The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 190: The True Core of Bad Ending Aesthetics: Double Tragedy

Jiang Ci's attention shifted away from that cup of specially brewed pour-over coffee with its lingering bitter aftertaste.

His thoughts were still stuck on those six emotionless words on the system panel: "Value Completely Extracted."

A dull commotion interrupted him.

Zhang Mouyi's voice echoed across the entire area through the loudspeaker.

"In the afternoon, we'll shoot the flashback scenes."

"'Shangdu and the Rainbow Shadow.'"

As these five words were spoken, the atmosphere on set instantly grew tense.

This scene was the beginning of the thousand-year tragic romance between Ye Chen and Ling Xi.

It was also the full version of that stunningly beautiful glimpse shown in the movie's opening sequence.

Everyone perked up, giving it their utmost attention.

The core creative team was once again gathered around the monitor for a final script reading session.

The pages of the script rustled softly as they were turned in everyone's hands.

That page revealed the entire truth behind the thousand-year "misunderstanding."

A shaman from a tribe hostile to Ling Xi's tribe, in order to seize the sacred artifact guarded by generations of witches, employed an illusion as vast and deceptive as a colossal lie.

He fabricated false evidence that Ye Chen had colluded with the demon race to slaughter the guards of the Divine Tree.

All the evidence perfectly pointed to that outsider, that half-demon who was growing increasingly close to the witch Ling Xi—Ye Chen.

And Ling Xi, as the guardian of her tribe, had no choice after witnessing that "real" illusion.

Jiang Ci looked at the words on the script, his mind racing.

He immediately grasped the core.

The essence of tragedy is taking the most beautiful things and shattering them before people's eyes.

To make that final "sealing" performed by the beloved's own hands utterly heart-wrenching.

The "romance" in the earlier stages must be made unbearably sweet, without a single trace of impurity.

The more beautiful this love is, the more cruel its final destruction becomes.

And the audience's hearts will shatter all the more completely.

This was his job.

The film crew's efficiency was terrifyingly high.

The set was already fully prepared right after the script reading ended.

Zhang Mouyi's request was simple: rehearse the scenes from the "honeymoon phase."

The first scene: Ye Chen weaving a flower crown for Ling Xi.

The location was right under that massive artificial Divine Tree.

Jiang Ci was dressed in red robes, and the props team had even specially prepared a pair of dog ears for him to wear on his head.

Ye Chen had canine demon blood within him.

Jiang Ci sat on the ground, a pile of fresh, delicate prop flowers in front of him.

Following the script's description, he clumsily picked up a flower stem, trying to weave them together.

But he had clearly overestimated his manual dexterity.

He didn't control his strength properly.

*Snap.*

The flower was practically plucked bald by his rough handling.

Petals scattered.

Jiang Ci: "..."

A few young set assistants on site couldn't hold back, letting out stifled snorts.

Sitting opposite him, Su Qingying, dressed in a simple red witch's robe, had originally been watching him with a faint smile, quietly.

Now, she also couldn't help but turn her face slightly away.

Jiang Ci could feel the teasing glances coming from all around.

Su Qingying didn't laugh at him.

She just raised her hand with utmost professionalism and called for a stop.

"Hold on."

She stood up, walked to Jiang Ci's side, and naturally knelt down.

She took the half-finished flower crown, which had been mangled beyond recognition, from Jiang Ci's hands.

Her cool fingertips, in that moment of transfer, intentionally or unintentionally brushed across the back of Jiang Ci's hand.

A fleeting touch.

Jiang Ci's movements froze.

Su Qingying didn't pay it any mind. She focused on arranging the flower stems, demonstrating with her actions.

"Ye Chen is a warrior, but he is patient."

"He wants to do something for Ling Xi that has nothing to do with battle."

Her nimble fingers danced, tying a beautiful knot with a soft vine, then securely fixing the flower in place.

"The witch's hair ornament is a prayer for blessings, not a binding."

That one sentence woke Jiang Ci up.

His previous performance was just "acting" like a clumsy man, not portraying Ye Chen's "heart."

