently cursing the NBN for not having a higher rating!]
However, the scene took a controversial turn. Scarlett wasn't just a pretty face; she was a member of the "All-Saints" faction. She sat casually on the exhumed corpse of Asher's grandfather, her expression one of dark fascination. "Truly... even after all these years, the aura hasn't dissipated. Such a pure, powerful energy."
The live chat hit a fever pitch.
[Wait, is this allowed on a national network?!]
[This has to be the most explicit and edgy scene in the history of NBN Prime Time!]
[Leo Vance is a madman! He's pushing every boundary!]
Upper East Side, Manhattan.
"What the hell is he filming?!"
Arthur Vance stared at the TV screen, his face turning a bright, embarrassed shade of red. This was his son's work, being broadcast to the entire nation on NBN 1. It was scandalous! He could already imagine his old-money friends calling him tomorrow to "tease" him about the pink-haired siren on screen.
Catherine Vance, however, remained unfazed. She leaned forward, a critical but appreciative look in her eyes. "This actress... she's bold. Her figure is impeccable. Most importantly..." She glanced sideways at her daughter, Lauren. "Those breasts are actually real. Quite a rare find in this industry."
Lauren felt her mother's gaze and stiffened, her face turning cold. "Mom! Why are you looking at me while saying that?!"
Catherine turned her head back to the screen, muttering under her breath with a sigh. "This little girl has a temper, but there's really nothing to look at. You completely failed to inherit your mother's excellent genes, Lauren. Such a pity for the Vance line."
Lauren: "..."
As the first episode of The Outcast came to a close, the internet was already in an uproar. Leo Vance hadn't just premiered a show; he had launched a grenade. And the world was already reaching for the pin.
For Advance/Early Chapters:
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