Chapter 113 | My Acting System Only Gives Me Villain Roles

September 28th, Shanghai Grand Theatre.

In the backstage lounge of 《The Hidden Sentry》's broadcast premiere, the faint sounds of the warm-up music occasionally drifted in through the crack in the door.

Jiang Yue was sunk into a sofa, a slim laptop resting on his knees. The glow of the screen illuminated his profile as lines of test logs scrolled up one after another.

His fingers danced across the keyboard with light, rapid, and rhythmic keystrokes, as if he had already turned the backstage lounge into a temporary workstation.

When Han Song pushed the door open and walked in, this was the first sight that greeted him.

“I say, our resident busy man, Jiang, today is the premiere of 《The Hidden Sentry》, and you're still doing business?”

He had changed into an elegant black suit today, his hair neatly styled. As he entered, he casually adjusted his cufflinks.

Jiang Yue hit the final Enter key, leaving Yuantu Technology's new model test running in the background. He closed his laptop and picked up his coffee.

“Just running a small test. You look quite sharp today, Brother Han.”

Han Song sat down on the sofa opposite him, loosening his tie slightly.

“Of course. You can lose the fight, but you can't lose your style.”

He glanced toward the door, and after confirming that the staff hadn't come to rush them yet, he leaned forward slightly.

“Take it easy on stage later. With so many eyes on us, it's way too easy for people to find fault.”

Just as he finished speaking, Chen Jiaming also entered the lounge.

He still carried himself like a veteran cadre, holding a transparent thermos with goji berries steeping inside.

Su Binxuan and Chen Yunjie followed behind him, the nervousness on their faces impossible to hide.

Chen Jiaming unscrewed the lid and took a sip of hot water, steam rising from the rim of the cup.

“Xiao Jiang, the director backstage just tipped me off. Once the trailer plays today, they're definitely going to make a big deal out of the fight scenes between you and Han Song.”

He looked at Han Song, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

“Are you ready to perform getting torn to shreds as the Squad Two Captain in public, kid?”

Jiang Yue looked up, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“That depends on whether the Squad Two Captain cooperates.”

Han Song felt a chill down the back of his neck, his hand instinctively reaching up to touch his throat.

Even now, whenever he thought of that scene in the Qionzhou film base warehouse, a deep ache would flare up in his bones.

“Get lost.”

Han Song glared at him.

“We're talking about choreographed moves. It's performance art, get it? It needs to be cool and stylish. Don't go bringing those actual stunts from the set here. My old bones can't handle that kind of beating.”

Just then, the promotional video out front reached the introduction of the main cast. The wooden door couldn't block the cheers echoing from the theater. A staff member poked their head in and gestured to them.

“Teachers, it's time to head out.”

The lights flared across the main stage of the grand theatre. Below, nearly a hundred media outlets had already set up their equipment, their dark lenses pointed squarely at the entrance.

The fan section at the back was packed to the brim, lightboards and glow sticks forming a flowing sea of light in the darkened hall.

The host held the microphone, her voice rising with an enthusiastic smile.

“Let's welcome the cast and crew of 《The Hidden Sentry》 with our warmest applause!”

As the spotlights fell, Jiang Yue followed Chen Jiaming onto the stage.

He wore an off-white, Italian-cut suit today. With clean shoulder lines and a calm stride, he exuded a gentle yet sharp presence under the lights.

The moment he reached the center of the stage, the shutter clicks from the media section intensified, and a wave of screams erupted from the fan section.

An assistant placed Chen Jiaming's thermos on a low table at the side of the stage. As the main screen camera panned over it, a wave of good-natured laughter rippled through the audience.

The group interview session began, and the host directed the first question to Xu Pingqiu, asking why he dared to release 《The Hidden Sentry》 directly during the competitive National Day holiday slot.

Xu Pingqiu held the microphone and answered with great confidence.

“If the platform dares to schedule it, I dare to release it.”

The applause from the audience quickly followed.

The host turned to Chen Jiaming. “Teacher Chen, you play Lu Cheng this time. Many viewers have said that just watching the clips already gives them a strong sense of oppression. What do you think is the most terrifying thing about Lu Cheng?”

Chen Jiaming thought for a moment, his thumb lightly stroking the handle of the microphone.

“He isn't someone who shows his emotions outwardly. He keeps many things hidden, and he is extremely calculating.”

At this point, he turned his head to glance at Jiang Yue.

“Of course, after crossing paths with Zhou Jinnan, there are times when even he miscalculates.”

Jiang Yue naturally picked up the thread. “Zhou Jinnan didn't have it easy either. Every day, he was gambling on whether he could survive another day, and whether Lu Cheng had actually seen through his identity.”

A fan in the audience called out loudly.

“So, did he win in the end?”

