Chapter 61: Sister Mi is Shocked! The Disgraced Star's Acting Explodes! [Requesting Monthly Votes]

In the blink of an eye, the time had arrived for the commencement ceremony of Monster Killer: Behold the Peace.

The entire production crew gathered in Hengdian to hold a grand opening ceremony, commonly known as worshiping the gods.

The process was relatively simple: the camera was draped in a red cloth, and various offerings and an incense burner were set up to pay homage to Lord Guan.

After so many years of development in the domestic entertainment industry, this set of rules had been passed down to the present day.

It was originally introduced from Hong Kong and Taiwan. As for the specific reasons behind it, opinions varied. Some said that back in the day, Uncle Ying encountered some supernatural events while filming ghost films, so he had no choice but to worship. Of course, the explanation most widely accepted by the public was actually that during the era of film shooting, the machinery might scratch the film, causing the entire crew's hard work of half a month or more to go down the drain.

For a bit of psychological comfort, this ritual subsequently became popular, which was also why the camera was covered with a red cloth and uncovered by the core creative team only after the ceremony concluded.

However, according to Lu Ming's understanding, if one were to truly trace the origin of this practice, it actually went back to the customs of ancient opera troupes or street-performing troupes. Because these people of the jianghu traveled everywhere and had the tradition of worshiping the gods upon reaching a new shore and knocking on doors upon entering a house whenever they arrived somewhere to make a living, the troupe leader would lead all members to worship the various ghosts and spirits of the four directions to seek convenience and ensure no disturbance to those on or off the stage.

Over time, this custom was passed down.

In short, such a commencement ceremony had been popular for so many years, and nowadays, everyone was essentially just going through the motions, pursuing a sense of ritual and wishing for good fortune.

As a financial backer, Lu Ming naturally could not skimp on the expenses for this matter.

Before coming, Lu Ming had long instructed Xiaoya to withdraw two hundred thousand yuan in cash and stuff it into red envelopes separately. He was not stingy; each envelope contained at least two hundred yuan. After pre-counting the number of people, including the floor staff, the full two hundred thousand was destined to be distributed.

As soon as Lu Ming arrived at the venue of the commencement ceremony, he spotted Lu Hao, who was beaming with joy as he directed his underlings to set up the scene.

"Why aren't you properly preparing for the finals of the music variety show? What are you doing in Hengdian for no reason?" Lu Hao suddenly caught sight of a familiar face and looked bewildered.

"I'm here to shoot a drama, of course!" Lu Ming smiled at the completely oblivious Haozi.

Lu Hao: "???"

"Someone actually dares to hire you to act? Has their production crew committed a treasonous crime?" Lu Hao asked in disbelief.

"Are you being polite?" Lu Ming let out a cold hum. "Is that how you talk to an actor from the core creative team? I'm playing Zhang Xianzong; could this show even start filming if I didn't come?"

Lu Hao's expression shifted: "You? Playing Zhang Xianzong?!"

"What, do I not look the part?" Lu Ming smiled warmly.

Lu Hao could not help but look Lu Ming up and down. Zhang Xianzong was an extremely important character in the show, and also Yue Qiluo's canon pairing; naturally, they had to find a handsome actor to play the role. He had thought the higher-ups would assign some traffic star, but never did he expect this person to turn out to be a notorious flop!

Although in terms of sheer facial aesthetics, this flop had no rivals across the entire domestic entertainment industry, and paired alongside Reba, the two of them in the same frame could definitely be called a handsome man and a stunning beauty. If neither spoke and they just gazed at each other affectionately, it would absolute be a visually pleasing feast for the audience. But the problem was, it would be fine if this kid didn't speak, but the moment he opened his mouth, wouldn't the whole facade fall apart?

"I know you have a good relationship with the boss, but I never imagined he would hand such an important role to you..." Haozi's expression was complex. "Did you save the boss's life?"

"Audacious! How can you speak so lackadaisically to your sugar daddy?" Lu Ming lightly hummed.

Lu Hao: "???"

What was the situation?

"You? The sugar daddy?" He found it impossible to believe.

Just at that moment, the actors of the creative team noticed the commotion over here. Han Dongjun hurried over with a jog: "Boss, you're here!"

"???" Lu Hao looked at the respectfully attitude of Han Dongjun in disbelief, instantly feeling like his brain was running a beat slow. His gaze looked toward the young man with a hint of shock: "Isn't this drama funded by iQiyi?"

"It's Mingri Star. It's clear you didn't read the contract carefully!"

