"Director Lin, thank you so much this time." After the day's filming ended, Ye Chu went to thank Lin Mu in person.
"Oh, it's nothing, it's just a title." Lin Mu didn't care about such things. He only cared about the works he created. To him, his works were his life, and choosing the right actors was one of the essential elements for sustaining his livelihood. His fair and rigorous casting attitude and methods not only brought him praise but also brought vitality to his works.
Ye Chu smiled and couldn't help but feel even more respect for this great director. A director who truly loves his profession and is loyal to his work absolutely deserves a good reputation and rewards.
Time flies, and the filming progressed as planned. Today was the day she was stabbed in the back. After spending some time together, Ye Chu had gotten along quite well with everyone. Xie Wanyao especially doted on her like a daughter. Of course, this was mainly because Ye Chu looked younger than her age; in reality, Ye Chu was only three years younger than her.
Xie Wanyao followed Ye Chu closely from early morning, and would often stroke her head and say with a reluctant expression, "Mommy's precious daughter, how could Mommy bear to hurt you?"
Clearly, despite saying that, Ye Chu couldn't sense the other person's "reluctance" at all during filming. The prop knife was securely fastened to her waist, and Xie Wanyao transformed into Jiang Rongsong in the drama. Her brows were furrowed, and a hint of reluctance flashed in her eyes, quickly replaced by a resolute determination. Her lips were frighteningly white, and when she saw the bright red blood flowing from Cheng Lu's abdomen, the corners of her mouth suddenly turned up, forming a ferocious smile on her face.
Cheng Lu, or rather Ye Chu, was terrified by the extent to which she controlled the character's inner thoughts and expressions, and almost thought she was really going to die.
"Cut!" Lin Mu shouted, reminding Ye Chu, "Ye Chu, be careful not to lose focus." Ye Chu, who was immersed in the feeling of being threatened with death, was startled by his shout and immediately came back to her senses: "Sorry, director, everyone, please do it again."
The staff immediately came over and restored the scene changes to their original state. Xie Wanyao smiled and nodded at her, her eyes were very gentle, and Ye Chu returned the smile.
A slightly deep voice came from above: "You don't need to treat her like a human being. Don't let her lead you astray."
Xie Wanyao's lips twitched, and she retorted unwillingly, "You're just a background character in this part, you understand? Background character, don't interfere with the time when my daughter and I are building our relationship, thank you."
"I don't know if it's a background story, but someone's going to get beaten up by me in the next scene." Gu Yu raised an eyebrow indifferently, turned around, and got into a fighting stance to continue filming.
"start!"
Ye Chu brandished the prop dagger in her hand, parrying several shots flawlessly. Xie Wanyao immediately got into character as well. Her head was lowered, her expression unreadable beneath her bangs. The cameraman zoomed in on her hand. She used her long sleeve to slide a dagger into her grasp, then turned to another actor beside her, her voice urgent, "I'll go help! You guys need to decipher it quickly!"
The actress playing his companion nodded, too nervous to notice the expression on the other's face—it wasn't the expression of someone anxious; she was smiling. Meanwhile, Imatsu, playing Eun-jun, was diligently cracking a code—the key to clearing this level. Gu Yu, playing Qing Zhi, was battling another monster.
Qingzhi was agile and had great explosive power, while Cheng Lu, although she could also fight monsters, focused more on defense than offense. She lacked strength, and although she was small and agile, she couldn't withstand the monster's frequent attacks. She had exhausted most of her stamina and could only do defense, which slowed her down.
Faced with the choice, Jiang Rongsong wisely chose the weaker option. She moved closer to Cheng Lu and exclaimed, "I'll help you!"
"Thud—" The dagger pierced Cheng Lu's abdomen and was pulled out. Instantly, a sharp pain made Cheng Lu's body tilt, and she was swept away by the monster's claw and rolled several meters away, blood spreading everywhere.
"Ah!" The girl who had nodded earlier was the first to notice the series of changes. She screamed and ran towards Ye Chu in terror. Qing Zhi dodged backward. It was clear that Jiang Rongsong had chosen the wrong time; the monsters' attack time had ended, and they suddenly disappeared into thin air. Qing Zhi turned around and swiftly twisted Jiang Rongsong's arm, subduing her.
"This is impossible!" Jiang Rongsong exclaimed, her expression agitated. This was impossible! She had clearly checked the time on her watch; how could she be wrong? How could the monsters have disappeared? If they were gone, who would kill these cowardly survivors? Who could avenge her senior?
"Take off your coats!" Qing Zhi said to the others, a flash of disdain and mockery crossing his eyes as he saw them cowering to the side. The group was startled by his obvious displeasure. Coming to their senses, one of the boys took off his coat and gave it to him. Qing Zhi used the coat to tie Jiang Rongsong's hands, then took another coat and tied her feet as well.
"Continue deciphering," he said to Imatsu, then walked somewhat hastily toward Cheng Lu. Fortunately, the girl who reacted the fastest was a medical student who rationally took measures to stop the bleeding.
Cheng Lu's face was deathly pale, and she managed a weak smile only when she saw someone approaching. Qing Zhi took over the task of stopping the girl's bleeding, bent down and kissed her forehead, his eyes filled with intense killing intent.
"Does it hurt?" he asked. Cheng Lu shook her head; the dopamine she was receiving made her temporarily numb to the pain. "It's okay, I won't die," she said softly, her voice barely audible.
"It's done!" Imatsu exclaimed excitedly. Everyone present showed smiles of relief. Keiji picked up his lover and was the first to leave through the opened door, disappearing into the light.
The survivors scrambled to escape the horrific place, while Jiang Rongsong, bound hand and foot, lay motionless, making no attempt to save herself. She simply lay there silently, tears streaming down her face. She remembered that person's smiling face, and then she remembered that time when that person had borrowed her watch.
So, in this game world, everyone hurts others just to survive—they are, I am, and even you are no exception.
She closed her eyes, quietly awaiting the next round of pursuit; the monster would soon come and devour her.
"Cut! Great!" Lin Mu shouted excitedly, "All the indoor scenes are finished. Tonight's on me! Everyone pack up and let's go eat together. We'll start preparing for outdoor shooting tomorrow!"
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