Chapter 38: Audition

“I knew you’d pick this one,” Xu Wen said with a chuckle. “I heard this project was shelved for a while and only recently restarted.”

The script was indeed exceptional, adapted from a well-known suspense novel that had gained considerable fame in recent years. Unfortunately, the rights had languished after being purchased, and by the time they expired, the adaptation still hadn’t been made.

The primary issue was the original author’s rigidity.

When signing the contract, the author had insisted on strict standards for both adaptation and casting. If the production couldn’t meet his expectations, he would rather the project never see the light of day.

In the literary world, the author’s reputation was stellar, with a vast number of dedicated readers. His strong emotions stemmed largely from the disastrous adaptation of his previous work, Undercover.

It had been a massive production, with a budget exceeding hundreds of millions and numerous collaborators, all eager to make their mark. The end result, however, was nothing short of a meticulously crafted… disaster.

To say the least, the author harbored a touch of envy for Jin Mu, the writer of Rising Sun. At least Rising Sun had started off strong, and despite its decline in later episodes, it still managed to retain some viewership until the end.

Moreover, Rising Sun attracted the attention of critics, who dissected its shortcomings and analyzed what could have been done better.

At least Rising Sun was worthy of analysis. A show that failed utterly and completely wouldn’t even warrant criticism.

Who would bother debating whether garbage was solid or mushy?

Since that experience, the author had developed what could only be described as PTSD over adaptations. It wasn’t that he was against seeing his works brought to life—it was that he couldn’t bear to witness another such catastrophe.

After much back and forth, the script had temporarily fallen into Lu Xu’s hands.

In the script, the protagonist, Yu Yi, was a handsome man who had undergone cosmetic surgery. His looks were his weapon for exacting revenge, so the character had to be convincingly attractive.

This requirement alone eliminated quite a few actors.

On top of that, suspense dramas typically demanded strong acting skills. As a result, the male lead not only needed to be exceptionally handsome but also capable of delivering a performance that could carry the role.

Such a combination was hard to find.

Looking at the entire entertainment industry, most actors who met both criteria were now over 40. Whether it was a matter of bad luck or something else, many good-looking actors nowadays had mediocre acting skills. If not, they lacked audience appeal. On the other hand, those who excelled in acting often looked… rather average.

If it hadn’t been for Lu Xu’s sudden rise to prominence, this script might not have found its next collaborator.

“The original author will be present during the audition,” Xu Wen reminded Lu Xu. “His opinion is the most important.”

Lu Xu nodded. He had heard about the tragic situation surrounding Undercover, even as a non-local. No wonder the author had gone mad.

Who would want their well-crafted work to become a disaster after being adapted?

In the days that followed, Lu Xu stayed home to focus on studying the script.

He had moved into a new house, arranged by his manager. The place came fully furnished and equipped, so all Lu Xu had to do was settle in.

After signing the contract, Lu Xu had a brief meeting with a few high-level executives at Feiyang Entertainment. He didn’t know many of the company’s other artists, but he would likely get the chance to meet them at the year-end gathering.

For now, he didn’t have any overlapping resources with Feiyang’s other artists, but over time, things could always change.

When Verse had just debuted, the relationships between its members weren’t as bad as they were now.

The drama in Lu Xu’s hands was titled The Path of Bones. Although he didn’t have the complete script, the drama was adapted from a novel, making it relatively easy to grasp the storyline.

The story followed Yu Yi, the former captain of the “01” squad, and his teammates—“Old Cat,” “Flying Squirrel,” and “Duck”—as they undertook a mission to escort a target. Unbeknownst to them, the mission was a trap laid by a mastermind intent on destroying them. Among the team, only Yu Yi survived after a harrowing ordeal. Consumed by rage, he transformed into a vengeful ghost, embarking on a journey of revenge for himself and his fallen comrades.

The mission’s origin traced back to a list the team had stumbled upon before retiring. This list, containing a dangerous secret, inadvertently marked them for death.

The original work was a novel that relied on its intense and thrilling plot to captivate readers. Lu Xu compared the screenplay in his hands with the novel and noticed that the protagonist’s character had been significantly expanded. The expansion was done quite well, and Lu Xu guessed that this adaptation had likely been pre-approved by the author.

Lu Xu first drafted a character profile for himself and devoted his full attention to preparing for the scenes he would be auditioning for.

In the original story’s opening, Yu Yi was actually a warm-hearted individual. While he appeared cold, he took special care of his teammates. He lived alone, without any family ties, so he could have avoided risky missions. However, his teammates all had families depending on them.

The decision to accept the escort mission stemmed from everyone’s shared desire to earn more money and improve their families’ lives.

When his teammates died, Yu Yi suffered grievous injuries as well. From that point on, he completely closed off his emotional world, allowing himself to become a cold, unfeeling killing machine.

But coldness didn’t mean he lacked emotions. On the contrary, his overwhelming love for those he cared about caused the profound shift in his psyche.

After reading the original novel and meticulously analyzing the audition scenes, Lu Xu rehearsed the role by himself.

Regardless of the outcome of the audition, he was determined to be fully prepared.

On the day of the audition, a light rain was falling. Xu Wen drove Lu Xu to the venue. As one of the candidates for the male lead, Lu Xu rarely got to experience the privileges of being treated like a main character. He didn’t have to wait long before being called in for his audition.

“You’re the only one auditioning for the male lead,” Xu Wen remarked. “This role isn’t easy to cast.”

