A Dying Industry

(AN: This is my second real attempt at writing something other than fanfiction, even though this is still pseudo-fanfiction considering it will have a similar system to those obvious Copyright-Infringing webnovels. What can I say? It's hard to fully leave my comfort zone.)

The Pangaean Human Alliance.

The theoretical supercontinent, Pangaea, was never broken apart in this alternate history. Shortly after the end of what would've been the First World War, the leading world governments banded together to create a single utilitarian goverment meant to lead Humankind into a new age.

It was considered a huge success. In the early years under the new goverment, technology and related industries progressed at a rapid pace. Though, some industries and major religions almost completely died out from wanting to deny progress or not being able to keep up.

By the end of the 21st century they had already fully colonized the Moon orbiting their planet and were working on terraforming projects to colonize the other planets and moons in the solar sytem.

However, in their hubris they neglected something vitally important to most working class citizens.

Entertainment.

Shortly after the success of the terraforming projects, humans would cause their own destruction. At the dawn of the 23rd century Humanity would become so numb, looking for anything to give themselves a reason to exist, that they would eventually clash in a interplanetary civil war. The cause?

Boredom.

Of course, it's a bit more complicated than that, but that was one of the major underlying reasons. Due to most not having anything to work towards, and no way to express themselves accurately, they banded together under different ideas and wanted to secede from the Alliance.

The Alliance's response was less than ethical.

Annihilation of all "insurgent forces". Their own citizens didn't exactly agree with that decision, a majority had family and friends in those forces, and also rose in revolt. The Human Alliance was disbanded shortly after the "war" that lasted all of five months.

Taking this chance, those who craved power and those who were just looking for a reason to exist created and joined different governments. Division was all that was left of the once united species.

To prove that things could always be worse, disaster came to the entire solar system three years later, like the Heavens themselves wanted to mock an already defeated opponent.

Aliens. A scavenger-esque species of space pirates came and ripped apart the no longer united species like they were waiting for that very moment.

With no real way to defend against the monsters who invaded, Humankind would eventually succumb to complete extinction.

[Main Quest Objective: Stop The Extinction of Humanity]

[Time Limit: 67 Years, 9 Months, 15 Days Until Invasion]

"How in the hell am I supposed to stop that!?" Shi Fen screamed at the description of the main quest, "You expect me to fight off an entire species? I'm not a super saiyan! I don't even know how to throw a punch!"

[You know the saying about assuming] the text box snarked, [No, my creator expects you to save them by keeping them united and uplifting them as a whole.]

"What? I don't know a thing about governing. I'm not some charismatic leader," Shi Fen sighed "I'm just another washed up student."

[Another assumption. You'll need to work on that] the text replied, [If you kept that to yourself, I could of finished explaining]

Shi Fen let out a grumble but otherwise kept silent.

[Progress. The only way someone of your... 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳 could possibly unite the human race is through forms of media from your original world instilling certain ideas and values while stimulating the imagination] the system continued on [As stated in the Main Quest, the world changed drastically into a utilitarian society after the World War. That was around the beginning of the 20th century.]

Shi Fen made a face at the system essentially saying to brainwash people but shoved that into the back of his mind for more relevant questions, "The beginning of the 20th century? When was cinema invented? I know that video games wouldn't have been invented until another few decades, but I'm not sure on other forms of media. Music is the exception as I don't even know how old it is, but genre would be a different story."

[Obviously. Cinema is considered to have been invented late 19th century, however it never really became popular as a form of media for some countries until the time of the World War. In this world, it would've become popular as a form of media around the world by the 1930's if the Alliance cared about aesthetics.] Shi Fen made to interrupt again but held his tongue. He didn't want to be insulted more than he already has.

[As it is now, cinema does exist but is mainly used to show historical documentaries. Music is only still around due to the positive effects is has on work productivity. It's almost exclusively a single genre however and too much of one thing can lead to a sort of, immunity, if you would.]

