The SkyInk offices hummed with quiet celebration. Jiang Yue's name reveal had stabilized into a strong upward climb, and her fan community had coined a new term:
"Stringcutter" – meaning someone who broke free from being controlled.
The name was everywhere.
Hashtags. Fanart. Animation clips.
One even showed Jiang Yue standing above a shattered puppet frame, with the words: "I carved my own strings."
It should have been a moment of peace.
Instead, it was the moment the next war began.
Zeyan's system pinged just before sunrise.
[Security Flag: Unauthorized Script Access Detected]
Source: Internal SkyInk Server — Dev Folder
File: "Blue Rain" Original Pilot Draft (Unreleased)
Suspicious Download: Encrypted IP – Cross-tracked to NovaLine Proxy Hub
Time: 03:12 AM
Urgency: Critical
Zeyan's coffee paused mid-air.
"Gu Yuxi, you dirty little cheat."
"Blue Rain" was SkyInk's secret weapon—a bittersweet romance-turned-animated drama series blending two timelines, scheduled for a surprise reveal next quarter.
Only five people had access.
Three were Zeyan's handpicked team.
One was Jiang Yue.
The last?
He narrowed his eyes.
The system lit up again.
[Analysis: Key Leak Originated via Audio Library ID: FL-072]
Content Match: Jiang Yue's rehearsal file – Scene 3 (deleted, recovered)
Probability of Involvement: Jiang Yue – 0.4% | External breach via reused cloud key – 99.6%
He exhaled slowly.
She wasn't to blame.
But they'd used her as the backdoor.
That morning, Jiang Yue walked into the studio carrying hot sesame buns and miso tea, only to find Zeyan staring coldly at a screen.
"You didn't tell me you reused your practice folder link."
Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
He slid the tablet toward her.
Her rehearsal audio—stolen.
Used in NovaLine's upcoming release: "Summer's Vein", starring Su Cheng.
The plot?
Almost identical to "Blue Rain."
Only cheapened.
Only rushed.
[System Report: "Summer's Vein" Trailer Incoming]
Global Trailer Launch Scheduled: 4 Days
Projected Public Overlap: 87.2%
Risk of Idea Theft Claim Invalid Without Prior Registration
Solution: Accelerated Soft Release of "Blue Rain" Teaser
Cost: 4.2 BP
PP Recovery Potential: +0.009
Suggested Add-on: Use FL's voice as teaser bait
Zeyan's voice was sharp.
"We can either bury this quietly or we fight back. If we release now, it'll be messy. Rushed. No polish. But if we don't, they'll own the idea."
Jiang Yue was silent.
Then:
"Let's burn it."
He blinked. "Burn what?"
"The silence," she said. "Let's fight back. But on my voice. Let me lead it."
[System Trigger: FL Initiative Detected – Autonomous Career Decision Tier 1]
Jiang Yue Emotional Readiness: 93.1%
Bonus Buff: Leadership Bonus +2.0%
Unlock Prompt: "Blue Rain" Teaser Mode – Dramatic Monologue Overlay
By midnight, the teaser was cut.
Black screen. A few notes of ambient rain.
Then Jiang Yue's voice.
"He told me rain couldn't lie. That when it falls, it remembers every rooftop it ever touched.
But I remember him better than the sky ever could."
Minimalist. Raw. Pure.
Zeyan watched the metrics roll.
Upload Complete.
Viewer Reactions: 310K in first hour.
Keyword "Better Than Rain" trending.
Fan Comparison Charts Appearing: #BlueRain vs #SummersVein
And most notably—
"They copied her."
"You can hear it in the tone—it's Jiang Yue's world. Su Cheng's just renting space."
Back at NovaLine, Gu Yuxi watched Blue Rain's surprise drop with eyes like ice.
"They rushed the release," her assistant said, trying to comfort her.
"But they still beat us to the soul," Yuxi replied coldly.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yue sat by the studio window, the city glimmering far below.
Zeyan brought over her phone.
"You're trending again. Not just your name. Your phrases. They're quoting you like literature."
She looked up. "Is that good?"
"It's dangerous," he said. "Because now the world thinks they own you. And when you fall… they'll want blood."
She turned back to the skyline, sipping her tea.
"Then I won't fall."
[System Notification: PP Surge +0.00933148]
Rival Sabotage Rebounded
FL Fame Tier: Advanced Rising Talent
New Unlock Available:
Workshop Track – Voice Ownership & Emotional Identity
Cost: 18.0 PP
Duration: 14 Days
Effect: Unlock Signature Voice Trait (Inimitable Tone Recognition)
Zeyan watched her, eyes unreadable.
He had been murdered once.
Not by a bullet. But by betrayal. By this industry.
This time, he wouldn't just survive.
He would burn the system down and rebuild it—with her voice ringing from every screen.