The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles

Director Wu looked at the girl bowing in apology before him, the excitement on his face not yet fully faded.

Not only did he not show a hint of blame, he instead stepped forward and gave Qiao Xinran's shoulder a heavy pat.

"What are you apologizing for!"

Director Wu's voice was loud, carrying an excitement he couldn't suppress.

"That moment of yours just now, the loss of control was perfect! That's exactly what Su Nian should be! That's the state a woman who's been a stand-in for a hundred years should have at the final moment!"

He pointed at the monitor.

"You pushed yourself out, and you pushed Jiang Ci even deeper! The two of you achieved this scene!"

Qiao Xinran raised her head, her tear-streaked face full of astonishment.

She hadn't thought that much.

In that moment, she had truly felt she was Su Nian,

and the man before her was that master Chu Wuchen whom she had loved for a hundred years but could never fully understand.

She had just... screamed out all her resentment and pain.

Gu Huai, standing to the side, watched this scene without speaking.

His point of observation, however, wasn't on Qiao Xinran.

It was on Jiang Ci, who had been standing quietly to the side all along, as if everything had nothing to do with him.

Gu Huai realized that Qiao Xinran's outburst had not affected Jiang Ci in the slightest.

No.

To be more precise, all of Qiao Xinran's emotions had become nourishment for Jiang Ci.

He absorbed her breakdown, and then, in a more advanced and restrained manner, returned to her an even more despairing conclusion.

This young man, only a few years his junior, was an absolute "vampire" when it came to acting.

"Alright, everyone take a break first." Director Wu waved his hand grandly. "Let the emotions settle. In fifteen minutes, we shoot the final shot!"

"Chu Wuchen, vanishing into dust!"

...

Fifteen minutes later.

The film set was rearranged.

All the cameras were aimed at Jiang Ci standing in the center of the green screen.

The wind machine started again, blowing his white robes into a wild dance.

Qiao Xinran knelt not far opposite him. Her makeup had been retouched, but her eyes were still red and swollen.

She didn't need to build up her emotions anymore.

Because all her emotions had already been completely drained by the previous scene.

Right now, she was Su Nian.

A despairing woman about to witness her beloved's soul scatter before her very eyes.

Jiang Ci closed his eyes slightly.

In his mind, there was neither Chu Wuchen's sorrow and joy, nor Su Nian's pain.

He was just making a final confirmation.

This was the final journey for the character "Chu Wuchen".

According to the script, five hundred years ago, Chu Wuchen's dao companion Yun Xi perished to save the world.

Chu Wuchen, who was in seclusion, forcibly broke out, defied the heavens, preserved a wisp of her remnant soul, sent it into reincarnation, and transformed it into Su Nian.

Five hundred years later, signs of Yun Xi's remnant soul awakening appeared.

This action enraged the Heavenly Dao.

The Heavenly Dao descended a heavenly tribulation, seeking to completely erase both Su Nian's and Yun Xi's souls.

Chu Wuchen used his own body as a shield, blocking this cataclysmic disaster for her.

A very classic xianxia setting.

What Jiang Ci had to do was put a not-so-classic full stop on this classic setting.

He was going to complete this most tragic death in the quietest way possible.

"Action!"

Director Wu's voice rang out through the loudspeaker.

Jiang Ci moved.

He soared into the air, spread his arms, and blocked all the illusory, world-destroying lightning storm before him.

This action was completed with the help of wirework.

His body formed a massive, protective cross in mid-air.

The blood packs on him burst one after another.

Crimson liquid instantly soaked through his elegant white robes.

He didn't let out any pained roar.

He just hung quietly in the air like that, enduring everything.

Spiritual energy exhausted, his immortal body began to dissipate.

After a long while.

He slowly descended, standing once again before Qiao Xinran.

He looked at her, at this girl he had protected for five hundred years, loved for five hundred years.

Jiang Ci mobilized all his acting skills.

He spoke. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"This time, it's my turn to protect you."

His tone held not a trace of pain.

Only a kind of weariness after a long, five-hundred-year wait finally reaching its end.

