The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 18: The next character is a comedic guy?!
Su Qingying was completely immersed in her role.
She bit her lower lip hard.
She finally understood what that elusive quality in Jiang Ci's smile had been earlier.
It was this pure, jade-like youth, at the brightest and most beautiful moment of their lives, already clearly seeing their destined, shattered ending.
Therefore, he didn't dare hope for "forever."
He only dared to grasp the "present" before him.
"CUT!"
Li Xiang's hoarse shout, heavy with nasal congestion, exploded from behind the monitor.
"Pass! It's a pass!"
He abruptly stood up, ripped off his headphones, and roughly wiped his face with the back of his hand.
A veteran director who had been filming for twenty years almost broke down completely.
When he looked up toward the set again.
Good lord, half the crew had already collapsed.
Zhao Xueling was covering her mouth while her assistant handed her tissues nearby.
Several young female script supervisors were huddled together, their makeup completely ruined, sobbing quietly.
Even the rough-and-tumble camera operators carrying their "long guns and short cannons" had silently turned away.
Jiang Ci had used a scene that should have been sickeningly sweet to render the entire film crew completely speechless!
[Ding! Detected intense emotional fluctuation from Su Qingying, Heartbreak Value +80!]
[Ding! Detected strong heartbreak from Zhao Xueling +50!]
[Ding! Detected from...]
A series of system notification sounds erupted wildly in Jiang Ci's mind.
With Li Xiang's shout of "pass," all of Jiang Ci's scenes in the "Palace Conspiracy" production were officially completed.
Wrapped.
He dismounted from the gentle white horse, his mind still dazed from the emotional detachment.
In that moment just now, he had truly believed he was A'Gu.
That young general living in memories, exerting all his strength to grasp the only beam of light in his life.
"Jiang Ci!"
Director Li Xiang rushed over in a few quick strides and gave him a solid bear hug.
"You kid, you're a fucking monster born for the camera!"
He vigorously patted Jiang Ci's back, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement and exhilaration.
"This scene, your addition was perfect! 'Forever is too long, I only want now'... Damn it! I'm going to have Lin Wan rewrite the script when I get back! We're using your line!"
Jiang Ci was nearly beaten breathless by the patting, only able to offer a dry smile.
Brother, take it easy, any more patting and I'll really be battle-damaged.
"Jiang Ci, you..."
Su Qingying also approached, carefully supported by her assistant.
Her face remained pale, her gaze at Jiang Ci a tangled mess of shock, heartache, and countless unspoken thoughts.
She wanted to ask something, but the words reached her lips only to be swallowed back.
In the end, it all condensed into an extremely soft sigh:
"You acted very well."
Jiang Ci understood completely.
His strategy of "using a player's techniques to perform pure love" had succeeded.
Not only had he harvested substantial Heartbreak Value, but he had also transformed his image in Su Qingying's mind from a tragic newcomer with a story into an... ultimate monster who could perform sweetness with undertones of despair.
The crew made an exception and held a simple wrap party for him, a minor supporting character.
Everyone knew perfectly well that although the young general role didn't have many scenes,
it was destined to become the unforgettable white moonlight in the movie "Palace Conspiracy."
At the party, Jiang Ci was surrounded by big shots like Li Xiang and Qin Feng.
Unrestrained praises came pouring in.
While he humbly smiled on the surface, saying it was all thanks to the director's guidance and the seniors' mentorship, internally he was rapidly calculating his small treasury.
[Host: Jiang Ci]
[Heartbreak Value Balance: 480 points]
[Current Remaining Lifespan: 77 days]
Over two months of life seemed ample.
But Jiang Ci felt utterly unsettled.
The process from wrapping a film to its release was incredibly complex, taking at least half a year.
If he relied on "Palace Conspiracy" to harvest Heartbreak Value from nationwide audiences to extend his life, he'd be long dead before that happened.
He absolutely had to find his next project immediately!
Continue "harvesting" on set!
But... where to find one?
