Chapter 384: The Dragon Slayer Becomes the Evil Dragon?

The two new top idols don't realize what "The Drama King is coming" truly means.

But their agents look utterly miserable.

We're screwed~

Though it won't completely derail their top-idol paths, the very ladder they planned to climb has been brutally hacked off by someone's casual swipe.

It's like an exam where you were guaranteed at least 80 points, maybe even aiming for 90.

The timing was perfect—except for Bai Liang, all previous top idols had gradually weakened.

Lu Han had almost nothing left but the final dance in "Shanghai Fortress"; if that movie flopped, he'd be permanently kicked out of the film industry.

Wu Moufan had already been kicked out of the film industry long ago, and lately he was even fighting for billing roles in TV dramas with Yang Zi.

Everyone in the industry knows male top idols outrank female top idols of the same tier, yet he's reduced to fighting for billing with also-rans.

Yang Yang, however, is more resilient—he's taken the most beatings but still clings on, merely labeled an "old geezer," not worth worrying about.

The new batch of top-idol contenders also lack any particularly explosive momentum.

So these two, who rose through danmei dramas, naturally could seize a huge share of the "empty market."

They might even push Yang Yang down, possibly even crack the top three of the top-idol club.

Hmm. Only top three—saying it that way sounds a bit better.

After all, that guy in first place is just too insane.

And just as feared, it happened.

They'd assumed danmei dramas wouldn't clash much with "The Longest Day in Chang'an," but who knew the guy was going for total annihilation!

This level of viewership and online streaming share is crushing the market share of every other drama airing simultaneously.

Almost none can escape—even passing dogs get slapped twice.

A 90-point script was suddenly reduced to barely passing.

Of course, it's not fully there yet, but with "The Longest Day in Chang'an"'s momentum, it clearly has no intention of leaving any room for competitors.

Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo stared at each other.

Especially the former—he'd met Bai Liang on the set of "The Longest Day in Chang'an" and thought the man was gentle, always smiling at everyone.

Who could've imagined he'd strike so ruthlessly?

But the problem is, they can't even hate him, because he's not targeting them at all.

Even when they'd tried to latch onto him before, he never bothered to acknowledge them.

It was just that when the war machine rolls forward, pebbles on the road get effortlessly crushed under its treads.

Just a side effect.

The two young top idols finally understood what previous top idols had been up against.

They involuntarily sucked in a breath, raising their evaluation of Yang Yang by several levels.

After being repeatedly crushed by Bai Liang, he's still standing there—his blood really is thick enough!

"His photo from before went viral."

"Which photo?"

The two leaned close, scrolling through their phones, and found it was the "obviously fake" photo Dou Xiao Qi had taken of Bai Liang at He Ba's birthday party earlier.

There had been heated debates online about whether the photo was heavily photoshopped.

Because some people swore it wasn't edited at all.

Now, Chen Daoming says he saw it with his own eyes.

This uncle has been wildly endorsing people lately—sometimes calling Meng Jie, sometimes calling Bai Liang some kind of "auspicious omen."

Most people just found it amusing, thinking the bizarre "weather scene" was rare and enlightening.

Many "climate experts" even jumped in to debate whether such a phenomenon could realistically occur and how probable it was.

But as Bai Liang's "rivals," seeing this gave them an uncanny sense of déjà vu.

Is this guy even a normal human being?

It feels like heaven's favor has stopped pretending entirely!

The entertainment industry has always been superstitious, because there's no real promotion path here.

Like how strong promotion can't guarantee success, or how someone inexplicably blows up from a single mediocre resource.

People always lean toward superstition when they can't understand something.

They won't even bother reading more books.

Of course, sometimes they accidentally hit the mark—but those cases are extremely rare.

So the two new top idols' previously steady mindsets were shattered by a single photo.

They closed their eyes and opened them again, as if seeing a capybara smiling and waving at them:

This is what a top idol looks like~—

Bai Liang didn't know he'd unintentionally shaken the confidence of these two younger guys.

Oh no, only one younger guy—Wang Yibo was born in 1997, Xiao Zhan in 1991; this pairing could earn them two gold bricks.

The older Xiao Zhan is the same age as Yang Yang, one year older than Bai Liang.

