Chapter Fourteen: The Simulation Training Room
Early the next morning, Jiang Yun was startled awake by the ringing of the phone.
“Hello, superstar! What are you calling so early for?” Jiang Yun said.
“What do you mean? Still in bed? Didn’t we agree to record at the studio today?” Li Mengya’s voice came through on the other end.
Jiang Yun sighed helplessly, “Isn’t it too early for that?”
“Come on, get yourself over here. I’m getting dressed,” Jiang Yun mumbled sleepily.
“I’m already downstairs at your place.”
“What? I’ll get up right now. Wait for me a moment.”
Jiang Yun hung up, threw on his clothes in a flurry, and washed up quickly.
He locked the door and dashed down the stairs.
Li Mengya was waiting in a yellow Beetle, honking lightly.
Jiang Yun walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and got in.
“Here you go,” Li Mengya handed him a bag of fried dough sticks and soy milk.
“Thanks! How did you know I hadn’t eaten breakfast?” Jiang Yun mumbled through a mouthful of fried dough.
Li Mengya smiled, “Just a guess!”
Jiang Yun quickly finished his breakfast, got out to toss the trash in a bin, and climbed back in.
Li Mengya started the car and drove off at a leisurely pace.
The Beetle, swaying gently, carried them to the best recording studio in the city.
Jiang Yun greeted Wei Meng as they entered.
The two proceeded to the largest recording room and began laying down tracks.
“For you, I spent half a year’s savings, crossed the ocean just to see you!”
“. . .”
“In the sweeping sands, watching you leave, I found myself overcome with sorrow.”
“. . .”
“Okay, cut!” Jiang Yun called through the microphone.
Li Mengya nailed her part in a single take.
Then it was Jiang Yun’s turn.
As the beat started, Jiang Yun followed along and sang, “If one day I become rich, my first choice won’t be to travel the world.”
“. . .”
“Rich, I become rich—”
“. . .”
Wei Meng and Li Mengya watched Jiang Yun lose himself in the music through the glass.
“This song is full of self-mockery, sung in such a playful way—truly marvelous!” Wei Meng couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Mengya, is this one of Jiang Yun’s new songs?” Wei Meng asked.
“Yes!” Li Mengya replied.
Once the recording was done, Wei Meng mixed their tracks into a master.
“Mengya, which platform are you planning to release on? Let’s see who can top the hot songs chart!” Jiang Yun asked.
“I have a contract with Penguin Music, so I can only release there,” Li Mengya answered.
“Then we can’t compete…” Jiang Yun put on a look of regret.
“A celebrity like you, who trends every other day, I wouldn’t dare compete with,” Li Mengya teased.
Jiang Yun was puzzled. “Where did that come from?”
“You don’t know, do you? Yesterday at the concert, a video of your new song performance got out. You’re trending again.” Li Mengya complained, “My own trending topic is only third. I’m starting to wonder if inviting you to sing was a mistake…”
Jiang Yun gave an awkward laugh and checked his phone.
Astonishing! The popular talent sings a new song again.
Astonishing! At the concert, the guest singer stole the spotlight.
Astonishing! Li Mengya debuts a new song live at her concert!
Jiang Yun saw that the top two trending topics were his and felt secretly pleased, showing off to Li Mengya.
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
Seeing Li Mengya’s “I don’t want to talk to you” expression, Jiang Yun just shrugged.
Li Mengya drove Jiang Yun back to his apartment complex.
Jiang Yun went upstairs, returning to his rented room. To be honest, he really didn’t want to stay here anymore. Every time he met the landlady’s longing gaze, he got chills.
He sent the digital audio file of “Becoming Rich” to He Yong, but held off on sending the track “Crossing the Ocean to See You.”
Jiang Yun thought he’d wait until after Li Mengya released hers, then put his out a day or two later, to avoid direct competition.
“System, open personal panel.”
“Beep!”
Host: Jiang Yun
Vocal Skill: S-level (enough to carry a grand concert)
Acting: D-level (even children have more talent than you)
Directing Ability: D-level (can shoot low-budget indie films)
Skills: Special Forces physique, masterful cooking, masterful piano.
Songs: “Words Don’t Match the Heart,” “Crossing the Ocean to See You,” “Fragrant Rice,” “Heartbreak Pacific,” “Becoming Rich.”
Popularity: 2,903,086
“Ding! Congratulations, host! Popularity surpasses two million. New function unlocked: Simulation Training Room.”
“System, what’s the use of the Simulation Training Room?”
“Host, the Simulation Training Room can help you practice vocal skills, acting, and directing. It can improve their levels.”
“My singing is already S-level. Can it get even higher?”
“Host, S-level isn’t the peak. There are levels beyond S.”
“Oh, I see! Can I use the Simulation Training Room now?” Jiang Yun asked.
“Yes, you can!”
Jiang Yun decided to give it a try.
He lay on his bed, closed his eyes. “System, enter the Simulation Training Room.”
He found his consciousness transported into a virtual space.
In this space, there were skyscrapers and passersby.
Jiang Yun pondered what to train. His S-level vocals were enough for his current status. As for acting and directing, he hadn’t stepped into those fields yet.
After some thought, Jiang Yun decided to train his acting.
“System, select acting training.”
“Beep! Acting Simulator loading: 50%, 70%, 90%, 100%.”
“Beep! Acting Simulator launched, enjoy your training!”
Jiang Yun, face streaked with blood, began by playing a corpse, lying motionless on the ground.
Next, he played a background extra.
Then a bit part with a few lines.
He practiced while studying theory.
A female AI appeared—dressed in a black business suit and skirt, glasses perched on her nose and a book in her arms.
The AI began teaching Jiang Yun how to make performances more lively and vivid.
Jiang Yun spent the entire afternoon diligently honing his acting.
“Phew—”
When he exited the Simulation Training Room, he slowly opened his eyes.
He felt dizzy, rubbing his temples.
“System, open personal panel!”
“Beep!”
Host: Jiang Yun
Vocal Skill: S-level (enough to carry a grand concert)
Acting: D+ level (even children have more talent than you)
Directing Ability: D-level (can shoot low-budget indie films)
Skills: Special Forces physique, masterful cooking, masterful piano.
Songs: “Words Don’t Match the Heart,” “Crossing the Ocean to See You,” “Fragrant Rice,” “Heartbreak Pacific,” “Becoming Rich.”
Popularity: 2,503,086
“System, what’s going on? Why did my popularity drop so much?”
“Host, I forgot to mention—the Simulation Training Room consumes 100,000 popularity points per hour. You trained for four hours, so 400,000 points were deducted. It’s perfectly reasonable.”
Jiang Yun was speechless. “Then why hasn’t my acting level increased? It’s still D? Only D+?”
“Host, this is already quite good. To improve even a little on your first training is an achievement.”
“Alright then.”
Jiang Yun soon let it go and put the matter out of his mind.