Shang Jingyan woke up in excruciating pain.
It felt as if something had struck the back of her head, and it was numb, letting air in.
She reached up to touch the back of her head, and her hand came away covered in blood.
Shang Jingyan: "..."
So, it wasn't just a feeling; it was broken.
Before she could process it, waves of memories that didn't belong to her surged into her mind, making her head spin even more.
Shang Jingyan clutched her head and sat up, seeing her long hair now hanging in silver-white waves, and her clothes not her own.
Is this a dream...?
She was lying next to a sofa in a living room, several empty bottles scattered around her feet and hands, the air thick with the smell of alcohol.
A corner of the coffee table had bloodstains, and it looked like "she" had drunkenly collapsed and hit her head on the table, causing the mess.
Her senses slowly became clearer, and memories flooded in. Shang Jingyan was astonished.
The night before, she had indeed gotten drunk at the celebration party for a new film, was driven home by the chauffeur, and encountered a car accident on the way. The last thing she remembered was the erratic flashing of car lights—
But now, other "memories" were telling her that "she" had had a drunken night with some rowdy friends from a rough street, eating blue-shell crabs with alcohol, before stumbling back alone to her rented apartment...
Rough street? Blue-shell crabs? What are those?
"Ugh..."
Shang Jingyan pressed her throbbing temples as a strange life, not her own, was forcibly being poured into her mind, conflicting with her original self-awareness.
[Binding successful, X71 Art System at your service—]
[Your status: Serious injuries; Life value: Critical;...]
[100 heart value prepayment to stabilize vital signs, but it's advised that you treat your wounds immediately, the situation is urgent!...]
An electronic voice rang in her mind, and this seemed like the legendary "transmigration"—Oh my, this is happening to her!
Shang Jingyan was sweating from the pain, following the electronic voice's instructions, and stumbling around searching for a first aid kit.
[Current world: Interstellar future.]
[Zzz... Current heart value: -100...]
Heart value? What's that?
[Your current wealth: 54-star coins; Rating: penniless.]
The furniture in the room was sparse and disorganized, and Shang Jingyan stumbled around to find a medicine bottle, spraying it on her wound according to the memory of the original body. Her head started to heal quickly, becoming numb and itchy.
The medical technology of the interstellar future is amazing...
Shang Jingyan collapsed weakly onto the sofa, her mind filled with relief, confusion, and bewilderment.
She tentatively spoke in her mind: [Can you explain what you are? What am I supposed to do?]
[This system's mission is to [cultivate artistic masters], selecting various artistic talents to bind, generating criteria for judging based on different planes.]
[According to scans, this plane's art focuses on the theme of [love], with the entire population obsessed with the heartbeat of romance. Therefore, the evaluation standard is set as [heart value], measuring the popularity of works based on factors like audience heart rate, hormone levels, and adrenaline levels.]
[If you complete tasks, you can obtain permanent residency in this plane and be reborn.]
[The first task is being issued... Collect 10 heart value points... 30 days deadline...]
Shang Jingyan paused, thinking that there was a world like this, where everyone liked love-themed works.
The system had just said her heart value balance was [-100], and her first task was to collect 10 heart value points. She was starting in the negative!
Shang Jingyan still didn't quite feel like she had transmigrated when suddenly, a loud knock and shouting came from outside the door:
"Shang Jingyan! It's the 15th already, where's the money you owe?!"
"Stop pretending to be dead, I know you're home!"
"Open the door!!"
Shang Jingyan: "..."
Isn't the situation she's starting with just too terrible?
She checked the memories and found that the original body had indeed borrowed 30,000-star coins, and the loan came from an unreliable source with usurious interest rates.
And today was the 18th, meaning she was already 3 days overdue on this month's payment.
The system's mechanical voice, with a slightly more human tone, said: [Host, you can prepay heart value to exchange for star coins.]
Shang Jingyan ignored it, gritting her teeth through the headache and quickly assessing the personality of the creditor from her memories. She confirmed from the surveillance camera and peephole that only one person was outside before walking over to open the door.
"...Shang Jingyan, you're not opening..."
The woman outside was startled when she saw Shang Jingyan, pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and bandages on her head. "What the hell happened to you?!"
"Cui Jie, can you extend the deadline for another month, no, twenty more days?" Shang Jingyan spoke weakly without pretending, her bloody hand resting on the doorframe, making Cui Jie's eyes twitch.
"After 20 days, I'll pay you back two months' worth. I've already figured out a way to make money."
Cui Jie frowned, and after Shang Jingyan pleaded a few more times and gave several guarantees, she reluctantly agreed.
"If you can't do it, I'll send you to a juvenile detention center! Don't even think about your dream of becoming a Dreamweaver!"
Before leaving, Cui Jie left that threatening remark.
Shang Jingyan dropped her pretentious smile and sat down on the bloodstained sofa, tiredly pouring herself a glass of water.
Her temples were still throbbing, but she quietly began to think.
