I have a persona specifically for acting.

The gala is a battleground fiercely contested by TV stations.

Each station is gearing up to compete for ratings, preparing meticulously during the buildup, with a shining list of preview programs rolling by alongside the names of stars and celebrities, accompanied by lively and intense music, aiming to leave a memorable impression on viewers so they tune in at the right time.

Higher ratings mean that advertising slots can be sold at even higher prices.

Riding the tailwind of the recent airing of “Heartless Tribulation,” Tong Zhao is still the most impressive female star this season, and many people are looking forward to her appearance in historical costume. When the audience learned that she would attend the Li Zhi TV gala in traditional attire, many became interested and switched to Li Zhi TV, eager to relive the essence of the Mu Xian Chang.

Instead of seeing the proud plum blossom against the snowy mountains, they were greeted with a vibrant and blooming begonia.

The audience was immediately stunned.

Then, as soon as Tong Zhao started to sing, they could no longer bear to change the channel.

Her voice was genuinely enchanting; when she sang ancient-style love songs, it was especially captivating.

Tong Zhao resembled a beautiful courtesan used to singing melodious verses for the emperor, each syllable teasingly dancing like fingertips painted with rouge against the chest, leaving the audience feeling a delightful tingling sensation. Could viewers experience such imperial-level enjoyment on other channels?

No, it was unique—no one wanted to change the channel!

Many viewers watched the gala like this—constantly flipping channels, glancing at this show and that, until they became entranced by one program, while more often than not, no program could hold their attention. Aside from the segments featuring their idols, they merely skimmed through everything else, as if they had seen it all and yet had seen nothing at all.

However, with a single note and a charming smile, Tong Zhao captivated the attention of this group of fickle admirers.

[Help, this isn’t the Mu Xian Chang I wanted to see.]

[But it’s so engaging! Can that guy next to her just let her shine? Let my wife be the only beauty.]

[Don’t pull her down; their relationship is really good.]

[The immersion is strong; when Zhao Zhao smiles at me, I feel like I’m the emperor!]

As a result, the ratings for the Li Zhi TV gala skyrocketed.

It surged in a unique way, with particularly high retention rates during their duet.

The number of comments mentioning Tong Zhao far exceeded those for Song Wanzhuo, highlighting the stark contrast between the strong female lead and the weaker male counterpart, which was a bit lamentable.

This data couldn’t be hidden. When the gala supervisor at Li Zhi TV saw this—

Wow, Little Sister Zhao is definitely going to demand a higher price next year.

They should really pat themselves on the back for having the foresight to invite her this time; the only regret is not placing her in the prime time slot. It was aired too early; if it had been during peak viewing hours, she would have surely overshadowed the competition on other channels!

When analyzing the profits, the industry’s eyes became incredibly sharp. People began to murmur about how Tong Zhao is explosive in everything she does. Could she really be the so-called “Ziweixing” of the entertainment industry? After making a splash in a drama with a high-end supporting role, her movies keep getting hotter, and the variety show “Sea King Kill” has attracted significant attention. Now she’s taking the stage at the gala… great, she’s outshining everyone!

The benefits brought by Tong Zhao were too obvious.

A simple and brutal logic chain was deeply etched in the minds of the executives of various TV stations and brands—

The audience loves watching Tong Zhao, and Tong Zhao has a lot of buzz. Whatever she shoots becomes a hit—

No matter how much she charges, booking her is a guaranteed profit!

In the undercurrents, her worth has risen another level—

This status will hold until her next stumble.

The industry is now focused on the edited version of “One Life Survivor,” which will air tomorrow. Coincidentally, aside from needing to purchase viewing rights for the holographic version online, the exclusive broadcast rights for the traditional version belong to Li Zhi TV, indicating that the station has a good relationship with Tong Zhao.

Is this Tong Zhao achieving new heights in the variety show realm, or is it a repeat of a failure?

The backstage staff of “One Life Survivor” were moved to see her advertising their show at the gala and went wild, enthusiastically supporting her in their WeChat group.

What does it mean to be dedicated? This is what dedication looks like!

After the gala, during Tong Zhao’s short holiday, she lounged at home with nothing to do, flipping through scripts every day and watching with her other personalities, checking if there was something she wanted to perform, especially the female reporter. She had been awake for so long and hadn’t appeared yet.

Han Zhi: “Shu Yi is suitable for more nuanced, serious dramas, but they often get good reviews without box office success.”

The female reporter’s name is Shen Shu Yi.

