Chapter 785: Worthy or Unworthy

But clearly, this trending search attacking the production crew was coming on strong, and the crew's public relations response was not timely.

By the time they finally managed to discuss a PR strategy, public opinion on the internet had already steered toward a place they did not want to see.

Bai Jiang's fans were in a full-blown riot!

They accused the *Dawn 2* crew of squeezing Bai Jiang's rest time, forcing him to participate in grueling filming after sleeping only 4 hours a day.

Some fans didn't know where they got Bai Jiang's schedule from within the crew, and they spoke about it as if it were the absolute truth.

This led many netizens who didn't know the inside story to follow suit and criticize the *Dawn 2* crew for being inhumane and exploiting the artist too excessively.

With such a high-pressure schedule, and still having to give their all to perform, it would be difficult for an artist not to fall ill.

Public opinion showed a one-sided trend; everyone was supporting Bai Jiang while simultaneously hoping the crew would give the actors proper rest and holidays, and not violate labor laws.

Bai Jiang's fans also kept criticizing the crew, saying they didn't want to watch a drama that could only succeed by exploiting actors.

In order to ensure Bai Jiang got reasonable rest, these fans additionally launched a boycott campaign against the crew.

By the time Seeing Jin Li scrolled to these internet news items, the *Dawn 2* crew had already issued a clarification using their official account.

V *Dawn 2: Apocalypse*: 【Actor Bai Jiang was discovered by his assistant to have a fever at XX: XX on XX day. After taking fever-reducing medication, there was some relief, but he continued to have a high fever at night, so 120 emergency services were called.

Upon learning this, the crew immediately suspended all of Bai Jiang's filming and is waiting quietly for his return.

We will be more attentive and responsible in the future, reasonably arranging the artists' performance times to ensure the health of every artist.

This time, Bai Jiang's fever and hospitalization exposed many management issues; we will make improvements and strive to progress, bringing everyone a better film and television experience!】

She raised an eyebrow.

To be honest, she felt this PR copy was quite good; it detailed the process and outcome of the incident while also admitting their own mistakes and indicating they would make corrections in the future.

From her perspective, she already felt it was quite sincere.

However, when netizens are in an angry state, no matter how well the other party expresses themselves, they will try their best to pick faults.

【Sounds nice, but they just won't change!】

【The apology is quite sincere, but what were they doing earlier?】

【You affected the artist's health and cannot compensate for their health; what use are you?】

And amidst this chorus of condemnation, there was actually no lack of rational netizens who believed that the schedule *Dawn 2* arranged for Bai Jiang was not a problem.

Several more of Bai Jiang's schedules circulated on the internet, and the rest time arranged for him in each one was different.

Many rational netizens were more inclined toward the schedule that had eight or nine hours of sleep time.

After all, only being able to sleep for 4 hours and still having to work continuously was truly too terrifying.

It would be fine to endure it for a day or two, but if it were for a dozen days, even a person made of iron wouldn't be able to hold up.

Therefore, they were more inclined to believe Bai Jiang had 8 hours of sleep time.

As for why Bai Jiang's state was poor during filming despite having sufficient rest time, one could observe from the leaked spoilers that he was absent-minded and had dark circles under his eyes.

It was highly likely that Bai Jiang's rest was not good.

That could then be classified as his own state not being up to par.

【There's no need to be one-sided toward the actor; if the crew arranged reasonable rest time, it's clearly Bai Jiang's own state that isn't good.】

【It's good enough that the crew isn't finding trouble with him; we can't delay the entire crew's progress because of one person.】

【Are there internet water armies involved? I think this matter is quite suspicious. No matter how frail Bai Jiang's constitution is, is it better than Seeing Jin Li's?

Seeing Jin Li is a sick beauty; she can handle this kind of high-intensity work, so why can't Bai Jiang?】

【After watching the leaked photos from netizens, I think Seeing Jin Li's acting is better than Bai Jiang's, and her complexion is also better than Bai Jiang's. It's truly impressive...】

【Everyone is under high pressure; let's not talk about other actors, just talk about Seeing Jin Li. How did Seeing Jin Li hold up?】

【I heard through the grapevine that she works hard to read books in her spare time while filming, saying she doesn't want to delay her study progress at school. Such a diligent person—if the crew were really high-pressure, she definitely wouldn't be able to hold up.】

After the crew's official blog issued the clarification, Bai Jiang's studio also forwarded the content and stated:

【Bai Jiang has now been discharged from the hospital and has returned to the crew for filming. His state is good; thank you all for your concern.

Regarding the issue of rest time that everyone fed back, we have also recorded it all. We will have an in-depth discussion with the artist and arrange reasonable rest time for him.】

Even Bai Jiang's studio had stepped in to clarify, so those internet trolls specifically targeting them had nowhere to spray and could only retreat in frustration.

