The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 72: He seems to have broken a little more!

The warmth of the hotpot from New Year's Eve had completely dissipated in the cold morning wind.

Jiang Ci, unusually, had changed his originally booked midnight flight to the next morning.

The bit of noise and warmth among brothers, though not much, was enough to let him taste a hint of the flavor of "being alive" itself in the gaps between being chased by his KPI.

But this touch of tangible reality was merely a brief solace.

The countdown of the KPI would not pause because of a single hotpot meal.

The plane landed on time at the airport of the city where the film crew was shooting.

Jiang Ci put on a mask and a baseball cap, wrapping himself up tightly without the slightest delay.

Pulling his suitcase, he immediately dialed his assistant Sun Zhou's number.

"I'm here, Terminal T2, Exit A."

"Got it, Brother Ci! I'll be right there!" Sun Zhou's voice sounded excited.

A few minutes later, a young boy wearing a down jacket and black-framed glasses jogged all the way to the exit.

Sun Zhou's steps visibly paused for a moment the instant he saw Jiang Ci.

He looked Jiang Ci up and down, the excitement on his face replaced by a kind of confusion.

"Brother Ci..."

Sun Zhou scratched his head, seemingly organizing his words.

"You just went back to school for a graduation performance, how come it feels like... you're a completely different person?"

Different?

Jiang Ci's heart gave a thud.

Were the dark circles under his eyes worse? Or was his complexion paler?

After performing such a soul-draining play, of course he'd look a bit haggard coming back.

He asked expressionlessly, "What's different?"

"It's just, just..." Sun Zhou couldn't quite articulate it either, he gestured vaguely, "It feels like the aura around you has gotten heavier. Like just standing there, you seem to be hiding a lot of things."

Jiang Ci didn't speak.

Hiding a lot of things?

Indeed.

"Let's go, back to the hotel." Jiang Ci patted his shoulder and took the lead, striding forward.

The two headed towards the parking lot.

Forty minutes later, the two walked one after the other into the hotel where the film crew was staying.

The lobby was bustling with people, many of whom were staff from the "Three Lifetimes Tribulation" crew.

The moment Jiang Ci appeared, the originally noisy lobby fell silent for an instant.

Countless gazes swiveled over in unison.

But there was no longer that gossipy flavor in these gazes.

Jiang Ci keenly picked up on the change in the air.

Whispers quickly rose again.

"That's Jiang Ci? He's back?"

"That's him, have you heard? He was signed by Spark Media's ace screenwriter Lin Wan!"

"Hiss... this kid, he hid it too well."

These discussions drifted clearly into Jiang Ci's ears.

His heart remained completely unperturbed.

Good.

The gossip about Qiao Xinran had completely turned the page.

The persona of "a genius newcomer noticed by a top-tier screenwriter" was clearly more beneficial for him to get in touch with those high-quality "Great Sadness Mantra" scripts than "a pretty boy who climbed up using a female star."

Just as he was about to head straight for the elevator, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Jiang Ci."

It was Director Wu.

Director Wu was walking over from the other end of the corridor, and behind him was someone else, none other than the male lead of "Three Lifetimes Tribulation" and also the investor, Gu Huai.

Jiang Ci stopped and nodded politely. "Director Wu, Brother Huai."

Director Wu walked up to him, his sharp eyes sweeping over him several times.

He didn't ask if the graduation play went smoothly, nor did he make small talk.

He just stared at Jiang Ci and slowly spoke.

"This trip back... I feel that 'obsessed actor' vibe on you hasn't dissipated at all; on the contrary, it's gotten heavier."

Jiang Ci: "..."

Obsessed actor vibe?

Had the exhaustion of a wage slave deepened?

Before he could think of a suitable reply, Gu Huai behind Director Wu suddenly took a step forward.

Gu Huai's gaze also fell on Jiang Ci.

"Not just that."

Gu Huai spoke. He wasn't speaking to Jiang Ci, but to Director Wu.

"He didn't walk out of it."

"This trip back to school didn't relax him; instead, he sank deeper in."

Director Wu's expression instantly turned grave. "Deeper?"

Gu Huai's gaze never left Jiang Ci.

"School is an ivory tower, the birthplace of drama, but also the most unreal place."

"He went from the fame-and-fortune arena of the film crew back to that pure environment, and then back from that environment. This huge contrast with reality will make him see the chasm between the character and reality even more clearly."

