Suddenly, I Became Crazy Handsome, and the World Became Easy
Chapter 37.1: Expansion (5)

An unexpected reward sent from the ‘AI Simulation’ app. The timing was right at the end of episode 4 of ‘Produce That 100!’, at the moment Kang Rojun achieved an overwhelming No. 1 in vote percentage and ‘passed’.

Rojun was looking down at his smartwatch.

-[...... You have been rewarded with 'Stats +5 Enhancement Coupon' item.]

He focused on the word ‘item’ that popped up for the first time.

'Item, item... Yeah, that makes sense.'

Up until now, whenever a hidden mission was completed, the bonus had always been coins. But this time, he was given an item. Although Kang Rojun was briefly dazed by the unfamiliarity of it, upon thinking it through, it was only natural that items existed too.

From the start, the foundation of ‘AI Simulation’ was a game.

‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t there a shop button on the main screen too?’

Currently deactivated, but there was definitely a shop button on the main screen of ‘AI Simulation’. That meant, of course, items must exist. The fact that Rojun received an item not from the very beginning but only after a certain amount of activity in ‘Produce That 100!’ suggested that even if it was difficult to pinpoint the exact conditions, ‘AI Simulation’ was gradually expanding.

'Is it like I'm growing together with the 'AI Simulation'?'

It’s only been three months. If he continued using ‘AI Simulation’ going forward, there was a high chance that something hidden would be revealed. Naturally, the corners of Rojun’s mouth lifted.

‘This is fun, seriously fun.’

Then he recalled the item he just received. A ‘Stats +5 Enhancement Coupon’. Which meant.

‘It’s probably a coupon that can increase one of my current stats by 5 points at once.’

Enhancing stats normally raised 1 point per 10 coins. So, 5 points would be 50 coins. Pretty decent. It was like he had received 50 coins all at once.

At that moment.

“No. 1-nim?”

Baby Perm No. 58, sitting next to Kang Rojun, spoke softly as he looked at him.

“...Are your acquaintances sending tons of congratulatory messages?”

It was understandable to mistake the situation since Rojun was looking at his smartwatch. So Kang Rojun nodded vaguely and stood up.

"Yes, excuse me for a moment."

Rojun stepped out of Room 105 alone and took out his phone in the hallway. He accessed the ‘AI Simulation’ app. The main screen with his character displayed had clearly changed. A new button had appeared to the left of the character.

-[Mission (Limited to 5 per day)]/ [Shop (Deactivated)]/ [Inventory]

‘Inventory’. Rojun tapped it immediately. The changed screen looked like an item window. Of course, the only item was the one he had just received.

-[1] Stats +5 Enhancement Coupon

When he tapped the coupon item, the screen changed again. The stats window popped up.

'...I guess I can apply it directly by pressing like this.'

Among the listed stats, Rojun focused on ‘Rap’, which he was currently enhancing. He could invest in Rap, but Rojun had slightly different thoughts. If it were urgent, he would’ve picked Rap right away, but the next third evaluation wasn’t about Rap. That meant there was still quite a bit of time.

Rap could be enhanced gradually without much issue.

What he needed immediately was ‘Dance’. It was also the task for the third evaluation. Whatever the outcome, thanks to ‘AI Automation’, there was relief, but just in case, investing the coupon in ‘Dance’ seemed the right move.

“50 coins, I can earn that in 5 days anyway. Let’s go with Dance.”

Having made up his mind, Rojun touched ‘Dance’ in the stats. A message popped up immediately.

-[Would you like to use the ‘Stats +5 Enhancement Coupon’ on ‘Dance’?]

As soon as he quickly confirmed, ‘Dance’ increased by 5 points at once.

-[Appearance (100/100)│Singing Ability (11.2/100)│Rap (5.3/100)]

[Dance (15.7/100)│Eloquence (8/100)│Acting (5.3/100)]

At that moment, there was a faint tingling in his wrist. Along with that, Rojun also felt a subtle change. It was hard to put into words, but roughly like a little more composure or calmness?

“Maybe it’s just my imagination... but I’ll be able to find out.”

Just then.

-Bzzz.

The vibration buzzed again. Of course, it was another notification from ‘AI Simulation’.

-[You have completed the Hidden Mission ‘First Item Usage!’ You have been rewarded with 15 coins.]

With that, he had effectively earned a total of 65 coins including the coupon.

After that.

Following the news of the unmatched No. 1's passing result, episode 4 of ‘Produce That 100!’ showed the elimination of No. 10.

-["No. 10, you are ‘eliminated'. Please leave 'Produce That 100!' immediately."]

The screen showed No. 10’s face, filled with regret and sorrow.

-Goodbye No. 10 ㅎㅎㅎ

-Wow… they just cut him like that?? That’s so damn brutal

-It’s a survival show, of course it’s like this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-No. 10 kept butting heads with No. 1 and ended up competing against him... He was just really unlucky…

-True that. No. 1’s performance was just on another level

-Poor guy;;;

-ㅠㅜㅠㅠㅜOther than the red hair, No. 10 wasn’t that bad... what a shame

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋThis is what happens when you unnecessarily mess with No. 1 ㅋㅋ

Just like that, No. 10 stepped off the stage and exited the hall. The camera that captured his back quickly changed angles. The death sentence wasn’t over yet.

-["For your information, over 50% of the total votes for the ‘Dance Team’ went to No. 1.”]

Leaving the crazed viewers behind, PD Woo Han-suk sent each participant home one by one. Soon, only 13 remained on stage.

-[“The 13 surviving members of the ‘Dance Team’ are now Team 1. Remember your team members and your group."]

When the 13 members were shown in a full shot, PD Woo Han-suk’s voice was heard.

-["The first official theme song for ‘Produce That 100!’ has been completed."]

Then the screen suddenly cut to black. A title appeared in the center.

-‘Produce That 100!’

Which meant episode 4 ended there. What PD Woo Han-suk had said on-site about Netflix was edited out for now. Viewers poured out question marks at the ‘theme song’ shown at the end.

Reactions exploded.

The roar of excitement continued well past the night into dawn, and both the media and public opinion became excessively stirred up.

And so the sun rose on the next day, Saturday.

The location was the messy editing room of 'JTVM'. PD Woo Han-suk without his glasses was noticeable. Having likely edited all night, he was slumped like dead on the sofa in the back.

At that moment.

-Slam!

The thick editing room door burst open and Kim Se-hee and the other writers rushed in, full of high tension.

“PD-nim!!!”

Startled by their frenzy, PD Woo Han-suk woke up abruptly and wiped his drool.

“Holy crap! What, what is it!!”

Kim Se-hee, brimming with laughter, shouted out.

"Episode 4's viewership rating exceeded 20%!!!"

PD Woo Han-suk’s eyes widened immensely.