"First of all, the reason I have my current fortune is mainly thanks to Galaxy Games Company."
"And the two games produced by Galaxy Games were both developed by me. Without a certain level of knowledge, I wouldn't even know how to develop games—so how would I make money? And if I didn't make money, how could I afford to acquire a TV station?"
"Also, Galaxy Games was founded using the first pot of gold I earned by writing novels. Without that, given my family background, I would never have had the capital to buy an arcade factory or make games."
"And writing novels also requires knowledge. Without a certain cultural foundation and without a rich imagination, how could I write novels? How could I earn money?"
"Whether it's the capital to establish the gaming company or the games that allowed it to grow, all of it depends on knowledge. Without extensive knowledge, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Even though he was completely bluffing—Lin Baicheng had simply borrowed ideas and knowledge—he obviously couldn't reveal the truth on television.
The viewers watching the interview had no idea and nodded in agreement. They all felt that Lin Baicheng's success was indeed thanks to one word: "knowledge."
"Mr. Lin, your words are truly golden advice. I think all the students who are listening will be inspired to study harder," the host said.
In truth, Lin Baicheng only graduated from Form Five, and normally his academic background would be questioned when addressing such a topic. But since this was his own TV station and the interview was pre-arranged, there was nothing to worry about.
"However, Mr. Lin, not everyone can write novels, and people study different subjects. Do you think this knowledge can really help them earn their first pot of gold? Is what they're learning actually useful?"
"Of course it's useful—any kind of knowledge is useful."
Lin Baicheng continued, "Someone who studies mathematics can become an accountant, finance students can become bankers, singers can become famous stars, and so on. Every field of knowledge has its purpose; our entire society is built upon all kinds of professions working together."
"And speaking of the first pot of gold—right now, I have a way for people to earn it through knowledge. As long as someone has enough knowledge, they'll have a chance to get their first million from me."
"Mr. Lin, how much is this 'first pot of gold'? And how exactly can they earn it with knowledge?" the host asked at the perfect moment.
"One million Hong Kong dollars!"
Lin raised a single finger. "As long as you have enough knowledge, you can earn one million Hong Kong dollars!"
"One million! Wow! That's a huge amount. In Hong Kong, a thousand-square-foot luxury apartment costs only around 200,000 HKD right now—this is enough to buy five homes!"
The host gasped in exaggerated shock, playing along with the script.
"I'm planning to have ATV launch a quiz show called Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."
Facing the camera, Lin said seriously, "If you can answer 15 questions correctly, you'll win 1 million HKD. These questions will cover history, culture, politics, society, economics—only those with truly rich knowledge can stand out and win the final prize."
"Mr. Lin, with the questions covering such a wide range, I don't think anyone could have that much knowledge. Isn't this too difficult for people?" the host asked, playing along even further. Many viewers at home nodded—they wanted the 1 million HKD, but answering 15 wide-ranging questions seemed almost impossible.
"The show will provide four answer choices for each question. Contestants only need to choose the correct one. Additionally, each contestant will have three lifelines: '50-50,' 'Ask the Audience,' and 'Phone a Friend.'"
"'50-50' eliminates two wrong answers, 'Ask the Audience' lets the live audience suggest the correct answer, and 'Phone a Friend' allows contestants to call anyone outside for help—but the call is limited to three minutes."
"And of course, not all 15 questions are extremely difficult. The first questions will be very easy—things everyone knows—and they'll gradually get harder."
"So, if you have enough knowledge, plus those three lifelines, there's a very high chance you can win the 1 million HKD prize."
After Lin finished, the host smiled at the camera and said, "If you want to learn more about the rules of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, please stay tuned after this interview—we'll be explaining the full details shortly."
"Damn it!"
"I want to hear the rules now!"
"One million HKD—I want it!"
Viewers at home were eager for the interview to end so they could hear more about the show.
But the interview continued. The host moved on to questions about how much money Galaxy Games has made so far, its future direction, and Lin Baicheng's long-term plans.
Lin answered all of them—though of course, not honestly.
After the interview ended, nobody changed the channel. Many who had been watching other networks like TVB or CTV switched over to ATV as soon as they heard about the 1 million HKD quiz show. They didn't even switch during commercial breaks.
The same host appeared again to explain the detailed rules of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, how to register, the selection process, and more, ensuring the entire audience knew every detail.
The preliminary and semifinal rounds would not be held at the ATV building. Once 100 contestants signed up, a preliminary round would begin. Additional applicants would enter the next one. The semifinals would also consist of 100 contestants and would be held once enough advanced contestants were available.
The final round would need only 10 semifinal winners. At most, two finals could be held per week—on Fridays and Saturdays—so the number of preliminary and semifinal rounds would be adjusted as needed.
As for the prize, contestants who answered all 15 questions correctly would win 1 million HKD. Even if they answered at least 7 questions correctly, they could still win prize money.
After hearing all the rules, many people decided to register. After all, it cost nothing to try. Even if they couldn't win the 1 million HKD, winning a few thousand would still be equivalent to several months' salary.