Chapter 4: Upgrade: The Power of the Blue-Green Modifier

Tang Danqing lived a healthy, orderly life. When she wasn’t filming, she went to bed at ten and got up at six. She went for a morning run, ate breakfast afterward, then practiced a few forms and kicks.

Action actors pushed their bodies hard through years of intense stunts, burning through adrenaline and sacrificing their health. As they got older, cardiovascular problems became more common, so it was especially important to take care of yourself while you were young.

Tang Danqing had started looking after her health at sixteen. One thing she did was drink only hot water. Unless work required it, she avoided cold drinks and food so the chill wouldn’t get into her system.

The coldest she’d ever felt was in the full-dive game pod the day before…

But today would be different. She’d recharged.

She planned to improve the conditions right away.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to play in the morning. At nine, Tang Danqing wiped off her sweat, showered, and hurried to the hotel for a script read-through.

Her home was only a ten-minute walk from the hotel the crew had booked, so unlike her coworkers, she didn’t have to stay there.

In the game, wind howled against the windows as Shang You sat huddled beside the heater.

Dawn gradually brightened the winter world. Looking out at the faint light, she guessed it was around nine.

It usually took until after ten for sunlight bright enough to reach the ground to break through the thick smog.

Shang You switched off the bright white lamp.

Winter nights were long and dark. The night before, that little new lamp had been the first light she’d held in her hands in ages.

She wondered when the person who’d given it to her would come back.

Would she really return? Or had she only made a casual promise?

Shang You had sat on the floor all night, her eyes as dark as the night around her—deep and distant, still and cold.

She wondered what she was worth to that person.

The script read-through ran from morning until noon.

After lunch, they continued through the entire afternoon.

At noon, Rong Yu, the well-known action star, even sent his assistant to the hotel front desk to ask about changing rooms.

Rong Yu always stayed in the hotel’s best accommodations, usually the presidential suite, no matter what work he was doing. But this time, someone had booked the presidential suite on the top floor before him—and booked it for a whole month.

But whoever had booked it hadn’t shown up or canceled.

What kind of move was that?

It was a pointless inconvenience. Rong Yu’s assistant went to ask if the hotel could get in touch with the person who’d booked the empty suite and ask them to give it up, so the guest who actually needed it could move in. Rong Yu couldn’t stand being given a lower level of accommodation and refused to stay in one of the business suites downstairs.

The hotel apologized and said they couldn’t get in touch with the person who’d booked the room.

Rong Yu was so angry that he scowled every time he passed the front desk. The hotel manager couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

They really couldn’t reach the guest who’d booked the presidential suite on the 22nd Floor for over a month. The guest had paid already, but neither their phone nor the person themselves could be reached. It was downright bizarre.

But strange things happened all the time. The hotel had been paid, so why worry?

After spending the whole afternoon in the conference room, Rong Yu was in an even worse mood whenever he looked at Tang Danqing.

Who did people think they were, ignoring him like this?

Once work ended, the stars began putting away their scripts.

Tang Danqing rubbed the bridge of her nose. Then she heard Rong Yu call out to the group in his booming voice.

“Ziwei, Jiayu, I’ve booked a whole-lamb feast in a private room on the 12th Floor tonight. We’ll have lamb hot pot. This weather calls for something warming. You two should come if you don’t have dinner plans.”

“Little Cai, A-Xin, you two come down later, too. If meat doesn’t suit you girls at night, I’ve ordered plenty of vegetables.” Rong Yu smiled, the picture of a considerate senior.

“A-Zheng, you have to come, too. It’s been a long day.” He patted the screenwriter on the shoulder, then turned to another young actor. “And you, little friend… Your surname’s Han, right?”

Tang Danqing glanced at his fake smile, bored. He was obviously trying to exclude her. She couldn’t be bothered to wait for him to finish calling roll. She slung her backpack over one shoulder and left.

The more perceptive coworkers glanced awkwardly after her, then turned back to thank Rong Yu.

They were all in the same crew. Why antagonize a senior? If Tang Danqing would only speak nicely and offer a sincere apology, he’d let it go. She was making trouble for herself.

If she wasn’t careful, one word from Rong Yu after the film was done could make it much harder for her to find work. She clearly wasn’t thinking about her future.

On the way home, Tang Danqing did consider it.

If a petty big star blacklisted her, she could simply retire on the spot.

She’d been making action films since she was sixteen. Now, at twenty-six, she’d already taken her share of wear and tear and broken bones. A few more years, once her body couldn’t take it anymore, and she could think about retirement.

Tang Danqing spent a while training in her home gym. Before she knew it, the sky outside had darkened. Lights gleamed along the long, straight road, and the traffic jam looked like a string of tiny fireflies.

She went into the living room and turned on the bright overhead lights. The game pod sat beneath them.

She’d nearly forgotten to play her game.

