Ji Bai was a contracted writer for a literary website. He had the face of a gloomy beauty, but his writing and plots were both third-rate. His editor didn't care about him, his readers didn't love him, and every day he teetered between starving to death and dying from overwork.
One night, as he was writing after a sudden burst of inspiration, Ji Bai woke up to find himself thrown into a bizarre survival competition variety show.
His teammates and opponents were all wielding obviously badass-plus laser swords and quantum guns, fighting back and forth. Meanwhile, he had a pen, a pair of briefs, and a thermos, and could only stare at the sky in silence.
"Hello, dear user! Welcome to the Make-It-Up-As-You-Go System 1.0. Your character abilities have been activated. Your goal is to debut in the center position!"
Ji Bai, a true shut-in who couldn't hurt a fly: Debut in the center position? You mean you're trying to make me die in the center of the funeral procession.
/
Two months after joining the show, Ji Bai, who had initially gone unnoticed, skyrocketed in popularity thanks to his ability to write things into existence, even when his outlines made no logical sense.
Almost everyone in the survival show knew there was a gloomy-looking beauty who had zero hand-to-hand combat skills, yet could always pull strange weapons out of nowhere.
His long-suffering teammates and opponents: Sure, but being able to create things out of thin air just by writing down a bunch of bizarre settings is ridiculous.
For example, a textbook on Marxist principles that could keep ghosts away if you shouted, "Historical materialism is the one true god!"
Or a tank that looked like a rice cooker but was actually an armored vehicle complete with a restaurant and a bathhouse.
"Everyone up ahead, you're already surrounded by me alone! Put your hands on your heads and get down on the ground!" Ji Bai drove the rice-cooker tank, showering sparks and lightning, and spoke through a megaphone. "Surrender now. Don't put up a pointless fight."
"Otherwise, I'll write your names with an X between them, then write an eight-hundred-word bedroom scene and make you have a great time right here."
/
After leaving the survival show, Ji Bai became an overnight sensation, and a string of wealthy patrons came to commission custom writing from him.
The big shot who had saved his sorry hide several times during the show slapped down a pile of top-quality star diamonds and said he wanted a bedroom scene commissioned.
Ji Bai immediately picked up his pen, excited. "Boss, just tell me what you want me to write."
"You and me," the big shot said succinctly, staring at him.
"Make up the plot yourself. I like it intense."
Ji Bai: ???
[I was deeply grateful to the big shot, but the big shot wanted my body]
Theme: Persevere and never give up.