FEater: Nosedive

Operator Record Nosedive
When it grows on the cliffside, even the sturdiest bamboo fears a change in the wind.

Unlock conditions

• Raise FEater to Elite 2 Level 1.
• Have at least 50% Trust with FEater.

Characters

Jaye Wan Shêng-shêng Hapless Man L.G.D. Officer Shopkeeper

Backgrounds

1 2 3 4

“

An incident throws a wrench into FEater's plans, though she decides to get back on her feet and start over. Little does she know that a far greater challenge awaits her.

”

<Background 1>
A certain luxury apartment in Lungmen...
[A cellphone rings several times, before switching into voicemail.]
Answering Machine	*Beep*— You have—one—new message. Press play to listen.
[FEater, then known as Wan Shêng-shêng, enters the apartment room.]
Wan Shêng-shêng	(Hits play)
[The phone plays a message.]
Answering Machine	Shêng-shêng, where have you been? I went everywhere, asked just about everyone. None of them said they saw you. I was cheated too, y'know? I didn't expect that prick Sing to just take the money and split. I had a lot riding on that movie too. It's making my heart ache. Shêng-shêng, listen to your Uncle Loeng. You shouldn't have put all your money in that project, no matter how much you loved the script. Look where that got us. The movie's a bust. Everything down the drain. *Sigh*, let's not talk about this anymore; I know this really bummed you out. Uncle Loeng has a few friends at the L.G.D. They'll do their best to work this case for us and get us our money back. Don't let this get you down. Call me when you have time.
Wan Shêng-shêng	(Hits the stop button)
[The message ends.]
Wan Shêng-shêng	What a headache... Well, shucks. That's all my savings gone! It was the crafty old codger who brought me on board. Well, alright, now that shit's hit the fan, it's like it's not his fault anymore. Arghhhh—I'm so pissed! What do I do now? Maybe I should just head on home and take over Dad's tanghulu stall... *Sigh*... Mom's not gonna be happy. All she ever wants is me promoting the family kung fu style. (Pulls hair) I'm in one heckuva pickle...
<Background fades out and in>
Wan Shêng-shêng	(Opens the fridge) Beer... all gone. Whiskey... only a little left. Vodka... Finished it all. Urgh, nothing to drown my sorrows with... Looks like I'll have to go downstairs for more. (Closes fridge)
*Clang*—
Wan Shêng-shêng	Oww! That hurt! What's this...? Ugh... The can I tossed on the floor yesterday. (It's been days since I left home. It's such a mess in here... Maybe I should clean up after I get back.) (Gah, whatever... Maybe another time...)
<Background 2>
[Wan look through the liquors in a liquor store.]
Wan Shêng-shêng	Hm, craft beer... get a twelve pack. Rum, huh? Been a while. Gotta take a bottle! Let's see what else... There's a nice looking vodka up there too... I can't reach it... Maybe if I jumped? Hmph! Oh, crap, it's falling!
[After some effort, Wan managed to get the bottle of vodka from the cabinet.]
Wan Shêng-shêng	Ta-dah! Piece of cake.
???	Th-That's amazing!
Wan Shêng-shêng	Uh, who are you?
[A man approaches Wan.]
Hapless Man	Miss Shêng-shêng! It's you, Miss Shêng-shêng! It's really you! I-I'm a fan of yours! I've seen every movie you were in. I watched every film in the "Heavenedge Gallantry" trilogy multiple times. I-It's an honor to... to meet...
Wan Shêng-shêng	Uh... I'm not any Miss Shêng-shêng! You're mistaken. You got the wrong girl!
Hapless Man	No way! The way you grabbed the bottle just now was exactly the same as that pose you did in "Million LMD!" I saw that seven times! Couldn't be anyone else.
Wan Shêng-shêng	That so? Haha. That one takes me back... like five or six years now...
Hapless Man	Miss Shêng-shêng?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Aiyah... Anyway, you got the wrong girl. I'm checking out now!
Hapless Man	Am I being a bother, Miss Shêng-shêng? Sorry. I-I didn't mean to. I'm really sorry!
Wan Shêng-shêng	Eh, you... I... That's not what I meant... I just... *Sigh*... You want an autograph or something?
Hapless Man	An autograph?! Really? Thank you very much! Let me find a piece of paper. Give me a minute.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Uh, you found anything yet? (This guy flipped through all his pockets already...)
Hapless Man	I got it. I have this... dollar bill... Uh, no... This... *Sigh*... Miss Shêng-shêng, this bill, please. Please sign it for me.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Uhh—Fine, alright. (This dollar bill's all wrinkled up!)
Hapless Man	Thank you, thank you so much!
Wan Shêng-shêng	You like kung fu stuff, huh? Just movies? Read any novels?
Hapless Man	Of course, Miss Shêng-shêng. I've read all of Mr. Wong's greatest works, Qisi's short stories, and every issue of "Monthly Wuxia" at the time!
Wan Shêng-shêng	You like Miss Qisi, huh? Everyone around me says her stories are too wordy, that they're a chore to read.
