Saturday 26 August 2017

Chapter 32 A New System Unit



 “This is all Blue Sky Rehab’s fault, if not for them… all these things wouldn’t even have happened!”
Se Cai shifted his body to find a more comfortable position.
Everything truly could be traced back to the Blue Sky Rehab. It was the beating he had suffered under their people that had led Se Cai into the possession of the Eye for News system. In other words, they were the force that started the ball rolling.
Se Cai sighed and gave up on trying to sleep. He switched on the television.
It was an old television left behind by the previous tenant. Se Cai found it while he was clearing out the storeroom.
Other than the picture tube, it worked perfectly fine. The color was out of balance so the image shown had a decidedly green sheen.
Se Cai flipped over to the County S Tv Station’s channel. It was showing Septic Hospital’s medical commercial.
Even though the state administration of radio, film, and television had ordered multiple times to decrease medical commercial airtime but they had stubbornly held on.
This was because this kind of commercial wasn’t picky about their time slot and their duration was typically about 10 minutes long. This translated into lucrative advertisement revenue for the tv station.
If the stations banned medical commercial outright, they would be signing their own death sentence!
“Have I missed the rerun?”
The thought crossed Se Cai’s mind when a row of golden letters appeared before him. The familiar voice followed.
“News appeared as county station lead news, acquired 10 News Point. News received great response among the viewers, acquired an additional 5 News Point.”
“News appeared as city station lead news, acquired 50 News Point. News received great response among the viewers, acquired an additional 25 News Point.”
“News broadcasted on province station’s <Evening News>, acquired 80 News Point.”
For some reasons, Se Cai could only receive his News Point when a tv was on but he didn’t get hanged up on such a minute detail.
After all, in our day and age, there was tv everywhere.
Se Cai tallied up his acquired News Points and they totaled at 170 points. He was giddy with excitement.
 “Weird, there’s no News Point from central news, could it be that the news wasn’t broadcasted over there? O well, let’s find out what new items I can exchange…”
Se Cai was honestly a little disappointed that his piece didn’t get on central news.
He wasn’t expecting the piece to reach big programs like <Nation News> but he expected it to at least get accepted by smaller programs like <News 1 + 1>.
“I’m sure I’ll find out more tomorrow. In the meantime, open Trade Window!”
Se Cai thought to himself. Instantly the familiar interface appeared.
Compared to last time, the interface had undergone some changes. There was a conspicuous upgrade option next to the box of Mind-Reading Unit he had purchased. With the upgrade, Se Cai’s daily usage limit would be increased to 3 and it came with preemptive reading. It would warn Se Cai if the person he was dealing with meant him harm.
“Preemptive reading? Wouldn’t that be system-breaking?!”
Se Cai exclaimed inwardly. However, the cost for the upgrade was also quite steep. It required 300 News Points and 1 Rank E Authorization so the upgrade option was greyed out.
“Why is the requirement so harsh, will I even possibly get this in my lifetime?”
Se Cai sighed. A news as big as the suicide only nabbed Se Cai 170 News Points, there was a noticeable distance between that and 300 points.
The Rank E Authorization was even harder to obtain. The only means for Se Cai to get it was to finish his Blue Sky Rehab expose assignment.
His previous excitement was properly buffeted.
Se Cai looked down the row of items and realized the previously greyed out second dimension storage unit had become tradable!
“150 News Points, at least I can still get this. Initiate trade!”
Se Cai said. Previously, he had taken the Mind-Reading unit over this but now he realized the storage unit had its own unique importance!
For one, it allowed him to keep an object for self-defense within reach.
It could be a baton, a paring knife or even a brick, at least he wouldn’t need to scour for one should the need to hit someone on the back of their head arise again.
“Trading for second dimension storage unit successful. Current level 1, storage space is limited to 1 cubic meter. Storing is done through visualization after gaining contact with the desired object. Storage of living object is not allowed!”
The system announced.
“The unit doesn’t allow the storage of living objects?”
Se Cai was visibly let down. He thought he could store himself as a means of escape in emergency situations. Alas, it was not to be.
“Let’s try this out on the phone!”
