Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Before the start of an NBA game for the Philadelphia 76ers, a little blonde girl stood proudly at center court, belting out the national anthem.
Her young, tender voice carried the stirring lyrics of the song, moving everyone in the arena in a way they couldn't quite explain.
> "What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?"
> What is it that makes us so proud, cheering in the last light of dusk?
>
> "Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight?"
> Whose flag held high through a night of fire and cannon?
Most people in the crowd might not know the song The Star-Spangled Banner by heart, but the spirit of pressing forward through fire and chaos—it resonated deeply with everyone.
After finishing her performance flawlessly, young Taylor Swift stepped off the stage, her gaze instantly caught by something playing on the giant screen above the court.
It was an ad insert—a short commercial shown both on live TV and in the arena.
The ad was promoting a lesser-known film that had just hit theaters—something called Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Normally, Taylor didn't pay much attention to commercials, but this one was… different. Mysterious. Beautiful. It had that strange, almost magical Eastern vibe that fascinated her.
On the screen, a gorge covered in crimson autumn leaves set the scene. Standing beside a flowing stream was a young tall, proud, and strikingly handsome.
Clang!
With a clear metallic sound, he drew his sword and began a dazzling sword dance.
Thrust, flick, slash, parry, sweep, guard…
Each move flowed like water, graceful yet sharp, his sword flashing with cold light. The boy's movements were deadly but mesmerizing—a blend of danger and beauty that no one could look away from.
The camera zoomed in. His sword-like brows and star-bright eyes gave him the face of a hero—yet his expression carried confusion, even sorrow.
The dance grew faster, more intense, like a storm gathering power.
"I have a sword that cuts down all injustice in the world!"
But at the height of his performance, he suddenly stopped—and threw his sword into the water.
The jade-green blade arced through the air, landing in the pool below with a soft splash, disappearing without a trace.
The young man stood there, back turned, silent and solitary—a figure of loneliness and longing.
Two lines of text appeared on the screen:
> "My sword can cut through all things in the world—except the attachments in my heart."
>
> "Only by letting go can one truly gain."
Then came the movie title: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, along with its release info.
The swordsman in the commercial was Luke.
This promo video was Luke idea, directed by Ang Lee and filmed as part of Luke plan to boost the movie's box office numbers.
At first, Luke had no clue how to help. As a rookie actor with few resources, what could he possibly do?
But then he remembered the movie Hero, which would come out two years later and gross over $54 million in North America—second only to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon among -language films.
That gave him an idea.
Following the same visual style that made Hero so powerful, Luke crafted this stunning short promo. The vibrant red of the maple leaves and the deep green of the gorge set the perfect visual tone, while his white outfit and fluid sword dance blended seamlessly into the scenery.
This wasn't just beautiful choreography—it was true swordsmanship, honed to perfection.
In fact, the sword dance had been gifted to him by his mysterious "system," equivalent to the skill of a master who'd trained for over thirty years.
No one else could have pulled it off.
When the ad premiered at the game, the reaction was overwhelming.
For thirty seconds, the crowd sat frozen, mesmerized—including Taylor. No one wanted to look away.
Then the arena erupted with chatter:
> "Oh my God, what did I just watch? That was incredible!"
>
> "That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"
>
> "Why was it so short? I want more!"
>
> "Play it again! I blinked and missed part of it!"
If Luke had been there, he probably would've smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, the marketing budget only covered one playthrough."
But minutes later, the screen lit up again—the station replayed the ad twice more!
Turns out, the TV network's phone lines had been flooded with calls from viewers demanding to see it again and asking where they could watch the movie.
And TV stations aren't dumb—if something brings in this much audience interest, replaying it helps their ratings too.
So, win-win.
Back in the arena, young Taylor Swift was completely captivated. She watched it two more times, eyes sparkling.
> "That guy's so cool! I'm officially his fan now. If I ever meet him, I'm getting his autograph!"
>
> "I'm going to the theater to see this movie. Where's it playing? I'm calling right now!"
And she wasn't the only one. Calls started pouring into local theaters all across the country, asking about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon showtimes.
The buzz spread fast—word of mouth drove theater chains to add more screenings, ticket sales soared, and momentum built upon itself.
By the second week, over 500 theaters across North America were showing the film, with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon taking up 20% of total screenings—far beyond its original 31-theater launch.
…
Meanwhile, back in New York, Luke had just returned home when his phone rang.
"Kid, you really pulled it off!" Director Ang Lee's voice was full of excitement. "That promo blew the film's popularity through the roof! Do you know how many theaters are contacting me to increase screenings?"
"Haha, it's all because your movie's so good, Director. I just helped a little."
"Don't be modest! I saw how bad things were before—you saved us. When we settle the box office later, I'm giving you a huge bonus!"
After hanging up, Luke could only smile helplessly.
He felt guilty taking the credit. Even without him, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon would've found success through its own brilliance.
But fate had played its hand—and now Ang Lee thought half the credit belonged to him.
And what could he say? He couldn't exactly tell him he was a time traveler.
Before he could dwell on it further, golden text from his system appeared before his eyes:
> [Mission Complete: North American box office for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon increased by $40 million.]
Originally, the film had grossed $128 million in North America, ranking 12th for the year.
Now, thanks to Luke promo, the projected total had jumped to $168 million, putting it in the top 10, at number 7.
For the first time, Luke felt the weight and thrill of changing history with his own hands.
> [Reward: +2 Attribute Points.]