And it had to be something that would let him utilize his "tragic specialty."
"Jiang Ci, what are you pondering?"
Qin Feng's voice sounded beside him, carrying a faint scent of tobacco.
The veteran actor had lit a cigarette at some point and was examining him through narrowed eyes.
"Nothing, Teacher Qin." Jiang Ci snapped back to attention instantly. "It's just... feels like a dream."
"This is just the beginning." Qin Feng flicked his cigarette ash, his eyes showing appreciation. "You're heaven-sent talent, you'll have plenty of opportunities ahead. But..."
He changed his tone, lowering his voice slightly.
"That Lu kid hasn't been bothering you again, has he?"
This stern-faced but warm-hearted senior was genuinely concerned about him.
"No, Teacher Qin, don't worry."
Since that day, Lu Yifeng had indeed never appeared again.
Probably couldn't bear the embarrassment after being publicly contradicted by Qin Feng.
But Jiang Ci knew that hunters had good patience—this wasn't over.
The wrap party atmosphere was lively and boisterous.
But this excitement belonged to others.
Sitting at the center of the crowd, Jiang Ci only felt anxiety.
When the party ended, Jiang Ci politely declined Director Li Xiang's offer of a car ride and walked out of the restaurant alone.
The cool evening breeze dispersed the alcohol's effects but made his anxiety about the future crystal clear.
He pulled out his phone, his finger hovering over a contact for a long time.
The note read—"Boss Lin Wan."
Now, he was part of Spark Media, and Lin Wan was his boss and agent.
By both sentiment and logic, he should report after wrapping up.
The call went through, ringing three times before being answered.
"Hello?"
Lin Wan's voice sounded tired, with the rapid clatter of a mechanical keyboard in the background.
"Sister Lin Wan, it's me, Jiang Ci."
"Jiang Ci?" The typing paused on the other end. "Oh, you wrapped up?"
"Mm, just finished today."
"Everything go smoothly?"
"Very smoothly, Director Li and Teacher Qin were very supportive." Jiang Ci answered honestly.
"That's good." Lin Wan's voice seemed to carry a hint of laughter. "Li Xiang almost blew up my phone earlier, praising you to the skies. Said that improvised line you added at the end was a stroke of genius, even made him cry."
Jiang Ci scratched his head somewhat sheepishly. "It just came to me in the moment."
"That wasn't improvisation, that was talent." Lin Wan's tone turned serious. "Jiang Ci, I wasn't wrong about you."
"Thank you, Sister Lin Wan."
"You earned that yourself." Lin Wan paused, getting to the main point. "What are your plans next?"
Jiang Ci took a deep breath and tentatively asked in a tone tinged with confusion and apprehension:
"I... I'm not sure either. Maybe... rest for a couple days, wait for the company's arrangements?"
He smoothly passed the ball back to her.
He couldn't just say directly: Boss, quickly find me a tragedy to act in, or I'm going to die!
The other end of the line fell into brief silence.
Jiang Ci's heart instantly leaped to his throat.
He was truly afraid Lin Wan would say "Alright, then rest up," which would mean his seventy-plus days of life would be spent slowly counting down to his death.
"Rest is deserved." Lin Wan finally spoke. "However, you've just gained some momentum and need to strike while the iron is hot."
Yes, yes, yes! Brilliant boss!
Jiang Ci was ecstatic internally.
"Here's the plan," Lin Wan contemplated for a moment before offering a solution. "I happen to have an urban romance drama project on hand."
"There's a male supporting role number four in it, with a very likable character setting—a sunny, cheerful comic relief. Not many scenes, but particularly popular with fans." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"I've already spoken with the producer, you can just go."
"Come to the company tomorrow, I'll have my assistant give you the script."
Lin Wan's efficiency was terrifyingly high.
However, the smile on Jiang Ci's face gradually froze solid.
Urban romance drama?
Male supporting role number four?
Sunny and cheerful?
Comic relief?
Only four icy words remained in Jiang Ci's mind.
A dead end.
