Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 407 is bugged, guys.

Before its premiere, "Magic Talent Show" didn't actually attract much attention, even with a well-known figure like Zhai Da leading the show.
There are many people in this world more famous than Zhai Da.

Jackie Chan also makes bad movies.

In particular, the program was originally intended to be a strong advertisement, with the exposure of Hongtu OS and ZTE mobile phones second only to the TV station's logo. It was only four episodes long, and even though Xinglang had done a long online promotion, it was only "somewhat famous" before it finally aired.

However, its production model was far ahead of its time and completely novel; viewers had never seen anything like it on television before.

Outdoor reality shows are still in their infancy even in South Korea, and their format is far behind that of "Magic Talent Show".

On the day of the broadcast, the TV station quickly sensed the difference in the ratings. Although the initial broadcast data was not amazing, the retention rate was extremely high, only rising and never falling, and most of those who came in did not leave.

So that very night, a terrible TV series was squeezed out of the midnight slot and rebroadcast that same day, which surprisingly achieved impressive ratings.

So, following the local TV station's ancestral rule: if there are ratings, rebroadcast it to death!

They began a massive bombing raid.

Before the second episode begins next week, more than a dozen rebroadcasts have been arranged, including some of our own satellite channels.

On average, Dilraba is stabbed by Zhai Da with a sword more than three times a day in front of the camera.

The production team that received the actual data immediately made a phone call to report the situation and express their gratitude.

"Teacher Zhai, the show is a huge hit! The show is a sensation!"

"Mmm, okay, okay, you're great!"

Inside a laboratory at the research institute, Zhai Da operated the equipment while giving perfunctory responses.

Today, this small achievement is no longer enough to move him, since people's threshold for pleasure keeps rising.

"I estimate that the ratings for the second episode will see a qualitative leap, and I can't even imagine what will happen after that!"

Everyone was already familiar with each other along the way, so Zhai Da bluntly said, "What are you thinking? There are only four episodes in total."

Production Team Director:
Well, that makes sense. If there were 12 episodes, it would probably create a nationwide craze.

However, they ultimately left a milestone in the history of variety shows.

"Mr. Zhai, the TV station leaders have already approached us to discuss the second season, and this time the budget will be doubled."

"Feel sorry."

"Uh, I haven't said it yet."

Zhai Da felt it was a bit of a nuisance, but he patiently didn't hang up. He simply used telekinesis to make the phone float next to his ear.

"I might pick up this IP again in the future, but it's impossible in the short term. However, as I told you before, you can use the format and methods as you like. I think you can produce better programs. You don't have to focus on 'Magic Talent Show,' as the subject matter is too limited."

Yes, although Zhai Da didn't earn any of the revenue from "Magic Talent Show" (nor did he spend any of it), he told ZTE and Xinglang when the project was initiated that it would be a personal IP program, since his name was on it.

Although the production team deserves the most credit for the creation of the entire program, from a legal and commercial perspective, they were merely acting on behalf of someone who was paid to do something.

In other words, no one can film a second season without Zhai Da's approval.

In the following months, he would devote himself entirely to silicon carbide and his undergraduate graduation, and would have no time at all.

Perhaps in a few years, or after he has figured out the second ability of the "Miracle Believer," then we can talk about it.

The production team director felt terrible, but he understood Mr. Zhai's thoughts.

Producing TV shows is their main job, but for Zhai Da, it's just a side job. It's already quite remarkable that someone like him, a tech upstart, business genius, and well-known writer, could complete the filming process with such dedication.

Can they really keep filming like celebrities?

This is why no one in Starwave has brought up the idea of ​​a "second season," because they know it's impossible.

The "grand plan" that has only just surfaced is already close to becoming a business behemoth; there won't be another opportunity like this.

Zhai Da comforted him, saying, "Keep your original team in check, come up with a better idea, and you can still make a better program. Feel free to call me and discuss any creative ideas you have. I can offer some intellectual support."

"Maybe the Mechanical Core Research Institute can sponsor us sometime in the future; we need to advertise too, you know~"

The production team director could only regretfully give up trying to persuade them, or perhaps they were just taking a chance anyway.

Just as Zhai Da said, if the original cast stays, it won't be difficult to produce good programs again. After all, mobile phone manufacturers and internet companies are now doing crazy marketing, and there are quite a few people waving money around in the market.

