"Soft Snowy Ice and the special prize, please!" The Emperor Beast prayed.
Chu Zhi chose to trust his gut and casually picked a blind box.
Blue light flashed. [Album: The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan]
Not bad at all. The album pack came at the perfect time, since he'd been mulling over his third foreign-language album.
To be fair, no matter what he drew, the Emperor Beast never let himself wallow in disappointment. He'd quickly spin it, oh no, he'd quickly convince himself.
"As for the theme… no rush. The third foreign-language album will only happen after the tour ends next year anyway." He rubbed his head. Even with the passive effect of the Drunken Immortal, two hangovers a week still left him with a faint headache.
He wondered if it was because the system had upgraded, since it'd been ages since he'd drawn a single-song pack. Or maybe his system bro was just looking out for him. Earning personality coins wasn't easy, and spending five coins on one song really was a loss.
Like before, the difference between a single-song pack and an album pack was simple. The former auto-registered copyright, while the latter required some work. The Emperor Beast wasn't stupid, so he transcribed the songs from memory, then immediately sent them to his company's copyright department, which would apply for rights worldwide.
"Only double digits left." He looked at the balance—58 coins—and decided to pull again.
The second blind box glowed. [Album: What's Going On], Marvin Gaye's masterpiece, the one Chinese internet users mocked endlessly.
Not because of Marvin himself, but because of Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." Every few years, they revised the list. In the third revision, What's Going On landed at number one, knocking The Beatles off the top.
That was when Beatles superfans lost it, yelling that Rolling Stone was just playing the political correctness card. After all, Marvin was Black. They instantly tore What's Going On to shreds online.
But saying it was worthless was just plain wrong. Before the third revision, in the first two versions of the list, the album already sat at number six. Critics had long hailed it as the pinnacle of soul. Whether jumping from sixth to first was politics or not, the Emperor Beast didn't really care.
"This isn't bad at all. Fits me, actually." He judged calmly. "The theme's anti-war. Two anti-war albums in a row… maybe my third foreign album's supposed to take that route?"
Not impossible. He just had to think carefully.
The goal of the third foreign album was to cement his popularity. No matter how much outside help he had, songs were still the core strength of any singer.
"My custom album voucher still has six slots left. Add today's two prizes, and I could totally build a full anti-war album."
He paused, then remembered something. "Wait, anti-war… isn't Woodstock happening next year? And they're holding it in the war-torn Sahel region? If I go, witness the suffering firsthand, then release an anti-war record afterward… that'd feel right."
"The details can wait."
…
He started drafting plans for the new album. Step by step, steady as always. One of the reasons the Emperor Beast had succeeded in his past life was that he never let things go to his head. He always stayed grounded, knew his place, and knew what he had to do.
Feed the cat. Read a book. Finish his assignments. Practice singing to recover his state. Process documents. His daily life was calm.
But the internet was anything but.
Headlines exploded:
"The Brightest Star in the Night Sky Is Little Fruits' Star"
"Chu Zhi Spoils His Fans Again, A Second Home Among the Stars"
"Two Hundred Thousand Tickets Gone in One Second, A Collapse of Morality or Human Greed?"
"The King's Return, Chu Zhi Shows the Entertainment Industry He's in a League of His Own"
Not just in China either. All of Asia's online platforms were filled with concert and "Little Fruits Star" news. Worldwide, the story wasn't trending everywhere, but it was still a hot topic.
After "Voice of an Angel," the Pope's praise, Unsinkable, and even the assassination attempt, he was already a world-class superstar. But to climb even higher, he needed one more spark.
And then it happened.
In South Korea, fans had called themselves Students or Apostles. In Japan, they were Ragdolls. In Qatar and across the Arab world, fans had their own names. But after today, all of them unified under one banner: Little Fruits.
Who wouldn't want a home among the stars?
The reveal of "Little Fruits Star" was a perfect double win.
First, global fan cohesion strengthened.
Second, the Chinese version of Besieged on All Sides skyrocketed overseas, selling another million copies in a single week.
It was Thursday.
Bright daylight in a meeting room.
"Mr. Davis, I can really see the sincerity from your crew." Chu Zhi looked at the director with genuine emotion.
He'd read The 22nd Century Killing Network script before. His team had been willing to take it. Talks had even started on price. But his injury had put things on hold.
A project this big waiting half a year for an actor? Unthinkable. He hadn't expected anything. But today, Director Davis had shown up in person and insisted, "Mr. Chu Zhi is the most suitable actor for the role. We have no Plan B."
It sounded flattering, but realistically, it couldn't just be that. No matter how much the director liked him, producers would never allow such an expensive project to wait. More likely, they couldn't find a proper lead, and his fame and box office draw had tempted the investors.
"How's your recovery, Mr. Chu Zhi?" Davis asked with concern.
"I'm doing well. If filming starts next year, I'll be fully ready." He reassured him.
That was a relief. Davis had flown to China after hearing news of Chu Zhi's world tour. Concerts drained stamina, and he needed to be sure.
As for salary, that was between the investors and his agency. Aiguo's cash flow was strong, and Niu Niu was bold enough to want in, especially since Unsinkable's profit share was so juicy. But shares in this project were long locked, and getting a piece was tough, so negotiations were fierce.
The script was solid. Even though AI and artificial intelligence weren't new themes in cinema, the philosophical depth, sharp commentary, and even its "爽文" (shuǎng wén) punchiness made it stand out.
"Mr. Chu Zhi," Davis said seriously, "is the title really that bad? Producer Jem suggested changing it. My wife agrees. What do you think?"
Chu Zhi raised a brow. "It's a series, right?"
"We're planning a trilogy, plus one side story if the box office does well," Davis explained. "With you in the lead, we're confident."
"In that case, The 22nd Century Killing Network 2 would sound awkward."
That struck home. Davis hadn't thought of it that way. He'd liked the title himself, and the more people complained, the more stubborn he'd gotten. But Chu Zhi's perspective made him rethink it.
====
爽文 (shuǎng wén) refers to a story that delivers high levels of instant gratification and visceral satisfaction for the audience.
Or can be say: Literally "feel-good story." Every chapter delivers satisfaction—face-slapping, power-ups, effortless wins.