The mission of the female reporter is to deliver three valuable news articles. The first is about the sentiments of a smaller nation caught between two warring superpowers, promoting anti-war sentiments. The second is about the East’s indiscriminate whaling and the need for environmental protection. The last one focuses on the female soldiers who have been overlooked in history during wartime, reporting on their sacrifices and struggles in defending the homeland, highlighting that their sacrifices are equally heroic and detailing the hardships faced during their campaigns.

This can be considered a more meaningful and profound world that Tong Zhao has experienced.

Female Reporter: “The film I made might not sell well; it’s too dark. Let Zhao Zhao develop further.”

She said softly.

At that time, Shu Yi submitted her first news article, which moved many people and contributed significantly to the systematic recognition of the two countries’ ceasefire. However, she inevitably fell into a depression, which worsened over time until she completed her mission, temporarily sealing away the memories of this world to recuperate.

The more she confronted the vast amounts of pain, the more she felt her own insignificance.

So sometimes she would forget her own name, becoming a tool for documenting the suffering of others.

Tong Zhao comforted her: “It’s okay; it’s not like you have to use box office sales to pay rent. Just relax and stay in my mind.”

Duan Ge: “Let’s take a look at other scripts.”

Just as she was flipping open the next one, Tong Zhao received a voice message from the Ze Shan WeChat group.

This group is incredible; every day there are tons of messages, half work and half fun. Tong Zhao was puzzled about how they managed to find the information they wanted from it. In any case, as long as it didn’t hinder their work, she let them be. Any important updates would be sent to her privately, and she would occasionally check in to see what they were chatting about, which usually revolved around eating, drinking, and having fun.

Sometimes Tong Zhao would doubt that this group gathered the most hedonistic people in the city.

What was this voice message about?

As soon as she clicked in, her friends noticed her profile picture had appeared and immediately cheerfully called out to her: “Sister Zhao, Boss Wei is organizing a movie screening! Are you coming?”

“A movie screening? What are we watching?” she asked, even more confused.

For this group of people, a movie screening was far too subdued.

Racing dirt bikes in an off-road vehicle park suited their style much better, especially if it could be done in a rainstorm during a typhoon, giving off that melodramatic feel reminiscent of “Thunderstorm.”

“‘One Life Survivor’ is airing tomorrow, right? Let’s watch it together!”

“……”

They seemed quite enthusiastic.

Tong Zhao: “Okay. Send me the address. Is it still at Wei’s place?”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“Sister Zhao has to come!”

“Does this count as a large figurine that can talk and walk…”

“Tonight, we’re all fans of Sister Zhao!”

The voice messages were particularly lively.

Though they said it would be at Wei’s, the address had changed.

Another second-generation girl said they wanted to have a barbecue by the beach this time, so they switched to a mansion under the Wei family that had a private beach.

This group of friends became Tong Zhao’s true companions after her return. No matter how childish their invitations were, as long as she could spare the time, she would attend. She promptly scheduled an appointment on her calendar; no other activity invitation mattered.

It was only when she was playing with them that Tong Zhao truly felt she was living among people.

The movie screening ultimately turned into a semi-swimwear party.

The men wore swim trunks and the women wore bikinis. Tong Zhao, following the local customs, wore a swimsuit, but she still had the most fabric on among the attendees.

From the front, she appeared in a snow-white lace-trimmed dress with a sheer camisole and a short skirt, while the back featured several straps tied into a bow. She looked ethereal and cute, perfectly matching her fresh and charming appearance.

This movie screening didn’t have any parents present. The second-generation crowd brought their girlfriends along, all of whom were little stars that Tong Zhao couldn’t name. When she nodded at them, they displayed expressions of being flattered and starstruck, which felt even more rewarding than receiving a kiss from a rich boyfriend.

Tong Zhao felt that her time in the industry wasn’t very long, but among her contemporaries and newcomers, she was seen as a star of destiny.

It was impossible to secretly ride her coattails.

If you offended Sister Zhao and this group of second-generation kids, you wouldn’t gain any popularity and would likely end up getting sidelined. A hard-won wealthy boyfriend might even ditch you.

So at least they could share some good fortune!

Then Tong Zhao noticed that there was a professional chef helping the young ladies and gentlemen with the barbecue. These beautiful girls personally grilled chicken wings and beef tongue and brought them to Tong Zhao. They also had the inside scoop that she would be coming today, so they prepared some small cakes in advance.

To be honest, the food was quite tasty…

The girls’ affection and kindness felt genuine; there were no malicious palace intrigue tricks involved.

Thanks to their enthusiasm, Tong Zhao’s mouth was constantly busy. She found it curious: “Why are you only grilling for me?”

