I sat on the side of the road, sipping on a plastic bag of alcohol.
I looked up at the night sky while thinking about what I had just seen on TV—about Xiao Ling's biological mother.
The reason why I insisted on becoming an actor was mainly so that I could prove to that woman that I could rival her.
Originally, we both worked as extras. However, unlike me, who remained an extra, she managed to rise quickly in her career as an actress.
Until finally, about six months ago, she chose to leave Xiao Ling and me.
She asked for a divorce in order to become a top actress.
"As of today, we no longer have any relationship. Don't even dare to think about contacting me again," were the last words she spoke as she walked out of the entrance of the small studio room I rented.
She said that the marital status she had with me would only hinder her career path.
Whether it was grace or tragedy, while we were working as extras, no one knew that we were a married couple.
Who would have thought that a beautiful woman would marry a fat man like me?
The last scene I saw on TV was the one where Wang Jia Yi had brought her face closer to the male actor's face, as if she was going to do a kissing scene. So that I wouldn't lose control in front of Xiao Ling, I quickly turned off the TV and took Xiao Ling to bed until she fell asleep.
After that, I decided to escape the anger that was trying to overwhelm me by filling my body with alcohol on the side of the road like this.
'Do I still harbor any feelings for that woman?'
Of course, NO!
Why would we love someone who decided to leave us, especially when we already have a child, just for the sake of being popular in the world?!
Even after drinking alcohol, the thought of that woman doing a kissing scene with a handsome male actor was still ringing in my mind. Now, I didn't have any love for that woman, only hatred and a desire for revenge that still remains in my mind.
"Fathel! I-I don't want that woman to be my mothel again!"
"Haha, alright. Good night, my angel!"
That kind of conversation came out when I accompanied Xiao Ling earlier, before she fell asleep.
Unlike other children who always complained about seeing their mother when they were left behind, my Xiao Ling was the kind of child who would talk badly about her mother when she saw me sad.
As I looked up at the sky, suddenly a horde of fireflies came swarming around me. "Are you comforting me when you've only lived two to three weeks? Aren't you even more pathetic?!" If I had to mention one special trait of mine in this world full of superpowers, it would be that I was favored by insects.
"Are you Mr. Qin Yu?"
The voice of a woman calling my name sent a horde of fireflies flying.
A woman about the same age as me, wearing office work clothes complete with a blouse and formal pants, appeared beside me.
"Who are you?"
"Did you accept the offer to be an extra character?"
***
'Is this real?'
By now, I was back inside the small studio room that I rented.
While sitting on the sofa, I was holding a thick piece of paper in my hand.
What I was holding was the script given to me by the woman who met me earlier.
Why did I look happy even though the offer I received was an extra role, like I usually do?
The answer was because of the small writing at the bottom of the script I received.
Arcabyss Pictures.
Arcabyss Pictures was the name of a company that produced both movies and drama series. It was an open secret that all movies or drama series made by Arcabyss Pictures would become famous and hits. With such results, Arcabyss could be said to be the number one and largest company in the country, in producing movies and drama series.
Although I only accepted the offer as an extra character, I was quite happy because the pay I would receive was very satisfactory, almost the same as the main actor's pay.
Five hundred thousand yuan, that's the amount the woman had promised.
In addition to the name of the production house, the cover of the script also had the title of the movie to be made.
'The Legendary Performer... what a strange name.'
My first impression when I read the title was... no interest at all.
It was just that, as I turned the pages of the script page by page, reading every word, sentence, and paragraph, I ended up getting more and more immersed in the story. Without realizing it, time passed very quickly until I finally finished reading the last page.
'Interesting.'
The Legendary Performer tells the story of a woman who slowly increases her strength; at the same time, the female main character will get many partners... 'Reverse-harem genre, huh?!'
It seems like the target audience was independent women in this world.
One other interesting thing was the setting that combines modern, magic, and royalty in the story of The Legendary Performer. Even if it's a woman, as long as she has enough power, one can build her harem kingdom... that's how it was written in the script.
'Wait a minute. If the setting is in Europe, wouldn't the shooting have to take place overseas?!'
I felt a little worried at first, but after I remembered how much the woman had offered, I became a little calmer.
'Maybe I can bring Xiao Ling along with me?'
After I finished reading the entire script, it turned out that I had stayed up so late that it was already daylight and the sun was about to appear behind the window glass that I had forgotten to close the curtains on.
Just as I was about to let go of the script in my hand, I unexpectedly found a piece of writing floating in front of my eyes.
[Did you agree to the contract as an extra?]
"Huh?"
I immediately threw the script in my hand as the strange phenomenon appeared.
Despite throwing the script, the floating writing still appeared.
[You have five seconds to decide.]
[1..2..]
The holographic notification board continued to count down second by second.
'500,000 yuan... With that much money, I can buy Xiao Ling's favorite food and clothes, and I can also buy a nice apartment...'
3..4...]
"I agree!"
I didn't care if the translucently floating notification board was a new contract signing method or something. However, I didn't have the flexibility to think for long, considering I had to make a lot of money in order to take good care of Xiao Ling.
After I answered in the affirmative, a strange light suddenly started coming out from inside the script. My vision started to blur as if I were about to faint. My body fell on the sofa and... I don't know what else happened after that.
[You have entered the Arcabyss World.]
***
"Fathell!"
Qiao Mei Ling slightly poked her head out from behind the bedroom door.
She looked around and didn't see her father's whereabouts. It was at that moment that her originally unbalanced walk suddenly became very firm. The way she spoke was also no longer stammering, "Has he gone to work?"
Her feet stepped into a dingy room. When she opened the room, which was similar to a small warehouse, there was a rope with a hanging knot attached in the center of the room. Underneath the hanging rope was a chair that seemed to depict that there was someone ready to use it at any time.
'I hope you will never use it.'