CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: SEASON 1 OFFICIAL BROADCAST, THE GAME BEGINS!

Perhaps as revenge for last night’s gluttonous feast proposal, early the next morning, when the show started streaming live, Mu Qiu was put into a thick cardboard box right after getting up and taken to her exclusive factory space.

She was forcibly pressed onto a chair by the staff, with her feet dangling, unable to reach the floor.

A few minutes later, listening to the little broadcast, Mu Qiu took off the cardboard box from her head and scanned the factory.

This is truly a real-life version of a dirt-poor factory, bare walls and all.

...Is this what the director meant by pursuing a better standard of living?

She jumped down from the tall chair and wandered outside to the iron roll-up door.

At the entrance of the next-door villa with a scenic view, Li Yang was comfortably sipping water with a mug, just slightly turning his gaze to see a person outside the shabbily-made factory, their hands tucked into their sleeves, looking somber.

"Pfft—"

Startled, Li Yang spat out the water, choking and coughing a few times, his face turning red.

Mu Qiu posed as if trying to warm her hands in her sleeves during a harsh winter, glancing at him and the superb villa behind him, and asked resentfully, "Why are your living conditions so good?"

Li Yang, having regained his composure, joked back: "Maybe this is the comfort before elimination?"

"...Makes some sense."

Yet, she couldn’t help but harbor jealousy. She examined the entire scenic villa with envy in Li Yang’s presence, feeling a strong desire to one day own such a villa herself.

Li Yang found her gaze too intense and nervously changed the topic to discuss the rules of this episode’s show.

"Is it just us here?"

Mu Qiu looked around, "Not sure, but I haven’t seen any other neighbors come out yet."

Still, Mu Qiu couldn’t resist mentioning that, as neighbors on the same path to a better life, the wealth gap seemed quite drastic here.

What she didn’t know was that as she said this, spoilers were flying all over the live comments.

[Of course, it’s not just you two!!!]

[It’s inside your spacious factory!!!]

[Why hasn’t Brother Cheng come out yet?]

[Where are the guests, guests, guests, guests?]

[Honestly, Brother Cheng is hidden so well, without my brightness on max, I could hardly see him]

[Scenic villa, as expected of my Yangyang, love it, love it]

[Will Li Yang be so shocked when he finds Shu Ran coming out of the bathroom that he can’t hold his mug?]

[Hey, don’t say that! My Yangyang is the steady king on stage!]

[Hahaha oh my god! Guan Yu is walking towards that window!!!]

[Li Yang and Shu Ran are teamed up]

[As long as it’s not Shi Yuhuai, I think Shu Ran might have a better time hahaha]

[Here they come! The two chatterboxes from Northeast are about to discover new members!]

[This newcomer looks good even against the light... if only that person behind wasn’t walking over]

[Mu Qiu, there’s someone coming behind you!]

[Why pair this newcomer with Cheng Zhirang? The show’s arrangement isn’t good]

[Ahhhhhhhhhhh Brother Cheng is wearing ice sleeves! Muscles!!!]

Completely oblivious to the spoilers, Mu Qiu and Li Yang continued to crouch there chatting leisurely, talking from the space and decor refinement of the scenic villa and factory to neighbor wealth gaps, transitioning to team arrangements and guest identities, and even delving into mutual breakfast oversharing, fearing there was a twist by the show’s breakfast.

Running out of things to say and just about to stand up to return to their respective homes, a head popped out of the scenic villa doorway.

Shu Ran’s forest-girl hairstyle and makeup were really distinctive, and considering there are only three permanent female guests in the show, and Guan Yu wasn’t the type for such adorable actions, Mu Qiu could tell who it was at a glance.

She stated plainly without adding any subjective judgment, saying to Li Yang: "Congratulations, you’re teamed up with Sister Shu Ran."

Li Yang turned his head to see, Shu Ran already walking over, wearing the same color outfit as Li Yang, running over to exchange a bit of "surprise" team-up greetings with him.

Mu Qiu was just about to ask if there could possibly be more teammates inside the barren factory when the little concealed broadcast in the surrounding bushes suddenly started up.

"Attention all members, everyone has now taken off their blindfolds, both guests and NPCs are in place, the game officially starts. The mission for this episode: Find the God’s Perspective. During the task, each member plays the role on their identity card, can discuss task-related topics, and operates on a last place elimination basis. The most unqualified players will become a mobile NPC, losing half their mobility, and if still unqualified, will become a fixed NPC, completely losing mobility. Now, please receive your respective identity cards."

With those words, staff members came over with everyone’s identity cards.

Two people ran out from beside the scenic villa, Guan Yu in front, nearly outrunning the staff delivering the identity cards.

"I didn’t catch what was said?! What’s last place elimination?! Am I going to be sent to be a fixed NPC?!"

Every word hinted at a meltdown.

Mu Qiu was about to say something when a hand suddenly stretched from behind to take the other identity card in front of her, followed by a clear pleasant voice.

"The content on the identity card repeats what was just said."

Guan Yu screeched to a halt, patting her chest, "That’s good, that’s good."

Mu Qiu held her identity card, turned to face Cheng Zhirang.

Well, this wasn’t even facing him really, it was more like she was facing his chest muscles.

She tried to shift her gaze with dignity, asking Cheng Zhirang: "Brother Cheng, are you on my team? Were you inside just now?"

This dilapidated factory, akin to a clay hut, barely any furniture, how could it hide a person?

Cheng Zhirang, seeing her questioning, covered his identity card again, looked into her eyes, earnestly listened to her speak, and after hearing her, answered gently: "Behind the curtain, and the curtain was blocked by two big cardboard boxes, so you didn’t see me."

Mu Qiu nodded, discreetly swallowed, and opened her identity card.

This identity card had so much content, just like a sealed exam paper, the front was precautions, and the last two sentences were her identity.

Summed up, it was: The God’s Perspective is a person, hidden among everyone, ensure your identity is protected, the focus is not on acting skills but on deceiving others (after all, only one person can really be an actor), finally—

Mu Qiu’s gaze landed on the last sentence and felt her eyebrows, eyes, and mouth were about to twitch.

[Your identity is a young lady boss who has amnesia and has forgotten she is married but doesn’t want her husband to know, so she conceals the truth, wanting to regain the feeling of being in love.]

Boss lady, what a beautiful phrase... if it weren’t for the line before it.

Mu Qiu stiffly closed her identity card, feeling her identity as a falling author being challenged.

Which talented scriptwriter brother/sister came up with this, using melodrama clichés at the drop of a hat.

She glanced at Cheng Zhirang, who was bowing his head, and softly asked: "Brother Cheng, what’s your identity setting?"

Cheng Zhirang, about to explain "a man deeply in love with an unfaithful wife," had it swirl around his tongue twice, but then replaced it with: "Can’t say."

"Then..."

"Game starts! Game starts! Game starts!"

The little broadcast emphasized thrice, indicating everyone was to step into their identity roles from this point onwards.

——————

Cheng Zhirang: I’ve been acting for nearly ten years, yet I’ve never seen such an absurd script.