Chapter Eighty-Three: An Explosive Performance

After Jiang Hu officially signed with Mo Nian Nian’s company, she immediately began her star-making campaign.

The company had only one artist, and everything revolved entirely around Jiang Hu.

Mo Nian Nian spent vast sums of money for no other reason than to make him a sensation.

Before this, Jiang Hu had taken on any job he could find and acted in any role that came his way just to earn money. The result was that although he was wildly popular, he had no truly impressive works to his name.

Once Mo Nian Nian took him under her wing, she simply poured in a huge investment and pushed him into a project led by one of the nation’s most celebrated directors.

Director Wang was deeply displeased by Jiang Hu’s arrival.

Looking at him, his face full of contempt, he saw nothing but a worthless tool controlled by money.

Unfortunately, the crew needed investment and funding, and he had no choice but to bow to the claws of capital.

Director Wang remained indignant, and right up until filming began, he held no favorable impression of Jiang Hu.

Yet Jiang Hu proved his own worth with sheer ability.

Acting, looks, talent, effort — he possessed every condition for success.

He lacked nothing except luck and opportunity.

And Mo Nian Nian had arranged all of that for him.

Jiang Hu’s performance shocked Director Wang to the core. His attitude changed from scorn and resentment to bright-eyed excitement and delight.

He had found a pearl buried beneath dust, and his whole face seemed to bloom with color.

“Jiang Hu? That’s your name, right? How come I never saw you before? Come, come, sit down. Let’s have a proper talk.”

Director Wang was extraordinarily enthusiastic, pulling Jiang Hu over at once to discuss the background and character he would be playing.

From the moment Jiang Hu learned he had been cast in the film, he had studied the entire script in depth.

He had also gained considerable insight into the second male lead he was portraying.

The character was dark and obsessive, much like the depths of Jiang Hu’s own heart, and Jiang Hu played him with remarkable ease.

Director Wang praised him endlessly. He had originally thought it impossible to find someone perfectly suited to the second male lead, never expecting the very capital he looked down on to send him exactly that.

The moment he saw Jiang Hu, it was as if the character from the story had come to life.

The director was so satisfied with Jiang Hu that he immediately released his publicity stills.

Director Wang: The new second male lead in the drama is here. A pretty solid young man. Looking forward to your performance.

He attached a photo of Jiang Hu divided into two halves. In one half, Jiang Hu wore military armor, upright and resolute, standing amid smoke and gunfire.

In the other half, he wore bloodstained clothes, wearing a smile that was not quite a smile, his gaze cast into the distance.

In a single photograph, Jiang Hu embodied two different temperaments. Though clearly the same person, he seemed utterly different at a glance.

Director Wang was a renowned national director, and not one of his works had ever scored below a nine.

This major production had taken him ten years to prepare before finally beginning filming, and every movement related to it was enough to surge onto the trending charts.

Director Wang rarely praised anyone, but everyone he did praise went on, without exception, to become a top-tier international star.

Jiang Hu was the third.

A flood of people swarmed in and nearly crashed Director Wang’s social media.

First place, first place! When can Director Wang’s new drama air? I’ve been waiting until my heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys all ache.

Jiang Hu?! Our idol! Our idol is in Director Wang’s grand production? Aaaaaah I’m going insane!

I only heard Jiang Hu’s name before. I never expected his acting to be this good too?

When did Director Wang start using traffic stars? Don’t ruin such a fine drama later.

The comments were all over the place, but without exception, Jiang Hu was once again a blazing sensation.

This time, what attached itself to him was no longer mere popularity or looks, but real acting ability and genuine anticipation.

Jiang Hu directly raised the audience’s expectations for Director Wang’s drama by another level.

Director Wang was even happier now, and from time to time he would pull Jiang Hu aside for a chat.

Jiang Hu, for his part, had none of the bad habits common among traffic stars; he was very humble, and Director Wang could not help but take extra care of him.

Jiang Hu learned a great deal from Director Wang.

“Good! That scene is done! Jiang Hu, touch up your makeup and get ready for the next one!” Director Wang shouted through the megaphone.

The crew immediately sprang into action. Some prepared props, some searched for items, some did makeup, and some arranged the set. Not a single person was idle.

Mo Nian Nian received a system alert informing her that in this scene, Jiang Hu would be framed, and that incident would become one of the black marks on his name for years to come.

In order to keep Jiang Hu’s resentment from rising, Mo Nian Nian had no choice but to come to the set.

The assistant director welcomed her warmly and led her over to where Jiang Hu and the others were filming.

“Miss Mo, what would you like to drink? I’ll go prepare it right away,” the assistant director said eagerly, as though he wished he could set her up on an altar.

Mo Nian Nian had worked on a film set before and naturally knew how busy everyone could be. She did not want to trouble them, so she waved a hand and said, “No need. Go on with your work. I’ll just watch here.”

She found a seat and sat down, watching Jiang Hu act with complete focus.

This was a major scene. Jiang Hu was desperately defending the border and repelling the enemy’s assault, only for it all to turn out to be a conspiracy.

A hero’s merits surpassing the emperor’s was a mountain that could never be crossed.

As soon as Director Wang called for action, Jiang Hu instantly entered the role and became the general who had learned the truth.

His eyes reddened with blood, and he threw his head back in wild laughter.

How tragic. How sorrowful.

He had guarded the border for over a decade, and his entire family had shed blood and sacrificed their lives for the dynasty, only to meet such a fate in return?

Hahaha! Then what had all his years of perseverance amounted to?

A joke. All of it was a joke.

The man opposite him admired Jiang Hu’s expression and said with great interest, “You really never suspected how your parents died? An avalanche? Hah, and you believed such a ridiculous excuse? How about I take you to see their remains?”

Seeing that the provocation still was not enough, the man added, “Guess how they died.”

In that instant, Jiang Hu’s eyes changed.

Darkness flared suddenly, murderous intent shrouded everything, and his whole body trembled faintly. Even through the screen, one could feel his collapse and despair.

“Poor them, begging the emperor to spare your life until the very end. A pity. What a pity.” The man shook his head with exaggerated regret.

At that moment, everyone could feel the change in Jiang Hu.

That kind and upright general was dead.

Jiang Hu lifted his eyes and glanced toward the camera. His gaze was intensely dark, overflowing with killing intent. He curved the corner of his lips slightly, as though he had already locked onto a target.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, as if they had been marked by a venomous snake and could no longer escape.

“Good! That scene is done!” Director Wang’s voice snapped everyone awake, and for a moment it felt as though they had returned to the human world.

Jiang Hu’s look had been terrifying. His acting was explosive enough that they had truly believed he was about to come after them for revenge.

Mo Nian Nian was also astonished by Jiang Hu’s performance. With conditions this perfect, if he still could not become famous, then heaven would have no justice.

Jiang Hu immediately stepped out of character and put on that gentle mask again.

He walked over to Mo Nian Nian, a trace of joy appearing in his eyes. “Why did you come?”