His time is truly running out—he became a top idol at twenty-eight, while other top idols at that age are already thinking about transitioning.

Generally, after thirty, the main label is still "traffic star"—it just feels weird somehow.

Of course, if he were like Bai Liang, where top idol is just one of many labels, it wouldn't matter.

Bai Liang himself didn't pay much attention to these two "newcomers"—new top idols emerge every year; it's not a big deal.

These two aren't like A Kun, who can deliver fun viral moments.

To Bai Liang, a top idol like A Kun is the real deal.

Even he couldn't ignore it, and before he realized he'd caught "digital chicken plague," it was already too late.

But Zhu Zhu Xudan didn't like him wearing overalls, thinking they were too childish.

Yet she never said it outright; instead, she bought him several other pairs of pants and told him seriously, "You look so cool in these."

After cheering him up, she snatched the overalls away and threw them far off.

Luckily, the basketball was saved—Bai Liang's basketball was the one he'd taken from the Spring Festival Gala stage.

It had great sentimental value.

"Did you sneakily snitch on me?" Bai Liang glared at Zhu Zhu Xudan.

Lately, he'd noticed a little tail trailing behind him.

But this girl wasn't afraid of him at all; instead, she rubbed her head dazedly, then turned and asked eagerly, "Did Teng Zijing really die?"

"Why are you still caring about this?"

"I'm binge-watching! It's so good!" Zhu Zhu Xudan said seriously.

Yesterday was the episode where Teng Zijing exited "Qing Yu Nian"—the first major climax of the drama, with viewership surging past 5.5.

It topped countless trending lists.

Bai Liang thought for a moment, then declared firmly: "Dead. Completely dead."

"Huh?!"

Zhu Zhu Xudan clearly hadn't wanted that answer; she immediately put on a sour face—clearly, she was deeply immersed in the drama.

She even knew that in the original novel, Teng Zijing didn't die.

But Teng Zijing was Fan Xian's first true friend in the capital; his death shattered Fan Xian's original plan of marrying and retiring in peace.

Realizing he could no longer stand aside, he was forced to actively enter the power struggle to protect those around him, pushing him to stay in the capital and gradually uncover his origins.

So this character really had to die.

Of course, viewers might struggle to accept it—the earlier scenes were light and fun, then suddenly came this blow.

Many fans "broke down" and raged online at the screenwriters.

But the record-breaking discussion, popularity, and soaring viewership proved this blow was perfectly delivered.

It was also a crucial factor in Fan Xian's psychological transformation, using this character's death to drive it forward.

A few days ago, a scene went viral: a figure in white robes, walking alone.

It was also called Bai Liang's acting peak.

Without any filters, he somehow portrayed a sense of utter alienation from this world.

That loneliness seemed to pierce through the screen.

"Qing Yu Nian" is unquestionably a feel-good drama, with its power fantasy turned up to the extreme.

The emperor, the most powerful man in the realm, is the protagonist's biological father; Chen Pingping, the top minister of Nan Qing, cleans up the protagonist's messes; Fan Jian, the vice minister of revenue, is willing to defy the emperor for him; Master Fei Jie once threatened that anyone who harmed him would face city-wide slaughter.

Starting with Teng Zijing's death, the drama gained a touch of different coloration.

Its sustained rating above 8.5 speaks volumes.

He died perfectly!

Technically, this statement holds water—but emotionally, the tears this girl shed clearly disagreed.

Then Zhu Zhu Xudan demanded compensation for emotional distress.

She didn't ask for much—just one of his pure cotton white T-shirts.

"What do you want this for?" Bai Liang asked curiously.

"I have a best friend who's your loyal fan," the girl strained to fabricate an excuse.

"Isn't your best friend Re Ba?"

"I—I have other best friends too! Ordinary people you don't know."

A white T-shirt isn't some particularly intimate garment; Bai Liang giving one away wasn't a problem.

But he thought this girl had serious issues.

"Is this 'best friend' of yours… you yourself?"

"How could that be!"

Seeing her face turn red, Bai Liang didn't press further.

A girl's secret feelings didn't need to be probed so clearly.

So he generously gave her two.

