Chapter 31: The Real Challenge Begins Today!

[Task: Please practice any proficiency skill to Lv3 Master Artisan within 30 days. (30/30 days) Completed!
Task Rewards:
[Blind Box: Work +1]
[Blind Box: Item +1]
[Blind Box: Skill +1]
[Skill Points +2.0]]

...

Inside the hotel room.

Su Mu looked at the task completion prompt and felt a surge of joy in his heart.

At last, it was done.

Yet his face at this moment seemed frozen in a mask of agony, his features fixed together, appearing exceedingly sad.

It was the last expression he had practiced for the task, simply forgotten to withdraw.

This task cycle wasn’t short, but the gains were considerable.

The rewards included three blind boxes and 2.0 skill points.

Over the course of a month, he had maxed out his expression proficiency with 3,000 repetitions, so his skill points had already accumulated to thirty, plus these two.

Currently, he possessed a total of 33.21 skill points.

If he exchanged them all for blind boxes, he could open thirty-three in one go—a feast.

But Su Mu didn’t immediately indulge in extravagance.

Though skill points seemed plentiful now, his experience from many novels told him: never waste skill points, or regret would follow.

Clearly, these blind boxes have loopholes, simply not encountered yet.

Because randomness brings: duplicate blind boxes, empty boxes, or useless ones.

If unlucky enough to draw these, it’s tantamount to wasting skill points.

Faced with such uncertain spending, caution is necessary—always keep some for emergencies.

Moreover, his talent attributes were only four, all stuck at 1.1.

There would be many aspects needing points in the future; he must plan ahead.

For now, he left the skill points untouched and focused on the blind box rewards.

This time, the three blind boxes were: Work +1, Skill +1, Item +1.

It must be said, every time this stage arrived, a small excitement stirred.

Perhaps that’s the charm of blind boxes.

Su Mu: “Let’s open the item blind box first.”

[Prompt: Opening item blind box at random…]

[Congratulations! You’ve received: Kiss Chewing Gum *1]

(Note: Kiss Chewing Gum requires proficiency in acting—kiss technique—to use.)

Su Mu: “……”

See that?

As mentioned before, whenever it’s a random blind box, there’s a bug; drawing duplicates is frustrating.

He already possessed a piece of Kiss Chewing Gum; this was the second.

It wasn’t that Su Mu objected to the item, but he hadn’t unlocked kiss technique proficiency yet, so it was useless for now.

Honestly, who in society doesn’t want to kiss?

It’s quite vexing.

Su Mu: “Let’s try the skill blind box.”

The skill blind box is separate from the talent blind box.

So Su Mu’s understanding was that this skill box probably refers to all skills outside the range of talents—life skills, medical skills, and so on.

He was quite looking forward to it.

[Skill blind box opening at random…]

[Congratulations! You’ve received: Fish Cleaning Proficiency!]

[Fish Cleaning Proficiency LV0: 0/10 (Novice)]

Fish cleaning?

Su Mu: (ノ｀Д)ノ

Just as expected—a life skill.

But this fish cleaning proficiency was unlikely to get much practice.

After all, he navigated the entertainment industry; cleaning fish hardly compared to “cleaning up” entertainment.

Su Mu: “Now the work blind box.”

This was the last task reward blind box; the previous two had not been ideal.

So Su Mu pinned his hopes on this final one.

Hoping for something substantial.

[Prompt: Opening work blind box…]

[Congratulations! You’ve received the work: “Hidden Beyond Hiding” — originally sung by Na Ying, once featured as the opening theme for “Frenzy”…]
(Click to access lyrics, sheet music, backing details, etc.)

Su Mu’s eyes shone at the work reward.

Finally, something useful.

This would bring in money again.

Previously his released track “Listen” had been taken by Zhang Huai-mou as one of the theme songs.

Yet a drama would never have only one theme; in his memory, the opening theme for this drama in his previous life was precisely “Hidden Beyond Hiding.”

The only pity was that it was Na Ying’s song in his previous life, and her voice was unique, evoking that sense of vast desolation.

Su Mu now might have difficulty singing it.

But that was fine; perhaps once his singing proficiency increased and his vocal cord attribute was maxed, he could master it.

[Male Artist Proficiency Panel]

Skill Points: 33.21

[Speech Proficiency lv2: 30/50 (Mastery)]
[High Notes Proficiency lv2: 25/50 (Mastery)]
[Script Proficiency lv2: 20/50 (Mastery)]
[Emotion Control Proficiency lv2: 4/50 (Mastery)]
[Expression Control Proficiency Lv3: 3000/3000 (Master Artisan)]
[Line Delivery Proficiency Lv1: 23/50 (Novice)]
[Fish Cleaning Proficiency LV0: 0/10 (Novice)]

Task Blind Boxes: 0
Work Blind Boxes: 0 “Hidden Beyond Hiding”
Talent Blind Boxes: 0
Skill Blind Boxes: 0
Item Blind Boxes: 0 (Kiss Chewing Gum *2)

Attribute Blind Boxes: 0
...

Su Mu quickly organized the panel parameters.

So far, of the four acting proficiency categories, only expression control had reached LV3 max level.

Script, emotion, and line delivery were all still largely untouched.

Su Mu knew the difficulty of the character Gao Qiqiang—not exactly hell-level, but at least S-class.

He didn’t arrogantly believe that mastering expression control alone would suffice to portray the character.

Because besides expressions, emotion control and line delivery were equally crucial.

Additionally, he still lacked ‘Physical Imitation’ and ‘Action Control’ proficiency.

These are also essential qualities for any actor.

To shape a character, beyond voice, appearance, and intention, ‘action’ is needed.

Action refers to the character’s behaviors and movements.

His daily actions, living habits, what he does, how he does it, by which method, and so on.

All must be expressed through physical movement.

Gao Qiqiang, in the early stages, bows and scrapes, curls up on the ground when beaten, trembling in fear—all behavioral actions.

These fall under physical imitation and action control proficiency.

Only by mastering these and unlocking their proficiency can he meet the requirements of acting Gao Qiqiang well.

Su Mu wasn’t in a hurry.

Because tomorrow was the crew’s opening ceremony.

Once he joined the crew and started filming, those related proficiencies would unlock automatically without the need for blind boxes.

He’d be immersed in the set every day, acting and brushing up proficiency simultaneously.

His acting should steadily improve.

Su Mu estimated:

Physical expression and action proficiency might be more complex to unlock.

Likely tied to his basic attributes—strength, speed, endurance, muscle control, and so forth.

Fortunately, his skill points were still sufficient.

...

...

A peaceful night passed.

The next morning, at six thirty,

Su Mu was awakened by Qian Jida and Xiao Ju.

Then he washed up and dressed, preparing to head to the set.

No makeup was needed today, since after the opening ceremony, they would shoot the official styling photos.

There would be a crew makeup artist to assist the actors.

Stepping out of the hotel, the sky was faint and dim.

Su Mu took a deep breath.

He knew, the true grind of transformation was just beginning today…