Chapter 1

The Daxia Empire has stood for over a century, with the founding emperors, Taizu and Taizong, setting exemplary standards of virtue and prudence. The current emperor, Emperor Kangde, has taken the concept of prioritizing the people, followed by the state, and then the ruler, to its extreme. His crackdown on corrupt officials and incompetent bureaucrats is arguably the most severe in the five thousand years of Chinese history.

An increasing number of Daxia scientists are making their mark on the international stage. The country's gross national product once surpassed that of South Korea and Japan, making it the first in Asia and the second in the world. On the surface, the Daxia Empire appears to be thriving, with a peaceful and prosperous nation. However, due to its large population, the living standards of its citizens still lag behind those of first-tier European and American countries by about two to three decades.

In the heart of the southwestern border of the Daxia Empire, in the central region of Sarankang Province, stands a massive city—Go City. Go City, second in size only to the provincial capital, Ya City, has a population exceeding 8 million.

However, despite its size, Go City's economy is not very developed. With few mineral resources, there is no significant industrial base. The large population means that even a thriving agricultural sector can only barely meet the city's needs. Due to the hilly terrain in the east, many farmers have switched from growing food crops to cash crops, primarily sugarcane, which has created a local specialty—sugar. However, after several years of market competition, the sugar factories, lacking funds and reform-mindedness, are struggling and face the risk of bankruptcy.

Despite its resource scarcity and economic downturn, Go City has an advantage in its location at the confluence of three rivers in Sarankang Province. Surrounded by mountains and water, the city has a long history and rich cultural and tourism resources. The tourism industry almost supports half of Go City's economy.

Since the rise of the real-life film industry, the densely populated Sarankang Province has become the most enthusiastic province in the Daxia Empire to engage in the film industry. Go City, with its large number of idle people, has become a standout in the province. The citizens, who were previously just getting by, have found a new livelihood in the film industry, creating a rare phenomenon in Daxia where an entire city acts as extras.

Apart from the professionals in the entertainment industry, bankrupt farmers, laid-off workers, retired soldiers, destitute artisans, and street loafers, as well as beggars, all those who have a glimmer of hope to change their fate have actively become extras. Film and television companies have flooded the new development zones of Go City, recruiting extras like collecting garbage, and then dismissing the less competent ones just as easily, such as the following individual:

Lin Nianxiu was in a very good mood today. His son and chief protégé, Lin Feng, had just finished his role in "The Great Wulin" and had lived up to expectations by using his superior subconscious to kill one of the script's key supporting characters (a popular young actor from the Continental Shelf Company), Chen Anhe. Lin Feng's popularity surged by over 200,000 in just two days, making him a dark horse among the many extras in "The Great Wulin."

"Lay off, lay off, lay off, hahaha!"

Lin Nianxiu, holding the report in his hand, danced around and roared at the administrative secretary, Xiao Zhang. The Golden Hundred Flowers Studio had floated and sunk in the Daxia film industry for thirteen years, maintaining a staff of over 3,000 extras, barely keeping the business afloat. Thirteen years—how many such periods does a person have in their life? If it were anyone else, they would have sold the company long ago and returned home to buy a few acres of land to live a simple life.

Lin Nianxiu's persistence paid off. Lin Feng's sudden rise brought tears to his eyes. He never expected that this illegitimate son would have such a powerful subconscious, combined with his good looks, making him a potential heartthrob for thousands of young girls. Lin Nianxiu felt that spring had arrived, and the Golden Hundred Flowers had a chance to rise again.

Invitations for advertisements, endorsements, and performances flooded in like mosquitoes drawn to blood. The gossip power of Daxia Media surged towards the Golden Hundred Flowers like the Yellow River breaking its banks. Lin Nianxiu was elated every time he answered a call. After thirteen harsh winters, the Golden Hundred Flowers was not going to die in silence but to burst forth.

He picked up a pen and marked the top ten most popular actors on the report, then marked the relatives of several small leaders, his own relatives, and their relatives, and handed the report to Xiao Zhang, saying:

"Here, notify the others to collect their severance packages."

(You have a new message.)

Zhang Huen put down his chopsticks, patted his daughter's head as she watched cartoons, and said to his parents, "I'm full," before returning to the bedroom. A minute later, he came out wearing a coat.

"Ahu, where are you going?"

"Company notified me to work overtime."

"Oh, come back early and be careful on the way!"

"Daddy, come back early."

Hearing his daughter's sweet voice, Zhang Huen forced a smile and said goodbye to her. He pulled the security door shut and, feeling heavy-headed, supported himself on the railing as he walked down from the fifth floor. He was unemployed again, though he had expected it, he still felt a sense of reluctance.

Was he not trying hard enough? No, since joining "The Great Wulin," he had been working hard to play his role as an extra. The rest of the time, he spent on long-distance running and physical training, but acting is not something that can be mastered through effort alone. Most importantly, his subconscious was too weak, making him a submissive citizen.