The girl's eyes turned into hearts, and she grew greedy: "What about your gray pants?"

"You want pants too? Your best friend's a guy—doesn't he have clothes?"

"No no no, never mind then! Oh, your white sneakers look nice too!"

Bai Liang:???

Shoes?

He couldn't help tentatively ask: "What about your stinky socks?"

"No!" she replied firmly.

Good, good—this girl wasn't some weird fetishist.

Pants and shoes were too much; Bai Liang felt even if he was kind, he couldn't give away everything.

"Don't you want my autograph? Otherwise, how will your best friend know this is really mine?"

"No need, no need—I know it's yours," Zhu Zhu Xudan said instinctively, delighted.

Bai Liang:.

He no longer worried she'd resell the items on Xianyu—but he was now concerned about her mental state.

It's fine when acting, but why is he always like he's drunk and hasn't woken up yet?

In this state, who knows what Zhu Zhu Xudan's best friend will do with these things.

But after giving the gift, she did return emotional value to Bai Liang.

She looked at him seriously and said: "Big Brother Dou Xiao Bai, you're so kind!"

"Thank you~"

Giving roses leaves fragrance on the hand; Bai Liang felt he'd done a good deed today.

Then he suddenly realized something: "Hey, I've been wearing this for half a day without washing it—let me get you a clean one."

Ssshhhh~

Zhu Zhu Xudan ran off without looking back, her little legs moving fast.

In a flash, she was gone.

Something's off!

Mao Xiaotong, just off set, saw Zhu Zhu Xudan and Bai Liang chatting privately for a long while, even staying together in the RV for several minutes.

Though they came down quickly, she seemed to have gained something, holding it as if it were precious.

Then she ran off "shyly," acting like she'd done something shameful.

Mao Xiaotong was stunned!

Speak of the devil? This seemingly dazed friend of hers has guts this big?

Already stealing on set?!

How could this be allowed!

Mao Xiaotong couldn't help imagining herself in the situation.

If, back when she'd gone to catch the woman at home, it hadn't been Jiang Kaitong but one of her own close friends, her heart would've shattered right then~

No! She couldn't just sit back and do nothing!

But she also couldn't jump to conclusions—if she wrongly accused someone, that would be terrible.

So after today's shoot ended, Mao Xiaotong mentioned: "Let's go out for a walk tonight—I found a great dessert shop yesterday."

"How great?"

"Their desserts aren't sweet."

Reba's eyes lit up: "Really? Then we have to go~"

"Won't Zhu Zhu come too?" Mao Xiaotong asked Zhu Zhu Xudan.

But the other was smiling absentmindedly; she had to ask twice before Zhu Zhu Xudan responded: "Huh? I won't go."

"Why? Do you have plans tonight?"

"I'm going to binge-watch a drama."

"'The Longest Day in Chang'an' hasn't started airing yet—you can watch it when you get back."

"Let's skip it tonight. You two go scout first."

Mao Xiaotong: Got it, sis—you've clearly never stolen before, zero experience, can't even come up with a decent excuse?

Still, for safety's sake, she went to ask Bai Liang too.

Bai Liang: Sure!

He always enthusiastically agreed to good food~

But Wang Yanlin subtly elbowed him, making Bai Liang snap to attention.

"But I have something tonight."

"You have plans too?"

"Yeah, I made plans with Wang Yanlin to battle tonight—other friends are joining too."

Now Mao Xiaotong's suspicions skyrocketed.

Playing games with his bro?

These guys are experts at covering for each other.

But she also began wrestling with whether to tell Reba her suspicions.

She and Bai Liang were good friends too—he'd even helped her catch her ex, but this kind of scumbag behavior was exactly what she hated most!

So conflicting. So agonizing.

Should she do a "big righteousness, kill kin"?

Even after finishing the desserts that night, Mao Xiaotong still couldn't decide.

Finally, she came up with a "brilliant idea"—she'd just go herself!

After thinking of this plan, Mao Xiaotong felt quite clever.

So she told Reba outright: "I suddenly have something to take care of—I need to head back."

"Huh? Aren't we still going shopping?" Reba asked, puzzled.

"Next time, darling—I'm really sorry today."

