Chapter Sixty-Four: Preparing for the Future

“Come on, let’s guess together—old Huang isn’t allowed to join!”
Zheng Ling said, “We can’t figure it out, just give us the answer!”
“Try and guess, it’s about participation!”
“Alright.”
“Shen Luo!”
“Huh?”
“Give it a try!”
Shen Luo thought for a moment. “Xiao Ming feels guilty toward his girlfriend.”
“Shen Luo, there’s no girlfriend in this story—the last one had that,” Cai Duofen replied with a smile.
“Oh, right!” Shen Luo tapped his forehead.
“Duofen, your turn.”
“Okay!” Cai Duofen tilted her head, thinking. “Maybe his eyes weren’t cured after all!”
He Ling prompted, “You’re getting close!”
“Getting close, huh…” Jiang Yun rested his chin in his hand, pondering. “Then Xiao Ming thought he’d gone blind again!”
“Bingo! Congratulations, Jiang Yun, you got it right!”
Zheng Ling hadn’t reacted yet. “Huh? That’s the right answer?”
“That’s right. The answer is: Xiao Ming had his eyes cured in a neighboring town, but on his way back, as the train passed through a tunnel, Xiao Ming thought he’d gone blind again—so he jumped off the train and took his own life.”
“That’s twisted! This answer is really twisted!” Cai Duofen exclaimed.
“Alright, let’s all wash up and rest. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be saying our goodbyes!” He Ling urged the group to get ready for bed.

The six of them began heading to their rooms, packing up their things.
Beneath the cameras, their daily routines were recorded. None of them put on airs for the show—they behaved just as they would in ordinary life.
The footage from the camera faded to black, signaling that everyone had turned off the lights and gone to bed.
One room was an exception: Jiang Yun’s.
Jiang Yun sat at his computer, the only glow in the room coming from the screen.
He had finished typing thirty thousand words for “The Perfect World,” splitting them into ten chapters and uploading them.
Jiang Yun read through the readers’ comments, replying one by one.

I’m Anti-Inflammatory: “This book isn’t great—it doesn’t have the thrill of ‘Battle Horses, Boundless Sky’!”
Jiang Yun replied: “This book will explode later on. Please be patient!”
A reader called “Anti-Inflammatory’s Diehard Fan Medusa” commented: “The first hundred chapters are pretty bland.”
Jiang Yun replied: “The pacing is slow for this new work—it’s a fresh style. Surprises await down the line!”
Jiang Yun remained confident in “The Perfect World”; in his previous life, this book had pioneered a genre known as “Invincible Stream.”
Those who complained now would soon witness the true meaning of a “smash hit.”

Jiang Yun browsed the web novel sites in this world and decided to pick one that stuck to traditional genres.
Indeed, Jiang Yun was about to serialize a new novel.
“System, open the personal panel!”
“Beep!”
Host: Jiang Yun
Singing: S-level (capable of headlining a grand concert)
Acting: D+ level (you’re more talented than a child)
Directing: D level (can shoot low-budget indie films)
Skills: Special forces physique, expert culinary arts, piano mastery, S-level hand speed, clear logic, martial arts mastery, permanent hacker tech service.
Songs: “Words from the Heart,” “Across the Seas to See You,” “Rice Aroma,” “Heartbroken Pacific,” “Getting Rich,” “A Night in Summer Capital,” “Blue and White Porcelain,” “Flying Free,” “Little Apple,” “Brightest Star in the Night Sky,” “Moon on the Fifteenth,” “You Said I’m Your Superhero,” “Hero Huo Yuanjia,” “Withered Chrysanthemum,” “Orchid Pavilion Prelude,” “Solace,” “Someone Like Me,” “Special Love for Someone Special”
Piano pieces: “Canon,” “Wedding in the Dream”
Novels: “Battle Horses, Boundless Sky,” “The Perfect World”
Items: 3 S-level acting experience cards, 1 one-time hacker tech experience card (expired)
Popularity: 1,103,086

“System, redeem ‘The Smiling, Proud Wanderer’!”
“Ding! Congratulations, Host, redemption successful. 100,000 popularity deducted. Current popularity: 1,003,086.”
Jiang Yun chose Green Sword Literature Net to serialize this classic martial arts novel.
He tried several pen names, all taken, until he typed “Hope to Stay Logged In Forever.”
“Congratulations, registration successful!”
“Friendly reminder, you may now publish your work!”
Jiang Yun began serializing “The Smiling, Proud Wanderer” on Green Sword Literature Net.
He typed thirty thousand words, split into ten chapters, and uploaded them. This book would be finished in no time.
After finishing, Jiang Yun glanced at the time. “Only ten thirty—the hours crawl by!”
Wide awake, Jiang Yun decided to enter the simulation training room, a feature he hadn’t used in a while.
With over a million popularity points, he could train for ten hours.
He lay in bed, pulled up the covers.
“System, enter simulation training room!”
“Ding! Simulation training room activated!”
Jiang Yun was preparing for the next step, for the future. Opportunities belong to those who prepare; even with a system, one cannot live passively.
His consciousness entered the simulation room. Jiang Yun checked his body—it felt completely real.
He began by playing a corpse, smearing his face with blood, lying motionless on the ground.
Until the director called, “Cut!”
Jiang Yun stood up. This time, he played a soldier, enhanced by special forces physique and martial arts mastery.

Jiang Yun brandished a spear, fierce and valiant.
He charged forward on the battlefield, embodying a true god of war.
“Cut!”
Next, Jiang Yun played a wealthy merchant, activating his D+ acting skill and perfectly displaying the air of affluence.
For two hours straight, Jiang Yun honed his acting.
Afterwards, he switched to theory lessons.
The intelligent AI, dressed in a sleek professional outfit and skirt, wearing glasses, began lecturing.
Jiang Yun listened attentively.
An hour later, he awoke.
“Ding! Host has trained for three hours. 300,000 popularity deducted. Current popularity: 703,086.”
Jiang Yun didn’t check his panel, but guessed his acting had risen to C-level. He felt more confident in his performances.
He checked the time—it was already two in the morning.
Jiang Yun collapsed into sleep.
“Hoo... hoo...”
He slept soundly until dawn, rising early to tidy his room. He stripped the sheets and covers for washing.
Then, Jiang Yun took it upon himself to prepare breakfast.
“Sister Ling, you’re up?”
“Brother, you’re up so early?” Zheng Ling, still in her pajamas, raised her right hand to rub her sleepy eyes.
“Yes, breakfast is ready—go call everyone to eat!”
“Alright!”
Zheng Ling appeared beneath the camera, going door to door.
“Wake up, breakfast’s ready!”
“Knock knock!”
“Get up, breakfast time!”
“Bang!”
“Rise and shine, breakfast!”
Shen Luo was the unluckiest—he didn’t open his door, so Zheng Ling barged in and dragged him out of bed.
The six gathered around the table for breakfast.
After eating, they lingered at the table for a long time.
According to the director’s plan, it was now time for the emotional farewell segment.