The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 289: After Jiang Ci, there was no more Overlord
The premiere has concluded.
The lights in the screening hall suddenly came on,
illuminating every face marked by tear tracks and a dazed, lost expression, leaving them nowhere to hide.
After a full half-minute of silence, the backstage area erupted into complete chaos.
"Where is he? Where is Jiang Ci!"
"Hurry! Stop those reporters! They've gone crazy!"
"Director Wei! Director Wei, say something!"
The human wall formed by security personnel was being pushed to the brink of collapse,
cameras and microphones desperately thrusting toward the only entrance to the backstage lounge.
Director Wei's assistant spread his arms wide, firmly blocking the doorway.
His face was now twisted with a wild, delirious joy, his grin stretching ear to ear.
Standing in front of Jiang Ci, he let the camera flashes explode violently against his face as he roared at the crowd outside.
"No interviews! No one gets an interview today!"
"Want to know something? Go buy a ticket and watch it yourself!"
"Watch it a hundred times!"
Amidst the chaos, Jiang Ci was half-dragged, half-pulled by Sun Zhou and several crew members,
shoved through another staff passageway and into the entourage van.
The door slammed shut with a "bang," completely sealing off the outside clamor and flashing lights.
Inside the van, it was quiet. Sun Zhou and the staff were still riding the high of the excitement, breathing heavily.
Jiang Ci leaned back in his seat and removed the contact lenses he had been wearing during the performance.
He slowly closed his eyes, letting his entire body sink into the soft backrest.
Almost at the exact same moment, Weibo's servers, overwhelmed, crashed.
When the technicians frantically managed to restart them, three deep crimson "explosive" characters,
perfectly aligned, hung at the very top of the trending chart.
#TheLegendOfHanAndChuPremiere#
#JiangCi TheHegemonHimself#
#NoHegemonAfterJiangCi#
Beneath these hashtags was an ocean of remorse.
"I was wrong, I was truly wrong, I shouldn't have laughed at him, I let the Hegemon down, I'm kowtowing to him, *bang bang bang*!"
"Upstairs, lend me a tissue, no, a whole pack! I just used up an entire roll of kitchen paper."
Countless photos of tear-soaked tissues, accompanied by movie ticket stubs, were being frantically uploaded.
The final verdict of this online frenzy concluded in a way no one had anticipated.
In the hotel room.
Jiang Ci took off the dark red velvet suit, took a shower, and changed into loose loungewear.
He calmly towel-dried his hair, seemingly oblivious to the massive storm raging outside.
At this moment, he opened the system panel.
A pale blue light screen unfolded before his eyes.
The line of numbers at the very top was crystal clear.
[Heartbreak Value Balance: 12,800 points]
[Remaining Lifespan: 8 years, 6 months, 8 days]
Jiang Ci paused the motion of drying his hair.
Just a single premiere had brought him nearly a year's worth of lifespan.
When the film officially releases and plays on thousands of screens across the country, how high would that number climb?
Jiang Ci didn't know.
He did a quick mental calculation. By the time the hype for *The Legend of Han and Chu* fades,
and the film finishes its theatrical run, he'd probably already be in that harsh filming environment for *Icebreaker*,
chewing dirt and pushing his body to its limits.
He was just about to close the panel when a brand new system notification popped up without warning.
[Ding! Detected that the host's Heartbreak Value account balance has exceeded 10,000 points. The system's hidden module has been unlocked.]
[Opening for you... [Golden Legend] Skill Store!]
The light screen before Jiang Ci flickered. A previously grayed-out corner lit up, slowly expanding into a new interface.
The skill list inside was no longer filled with plain and simple items like [Basic Line Delivery] or [Micro-Expression Control].
Each skill icon now shimmered with a dazzling golden light.
Jiang Ci's gaze swept across the list.
The system's style remained, as always, itself.
[The Melancholy Lockpick Master: Golden Legend Skill.]
[When you perform lockpicking, surrounding bystanders will involuntarily associate it with locked-away youth, lost love, and inescapable fate, leading to an inexplicable sense of heartache and melancholy.]
Jiang Ci was speechless.
What use was this skill? Help someone pick a lock and make them reminisce about life's bitterness in the process?
He continued scrolling down.
Most skills revolved around "acting," such as [Instant Immersion (Master Level)] or [Emotional Impact MAX], all appearing incredibly powerful.
Any other actor would probably go crazy for them.
But Jiang Ci's way of thinking had always been different.
Acting skills? He already had enough for now.
These skills felt more like icing on the cake for him, rather than a timely rescue.
His finger swiped across the light screen, his gaze finally settling on a life skill that seemed oddly out of place.
[Instrument Proficiency: Suona Horn (Special Edition for Weddings and Funerals)]
[Skill Category: Golden Legend / Life Skill]
[Skill Description: Among all instruments, the suona reigns supreme. It's either for ascending to heaven or bowing at the wedding hall. When its tune starts and the cloth is spread, the whole village waits to be fed.]
[When the host plays this instrument, it can effectively guide and amplify the subconscious "farewell" emotions in the listeners.]
Jiang Ci's eyes lit up.
This one was good.
First, the suona is a traditional Chinese folk instrument. Learning it can cultivate one's character and promote national heritage.
Second, the skill description made it clear: "farewell" emotions.
"Exchange."
[Ding! 4,000 points of Heartbreak Value consumed. [Instrument Proficiency: Suona Horn (Special Edition for Weddings and Funerals)] has been issued to your skill bar. Please check.]
A torrent of complex knowledge instantly flooded his mind.
Everything from the most basic fingerings and breath control, to the playing techniques for various classic melodies,
and even the tricks for using subtle tonal variations to set the atmosphere for different occasions, was all included.
With the auxiliary tool for extending his life solved, the next issue was hardware.
In one week, he would head to Yunnan province to begin filming for *Icebreaker*.
That was a script that severely tested realism, posing a hardcore challenge to both his acting skills and his physical body.
His eyes scanned the skill list again, quickly finding the target.
[Body of Steel (Basic): Golden Legend Skill. Passively enhances the host's body's resistance to blows, endurance, and recovery speed.]
[Note: The basic version only makes you a bit tougher than the average person. Please do not attempt to challenge a truck.]
[Exchange Price: 5,000 points of Heartbreak Value.]
It was expensive, but it was a necessary investment.
"Exchange."
[Ding! 5,000 points of Heartbreak Value consumed. [Body of Steel (Basic)] has been successfully equipped.]
A warm current soon spread throughout his limbs. Jiang Ci felt the fatigue accumulated from filming being rapidly dispelled.
He was just about to close the system panel when his phone on the table rang.
It was Lin Wan.
The moment the call connected, Lin Wan's voice came through, brimming with an excitement she couldn't suppress, tinged with a trace of weariness.
"Jiang Ci, brace yourself."
"The online presale box office for *The Legend of Han and Chu*..."
"Has broken three hundred million!"
Even with some expectation, this number still surprised Jiang Ci.
On the other end of the line, Lin Wan seemed to be calming her excited emotions, pausing for a moment.
"Come to the company tomorrow morning. We need to re-sign the contract."
"It proves that I really didn't misjudge you back at the *Palace Conspiracy* audition."
Lin Wan's voice carried a smile.
"From that stunning Young General in *Palace Conspiracy* to today's Conqueror of Western Chu, you've proven my judgment right, time and again."
