136. The Actor's Self-Cultivation

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Suddenly, the live stream flickered and distorted, then went completely black, accompanied by a chaotic yet not unpleasant static noise coming from the viewers’ devices.

Soon after, the live feed returned to normal, revealing a dimly lit, rundown bar.

“Hello? Can everyone hear me?” Chen Shang groggily got up from the wooden floor, aiming the camera at Jon, who was still sprawled on the ground, stunned.

At that moment, the screen in the live chat was filled with question marks.

Before seeking out Jon Williams, Chen Shang had conducted an experiment in the Wasteland District.

He had tossed a camera drone into the Abyss and found that, aside from a slightly weak signal, the live feed worked normally. If he borrowed some signal-enhancing devices from Karis, signal issues wouldn’t even be a concern.

Though he didn’t understand the principle behind why signals could be received even in the “otherworldly” Abyss, his “Abyss Promotion Plan” hinged entirely on this fact.

A minute later, Jon finally recovered from the disorienting sensation of crossing over for the first time and staggered to his feet.

“Where... am I? Was I kidnapped?” Jon asked, bewildered, responding just as Chen Shang had when he first crossed over.

“Looks like this is the Abyss. Turns out the legends are true!” Chen Shang said, sweeping the camera around the bar.

Hearing this, Jon quickly snapped out of his panic and nodded silently.

To avoid any mishaps during the stream, Chen Shang had already shared some background on the Abyss with Jon, including the fact that they might encounter strange “little creatures” and that most actions there would be determined by dice rolls.

“This is unbelievable...” Jon glanced around the bar once more, his gaze finally settling on the mechanical bartender behind the counter.

Chen Shang glanced at the barrage of comments flooding the live chat—screens filled with “666” (an expression of amazement).

While Chen Shang fiddled with the streaming equipment, Jon approached the mechanical bartender and tentatively asked, “Hello... where exactly is this place?”

“This is a bar,” the mechanical bartender replied naturally.

“No, I mean...” Jon was getting a bit frustrated by the bartender’s straightforward answer.

Beforehand, the producer had told Jon that to enhance the show’s atmosphere, they had arranged for a robot actor here.

At that moment, Chen Shang stepped forward, patted Jon’s broad shoulder, and asked the mechanical bartender, “Hey there~ So this really is the Abyss, right?”

The bartender nodded and then raised its head with a hint of caution: “You are... one invited by the Witch!”

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The audience didn’t expect such a magical twist and quickly got into the spirit through the chat:

“Amazing, complete with a storyline!”

“Production value at max, now it’s getting magical!”

“I’ll bet fifty cents the next step is to hunt down the Witch!”

“I want to see the producer and the Witch have some action!”

Playing along to enhance the show, Chen Shang feigned surprise and asked, “Who is this Witch you’re talking about? What do you mean?”

The mechanical bartender tilted its head and then replied solemnly:

“You will come to know the Witch’s true form; you will see her face with your own eyes... She has been waiting for you a long time. Go find her!”

After speaking, the bartender pointed at Jon and warned:

“You are not invited. Do not set foot in such a perilous place.”

“Ah?” Jon was stunned.

Then, the bartender turned its gaze to the camera in Chen Shang’s hand, as if sternly lecturing the viewers:

“This is the Abyss, a prison for demons. Do not enter, or you will lose your life in vain!”

The bartender’s cryptic and mysterious words added an extra layer of intrigue to the stream, exactly as Chen Shang had hoped.

“According to rumors, this bartender was once one of the adventurers,” Chen Shang said, no longer wanting to argue with the bot. He turned the camera back to himself and began describing enthusiastically:

“Cursed during his journey, his soul and body were eternally trapped within this bar. He tries to frighten and warn every adventurer seeking the great treasure, hoping to turn them away.”

Then Chen Shang chuckled lightly and joked:

“But honestly, his luck was just terrible. According to legend, at least tens of thousands have explored the Abyss, and only he ran into trouble~”

After Chen Shang’s rambling, the mechanical bartender stopped polishing glasses and said in a calm voice:

“He is lying. There is no great treasure here, and I am not an adventurer!”

“What are you then?” Chen Shang asked, smiling.

“I am that Goddess! She gave me rebirth and immortality to guard this place and prevent the unaware from stumbling into the Abyss!” The mechanical bartender seemed so upset by Chen Shang’s nonsense that it revealed new information:

“I know you are broadcasting this place to the outside world. You should not use deceitful words to lure others into the Abyss to their deaths!”

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“See? Exactly like that~” Chen Shang smiled at the audience.

“If you ask him about the great treasure, he will vehemently deny it!”

“You...” The mechanical bartender wanted to argue but was too frustrated to speak. The light on its face gradually turned red.

After their exchange, the live chat bubbled with joyous energy:

“Hahaha, this is hilarious! So God created robots, huh?”

“This robot is quite something! Even cheesy lines sound cool coming from him!”

“Kind of want to hook up with this robot actor, anyone got his contact info?”

Most viewers were simply enjoying the spectacle. Rather than choosing sides, they weren’t prepared to believe either.

Sensing the moment was right, Chen Shang stopped engaging the bot and signaled Jon.

“Dear viewers, our adventure is about to begin!” Jon tried to recall the lines Chen Shang had prepared, pointing toward the bar’s exit:

“Once we go out that door, we’ll see the full scope of the Abyss!”

“That’s right, let’s officially start the exploration!” Chen Shang pushed open the bar door and stepped out first, letting the chill of death brush over him.

Just as Jon was about to follow, the mechanical bartender stepped out from behind the counter and blocked his path:

“Sir, you cannot leave!”

“Why not?” Jon asked, confused.

“You have been deceived. You shouldn’t be here!” The bartender’s face flashed a crimson light:

“He is the one invited by the Witch; you are different!”

Jon’s expression instantly clouded with confusion. He glanced at Chen Shang waiting by the door and whispered:

“Dude, you hired this guy as an actor, right? This scene’s over—don’t stay in character so much.”

“I’m not an actor...” The mechanical bartender tried to protest but Jon pushed it aside and followed Chen Shang outside.

Watching them disappear beyond the door, the bartender could only shake its head in resignation.