Chapter 1

In a cramped hotel room, Yan Li silenced the endlessly ringing alarm clock. Opening his eyes, he instinctively thought to wake his dormmates for class, only to see an old ceiling fan spinning above. He stared blankly for a moment before remembering—he wasn’t on the Beijing Film Academy campus. He had come to Hengdian to join the cast of Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. “It really is cooler here than in Beijing.” Stretching lazily, Yan Li got up, used the bathroom, and brushed his teeth. The hotel room provided by the Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties crew was nothing fancy—just a typical budget inn from the early 2000s. The room was small, equipped with basic furniture like a bed, cabinet, desk, and a fan. For hot water, guests had to fetch it themselves from a shared facility. Thankfully, the room had a private bathroom, though showering required some ingenuity. Even so, Yan Li was content. Having endured two years in a dormitory, the single room felt like luxury. At least he didn’t have to deal with his dormmates’ snores anymore. After freshening up, shaving, and getting dressed, Yan Li noticed it was still early. He sat back on the bed and silently called out in his mind, System. Instantly, a holographic screen materialized before him. Although he had seen this sci-fi-like display for nearly six months, it still felt surreal every time it appeared. [Daily Intelligence System] This peculiar system had appeared out of nowhere a few months ago. Only Yan Li could see or interact with it, and its core function was to provide daily updates and intelligence. At first, he thought he was losing his mind. But after calming down and studying the Daily Intelligence System, he realized he had no clue about its origins, mechanics, or why it had chosen him. Yet one thing became clear—this system was immensely beneficial to him. Guided by his thoughts, the screen changed, displaying today’s information: Daily Intelligence 1: Director Hu Mingkai of Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties had stomach issues last night and was up until dawn. Expect him to be in a foul mood this morning. Daily Intelligence 2: The Legend of the Book and the Sword production is hiring extras at Dazhi Chan Temple this afternoon. Contact: Assistant Director Sun Jiang, Phone: 138XXXX... (Tip: Offering a red envelope increases your chances.) Daily Intelligence 3: A new restaurant called [Northeastern Diner] opened on Hengdian Pedestrian Street. Grand opening promotion: Spend over 100 yuan and get a 10% discount, plus a small portion of sweet and sour pork. (Note: Northeasterners might trigger additional discounts.) Daily Intelligence 4: Liu from the lighting team confessed to Wang Xiu from the makeup team last night, angering Sasha, another makeup artist who has a crush on Liu. Sasha plans to confront Wang Xiu today. Daily Intelligence 5: Under the fourth tree north of the woods near the dorm at the Beijing Film Academy lies a misplaced 100-yuan note. “Not a lot of intel today,” Yan Li mused. Over the months, he had deduced several patterns: The system provided a minimum of three pieces of daily intelligence, with a maximum of ten. The content often revolved around Yan Li’s surroundings, thoughts, and interactions. In addition to daily updates, the system issued monthly intelligence on the 1st of each month. These were often more valuable and occasionally predictive. He speculated there might even be yearly updates, though he hadn’t seen one yet. Today’s intel about the director and the lighting team would help Yan Li navigate the crew dynamics. The restaurant promo wasn’t surprising—everyday life updates like this were common. As for the 100-yuan note? Yan Li was intrigued but suspected it was due to a recent call with his dormmates. The system’s intelligence often had loose connections, making it unpredictable. Having memorized the key updates, Yan Li grabbed his Nokia 5110 and called his dormmate. “Hey, Jia Chuan, are you on campus?” “Don’t sleep in. I dropped 100 yuan near the woods behind the dorms. Go find it with Song Wen. I’ll text you the exact spot. Hurry before someone else grabs it!” Hanging up, Yan Li felt at ease. The long-distance calls over the past few days had drained his wallet, but this would make up for it. System for the win! Over time, he had grown desensitized to the ethics of “found money” tips. If it wasn’t identifiable, it was fair game. As a newcomer to the crew, Yan Li didn’t want to dawdle. After getting ready, he left the hotel to find breakfast. The production didn’t provide meals—or if they did, no one had told him. The area around the inn was packed with snack stalls and diners, perfect for a quick bite. Walking into a bun shop, Yan Li spotted a familiar face and greeted him warmly. “Mr. Kou, good morning!” The man, Kou Zhanwen, hesitated, trying to place him. Yan Li quickly introduced himself. “You might not remember, but we met last year on the Lü Bu and Diao Chan set. You played Zhang Fei, and I was an extra.” Kou Zhanwen, a martial artist from the same Beijing team that produced Jet Li, had entered the film industry following his senior’s footsteps. While not a household name, Kou was respected, particularly for his role as Er Niu (Hou Yi) in My Fair Princess. Not wanting to seem rude, Kou smiled apologetically. “Oh, yes, of course. My apologies—it’s been a while.” “No worries,” Yan Li replied casually, knowing full well Kou wouldn’t remember. In reality, Yan Li had never crossed paths with him on that set. He was simply fabricating a connection to establish rapport. “We must have fate to meet again in Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties,” Yan Li added. “Oh, you’re in the crew too?” Kou asked, surprised. With a modest smile, Yan Li replied, “I’m fortunate enough to play Yuwen Chengdu in the production…”