Chapter 245
Mysterious past mission exchange group
Xiao Cheng: Okay, the mission roles and performance details have been sent.
Fellow player: Wow, this feels so exciting. This is my first time helping someone create a mysterious past... What are Maid A and Maid B? Aren't there any heavyweight characters?
Fellow player: I want to be the protagonist too! Although I've been busy all day today, I feel like I have no sense of existence at all. I'm just a supporting role who doesn't deserve a name.
Xiao Cheng: Oh, don’t say that. The actor who played the main role did not make any mistakes.
Xiao Cheng: Although we're looking for extras this time, we're looking for extras who are obviously very powerful and tough to mess with! Most people don't meet our requirements, so only the outstanding sisters can skip the preliminary selection and take the task directly.
Fellow player: I feel like you are just trying to fool me... Well, I am not someone you want to mess with. We are all not someone you want to mess with.
Other players: ...It's so easy to coax him.
Since they were all just supporting roles, there was no need to dwell on them too much. To make it easier for everyone to choose, Xiao Cheng simply wrote the title on the introduction, allowing everyone to choose the character they liked based on the number of lines and the position they were standing in. Bei Qiao randomly picked a standing character who didn't need to memorize lines, and placed him in the middle, making it easier to watch the show.
This mysterious past mission took place at night. Ji Qiang, who reportedly already had four funerals under her belt, planned a different approach this time, giving those with hidden agendas a shocking glimpse into the underworld. However, Shopkeeper Mei, who had taken the job, was skeptical of its success. After all, her reputation was well-known, and having died so many times, people didn't take it seriously. While others might tear up at the mere sound of a suona, she was the start of a spectacular performance.
"I don't need them to believe me." Seeing the question raised by Shopkeeper Mei, Ji Qiang, who had placed an order through the forum, gave a murderous smile across from him: "I just want to scare some inhuman things to death!"
Fellow player: So the background this time is the underworld, then why are they maids A, B, and C, instead of the Black and White Impermanence and the Ox-Head and Horse-Face?
Xiao Cheng: Shh! Let’s not talk about that tonight!
Fellow player: No, the underworld has already said it, so why can’t ghosts be mentioned?
Xiao Cheng: Don’t talk about people during the day, and don’t talk about them at night…
Fellow Player: Okay.
After finalizing their respective tasks, the players gathered at Shopkeeper Mei's shop and took a carriage straight to the performance venue. The fake funeral had just begun, and the chef hired by Ji Qiang was cooking in the kitchen. Several people were sitting in the courtyard outside.
The tables in the courtyard were arranged in two rows. One row was occupied by Ji Qiang's relatives and friends, dressed in plain clothes, chatting while waiting for the kitchen to serve their food. The other row was a more mixed bunch. Some huddled nervously on their stools, looking around, while others, dressed in brightly colored clothes, arrogantly toyed with teacups on the tables, looking ready to disrupt the atmosphere. Non-relatives weren't served meals. Although the tables for this row of random people were large, the host only provided them with plain water, the kind that was unfiltered and unpleasant to drink, yet felt like they had nothing to do if they didn't.
The players were unaware of what was happening in the yard. They followed Shopkeeper Mei from the side door of the yard to the back, quickly found an open space to gather, and lined up according to the personnel position map in Xiao Cheng's hand.
"The leading actress is busy now, so everyone should hurry up and familiarize themselves with the lines and movements. We'll start rehearsals as soon as she arrives." Shopkeeper Mei lowered his voice and gestured to everyone: "The standing positions are not fixed. They should be arranged with the middle higher and the sides lower. If the height is not suitable, see if you can switch roles with the person next to you. If not, bend down and stand on tiptoe. It's okay." If the role is not suitable, it can be adjusted temporarily. Anyway, there is no problem with the leading actress. The others just need to ensure the normal performance of the play while showing the audience what the leading actor's style is.
"Don't be nervous. You don't have to memorize your lines. Just remember your role and adapt to the situation." Seeing that her friend was a little nervous, Xiao Cheng, who didn't need to go on stage, quickly stepped forward and patted her shoulder to comfort her: "Take a deep breath. If you really forget the words, it's okay. Extras don't have many words. You can improvise and sing steadily. If you really can't, just stare and cooperate, saying one, two, three and clap your hands."
"What? I might as well just memorize it. At least I don't have to use my brain." The fellow player gave Xiao Cheng a bitter face: "Do you think I'm a talented player? And I can improvise... If I really forget the words, I, I..."
"Alright, alright, at worst, I'll just cut out a few lines for you, okay? Just keep that stern expression on your face... Hey, look, isn't this a great performance?"
