The hospital room was strangely quiet.
The doctors had already finished their examination and quietly stepped out, leaving only three people inside.
Jin Taoran.
Lu Cheng.
And the assistant standing beside him, holding a tablet with a contract file open.
The faint beeping of the heart monitor echoed softly through the room.
Jin Taoran looked at Lu Cheng carefully.
Up close, the legendary actor looked even more intimidating than he did on screen.
Tall.
Sharp features.
Cold, steady eyes that seemed capable of seeing through a person's thoughts.
This was the man known throughout the industry as the Cold Emperor of Acting.
A person who had won three Golden Crane Awards before the age of thirty.
A man whose agency controlled half of the entertainment industry.
And now he was standing beside Jin Taoran's hospital bed as if recruiting a new employee was the most normal thing in the world.
Lu Cheng spoke first.
"You've seen the contract."
It wasn't a question.
Jin Taoran glanced at the tablet the assistant held out.
The screen displayed the logo of Aurora Entertainment.
Even someone outside the industry would recognize that name.
Aurora was not just an agency.
It was an empire.
Actors signed under Aurora dominated television, film, and international awards.
Most rookies would kill for the chance to enter it.
But Jin Taoran did not reach for the tablet immediately.
Instead, he asked quietly,
"Why me?"
The assistant looked slightly surprised by the question.
Most actors would have accepted the contract instantly.
But Jin Taoran remained calm.
Lu Cheng's eyes flickered with faint approval.
"Because I dislike wasting talent."
His voice was calm.
Almost casual.
"But more importantly," he continued, "I want to understand something."
Jin Taoran frowned slightly.
"What?"
Lu Cheng leaned against the nearby table, folding his arms.
"When you were lying on the battlefield set earlier today, you weren't acting like an extra."
His gaze sharpened.
"You were acting like someone who had actually lived that life."
Jin Taoran's heart skipped slightly.
The system interface quietly appeared again in the corner of his vision.
[Warning: Lu Cheng possesses Emotional Perception.]
[Host emotional fluctuations detectable.]
Jin Taoran forced himself to stay calm.
He could not reveal the existence of the system.
So he answered simply.
"I take every role seriously."
Lu Cheng stared at him for a moment.
Then he let out a quiet breath.
"That's not an answer."
The assistant coughed lightly.
"President Lu, perhaps we should allow Mr. Jin time to rest before discussing business matters."
Lu Cheng didn't respond immediately.
His eyes remained on Jin Taoran.
Finally, he nodded slightly.
"Fine."
He straightened up.
"But the offer stands."
The assistant quickly handed the tablet to Jin Taoran.
"Mr. Jin, you can review the contract."
Jin Taoran accepted it carefully.
The moment he began reading, his eyebrows slowly rose.
The terms were… surprisingly good.
No.
Not just good.
Incredible.
---
Aurora Entertainment Contract
• Exclusive Actor Agreement
• Five-year term
• Full training support
• Priority audition access
• Reputation protection clause
---
The most shocking part was the final clause.
Aurora Entertainment guarantees legal support and public relations defense for any false accusations against the contracted actor.
Jin Taoran stared at that sentence for a long moment.
It was exactly what he needed right now.
Because the scandal destroying his reputation was clearly fabricated.
Someone had set him up.
But with no agency backing him, he had no power to fight back.
Aurora, however…
Aurora could crush rumors with a single press conference.
The assistant spoke gently.
"We have already investigated the assault rumor."
Jin Taoran looked up.
"You have?"
The assistant nodded.
"The evidence is extremely weak."
He opened another video file.
This one showed a security camera recording from the studio parking area.
In the video, the female staff member tripped near the equipment trucks.
Jin Taoran helped her stand up.
That was it.
Nothing else happened.
The angle from the earlier photo had made it look misleading.
But the full video clearly proved his innocence.
Jin Taoran felt his chest tighten slightly.
"So the rumor…"
"Was released intentionally," the assistant finished calmly.
"Likely by someone who benefits from removing you."
Jin Taoran lowered his gaze.
He already had a guess.
His former agency.
They had never cared about him.
But they did care about protecting their more famous actors.
And Zhao Mingyu had looked furious earlier when the director compared his acting to an extra.
Silencing Jin Taoran would solve the problem easily.
Lu Cheng suddenly spoke again.
"If you sign with Aurora, the rumor disappears tomorrow."
His tone was completely matter-of-fact.
As if erasing a public scandal was no more difficult than flipping a switch.
Jin Taoran looked at him.
"Why help me?"
Lu Cheng met his gaze.
"Because I want to see what you can become."
The room grew quiet.
The system interface suddenly flashed.
---
[System Mission Progress]
Objective: Join Aurora Entertainment.
Reward: Emotional Resonance Level +1
Remaining Time: 69 hours
---
Jin Taoran slowly exhaled.
His entire career had collapsed less than twelve hours ago.
Now the most powerful agency in the country was offering him protection.
It felt almost unreal.
He looked down at the contract again.
Then he asked one final question.
"If I sign…"
Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
"Will you treat me like an actor?"
The assistant blinked, slightly confused by the question.
But Lu Cheng understood immediately.
Jin Taoran wasn't asking about money or fame.
He was asking about respect.
About whether he would be taken seriously as a performer.
Lu Cheng answered without hesitation.
"If your acting deserves respect, you'll receive it."
He paused slightly.
"But if it doesn't…"
His gaze sharpened.
"I will be the first person to tell you."
Jin Taoran stared at him for a moment.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
For the first time since the accident.
"That sounds fair."
He picked up the stylus.
And signed the contract.
---
The system screen exploded with light.
[MISSION COMPLETE]
Reward Granted
Emotional Resonance Level: 1
New Skill Unlocked
Character Memory Simulation Lv.1
Description:
The host can briefly experience fragments of a character's life while performing a role.
Jin Taoran felt a strange warmth spread through his chest.
As if something inside him had quietly awakened.
Lu Cheng watched him carefully.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Because for a brief moment…
He felt a surge of emotional energy radiating from Jin Taoran.
It was faint.
But unmistakable.
Lu Cheng had only sensed that kind of resonance from legendary actors.
He turned away slowly.
"Recover quickly."
Jin Taoran looked up.
Lu Cheng had already put his sunglasses back on.
"We have work to do."
The assistant smiled politely.
"Mr. Jin, your first audition under Aurora will be in three days."
Jin Taoran blinked.
"So soon?"
The assistant nodded.
"A historical drama."
He hesitated slightly.
"The role is small."
Jin Taoran laughed softly.
"I'm used to small roles."
The assistant smiled.
"But this one… might change everything."
---
After they left, the hospital room became quiet again.
Jin Taoran leaned back against the pillow.
His mind was still processing everything that had happened.
Scandal.
Accident.
System.
Aurora Entertainment.
Lu Cheng.
It felt like his life had suddenly shifted onto a completely different path.
The system interface appeared again.
---
Next Mission
First True Role
Objective: Deliver a performance with Emotional Resonance.
Reward: Skill Upgrade.
Failure: Career stagnation.
---
Jin Taoran stared at the mission.
Then he smiled faintly.
"For the first time…"
He whispered to himself.
"I actually have a chance."
Outside the hospital window, the city lights glowed quietly in the night.
Somewhere far away, the entertainment industry continued moving forward.
But soon—
A new actor would step onto that stage.
And his name would be remembered.
Jin Taoran.