And the clamor and turmoil on the internet, although it made some actors in the crew uneasy for a while, soon calmed down again.

To be honest, filming was simply too busy—so busy that they didn't have time to play with their phones.

Every night after finishing work and returning to the hotel to lie on the bed, they would fall asleep in almost a second; whether it was actors with small status or Seeing Jin Li and Bai Jiang with relatively large status, it was the same for all.

Therefore, no matter how noisy it was outside, when it landed in the crew, it only caused a slight ripple that soon disappeared without a trace.

At night, Seeing Jin Li rarely took a little time to have a video call with Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng brought up the "Bai Jiang sick and hospitalized" turmoil that had only ended not long ago, and asked with a slightly serious expression:

"I think the person behind the scenes is targeting the crew. They are making an issue out of Bai Jiang being sick and hospitalized, wanting to incite netizens' disgust toward this drama.

Did Director Chu offend someone, or has he already confirmed the release date, and it was known by other competitors who want to ruin the crew's reputation first?"

Seeing Jin Li thought for a while and shook her head: "Don't know."

"Sister Fang is also investigating this issue. She called Director Chu to ask, but even Director Chu said he didn't know who was deliberately targeting him.

He said he had too many enemies he had offended and was too lazy to remember them one by one.

Moreover, every time he has a new drama to start filming, these tactics will come up in turns; he has long since been accustomed to it."

Gu Cheng was speechless and silent for a moment, then summarized: "Then he is quite battle-hardened."

Seeing Jin Li chuckled, her smile bright.

Gu Cheng said: "Then after this turmoil, has the crew's atmosphere changed? Will everyone keep Bai Jiang at a distance?"

Seeing Jin Li shook her head: "No."

She added: "Shouldn't."

"Everyone is very busy; many people don't have time to play with their phones, so it's noisy on the internet, but in the crew, it's actually just like that."

"The atmosphere hasn't changed. If something really has changed—"

Seeing Jin Li paused and said hesitantly: "I think Bai Jiang and Director Chu have changed a little."

Gu Cheng was curious: "How so?"

Seeing Jin Li: "In the past when filming, Director Chu had quite high requirements for Bai Jiang, which is why he made Bai Jiang constantly NG.

This was also the source of Bai Jiang's high pressure—he felt he couldn't satisfy the director's expectations; he couldn't act out the scenes the director wanted."

"But this time filming, clearly, Director Chu's requirements have changed. He no longer strictly demands Bai Jiang, and if the scene looks about right, it passes."

Gu Cheng vaguely understood something and said: "He missed the opportunity for Director Chu's cultivation.

If Director Chu applied extreme pressure on him and Bai Jiang could withstand it, perhaps his acting skills could advance further because of this. If *Dawn 2*'s box office is good, he might even be nominated for an award."

Seeing Jin Li also felt this was the case, but she didn't tell others and just chatted privately with Gu Cheng.

And the reason "Bai Jiang sick and hospitalized" could be suppressed so quickly was because the public was attracted by another trending search.

That was "Jian Liting and Lian Baozhi collaborating to perform in the stage play *Abyss*."

On the day *Abyss* was released, Lian Baozhi's fans frantically swiped the screen on the internet, and netizens who previously had a good impression of Jian Liting also participated in the discussion, contributing a bit of topicality.

【Jian Liting and Lian Baozhi, this combination, 666, completely unimaginable!】

【Although Jian Liting's popularity and heat are no longer comparable to a few years ago, and she has long fallen from the position of a first-tier young actress to become a second- or third-tier artist.

But thinking about what both actors did in their early days, I still feel that Lian Baozhi is climbing high to reach Jian Liting.】

【1, the styles of the two don't match at all. Which powerful person put them together?】

【My impression of Lian Baozhi is still stuck in idol dramas with exaggerated plots, or that female star who became famous for being glamorous and sexy earlier. Good heavens, she actually went to act in a stage play!】

【Feels quite high-end; is this really something Lian Baozhi can climb up to?】

The trending search came very quickly, but the netizens' comments were so polarized, which was quite unexpected for people in the circle.

Lv Shanjie was scrolling through the comments, her face a bit dark.

She looked at Lian Baozhi, who was still leisurely playing with her fingernails, and said ungraciously:

"If I had known that your acting in a stage play would attract a bunch of bad reviews, thinking you couldn't climb up to it, I wouldn't have let you act."

She said again: "I originally thought Jian Liting hadn't had any exposure in these years, and her popularity had dropped so severely that the audience had long forgotten her.

