Entertainment King:I Can Extract Skills from the Movies

Based on his memories, this should have been the early 2000s.

However, some events in this world didn't quite match up with his previous life.

Back then, the East hadn't fully integrated with the world. Yet here, subtle changes had occurred.

Du Sheng shook his head, pushing aside such thoughts.

"Dreaming of making a fortune from cryptocurrency? Maybe I'm overthinking it."

He pulled out his phone to check entertainment news, and a notification popped up.

Zheng Ziyan sent a QQ message with a smug emoji:

"'Urban Entertainment News,' social section. Don't say I don't look out for you! o(￣▽￣)ブ"

The playful expression made him picture her pure yet mischievous face.

Suspecting it was related to yesterday's exposé, Du Sheng clicked on the link.

[Undercover Investigation: The Hengdian Scandal—Deceptive Crews Luring Actors into Risqué Films!]

The headline was striking.

This little troublemaker might be unreliable, but her efficiency was impressive. She had worked through the night to publish the article, even getting it greenlit for print.

It also hinted at her having strong backing—an intern editor wouldn't achieve this otherwise.

The article primarily exposed small-time crews who deceitfully lured actors into shooting adult films under the guise of legitimate roles.

It touched on the gray industry chains within the circle but focused on the "undercover investigation" she and Du Sheng had conducted.

Seeing how much praise the article heaped on him, Du Sheng felt a bit embarrassed.

True, she had gone undercover, even risking herself to infiltrate the operation.

The shady crew boss, drawn to Zheng Ziyan's youthful beauty, had eagerly dragged her into his office.

What happened next?

With a sweet smile, she walked in and shut the door. Moments later, the man's family jewels were shattered with a well-aimed kick.

What sweetness and innocence? She was a full-blown devil!

As for Du Sheng, he had nearly fallen for the crew's promises of a "big role" like the other struggling actors.

Were it not for his martial arts training buying time until Zheng Ziyan's uncle—a police inspector—arrived with reinforcements, he might've ended up on camera in compromising situations.

The article, however, reframed the incident as a joint investigation at Du Sheng's request.

In exchange, she could use his image and story to bolster the piece's authenticity.

While exposing such incidents could boost his popularity, being associated with a scam wasn't ideal. Better to spin it as "heroically uncovering the truth."

After checking other headlines, Du Sheng replied to her message:

"Thanks! Dinner's on me tonight. Coming?"

Urban Entertainment News wasn't some tabloid—it was a mid-tier publication with decent national circulation.

Having a friend in the media wasn't bad for a small-time actor.

Already, various self-published outlets were reprinting the story with exaggerated titles like:

[Shocking! Crews Deceive Actors into Risqué Films—Where's the Morality?]

[Outrage! Shady Productions Exploit Aspiring Actors for Adult Content.]

[The Dark Truth Behind Stardom: Cruel Realities of the Entertainment Industry.]

In less than half a day, the story had climbed to the bottom of the trending topics on entertainment boards.

No doubt, this was where the 9,862 reputation points had come from.

What pleased Du Sheng most was the surge in both reputation points and social media followers. His stagnant reputation points were ticking upward rapidly—likely adding another 1-2k by the end.

When he checked his personal microblog account, he discovered that his following had jumped from a few hundred to over 180,000!

These weren't bots or promotional accounts but genuine followers.

Though most were casual onlookers who clicked "follow" while reading the story, some could be retained with good content.

Followers equated to status and could influence his overall evaluation.

How delightful!

Fame, along with the positive press from exposing wrongdoing, would only help in future auditions.

Even if it didn't make people look at him in a new light, it might earn him some goodwill.

Half an hour later, Du Sheng got off the bus near his rented apartment and glanced at his reputation points.

As expected, they had climbed by another 2,000 since the story hit trending.

His followers had increased by 90,000, nearing 270,000.

What a cause for celebration!

Considering that top-tier celebrities typically had around 10 million followers, with superstars like Fan Bingbing or Zhang Ziyi hovering around 13 million, Du Sheng's gains were significant.

Even second-tier stars often fell within the 5-10 million range, barring exceptions who artificially inflated their numbers.

By that measure, Du Sheng could round himself up to a sixth-tier actor now.

Worth celebrating, wasn't it?

Though he lacked a standout role, his mood was light as he picked up some beer and peanuts on his way home.

His rented apartment was small, with peeling walls and a slightly run-down appearance.

Just as he set his things down, he heard footsteps behind him.

"Well, well! The big star finally graces us with his presence!"

The door opened to reveal a tanned, honest-looking young man with the demeanor of a migrant worker.

"A big star living in this dump? You've got a sweet tongue!"

Du Sheng laughed, handing him a beer.

This was Wang Yaoyang, a fellow extra he had met on set. The two shared this 600-yuan rental.

Wang accepted the bottle without hesitation, downing half in one gulp.

"Back so early? No filming today?"

Du Sheng noticed his clothes were a bit dirty—cleaned, but still showing mud stains.

"There is. I got a part in an anti-Japanese drama."

Wang waved the 90 yuan in his hand and sighed.

"But this July heat is brutal. Standing in the sun all day playing a soldier nearly gave me heatstroke."

Extras' wages had recently been adjusted to 70 yuan for an 8-hour shift. Just last year, it had been 50.

"Getting a part is better than nothing. I heard plenty of people complaining on my way back," Du Sheng said casually.

Wang wasn't doing too badly—he occasionally got screen time or a line or two.

Background extras, on the other hand, often wore decades-old, filthy costumes and lay on the ground pretending to be corpses.

Wang put down the bottle and eyed Du Sheng, whose refined and handsome features had grown even more striking.

"Man, same people, different fates. Won't be long before you hit it big. Remember to look out for your brother when that happens!"

As the saying went, nothing was harder to bear than watching your friends succeed.

Last year, they had both been struggling extras. Now, Du Sheng seemed on the verge of stardom.

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Author's Notes:

1. Yes, the country is slightly improved. Rebirth stories often aim to highlight a better future.

2. No, this isn't about "perfect predictions." Everyone knows about Bitc

oin, lotteries, and big investments. The focus is on entertainment.

3. Adjustments to timelines, tech, and industry are intentional to enrich the setting.