Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Crazy
Chapter 120: Crazy
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After half a month had passed since the college entrance examination concluded, the results of the investigation were finally released.
The investigation confirmed that Chen Wei had indeed committed suicide by jumping off a building. It was revealed that Bai Jing and the others, having witnessed Chen Wei’s involvement, had deceived her by claiming they wanted her to gather evidence and start afresh. They threatened to report her to the school and disqualify her from the college entrance examination if she refused. However, in a twist of events, Chen Wei, burdened with guilt, attempted to snatch her phone. Tragically, she lost her balance and fell down the stairs.
Feeling that the official investigation was absurd, Mu Ci resolved to take matters into her own hands and find a solution to the problem independently.
From that point onwards, Mu Ci’s darker side emerged. Wen Nian recollected the second scene in the forest from her previous life. While she didn’t see anything inherently wrong with Mu Ci’s character in her past incarnation, she did have reservations about the extreme level of Mu Ci’s unhinged behavior and criticism.
With the intention of honing her acting skills, Wen Nian watched the movie with a focused mindset. During that time, she found the scene that had garnered immense attention online to be particularly memorable and impactful. However, it was only after her own imprisonment that she truly understood the chilling reality of what it meant to be engulfed by madness.
Two days later, Mu Ci extended an invitation to Bai Jing and the others, proposing a meeting in the forest.
This small group of demons displayed no fear in the face of Mu Ci’s questioning. They continued to exhibit their contemptuous attitude towards Chen Wei’s death, showing no reverence for human life in their indifferent tone. Instead, they questioned why they, who were born into poverty, should not resist oppression.
The anger in Mu Ci’s heart reached its boiling point. She persisted in provoking them, firmly expressing her determination to continue reporting their actions.
Within the small group of five, Mu Ci appeared to possess an unwavering resolve to face the consequences together. Almost as if by magic, she produced a small, palm-sized knife and fiercely resisted their presence. The others quickly evaded her attack, startled by her sudden outburst.
The richer and more powerful a person was, the more afraid they were of death.
As Wen Nian recollected her time in prison, she remembered how she had fought fiercely, risking her life to deter others from easily provoking her. With that memory in mind, she mentally transformed herself into the determined and fierce character of Mu Ci, who stood in the forest at that very moment.
Mu Ci’s eyes turned bloodshot as she displayed a sinister smile. Speaking in a coaxing tone, she taunted, “Don’t be afraid of me. There are so many of you, and 1 only have one saber. I just need a scabbard. Who among you wants to be my scabbard?”
Mu Ci’s voice echoed with an eerie calmness as she continued, “Just one person needs to stand in the way of this knife, and then 1 will be at your mercy.” With deliberate steps, she advanced towards them, intensifying the tension in the air.
Despite knowing that this was just a performance and Wen Nian was merely acting, the actors couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the sheer madness reflected in Mu Ci’s eyes. The intensity of the moment made their legs feel weak, and even Bai Jing, who had a harsh line prepared, found her mind going blank, unable to utter a word.
As Mu Ci inched closer and closer, the oppressive and fearful atmosphere became too overwhelming for Wu Gang’s actor to bear. Unable to wait for Bai Jing to deliver her lines, he instinctively started retreating, unable to withstand the mounting tension any longer.
Once one person began retreating, a domino effect ensued, with each actor following suit. None of them wanted to be the unfortunate soul who became Mu Ci’s “scabbard.”
The actor portraying Zhang Ju couldn’t help but feel a knot in his throat as he observed Mu Ci’s deranged demeanor. Nervously, he stumbled through his lines, suggesting, “Let’s call it a day for now. We can handle her another time.” Everyone immediately nodded in agreement and fled.
“Cut!”
The emotions portrayed in this scene were a rollercoaster for Wen Nian. She had to navigate through a range of intense feelings, transitioning from the initial excitement of believing progress was being made in the bullying case, to the shock of witnessing a life being extinguished before her eyes. Then, she experienced a glimmer of hope as she thought she had found a way to successfully bring the perpetrators to justice, only to be confronted with the crushing despair of the seemingly insurmountable power of the government and the uncertainty of her future plans. In the end, she chose to fight to the death.
Wen Nian’s portrayal of these emotional changes was remarkably seamless, especially considering her lack of formal training. Drawing upon her previous life experiences and a deep resonance with the character of Mu Ci, she was able to tap into her natural talent and instincts to bring the role to life.
This kind of lifestyle performance was even more advanced.
There was a scattered applause around them, followed by a series of applause.
Xu Chang stepped forward and said with a smile, “Mu Ci, what other surprises do you have in store?! I caught a glimpse of your expression on the monitor earlier and it made me a bit apprehensive.”
“Even though Bai Jing forgot to deliver her line, the spontaneous effect was even better than scripted! So 1 won’t reshoot the scene. We’ll keep the previous take!”
While Xu Chang was merely making an objective statement, when Pan Jia, the actress portraying Bai Jing, heard it, she interpreted Xu Chang’s words as him intentionally undermining her in order to praise Wen Nian.
Pan Jia reflected on how, as someone who studied acting, she had allowed herself to be so intimidated by a fellow actor that she had forgotten her lines. Feeling a tinge of embarrassment, she discreetly rolled her eyes at the attention Wen Nian was receiving. Without saying a word, she quietly walked to the side..