30: Chapter 30: The Percent Threshold, A Simple and Brutal New World

The weekend community garage sale was like a slowly flowing market of time. Alex and Sarah wandered between stalls filled with old furniture, yellowed books, quirky trinkets, and ancient electronics. The sun was lovely, and the air held a lazy mix of old wood, dust, and coffee.

Sarah picked up a funny-looking ceramic owl figurine and gestured with it at Alex: "Does this expression look like you when you discovered the WiFi signal hadn't actually improved in your video?"

Alex shook his head with a smile: "Am I really that goofy?"

"Not goofy, it's that 'I actually believed it' kind of speechless look." Sarah put the owl back, her tone relaxed and natural. Since that time by the pool, the two seemed to have found a more comfortable rhythm, like real good friends who could tease each other without any burden.

Alex stopped in front of a stall piled with old toolboxes, his gaze drawn to an old-fashioned, brass-cased "exposure light meter." The needle, the mechanical dial, the weight in his hand—it was full of the texture of time. It had long been rendered obsolete by the built-in metering systems of modern cameras, but at this moment, through Alex's Perception Sharpening, every scratch and the tiny cracks on the dial glass seemed to tell the story of some photographer from the past.

"I'll take this." He bought it without much haggling. Not to use it, but because he felt it could be a great visual prop for a future episode of Lost and Found about "Vanished Professional Tools." His creative antennae had already begun to automatically capture inspiration from the fragments of daily life.

After finishing the sale, the two had a drink at a corner café, chatting casually about community gossip, funny things at Sarah's hospital, and the projects Alex was going to be busy with next. Relaxed, without any ulterior motives.

"By the way," when saying goodbye, Sarah seemed to suddenly remember, "I'm scheduled for several night shifts in a row next week, so I'll be sleeping during the day. If you need absolute quiet to edit videos during the day, send me a message in advance, and I guarantee I'll sleep like the dead."

"Thanks, good neighbor." Alex thanked her sincerely. This kind of neighborly relationship—mutual consideration, non-interference, yet mutual support—made him feel comfortable.

Returning home in the evening, Alex sat in front of his computer, checking the final cut of echo gallery one last time. Lighting, music, every frame of editing... perfect. He took a deep breath and clicked send.

The moment the progress bar of the email reached 100%.

【Ding!】

【Core Influence has surpassed 100 points!】

【System upgrade complete!】

The prompt sound was crisp and decisive, without any hesitation. Before Alex's eyes, the familiar system interface exploded with a brilliant golden light, then quickly reorganized, becoming more concise and sharp!

Old Interface (Obsolete):

· Popularity: Redeemable for skills (e.g., Parkour, editing)

· Core Influence: Slow growth, vague usage

New Interface (Simple and Brutal):

· 【Popularity】 (Huge value, constantly jumping): The source of all your influence, the only hard currency.

· 【Redemption List】 (Fully refreshed):

1. Skill Category (Prices reduced by 20%!): Everything from 【Advanced Parkour】 to 【Professional Director】.

2. Physique Category (New!): 【Primary Self-Healing】 (rapid recovery from minor injuries), 【Neural Overload】 (temporary doubling of reaction speed), 【Source of Stamina】 (halved physical exertion)... Directly enhance the physical body!

3. Creation Category (Unlocked!): Can directly redeem "complete movie scripts," "hit song lyrics and compositions," "phenomenal variety show proposals"! Skip the process, direct output!

4. Special Category (Sky-high price!): 【Lucky Day】, 【Crisis Premonition】, 【Charisma Focus】... Effects are metaphysical, but simple and easy to understand.

· 【Core Privilege】 (The only new mechanism):

"Hundred-Point Aura": When Core Influence ≥ 100, your efficiency in gaining Popularity increases permanently by 50%! The effects of all redeemed items are enhanced by 10%!

Alex stood up from his chair abruptly, his heart pounding!

It wasn't the complex, hard-to-understand "rule tendencies" from before, but the most direct, most violent enhancement!

What did this mean?

It meant that if he filmed the same video, he could gain more fans! Earn more fame!

It meant that if he redeemed the same Parkour skills, he could jump higher and perform flashier moves!

It meant he could directly use Popularity to buy "superhuman physique" and "finished creative works" he wouldn't have dared to imagine before!

Simple! Brutal! Powerful!

"Now this is what I'm talking about..." He stared at the heart-pounding new options on the interface, especially 【Primary Self-Healing】 in the Physique category.

With this, the minor cuts and bruises from filming those dangerous Parkour shots would be nothing! Shooting efficiency could be greatly improved!

And 【Neural Overload】, if combined with 【Dynamic Vision】, the performance in extreme sports would be absolutely explosive!

More importantly—the acquisition speed permanently increases by 50%! This is a god-tier snowballing start!

The accumulated fatigue and caution from before were instantly replaced by ecstasy and ambition. He looked at the night view of Los Angeles outside the window, his eyes burning.

echo gallery had been sent out; the artistic caliber had been established.

But now, with this upgraded system... his "civilian blockbuster line" could be played wilder, harder, and more eye-catching!

"Physique enhancement is the foundation; it must be redeemed as soon as possible." His thinking was clear. "With a stronger body, I can challenge more exciting filming content, attract more eyeballs, earn Popularity faster... then redeem stronger physiques and better creative works! A perfect cycle!"

He almost immediately decided on his next steps:

1. Immediately use existing Popularity to redeem 【Primary Self-Healing】.

2. Plan an extreme special of "MythBusters," combined with the soon-to-be-strengthened physical abilities; the content would definitely be explosive.

3. Closely monitor the feedback on echo gallery; that is the key to leveraging the continued growth of "Core Influence" and potentially unlocking more "Core Privileges."

He sat back down in front of the computer, no longer feeling any confusion. The system told him in the most straightforward way: Go get famous! Go earn more fame! Then, use the power exchanged from this fame to earn even greater fame!

Simple, brutal, effective.

Alex clicked on the system interface, his gaze locked on 【Primary Self-Healing】.

"Redeem."

A warm current instantly surged from his heart to his limbs, and the subtle soreness in his muscles and the bruise on his knuckles from an accidental bump yesterday faded by more than half in just a few breaths!

"Awesome!" He clenched his fist, feeling the clear changes in his body.

This is what a cheat code should be like!

He casually clicked on the sky-high price list, looking at the options like 【Lucky Day】 and 【Crisis Premonition】 that were shining with tempting light.

"Wait for me; I'll exchange for all of you very soon."

The gates to a new world were opening wide to him in the simplest, most brutal way.