Gout99

Zhang Ye, a delusional yet fiercely ambitious college graduate, dreams of becoming the world’s greatest star—despite being a nobody in reality. On the eve of his make-or-break radio host interview, he stumbles into a surreal game that promises to rewrite his destiny. Armed with a mysterious "Random Modification of Real-World Background" reward, Zhang Ye must navigate absurd challenges, inflated lies, and a reality-bending system to transform his wildest fantasies into fame. But can a chronic daydreamer survive the highest difficulty setting of life itself?

I Want to Be a Sigma boy!

August's stifling heat clung to the air like a suffocating blanket.

Wait—no, that description was used earlier. Let's try again:

August's restless humidity buzzed with… with… unsettling dryness. There. Original enough.

The Beijing Radio Station had merged with the city's television network years ago, though their offices remained separate. Outside the radio building, Zhang Ye straightened his ill-fitting suit and marched inside like a man who'd watched too many corporate training videos. Regular employees had long since clocked in; the crowd shuffling through security now were all fellow interviewees.

With time to kill, he studied the cursed ring again.

The holographic screen only he could see hovered above his left hand. Passersby remained oblivious to its neon glow. Zhang Ye shuddered—was this some elaborate hallucination? Had his nervous system finally snapped? For a fleeting moment, he wondered if Brain Gold supplements would become his lifelong companions.

The interface displayed four options:

(Note: Fame points accumulate through public recognition, achievements, trust, and reputation. Store items and gacha spins require Fame. Initial total reflects lifetime earnings up to today.)

199,983? Zhang Ye mentally tallied his meager accomplishments: elementary school essay awards, decent grades in high school, that one time a CCTV reporter interviewed him in Xidan. He'd blurted "I'm so happy!" before the mic even reached him, then shouted "Socialism rocks!" when prodded further. Who knows if it ever aired.

Was this his life's worth of fame? Almost 200k points? Not bad—until he checked the gacha price.

His entire existence barely covered two spins. Gritting his teeth, he tapped the option. The screen deducted 100,000 Fame (now 99,983) and conjured a virtual roulette wheel split into four uneven sections:

A golden pointer whirled clockwise before slowing… slowing… landing on the largest sector.

A miniature treasure chest materialized in his inventory. Zhang Ye reached into the holographic space—his hand phased through reality—and cracked open the box. Inside gleamed a translucent crystal:

[Save Crystal]: One-time use. Preserves current timeline state for 30 minutes.

Before he could process it, the crystal shattered in his grip.

Time froze. The world pixelated briefly before snapping back. A new [Load] option blinked on the interface.

"Next candidate: Zhang Ye!" A sharp voice cut through his daze.

Inside the interview room, eight stone-faced judges sat like a tribunal. Two wrinkled their noses imperceptibly at his entrance.

Zhang Ye bowed and handed over his portfolio. "Honored judges, I'm Zhang Ye, 23, graduate of—"

"Skip the basics," a middle-aged man snapped. He nodded to a colleague, who slid a document across the table.

"First test," said a stern-faced woman. "Memorize this script in ten seconds. Deliver it verbatim."

Ten seconds? For a thousand-word legal text? Zhang Ye's confidence evaporated as she yanked the paper away mid-read.

"Notary institutions serve as… uh, special judicial entities ensuring China's legal implementation and social stability. Notarization involves…" He stumbled through three sentences before trailing off.

The lead judge waved dismissively. "Next!"

As Zhang Ye turned to leave, a whisper followed him: "Don't waste time interviewing this type of appearance again."

Appearance? Rage boiled in his gut. You never even let me try!

Then he remembered—the save crystal.

Chapter 2: [Can I Save Progress?]