Lu Hao found it hard to believe, but seeing Lu Ming's resolute words, coupled with the male lead corroborating it from the side, everything indicated that what this little flop said was true.

"Forty million... you funded it all by yourself?!" Lu Hao stared at Lu Ming in disbelief. "Where on earth did you get that much money?!"

Lu Ming: "Smashing pots and selling iron, putting all my eggs in one basket!"

"I staked everything not to prove how great I am, but to tell all those people outside who doubt me: the less they look down on me, the more I have to fight for this breath!"

Lu Hao only felt a buzzing sound inside his head, completely dazed by what he heard.

"No, you flop, have you lost your mind?!" Lu Hao wore a look of utter disbelief. "You're so talented in the music track right now, wouldn't it be better to put your effort into that? Besides, don't drag me down with your self-destruction! If I had known this drama was funded by you, even if you beat me to death, I wouldn't have done it!"

Are you kidding me?

Back then, a million-tier tuner lost his job simply because he released a single for this flop, and from then on degraded into a minor live-streamer on Douyin.

Back then, Kuoying Pictures simply uploaded a web drama painstakingly crafted by Huayue for this flop, resulting in countless users whose eyes were burned by the ugliness abandoning the platform in anger. Although he had not witnessed that magnificent spectacle with his own eyes, the fact that a show which was taken offline immediately upon completion could still occasionally be seen a year later today on short video platforms featuring Lu Ming's eye-scorching clips was proof enough.

The most important thing was that the director who guided that movie for the flop back then had long since vanished from the domestic entertainment industry.

With such a horrifying track record, who wouldn't shudder at the sight of it?

Now he was going to serve as the director for this flop and shoot a mega-production with an investment of forty million?

Wasn't that asking for his own death?!

"Oh, my flop, Uncle has known you for quite some time after all, and I truly can't bear to watch you ruin yourself..."

"Uncle will tell you a few heart-to-heart words. I've read this script for Monster Killer: Behold the Peace at least twenty times over the past few days, and the content is indeed top-notch. But the waters in the film and television circle are too deep, and you're still young, prone to oversimplifying things. How about this, let's go find the boss together, you take your money and withdraw your investment, and let iQiyi fund it instead. Given our shared connection, President Gang should agree."

"Get lost! Calling me a flop on Keep Running is one thing, but right now, what should you call me?"

"Are you really going to throw your money down the drain?!" Haozi yelled at the top of his lungs.

Lu Ming sneered: "Call me Boss!"

"Boss, cooperating with you is truly nerve-wracking and terrifying..." Haozi switched to honorifics, then pointed to his incessantly trembling knees: "Look, my legs are shaking!"

"I'm not even afraid of losing my entire family fortune. Do you think I'd dare play like this if I didn't have some real capability?" Lu Ming glanced sideways at the unstable Haozi. "Besides, don't force me to flatten you when I'm in my happiest mood, okay?"

Lu Hao was driven into deep thought by Lu Ming's confident remarks. However, upon hearing the second half of the sentence, he instantly recalled the terror of being dominated by the flop in the mud pit, and he wisely clamped his mouth shut, following closely behind Lu Ming.

Not long after.

As the members of the creative team arrived in full, everyone held a grand opening ceremony together. It was worth mentioning that besides Reba, even Boss Mi, serving as her agency head, had come.

Boss Mi wore an off-the-shoulder dress, her snow-white skin largely exposed to the air, and her voluptuous figure was laid bare for all to see. Her entire body exuded a sexy aura, especially that pair of eye-catching soft jades. The moment she walked out alongside Reba, she genuinely attracted a large wave of gazes, to the extent that even Lu Ming could not help but take a few extra looks, muttering inwardly, "To be sandwiched is to be in peril."

Lu Ming smiled as he stepped forward and handed her a red envelope: "Boss Mi, take a red envelope and be happy!"

"Where's mine? Where's mine?" Reba eagerly crowded forward. The woman's dark hair fell like a waterfall, her makeup was exquisite, and her pretty face was exceptionally adorable. Wearing an off-white dress, she had unexpectedly transformed to add a few hints of a sweet girl's aura.

Lu Ming took out a slightly larger red envelope from his inner breast pocket, beautifully carved with dragons and phoenixes.

With an appearance like that, failing to stuff a few thousand yuan inside would be unjustifiable.

"I prepared yours long ago."

Boss Mi was originally in a pretty good mood after accepting the red envelope, but upon seeing that Reba's red envelope was so much bigger than hers, she instantly turned sour: "Why is hers so much bigger than mine?"