Hapless Man	A chore to read? No way. Her writing's exquisite, and the stories are so moving they always bring tears to my eyes. All her works are masterpieces.
Wan Shêng-shêng	You're ex—actly right! None of those numbnuts know how to appreciate a masterpiece!
Hapless Man	Miss Shêng-shêng, do you like Miss Qisi's books too?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Of course! "The Assenting Fist" is my absolute favorite! The copy I have back home is falling apart from how many times I've read it! Although... Did you know? That novelette was going to be turned into a movie, until the actor who was going to play Yün Shêng was arrested for tax evasion. Then the producer took the money and skipped town, and that was the end of it.
Hapless Man	*Sigh*... What a shame. Now we'll never see it!
Wan Shêng-shêng	You know what they say. Life is like a box of chocolates...
Hapless Man	Hm... Now that's not right. Yün Shêng's an upstanding, heroic fella who would rather die an honorable death than deal with corrupt bigwigs. A noble character like him couldn't be played by an actor with no morals. It's a good thing they cancelled that project. Haha.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Well... You're right. That's right, haha. That's a good way to think of it, hahaha. You're damned right. That guy's got a nasty disposition, can't act to save his life, and he's an idiot! Definitely not the right man for the job. I was so pissed when I heard he got the part.
Hapless Man	Yeah, dodged a bolt there.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Oh, it's getting late. I need to head back soon.
Hapless Man	I-I gotta go too, Miss Shêng-shêng. See you again. Uh, no, not quite right. We probably won't see each other again. Thanks for the autograph.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Uh, wait!
Hapless Man	Hm?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Lady Zhang, the sands in Na-lan are ever roiling. It's a one-way trip. Will you ever make your way back here? Will we ever meet again?
Hapless Man	Yün, one can only make one's way home if there is a home. We will meet if fate allows, but there is no telling what the world has in store for us. Take care.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Heh, you really love this book, don't ya? See you around!
[Wan leaves.]
<Background fades out and in>
The next day...
[Wan enters the store.]
Wan Shêng-shêng	Agh... My head hurts. Hangovers suck... I shouldn't have had so much to drink last night. Urgh... I'm dying.
Shopkeeper	Shêng-shêng, what's going on?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Hey, Lihua. Do you have any hot milk today? Skim? Get me a cup, will you?
Shopkeeper	Sorry, Shêng-shêng, but I'm just about to close up and go home. Sorry that I can't help you.
Wan Shêng-shêng	You're closing? What's going on? Things looked alright when I was here yesterday.
Shopkeeper	*Sigh*... We got robbed last night, and the thief knocked over a couple shelves when he ran away. The whole store was a mess. I only just finished cleaning up.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Oh, what about the thief? Did you catch him?
Shopkeeper	Phew—He got caught alright. Bao caught him herself. She got hurt in the scuffle. Broke off a huge chunk of her horn.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Huh? Where's Bao now?!
Shopkeeper	Slow down, Shêng-shêng. She's okay. She's just at the hospital to get some ointment for her horn. She'll be back.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Right, she can hold her own in a fight. That's an unlucky thief who runs into her. Oh, right, has anyone been asking about me?
Shopkeeper	We've had a couple sketchy-looking reporters asking where you've been. I sent them on their way after I fed them some BS, just like Bao told me too.
Wan Shêng-shêng	(Scratches head) Sorry for all the trouble. I'll take you guys out for a meal one of these days!
Shopkeeper	It's thanks to you that Bao and I can put down roots here in Lungmen. It's the least we can do.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Hehe, lucky I get all my drinks here, right?
Shopkeeper	That only goes so far... Oh, right, Shêng-shêng. Do you have all your things on you? Wallet, jewelry?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Got everything... I think. Why'd you ask?
Shopkeeper	The thief talked to you for a while last night, so I was thinking... maybe he stole some of your stuff while you weren't paying attention.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Hehe, there can't be anyone stupid enough to steal from— Hold on. Who did you say it was?!
Shopkeeper	Oh, it was that guy who struck up a conversation with you last night.
Wan Shêng-shêng	What?! Him?!
Shopkeeper	What's the matter, Shêng-shêng?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Uhh... Where is he right now?
