Trembling At A High Altitude

"I'm working hard to coordinate the cell repair," Li Teng said.

"I have a friend who needs some extras for an additional screenplay tomorrow. Are you interested? If you are, stay and go act in his extra screenplay tomorrow. If you're not, go back and rest at the stone pillars for a few days, and come back when the next performance starts," Liu Shiyuan asked Li Teng in a rush.

He seemed really busy.

"I'm interested," Li Teng of course agreed.

With the existence of the screenplay cheat, Liu Shiyuan's extra screenplays seemed to be helping him score points and grow rapidly. He, of course, couldn't miss this opportunity.

"Okay then, you take care of your dinner tonight, find a place to sleep, and tomorrow I'll have my driver take you to the performance site," Liu Shiyuan said and then hung up the call.

It was only noon at the time.

There was still quite a while till evening.

Li Teng decided to wander around on his own.

He had never had so much time to explore Film and Television City on his own before.

During Hell Mode, he had spent two nights in Film and Television City, but he had been confined to a certain area.

He wondered if he could go to more areas this time?

Turns out, he thought too much.

To the south, at most, he could go to the seaside; to the north, at most, he could reach the hospital; to the east, he could only get to the little square where he met Liu Yin; to the west was the hotel where everyone had rested during Hell Mode.

Li Teng wanted to go check out the hotel, knock on Yao Xue's room door, and see if she was there.

Unfortunately, the hotel was closed. Looking through the glass door, he saw it was empty inside.

Facilities like the self-service restaurant were still open, but they were eerily quiet, not a single person in sight.

Late in the afternoon, Li Teng went to the seaside, listening to the waves and watching the sun slowly set in the west.

It wasn't until it had completely darkened around that Li Teng slowly walked back toward Film and Television City.

When he passed by the restaurant he had visited the first time he came, he walked in.

He was ready to spend a point to buy three steamed buns for dinner.

"It sucks not having companions; can't mooch off free food and drinks," Li Teng grumbled.

He walked up to the vending machine.

After selecting three steamed buns for 1 point, he was about to submit the order and pay when the screen of the vending machine suddenly turned to a black and red background.

The image of the Grim Reaper started flickering in the background.

"Hacking into the restaurant's self-service vending system..."

"Hacking successful."

"Order price temporarily cleared."

"Please complete your order within three seconds!"

"Three, two,..."

Li Teng quickly clicked on confirm.

Three seconds later, the screen quickly returned to normal.

As expected, the three steamed buns didn't deduct any points!

He got three steamed buns for free!

Li Teng couldn't help but feel delighted; it looked like the Grim Reaper really had some skill, and it was very useful at that! To hack into Film and Television City's vending system!

Li Teng was quick to order a bunch of delicacies like steak, spicy shrimp, roast chicken, totaling over a hundred points, then he prepared to submit the order.

The vending machine's screen changed to a black and red background.

The image of the Grim Reaper flickered in the background again.

"Hacking into the restaurant's self-service vending system..."

"Hacking failed."

"..."

Clearly, Grim Reaper had failed to show off this time.

"Damn!"

"Is this all I'm worth? Am I only fit for steamed buns?"

Li Teng canceled the order and tried to order a large meal again.

The result was another failure.

Having no choice, he decided not to be so greedy and ordered three more flatbreads.

Still, he failed.

Afterward, the Grim Reaper simply stopped appearing.

Could it be that the Grim Reaper only has the ability to give away one point for free?

Or was it just the first order?

Depressed, why didn't he order more with the first order?

What if it had been successful?

Nibbling on three flatbreads with three pickled vegetables, Li Teng shed tears of regret and sorrow.

"Eating too much at night is bad for the digestive system."

After eating the three free flatbreads, Li Teng stopped himself from attempting to consume further.

Only the food that's free tastes good; why bother with what's not free!

After leaving the restaurant, Li Teng headed to a café.

The café was already closed and no longer offered free coffee.

Li Teng had no choice but to continue walking toward the small square.

Sometimes there was music in the small square, but it was uncertain if there would be any tonight.

Falling asleep to the music could divert his attention and alleviate the constant pain in his body.

Upon arrival, sure enough, music was playing.

"Without the darkness, the fireworks won't be perfect. Memories burn into ash, still waiting for an ending…"

Li Teng lay down on a wooden bench by the flower bed, listening to the music, as distant memories involuntarily surged into his mind.

He remembered Anna, Daisy, Yao Xue, and Liu Yin.

Anna was a strong woman, with her own thoughts which she never shared with Li Teng.

She was strong-willed, skilled in martial arts, and independent; she didn't need his protection.

She was very carefree; between them, whether it was friendship or unspoken love, she could cut ties and walk away without dragging it out.

Perhaps he wasn't strong enough in her eyes.

Daisy, the poor girl, was a naïve young woman who hurriedly came and left, spending all her sparse points on him before her departure.

Li Teng felt he owed Daisy a lot.

Yao Xue appeared strong on the outside but was fragile inside, and very sensitive emotionally. She hoped to be protected yet feared being hurt. Had they not been forcefully separated, Li Teng doubted whether they would have ended up together if they had spent more time together.

Liu Yin was born into a wealthy family, timid yet smart with her own opinions. Unable to change her circumstances, she tried hard to adapt. Frightened, she wished for protection, but if it was not forthcoming, she would strive to make herself stronger.

Li Teng wasn't as carefree as he appeared on the outside; he, too, longed for companionship.

Whether it was experiencing "Hell Mode" twice with Anna, or spending three days on top of a stone pillar with Yao Xue, or even the two months with Liu Yin in "Time Prison," recalling those memories gave him a warm feeling.

Yet, when he struggled even with basic necessities and was unable to provide a stable, safe life for the ones he loved, he had to hide behind carelessness and reject such companionship.

In a place like Film and Television City, he was destined to continue alone.

…

It was getting darker.

The wind started to pick up.

Li Teng took shelter in a nearby clothing store.

Soon, he was driven out by sounds from the ceiling.

Then, all the stores closed up.

The lights gradually went out.

"Because I dreamt of you leaving, I woke up from crying. Watching the night wind passing through the window sill, can you feel my love? When old age comes one day, will you still be by my side? Watching those vows and lies, slowly drifting away with the past…"

After the last song in the small square, silence enveloped the surroundings.

Li Teng returned to the wooden bench, curling up as he lay down.