Perhaps humans are adaptable creatures. In just one night, she went from facing a great calamity to a narrow escape, and now she had bypassed the panic and confusion stage, forcing herself into a new role.
The system marveled: [Your mentality far exceeds that of ordinary humans. But don't you want to prepay?]
After a long while, Shang Jingyan finally said: [No need.]
What she said wasn't a lie; she did have a plan to make money.
According to the original body's memories, with the popularity of artistic works in this interstellar world, making her first bucket of money wouldn't be that hard.
The "Dreamweaver" that Cui Jie had mentioned was a comprehensive job title in this world for creators—people who forged beautiful dreams, creating movies, TV shows, novels, games, variety shows, and other types of art. These people were known as Dreamweavers.
Coincidentally, before she transmigrated, Shang Jingyan had been a director known for producing countless popular films and TV shows.
The original body's biggest dream was to become a Dreamweaver, one of the most respected professions in the entire universe, not only because this was an entertainment-dominated era but also because the "dreams" created by Dreamweavers were truly the "spiritual medicine" for people.
This world had a condition called "Spiritual Void Syndrome," where those afflicted needed mental stimulation to survive; without it, they would gradually turn into zombies.
"Spirit" here wasn't just a concept, but a real "field" or "force," the greatest new ability humans developed in the previous star calendar.
Dreamweavers created works that were essentially using spiritual power to heal the masses.
[Would you like to accept the task?]
Without hesitation, Shang Jingyan selected [Yes].
[[First task] started, current progress: 0%; current heart value: -100.]
[Countdown: 30 days.]
The system was somewhat surprised: [Host, according to my manual, 80% of hosts would choose to observe for a while and adapt to the plane first.]
It didn't say the rest—especially considering your current condition.
[There's no time. I've decided to resolve all problems at once.]
Shang Jingyan referred to the debt collectors in the real world, and she awkwardly opened the light brain on her wrist.
One of the ways to log into the Interstellar Network was through "mental linking." She followed the memories to log in, and a vast array of images appeared in front of her instantly.
The scene that appeared before her was like an endless sea of data, a vast world full of flashing digital images and complex information. Shang Jingyan was momentarily overwhelmed but quickly adjusted, forcing her mind to focus. Her mental energy hummed as she navigated through the vast interface.
[You are now logged into the Interstellar Network.]
The moment she entered, her head ached, not from the pain, but from the sheer volume of data flooding her senses. Her surroundings shimmered with holographic projections of countless digital icons, advertisements, and various art forms from across the universe. All of this was the result of the most advanced mental projection technology.
Shang Jingyan had no time to admire the technology. With her focus firmly on the task at hand, she quickly located a segment about "Dreamweaver" and its marketplace.
The world she had entered was all about artistic creation, specifically in the form of media, which included films, series, games, and variety shows. The public's demand for these forms of art was immense. Every individual's mental well-being depended on such content for their spiritual nourishment, thus allowing Dreamweavers to thrive.
The data on the system's interface was filled with an overwhelming array of potential opportunities for someone in her position. As a former director, Shang Jingyan recognized many familiar faces within the industry, but everything had a twist. Here, everything was ranked by "heart value," an intriguing system where the success of creation was measured by the viewers' physical and emotional responses—heart rate, adrenaline levels, and even hormonal surges. The more intense the reaction, the higher the heart value.
She mentally noted the possibilities. The first task was to collect heart value and to do so, she needed to create something that would get people to react emotionally. But the rules were tricky. The more intense the reaction, the higher the rewards, and she had only 30 days to meet her goal.
[Current mission: Collect 10 heart value points within 30 days.]
Shang Jingyan quickly scanned the options in front of her. She could create art, film, or games, but the key was the emotional depth—she needed to produce something that would stir intense feelings. It was a challenge, especially given her current state. She was injured, confused, and trapped in a new world.
But this wasn't her first challenge. She'd been a director before, and she'd dealt with immense pressure before. This time, however, the stakes were different.
She could almost hear the system's voice again as if it were reminding her of the urgency: [Your current heart value is -100. Start collecting heart value to balance your standing.]
The idea of collecting 10 heart value points seemed simple, but with her current situation—injured, confused, and facing hostile creditors—it wasn't going to be easy. However, Shang Jingyan wasn't one to back down from a challenge. She was a creative genius, and she knew exactly where to start.
She navigated the system's interface, searching for the quickest route to financial stability. Movies, TV shows, variety shows—they all had potential. But she needed something that would make a big impact quickly.
The first step was clear: she needed to create something that would catch attention, something that would make people feel the way she needed them to—intense emotions. And in this world, the key to that was the thrill of love, with the added twist of fear. Love stories with unexpected elements. Heart-pounding situations. That's where the money was.
But for now, she had to deal with the immediate problem at hand—the debt.
Shang Jingyan leaned back on the sofa, taking a deep breath.
Her mind raced as she formulated a plan. The debt collectors wouldn't let up, and she couldn't afford to let them disrupt her progress. She needed time—and she would get it, no matter the cost.
Shang Jingyan: "I have to start somewhere. I'll make it work."