Chapter 59 One-Hit Kill (Bonus Chapter 2)

When public opinion reached its peak, Ling Wei and Chen Jing acted simultaneously.

Director Chen Jing's official account directly released a video of Xiang Wanxing's captivating and emotionally rich audition performance.

Caption: [This audition clip of someone is available on the production team's archives. To avoid copyright infringement, it will not be released. You have 24 hours to announce your preferred performance. If you still have the confidence, we will publicly compare the two.]

Not a single word mentioned acting skills, yet every word was a condemnation.

The subtext is: You can re-record and meticulously edit as you please, but I will wait for you with the most original clips.

Almost simultaneously, Ling Wei's account posted a series of clear photos of her life from childhood to university, proving that her appearance was natural, which contrasted sharply with some comments implying that she imitated others, accompanied by a question mark.

Immediately afterwards, she liked a post by a professional analysis blogger titled "Comparison Analysis of Susie's Appearance Before and After Her Debut." The post, with detailed pictures and a timeline, pointed out many unnatural changes in her face.

Its implications are self-evident.

Meanwhile, Ling Wei replied to the most popular comment on her social media account.

The netizen, clearly a fan of the drama "Double Mirror," anxiously sought confirmation: "[Waaaa, Director Ling, tell me you went to the casting call to direct!]"

Ling Wei's reply was concise yet meaningful: "Don't worry, I'm not acting. I'm just going to cheer on a friend who always feels inadequate and needs a push."

This seemingly understated response instantly calmed the emotions of core fans and shifted the focus to Xiang Wanxing's potential and personal journey.

However, compared to Ling Wei's response, the audition video clips released by director Chen Jing were what truly sent shockwaves through the industry.

Countless onlookers, driven by a sense of justice and eager to uncover the truth behind the industry's dark secrets, clicked on the video.

After reading it, everyone fell silent.

The key to the video lies not only in Xiang Wanxing's stunning performance, but also in her subsequent conversation with the director.

When director Chen Jing routinely asked her how she understood the character Xiao Yue, she honestly shared some of her insights with Wan Xing, and then added, "I... I read all the information and explanations about her that I could find online, and I also said what you said based on the script you gave me. It's not my own idea."

This answer, so simple it was almost clumsy, stands in stark contrast to the performance of a certain cultural figure who, despite quoting classical texts during a live stream, couldn't withstand close scrutiny.

Some netizens with independent judgment quickly came to their senses.

A top-rated comment that quickly went viral perfectly captured this absurdity: "I get it. Someone doesn't show up themselves, but prepares their own articles and establishes their persona, just waiting to incite netizens to become free online trolls and lead the charge."

Public opinion has begun to shift, but this is not the end. The real trump card is currently lying quietly in Ling Wei's phone.

She sat on the sofa, contemplating whether to deliver the fatal blow.

The doorbell rang abruptly at that moment.

The system whispered in her mind, "Weiwei, it's Lu Yan."

“Perfect.” Ling Wei smiled first, but the smile was very faint. “I don’t need to make any more decisions.”

Lu Yan stood outside the door, about to explain, "Regarding Su Yuqing and 'The Legend of Xiao Yue,' I..."

"Shh—" Before he could speak, Ling Wei put a finger to her lips, a half-smile playing on her lips. "Let's wait before I explain."

She held the phone directly in front of him, the cold light from the screen illuminating his features.

Lu Yan lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the screen. It was a screenshot of a post Su Yuqing had made on Instagram, visible only to her close friends. She had shared a record of her stock profits, accompanied by a deliberately playful caption:

[I've been going with my gut feeling lately, and my investment luck has been amazing! Looks like I'm got a bit of financial luck besides acting. #InvestmentTips #MoneyManagementDaily]

With her foresight, she accurately positioned herself in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, reaping substantial profits. The screenshots she shared mostly featured these glamorous high-tech stocks.

However, amidst this thriving array of figures, Ling Wei highlighted an inconspicuous transaction with a striking red circle.

Lu Yan's pupils contracted sharply when his gaze fell upon the English name—

Cassonia.

The core defense company of this country, which has been in constant conflict with its neighbors in recent years and has a developed military industry, is prominently listed.

Without Ling Wei needing to say anything more, Lu Yan understood all too well what this meant:

Profiting from war.

In particular, Cassonia's invasion of its neighboring countries has long violated the spirit of international humanitarianism and placed it on the opposite side of peace-loving countries such as China.

Su Yuqing may simply be speculating based on a vague memory of "major future events".

Just as some people do not understand the sensitive red lines of international politics, they also do not understand how fatal a moral stain is to profiting from war in the mainstream values ​​of China.

If it were just a private matter, it might be possible to cover it up. But as public figures, especially at the height of public attention, once exposed, it will not only cause a media frenzy but also attract strict scrutiny from regulators.

Once someone is labeled as having "moral flaws," almost no production team would dare to risk casting them again.

This is tantamount to a soft ban.

Just as Lu Yan was in shock, Ling Wei took another step closer.

Without warning, she reached out, precisely grabbed one end of his tie, and yanked it down sharply!

Caught off guard, Lu Yan was pulled down by her force, his handsome face instantly close to hers, their warm breaths almost mingling.

He could clearly see her drooping eyelashes and her eyes that didn't reach her eyes with a smile.

“Wei…” His Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice tightening slightly from the sudden constraint.

Ling Wei ignored his reaction and, while keeping him within arm's reach, deftly reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket with her other hand and took out his phone.

The entire movement was fluid and graceful, exuding an undeniable sense of control. The hand gripping the tie never loosened its grip, maintaining this dangerous yet ambiguous posture.

She unlocked his phone using facial recognition, tapped her finger, and directly dialed Su Yuqing's number.

As the call connected, Ling Wei didn't speak. Instead, she steadily handed the phone to Lu Yan's lips, which she had forcibly pulled to his.

She raised her eyes, staring intently into his slightly surprised gaze, her voice low and laced with a hint of amusement and a chill:

"Lu Yan, for your sake, this is the last chance."

"Now, you speak to this person who loves to hide behind the scenes and stir up trouble—"

“Make her get out of the ‘Xiao Yue Biography’ project immediately, voluntarily, and completely.”

...

The heated online debate, with its conflicting accounts, came to an abrupt end with an apology statement released by Su Yuqing in the early hours of the morning.

The statement was devoid of its usual witty remarks, consisting only of a straightforward admission of wrongdoing: acknowledging dissatisfaction with the casting results and admitting to misleading netizens due to a momentary impulse, without offering any explanation or shifting blame.

Netizens were in an uproar:

[They're giving up already? What happened to the acting skills comparison?]

[While fans are still arguing on the front lines, the celebrity has already surrendered?]

This backstabbing was absolutely brilliant!

The fans who had initially stood up for her fell silent, and many unfollowed her on the spot.

But Su Yuqing had no time to think about anything else. Lu Yan's words echoed repeatedly in her ears as she slumped into the darkness, muttering, "How could this be... It's all over..."

On the other end of the phone, after hanging up, Lu Yan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly: "Is there... any way to salvage things between us?"

Ling Wei slowly and deliberately tied his tie, her movements as elegant as if she were performing a ritual:

"Back then, you helped me out of a predicament because of Su Yuqing; tonight, I'm letting her off the hook because of you."

The debts are settled, and all obligations have been fulfilled.

We're even now, Mr. Lu.

As the last syllable fell, her fingertips gently brushed against his tie knot, as if brushing away the last speck of dust.