Chapter 1 - You Want Me to Write a Script? Are You Kidding Me?

Chapter 1 You Want Me to Write a Script? Are You Kidding Me?

At Parallel Universe, a bustling CBD center in a Magic City, the quadrennial ‘Godlike Writing Youth Screenwriter Competition’, known as the most prestigious event in the Dragon Nation’s film industry, was in full swing.

Inside a grand office building, a sea of people filled the large conference room. Men and women of all shapes and sizes milled about, while cameramen moved through the crowd, capturing every angle.

At the center stage stood a charismatic host, Xiao Sa, delivering a rousing opening speech.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the national finals!

You are the cream of the crop among our country’s young screenwriters, the brightest stars destined to shape the future of our film industry…”

As Xiao Sa eloquently continued, one figure in the crowd stood out—not for their brilliance, but for their utterly baffled expression.

His eyes darted around in confusion, disbelief written all over his face.

—Where is this place?

—Who am I?

—What’s going on?

A flood of memories rushed into Lu Chen’s mind, bringing a shocking revelation—he had transmigrated. He was now in a parallel world, inhabiting the body of a freshly graduated college student.

This wasn’t just any graduate, either. His predecessor was a standout student from a prestigious film academy, specializing in screenwriting.

A top-tier student.

An honor graduate.

A prodigy who had eagerly signed up for the ‘Godlike Writing Competition’, the nation’s pinnacle event for aspiring screenwriters. This wasn’t just any contest, it was the Olympics of the film industry, a competition that took place every four years and had already produced countless renowned screenwriters and cinematic classics.

From an initial pool of 50,000 participants, Lu Chen’s predecessor had fought his way to the top 64 with a first-place ranking in the regional qualifiers. Now, it was time for the national finals, starting with a showdown to determine the top 32.

Lu Chen’s problem?

He had no clue how to write a screenplay.

“I’ve read a couple of web novels in my life,” he muttered to himself, “and you want me to compete in a scriptwriting contest? This is like tying a string to a chicken’s backside—utter nonsense!”

Worse yet, the predecessor’s screenwriting skills hadn’t transferred over!

“How am I supposed to play this game?”

Just as Lu Chen’s thoughts spiraled into despair, Xiao Sa concluded his opening remarks on stage.

“And now, let’s give a warm welcome to our four judges for the national finals!”

The host gestured dramatically towards a set of doors, which swung open to reveal four figures walking in. Three men and one woman entered with confident strides, their presence electrifying the room.

Lu Chen’s eyes widened as he recognized one of them—Chen Sicheng—the director and writer of ‘Beijing Love Story’ and the ‘Detective Chinatown’ series.

In his previous life, Chen Sicheng had directed the blockbuster movie ‘Lost in the Stars’, which grossed over 3 billion yuan and sparked widespread discussion.

To think this parallel world has him too,

Lu Chen thought, marveling at the familiar face.

As the four judges stepped onto the stage, Xiao Sa introduced them with gusto.

“First, we have the renowned screenwriter behind masterpieces like Let the Bullets Fly, Devils on the Doorstep, and The Sun Also Rises—Mr. Shu Ping!”

“Hello, everyone!”

Shu Ping greeted the audience with a polite nod, earning a round of enthusiastic applause.

“And next, the multi-talented screenwriter, director, and actor behind Beijing Love Story and the Detective Chinatown series—Mr. Chen Sicheng!”

“Hello, everyone!”

Chen Sicheng waved, his trademark confident smile igniting excitement among the contestants.

… And so, the stage was set.

For Lu Chen, however, the real question loomed large.

How in the world was he going to survive this?

“Wow, Teacher Chen!”

Some female contestants in the audience reacted enthusiastically!

Chen Sicheng, noticing their excitement, flashed a devilish grin, clearly enjoying his cool and charming persona. Lu Chen, however, could only roll his eyes.

This guy was a ‘king of show-offs’ in his past life, and it seemed that in this parallel world, he hadn’t changed a bit.

“Next, we have the famous screenwriter and author behind Jade Goddess, What Can Save You, and The Thirteen Women of Jinling—Teacher Yan Geling!”

“Hello, everyone!”

Yan Geling greeted with a warm smile, prompting another round of applause from the audience.

“And finally, we have the beloved screenwriter of classics such as The Ming Dynasty 1566, The Battle of Beiping, and The Yongzheng Dynasty—Teacher Liu Heping!”

“Hello,” Liu Heping greeted calmly, to a much louder round of applause, clearly the most popular of the four judges.

As Lu Chen learned that the other three judges were Shu Ping, Liu Heping, and Yan Geling, he was struck dumb. Although he had never met them personally, he knew their works well.

Let the Bullets Fly, Devils on the Doorstep, The Sun Also Rises—these masterpieces were considered milestones in Dragon Nation’s film history!

Let the Bullets Fly, in particular, had a 9/10 rating on a popular review site, ranking among the top ten highest-rated films in the country. Classic lines from these films were still widely circulated online today, showing just how profound Shu Ping’s screenwriting skills were. Liu Heping was even more impressive.

The Ming Dynasty 1566 was the pinnacle of historical dramas in the country, earning a 9.8/10 rating and topping national drama rankings.

Its deep character development, meticulous dialogue, and rich themes set it apart from all other historical dramas. Lu Chen’s favorite historical drama was, without a doubt, 1566.

And let’s not forget Liu Heping also wrote The Battle of Beiping and The Yongzheng Dynasty, both of which scored over 9/10!

“Wow, I can’t believe such top-tier screenwriting giants are the judges for this competition!”

In an instant, Lu Chen had a clearer understanding of the competition’s prestige and significance. As for Yan Geling, while Lu Chen wasn’t as familiar with her, he knew her works.

The Thirteen Women of Jinling, a major war film directed by the legendary Zhang Yimou, was a massive hit.

What Can Save You My Love and Jade Goddess were also memorable dramas for many in their 80s and 90s. All three of these judges were giants in the field of screenwriting—masters who shaped the industry!

Compared to them, Chen Sicheng’s screenwriting ability might not stand out as much…

But with his self-written and self-directed films, including hits like Beijing Love Story and the Detective Chinatown series, his career had been wildly successful.

After Beijing Love Story became a nationwide sensation, the Detective Chinatown franchise raked in over 9 billion yuan at the box office.

While Chen Sicheng’s ‘show-off’ nature was quite obvious, his achievements were undeniable. As a mentor, he commanded respect, especially when compared to lesser figures like Guo Jingming.

Without a doubt, the lineup of judges confirmed the high status and prestige of the ‘Godlike Writing Youth Screenwriter Competition’—it truly lived up to its title as the Olympics of Dragon Nation’s film industry. Lu Chen felt an impending headache.

With such a high-level competition, why had he been brought here? He couldn’t write a script to save his life!

Even if he had seen some classic TV shows, copying them wouldn’t be enough. And what if the world already had a similar script in development?

Wouldn’t he be accused of plagiarism and face immediate public disgrace?

The thought of it made him break into a cold sweat.

Damn, this is so messed up…

The more Lu Chen thought about it, the worse it got.

Just as he was frantically trying to figure out how to escape this mess, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

“Ding!”