Rebirth: A Dream of Illusion

Rebirth: A Dream of Illusion is an urban rebirth-themed web novel by Schrodinger's Cat, serialized on Qidian. The protagonist, Shen Zhenghui, returns to the past with memories of the future and uses "everything I know" as capital, starting from the cultural and entertainment industry to remake his life and try to change the world around him. The story begins with school and family, then unfolds step by step: anime, games, film and television, talent agencies, and cinema chains, with the territories of China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Hollywood all drawn into his plans. The development of works such as Battle Fairy Yukikaze, the operation of animation companies and film projects, negotiations at the table, and the hidden rules of the industry form the main attractions of the early sections; the work also uses the quip "the ACG world is as deep as the sea, and the entertainment circle's relationships are a mess" to portray the complex ecology behind the glamour of the cultural and entertainment industry. As the story progresses, it extends from the cultural industry to the technological field, with virtual reality, content platforms, and new technology standards becoming new battlegrounds. Relying on informational advantages and judgments about trends, the protagonist tries to influence the direction of the industry with minimal effort. The novel spans more than twenty years, featuring both personal growth and emotional arcs as well as industry changes and market storms. Its core question is: can someone who knows the future truly rewrite it, and what price must be paid for that? The book is slow to warm up, densely packed with information, and contains many descriptions of industry details; it belongs to the "literary style" of urban entertainment rebirth fiction and suits readers who enjoy industrial management, industry observation, and slow-paced plotting.