I didn't expect her favorability in the hearts of netizens to be so high. As long as a little propellant is given, the reputation can ferment endlessly.

Presumably, Jian Liting's manager's mailbox is already stuffed with invitations from major announcement parties."

Lian Baozhi had been running to rehearse the stage play whenever she had time these days. Yesterday was their 1st tour performance, and the next one was scheduled for next week.

And while rehearsing, she saw that her relationship with Jian Liting was considered familiar, so she asked quietly:

"How is your company going to arrange you? Why have they been freezing you for all these years, not letting you appear in front of the public?"

She still remembered that Jian Liting said it like this at the time:

"They have always wanted me to become a puppet, doing everything according to the persona set by the company, but I am not willing, so I fell out with the company."

"The reason I came to act in the stage play is because I only have the stage play left to make a living. Only when my contract with the company ends next year can I appear in front of the public."

Lian Baozhi was stunned for a moment, "You can still participate in *Desperate Counterattack*..."

Jian Liting shrugged: "I wasn't on the crew list from the beginning either. If it weren't for an actor's sudden health condition, and the crew needed to find an actor who could replace her temporarily, I wouldn't have picked up the leak.

Because of this reason, Director Zheng specifically negotiated with my company during filming, and after grinding for a long time, the company was willing to let me act in this drama, but they had a requirement."

Lian Baozhi listened intently and asked hurriedly: "What requirement?"

Jian Liting: "After the movie goes online, if I am still within the contract period with the company, I cannot do promotion related to the crew, and the crew cannot specifically do promotion related to me."

What did Lian Baozhi say at the time?

Oh, she said the word "excessive."

Now hearing Sister Shan chattering about how Jian Liting won this wave, Lian Baozhi was not worried at all, and even felt a little sympathetic toward her.

So what if she's popular? She has to wait until next year to terminate the contract.

No matter how many announcements come to her door, if the company doesn't arrange them, Jian Liting can't take a single one.

Lian Baozhi comforted Sister Shan: "At least this time I participated in the stage play, I have ambition, and some netizens have changed their views on me.

I am no longer the female star who only knew how to use beauty and body to attract netizens' attention in the past; I have become more mature and steady, have connotation, and know how to think."

Lv Shanjie looked at Lian Baozhi speechlessly.

No ambition, missing brain stem... Are you sure this is praising yourself, and not being sarcastic to yourself?

Lian Baozhi seemed to see through Lv Shanjie's thoughts and said with a grin:

"Sister Shan, I think performing in stage plays can improve my acting skills. You help me arrange it so I can perform a few more times!"

In the *Dawn 2* crew.

Ever since Director Chu let go of his strict requirements for Bai Jiang, the crew's atmosphere became much better, and even Bai Jiang's state recovered.

Seeing Jin Li's state was as stable as ever.

Soon, as the plot progressed, it reached the climax of the conspiracy revelation where emotions were more intense.

First of all, it must be stated that the plot of *Dawn 2*, even if it added a lot of cold humor, did not change its essence.

This is a commercial movie with the essence of popcorn.

But the thrill brought by a pure commercial movie is too ordinary, so Director Chu added a good story to it.

But although the story is very good, the essence has not changed, so the reason for the conspiracy sounds a bit fake and empty.

The reason why the BOSS behind the scenes cultivates so many clones and copies the genes of the strongest warriors is because they want to rely on clones to rule this world!

It sounds absurd, but the result is just that absurd.

Thinking of such a serious plot, with so much emotional foreshadowing, just for the ridiculous reason of "ruling the world."

When Seeing Jin Li was reading the script, she felt a little like laughing.

When a person is speechless, they really will laugh.

It's already the end of the world, how can there still be someone so naive, thinking they can still rule the world, and can still return to the scene before the doomsday?

After filming this scene, there will be a big decisive battle within the clones, which is the final highlight.

One side is the clones who have awakened but are still willing to support the big BOSS behind the scenes, believing that clones can rule the world, as well as the majority of clones who have not awakened and are controlled by the gene chips in their bodies.

The other side is the clones who have completely awakened, believing that this decision is wrong, and want to explore the true meaning of life.

Gu Cheng had already received news from the crew in advance and returned to the crew to adjust his state before the scene of the eve of the decisive battle was filmed.

After the eve of the decisive battle was filmed, he began to go to film the final decisive battle.

Previously filming in the crew, he deeply felt that physical limitations hindered his performance.

So even if his scenes were no longer needed midway, he returned to school to study, but he still did not drop his physical training.

For the filming of the decisive battle, he felt he would be more at ease.

When he came to the crew, he just happened to welcome the emotional outburst scene of "Ruan Tang" played by Seeing Jin Li. ===== CHAPTER 786 =====