Lu Shao was one of the second-generation kids, looking at his Sister Zhao with a pitiful expression.

The second-generation kids she associated with didn’t disrespect girls; even the small-time influencers who sought to benefit from their relationships were no different.

The young lady seemed a bit shy: “I have an audition next week and want to ride on Sister Zhao’s good luck.”

“Me too!”

“If it weren’t impolite, I would have wanted to bow to Sister Zhao.”

“…”

So, it turns out that these chicken wings and small cakes are offerings.

Tong Zhao found it amusing and took her hand, intertwining their fingers as she said, “Come on, I’ll share some good luck with you.”

Tong Zhao was joking, but the other girls clearly took it seriously. They eagerly wanted to hold her hand, and it wasn’t until all the girls had held her hand that it was over. After soaking up the good luck, they were taken away by their boyfriends to play beach volleyball. Tong Zhao didn’t want to get in the water, so she applied sunscreen and lay down under a sun umbrella, enjoying the food grilled by the beautiful young ladies.

Wei Zekai plopped down next to her, fuming, “They shouldn’t have brought their girlfriends!”

“I think they’re all pretty normal girls. Why didn’t I know you were misandrist?” Tong Zhao wondered.

“I’m not misandrist. Why would I be?!”

Wei Zekai raised an eyebrow in confusion, revealing his true thoughts: “They were surrounding you just now, and I couldn’t squeeze in.”

Tong Zhao turned over in her lounge chair and smiled at him: “Do you also want to ride on my good luck? No way; your luck is already one in a billion. Wanting even more good fortune would be greedy.”

“They grilled so much food for you; you must be full now. I was going to grill some for you too.”

It was clear that Young Master Wei had a distorted view of his own position.

Tong Zhao recalled Wei Zekai’s cooking skills during “Sea King Kill” and thought that being full wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. She chuckled and ruffled his gray hair. He had been so busy with venture capital that he hadn’t had time to play around, but he had still managed to get a stylish gray hairstyle, calling it “turning gray overnight for the company.” “I’m full, but you’re not, right?”

Wei Zekai replied, “I’m just filled with anger.”

Tong Zhao asked, “Then you can’t eat what I grilled?”

Wei Zekai smirked, “All of a sudden, I can.”

Young Master Wei’s principles were as fragile as paper, bending at the slightest breeze.

Tong Zhao got up from her lounge chair. She was too lazy to grill anything that took a long time, so she just tore open a bag of Rocky Mountain marshmallows, threaded them onto sticks, and slowly roasted them over the grill. She was a pro at roasting marshmallows, perfectly controlling the heat so that the inside melted into a gooey mess while the outside had a dry, sweet crust, reminiscent of a candy skin. It was easy to pinch with two fingers, giving the marshmallow a “striptease.”

Wei Zekai looked at her with disdain, “That looks really sweet.”

“Eat it or don’t.”

Tong Zhao pinched out a perfectly roasted marshmallow and shoved it into his mouth. He immediately opened up like a little sea lion being fed, obediently taking a bite.

The roasted marshmallow tasted even sweeter and was sticky. It quickly stuck to Young Master Wei’s mouth, who was usually full of talk and chatter.

The group playing volleyball on the beach turned to witness this scene, with a little influencer gasping and covering her face, “Is Wei Zekai really dating Sister Zhao? I won’t tell anyone! But it’s kind of sweet.” Her words were laced with envy.

Second Generation A: “Huh? Dating?”

Second Generation B: “Do you think they look like a couple?”

Just then, Tong Zhao finished roasting another stick of marshmallows to “refill” him.

Both the feeder and the fed were quite skilled, taking turns to eat one marshmallow at a time.

Second Generation C asked, “What should we call this? The joys of family?”

Second Generation D chimed in, “The Queen and her dog?”

The group of second-generation kids responded in unison, “Wow, that’s spot on!”

“…”

The pretty girls didn’t quite understand the thought processes of these second-generation kids.

After finishing their volleyball game, everyone took showers in the luxurious mansion and comfortably lounged in the screening room, munching on popcorn and enjoying their sugary drinks while waiting for the show to start. The opening featured a segment that gave off a strong cyber-game vibe, and many of the casual viewers drawn in by Tong Zhao were instantly confused:

[Is this an apocalypse movie? It doesn’t seem suitable for Tong Zhao.]

[Anyone who says it’s not suitable for Tong Zhao clearly hasn’t seen “Countdown 72 Hours.”]

[Friends from the Li Zhi TV gala, give me a thumbs up! I’m your organization!]

The comments flooded the screen, all asking about Tong Zhao.

She hadn’t even appeared yet, but her presence was already overwhelming.