The audition venue was relatively small, and Lu Xu didn’t spot any familiar faces. It seemed, as Xu Wen had mentioned, the original author had given up on a large-scale production and chosen to collaborate with a smaller, low-budget team instead.

As soon as Lu Xu disappeared into the audition room, the other actors waiting in the hall started whispering among themselves.

“Isn’t the guy auditioning for the male lead Lu Xu?”

“Have they confirmed him yet?”

“How would we know? But I just took a good look at his face—he’s pretty suitable for Yu Yi.”

“He looks even better in person than on screen. Tall too, though a bit on the slim side.”

The original author, Kong Le, had a similar first impression: Lu Xu was indeed a bit thin. Based on Yu Yi’s character design, the protagonist should ideally have a more muscular build.

Before coming to the audition, Kong Le had already heard Lu Xu’s name countless times. He managed a reader group filled with longtime fans of his books. When news broke that The Path of Bones was casting actors, several readers recommended Lu Xu.

“Mainly because he’s handsome! And he can act!”

Even Kong Le’s Weibo comments and private messages were flooded with fans suggesting Lu Xu’s name.

Yet, Lu Xu himself had never reached out or self-recommended for the role.

Kong Le had to admit that, among all the actors interested in playing Yu Yi, Lu Xu’s appearance was the closest match.

However, the acting ability that fans spoke so highly of was something Kong Le had yet to see for himself.

Coming into the audition, Kong Le had prepared himself for another letdown. This wasn’t the first time he had reviewed potential actors for Yu Yi, and with each one, there had always been something that didn’t quite satisfy him.

Kong Le idly flipped through the script, barely paying attention to what the director had just said to Lu Xu.

When he looked up again, Lu Xu had already shifted into a different demeanor.

Kong Le hurriedly turned to the page with the scene they were working on. The young man before him hadn’t changed in appearance, and the audition room’s lighting was bright enough, but the moment Lu Xu lifted his gaze again, Kong Le felt something unusual—a strange sensation. It was as if he could see the blood and tears that lay hidden deep within Lu Xu’s eyes.

The beam of light surrounding Lu Xu seemed to dim in that instant.

How could anyone say that Yu Yi was cold and heartless? He wasn’t; he had buried his deep hatred for his enemies and for the world deep inside him. At the slightest touch, flames might burst forth.

Kong Le hadn’t even reached the part of the script with the audition scene, but as the original author of The Path of Bones, he immediately recognized it. Lu Xu was performing the scene where Yu Yi underwent a devastating transformation.

In the span of one night, his world collapsed.

But Yu Yi didn’t wallow in the tragedy that befell him. From the very beginning, he had made up his mind to take revenge. His hatred was so deep that there was no need for further exaggeration.

Lu Xu didn’t speak a word of dialogue, yet Kong Le could almost feel the pain and silent cries embedded in Yu Yi’s very bones.

Kong Le realized he wasn’t quite ready for this, but Lu Xu had already given him the Yu Yi he had envisioned.

The character dragged his battered body slowly, collecting his fallen teammates’ knives, family’s postcards, the ring given by a beloved girl… In the quiet of the night, he crawled like a solitary beast.

The audition room had no props, and suddenly acting out this particular action might have seemed odd from an outsider’s perspective.

However, in that moment, the room was completely silent. Everyone watched Lu Xu as Yu Yi, and no one found the action ridiculous. On the contrary, they were all immersed in the atmosphere he had created.

The expression on his face matched the action perfectly. At first glance, Yu Yi seemed to have tucked away his sorrow and become calm. But a closer look revealed the deathly aura around him and the one remaining belief—his thirst for revenge.

The word “captivating” suddenly flashed through Kong Le’s mind.

There were no lines, no inner monologue, but everyone could still sense what was going on in Yu Yi’s heart.

When he first named the character, Kong Le had thought that, for a story like this, the protagonist should be called Yu Yi.

Yu Yi, (Remaining One).

While writing the novel, Kong Le had never given Yu Yi a vivid, specific face. He hadn’t based the character on anyone real.

Yet now, he realized that Yu Yi had found his face.

Kong Le, as the author, had a limited relationship with the entertainment industry, mainly through occasional collaborations. He wasn’t particularly moved by the flowery language fans used to praise an actor’s performance. The disastrous production of Undercover had only made him want to distance himself from the industry even more.

But looking at Lu Xu before him, he understood that true acting talent still existed.

Yu Yi’s personality was exactly as Lu Xu portrayed it—seemingly a sealed iceberg, but beneath it raged a firestorm. One wrong move and anyone close would be burned to ashes.

The room remained silent for a long time, and finally, the director, Lei Ai, signaled to Kong Le with a glance.

The Path of Bones had seen more than one actor audition, and based on past experience, Kong Le was always the one who couldn’t be pleased.

But Lu Xu’s performance in this scene was considered satisfactory by Lei Ai. If Kong Le still wasn’t happy, Lei Ai had to wonder if there was even an actor capable of playing Yu Yi.

How could anyone be dissatisfied when such an intricate portrayal was achieved with just actions and expressions?

Kong Le remained silent, and Lei Ai, sensing this silence, thought that maybe, just maybe, there was hope this time.

In the past, after a scene like this, the original author would have openly shared his thoughts—of course, not in the most flattering way.

But Kong Le’s silence this time was a sign of approval.

Lei Ai smiled and said, “Let’s try the second scene.”

—The scene where Yu Yi completes his first act of revenge.

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