Chapter 6 – The Man Who Shouldn't Exist
The aftermath of the near-fatal slip on the cliffside was chaotic: yelling producers, apologetic security staff, and shivering contestants huddled together for warmth.
But through it all, Xiao Xi couldn't stop glancing at the man she had just saved. Under the dim, utilitarian glare of the emergency lights brought in by the crew, Gu Yanzhou's presence was unmistakable. He was a force of nature—calm, composed, utterly too sharp and commanding to be part of the frantic scenery.
He looked like an expensive, custom-made knife left in a pile of rusted spoons.
She knew his profile intimately from her old life and from the novel's prelude. The great CEO, the corporate titan whose sudden, untimely death was meant to be the tragic, market-shaking catalyst for the main story.
He was a foundational piece of the world-building, a ghost whose empire was carved up to fuel the antagonist's initial rise.
But he wasn't a ghost.
He was here, alive, very much real, and watching her with the same wary, intelligent curiosity that mirrored her own shock.
He transmigrated too, the impossible realization struck her with the force of physical impact.
Or he's been reborn, just like I was.
The implications were staggering. If a Prime Variable like Gu Yanzhou could defy the novel's script, then the entire, predictable structure of her survival plan was obsolete.
The story she thought she knew was no longer reliable; it was a rough draft, easily amended by two powerful, conscious players.
Gu Yanzhou broke the silence between them. His voice was low, resonant, and firm, cutting through the surrounding noise with effortless authority.
"Are you hurt?"
Xiao Xi quickly performed a physical inventory. Her muscles ached, her palms were scraped raw from gripping his mud-slicked gear, and she was soaked to the bone, but nothing was broken.
"No, I'm fine," she replied, her voice steady despite her racing heart, brushing a handful of thick, cold mud from her sleeves.
"Good."
He scrutinized her face for a long moment, those deep-set eyes searching for a crack in her composure.
Then, his expression softened subtly—the slightest flicker of acknowledgment.
"Thank you for earlier. That was… an impressive reaction time."
The System, which had been silent, rewarded the exchange:
[System Notification: +100 Luck Points from Positive Public Impression (High-Value Target).]
[Current Luck: +70.]
A genuine, reflexive smile touched her lips.
"You're welcome."
The System confirmed her suspicion: interacting with a "Prime Variable," especially in a life-saving capacity, was a massive influx of Luck.
This man, dead in the original plot, was now a walking, breathing Luck goldmine.
As the storm finally began to clear, giving way to the cold, pristine clarity of the late-night sky, Xiao Xi's thoughts didn't settle. She watched as Gu Yanzhou efficiently took command of the disoriented production crew, issuing succinct orders to ensure everyone else's safety and medical needs were met—a natural leader even in crisis. He wasn't acting like a contestant; he was acting like the owner of the entire mountain.
She realized her assumption about her role—survive by hiding and stealing luck from the female lead—was too narrow.
With Gu Yanzhou in the picture, the playing field was now two-dimensional.
The old plot focused on the entertainment industry's petty squabbles; the new reality involved a reborn corporate giant who could buy and sell the entire industry on a whim.
If Gu Yanzhou had been reborn with his memories intact, he was currently dismantling the forces that had ruined him.
And if he was looking for allies or strategic partners in his new game, a washed-up actress with uncanny foresight might be surprisingly useful.
She felt a thrill of true danger, but also profound excitement. The unknown path was dangerous, but infinitely more interesting than the predetermined doom she had avoided.
The only true threat now wasn't the plot's antagonist, but the unpredictability of two highly-motivated, time-traveling strategists crossing paths.
I need to know his goal, she thought, watching him dismiss a frantic producer with a single, icy gesture.
And I need to make sure his path benefits mine, not crushes it.
The fact that Gu Yanzhou was alive meant that anyone could be the next surprise threat—or the next unexpected ally. The game had just shifted from chess to three-dimensional Go.
Xiao Xi needed to prepare for total warfare. She needed to leverage the only asset she truly controlled: the narrative.