Shopkeeper	I-in an L.G.D. holding cell?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Sorry, gotta go—
[Wan leaves.]
Wan Shêng-shêng	—See ya next time!
Shopkeeper	Huh? Shêng-shêng!
<Background 3>
Wan Shêng-shêng	You...
Hapless Man	(Looks down) I...
L.G.D. Officer A	Alright, kid, the young lady here's paying your fine. You can go now. Don't you ever steal again. Do better.
Hapless Man	Of course, ah sir. Never again.
L.G.D. Officer A	You should thank the lady.
Hapless Man	Thank you...
Wan Shêng-shêng	You dick, why'd you do something like that?
Hapless Man	I... (Stomach growls)
Wan Shêng-shêng	Whatever, let's get you something to eat first. Ah sir, thanks for the help!
[Wan leaves alongside her fan.]
L.G.D. Officer A	That voice... it sure was familiar. Where have I heard it before...?
L.G.D. Officer B	How stupid are you? That's Miss Wan. Didn't you just watch "L.G.D. Tales" last night?
L.G.D. Officer A	What?! You mean that lady with the shades...
L.G.D. Officer B	That's right. She's your favorite movie star, Wan Shêng-shêng.
L.G.D. Officer A	How did I miss that?
L.G.D. Officer B	Man, she's had it real tough lately, though. The movie she invested in didn't work out. She's probably going bankrupt.
L.G.D. Officer A	How did that happen?
L.G.D. Officer B	Sheesh, do you ever watch the news? It's been the talk of the town. Apparently the guy she was working ran into money problems, so he split and left her the mess to deal with.
L.G.D. Officer A	Oh no. She must feel terrible.
<Background 4>
[Jaye gave Wan some finballs.]
Jaye	Here's your big finballs. With radish and noodles. Enjoy.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Man, these are the best finballs I've ever had! I could eat these a thousand times, and I'd never get sick of them!
Jaye	Haha, you're a big movie star, but you still come to our street stalls. You'd better watch out for the paparazzi. They're all laughing through their lenses.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Where's there to be afraid of? If they got a picture of me here, that's more business for you.
Jaye	Forget it. I can't afford your endorsement fees. Eh, hey fella, not gonna eat?
Hapless Man	I...
Wan Shêng-shêng	Just dig in. What are you so shy about?
Hapless Man	Thanks, Miss Shêng-shêng.
Jaye	You guys keep talking. I'll check the curry soup I'm cooking in the back.
Hapless Man	So these are finballs. It's my first time trying them since I got to Lungmen. They're good!
Wan Shêng-shêng	I here a lot. They say the guy who runs the stall used to be the boss of one of Lungmen's biggest gangs, and he started selling finballs after he retired from organized crime.
Hapless Man	*cough*—*cough* *cough* *cough*...!
Jaye	(Glances at them) *Sigh*...
Wan Shêng-shêng	Hehe, just kidding.
Hapless Man	*Cough*... *gulps*, I'm okay, Miss Shêng-shêng.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Right, you still haven't given me an answer.
Hapless Man	I... I...
Wan Shêng-shêng	Why'd you do something like that?
Hapless Man	I... It'd been two days since I last had anything to eat. I was starving.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Alright. So you were hungry and you tried to swipe some food. Why did you hurt that lady?
Hapless Man	When the shop's owner caught me, she saw me holding a dollar bill. She wanted me to pay her with it and wouldn't let me go.
Wan Shêng-shêng	You didn't want to pay up, so you hurt the shop's owner?
Hapless Man	It was the last dollar bill I had.
Wan Shêng-shêng	But that doesn't mean you had to... Oh... You mean that one.
Hapless Man	Yeah, I was going to the store to buy something to eat, but I met you there, and you signed your name on it. I couldn't spend it.
Wan Shêng-shêng	...... Alright, I get it. Do you... have anywhere to go?
Hapless Man	N-No... My landlord evicted me last week.
Wan Shêng-shêng	What'll you do now? Go back home?
Hapless Man	My parents died early. I don't have anybody left back home.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Do you have any friends here?
Hapless Man	I only just got to Lungmen two months ago. No time to make any friends.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Well...
Hapless Man	Miss Shêng-shêng, I don't have any skills... It's not easy for me to make a living. I'm really glad I met you...
Wan Shêng-shêng	*Sigh*, don't think like that. Things will get better.
Hapless Man	(Wipes away tears) Sorry for all that trouble I caused.
Wan Shêng-shêng	What's your plan... for now?
Hapless Man	I don't know. If I can just somehow earn enough to put food on the table, things ought to work out somehow.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Boss, you got a pen?
Jaye	*Sigh*. Yeah, in the small drawer. Help yourself.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Let's see. There we go. Can I take a sheet of paper?
Jaye	Go ahead!
Wan Shêng-shêng	(Scribbles something down)