And a kind of release.

These words were spoken softly.

Yet they slammed heavily into the heart of everyone present.

Qiao Xinran's body stiffened violently.

She looked at the man before her, at his blood-soaked robes, and tears burst forth once more.

However, this wasn't the end.

Jiang Ci maintained his standing posture, not falling.

With the aid of post-production special effects, his body would begin from the feet, bit by bit, turning into golden specks of light, dispersing between heaven and earth.

Not even a complete physical body would be left behind.

This was the most thorough annihilation.

Everyone on set held their breath, staring fixedly at him.

They truly seemed to see an Immortal Lord walking towards the end of his life.

According to the script, his head was also about to completely turn into light with the help of special effects.

Jiang Ci counted ten seconds silently in his heart; it should now be time for the character Chu Wuchen's head to dissipate.

He gave the tear-streaked Qiao Xinran a smile.

A very light, very faint, yet bone-deep gentle smile.

This smile.

Was a farewell to the character Chu Wuchen's release.

"Boom—"

Qiao Xinran's entire world collapsed.

She reached out, frantically trying to grab those dissipating specks of light.

But she couldn't catch anything.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came from her throat.

All her cries, all her wails, were all blocked in her chest.

She simply knelt on the ground, her entire being completely emptied of its soul.

[Heartbreak Value from Qiao Xinran +188!]

[Heartbreak Value from female crew member +28!]

[Heartbreak Value from female crew member +45!]

[Heartbreak Value from female crew member +33!]

...

In Jiang Ci's system backend, the notification sounds went crazy in an instant.

[Congratulations, host. Acquired extended lifespan: 15 days!]

[Current Heartbreak Value balance: 1410 points.]

[Current total remaining lifespan: 195 days 5 hours!]

Behind the monitor, the entire world fell silent.

The lighting technician forgot to adjust the lights.

The clapper loader forgot to clap the slate.

The cameraman forgot to stop the camera.

People were utterly stunned by the image on the monitor.

This was an aesthetic "annihilation".

Director Wu stared intently at the playback.

He ripped off his headphones and cursed under his breath.

"Damn..."

"This, this is how an Immortal Lord should fall!"

Gu Huai, standing beside him, said nothing.

He looked at Jiang Ci's final, frozen smile on the monitor.

Gu Huai's mind was rapidly calculating.

The character Chu Wuchen was originally just the fourth male lead in the script.

His existence served more to facilitate the growth arc of the second female lead, Su Nian.

A deeply affectionate, tool-like background character.

But now, after Jiang Ci's finishing touches of improvisation these few times, especially this final death scene that could be called "god-tier".

The charm of the character Chu Wuchen had far surpassed the script's original setting.

Gu Huai could foresee.

Once "Three Lifetimes Tribulation" aired on screen, this character would absolutely become a phenomenon.

And the name Jiang Ci would be remembered by audiences at an incredibly terrifying speed.

Until—

"Cut! That's a wrap! Perfect!"

Director Wu's voice, distorted with excitement, finally shattered the deathly silence on set.

He jumped up from his chair and announced, "I declare, for the 'Three Lifetimes Tribulation' crew, Mr. Jiang Ci's part is officially wrapped!"

Following the director's command.

The "Chu Wuchen" who had just been performing a god-tier fall, breaking everyone's heart, was helped by the crew to remove his wirework harness.

Jiang Ci patted the non-existent dust off his body.

Assistant Sun Zhou was already crying his eyes out, running over with a towel and water, looking at him with an expression of worship and heartache.

"Ci-ge, you... you were amazing!"

Jiang Ci took the towel from his hand and casually wiped the "blood" off his face.

He glanced at the female staff members around him who were still immersed in sadness, secretly wiping tears, and then at Qiao Xinran kneeling on the ground, still unable to recover.

He seemed dazed for a moment, then turned his head and spoke his first words after wrapping up, softly, to the dumbfounded Sun Zhou.

"Wrap!"

"What are we eating tonight? I feel like having Yu City hotpot."