Chapter 1: Three's a Team

Jiangzhou.

The team selection for the reality show *Three’s a Team* had descended into chaos.

“Director! I’m gay! You put me with two guys. What if I end up matching the two of them together?”

“Director! I’m a college student! Where’s the cool, sophisticated professor you promised me? I need her to tutor me!”

“Director! I’m an old man. What exactly are you trying to say by putting me with two crematorium workers?!”

“Boo-hoo! Director… both my teammates are musclemen. Are you sure this is a respectable reality show?”

Faced with a courtyard packed full of complaints, the director shouted himself hoarse through a megaphone.

“Everybody calm down! We’ll finish your team, then hers! One at a time!”

Behind the crowd, Jiang Chen’s eyes flew open.

“Holy shit!

“I transmigrated?!

“And into a damn reality show?”

After sorting through the memories in his head, Jiang Chen figured out what had happened.

That night, he’d spent too long studying certain educational materials. Somewhere amid a spectacular series of solo exploits, he’d transmigrated.

He’d landed on Blue Star, a parallel world remarkably similar to Earth. Pressed to make a living, he had signed up for a reality show called *Three’s a Team*.

The show was meant to break down the indifference that kept people apart in modern society, throwing together people of different professions and personalities to see what sparks might fly.

Whoever went viral and lasted to the end could win the five-million-yuan grand prize. Teams would be reshuffled every seven days.

The concept was beautiful. Reality, less so.

“What, you’re saying I’ve got to go today? You’ve already arranged the whole funeral package?”

There were some sensible combinations. A chef, a rideshare driver, and an elementary school student had settled on a breakfast cart outside the school gates in less than half an hour.

By and large, though, most contestants were deeply unhappy with the teammates fate had dropped in their laps.

Jiang Chen wasn’t worried. There was always a way out. If he could get creative with his solo entertainment, attracting viewers would be a breeze.

Best of all, he’d drawn the captain’s spot in his very first team.

“Bro! I finally found you!”

An excited voice came from behind him. Jiang Chen turned to see a chubby young man carrying a black canvas bag. Both wore number 952.

“Just you? Where’s our other teammate?”

The young man grinned and pointed behind him. “He’ll be right over.”

A weathered-looking, rather shy middle-aged man emerged from the crowd.

“Hello, Captain. I’m on your team.”

Uh…

Jiang Chen looked him up and down and gave an awkward smile. The man looked as if he’d run into some trouble. He seemed pretty down.

For now, though, they needed to get their livestream started.

Jiang Chen raised a hand. Their assigned cameraman approached with his equipment.

“Livestream 952 is on. Please introduce yourselves.”

Jiang Chen went first. “Jiang Chen. Currently unemployed, and captain of this team.”

The chubby young man eagerly followed. “I’m Zhou Fei. My family runs a snake-repellent shop. We sell repellent powder, sprays, and all kinds of outdoor supplies.”

The middle-aged man kept his head down and stumbled over his words. “Um… I’m Wang Zhen. I run an agricultural supply shop. Fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, that sort of thing.”

When they finished, silence fell.

An unemployed young man, a snake-repellent seller, and an agricultural supply seller. There was only one venture Jiang Chen could imagine for that combination: he could go back to the countryside and farm, Wang Zhen could supply the fertilizer, and Zhou Fei could make sure he didn’t get bitten to death by a snake.

*Three’s a Team* was popular, so viewers began trickling into the newly opened stream.

【What kind of modern farming squad is this? Is this a countryside sitcom?】

【One sells fertilizer, one sells snake repellent, and the other can be fertilizer. A complete ecosystem.】

【That floral shirt and those beach shorts on the captain take confidence. Only a man with real talent can pull that off.】

【The other teams are already putting on a show. These guys are still figuring out how to survive seven days.】

【I’m out. Nothing new here. I’m going to the gay guys’ stream next door. They’re practically dating already!】

Viewers online: 46.

One of them was the cameraman, who had joined on his own phone to keep them company.

Zhou Fei glanced at the stream dashboard and panicked. “Why are there so few people? Captain, we have to do something! The least popular contestants get eliminated in seven days!

“How about we sell breakfast outside a school too?”

Jiang Chen stared at him. With snake-repellent powder in it?

He looked to Wang Zhen, who gave an embarrassed smile. “I’m fine with anything. Whatever you say.”

Neither teammate had an idea for drawing an audience. Jiang Chen shook his head. Other streams had already come up with all sorts of gimmicks: the chef, driver, and schoolkid had formed a breakfast startup team, while a wedding emcee, a photographer, and a divorce lawyer were preparing a one-stop marriage service.

His own trio looked like an agricultural TV crew sent to visit the countryside.

The cameraman yawned. This team was probably doomed.

Then, without warning, a mechanical voice rang out in Jiang Chen’s head.

【Ding!】

【Host’s team detected: extremely low popularity!】

【Probability of elimination in seven days: 99.99%!】

【Three’s a Team: Idea King System activated!】

【The system can analyze your two teammates’ professions, skills, and resources to generate special ideas!】

Two virtual panels appeared before him, visible to him alone.

【Zhou Fei: Snake-repellent shop operator.】

【Resources on hand: Various snake repellents and special industrial samples.】

【Traits: Bold and quick to act. Usually acts first and asks questions later.】

【Wang Zhen: Agricultural supply shop operator.】

【Hidden background: Former mining-area worker with access to certain industrial raw materials.】

【Traits: Honest and good-natured. Generally won’t refuse as long as something sounds reasonable.】

Jiang Chen stared at the panels, dumbfounded.

Wait. Wait a minute. What exactly was this system trying to tell him?

The Action Guy! The Easygoing Guy! And he was the Idea Guy!

One acted before asking questions; the other wouldn’t say no if an idea sounded reasonable. If Jiang Chen came up with a terrible idea, there’d be nobody on this team to hit the brakes!

A bold plan, one capable of setting the entire internet on fire, took shape in his mind.

Zhou Fei sold snake repellent. He could get sulfur! Wang Zhen sold fertilizer. He could get saltpeter! And Jiang Chen…

One part saltpeter, two parts sulfur, three parts—

【Ding!】

【Analyzing professional attributes…】

【Idea generated!】

【Saltpeter conceals the force; sulfur lights the flame. Charcoal holds the pressure that can shake the land.】

【Caution! The final effect of a system-generated “special idea” will often differ dramatically from the host’s original understanding.】

Ha! Exactly what he’d been thinking!

Delighted that he and the system were on the same wavelength, Jiang Chen completely missed the warning in the small print.

If they pulled this off, their stream would blast straight out of the beginner ranks!

His gaze landed on a trash heap nearby, where the breakfast startup team had just discarded a pile of charcoal.

The cameraman followed his gaze, an inexplicable sense of unease rising in his chest.

Zhou Fei couldn’t help asking, “Captain, what exactly are you planning?”

Jiang Chen didn’t answer. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and murmured, “We still need some charcoal.”

Dead silence.

A single question mark drifted across the livestream. Then more appeared, until they filled the screen.

【Snake repellent, farm supplies, and charcoal?】

【Holy shit!! Wait, wait!! I think I know what he’s thinking!】

【Hold on. Why do those three things together sound more and more like a criminal case?】

【Hey, calm down! What are you planning to do?】

【I came for a comedy show, not a crime documentary!】

【No way… right?】

The viewer count shot from forty-six to 120.

The cameraman swallowed hard and leaned closer. “Captain Jiang Chen, wh-what are you going to make?”

Jiang Chen gave him an innocent smile.

“Relax. We’re going to bring in viewers.”