The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 23: Using the Complete Guide to Scumbag Quotes to Nail the Role of a Devoted Immortal Lord!
Jiang Ci stared intently at that profile picture.
His chest heaved several times before he finally tapped open the chat window.
The message was simple, maintaining Su Qingying's signature style.
[Su Qingying: Saturday morning, 10 AM, Daylight Entertainment Tower, 33rd floor.]
[Su Qingying: Three Lifetimes Tribulation audition.]
It's here.
Finally here!
Saturday - that's the day after tomorrow!
He still had one and a half days left.
Jiang Ci forced himself to calm down, his fingers rapidly typing on the screen.
[Jiang Ci: Received! Teacher Su! Thank you! I'll definitely be there on time!]
He thought for a moment, then solemnly added another line.
[Jiang Ci: I'm truly grateful to you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have this opportunity.]
This gratitude came straight from the heart.
Su Qingying's recommendation was like receiving charcoal in snowy weather for him - at least there was now hope for harvesting Heartbreak Value.
The reply came quickly.
[Su Qingying: You're welcome.]
Just when he thought the conversation was ending, another line of text appeared in the chat window.
[Su Qingying: I don't have any scenes that day, so I might come over too.]
Jiang Ci's pupils suddenly contracted sharply.
She... was coming too?
To the audition venue?
Jiang Ci's mind went momentarily blank.
Why was she coming?
To personally support her recommended candidate? Or... simply to assess his capabilities?
[Jiang Ci: You... you're coming too?]
He cautiously probed.
[Su Qingying: Mm, the person I recommended - if I'm not busy, I should at least take a look.]
Right.
That confirmed it completely.
She was coming to "supervise the exam" in person.
[Jiang Ci: I understand, Teacher Su. I'll give it my all and won't let you down!]
After ending the conversation, Jiang Ci could no longer sit still.
He had to create a flawless battle plan for this audition.
First was the character's soul.
What was the core of Chu Wuchen's character?
It was love.
A love so restrained it reached its limit, so profound it bordered on despair, a love that couldn't be spoken aloud.
It couldn't be conveyed through dialogue, only hidden in the eyes, concealed in the subtlest movements.
In Jiang Ci's mind, that skill he'd previously exchanged from the System Store automatically surfaced.
Complete Guide to Scumbag Quotes and Techniques.
He'd originally exchanged it to perform that insincere "sweet scene" well.
But now, he discovered this skill's applications far exceeded his initial expectations.
The contents of the Complete Guide to Scumbag Quotes and Techniques automatically replayed in his mind.
A line of small text appeared.
[Analysis of thirty-six types of 'broken feeling' deep gaze that women cannot resist...]
Broken feeling!
That's it!
How could an immortal who had lived for five hundred years, who had watched his lover's soul scatter to the winds, then defied heaven's will to bring her back to the mortal world - how could his eyes not contain broken feeling?
His soul had long since shattered into pieces during that sacrificial ceremony five hundred years ago.
The current him was merely an empty shell forcibly pieced together by sheer obsession.
Jiang Ci's thoughts suddenly cleared.
What he needed to portray wasn't an aloof immortal.
But a lonely soul hidden within an immortal's body, a soul that had long been shattered into dust.
He immediately pulled up the detailed tutorial about "broken feeling gaze" from the Complete Guide to Scumbag Quotes and Techniques.
"First technique: Unfocused gaze. Your gaze should fall upon the other person, but not too concentrated - there should be a sense of dispersion, as if looking through them at someone long gone..."
"Second technique: Instantaneous pain. The moment you make eye contact, there should be a flash of extreme pain in your eyes - so fast people might think it's an illusion - before returning to deathly stillness."
"Third technique: Self-mocking tenderness. The corners of your mouth should hold a faint, elusive smile, while your eyes at this moment should contain tenderness within coldness, as if mocking your own deep affection while being unable to control its expression..."
As Jiang Ci read these technical analyses, his eyes grew increasingly bright.
Once you stripped away the deceptive core of these so-called "scumbag techniques," what remained was nothing less than the most advanced performance methodology!
He immediately stood before the mirror.
Facing his reflection, he repeatedly adjusted the subtle changes in his eye muscles.
He imagined himself as Chu Wuchen.
Five hundred years of solitude, five hundred years of waiting.
When that familiar yet unfamiliar figure appeared again, what should his emotional state be?
Ecstatic?
Sorrowful?
Or... bone-deep numbness?
Jiang Ci kept experimenting.
Using his [Eye Micro-expressions (Beginner)] skill, he precisely controlled every facial nerve.
From day to night.
He barely rested, completely immersing his body in the character's world.
Saturday morning, the alarm rang.
Jiang Ci looked into the mirror and was startled by the person he saw.
The person in the mirror had sunken eye sockets with dense networks of blood vessels visible.
But those eyes shone with startling intensity.
They possessed a unique depth and emptiness that came only after accumulating countless stories and emotions.
Jiang Ci's version of Chu Wuchen was now online.
He changed into a clean white shirt and black pants, simply styled his hair, then went out with a completely bare face.
...
Daylight Entertainment Tower stood in the most prosperous area of the city center, exceptionally impressive.
Jiang Ci stood at the base, looking up at the massive logo, feeling a surge of emotion.
This was Su Qingying's company, one of the giants in the domestic entertainment industry.
Today, he would be competing here with third-tier celebrities for the male supporting role number four in an S-grade major production.
They sought fame.
He sought survival.
Life was truly wondrous.
He entered the resplendent lobby and provided his name and appointment details.
The receptionist verified the information, maintaining a professional smile as she led him toward the private elevator.
"Mr. Jiang, this way please. Thirty-third floor - someone will meet you when you exit."
"Thank you."
The elevator slowly ascended, the cityscape growing small beyond the transparent glass.
Jiang Ci looked down at the endless stream of traffic below, yet his heart remained unusually calm.
With a "ding," the elevator doors slid open.
They had reached the thirty-third floor.
A woman wearing professional attire with an efficient demeanor was already waiting outside.
"Hello, are you Mr. Jiang Ci?"
"I am."
"Hello, I'm the assistant director for the Three Lifetimes Tribulation production team, my surname is Wang. Please follow me - the director and producers are already waiting for you."
As Assistant Director Wang spoke, she quickly assessed Jiang Ci from the corner of her eye.
So this was the person Su Qingying personally called to recommend?
He looked... too young, even somewhat excessively clean-cut.
He didn't carry that restless or shrewd aura common in the industry, instead resembling a college student who hadn't graduated yet.
Though internally skeptical, she showed no trace on her face, still politely leading Jiang Ci to the entrance of a large conference room.
She pushed the door open and made an "after you" gesture.
"Jiang Ci, please go in first. You're the first to arrive."
Jiang Ci nodded, adjusted his breathing, and stepped inside.