Gu Huai's voice wasn't loud, but each word was clear.

"The pain brought by this sense of fracture is a gut-wrenching poison for a method actor, but at the same time, it's also the best nourishment."

He looked at Jiang Ci and delivered a conclusion.

"He absorbed all that pain."

"Director Wu, you'd better be mentally prepared."

Gu Huai's voice lowered a bit, carrying a kind of prophetic assertion.

"Tomorrow's wrap-up scene for Chu Wuchen... is probably going to be terrifying."

The assistant Sun Zhou behind them was already dumbfounded.

He stared blankly at Jiang Ci, then at Gu Huai who had just spouted this profound theory.

So... that feeling of "hiding things" on Brother Ci meant this?

Because he saw the fracture between the character and reality, so he's in pain?

That's just too... professional, right?

Jiang Ci stood where he was. He understood every word Gu Huai said.

But he was completely unable to connect that seemingly ultra-high-level analysis to himself.

Right now, only one thing filled his mind.

Tomorrow's wrap-up scene, he absolutely must make Qiao Xinran cry.

The KPI must be obtained!

Faced with this "imaginative" professional analysis from the two big shots, Jiang Ci ultimately just tugged at the corner of his mouth, squeezing out a slightly weary smile that fit their imagination.

"Director Wu, Brother Huai, I'll head upstairs to prepare first."

With that, he pulled his suitcase, turned, and walked towards the elevator.

Gu Huai watched Jiang Ci's retreating back and confirmed once more to Director Wu beside him.

"Look at him, even the way he walks still carries that loneliness and desolation of 'Chu Wuchen'."

"He can't tell the difference anymore."

Director Wu looked at the back disappearing into the elevator entrance and let out a long sigh.

...

Jiang Ci had just swiped his card to enter his room and tossed his suitcase aside.

Right now, he just wanted to take a hot shower, then take out the script, and go over "Chu Wuchen's" death one last time.

Right at that moment.

"Knock knock knock."

The door was knocked.

Who is it?

Jiang Ci walked over somewhat impatiently and peeked through the peephole.

It was Qiao Xinran.

His body instantly entered a state of first-level alert.

Again?

This young lady, the moment he's back, is she starting a new round of "physical strategy"?

He prepared himself to close the door and send the guest away at any moment, and only then did he pull the door open.

Outside the door, Qiao Xinran stood looking pretty.

On her face was a bright yet slightly cautious smile, and in her hands, she held a cup of steaming hot milk.

"Welcome back."

She spoke, her voice sweet.

Jiang Ci instinctively took half a step back, looking at her warily.

However, the anticipated "offensive" did not occur.

Qiao Xinran just gently placed that cup of milk on the cabinet by the door, and then she herself took an active step back.

A very polite, even somewhat distant, social distance.

Jiang Ci was stunned.

He noticed that the way Qiao Xinran looked at him had changed.

It was no longer the confident, conqueror-like hunter attitude from before.

Right now, her gaze was mixed with something he couldn't understand. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"I heard you performed 'Rhinoceros in Love' at school," Qiao Xinran said softly. "I know that's a play that can drain an actor of all their energy."

She paused, then added.

"I checked the schedule. Tomorrow we're filming the scene where 'Chu Wuchen' falls. Are you... prepared?"

Her question carried concern.

Jiang Ci was completely plunged into confusion.

What kind of medicine is she selling in this gourd?

Playing hard to get? Or has she switched to the "moistening things silently" White Moonlight route?

He was completely at a loss.

Jiang Ci politely thanked her, then closed the door.

He leaned against the door, utterly perplexed.

Forget it.

If he can't figure it out, he won't think about it.

For him, as long as he can successfully complete the KPI harvest tomorrow, everything is fine.

What trick Qiao Xinran is using is completely unimportant.

What's important is that she needs to be heartbroken.

Jiang Ci picked up the still-warm cup of milk, walked to the desk, and sat down.

He didn't drink it, just placed the cup to the side, then took out the script that he had already flipped through so much the edges were frayed.

He opened the script to the last page.

That was the final scene belonging to the character "Chu Wuchen".

Suffering a heavenly tribulation, blood staining his white robes.

His fingertip gently traced over the script's description of the character's death, beginning his final round of contemplation.