It was only eight, so it wasn’t too late. Tang Danqing climbed into the full-dive game pod.

—[Login successful]

[Achievement Unlocked: Day 2.]

[Achievement Reward: 1,000 Survival Coins.]

[Claimed 150,000 Survival Coins.]

[Achievement Unlocked: Blue-Green Modifier.]

[Achievement Reward: 1,000 Survival Coins.]

[Achievement Unlocked: Rich Beyond Measure.]

[Achievement Reward: 500 Survival Coins.]

[Achievement Unlocked: A Hundred Thousand in Cash.]

[Achievement Reward: 5,000 Survival Coins.]

[Quest Complete! Reward: 1,000 Survival Coins.]

[Side Quest 4: Keep exploring and unlock 20 Achievements. (10/20)]

She was greeted by reward prompts and the clinking sound of coins pouring in. So far, her gaming experience today was excellent.

It took a little while for Tang Danqing’s eyes to adjust to the thick darkness.

She’d logged in at eight that evening, but the game world was already dark.

Firewood crackled in the silence.

Tang Danqing walked from the living room into the master bedroom. Someone stood by the heater, watching the doorway warily.

When she saw Tang Danqing, Shang You switched on the little lamp.

“Welcome home.”

“I boiled some water for you.”

The NPC took the stainless-steel bowl off the heater’s grate and held it out to her.

Tang Danqing looked at her round little hands and bright, watery eyes, then smiled and drank the water.

She asked happily, “Did you sleep well last night?”

The NPC answered softly, “Mm.”

After dark, Shang You had thought Shan Qing wouldn’t come back that day.

After all, she didn’t seem to have much to offer someone as well supplied and capable as Shan Qing.

It was only natural to discard her and forget about her.

But Shan Qing had returned. Shang You lowered her head, quietly studying her.

Tang Danqing reached out to pat her on the head. She glanced around at the dim room and muttered, “It must get so dark in here at night… Were you scared sleeping alone?”

“No.” The NPC’s voice was as soft and obedient as ever. “You left me a light.”

She lifted the lamp from the TV stand. “It’s hard to get around right now, so take this with you if you need to go somewhere. But don’t leave it away from the heater for too long. The battery will stop working in this cold.”

The NPC was thoughtful enough to make a good little housekeeper.

No wonder games were so relaxing.

Tang Danqing smiled. Tonight, she’d show her what it meant to work miracles.

“Come on. Follow me.”

The NPC carried the lamp as Tang Danqing led her out by the wrist. Her fingers felt cold and soft, almost startlingly real.

At the suite entrance, the NPC dragged away the tables, chairs, cabinets, and little sofa blocking the door. As she worked, she explained, “I was afraid someone else might come here to scavenge. You left supplies for me, and I couldn’t fight anyone off if they tried to take them. So I blocked the door.”

Tang Danqing understood. “It’s fine. Tonight I’ll fix the door for you.”

The NPC stared at her with wide, astonished eyes.

Tang Danqing smiled brightly and confidently. “I came prepared today. Just wait and see.”

Shang You nodded and followed quietly. They went to the electrical room.

In the game, Tang Danqing didn’t need any hands-on experience with installation work, or even to understand the design principles. Advanced, technology-based construction was simplified. All she needed was enough money.

After she bought the most expensive item—the off-grid solar power system—a Renovation Coupon appeared in her hand. According to the instructions, she only needed to stick it to the wall of the electrical room to activate it.

“Close your eyes,” she told the NPC.

“And don’t peek. Follow the rules, and I’ll give you a surprise.” She held the coupon between her fingers.

The NPC obediently shut her eyes.

A few seconds later, the world went Beep—!

That sound meant…

“Open your eyes,” Tang Danqing said.

As soon as Shang You heard the power come on, she opened her eyes—and found the electrical room completely transformed.

“?!”

The room looked as if some divine hand had rebuilt it.

Rows of sturdy-looking new control units glowed with indicator lights. Unknown machines hummed steadily. Thick cables from the lithium battery bank fed into an independent busbar beside the distribution panel. The needles on several voltmeters began moving, settling at 220.

After buying the power system, Tang Danqing had also received a service notice.

[Service Notice: To protect your power system, please provide the temperature range required for electronic equipment to operate normally.]

So the equipment she’d bought to keep her warm needed to be protected from the cold, too.

Following the prompts and the item descriptions, Tang Danqing bought 5,000 coins’ worth of vacuum insulation panels to install as the core insulating layer inside the walls. She also bought a 3,000-coin indoor electric heater. She turned the whole electrical room into an insulated box, carefully protecting the power system inside like a baby.

Shang You watched as Tang Danqing stuck the other two Renovation Coupons to the walls. A black electric heater appeared out of thin air and began running.

Shang You: “……………………”

Maybe she needed to check whether she’d frozen to death in her sleep and wandered into some fantasy world.