Chapter 25: YOU!

"At the end of the video, I finally realized the clown was me! The target of this prank video was clearly the viewers watching it!" The fox's agitated, roaring voice echoed in the video, followed by a screenshot of a receipt for a new screen to replace the one he had destroyed in frustration.

Similar videos quickly spread across the internet. Many curious onlookers, eager to criticize how much the "uncle" had been paid, went to watch the so-called prank video, only to be scared out of their wits by four figures suddenly emerging from the darkness. It was only then that they realized the prank's real targets were them!

Some content creators analyzed the video and noticed that while there were prank elements toward the end, the creators deliberately downplayed the prank aspect and instead used other techniques to engage the audience's attention, creating the feel of a documentary or a movie.

Afterward, they utilized a sudden black screen to capitalize on viewers' natural tendency to focus harder, wondering if the screen's brightness was too low. This set up a sudden jump scare with four tongue-less individuals screaming, successfully pranking the audience.

This led to a wave of viewers sharing the video with friends, driven by the mindset of "If I got scared, I'm not going through this alone!" Those who were pranked also shared the video with others out of spite, further spreading its reach.

As a result, the video's popularity skyrocketed, quickly topping the platform's trending charts.

Even though the shock value diminished after spoilers circulated, the video attracted even more viewers. Toward the end, the camera panned to the door of the second-floor room, which had been warned not to open. A Mimikyu plush fell onto the carpet below, marking the video's conclusion.

Soon, someone identified the creator behind the video based on the Mimikyu plush.

"Did I only just now realize that prank video was made by the production team for the movie Dead Silence?" A post about this revelation gained significant attention. The spread of Dead Silence expanded even further, and almost every internet user surfing the web now knew about the upcoming horror film.

[Hoenn Horror Movie Enthusiasts Group]

[Please hurry and release Dead Silence—I'll do anything: Uploaded the file "Black Silk, Four-Person Fun, Explicit, Watch Quickly Before It's Deleted."]

[Cucumber, My Cucumber: Thank you, kind soul! 12:07]

[Will You Battle Me Forever?: Bless you, kind soul! 12:07]

[Blessings +10086]

[Cucumber, My Cucumber: @Please Hurry and Release Dead Silence—You jerk! Is this what you meant by black silk? Explicit? Four-person fun? 12:10]

[Wooden Man: You're really something else. I wanted explicit content, and you're telling me showing gums counts as explicit? 12:11]

Edward chuckled as he read the messages in the group chat. He had clicked on the video earlier and immediately noticed the trick when he saw the four employees from the cleaning company. The entire video was a cleverly edited prank, with the prank shots removed and replaced with shocking jump scares.

The most audacious part was that the uploader had inserted a short clip of a classic childhood Pokémon animation at the beginning. This was a trick commonly used by certain creators to bypass content moderation, where the "spicy" content was placed later in the video.

However, just as some eager viewers, brimming with excitement and trembling hands, skipped ahead in the video, the screen went black. The audio suddenly softened, prompting them to turn up the volume. Then, four screaming, tongue-less individuals burst out of the darkness. This sudden contrast enraged countless viewers, who filled the chat with rapid-fire messages brimming with anger.

Edward, an otherworldly visitor, couldn't help but marvel at the viewers' sheer intensity. Compared to the netizens from his previous world, those in the Pokémon world were far more combative.

In just a single minute, the chat had over 99+ messages, illustrating the viewers' overwhelming rage. Similar scenes unfolded in various group chats, to the point where even the most dedicated fanservice creators found their content dismissed by the infuriated audience.

"These people sure know how to market themselves," Edward mused with a slight smile. "I just gave them some ideas, but they executed them brilliantly."

Looking at the trending hashtag "#DeadSilencePrank" with the flame emoji next to it, Edward knew the movie had already succeeded.

Though box office numbers were yet unknown, the promotional efforts had already triumphed. At this point, anyone online would have at least heard of the film.

Even if only two out of ten netizens ended up watching the movie, Dead Silence would rake in an incredible box office haul.

As the movie gained traction, Edward noticed an increasing frequency of promotions. Some theaters even announced all-day screenings of Dead Silence, with the highest allocation of showtimes.

Edward realized this was the handiwork of companies that had received a share of the movie's profits. Initially, they hadn't cared much about this small horror film, but now anyone with a shred of business acumen could see Dead Silence was poised for massive success. To maximize their dividends, they were pulling out all the stops.

Simultaneously, Mimikyu plush sales skyrocketed, making it the best-selling plush product on e-commerce platforms.

"How's the editing coming along?" Even Edward, usually composed, couldn't help but feel a little anxious. He rushed into the office and asked.

"The edits are done, boss!" The editor jogged over, dark circles under her eyes and her skin looking rough—clear signs of sleepless nights.

"Great work. Bonuses for everyone!" Edward grabbed the final cut and slipped it into his bag before hurrying out of the office.

"Young Master Edward," the old butler greeted him at the office door. Edward quickly got into the car without a word, and the butler began driving toward the Pokémon League's Cultural Review Department.

"Young Master, quite a few people have been trying to meet you lately," the butler said with a satisfied smile.

(End of Chapter)