Se Cai cupped his phone in his hands and visualized the phone being stored.
Almost instantly, his hands closed upon themselves because his phone in it was gone.
Se Cai visualized its appearance and the phone magically appeared in his palm.
“Amazing… Hmm, what’s next?”
Se Cai’s eyes landed on his bed. He pressed his hands on his bed but nothing happened.
It was as the system said, the storage unit was only 1 cubic meter big.
Like a child given a new toy, Se Cai started going around his room trying his new power out. Se Cai finally fell asleep from exhaustion. The next morning, it was almost noon when he woke up!
“Damn it, that Gao Xiang woke up and didn’t call me?!”
Se Cai was too excited yesterday night so he had overslept.
Even though Director Bai said he was still a patient, Se Cai felt he needed to be responsible for his job.
Driving Xin Yu’s Tesla, Se Cai sped to the Tv Station.
However, he didn’t dare park the car in the company’s lot. He eventually found a spot 1 block away from the station and ran to work.
Se Cai wouldn’t know how to explain why he came to work in such a vehicle.
Like yesterday, he ran into Xu Ran at the station entrance.
“Se Cai, you’re only arriving now? I’ll let you in on a bad news, you’re in big trouble this time!”
Xu Ran teased maliciously.
“What do you mean?”
Se Cai asked. Something big must have happened inside the station or else Xu Ran wouldn’t be accosting him like this.
Or something was going to happen because Xu Ran could have heard something from his Vice Station Manager father.
“Just get in there, you’ll find out eventually!”
Xu Ran said brightly, he even opened the door for Se Cai. He finally went away whistling a happy tune, lugging his camera equipment on his back.
“Did he not take his medicine today?”
Se Cai frowned as he rushed to the newsroom.
“Se Cai, you’re here! I was just about to call you, something’s wrong, our news yesterday was blocked!”
Hai Dong said hurriedly as he saw Se Cai entered the room.
“Huh?”
Se Cai replied since this was the first time he heard about the news being blocked.
Then, he understood why no News Point came from central news, the piece was blocked by the gatekeepers!
“But, why?” Se Cai asked.
“No clue, but I’m sure it’s nothing good. I just received the information that authorities from the County PR Department are here for a meeting in the 9th floor conference room, I bet it has something to do with that.”
Hai Dong’s words tumbled out in a hurry.
As the producer for <Focus Tonight> he had to bear responsibility for the news that it produced.
Right then, Hai Dong’s phone rang. Not the program hotline but his personal cell phone.
“It’s from the office!”
Hai Dong said urgently before he answered the call.
“Hello… yes… he’s here… We’ll be right there.”
After hanging up, Hai Dong shared a worried look with Se Cai, adding, “The office wants us to go to the conference room… Apparently, there’s something wrong with the suicide piece, you better be prepared.”
“Something wrong? But how… Manager Wei has personally checked it!”
Se Cai retorted weakly. He collected himself and followed Director Bai as they departed for the 9th floor.
Hai Dong pushed open the conference room door and his expression changed.
“Director Bai, we meet again.”
A middle-aged man sitting at the conference table greeted smilingly at Hai Dong. The man was wearing a black suit.
In conference room, there was also Xu Jing Song who was there to replace Wei Jian Guo. Station Manager Wei was unable to make it because he was busy with personal business.
“Chairman Zhao, it is indeed nice to see you again.”
Hai Dong moved forward with a plastered smile.
The middle-aged man was the chairman for County S’ PR Office. In other words, he was only one rank lower than department head Wang Run Fa, he was his deputy in a manner of speaking.
People of his rank normally wouldn’t appear for routine check-up. This was something huge.
“This must be reporter Se. I don’t have much time to waste on things like this so let’s get started.”
Chairman Zhao glanced condescendingly at Se Cai. He opened the notebook he had and questioned in a stern voice, “Yesterday afternoon, your program reported on a suicide piece, correct? Who is the lead reporter on that assignment?”
It was obvious that Chairman Zhao didn’t come with good intention but Se Cai couldn’t figure out what could possibly be wrong with his piece…

4 comments:

Bunbun said...

Thanks

Keima said...

Thank you as always translator-san (^^) gahhh I'm losing hope that Xin Yu is not the FL 😔 I really hope she just go marry that Wu guy but meh I doubt it will ever happened 😔😔

lonelytree said...

You'll see a second candidate for the FL soon enough XD

Unknown said...

if someone shoots at him can he store the bullets in mid air? if so that will be cool