Jiang Yue replied with a smile, “You'll find out once the broadcast starts. We won't make you wait in vain.”

After the routine interview concluded, the host invited the staff to wheel out a black envelope box, which had the words 'The Hidden Sentry' printed on its surface.

The host introduced the rules with a smile.

“Next is the Secret Code Challenge specially prepared for the premiere. Our guests will draw lines from the drama and read them in character without revealing the character's name. We'll ask the audience to guess who said it.”

Han Song laughed the moment he saw the box.

“This prop is actually quite convincing. Why do I feel like it's filled with the disciplinary notices my character received in the show?”

Xu Pingqiu chimed in smoothly.

“If you guess wrong on the spot, we can always issue you another one.”

Han Song immediately pressed his hands together in a mock plea.

“Director Xu, it's the premiere. Give me some face.”

The first envelope fell into Su Binxuan's hands.

He opened the slip of paper and took a look. His Adam's apple bobbed as he tried to relax his shoulders. When he spoke, his voice carried the raw innocence and anxiety of his character.

“Sir, do you think a city this big really can't hide a single person?”

Someone in the fan section quickly shouted out the character's name.

Su Binxuan let out a sigh of relief, his ears flushing red as he smiled.

When it was Chen Yunjie's turn, she drew Wen Yuchu's line.

Setting the paper down, she looked up. The awkwardness on her face vanished, replaced by a clear, resonant voice.

“I'm not afraid of dying. I'm afraid of dying without any value.”

The venue fell quiet for a brief moment before applause erupted.

The host looked at her, her tone becoming a bit more earnest.

“That line is truly powerful. It instantly transports us back to that era.”

The envelope box was passed to Han Song.

He pulled out a slip, and with just one glance, his expression shifted.

“Who put this here? Who allowed this line in?”

The giant screen zoomed in on the slip of paper, which read: Zhou Jinnan, do you really think I don't dare to kill you?

Laughter instantly erupted from the audience.

Han Song closed his eyes briefly. When he looked back at Jiang Yue, the ruthless edge of Fu Xiao had already taken over, and his voice dropped low.

“Zhou Jinnan, do you really think I don't dare to kill you?”

Jiang Yue barely even raised his microphone. He simply turned his head to look at him, his tone casual and lazy.

“Of course you dare, but it seems you don't have much of a chance.”

Screams and applause surged from the audience; clearly, everyone loved this kind of impromptu theater.

The host seized the opportunity and immediately jumped in.

“This line wasn't in the prompt pool, was it? Is Teacher Jiang Yue ad-libbing on the spot?”

Han Song pointed at Jiang Yue, delivering his accusation with practiced ease.

“See that? He was exactly like this on set too, always finding a way to shut you down on the spot.”

Jiang Yue raised his microphone, his expression completely innocent.

“Captain Fu started it.”

Chen Jiaming chimed in from the side.

“I can testify to that. Fu Xiao really was always the one to start things.”

Han Song turned to look at him.

“Brother Chen, why have you turned against me too?”

Chen Jiaming glanced at the audience, his tone relaxed.

“Lu Cheng only stands with the winning side.”

Applause and laughter washed over the stage in waves. In the media section, some reporters were already looking down at their phones, sending breaking news to their groups.

Real-time comments on social media platforms were also flying by. The trending keywords rolled from 'the entire cast is fully in character' all the way to 'this cast is so witty.'

The envelope box was presented to Jiang Yue. He pulled out a slip of paper and swept his eyes over it, a plan already forming in his mind.

The lights still shone on the stage, the lightboards in the audience swayed, and the cameras continued to zoom in. But the moment he looked up, the slick, slippery persona of Zhou Jinnan returned. His smile hid a calculating mind, and his relaxed posture carried the confidence of someone ready to turn the tables at any moment.

He spoke his line: “Chief Lu, even if the deal falls through, you can still keep your life. If your life is gone, then everything is gone.”

As the words left his mouth, the chatter below quieted down significantly.

Many in the audience were captivated by his tone, as if the cold, damp alleyways of the Republican era from the trailer had materialized right before their eyes.

Chen Jiaming looked up at him, smoothly slipping into character.

“How much is your life worth?”

Jiang Yue chuckled softly, slowly raising his microphone.

“That depends on how much Chief Lu is willing to offer.”

The brief silence in the venue was quickly shattered as applause and screams erupted once again, even louder than before.

The host clutched her chest and took half a step back, pretending to be startled.

“I really didn't dare to interrupt just now. Is this what they call dramatic chemistry between actors?”

Han Song raised his hand from the side.

“Let me explain. You really can't just jump in at a moment like that. Acting is all about timing and rhythm. If anyone tries to force their way in, they could easily be thrown off by the other person's performance in the next second, to the point where they can't even deliver their lines.”