"She's my romantic pairing in the show; what are you?"

"I'm her boss!" Boss Mi let out a soft hum. Her voice was that kind of bone-melting baby voice; although she was acting a bit spoiled and sulking in a petty, proud manner, it gave people a strong sense of flirtatiousness.

Lu Ming thought for a moment, took back the large red envelope he had already handed to Reba, and then, amidst the latter's bewildered gaze, handed it to Boss Mi to swap them.

Reba instantly dropped her face, while Boss Mi beamed with joy. But when she opened the red envelope, she discovered that there was only a 50-cent banknote inside. She froze instantly: "Are you kidding me? You stuffed this colossal sum of money into such a large envelope?!"

"What do you know? The meaning of a red envelope is to wish for good fortune. Look at how cute the two little girls on this banknote are! This was originally meant as a wonderful blessing for Reba, but it's your lucky day!" Lu Ming shook his head.

Boss Mi: "???"

Reba looked at the 50-cent paper banknote, which wasn't even as expensive as the red envelope itself, and also broke out in a cold sweat. However, thinking that this was Lu Ming's masterpiece, she immediately felt it made complete sense, and then instinctively opened the one she had swapped with Boss Mi, pulling out a bundle of crisp red bills. She cried out in pleasant surprise: "This one has five hundred!"

Boss Mi froze once more.

You damn flop, is this how you're going to play?!

Looking at Reba's happy expression, for a moment she did not know what kind of words to use to describe her feelings.

In truth, the reason Boss Mi tagged along to supervise on set was still because she was uneasy about Reba messing around on her own. She wanted to witness Lu Ming's acting skills with her own eyes; if it was still the same as before, or if his progress was minimal, no matter what she said, she would take Reba away.

Thus, after the commencement ceremony concluded, the group arrived at the set rented by the crew—a small town full of Republican-era charm.

As the financial backer, the entire crew naturally had to schedule according to his time, so the main content to be shot today was actually the scenes between Zhang Xianzong and Yue Qiluo. After all, he had currently signed onto two variety shows simultaneously and had to go to Who is the King in a couple of days to participate in the finals; his schedule could only be described as tight.

Huazi arranged for the styling and makeup artists to meticulously dress Lu Ming and Reba, while the other floor staff prepared their respective duties.

An hour later, Reba had transformed into a pitiful little beggar, while Lu Hao—no, Lu Ming was dressed in a deep blue military overcoat, his demeanor solemn and stern.

The moment he made his debut, even Boss Mi, who had been lacking in interest, revealed an expression of astonishment, unable to help looking the youth up and down, her charming phoenix eyes filled with an unusual brilliance.

She could not help praising him in her heart: "His physical proportions are naturally suited for idol dramas! Of course, provided he has a certain level of acting skill..."

I have to admit that Lu Ming's god-tier facial features in the domestic entertainment industry were captivating no matter how one looked at them. At this moment, paired with this outfit, it instantly made everyone present unable to tear their eyes away, and several young ladies even blushed slightly, whispering to each other in chatter.

"Yo, your styling and makeup are really quite handsome!" At that moment, a middle-aged man walked over from afar, turning out to be none other than iQiyi President Wang Gang.

Seeing that this big shot had arrived, everyone appeared cautious. Even Boss Mi took the initiative to step forward and warmly greeted Wang Gang; her company also had close cooperation with iQiyi.

Boss Mi found Wang Gang's purpose somewhat strange. She knew very well that this drama was funded by Lu Ming out of his own pocket, and for the dignified president of iQiyi to travel all this way to show support genuinely made her feel astonished.

In fact, Wang Gang was also extremely curious as to where Lu Ming got the confidence to risk everything and invest in a web drama. Coupled with Lu Ming's previous talk of financing with a tone of guaranteed profit, this platform head had also squeezed some time out of his busy schedule, using the excuse of a visit to the set to personally investigate.

After a brief exchange, Lu Ming, Reba, and the other actors and crew members involved in this scene all began to prepare.

The first scene to be shot today was the initial meeting between Zhang Xianzong and Yue Qiluo. Because Zhang Xianzong had committed a murder in an alley to silence a witness, and then feigned scratching his own arm to prepare to go back and report for duty, he happened to be seen by Yue Qiluo, who was disguised as a little beggar. He chased after her and found that the little beggar was delicate and charming, sparking a sense of empathy. He pretended to invite the little beggar to a meal to test whether his crime had been witnessed.