Hapless Man	Miss Shêng-shêng?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Well, this guy's a stage manager I know. Head over there, and have him give you some errands to run. He doesn't pay much, but he can get you meals and a place to sleep.
Hapless Man	Thanks... a lot.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Boss, two more orders of finballs. One to go, and one for here.
Jaye	You got it.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Live a decent, upstanding life from here on out, okay? Keep your head down and walk on. Forget everything behind you.
Jaye	Here's your finballs to go.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Take them with you. And those aren't my treat. You'll have to pay me back once you make it big.
Hapless Man	Waaahhh... Miss Shêng-shêng... I'm so sorry.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Alright, now get to the studio. You won't find him there if they're done filming for the day.
Hapless Man	Yeah, thanks. I'll head there now.
Wan Shêng-shêng	See ya!
[The fan leaves.]
Hapless Man	I'll work hard, I'll be a good person!
Wan Shêng-shêng	Yeah, I know you will! Phew—
Jaye	What's with the sigh? My finballs don't taste good enough for you?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Things are tough for me too, you know.
Jaye	What's the matter? Uncle Loeng stopped by yesterday. He said you haven't picked up his calls for a whole week.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Remember the book we talked about before?
Jaye	Qisi's "The Assenting Fist?"
Wan Shêng-shêng	Yeah, lost all the money I put down on it.
Jaye	How much?
Wan Shêng-shêng	All.
Jaye	No way. Not even a cent left?
Wan Shêng-shêng	I still have some savings, but it's in a trust for a charity. I can't touch that money.
Jaye	What will you do, then?
Wan Shêng-shêng	If luck's on my side, maybe we can catch the guy, and I'll get my money back.
Jaye	What if...
Wan Shêng-shêng	I'd have to start over. Don't worry, I got moves. I'll find myself a movie to shoot. Don't worry about me going hungry.
Jaye	What about your plans?
Wan Shêng-shêng	What plans? You know, the less sober you are, the more likely you are to worry about the future. Either thinking what comes tomorrow in your sleep or mumbling what's next while you're drunk. Then, when you come to, you think to yourself, the less you gotta worry about, the better life is.
Jaye	You'll have another chance. The future'll get better.
Wan Shêng-shêng	You don't need to console me. I'm a tough gal. As long as I get a taste of your finballs tomorrow, things will work out somehow!
Jaye	What's the thumbs up for?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Hah, I mean, you can't rely on luck to eke out a living. I run into these small, happy happenings every once in a while. Those short moments might not change anything, but they help me get through the next couple of days.
Jaye	So you ran into any of those small, happy things lately?
Wan Shêng-shêng	You betcha. I just had some of your finballs. They're super good.
Jaye	Hmph, anything else?
Wan Shêng-shêng	Hmm... Let's see. Oh, right, a director came calling. The gig pays well too. I might go audition tomorrow.
Jaye	Alright, I'll treat you to a bowl of finballs. (Sets down a bowl of finballs on the table)
Wan Shêng-shêng	Huh? What's this? A new recipe?
Jaye	I'm trying out a new spicy flavor. Don't know if there's a market for it, so I figured I'd have you taste test.
Wan Shêng-shêng	I approve! Ahhhhh! My tongue's burning. That's hot, even for me!
Jaye	I got some ice water here.
Wan Shêng-shêng	Ahhh, no way! *Huff*! This is a good omen! Don't throw cold water on... *Huff*... I'm gonna rake in all the dough. My career's gonna be on fire!
Jaye	Oh, you...
<Background 3>
Two weeks later...
[An L.G.D. officer walks to a fellow officer, bringing coffee.]
L.G.D. Officer B	Hey, Jia, morning. Here, a coffee for you.
L.G.D. Officer A	Thanks, Yao. How's today been? Busy?
L.G.D. Officer B	Got way too much to work, *sigh*... What are you flipping through the papers for?
L.G.D. Officer A	Looking for the entertainment news. Speaking of which, how come I haven't seen any news on Miss Shêng-shêng lately?
L.G.D. Officer B	What, haven't you heard? She got hurt shooting a movie the other day. Got taken to the ER. I wonder how she's doing.
L.G.D. Officer A	If it was just a flesh wound, she should've gotten out by now, right? I haven't read anything about that, though.
L.G.D. Officer B	She's a movie star. They keep a low profile when these things happen. She might have made it home already. Stop worrying about her.
L.G.D. Officer A	It still bothers me, though...
L.G.D. Officer B	Come on, you're a big guy. Why so sensitive?
L.G.D. Officer A	Nah, it's just... When I left home this morning, they took down all the billboards and ads with her. Not a single one left.
L.G.D. Officer B	Huh. Weird.