That knot was a ritual carrying heartfelt intention.

Jiang Ci looked at her lowered profile, at her focused expression as she corrected his mistake, and suddenly felt that this was the real Ling Xi.

A witch who appeared aloof, yet was willing to patiently explain the entire world to the one she loved.

Right in the middle of this quiet and harmonious atmosphere, a sweet voice that didn't belong to the film crew sounded.

Wen Nian had arrived.

She was still pushing that small cart, loaded with a new round of afternoon tea.

She didn't disturb anyone, just parked the cart in a corner, a perfect smile on her face, standing there quietly.

A perfect girlfriend who didn't cause her boyfriend any trouble.

Her gaze roamed through the crowd.

First landing on her boyfriend, Luo Yu, filled with deep affection.

Then, that gaze drifted lightly, sweeping back and forth several times between Su Qingying and Jiang Ci, who were engrossed in teaching and learning.

The hairs on Jiang Ci's back stood on end silently.

In his mind, the Player Identification Halo's alarm triggered automatically.

[Warning: Target "Wen Nian" is currently conducting a potential assessment and social value analysis on you.]

Jiang Ci's heart sank.

He had already gone from an insignificant "Luo Yu's colleague" to a "potential dish" on her menu.

He imperceptibly withdrew his attention, pouring all his focus into Su Qingying's teaching.

Luo Yu also noticed Wen Nian's gaze.

But he completely misinterpreted it.

He simply thought his girlfriend was curiously observing the man he considered his "arch-nemesis."

A strange sense of competitiveness quietly rose from the depths of his heart.

The flower crown scene passed quickly under Su Qingying's personal guidance.

The final scene of 'Shangdu and the Rainbow Shadow' arrived.

Ye Chen makes a promise to Ling Xi under the Divine Tree.

He will protect her, and her people, forever.

Even if the cost is his own life.

The performance began.

Jiang Ci knelt on one knee before Su Qingying, taking one of her hands in his.

He raised his head, looking up at her.

In this moment, there was no Heartbreak Value, no Bad Ending Aesthetics, no life extension in his mind.

He was simply Ye Chen.

A half-demon who had found the only light in his life.

"I swear by this tree."

"From now on, your people are my people."

"I will use everything I have to protect you, to protect everything here."

"Until the flame of my life burns out."

Su Qingying, playing Ling Xi, listened quietly.

She turned her hand, covering the back of Ye Chen's hand with her other hand, her eyes filled with complete trust and an unbreakable tenderness.

The sincere, blazing chemistry between the two of them brought a hush over the entire film set.

Behind the monitor, even the usually demanding Zhang Mouyi was captivated, forgetting to call "Cut."

...

Jiang Ci returned to the rest area, picked up his water bottle to take a drink, but his movement halted.

Next to the water bottle was a small brown bottle of medicated oil.

It was a common medicine on set, used to relieve muscle soreness.

Jiang Ci held the water bottle, unmoving.

He lifted his eyes, searching through the dispersing crowd, only to see Su Qingying leaving him with an aloof back as she quickly walked towards her entourage van.

She didn't look back.

Jiang Ci picked up that bottle of medicated oil. The faint, cool sensation lingering on the bottle merged with the brief memory on the back of his hand.

A thought struck his mind like lightning, connecting all the clues together.

He finally understood the truly cruel core of this scene.

It wasn't just Ye Chen's tragedy.

It was also Ling Xi's tragedy.

Ye Chen being condemned by all, spat upon by the world, and finally sealed by his beloved—this was the first layer of sorrow.

But Ling Xi, the one who personally carried out all this, would spend her long remaining life alone, drowning in endless regret and pain.

This was the cruelest second layer of sorrow.

To make the audience's hearts break beyond repair over this tragedy, they had to make the audience fall in love with both of these characters.

Fall in love with Ye Chen's protectiveness, and also fall in love with Ling Xi's sincerity.

Then, watch helplessly as fate pushes them toward the abyss of mutual destruction.

One stab, piercing the characters.

The other stab, would precisely pierce the heart of every single viewer.