Chapter 14: Behind the Scenes

Ding Mo finished his shower and had already put his Guard uniform back on.

This was a suggestion from Chu Chenfeng, because within the "Actor Manual," costumes seemed to hold an important status; the first three rules were all directly related to costumes.

Chu Chenfeng deduced that these clothes had a specific function, and it was best not to take them off even when sleeping.

Ding Mo closed the window and sat on his bed, seeing Chu Chenfeng sitting on the other bed nearby, looking at his phone, seemingly lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" Ding Mo asked.

"... Nothing." But Chu Chenfeng only shook his head.

"It's nothing, I hope I'm just overthinking it."

What? Ding Mo looked at him in confusion, and seeing he didn't say anything more, he also picked up his phone.

It was then that he saw several new messages in the group chat:

【Lu Zhenhao (Dwarf): @Director, are our food and water provided by the Prop Team?】

【Director: It's the Hotel, the Prop Team only provides necessary props】

【Lu Zhenhao (Dwarf): Understood】

Ten minutes later:

【Fan Rui (Dwarf): Substitute paparazzi】

【York (Magic Mirror): What? What are you saying??】

【Director: @Fan Rui, if you have issues, you can '@Prop Team'】

The above were messages from over 50 minutes ago, clearly sent while they were performing.

"Fan Rui" was one of the 7 Actors playing the 7 Dwarfs, but the message he sent was incomprehensible.

Ding Mo thought about it for a long time without a clue, then turned to look at Chu Chenfeng, only to find he had already fallen asleep.

"Forget it, I'll think about it tomorrow." Ding Mo yawned and lay down to sleep.

It was already past 1:00 AM, and the sleepiness in his heart was surging uncontrollably.

He just didn't expect this Task to be so simple... Leaning against his pillow, Ding Mo thought to himself.

"Under the Director's arrangement, shoot a Drama," this first act was completed so easily, without encountering any danger at all.

This situation was far too different compared to Ding Mo's first Task.

When all the lights came on, signaling the end of the Drama, it was so simple that Ding Mo even thought he was dreaming.

"I hope tomorrow is just as simple..."

Ding Mo fell into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning, Ding Mo was startled awake by a burst of noisy sounds!

He sat up in a daze and looked to the side at his phone, which was frantically buzzing with messages.

"What's going on?" Ding Mo scanned the room, only to unexpectedly discover that Chu Chenfeng was not there.

He had actually gone out?!

Ding Mo had no choice but to pick up his phone to check the situation.

One look and he was shocked; there were already nearly a hundred messages in the work group!

What happened? Ding Mo clicked in and saw at a glance:

【Director: I don't want to explain again, your performance, from beginning to end, is completely! Not! Qualified!】

【Dong Xiaoyu (Stepmother):...】

【Leng Rourou (Snow White): You should at least say where exactly it's not qualified!?】

Her tone seemed somewhat irritable.

【Director: Did you not understand what I said? Are you deaf or blind? You! Every movement! Every line! All unqualified! It's simply a pile of trash!】

【Dong Xiaoyu (Stepmother): How do you know? Can you see it?】

【Director: Of course I know, there is surveillance in the Hotel!】

【Director: Stop talking, all of you redo it for me tonight from start to finish, every word and every movement, redo it all!】

【Leng Rourou (Snow White): If you don't tell us where it's not good, how are we supposed to redo it! What if we finish acting and you say it's not good again!?

When it comes down to it, the Script you gave us is so crude and trashy, how are we supposed to film it well?】

Facing Leng Rourou's questioning, the other party retorted without any courtesy,

【Director: The Script is crude? Trash? Then let me ask you, why can others film it well but you can't?

Is it the Script that's crude or the people who are incompetent?!

The "Snow White" Script has such high popularity, and you call it trash? I think you're the trash!】

【Leng Rourou (Snow White): You!!】

These words seemed to anger her quite a bit, and she didn't speak for a long time.

But now Ding Mo understood.

Their performance last night had been ruthlessly rejected by this Director!

But after realizing this, he also felt that what Leng Rourou said made sense.

If they didn't know what was bad, how could they improve?

If this group of people wasn't qualified to perform, why were they chosen?

This Director was being completely unreasonable!

Holding the same question was the actor playing the Queen:

【Dong Xiaoyu (Stepmother): We aren't professional Actors to begin with, what exactly do you want!?】

【Director: I don't need professional Actors, it's simply that your acting is too poor, it lacks "soul"!】

Soul? As soon as this word came out, Ding Mo was stunned.

Seeing a silence in the group, he then typed and asked:

【Ding Mo (Guard): Then Director, may I ask what is called having a "soul"?】

【Director: How the hell would I know! Are you the Actor or am I the Actor? Coming to ask me?】

"..."

Ding Mo was silent for a moment, veins bulging on his forehead.

If he knew where this Director lived, he would want to run over and strangle him to death right now!

You don't know anything! And you're still shouting? What the hell are you shouting for!

But there was no other way; who told him to be the "Director"? Even if he didn't admit it, there was nothing to do but start over.

Ding Mo felt somewhat helpless.

That hour or so from last night had all been for nothing.

Before lunch, Chu Chenfeng actually returned.

Ding Mo looked at him in surprise: "Aren't you afraid of violating the rules?"

Chu Chenfeng just shook his head and sat on the bed.

Ding Mo noticed that he had even brought his sword when he went out.

"It should be fine." He spoke slowly:

"The rules only say to try not to leave the room; they don't say it's forbidden or that you cannot leave."

Upon hearing this, Ding Mo also realized something.

"Are you saying that there is value in exploring behind this rule?"

During the month he spent in the Isolation Zone, Ding Mo hadn't just been playing around; he had almost flipped through all the Task data recorded on the computer.

The conclusion reached was that in a Task, some rules have room for defiance.

For example, in Ding Mo's last Task, the code of conduct clearly mentioned "try not to stop or get off the vehicle."

But in fact, as long as you have the license plate, the driver can temporarily get off or even abandon the vehicle and leave.

"Mm," Chu Chenfeng nodded, confirming his thought.

"I took some risks and roughly checked the entire Hotel."

"Any discoveries?"

Chu Chenfeng shook his head lightly.

Ding Mo was disappointed for a moment.

But that made sense; if there had been any discoveries, Chu Chenfeng probably wouldn't have returned so easily.

"Not easy" could refer to either mentally or physically.

"Alright." Immediately, Ding Mo told him about the need to perform again.

Chu Chenfeng did not take his phone when he went out—this point was clearly restricted in the "Actor Manual".

And after learning this, Chu Chenfeng was clearly surprised for a moment.

"The performance needs to have a 'soul'?

"It seems things are not that simple..."