[The entertainment industry is as good as dead, there are only so many times you could go to an amusement park or sightseeing before it's boring. Not everyone finds enjoyment in physical exercise and vice versa. Creative writing may as well not exist, and with no other ways to unwind and relax humans will inevitably turn to things that are detrimental to themselves. It'll simply keep on building up until it explodes. That's why you are to introduce other forms of media while building upon what is already established.]

"I think I understand the general situation, but exactly how am supposed to do anything about it? I can't exactly make a bunch of movies... or songs... or games. Not to mention, I'm pretty sure that a society that highly values utilitarianism wouldn't be changed by a few moving songs and movies that make people think from a different perspective." Shi Fen questioned sinking further into his office chair.

"In most utilitratian societies, don't they restrict and control all forms of media? Books, movies, music, everything? I can't exactly make something that could change people, only to be thrown in prison or executed." Shi Fen was more worried about his life at this point rather than completing the main mission.

[This is real life, do you think this is some dystopian blockbuster movie? It's not like these primitives invented some way to control everyone by putting a drug in the drinking water. They just focused more on utility so there would be no reason to fight over resources. Why bother with the idea of fun when they could be making strides in that new research project about oxygen recycling?] disdain evident in the tone.

[To answer the other question, any form of media created with the help of the system will have a much stronger effect, almost 𝘩𝘺𝘱𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤, on any who view, listen, or play it. How much stronger depends on the grade of the media, but the lowest grade is five times more than the original. The effects vary from person to person due to life experiences, an old man would relate to a song about the vicissitudes of life more so than a teenager.] He felt a chill run down his spine at the system's explanation.

"Wouldn't people realize something is weird about whatever we make then? Five times is already a bit much." Nervously rubbing his arms to get rid of the imaginary chill he continued, "I don't wanna be dissected when people figure out there is some mystical attraction to everything I make."

[Exactly why do you think I put the emphasis on hypnotic? Forget it. I shouldn't have expected your primitive brain to work it out.] the system scathingly answered, [My creator granted a camoflage to your very existence. No one will be to realize certain things that happen around and about you. Have a bunch of unrelated skills at a near supernatural level? No one sees anything except an extremely talented one-in-a-trillion individual. Can come up with ideas no one else seems to think about? What an 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 and 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 person.] sarcasm practically flowing off the words.

Slowly spinning his chair, Shi Fen questions "Still, I don't really have any skills related to media production. Art? 0/10, even my stick figures look awful. Writing skills? They may be better than the nonexistent standard of this world, but I wouldn't bet on them. Programming? I can print 'hello world'. Cinematography? I can film a mighty good home video with my smartphone. Music? I can karaoke along with music that no longer exists and play twinkle twinkle little star on the piano with one finger."

[Enough. I know what you want.] Shi Fen stopped spinning and sat up straight, excited gleam in his eyes, [You want some sort of 'Welcome Package'? Maybe some 'basic' skill that is already better than most people's technique that they devoted decades of practice to?] the system taunted, [Well, why don't you ask for it?]

Shi Fen's eyes opened a bit wider than usual but wasn't overly surprised by his system's response, "Uh, can I have my welcome package?"

[Maybe. Can you say please?] Shi Fen sighed but decided to play along to make his life easier. "System, can I please have my welcome package?"

[Tch. Fine.] After the system had it's fun Shi Fen heard a notification sound typical of a smartphone.

[Shi Fen's Beginner Package deposited into System Inventory]

[Open? Y/N?]

(AN: I cut the prologue of how he got here since... well it's becoming a bit redundant right? There are only so many ways a guy can choke on noodles, get flattened by a truck, or even struck by lightning before it gets annoying. Is it fine this way? Or should I upload the prologue chapter? It is surprisingly long and dull.

Anyways, please comment and point out any mistakes. I'll keep track and edit all of them at once at some point. English is my first language, but it's been years since schooling and modern conveniences has ruined my grasp of the written form.

PS: Was this too wordy? Should I edit my writing style? I tried mimicking popular webnovels but feel like there's too much flowery descriptions.)