Next, Tong Zhao made her entrance. The editing showcased a scene of her stepping out from crumbling ruins, her pale, well-defined legs hidden within military boots, which accentuated their elegant shape. The camera panned upwards, and some quick-thinking audience members turned off the comments to avoid being overwhelmed by a flood of compliments that would obscure Tong Zhao’s beauty.

She really looked stunning.

In the darkness, Tong Zhao felt many pairs of eyes turning to look at her: “What are you looking at? Watch the show!”

“It’s obvious that she looks beautiful on camera, but she’s even more stunning in person.” One of the internet celebrity girls spoke with a slightly downcast tone, but it was a heartfelt compliment.

How can anyone else live when she’s this beautiful?

She really does seem to come with a beauty filter built in.

Wei Zekai nodded in agreement, “Absolutely.”

“You’re all praising me like I’ve paid you to do so.”

Tong Zhao felt helpless as Wei Zekai leaned closer, and she lightly tapped his head.

The production team initially thought the popularity gained from the Li Zhi TV gala would be fleeting, especially since the contrast in her image was so stark. People were expecting a glamorous and enchanting queen, only to find a cold, ruthless assassin instead. The audience demographics were completely different.

However, according to the backstage data, these viewers hadn’t left.

They continued watching.

The staff couldn’t quite grasp that these viewers were not merely fans of glamorous beauties; they were senior members of the “appearance association,” and all beings were equal. Yet this equality was exclusive to good-looking people.

The edited version had a brisk pace. It started with the Sun Squad searching for supplies in a McDonald’s, then hinted that the Cloud Squad was about to arrive. After establishing the physical positions of the two teams, the camera immediately zoomed in on Tong Zhao from a high angle.

Just the scene where she cut her long hair sparked a flurry of excited comments:

[So cool!]

[Sister, your short hair looks great too! Consider going this route next time?]

[I’ll never ask to see Tong Zhao in ancient costumes again; let’s have some workplace dramas! I want to see short-haired Zhao!]

Tong Zhao’s first parkour segment was accompanied by the background music “Sold Out.” She navigated through high-rise buildings, cutting out unnecessary shots, with a quick and uplifting rhythm that stirred the audience’s emotions. The powerful beat accompanied each difficult combination of moves, reaching a small climax as she leapt between two buildings.

What a fantastic visual treat!

No wonder they say Tong Zhao is a star who brings the excitement with her.

Who can perform such moves in instinctive variety shows? Who can? No one in the industry would dare claim they could, and Tong Zhao didn’t boast about her abilities in advance either. She effortlessly showcased a classic segment, as simple as picking up chopsticks.

There are already comments saying Tong Zhao’s escape scene could be accompanied by “Hit and Run.”

Viewers who hadn’t paid attention to the live broadcast were like explorers discovering a new continent. They eagerly spread the word on Weibo, in their friend circles, and on any social platform they could reach, practically bursting to tell everyone they had found a treasure of a star, especially among male viewers:

[Yooooooo! So cool!]

[Have you ever seen a female star in domestic entertainment who can parkour? Her core strength is insane.]

[Tong Zhao, YYDS (forever a legend)!]

Some male viewers weren’t as sleazy as the stereotypes suggest; sometimes they were quite innocent. Seeing an enormous, moving robot excited them, and now seeing Tong Zhao filled them with the same thrill. She was just too cool, and they felt they had to share their excitement with friends to calm down.

At this moment, her companions all turned to look at her at once.

Their eyes were filled with the expectation of “Can you show us that?”

Tong Zhao: “…No, I can’t.”

Tong Zhao: “Now that you want to see me parkour, when you see me fight four opponents later, do you want me to show off then too?”

Just then, the big screen displayed Tong Zhao lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

As the Sun Squad escaped and the Cloud Squad was about to chase after them, the screen paused for a moment, surrounded by a red glow.

“Warning: High Energy Ahead!”

“Summoning Barrage for Protection!”

“Friends who are scared, put up your defenses on the screen!”

Next came the scene where Tong Zhao fought four opponents, shocking the unprepared ordinary viewers to the core.

[Is this even real??????]

[Holy crap, this feels crazier than a movie! How is her performance even more intense than Feng Yanqi’s?]

[The key is that she doesn’t seem nervous or afraid at all. I suspect she has high-functioning antisocial personality traits.]

Director Chen knew that the highlight of the entire variety show was Tong Zhao. Whenever she performed, he put all his efforts into editing. Take this segment of her fighting four opponents as an example: the original footage might have been less than three minutes long, but they held a two-hour high-intensity meeting to brainstorm. Almost every shot was examined carefully to figure out how to make it perfect.

