2 Arc 1.2

A pair of eyes opened from its slumber. The eyes were unfocused as it tried to blink the sleep away. The owner of these eyes was a beautiful girl of 22 years. With long black hair, fair skin, and slender body, the girl sitting up and stretching was an alluring sight.

When Wen Meirong was awake enough, she scanned her surroundings. She was in a high-end bedroom which seemed to be recently furnished. The clock near the bed she was sitting on showed that it was 7:24 in the morning. Deeming that she was not in danger, she called for 048 in her mind.

"Host, welcome to the first world! Before you start, I have to inform you that in your inventory there is a gift for you. The gift is from the higher-ups. Every host that starts on their first soul will receive a gift. More specifically, the gift is a special skill. A special skill is a rare skill that cannot be learned, for example, the Tranquility Skill. Neither the higher-ups nor systems can decide what the skill is, so the special skill you receive is random. This is the first and last time you will receive a gift from them," 048 informed.

She tried to process the information, but since she just woke up it took longer to do so. When she finally did so, she promptly went to her inventory. Inside her inventory, there was a slot that had a question mark in it, unlike the other blank slots. Wen Meirong clicked on it and another screen popped up asking if she wanted to open the gift. She clicked 'yes'.

Immediately afterward, she felt a change in her body as an energy surged within her. She felt her senses heightened and her awareness expanded. She felt in tune with her surroundings. Every detail was within her perception.

She could feel so many things around her simultaneously. Her heartbeat as it drummed a soothing rhythm. The air blowing from the air conditioner. The silkiness of the pajamas on her body. The bustle of life outside.

Wen Meirong let herself savor the experience until she could get used to it and focus. When she got used to it, she looked at her Skill List.

[Skill List:

Tranquility {Special} (Active)

Hyper Intuition {Special} (Passive)]

"048, can you explain to me what Hyper Intuition is? What is the difference between Active and Passive?" Even though she asked aloud, she already had an idea of what it is from the name and a feeling she could not explain.

"It is the maximized ability to perceive or understand something without the need for conscious reasoning. It is a heightened sixth sense that borders on precognition. For example, a person who usually goes a certain route to work decided to take a detour because of a feeling and later found out that there was an accident. It can detect truth and lies. It is the ability to see through all. Since it increases your innate understanding, this skill can help you accurately judge a person or situation and act accordingly. Because of this heightened understanding, it will increase your ability to learn new skills and grow the skills you already have. As a piece of advice, always listen to your intuition even when you do not get it because it has never been wrong and its purpose is to help and protect you."

Wen Meirong had long pass surprised and was in disbelief because there was no way that such an overpowered skill would fall in her lap. She soon believed 048 because a feeling told her that all of it was true. This was not something she knew from previous knowledge, but instead is a feeling of rightness. Now, she knows that feeling was her intuition. If this powerful skill was a special skill then she could not imagine what other special skills she would have gotten if not Hyper Intuition.

"Special skills, unlike regular skills, fall under 2 categories: Active and Passive. Active skills only work under certain conditions. On the contrary, Passive skills will always work and do not have any requirements," 048 continued.

She accepted the weird situation and moved on from it. If there is one thing to commend about Wen Meirong, it is her ability to adapt and prioritize.

"How do I get the original body's memory?" she inquired.

"It is already implanted in your mind. All you have to do is search for it. As a warning, the process would hurt slightly," 048 replied.

She closed her eyes and dove into her mind. There was something in the back of her mind that was wrapped up and contained tightly. It seemed like it was going to burst and she knew that it was the original body's memories.

Heeding 048's warning, she braced herself and willed the memories to surface to the forefront of her mind. Pain spread throughout her head as memory after memory rushed forth. The pain was not too much rather it felt like having a migraine. She lay back on the bed to wait for the pain to fade.

When it stopped feeling like someone was tap dancing on her head, she took the time to review and organize the memories. Wen Meirong could not help but feel guilty for invading someone else's privacy by looking at that person's life. All the sad and happy moments were on full display. However, this was necessary for her to succeed in the mission.

It gave relevant moments in the original's life. It was not all of the original's memories, but neither was it a little amount considering it still is about 22 years' worth of memories. The memories were not as personal as she thought. Instead, it was similar to watching a movie or reading a book that you already somehow knew.

