31: Chapter 31 The Trump Card and Pragmatic Strategies for Healing

Alex redeemed "Primary Self-Healing".

There was no dramatic test. That night, during his workout, he deliberately increased the intensity to induce noticeable Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Usually, this soreness would last for two or three days.

Waking up the next morning, the soreness had faded by nearly eighty percent, leaving only a faint trace of the post-workout fatigue. Stretching his body, he found that his strength and flexibility had largely recovered.

"The effect is better than expected." He confirmed the significance of this ability—it wasn't for show, but to support himself in performing higher-intensity, more sustained work and training, and it was never to be revealed to others.

In the perilous society of the United States, a creative genius could succeed, but a "specimen" with extraordinary recovery abilities might face total ruin. He had to hold this line.

Sitting at his computer, he initiated a new content strategy. The efficiency boost from the hundred-point aura was real, and it had to be used where it mattered most, specifically on edges within the "safe zone."

He suspended all projects that might expose his unconventional physical abilities, including the "Human Limit Special." In its place were three new directions:

1. "Internet Archaeology and Reconstruction" series: The first target was "Charlie Bit My Finger," which went viral on YouTube in 2007 but had poor video quality. He planned to remake it into a "2025 HD Emotional Upgrade Version": no longer just simple comedy, but by using professional camera movement, color grading, and the actors' micro-expressions, he would dig into the heartwarming core of the "innocent interaction and unexpected reaction between toddlers" in the original video to create a warm and humorous short film. Highlights: Nostalgia reconstruction + directorial skill.

2. "Independent Music Visualization" experiment: He spent time browsing numerous independent music platforms and finally selected a piece titled "Echoes in Static" from a niche Nordic electronic musician. The melody was ethereal and memorable, but its popularity was extremely low. He did not redeem any future songs; instead, he used his own editing and animation skills to create a music video filled with geometric aesthetics and philosophical metaphors for this existing song. Upon release, he would clearly credit the music source and obtain authorization. Goal: To attract the independent music scene and art enthusiasts, establishing a professional image as an "excellent music visualizer" rather than a "mysterious song provider."

3. "Student Filmmaker Survival Guide": Continuing the down-to-earth route. First theme: "How to build your first 'cinematic' tabletop shooting corner for the price of a fast-food meal." He would utilize the redeemed "Advanced Visual Understanding" to demonstrate in detail how to use desk lamps, white paper, old books, and even aluminum foil to construct professional-grade lighting effects for still-life photography. Core appeal: Using top-tier professional knowledge to solve the most practical budget problems for students.

On Thursday, while Alex was looking up information in the library, he vaguely felt several unfriendly gazes. The faint warning brought by "Crisis Intuition" (passive) made him look up, just in time to meet the gloomy gaze of Derek Winston not far away. Derek had two burly friends with him; the three were whispering to each other and glancing at him from time to time.

Alex calmly withdrew his gaze, but remained vigilant in his heart. He realized that as his fame grew, the malice from within the campus might no longer be limited to rumors.

When he left the library, he was blocked by those three in a relatively secluded corridor.

"Alex, you're busy, aren't you, big internet celebrity." Derek stood in front, his tone filled with sarcasm, "Making videos, taking commercial deals, you've made a lot, right? Shouldn't you treat us, or... teach us how to 'succeed quickly'?"

The other two loosely formed a surrounding stance.

Alex stopped, his body naturally relaxed, but his consciousness was highly focused. He hadn't redeemed any combat skills, but long-term "Parkour" training and "Physical Sublimation" made him agile and physically coordinated. More importantly, he had a cool head.

"Derek, if you're interested in self-media, I can recommend a few introductory courses." Alex's tone was peaceful, as if he hadn't heard the provocation, "As for treating, I remember the Student Union has rules that fraternity members are not allowed to solicit money or benefits in any form from other students, right?"

Derek's face darkened: "Cut the crap! You think you're something special just because you've latched onto a few Silicon Valley upstarts? My father..."

"Your father is a Senator's aide, currently focusing on 'adolescent online environments'." Alex interrupted him, his voice low but clear, "So, do you want to get into a conflict with me here, and turn this into scandal material for your father's political rivals—'Senator's aide's son bullies emerging content creator'—or do you want me to call the Campus Security Office right now and report a 'potential harassment and threat incident'?"

He took out his phone, his finger hovering over the dial button, his gaze meeting Derek's without flinching.

"Crisis Intuition" did not send a strong warning, indicating that the other party was mostly intimidating rather than actually wanting to fight. He was betting that their concern for family reputation far outweighed their momentary impulse.

Derek's face flushed red; he clearly hadn't expected Alex to be so tough and to accurately grasp his weak spot. The two people beside him also appeared somewhat hesitant.

They stood in a stalemate for a few seconds.

"Let's go." Derek squeezed the words through his teeth, glared fiercely at Alex, and turned to leave.

Alex watched their backs until they disappeared around the corner, then slowly let out a sigh of relief. He had appeared calm just now, but in reality, his back was slightly damp with cold sweat. He lacked the practical ability to quickly subdue an enemy; this was a shortcoming that had to be addressed.

"I need to sign up for a formal, practical self-defense course as soon as possible, like Krav Maga." He secretly made up his mind, "Then, combined with the low-profile assistance the system might provide (such as redeeming "Neural Reaction Enhancement" to accelerate learning), I can possess the ability to safely escape when I have no choice but to face a conflict." A firearm safety course also needed to be put on the schedule; this was a reasonable self-protection preparation in American society.

Over the weekend, "Internet Archaeology and Reconstruction: Charlie 2025" went live. The video quality was outstanding, the emotional handling was precise, finding a perfect balance between nostalgia and innovation; the data grew steadily, and the reputation continued to ferment.

The MV for "Independent Music Visualization: Echoes in Static" was completed. He first sent it to the original musician and received an enthusiastic authorization and a thank-you reply, with an agreement to release it simultaneously. This accumulated his first connection in the music circle.

Allison sent an email confirming the call time for next week regarding the follow-up on "echo gallery," and vaguely mentioned that "that very important potential partner" was looking forward to seeing more of his work.

Everything was developing in a good direction.

But a message from Lena made him tense up again: "Alex, be careful. I accidentally heard Derek and his friends talking about 'finding some fun elsewhere.' Also, they seem to be asking around about where you usually go for location shoots."

Alex replied with thanks, his eyes turning sharp.

"Primary Self-Healing" was his trump card for health.

"Crisis Intuition" was his radar for early warnings.

Content transformation was his armor for safety.

And the upcoming formal self-defense training would be his necessary claws and teeth.

He opened the system interface, watching his steadily accumulating popularity. The next redemption should perhaps be that ability which could further improve learning efficiency or subtly enhance reactions, providing "reasonable" acceleration for the upcoming practical training.

In America, you can be a genius, but you cannot be an anomaly.

You can succeed, but you must always hold the power to protect the fruits of your success.

And he was walking on a cautious yet solid path.