Chapter Twenty two:Hidden Big shot
The next morning, Gilkesh was already humming with anticipation for the tryouts. The twin suns arched overhead in a dance of gold and lilac, casting dramatic shadows across the cityscape. Sky-trams zipped through the air, street vendors hawked glowing foods, and holoscreens displayed countdowns in a dozen galactic languages.
With two days before the planetary preliminaries began, Linxia figured he might as well enjoy the view while he could still afford to breathe.
He strolled through the neon-lit Cloud Market, bought a drink that changed flavors every three sips, and even tried on a levitating cloak he had no intention of buying. Gilkesh was part intergalactic trade port, part luxury city-state, and part circus. The kind of place that made you feel like royalty—until you checked your balance.
Which he did.
And instantly regretted it.
He whistled low. "Already down twenty thousand credits?"
That suite had cost him a chunk, and the floating snacks weren't cheap either. Still, nothing prepared him for the real gut punch.
He strolled past a flashy ticket kiosk advertising the planetary-level tryouts.
SEATING FOR THE EVENT OF THE MILLENNIA – BUY NOW!
He tapped the screen. Nosebleed section: 850,000 galactic credits.
VIP tier: 15 million.
He blinked. Then blinked again.
"…Is this thing broken?"
He tapped around to check the lower rows. Maybe he was looking at the wrong planet's event. No—same city, same arena. And the cheapest seats still cost more than he had left.
He felt a sharp sting in his temples. "I can't even afford to stand near the stadium gates."
Reluctantly, he pulled up the system menu. "Hey, system. A little help here?"
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Insufficient aEXP detected.]
[Emergency task available: Upload 10 chapters of new project 'Fallen Hero of Atvia'. Time limit: 7 days.]
Linxia squinted. "Emergency? Since when do you have emergencies?"
But before he could dwell on it, a sharp knock hit his door.
He shuffled back into the hotel, opened the door…
And there stood Zayn, the kid from the bus. Same bright eyes. Same casual clothes. Except this time, he was holding two glowing ticket chips.
"Yo!" Zayn beamed. "Guess what I got?"
Linxia arched an eyebrow. "VIP passes?"
"Yup! Two of them. Figured I'd invite my new neighbor."
Linxia blinked, deadpan. "Who knew you were a rich scion taking intergalactic buses like a commoner?"
Zayn snorted. "Rich scion? Bro, that bus wasn't for the public. It was invite-only—only top-tier elite families and academy-recommended candidates get on that ride."
Linxia's expression froze.
Zayn walked past him into the room like they'd been friends since birth. "Also, this hotel? It's not just about credits. You could drop a fortune at the door and still get rejected if you don't have the right background. You need prestige, reputation. The AI assigned us all floors based on verified status. The fact that we're on Floor 47? You know what that means?"
"…No?"
Zayn looked at him like he'd just said he didn't know how doors worked.
"It means we're cream of the freaking cream. The highest-ranking floor assigned to non-participant observers. You seriously didn't know that? Stop pretending to be poor."
Linxia's lips parted. "Pretending?"
"Yeah, yeah, mysterious background, humble aura, maybe it gets you the ladies," Zayn said, waving a hand as if to dismiss it. "But at least tell your system to tone it down. You've got people here who'd kill for your seat and social rating."
Linxia could only stare at him, stunned.
Because the truth was—he wasn't pretending. He'd genuinely thought he was just a mid-tier author with a decent system, scrounging for a chance at galactic recognition. Nothing more, nothing less.
But if what Zayn said was true… then who exactly had the system made him out to be?
And why hadn't it told him?
Zayn patted him on the shoulder. "Anyway, get dressed nicely. We're going to the opening banquet tomorrow. Not everyone gets to see the stage before the games begin."
Then he was gone—just like that—whistling down the corridor like he hadn't just dropped a bomb.
Linxia stood there for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he stepped back inside, letting the door slide shut with a soft hiss behind him.
