RBCT Chapter 2 Prologue
Chapter 2 Prologue
Hello, dear Chu Kong.
Let me guess how you feel right now. It's not sadness, it's anger.
Feeling angry that fate is so unfair, taking away your parents without any reason, and now taking away your only relative, your aunt.
You ask me how I guessed it?
In the photos in your file, I saw myself from decades ago.
That's something I still dream about to this day, like looking in a mirror, with eyes that are exactly like mine back then.
When I was your age, on the day my parents passed away, I couldn't help but smash everything I could in the house. I screamed and yelled until I was exhausted and passed out.
But when I woke up the next day, naturally nothing had changed, and no one cared how fate treated me.
When I walked to the riverbank and looked at the water, gazing into those angry eyes, I slapped myself a dozen times, banishing my suicidal thoughts.
When I opened my eyes again, all I saw was calm and reason, and deep within them, the fire that refused to be extinguished.
They call it trauma, but I call it fuel.
I swear, I will never let fate control me again.
The foundation's cold file simply states that you are experiencing financial difficulties.
But I know those words aren't as light and airy as they sound.
They endured hunger and cold, meticulously calculating bills with no end in sight, and devising solutions that were never conceived.
How could these pampered people possibly understand?
Those people will only give you money, maybe a lot of money, since for most people in the foundation, money is just a number.
I can do that too. I can even give you enough money to squander for the rest of your life.
But that won't save you; it will only make you go from being manipulated by fate to being manipulated by me.
Giving alms will only leave you powerless.
What I want to give you is to become the master of your own destiny, and even the master of your own fate!
I will build a world for you called "Chu Kong Xiu".
There, you will be the world's stage, the only one who knows the truth, and the master of your own destiny.
There is no magic, no miracles, no help from fate, only resources you can hardly imagine.
Every effort you make, every success you achieve, every victory you overcome is real, and the whole world will applaud you—they'll think it's all part of a fantastic reality show.
For you, this is a war to reclaim your life from the hands of fate.
You might ask, what's in it for me?
You might fear that the gifts of fate come with a hidden price tag.
Don't worry, I'm just having fun.
Even now, though I have taken control of my own destiny, I am nearing the end of my life.
I often imagine what it would be like if I had taken control of my own destiny when I was young.
So, it's just a fair trade: I use my wealth and power to buy a chance to watch an "alternative possibility" of a talented protagonist.
I want to test whether a person can find happiness when they control their destiny, whether they can break free from their shackles, or whether loneliness is humanity's eternal fate.
I spent my entire life just to reach the threshold of this question, but I will never have the chance to ask for its answer.
And now you have the opportunity to go in.
I'm really looking forward to your performance.
Of course, I won't force you; you have the right to refuse.
You can continue with your current life. If that's the case, consider this letter, the accompanying cell phone, and the allowance in the phone enough for you to finish college as a whimsical gift from an old man.
Think it over carefully; someone will confirm your thoughts.
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The letter was unsigned; instead, a complex emblem was printed on the back of the letter.
Chu Kong had tried to find information about this emblem, but ultimately came up empty-handed.
The clouds outside the window are still drifting backward.
Chu Kong didn't bring up the letter himself, but instead asked a different question: "Teacher Zhou, why did you want to go to Yulan with me?"
Upon hearing this question, Zhou Huaijin became serious: "The premise is that I am fulfilling my responsibilities as a teacher."
As required by the sponsor, only three people in the entire "Chu Kong Show" are aware that "you know you are in the play".
One is you, one is the funder, and the other is the person who passes the script between you and the production company.
I don't trust anyone else to handle something this important.
After all, this is the most effective identity if someone wants to harm you.
Chu Kong nodded, indicating his understanding: "But, Teacher Zhou, you quit your job and left your wife for me, it really makes me..."
But Zhou Huaijin, contrary to his usual behavior, didn't let Chu Kong finish speaking. Instead, he waved his hand to interrupt Chu Kong: "Don't be so moved yet, because this also involves a transaction."
Although I don't consider myself noble, I still consider myself an upright person, so I don't want to hide this from you.
Many years ago, your teacher's wife was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease. Although there were no direct symptoms, it affected her cardiovascular system and caused premature aging.
For so many years, I haven't found any solution.
And your sponsor gave me that hope.
However, I will not betray my conscience because of this.
I've seen too many people crushed by fate, but I want to see how far you can go.
Before that, I want to thank you for saving my lover's life.
Zhou Huaijin lowered his head in front of Chu Kong, which made Chu Kong feel awkward: "Teacher Zhou, you don't need to do this. This is not my achievement. If you want to thank someone, you should thank the person who sponsored you."
Zhou Huaijin shook his head: "But without you, how could your benefactor help me?"
Chu Kong looked at Zhou Huaijin, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Zhou Huaijin, gazing at the drifting clouds outside the window, continued, "As for what you mentioned, it's utterly insignificant."
Although I resigned from my previous job, my sponsor provided me with a position in the academic affairs office at the new school you transferred to.
