Chapter 73: Standing Firm to the End (Second Update, Please Recommend)

Just as Zhang Chu was growing anxious over the sluggish increase of his reputation points, a phone call completely changed his mindset.

“Hello, is this Zhang Chu?” came a youthful, gentle female voice.

“Yes, that’s me. Is there something you need?” he replied.

Huang Siqi felt a surge of relief—she’d finally gotten through. She quickly explained, “I’m a staff member from Sudong Television’s ‘Ultimate Challenge.’ Are you familiar with the show?”

Zhang Chu nodded; he was well aware of it. His mother watched it every week. “Of course, I know it. It’s quite an interesting program.”

“Would you be interested in participating?” Huang Siqi was afraid he might refuse. “This time, we’re producing a special episode featuring top scorers from the national college entrance exam. We’ll divide all twenty-two of you into two groups for recording—half are this year’s top scorers, the others are university students who were previous top scorers.”

When Huang Siqi finished, Zhang Chu’s eyes immediately lit up. ‘Ultimate Challenge’ already boasted impressive ratings, and now they were playing up the college entrance exam top scorers—surely the attention would be massive!

If he managed to secure enough screen time, his reputation points would soar like a rocket—something even frequent news coverage couldn’t match, unless it was the national news broadcast.

“We have a dedicated team searching for each top scorer. Zhang Chu, you are the most outstanding among this year’s exam champions. Our program sincerely invites you to take part, and we’ll cover all travel and related expenses.”

Jiangdong Province was adjacent to Sudong Province; even if Zhang Chu took the high-speed rail, it would only take an hour and a half to get there—it was almost like playing on home turf.

Whether Zhang Chu was truly the strongest was debatable. Yet, in terms of fame, no one could dispute it; among all the top scorers nationwide, his radiance eclipsed everyone else.

“Count me in. When is your recording scheduled?” Zhang Chu had never been one to seek the limelight, but now, dragged along by the system’s reputation points, he was compelled to step onto the stage—surely the system’s fault!

Huang Siqi had thought he’d be the toughest to persuade, but he agreed so easily that all her prepared arguments went unused.

The producer had issued an ultimatum; it didn’t matter whether the other champions came, but Zhang Chu’s participation was non-negotiable.

Such a daunting task completed so swiftly, she asked in astonishment, “We’ll record next Monday. Zhang Chu, you’ve agreed—do you have any requests?”

“Well, I request the producers rig the show so I win. Can you do that?”

“No, we can’t.”

Zhang Chu, holding his phone, replied helplessly, “Then there’s nothing I need.”

“Please send me your ID information, and I’ll book your round-trip tickets and hotel right away,” Huang Siqi responded with rapid efficiency, worried Zhang Chu might change his mind.

Yet Zhang Chu was cautious; these days, you couldn’t casually reveal your personal information. Just because she claimed to be from ‘Ultimate Challenge’ didn’t mean it was true.

He firmly refused, “Just book the hotel for me. I’ll handle the train tickets myself.”

Huang Siqi was both amused and exasperated. “All right, we’ll reimburse your travel expenses when you arrive. Please save this number—if anything comes up, feel free to call me. Also, let us know your arrival time so we can send a driver to pick you up.”

“Sure, I’ll send you a message after I book the ticket.”

...

Zhang Chu didn’t think anyone would prank him, but for safety’s sake, he searched online for information—checked the official phone numbers and emails for the ‘Ultimate Challenge’ team, verifying from another angle.

Human trafficking was unlikely these days; he was a grown man, over six feet tall, and didn’t have to worry about being abducted at the railway station. Participating in a show like this could greatly accelerate the increase of his reputation points—a risk well worth taking.

He wasn’t an ordinary high school graduate; after living more than thirty years in his previous life, he’d accumulated enough life experience.

‘Ultimate Challenge’ was a licensed format purchased from NBC in the United States—a novel, knowledge-based contest, suitable for all ages, where viewers learned a wide array of facts.

The show featured a head-to-head answering format; two contestants competed in a timed knowledge duel, with questions growing harder each round.

For participants, the show offered not only exposure but also valuable prizes. Those who answered incorrectly lost their prizes and immediately fell into the trap beneath their feet as punishment.

The greatest suspense was always: who would successfully defend their title, who could truly stand undefeated?

The show didn’t focus solely on specialized knowledge, but rather favored entertaining content and broad awareness. Mere bookworms could never earn the title of ‘Champion.’

Zhang Chu himself was well-read, and with the Savior System backing him, both in-show and external help features were powerful—and this was only one aspect of the system.

His confidence in accepting the invitation stemmed from this; only by defeating all opponents with unstoppable momentum and earning the title of Champion could he achieve greater popularity.

“Sorry, but I’m claiming the title of Quiz Champion for myself!” Zhang Chu silently mourned for his unseen rivals for two seconds—what bad luck for them, encountering someone still accumulating reputation points.

...

Perhaps Sudong TV regarded this episode as a trump card, for they soon launched a publicity blitz. Though filming had yet to begin, press releases flooded the internet!

Major entertainment news outlets—Sohu, Sina, NetEase, Tencent, Phoenix—had already begun warming up, with countless other sites joining in.

Sudong TV intermittently leaked trivial tidbits, instantly raising anticipation among netizens.

“‘Ultimate Challenge’ College Entrance Exam Top Scorers Special Episode to be recorded soon! Twenty-two champions face off in a blazing contest!”

“Top scorer showdown—which contestant will emerge as the new Champion?”

“Sudong TV warmly invites twenty-two young geniuses from across the nation, both recent and former exam champions, to compete. These prodigies admitted to Tsinghua and Yan University not only excel academically, but also possess diverse talents: some are karaoke stars, others literary youths, environmental activists, or published authors. Who will claim the Quiz Champion title on ‘Ultimate Challenge’? Stay tuned!”

“College entrance exam champions gather in Sudong, vying for the crown—an event of extraordinary significance!”

“Prodigies assemble—the ultimate brainstorm is unleashed!”

“Who will be king among the top scorers? Tune in to Sudong TV next week for the answer!”