The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 3: Lin Wan’s Hell-Level Exam Questions!
Though that's what Jiang Ci thought inwardly, his words told a different story.
He averted his gaze from Lin Wan, turning his eyes toward the tightly shut window beside him.
A trace of perfectly timed fragility flickered briefly at the corner of his mouth.
"Teacher Lin."
His voice was soft, carrying a hint of self-mockery.
"Who doesn't have a few... past matters they'd rather not bring up again in their life?"
With these words, he said nothing concrete, yet seemed to say everything.
Pushing all questions onto the "past."
Jiang Ci mentally gave himself a thumbs-up.
Lin Wan indeed fell silent.
She looked at Jiang Ci's desolate profile.
A flicker of... a creator's pity for their character appeared in her eyes.
She understood.
To press further wouldn't be exploration anymore, but somewhat impolite.
Lin Wan took a breath, suppressing all her thoughts.
She gently placed the brand new script she'd been holding onto the coffee table before Jiang Ci.
"Tap."
A light sound broke the room's silence.
"Your script."
Lin Wan's voice regained its usual coolness, but listening carefully, one could detect a touch of softness.
"Report to the film crew tomorrow at 8 AM."
After speaking, she didn't spare Jiang Ci another glance, turning and leaving immediately.
The sound of her high heels striking the floor was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
The door opened, then closed.
Jiang Ci slumped back into the sofa.
Dealing with this elder sister was more exhausting than his performance two hours ago.
His gaze eventually settled on that thick script.
On the cover, the two characters "Palace Conspiracy" were written in flamboyant calligraphy.
Below, in the screenwriter column, "Lin Wan" was prominently printed.
Jiang Ci closed his eyes again, sinking his consciousness into his mind, summoning that pale blue light screen.
【Remaining Lifespan: 14 days 21 hours 45 minutes 12 seconds】
Less than fifteen days.
For large-scale productions like this, filming cycles range from two to three months to half a year or longer.
With his limited time, he might not even fully understand the crew's boxed meals before his countdown would begin again.
No way!
He must find a way to harvest more Heartbreak Value!
Jiang Ci's eyes locked firmly onto the 【System Store】 button at the bottom of the light screen.
He clicked into it.
A dazzling array of products instantly popped up, divided into three main sections: 【Acting Skills】, 【Resources】, and 【Special Items】.
Without hesitation, Jiang Ci immediately clicked on 【Acting Skills】 first.
That 【Tragic General Experience Card】 that had helped him defy fate had turned gray, followed by a line of small text: "(Newbie Limited) Already Used."
His ace card was gone.
He continued browsing downward.
《God-Level Killer Gaze (Permanent)》, Price: 200 Heartbreak Value.
《Complete Scumbag Phrasebook Techniques》, Price: 150 Heartbreak Value.
《Player Identification Aura (Passive)》, Price: 100 Heartbreak Value.
《Tragic Second Male Lead Aura (Passive)》, Price: 1000 Heartbreak Value.
...
Damn!
So expensive!
His meager Heartbreak Value balance couldn't even cover a down payment!
Resigned, he picked up the brand new script and casually flipped it open.
On the title page, a line written in red pen stood out with sharp strokes.
"Jiang Ci, don't let me down."
Jiang Ci subconsciously touched his neck, feeling a distinct chill.
He continued flipping through.
Soon, he found a passage prominently circled in red.
【Scene 32, Night, Outside Enemy Camp Tent】
【Characters: Young General (played by Jiang Ci), Enemy Princess (played by Su Qingying)】
【Situation: The general sneaks into the enemy camp at night intending to assassinate the enemy leader, but encounters his childhood sweetheart, now the enemy princess, outside the tent.】
Below this scene description, Lin Wan had written annotations in smaller handwriting:
"No dialogue here."
"A single gaze must simultaneously contain the affection of reunion after long separation, the struggle of opposing stances, the reluctance of being unable to stay together, and... a fleeting flash of killing intent."
"This is the last meeting between the general and princess, establishing the entire drama's tragic tone. Crucial!"
Jiang Ci's mind buzzed.
Four completely different emotions, all to be presented simultaneously in a single gaze?