For all the guilt that she was feeling, she felt a sense of relief. Even though she was calm throughout the process, she dreaded the idea of gaining someone else's memories. It was the fear of those memories becoming apart her that it would affect her own personality or mentality. Wen Meirong did not want to lose her sense of self. Those memories were not hers and she would never want it to be hers.

Based on the memories, the original body's name was Wen Quiyue. She had loving parents that spoiled her to no end. Wen Quiyue was the daughter of a wealthy couple. Her father, Wen Huizhong, owns a company. While it is not at the top in the business world it is high enough that people know the Wen family. Her mother, Yan Liqin, was a rich daughter of the Yan family that married Wen Huizhong.

In the plot, Wen Quiyue could be boiled down to what people would call cannon fodder. She was a B-list actress and while she can act she was average. Wen Quiyue encountered the female lead, Yang Qing, after she time traveled while they were acting for the same movie. Wen Quiyue was not an enemy of Yang Qing in her first life, but she did become an eyesore in Yang Qing's second life.

Wen Quiyue was in love with the second male lead of the plot. The second male lead of the plot, Fan Mingyu, is the Movie Emperor of the entertainment industry. In the movie they all filming, Fan Mingyu was the male protagonist and Yang Qing was his love interest. Wen Quiyue became jealous of Yang Qing who seemed close to Fan Mingyu.

Being the spoiled rich girl that she was, she continuously humiliated and created problems for the female lead with petty schemes. Yang Qing easily turned the tables and came out on top. In the plot, Wen Quiyue was used to show off Yang Qing intelligence and as a comparison of being lesser than the female lead in every way. Wen Quiyue's reputation was ruined and she could not return to the entertainment industry.

That was not the worst part. Immediately after her fall, her father, Wen Huizhong, was arrested for embezzlement. Her mother, Yan Liqin, had fallen ill due to the shock. The company was failing and so it was sold to get the money to bail out Wen Huizhong and to hospitalize Yan Liqin. Wen Quiyue tried her best to help her parents, but they soon died.

Although Wen Quiyue was spoiled, she loved her parents more than herself. Wen Quiyue believed it was her own fault that this happened and she hated herself for it. She regretted it and decided to kill herself because there was nothing left for her.

'These memories...truly suspicious...I might just be right. This does not prove anything, but it does support it. I don't doubt that there are plot holes. If I am right then. How cunning...and very hypocritical. For now, let's wait for the plot to start.' Wen Meirong thought as she analyzed the memories.

Wen Meirong did not know what to say, but she did have an idea of what the mission is. "048, what is the mission?"

"You have two missions. The first mission is to take care of the original's parents. There is no time limit and the reward is 200 points. The second mission is to become an A-list celebrity. The reward is 300 points."

She expected the first mission, but the second one surprised her. Wen Meirong thought it would be something like getting the second male lead to fall in love with her or take revenge on the female lead. However, she was glad for it, because the amount of drama that would have unfolded was too troublesome.

Taking the phone from the bedside table she checked the date. Rummaging through the Wen Quiyue's memories, she found out that today was her day off and had nothing scheduled for the rest of the day.

"Where am I in the timeline?" Wen Meirong inquired.

"Currently, it is about 1 year before Yang Qing time travel from the future and the plot will start," 048 replied.

Wen Meirong relaxed at the thought that the plot and its troubles will start about 1 year from now. This would give her enough time to prepare for the storm that would appear when Yang Qing takes the stage. Yang Qing would not be the female lead if she did not cause an upheaval in the entertainment industry and upper-class society with her presence alone.

"048, just out of curiosity, why did I enter the body on this date? Why did the higher-ups give out gifts?" she asked.

"We wish for you to succeed in the missions as we would be able to cleanse the souls. We will try to enter you into each world at an optimal time if possible. It is also the reason why the higher-ups gave you a gift. There is only so much help that they can give you so the rest is up to you to deal with." Wen Meirong nodded and pushed the subject to the side.

The memories showed that at the start of Wen Quiyue's career she moved out of her family's mansion and into a high-class residential area nearer to the center of the city. She wanted to show her parents that she is capable of taking care of herself, so she did not hire help such as a maid. However, she does call for a cleanup crew to come to clean her home. This house was big enough to fit about half a dozen people. Although it was not as large as the other neighboring homes it was just as luxurious.

