Chu Xiao transmigrates into the body of a useless male bug with only E-rank mental power. In a world where male bugs average C-rank mental power, Chu Xiao is practically half-paralyzed.
Fine. He doesn't know how to use mental power anyway, so he might as well be paralyzed.
There's just one problem: a dating show crew calling itself "Male Bug Lovers" is outside his door, ready to take him to film the show. They seem to be afraid he'll run away, because they've surrounded his home on all sides. The smart robot gives him a -99.99% chance of escape.
Worst of all, the dating show's director gives him a note: an IOU for the "advance prize money" his predecessor borrowed from the production crew. Seeing the astronomical figure of 20 million, Chu Xiao nearly passes out. He'd rather die all over again.
Fortunately, there's still a way out. If he successfully completes the three-month filming schedule, his debt will be wiped clean, and he'll get an extra 30 million in prize money.
Who'd turn down money? It's just a dating show: have a meal, go on a date, watch a movie. He'd seen a few dating shows back on Blue Star, so that's what Chu Xiao thought before he met the other contestants...
As for what happened after that...
*
"'Male Bug Lovers' is looking for high-quality single female bugs. Everyone is welcome to apply. It will launch as a livestream on March 1, 4024???"
"Did the people behind this lose their minds?"
"Male bugs on a dating show? Is this a new joke to boost the birth rate?"
"Did they copy the popular dating show next door? Almost every high-quality male bug is already taken. Even if they weren't, I've never seen a male bug who needed a show to find a partner!"
Then the production crew released basic profiles of some of the male bugs.
Chu Xiao. E-rank male bug.
"An E-rank male bug? Never mind, then."
"An E-rank male bug? Never mind, then."
The bug netizens quickly flooded the comments, then soon forgot all about the show. Little did they know that in the future, countless netizens would spend a fortune just to see a male bug on the show, and regret night after night that they hadn't applied back then!!!
*
To promote harmony and goodwill between male and female bugs, the Alliance decided to create a model official tutorial. But the dry instructional videos got far too few views, and weren't easy to spread.
So they made a major decision: apply to the Main Brain to imitate the humanoid planets next door, and use the trappings of romance to create a standard, perfect dating tutorial.
They also had geniuses the humanoids could only dream of.
The Alliance's finest military male, its top female scientist, an entertainment industry's mecha battle god, and a nutritional-supplement business magnate.
They did run into a few issues that weren't really issues.
The ratio of male to female bugs was severely imbalanced, and finding a high-quality male bug who was easy to manage seemed... well... actually rather difficult.
Until the Main Brain recommended a male bug to them.
Chu Xiao, 26.
No parents (no powerful connections)
E-rank mental power (no strength)
A gambling habit (easy to control)
But they never imagined that their usually unapproachable, male-bug-hating emperor would come down to compete for him, too!
"Chu Xiao, the plan's changed. Say yes to him! Say yes, now!" Chu Xiao acted as if he hadn't heard the private message in his earpiece. Looking at the beautiful young man before him, he said, "I don't like people who are better-looking than me."
Unaware of the turbulent emotions in the man's eyes, Chu Xiao thought to himself that he wasn't fooled by the fine print in the contract: [You must not accept a confession from any contestant on the dating show, or your 30 million prize money will be forfeited.]
When it came to love versus money, Chu Xiao, just like the goofy internet user he'd been in his previous life, naturally chose the latter.
Reading notes:
1. The blurb has been revised.
2. More notes if I think of any.
Theme: Leave the past behind, embrace the future, and love yourself well