"Acting? I'm so nervous that I can't control my expression!" The player's fellow player grinned at Xiao Cheng with difficulty, only to find that the muscles on his face were no longer under his control: You didn't tell me that there would be so many audiences to face later!
Unable to relax, fellow player Lu Di finally had to regretfully give up his speaking role and move to the back row to join the atmosphere group. As the name suggests, the atmosphere group is composed of characters who create atmosphere. In addition to ghost characters, there are also many static characters to choose from. I wonder what Ji Qiang, who selected the script, was thinking.
"I'll choose... this one!" Lu Di immediately took a fancy to the movable stone well. Without a word, he dove into it right in front of Xiao Cheng and popped his head out. The prop well was similar in size to a real stone well, with a place to sit inside and unassuming little wheels underneath, allowing the player inside to push the prop well around.
Because the wheels of the prop well were very small, they were even less noticeable at night. At first glance, the prop well looked like it was floating on the ground, with a very excited Lu Di stuck on the well mouth: "Help, help! My collar is stuck, my neck, my neck..."
Bei Qiao, who was coordinating the movement, happened to walk to the prop well. Seeing Lu Di being strangled and groaning, he quickly rescued him from the well. Finally able to breathe fresh air again, Lu Di lay on the ground and coughed for a while, then climbed back up the prop well, fearing that if he was a step late, Xiao Cheng would replace him. "I'm fine! I'm fine!"
"Are you really okay?" Xiao Cheng lay on the wellhead worriedly: "If it doesn't work, try another one..."
"No need! This is great!" Lu Di flatly rejected Xiao Cheng's suggestion: "With something blocking me, I can still feel a little safe." How comfortable it is to stay in the well. Others stand while she sits. If she can't control her expression, she will go back into the well and hide. Although the field of vision is slightly low, which affects watching the show, it does not affect listening to gossip!
Unlike Lu Di, who moved to the back row, Bei Qiao, due to his height, was moved to a seat closer to the front and center, right next to the lead actress's seat. Because the lead actress hadn't arrived yet, a chair was placed on the scene to replace her, right in the middle of everyone else.
"It seems that the protagonist is very tall..." Other players standing nearby couldn't help but sigh: In order to look more coordinated, this person must be taller than us, right?
"Thank you so much! My spirit is unparalleled." Just as everyone was hastily adjusting their positions, ready to wait for the lead actress to arrive and begin rehearsals, a girl a little over five feet sixty inches tall rushed in from the doorway, so fast that the players at the door felt as if a gust of wind had swept past them. "Sorry for being late. I had an annoying relative who insisted I help babysit their child. I screamed at the top of my lungs for a while before I finally managed to get the job done." Moral blackmail? Sorry, I won't accept it!
Who is the lead actress? None other than the renowned local actress Ji Qiang. Although legend has it that she's a three-meter-tall, muscular woman with a green face and fangs who eats little boys, she's actually quite short. Her face appears gentle and peaceful, her eyes languid, and her limbs aren't particularly muscular; only when she's exerting force do you see her explosive muscles.
It can be said that Ji Qiang's temperament was not as extreme as it is now. It's just that after entering the other world, she was unlucky and always ran into people who thought she was easy to bully. After being disturbed and even bullied several times, Ji Qiang decided to stop the internal friction and kill the bad guys to be done with it.
Ji Qiang: I used to be a very good-tempered person, and I still am. Those who say that I have a bad temper, please reflect on your own character. Why do I hit you instead of others?
"Thank you sisters for your help, even though it's only part-time." Ji Qiang clasped her fists towards everyone, then walked to the chair with square steps, sat down, and crossed her legs. "I'm ready, Sister Mei, we can begin."
"You, aren't you afraid that this script will attract something?" Shopkeeper Mei sighed while holding the script and twisted the cinnabar bracelet on his wrist again and again.
"Don't worry, I've prepared some amulets for everyone to prevent any accidents." Ji Qiang slapped his forehead and stood up. "I forgot about them in my haste just now. Pass them around. Each of you should keep one close to your body. It'll work!"
Bei Qiao, who was standing next to Ji Qiang, was the first to take the amulet. He took out one from it and handed the rest to the player next to him. He couldn't help but think for a moment: How did he come up with this useful conclusion... Forget it, let's not think about it too much.
Other players who took the amulet: I wasn’t afraid before I thought much about it, but now... cough, monsters, please go away.
After putting away the amulet, everyone had a quick rehearsal. After making sure there were no major problems, the show was ready to begin.
"Thank you all for your hard work. Once the chef finishes serving the dishes, we can go on stage." Ji Qiang adjusted his cuffs and jumped up from the chair: "Don't worry if you forget your lines, just have fun. We are here today to enforce justice." A hero does not need to memorize his lines. Being a hero is the coolest thing to say.
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