Wen Meirong had no complaints about her new living place. In her homeworld, she was neither rich nor was she poor. Her financial status was above average, but she had never been surrounded by such luxury. If there is one good point about this place then it is the first-rate security system that Wen Quiyue's parents spared no expense to get installed in the house.

Knowing that she was alone and safe, Wen Meirong got out of bed and pick a set of clothes that are comfortable for staying at home all day. Then she went to the bathroom, locked the door, and set the clothes on a shelf.

Wen Meirong looked at herself in the mirror. She knew that the face that she was going to see was not hers, but knowing something and experiencing it are two different things. It was unnerving to see the reflection of someone else copying her movements.

The face had beautiful phoenix eyes, a high nose, and vermillion lips. The woman in the mirror was an elegant beauty. Her very being had an aura of a high-class miss. Wen Meirong was not ugly in her past life, but she can not compare to this beauty.

Looking at Wen Quiyue's image in the mirror, Wen Meirong's heart ached for some reason. She did not know what it was. Maybe it was pity for the girl that could have had a happy life. If only Wen Quiyue did not chase after an unrequited love that led to her and her family's destruction. Wen Meirong was reluctant to even call it love since it was more like infatuation.

The bathroom had a large bathtub and shower. She took off her clothes, turned on the shower and went in.

Wen Meirong stood still as the hot water drenched her from head to toe. As water droplets continued to hit her skin, she felt the tension in her body slowly leave. Then, she released the control over her facade of calmness and the torrent of emotions that was boiling under the surface since her death burst forth.

She did not try to restrain it, instead, she let herself get swept away. Let herself break into pieces. Wen Meirong could not feel the tears running down her face as the hot water mixed with it. Her body trembled as wrapped her arms around her waist in a fruitless effort to comfort herself. She leaned against the wall to let it hold her weight.

So many emotions whirled within her that she could not tell what she is feeling anymore. Sadness. Grief. Pity. Longing. Helplessness. Guilt. Apprehension. Frustration. Hope.

She felt them, but she did not know who it was for. It could be for herself and her loved ones. It could be for Wen Quiyue and her parents. Maybe for all of them.

Wen Meirong cried until she could not anymore. Until all that was left was a sense of emptiness.

Then she pushed herself off of the wall. Slowly, she washed herself and walked out of the shower. She wiped herself and changed into the new set of clothes.

She got out of the bathroom and trudged towards the kitchen. There was a large amount of food and ingredients inside the fridge. Wen Meirong was too exhausted to cook, so she took a dish out and reheated it. She ate until she was full and washed the dishes.

She went to the living room. As she did so she stopped by another room to retrieve a blanket. When she reached the living room, she wrapped the blanket around her body and slump on the couch. She grabbed the nearby remote and turned on the TV.

Wen Meirong felt raw after the bout of crying. She did not want to watch anything heavy, so she switched to a channel that was a documentary about pandas. The sound from the TV became background noise as she blankly watched the show. She let the calmness of her surroundings envelop her.

She knew that she should not be wasting the day away doing nothing, but this was good for her. Holding in all that negative was not healthy. So, at least for today, she was willing let herself be vulnerable.

The thing was, she could have chosen another day to be like this. However, her intuition told her or rather made her feel that today was acceptable. Wen Meirong felt that no one would bother her in her moment of weakness. It was funny that she was comforted by her intuition and trusted it so much.

Even though she was emotionally sensitive, she felt like a gloomy fog that engulfed her faded away. Through this, she discovered that the Tranquility skill did not work. She was in emotional turmoil, but the skill did not force her to calm down. Wen Meirong felt safe in her vulnerability, so she could only speculate that it works when the host feels unsafe. Her intuition told her that she was right.

Wen Meirong broke out of her contemplation and saw that it was already dark. She turned off the TV, went to the kitchen, and reheated food from the fridge. After she finished eating and washing the dishes, she went back to the bedroom and get a change of clothes.

Then she went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Wen Meirong copied Wen Quiyue's night routine and then crawled into bed. Her drowsy eyes closed as she was lulled to sleep by the feeling that everything will be fine.