Since the emergence of the new film technology—real-life films—thirteen years ago, the subconscious has become the sole criterion for determining an actor's fate. All actors connected to the film through brain waves lose their real-world consciousness, meaning that in the film, they do not know they are acting but live out another life according to the script's initial setup through their subconscious.

Because of this problematic subconscious, many once-popular stars have fallen from grace.

Yi Fangda, known for his portrayal of perfect characters in ordinary films, was so frightened by the massive battle scenes in the first real-life film, "Hero's Blood," that he wet his pants. Despite the production team giving him numerous buffs and sending countless loyal extras to protect him, even with the company's CEO personally cheering him on, Yi Fangda still died like a frightened chicken, trampled to death by the enemy, becoming the first main character to be eliminated in the film. This marked the beginning of a significant downturn in the Daxia film industry.

He Fan, who had always portrayed loyal, family-oriented, principled, and responsible characters in ordinary films, turned into a wolf in the real-life film "White-Collar Beauty," using his position as the company's CEO to engage in numerous affairs, almost sleeping with all the beautiful women in the office. A promising youth inspiration film was turned into a scandalous drama, drawing criticism from fans and causing a mass exodus of his supporters. His personal blog became a public toilet, and after the film's release, he was fired by the company, becoming another symbol of the real-life film industry's brutal impact.

Yuan Yuanyuan, a popular actress suspected of being heavily promoted by the "Daxia's Top Screenwriter" Yu Mama, performed poorly in the real-life TV series "Goddess Battle." Her exaggerated and awkward expressions, her inability to perform key moves, and her frequent scenes of being beaten and humiliated left even Yu Mama admitting, "Beautiful, but with a poor subconscious. Alas, she can only return to ordinary TV series."

Since the advent of real-life films, a revolution has begun in the film industry. Ordinary films, which initially tried to compete with real-life films through low prices, lively atmospheres, and comfortable environments, were completely defeated after three film wars. Many cinemas have closed or changed industries, leaving ordinary films as collectibles in the hands of collectors.

Television, like a mistress, quickly switched sides. Real-life TV series have gradually replaced ordinary TV series, becoming the mainstay of Daxia's afternoon serials, prime-time slots, late-night shows, and soap operas.

It must be said that people are selfish and enjoy seeing others' private lives and embarrassing moments. Many people often say, "Looks good on the outside, but inside, it's just a pile of stinky dog shit." The ugly performances of former stars in real-life films have become the best source of entertainment for the masses, satisfying their desire for schadenfreude.

Within three years, former stars have lost all the dignity of the word "star." The public has renamed them "mingxing" (bright apes), and their fans have called themselves "monkey chasers," following them to see their embarrassing moments, making real-life films a dangerous and treacherous field for these former stars.

Those with other options have transitioned to other careers, such as singing or dancing, or becoming hosts of entertainment shows. If they lack talent, they can always become salespeople in Daxia Shopping, selling dubious products.

Those without other options have suffered. Those with good looks and physiques can still sell their bodies and souls, while comedians and clowns can perform in teahouses and rural entertainment venues to earn a living. Those who rose to fame through connections are even worse off; without money, they lose their connections and are forced to return home.

As major stars like Ji Fuqing, Du Ancheng, Wan Siyu, and Xiao Dengxuan fell one by one in various types of films, the production companies finally abandoned the stars of the old era and began to cultivate their own grassroots stars.

Some new actors with strong subconscious abilities have emerged in real-life films, and a new generation of stars has gradually taken over the mainstream media. As the saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of countless others." These new stars have risen on the backs of their predecessors.

Compared to these new stars, the lives of extras are far from ideal. Like their predecessors who ran around in Hengdian and the Beijing Film Studio, they are also expendable. However, they have the advantage of not lacking roles, and making a living is not too difficult.

There are many extras like Zhang Huen, especially as real-life films have become more international. Large-scale epic films seeking authenticity and diversity require actors from all over the world. The number of extras from Earth and its colonies has increased exponentially, reaching over 100 million in a decade.

With the promotion of the "Actor Massification and Mass Actorization" movement, the principle of no barriers to entering the acting profession has been recognized worldwide and in the colonies. Anyone, regardless of age, identity, or gender, can become an actor, except for those whose brain waves cannot function normally. Almost everyone is an actor.

For example, an old man with nothing to do can, if he wishes to act, spend a certain number of credit points at a public film performance bar (PFPB) to check the film schedule. If there is a suitable and unfilled role, he can apply to participate. Of course, the role will be an extra, and sometimes not even that, just a background figure in the film.

If he performs well at the PFPB and gains some attention, he may be recruited by studios like Golden Hundred Flowers or Continental Shelf, entering the professional film industry and climbing the ranks through constant competition and struggle, eventually becoming a shining new star, a comet, or a meteor in the film world.