Their hard work paid off; the released segment indeed had an exceptional effect.

Not only were Tong Zhao’s combat intentions clearly conveyed, but she was also filmed beautifully, rivaling serious action movies.

Professionals look at the technique, while amateurs look at the effect.

Just this one segment could hold the attention of shocked viewers for at least fifteen minutes—this is how the film and television industry works. Content must be meticulously crafted; otherwise, why would viewers choose to spend their precious time watching it? Programs that attempt to deceive the audience will be abandoned, and the opposite is true as well.

These fifteen minutes showcased the clashes of the other two teams, and just when the program estimated the audience’s patience was about to run out, it immediately threw Tong Zhao into the spotlight to captivate the viewers.

As Tong Zhao exchanged three bags of Master Kong instant noodles, the noodles still lacking seasoning packets, the comments on the screen erupted with laughter, sounding like pig squeals.

Quick-fingered netizens quickly posted on Weibo, sharing meme templates:

[Tong Zhao looking dumbfounded.jpg], [Are you serious.jpg], and [Tong Zhao looking humble.jpg] were all too useful. Some viewers used these adorable emojis to lure newcomers into the fandom, spreading like a viral sensation. This time, the viewing threshold was lower than during the 24-hour live stream, leading to a rapid increase in the number of new viewers on Weibo.

As they poured in, the show had just reached the part where the Sun Squad and Thunder Squad returned to McDonald’s, only to find a battlefield littered with corpses.

A huge special effects banner floated across the screen:

“Tong Zhao’s Carefully Crafted Work~~~~”

Ah, this.

Where’s the promised cute and silly girl?

This is way too brutal!

An interesting discussion thread appeared on a certain entertainment forum: “Is Tong Zhao Really Silly and Cute?”

A user on the first floor concluded the thread: [Newcomers who fell for Tong Zhao’s supposed silliness are the most naive…]

The guests began a serious round of deduction, giving the audience a big sense of intellectual superiority. Watching film and television works is sometimes thrilling precisely because of the god’s perspective, allowing viewers to point and comment on the characters in the show.

At that moment, the camera zoomed up to the edge of the rooftop of a tall building.

Tong Zhao sat at the edge of the rooftop, gently swinging her legs—

[Tong Zhao seems like an elf that has descended to Earth.]

[An elf that can kill an entire family?]

[Well, when she’s not making a move, she’s still very obedient.]

This episode abruptly ended when she spotted the Thunder and Sun squads.

As the screen went black, the audience, who had been discussing the variety show, suddenly erupted in disappointment, all exclaiming that they hadn’t had enough. “What happened next? There’s nothing more?! We have to wait until the day after tomorrow? We don’t want to wait!”

A small portion rushed to watch the 24-hour recorded version, but most decided to wait for the second episode in two days.

In any case, this variety show was definitely going to be followed!

The production team had no money to buy trending searches, so they could only do their best to edit the original footage into something more exciting and appealing. Fortunately, they delivered a high-quality product, and Tong Zhao also contributed to the corresponding buzz—three related topics suddenly appeared on the trending list, each one featuring her name prominently. Savvy netizens noted that this show not only featured individual survival but also relied on her to carry the ratings.

What everyone was most curious about was where Tong Zhao acquired so many bizarre skills.

If you say she can sing and play instruments?

That’s normal; Tong Zhao comes from a good family, even if she encountered a bad father and a mistress.

If you say she knows martial arts?

Well… that could be somewhat acceptable. It’s part of traditional culture, good for health, nothing to be embarrassed about.

But what Tong Zhao clearly knows is the art of killing!

Who could develop such skills without training in a special forces camp for several years? The key lies in her mindset during that one-against-four situation—most people simply don’t possess that. Even those in special professions don’t have it. Moreover, due to her family’s involvement in the gray market and their dark lineage, there are already discussions on Zhihu about her identity as a daughter of the underworld…

The level of discussion was astonishingly high, so her manager, Sister Chu, suggested that she consider responding.

Recollections?

That meant she needed to come up with an excuse to brush it off…

She couldn’t just say she practiced by killing zombies, could she?

Duan Ge: “Actually, I’ve killed people too.”

In the apocalypse, in order to protect certain vulnerable female characters, her hands were stained with blood. Sometimes, Duan Ge would feel that some living people were scarier than zombies.

Tong Zhao: “Stop, I don’t really want to recall that.”

After thinking for a moment, Tong Zhao decided to go live on Bilibili, which the company had registered for her—her first stream in ages.

It was a gaming livestream.