Not even a single line of dialogue for support?!
Is this even something a human can perform?!
Without the Experience Card...
Forget about breaking his female co-star's heart.
If he didn't get cursed into cardiac arrest by the director on the spot, it would count as an overperformance.
But he had no way back.
Jiang Ci opened the System Store again, his trembling finger scrolling through the 【Acting Skills】 list from top to bottom, inch by inch.
Finally, at the very bottom of the list, he found a skill emitting a faint white light, with a price that seemed particularly "pleasant and affordable."
【Eye Micro-expressions (Beginner)】
【Type: Permanent Skill】
【Price: 10 Heartbreak Value】
【Effect: Slightly improves host's control over eye muscles, enabling subtle expressions difficult for ordinary people to detect.】
This is it!
Though only "Beginner" level, offering only "slight improvement," it was the only thing he could afford right now!
Without half a second's hesitation, Jiang Ci fiercely clicked the "Exchange" button.
【Heartbreak Value -10】
【Exchange Successful! Obtained Permanent Skill: Eye Micro-expressions (Beginner)】
【Current Heartbreak Value Balance: 20 points】
The moment the system notification sounded, Jiang Ci felt a faint warmth spread through his eyes.
The warm current lasted about three seconds before merging into his body and disappearing.
He rushed to the dressing mirror in the restroom.
In the mirror, that pale face was still the same face.
But Jiang Ci clearly sensed that something was different.
He tried concentrating his will to control the corner of his right eye.
In the past, he could only make his eye twitch noticeably, which others would see as making faces.
But now...
He stared at his reflection in the mirror.
With a slight mental shift.
In the mirror, the lower eyelid of his right eye showed an extremely subtle tremor.
This was the most genuine physiological reaction when someone experiences intense heartache!
Success!
Those 10 Heartbreak Values were spent so worthily!
Like a child who just got their favorite toy, he began practicing frantically in front of the mirror.
"Affection."
His mind conjured the plate of braised pork belly his mother just cooked, glistening with oil and aromatic.
In the mirror, his gaze instantly softened, his entire expression filled with tenderness.
"Killing intent."
Jiang Ci's mind accurately recalled the auntie at counter number three in his university cafeteria,
the one who always had a precise hand tremor when serving, reducing the braised pork pieces in his bowl from three to two.
Damn!
In the mirror, his gaze suddenly turned cold, his pupils contracting in an instant.
Though the transitions between emotions were still awkward.
He could actually do it!
After returning to his rented room, Jiang Ci locked himself in his room, practicing over and over in front of the mirror until late at night.
...
The next day, 8 PM.
Hengdian, 《Palace Conspiracy》 set.
When Jiang Ci first stepped into this top-tier film set, the professionalism and busyness of the scene left him somewhat dazzled.
The director was an energetic middle-aged man, pacing around the set with a megaphone, his voice booming.
"Lighting team! Move the main light source five degrees to the left! I want that beam to cut precisely along the sword's edge!"
"Props! The blood on the sword looks too fresh, age it! I want an overnight effect!"
What happened at yesterday's audition had already spread throughout the entire crew through various channels.
An unknown newcomer.
A one-minute impromptu performance.
Made the notoriously strict screenwriter Lin Wan, known as the Iron Lady in the industry, burst into tears on the spot.
This achievement was nearly legendary!
Instantly, countless gazes filled with curiosity, and even some undisguised envy, simultaneously fell upon Jiang Ci.
Bearing this invisible pressure, Jiang Ci walked up to the director to greet him.
The director put down his megaphone, scanned Jiang Ci from head to toe with his shrewd eyes, then grinned and heavily patted his shoulder.
"Young man, don't be nervous! Your audition yesterday was excellent!"
"Besides, you're personally chosen by Screenwriter Lin, we all believe in you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up his megaphone again, waving his arm vigorously with full authority.
"Alright! All departments, positions! Prepare!"
"Today's first scene, we're going straight for the highlight!"
"Shooting Scene 32!"
The director's voice echoed throughout the set.
"That's the key scene Screenwriter Lin specifically added for Jiang Ci, the important scene with Actress Su!"