After confirming that the matter had not been exposed, he left some money for the little beggar and turned to leave.

However, Yue Qiluo chased after him and begged to follow him home. Seeing her homeless appearance, Zhang Xianzong softened his heart for a moment and agreed.

Counting the dialogue time, the finished product of this plot segment approached five minutes, while the actual shooting needed to be broken down and gradually perfected. Lu Hao had already prepared himself to shoot from now until evening, letting the actors NG dozens or hundreds of times, slowly grinding it out lens by lens purely relying on time.

After all, there were simply too many elements that needed to be highlighted in this scene. Let alone the unfavored flop, even Reba, who had already filmed several idol dramas, needed her details polished shot by shot from his perspective.

As all departments of the crew took their positions, Huazi quickly entered a working state. After commanding the shooting angles and sound recording on-site to be fully prepared, he shouted aloud: "Action!"

Hearing the sound travel over, Lu Ming entered character in a single second. His entire demeanor shifted drastically, his gaze suddenly turning fierce, and he very swiftly pulled out his sidearm from his waist, cocking it in a second before pointing it directly at the heart of the middle-aged man in front of him.

The person acting opposite him was a specially invited extra. Originally, the middle-aged man was still searching for his feel and had not yet entered character; facing Lu Ming's gaze devoid of a shred of emotion, his expression panicked instinctively.

He was not frightened by the handgun pointed at him, but rather because the youth at this moment exuded an aura of stern slaughter belonging to someone in a position of authority. This intense sense of oppression left his brain completely blank, completely dazed...

Reba, standing atop the alley, revealed an expression of astonishment upon seeing this situation. She had never seen Lu Ming display this kind of mental outlook before, while Boss Mi, who had consistently observed Lu Ming with a critical eye, saw her expression shift slightly.

Amateurs watch the excitement, professionals watch the doorways.

Sometimes, just a gaze containing murderous intent felt completely different when played by a talentless idol versus a powerhouse. She had struggled in the domestic entertainment industry for so many years; if she still couldn't tell that Lu Ming had real substance, she would have lived in vain.

Boss Mi found it hard to believe, thinking it was just her imagination.

Lu Hao felt the same way, but because the extra had yet to deliver his lines even after a full few seconds, he was just about to shout "Cut" when he saw the middle-aged man speak in a hurried rush, swallowing the words that had reached his lips right back down.

Whether he realized he had messed up and panicked, or was frightened by Lu Ming, the middle-aged man's voice trembled: "You... what are you doing?"

"Didn't you say someone was coming to pick me up to leave... leave Wenxian?"

Lu Ming's eyes narrowed, and he abruptly pulled the trigger!

Bang!!

The middle-aged man collapsed onto the haystack behind him in response, and immediately after, Lu Ming's sneering voice was heard: "The impermanence ghosts of black and white are waiting for you!"

The close-up camera shot focused on Lu Ming's face, his eyes full of coldness. The next second, he pulled out a dagger and slit the sleeve of his cuff. The blood pack hidden underneath burst open abruptly. Lu Ming sucked in a slight breath of cool air, then swiftly regained his composure. However, when his peripheral vision caught sight of the girl who was completely dumbfounded on the side alley, his expression suddenly shifted, and an intent to kill rapidly surfaced between his brows.

Meeting that frightening gaze, Reba hurriedly turned her head and left.

Lu Ming chased out from the other side. When he reached the street corner, he bumped into the girl crouching by the wall, a pair of watery eyes gazing toward him. The moment the two locked gazes, the murderous aura between Lu Ming's brows instantly dissipated, replaced by a trace of unexpected surprise. Then, totally altering the oppressive aura from before, his tone carried a hint of gentleness: "Little girl, are you hungry? Would you like me to treat you to a meal?"

Reba nodded gently without the slightest hesitation, her charming countenance filled with fragility, evoking pity.

At this point, this scene should come to a close, and the set would need to be changed to connect to the next sequence.

Lu Ming was originally ready to wrap up the action, but for some reason, the surroundings fell into utter silence.

When he turned his gaze sideways, he saw that whether it was Boss Mi, Boss Gang, director Lu Hao, or all the cast and crew members watching from the sidelines, everyone was staring at him with looks of horror. Their expressions of sheer disbelief were as if they had witnessed something extremely terrifying, and female lead Jin Cheng's mouth was currently opened so wide it could fit an egg.

……

Wishing for monthly votes at the beginning of the month~