As for your teacher's wife, she will also come to live with me in Yulan after the surgery.
So you don't need to feel guilty at all; just focus on doing what you need to do.
Zhou Huaijin tapped Chu Kong's forehead with one finger.
Chu Kong nodded and opened his mouth to say something.
But then his face suddenly turned red, and he asked cautiously, "Teacher Zhou, when I go to the toilet, won't I also...?"
Seeing Chu Kong's embarrassed look, Zhou Huaijin couldn't help but laugh: "Don't worry, your privacy is something your sponsor insisted on. It's absolutely a 'black box.' Even the people in charge of broadcasting the program had to disconnect at that time. He even hired a group of people specifically to protect your privacy."
This isn't just for you, it's also for your privilege. If you want to contact me to make any changes to the script, you can do so in a private setting.
Hearing Zhou Huaijin's reply, Chu Kong finally breathed a sigh of relief, and then he stood up apologetically: "Then I'm relieved, Teacher Zhou, I'm going to the restroom."
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Yulan is a city that is neither too big nor too small.
It's not considered large because it's not a political center, a cultural center, or an economic hub; yet it's not small because of its pleasant climate, complete infrastructure, and the constant stream of people choosing to vacation and retire here.
But today, Yulan has become the focus of attention for people all over the world.
Because it became the stage for a show.
A program that appeared out of nowhere, without any prior warning, swept across every place in the world where humans exist with unstoppable force.
It's safe to say that as long as you don't live outside of society, you've definitely heard the name of this show today—"Chu Kong Show".
The largest performance art in human history.
The largest sociological experiment in human history.
The largest educational experiment in human history.
The largest in human history...
Whether it's anticipation or disgust, the name "Chu Kong Xiu" has truly become a household name.
Besides the negative comments, there was an overwhelming amount of criticism and analysis.
Everyone can see the countdown.
Countdown to the premiere of "Chu Kong Show": 21 hours, 13 minutes and 42 seconds.
It has attracted worldwide attention.
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The flight finally landed, and Chu Kong, who had been nervous about flying for the first time, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But as the plane gradually came to a stop, his heartbeat, which had finally calmed down, began to race again.
He knew very well what it meant from the moment he left the plane.
"Thank you for flying with us. Have a pleasant day." The flight attendant's smile was as sweet as ever.
"Thank you." Chu Kong didn't detect anything amiss in the other person's smiling eyes.
The instant Chu Kong stepped out of the cabin, the "Chu Kong Show" that had been playing on all the GG screens in Yulan Airport vanished without a trace, replaced by the usual variety of GGs and sales pitches.
Interestingly, one screen, perhaps due to its age and disrepair, was slow to switch, which allowed Chu Kong to see the scene before the switch.
On the dark blue banner, a smiling cartoon character with a striking resemblance to the man himself stands out.
Below is a striking slogan: "Chu Kong Show - Witness the only real human miracles, broadcast live worldwide."
Chu Kong forgot to breathe for a moment.
That's not just "like" him, that's him.
His face has been simplified, beautified, and packaged into a warm product.
The light from the GG screen reflected in his suddenly shrinking pupils. The four words "A Miracle of Life" jubilantly displayed on it, along with the script draft in his pocket that read "Attempted Suicide," formed the most vicious joke in the world.
Zhou Huaijin gently pressed his hand on his shoulder, and his hoarse voice rang out at the opportune moment: "You know, it has already begun."
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Yulan Airport, on the other side.
A flight landed slowly, and a young girl, seemingly alone, walked out of the VIP passage.
Her figure was graceful; even from a distance, one could feel the unique femininity and slenderness of a young girl in every move she made.
Unfortunately, the girl's face was completely obscured. Hats, glasses, and masks became obstacles for everyone to catch a glimpse of her beauty, which made people feel a sense of regret.
The girl ignored the sounds around her and focused intently on her phone screen.
On the screen, a complex "Role Behavior Psychological Analysis Report" was being scrolled through by the girl, who was carefully studying a large amount of information, analysis, and photos of Chu Kong.
Just then, the young girl frowned slightly. After a moment's hesitation, she dialed a number, her voice clear yet cold: "I have arrived in Yulan, but I am not satisfied with your report. Your 'orphan stress model' and 'emotional disorder model' are too arbitrary."
A hurried explanation came from the other end of the phone.
But the girl remained unmoved: "Don't forget, our participation isn't just about watching a fairy tale."
I have reason to suspect he was an accomplice, so I need to see a new report before tomorrow's program begins.
After saying that, the girl hung up the phone.
For a moment, the girl's icy voice silenced the surroundings, and even the young men who had mustered the courage to strike up a conversation remained awkwardly in place.
But the girl just walked on silently, oblivious to all the impact she was having.
"Chu Kong? Is that so... I'm sorry..." the girl murmured to herself in a voice only she could hear.
Only the intricate family crest pattern on the cufflinks gleamed.
……