"Alright~"

Reba watched helplessly and suspiciously as Mao Xiaotong hurriedly hailed a taxi and rushed back, a strange thought suddenly popping into her mind.

Hmm… no way? It couldn't be—he's not that kind of person.

But after sitting at the dessert shop for a while, she grew restless.

No choice—her Big White really was too popular; even the open rivals were many, let alone the hidden ones.

Whether true or not, she'd go back and check.

"Lingling, stop eating—let's go back to the hotel."

"Huh? Sister, you haven't finished eating yet—what a waste."

"Idiot, just pack it up~"

Mao Xiaotong, who had returned to the hotel first, knocked on Zhu Zhu Xudan's door and immediately sensed something "off."

The girl's face was flushed, yet her hair was dry~

Clearly, her blush had nothing to do with bathing.

"Zhu Zhu, I brought you dessert."

"Thank you, Sister Xiaotong."

"Aren't you going to invite me in for a sit?"

"Huh? It's so late."

"Oh come on, are you hiding someone in your room?"

"How could I? Fine, come in."

After stepping inside, Mao Xiaotong felt she had arrived "too late."

Zhu Zhu Xudan's room indeed had no one else in it.

But she noticed something strange.

On the sofa lay a crumpled white T-shirt—this size was clearly not for a girl; she instantly guessed the owner stood about 185 cm tall.

And the shirt seemed damp. Add to that Zhu Zhu Xudan's guilty, hurried motion of snatching it away.

Case solved!

Mao Xiaotong didn't linger; she turned and stormed straight toward Bai Liang's room.

She had to give him a proper "lesson"—how could he do something like this?!

At this moment, Bai Liang and Wang Yanlin had just returned to the hotel.

The two were together cursing Lin Genxin—after all, standing someone up deserved to be cursed.

They'd waited half the night on the van to play together, only to get a final text: "I'm bailing."

At first, he claimed it was "work-related," and they believed him.

But half an hour later, his visit to a nightclub trended online—and he didn't even bother hiding it.

What a beast.

"I should've just joined the girls for dessert."

"Please, you eat 'dessert' every night—aren't you sweet enough already?" Wang Yanlin teased.

"What dessert?"

"Hmm… Xinjiang sliced cake?"

The metaphor was odd, since sliced cake was expensive.

But Bai Liang immediately fired back, accusing him of "objectifying women" from a moral high ground.

Wang Yanlin couldn't parry that punch—he had to surrender on the spot.

Laughing and joking all the way back to the hotel, the two parted ways to their respective rooms, agreeing to meet again later at the gym.

But barely a minute after Bai Liang shut his door, a knock came from outside.

He opened it—and there stood Mao Xiaotong.

Bai Liang's expression turned peculiar.

"What do you want?"

"Of course I have something to say—come inside."

"Uh..."

Before Bai Liang could warn her it might be inappropriate, the sister walked right in as if it were normal.

Fine, maybe thirty-year-old sister players are just this direct.

But Bai Liang felt... this was still a bit odd.

It didn't fit her character.

The dragon slayer becomes the dragon?

"Did you just get back to your room?"

"Yeah, only a few minutes ago."

"Didn't have time to shower?"

"Uh... should I go shower now?" Bai Liang asked tentatively.

Was this sister really hungry?

But she was single—if she truly had some urgent need, helping her out wouldn't be wrong.

Yet to Mao Xiaotong's ears, his words sounded like: he was rushing to shower to wash off someone else's scent.

So he'd just come back from doing something bad! And he'd claimed he was gaming.

Hmph, men! Not one of them is decent—all are偷腥的貓~

So she shifted closer to Bai Liang, her nose twitching, as if trying to sniff out something.

Just then, Bai Liang's phone rang.

It was Reba.

After glancing at Mao Xiaotong, Bai Liang turned on speakerphone.

A voice that sent chills down the spine came through the line.

"Open up—I'm right outside your door."

"Coming! I'm just going to the bathroom."

Bai Liang skillfully told a small lie, then looked at Mao Xiaotong: "Sister, aren't you going to hide?"

Mao Xiaotong froze, thinking to herself: What do I have to hide from? No!

Damn it!

(End of Chapter)