[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-more-tragic-i-act-the-stronger-i-get-my-fans":3,"chapter-the-more-tragic-i-act-the-stronger-i-get-my-fans-the-more-tragic-i-act-the-stronger-i-get-my-fans-chapter-264":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1297928,1723,"Chapter 264: Extending Life by Two Months! A Solo Dance in the Rain","the-more-tragic-i-act-the-stronger-i-get-my-fans-chapter-264",264,"\u003Cp>Only Jiang Ci and Yan Zheng remained in the conference room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terms of that letter of intent were harsh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The highest level of confidentiality, complete isolation from the world during filming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The filming location, the border of Yunnan province, a place of gunfire and rain of bullets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No stand-ins, all life-risking scenes, to be experienced firsthand by the actors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Zheng pushed the pen in front of him, waiting silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci didn't hesitate for a second. He picked up the pen and signed his name in the signature field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stroke of the pen was decisive and firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have only one request.\" Jiang Ci put down the pen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"During filming,\" Jiang Ci's voice was soft, yet heavy, \"do not glorify sacrifice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lines on Yan Zheng's stern, square face seemed to soften for an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Agreed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci returned to the entourage van. Lin Wan was waiting for him, still holding her laptop, the screen filled with a dense schedule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wrapping up 'The Lurker' will take at most twenty days, followed by the nationwide roadshow for 'The Legend of Han and Chu,' with two commercial reshoots squeezed in between...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wan's finger slid across the screen. She looked up, about to explain the schedule details to Jiang Ci.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, Jiang Ci placed another document in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wan's gaze fell on the two handwritten characters on the cover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Icebreaker'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she scanned the terms of the letter of intent at the fastest speed possible, a surge of anger rushed straight to her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have you gone mad!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wan slammed the letter of intent heavily onto the armrest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you have any idea what your upcoming workload is like?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once 'The Lurker' wraps, you won't even have a single day to catch your breath before joining the crew for this 'Icebreaker'!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've also received news that 'The Legend of Han and Chu' is preparing to announce its release date. You'll have to attend the roadshow then!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are three hundred and sixty-five days in a year. Are you planning not to rest for a single one? Are you made of iron, or are you trying to get yourself killed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air pressure inside the vehicle was terrifyingly low. Assistant Sun Zhou wished he could shrink into a ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci looked quietly at Lin Wan. His eyes, bloodshot from days of intense filming, held no excuses or retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of Lin Wan's fury suddenly died the moment it met those eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a kind of calmness in those eyes that made her heart ache sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She abruptly remembered the deeply buried pain he mentioned when talking about his father, and finally understood that behind this stubbornness was a line he would not allow to be crossed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She deflated, leaning back exhaustedly into her seat, raising a hand to press against her throbbing temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew she couldn't stop this madman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wan picked up the laptop again, her fingers flying across the keyboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You signed with Spark. Your schedule is my call.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was cold and hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've already helped you decline those two high-end luxury brand commercial appearances next month. The company will cover the penalty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After 'The Lurker' wraps, before 'Icebreaker' starts shooting, I've squeezed out seven days for you. Go home and rest properly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Jiang Ci returned to the set of 'The Lurker,' the atmosphere within the crew had undergone a subtle change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aftermath of the online storm had cast an unpredictable aura around his name in the eyes of industry insiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was no longer just a newcomer with good acting skills, but more like a 'big shot with unfathomable connections.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when a set assistant handed him water, they instinctively offered it with both hands, body slightly bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Jiang, your water.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci took the water and thanked him. He could feel the probing and wary gazes from all around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the corner, Director Hou Hsiao-hsien was facing the monitor, completely deaf to everything outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Jiang Ci approached did he look up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Hsiao-hsien didn't stand on ceremony, nor did he look at Jiang Ci any higher because of that storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the contrary, his murky eyes burned with an almost fanatical artistic excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up a few pages of still-warm paper from beside his director's chair and shoved them into Jiang Ci's hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were new pages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scene added at the last minute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Hsiao-hsien's voice was very low, filled with satisfaction, \"Perfect. The despair and loneliness of Shen Qingyuan in the later stages wasn't enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your current state is perfect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Hou pointed at those pages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For the final scene, add a solo dance in the rain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Make his death even more beautiful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xiaoping found Jiang Ci before filming started.