95: Chapter 95 The Awakening of a Happy Internet Celebrity and the First Step to Godhood

The day after posting that nonsensical "Crab Dance" short video, Alex slept in until he woke up naturally.

The sunlight was just right. He unlocked his phone and saw that his video had exploded. The comment section and retweet chains were filled with "Hahahaha" and "What is this, but I can't stop watching." Various remixes and imitations were already emerging, the data curve was trending healthily upward, and his popularity had ticked up by over a hundred thousand points, steadily crossing the 10.2 million mark.

"That's right, this is more like it." Alex stretched contentedly, feeling the abundant energy brought by the third stage of his physique, which made every morning feel full of hope. The System? Transcendence? Those were all private secrets hidden beneath his happy life. On the surface, he was Alex Su, an influencer with a bit of luck, some talent, and who was currently preparing for a large-scale live stream.

He had breakfast with Taylor in her rented apartment. She was makeup-free, wearing a loose sweater with her blonde hair tied up casually, focused on spreading peanut butter on her toast.

"That crab walk last night," she looked up, her blue eyes brimming with amusement, "I practiced for half an hour and almost twisted my ankle. You have to take responsibility for that."

"Exclusive lessons, guaranteed success. The tuition fee will be that box of blueberries in your fridge." Alex laughed as he went to grab the yogurt.

Light banter, a warm daily routine. They chatted about music, the progress of her new album, and trivial industry gossip. Taylor knew he was preparing for a major live stream, but Alex didn't go into the details of the heavy commercial wager or the potential attacks—there was no need. She only needed to know that he was doing something cool and challenging, and she would support him unconditionally.

"Do you need me to make an appearance? Or, at least 'accidentally' call in during your live stream?" Taylor asked, biting into her toast, speaking indistinctly but seriously.

"Next time, Your Majesty." Alex shook his head, his tone relaxed. "This time, I want to try doing it entirely on my own... well, with my team. If you show up, all the focus will shift to you; wouldn't that be cheating?"

Taylor rolled her eyes at him, but the corners of her mouth curled up. "Suit yourself. But if you mess it up, you can borrow my shoulder to cry on for ten minutes; anything over that will cost you."

"Deal."

This kind of relationship made him feel secure. It wasn't about being tethered together, but about each of them being strong while watching over the other. After finishing breakfast, he even spent some time casually playing in the music room with Taylor, strumming a few chords and humming a few melodies. Sparks of inspiration quietly ignited, and he committed them to memory—these might all become material for "improvisation" in the future. No one knew that this casual play was also part of his Creative Master (Intermediate) ability quietly operating in the background.

In the afternoon, he went to the Voice of Truth studio. The atmosphere was busy but orderly.

Marcus was staring at the multi-platform data, reporting on the pre-live stream buzz: "The topic's popularity is climbing, and Universal's promotional resources are starting to shift our way. It looks like they've placed a solid bet."

Hank and Rex were checking the security plans and emergency exits for the live stream venue, ensuring everything was foolproof. Attorney Lauren was reviewing the agreement terms with Universal one last time to ensure there were no hidden traps.

After listening to everyone's updates, Alex clapped his hands. "Alright everyone, relax. We've prepared enough. Now, the most important thing is—what do you want for dinner? My treat: pizza or Chinese takeout?"

The team was taken aback, then burst into laughter. The tension eased slightly. Their boss was still the same grounded, sentimental guy, even if he was currently planning something that might shake the industry.

That night, Alex returned to his apartment alone. Outside the window, the lights of Los Angeles shone brightly. He brewed a cup of coffee, sat at his desk, and only then did he sink his consciousness into the interface that only he could see.

【Multidimensional Popularity Exchange System】

Current Popularity: 10,230,515 points

Status: Transcendental Exchange Access Unlocked (Goal reached: Cumulative ≥ 10,000,000 points)

【Transcendental Ability Exchange Catalog (Basic Class)】

(The following is the additional Popularity required for individual exchanges, to be paid in addition to already accumulated points)

1. 【Basic Telekinesis】: Use your mind to move small objects (≤ 1kg); average precision. Exchange cost: 22,000,000 points.