He stared at the wall, eyes narrowing.
"…System," he said quietly.
"…We need to talk."
---
"System," Linxia repeated, settling into the armchair by the window. The city lights of Gilkesh flickered in endless constellations, but his thoughts were elsewhere. "Explain. Right now. Why do I have the prestige of a galactic big shot?"
[Processing…]
[Query: Prestige Assessment]
[Identity scan in progress…]
"Don't run diagnostics," Linxia snapped. "Just answer me."
[Host's current registered identity is: Linxia – Level 6 Author]
[All credentials standard, status: Ordinary.]
"Ordinary?" Linxia scoffed. "Then how the hell did I end up in a luxury suite on the 47th floor of a hotel that only accepts aristocrats and legendary figures?"
The system paused. Then,
[Summoning System Assistant: Miss D.]
A flicker of blue light shimmered in the air in front of him. Then materialized into a figure—graceful, poised, wearing sleek silver robes and transparent glasses perched on her nose. Her dark hair was pinned into a professional twist, and her tone was calm, but firm.
"Good evening, Linxia," she said with a soft bow. "It seems you've encountered your first... 'identity overlap' scenario."
Linxia folded his arms. "Miss D, explain everything—and don't leave out a single detail."
Miss D gave a slight smile. "Very well. While your current identity as Linxia is indeed flagged as a standard-level author, you're forgetting one important thing—your alternate author identity: SilentQuill."
His brows furrowed. "Yeah. The pen name I use for special projects."
"Incorrect," Miss D corrected gently. "It is not simply a pen name. It is a system-bound alt identity. And one which we've encrypted with SSS+ level privacy."
"Encrypted? Why?"
She glanced toward the holographic display that hovered near the ceiling, flickering with newsfeeds, streaming shows, and ranking charts. "You may not realize it, but the impact of your works under the SilentQuill name on planet Xianwei has surpassed even our early projections. That planet's cultural tide has shifted… subtly. Politicians quote your lines. Revolutionaries rebrand themselves after your fictional factions. The top holo-dramas are based on your stories."
Linxia blinked.
"You're telling me… I influenced a planet?"
Miss D inclined her head. "Subtly, yes. But enough that the prestige score assigned to the identity of SilentQuill has risen exponentially. And since that identity is encrypted, the AI systems managing prestige in places like this hotel and elite networks can't see who you are. They only see a shadow of the prestige—and the encryption tag."
"And because that encryption tag is SSS+…"
"They assume you're a high-level government official, corporate overlord, or galactic noble hiding your real background. Such encryption levels are exceedingly rare—reserved only for entities too dangerous or important to have their identities known."
Linxia dragged a hand down his face. "So you're telling me this entire floor—the suite, the reputation, the VVIP access—was handed to me because the hotel AI had no choice but to assume I was a literal galactic legend?"
Miss D gave a small shrug. "In… layman's terms? Yes."
He stood up. "So, what you're saying is… this is a massive misunderstanding?"
She gave a diplomatic smile. "Not quite. The system did assign the encryption level based on forecasted influence growth. SilentQuill's identity is gaining traction. The prestige boost is based on actual traction, not fabrication."
Linxia looked away, then back. "But I'm just an author. I write books. Fiction. Drama. Webnovels. Why would any of that require encryption that's usually reserved for warlords and shadow CEOs?"
Miss D's smile never faltered, but her glasses flickered.
"…That information," she said softly, "requires a higher clearance level."
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Host must reach Level 10 to unlock classified information regarding SilentQuill Identity Encryption Parameters.]
"Level ten?" Linxia muttered. "Of course it does."
He walked to the window, staring out at the skyline of Gilkesh, his reflection ghosted over the glittering towers.
From behind him, Miss D's voice echoed like a calm lullaby, "Be careful, Linxia. In the galactic arena of influence, fame is never just fame."
Linxia didn't turn around.
"…I'm starting to realize that."
---