All of this is closely related to General Manager Zhai. Maintaining a good relationship is enough; to insist on persuading him further would be shameless. After hanging up the phone, Zhai Da continued to focus on his work.

For a moment, the only sound in the laboratory was the scraping of metal.

Today he is not advancing the silicon carbide project, but "modifying" equipment, with the [Retro Workbench] in its unfolded form in front of him.

Inside are roller skates that have been disassembled beyond recognition by their own mother – skates that are impossible to catch up with.

He unearthed this somewhat magical but impractical white piece of equipment, which stemmed from a recent creative idea he developed for psychodynamic training.

About half an hour later, Zhai Da took something out of the workbench area, and the familiar modification judgment also arrived late.

"The 'Unbeatable Roller Skates' have been modified; in process of verification."

"Integrity assessment. Functional assessment. Conceptual assessment."

"Judgment complete. Equipment name updated to [Time-Slowing Cube (Fake)]: You've only changed its form; it's still an illusion, a fake."

Ownership: Owned, activated.

"Equipment effect: When using this item, you will experience the illusion of time slowing down when you are about to overtake the first place or fall down."

"Note: To be honest, the coolness of his name is only reflected in his appearance."

At this moment, Zhai Da was holding a metal cube about ten centimeters in size.

Its surface has a lot of metallic patterns, as if it is welded together from "iron bars", and it can be twisted.

Something very unique.

The earliest roller skates that were impossible to catch up with were the most primitive "strap-on" type, consisting of only a metal frame and axles, along with incomplete wheels.

This time, Zhai Da disassembled all the metal parts, cut them into iron bars of different sizes, and then reassembled them. He also modified the axles into Rubik's Cube axles. The only thing that was difficult to deal with was the "wheels." Fortunately, there were only three original wheels in total, and the rest were replacements that Zhai Da melted down to use as filler weights.

A new, robust, larger, and heavier tool far exceeding the weight of a regular Rubik's Cube was born.

Zhai Da held the [Slow Time Rubik's Cube (Fake)] in one hand and tried to push and twist it with one hand.

It can't be pushed.
Fortunately, he had many hands; with a thought, the Rubik's Cube began to rotate out of thin air.

The Rubik's Cube has no color to distinguish the different faces; it is entirely metallic. However, because it is made of metal strips, it has its own set of "original patterns," but these are far less intuitive than colors, and probably few people can observe the patterns.

Of course, the system only says it takes effect when used, it doesn't say you have to spell it out.
The overall style is a combination of "wasteland punk" and "Cybertronian style," and it must be said:

The improved appearance brought about by the renovation is also a great joy. Those old, tacky roller skates used to make stray dogs chase them for two blocks longer than others when they went out.

Zhai Da held the Rubik's Cube, liking it no matter how he looked at it. Whether it was fake or not didn't matter, since he had never seen a real one anyway.

Then, they tried it out on the spot.

He held the Rubik's Cube loosely in both hands, slowly and casually turning it as if he had no purpose at all, before falling backward.

When the angle exceeds 70°, and the center of gravity shifts and falling becomes inevitable, a familiar feeling appears: Zhai Da's vision and consciousness simultaneously perceive "slow motion".

It has been tested many times before. The actual ratio of sensory slow motion is 1:10, but his body and mind will also slow down in sync.

Comparatively, thinking is less affected, so in an emergency, there is much more time to think and feel.

If you're actually rollerblading, you'll probably just watch yourself fall and get hurt, which is why it's only "white" in rarity and is often mocked by the system.

But now, a miraculous thing has happened.

Zhai Da did not fall to the ground, but was lifted up by a force, as if he were lying on an invisible chair of air.

In this strange and wonderful posture, he stabilized his body.

But his "slow-motion" hallucinations did not stop.

Zhai Da smiled slightly, although in his own perception, his smile was very, very slow, so slow that his brain no longer wanted to smile, and the corners of his mouth had not yet reached the target position.

When he stopped spinning the Rubik's Cube, the slow-motion effect instantly disappeared.
Zhai Da's delayed smile finally reached the corners of his mouth, but because his brain and muscles didn't match up, it looked a bit strange.

We've encountered a bug, guys.

(End of this chapter)