2. 【Basic Elemental Affinity (Electricity)】: Slightly influence local electric fields; weak perception/guidance of electric currents. Exchange cost: 25,000,000 points.

3. 【Physical Function Overload (Temporary)】: Significantly boost strength, speed, and reaction for a short time (approx. 300%), lasts 3 minutes, 24-hour cooldown. Exchange cost: 28,000,000 points.

4. 【Information Reception Filtering (Passive)】: Automatically filter out irrelevant, repetitive, and low-value information streams; improves focus and information processing efficiency. Exchange cost: 20,000,000 points.

5. 【Subtle Presence Adjustment】: Can slightly decrease or increase your conspicuousness in others' perception (not invisibility). Exchange cost: 18,000,000 points.

...

The list was long, with every item pointing toward a realm beyond the mundane, but the prices were a sobering reality. They often cost upwards of 20 million, and this was only the "Basic Class." His current 10 million Popularity points still made him look "poor" before the true hall of transcendence.

But he had already secured his ticket. Moreover, he had plenty of time and plenty of "happy" methods.

Alex's gaze scanned the list, but he didn't rush to choose. With the live stream imminent, did he need to keep his Popularity in reserve to handle potential emergencies? Actually, he favored a different approach.

"System," he thought silently, "Exchanging 【Physical Function Overload (Temporary)】 requires an additional payment of 28 million points. If my current points are insufficient, can I pay partially or lock in the option?"

【Notification: Partial payment is not possible. You may mark it as a 'Priority Exchange Target.' When your available Popularity reaches the exchange requirement, you will receive a notification. There are currently no other mandatory conditions.】

Very well. That was enough.

With a thought, Alex marked 【Physical Function Overload (Temporary)】 and 【Information Reception Filtering (Passive)】 as priority targets. The former was a powerful trump card for critical moments, while the latter would greatly alleviate the information overload he faced as an influencer and content creator; it was highly practical.

As for the cooler telekinesis or elemental affinity? That could wait. You have to eat one bite at a time, and you have to become a god one step at a time.

After finishing this simple "future shopping cart" configuration, he exited the system interface, feeling a sense of relief. To outsiders, he was just staring blankly, perhaps conceiving content for his live stream. Who could have known that he had just planned the next clear step for his "path to godhood," a step worth tens of millions of Popularity points?

He picked up his guitar, strummed it casually, and hummed a melody. It was another future hit from his memories—light, rhythmic, and carrying a touch of cynical, trendy flair. He tweaked the lyrics slightly to make it fit "Hearing Amidst the Noise," one of the potential thematic directions for his live stream.

"Hmm... I'll keep this. If I draw a related theme, I'll use it." He recorded it with satisfaction. See, preparing for "improvisation" was just that simple and fun.

Before going to sleep, he scrolled through social media. The "Crab Dance" video's popularity was still fermenting; even a few minor celebrities had started dancing along. The comment section was an ocean of joy. As for those music critics funded by Northrop? There was no movement from them yet; perhaps they had been caught off guard by this sudden, unserious viral sensation.

Alex smiled and turned off his phone.

Everyone was immersed in the simple happiness created by the influencer, or waiting for the upcoming live stream feast. Only he knew that beneath this ocean of noise, he was silently accumulating the capital to reach another dimension in a way that no one else could understand.

The fifth day before the live stream was calm and fulfilling. There weren't many stars in the Los Angeles night sky, but Alex felt that one of them might shine because of him in the future.

He closed his eyes, sinking into sleep with a secret, pleasurable feeling of being "the only one awake while everyone else is drunk."

Outside the window, the city remained noisy. The "happy influencer" tomorrow that belonged to Alex Su, and the "transcendental future" that belonged to him, would both see a concentrated blossoming in the not-too-distant night.