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, having washed away Gu Wanbai's fragility, leaving only her own cool, sharp efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard you accepted Teacher Yan Zheng's script?\" She got straight to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci looked up from the script and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know what Teacher Yan's filming style is like?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xiaoping lowered her voice, \"My grandfather worked with him before. In snow at minus twenty degrees Celsius, for a single shot, he made all the actors lie down for five hours.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Half the crew ended up in the hospital.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His filming can really cost you your life.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci looked at the genuine concern in her eyes and replied calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is my life.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xiaoping fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this seemingly random statement, she understood a certain heaviness she could not touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Late at night, on set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Artificial rainfall and water trucks were activated simultaneously. A torrential downpour poured down, turning the entire Republican-era street into a muddy mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the final scene before Shen Qingyuan's death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had sent out his last piece of intelligence; his identity was about to be exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dawn, the city would be liberated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he would be forever nailed to the pillar of shame as a traitor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci, wearing a thin suit, stood in the center of the empty street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The icy rain instantly soaked him through, clinging to his body, outlining his gaunt frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Action!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the command, Jiang Ci moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He faced the empty space ahead, that void of darkness, and performed a flawless gentleman's bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he extended his hand, his arm circling in a standard posture, as if there, in his embrace, was a beloved but invisible dance partner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He began a simple, casual tango.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unfinished dance he and Gu Wanbai had shared back at the Paramount Ballroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steps were elegant, each one landing in the muddy water, splashing up dirty ripples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His suit was a mess, but his movements remained composed and proud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A turn, a pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world was left with only him and the non-existent lover in his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This lonely dance was his farewell to the world he had protected with his life but which had utterly abandoned him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also the most cruel memorial for his own love that had been crushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the monitor, everyone watched the figure dancing alone in the heavy rain on the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That elegance pushed to the extreme, that Broken Feeling, pierced the heart of every person present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newly graduated little assistant from the Costume Department could no longer hold back, covering her mouth as tears silently rolled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Xiaoping stood behind the crowd, biting her lip hard to keep herself from losing composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She finally understood that this man was born to portray tragedy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Jiang Ci's mind, the pale blue system panel refreshed frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[From makeup artist Zhang Li, Heartbreak Value +18]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[From costume assistant Zhou Na, Heartbreak Value +22]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Heartbreak Value +188 points]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Congratulations, host, for obtaining lifespan duration: 60 days]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This tango performance had bought him two months of life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cut...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Hsiao-hsien's voice rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci remained standing in place, rainwater dripping from his hair and chin, his entire body icy cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Zhao Zhen rushed up with a steaming hot dry towel and wrapped him tightly in it did that warmth stop his trembling body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right in the midst of this chaos of voices and rain,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the phone in his pocket vibrated, inappropriately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ci took the phone. The name flashing on the screen was Wei Song, director of 'The Legend of Han and Chu.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the call connected, Wei Song's steady tone cut through the noise, coming through clearly, \"Jiang Ci, 'The Legend of Han and Chu' is scheduled! September 1st!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then changed tack, \"But there's a bit of a problem with the publicity. Your current 'domestic entertainment God of War' image is too hard. They're worried it will affect the audience's immersion into Xiang Yu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have an idea. What if we don't release any trailers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's use that set of 'The Farewell My Concubine' stills of yours as the main publicity material, only release the back view.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Use the sense of mystery to dilute the audience's stereotypical impression of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1530,"2026-06-05T18:00:08.557Z",1,"novelbin.me","67412f2dc5823fed0f0fc8dbcac42f6f46c4d9f5220d1ccb25dd983d105ae39a","the-more-tragic-i-act-the-stronger-i-get-my-fans-chapter-265","the-more-tragic-i-act-the-stronger-i-get-my-fans-chapter-263",366,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-more-tragic-i-act-the-stronger-i-get-my-fans-cover.jpg"]