Chapter 38: 038 Audition

Chapter 38: 038 Audition

"I knew you would pick this one," Xu Wen said with a smile. "I heard this project was halted for a while and only recently started preparations again."

The script is indeed excellent. The original work is a well-known suspense novel from recent years. Unfortunately, after the script was purchased, it was delayed until the copyright expired, and the drama was never brought to the screen.

The main reason is that the original author is quite stubborn.

When signing the contract, he had specific requirements for adaptation and casting. If the production team couldn't meet his standards, he would rather the drama never be made.

The original author is quite famous in the literary circle, with countless fans. His strong emotions stem mainly from the disastrous adaptation of his previous work, "The Informant."

It was indeed a grand production, with investments exceeding hundreds of millions and numerous collaborators, all eager to make it a success. However, in the end, it turned out to be a carefully selected... disaster.

Frankly speaking, the author even envies Jin Mu a bit. At least "Rising Sun" had a decent start, and the final episodes still had viewers.

Moreover, critics were eager to analyze the reasons for "Rising Sun's" failure and discuss how the drama could have been improved.

At least "Rising Sun" was worth discussing, whereas when a drama is utterly terrible, it doesn't even have the value of being critiqued.

Who cares about the texture of a piece of garbage?

Since then, the original author of this drama has developed adaptation trauma. It's not that he doesn't want his works to be adapted, but he doesn't want to see such a tragic outcome again.

After much back and forth, the script has temporarily landed in Lu Xu's hands.

In the script, the protagonist, Yu Yi, is a handsome man who has undergone plastic surgery. His beauty is a tool for his revenge, so the role must be convincingly attractive.

This alone has ruled out many actors.

Additionally, thrillers usually require strong acting skills, so the male lead must not only be good-looking but also have the acting ability to carry the role.

This makes finding the right actor quite challenging.

Looking across the entire entertainment industry, most actors who meet both criteria are now over 40. Whether it's due to bad luck or something else, most attractive actors today have average acting skills or lack audience appeal, while those with solid acting skills... well, their looks are just average.

If it weren't for Lu Xu's sudden rise, this script might not have found its next collaborator.

"The original author will also be present during the audition," Xu Wen reminded Lu Xu. "His opinion is more important."

Lu Xu gave a nod. Even as an outsider, he had heard about the disastrous situation with "The Informant." No wonder the author went crazy.

Who would want their well-crafted work to be adapted into something unbearable?

...

In the following period, Lu Xu stayed at home, focusing on studying the script.

He moved to a new place, a house arranged by his agent, fully furnished and ready for him to move into.

After signing the contract, Lu Xu met with several executives from Feiyang Entertainment. He wasn't familiar with many of the artists under Feiyang, but he would have the chance to meet them at the company's year-end meeting.

For now, he doesn't have any resource conflicts with other artists at Feiyang Entertainment, but over time, things could change.

When Verse first debuted, the relationships between the members weren't as bad as they are now.

The drama in Lu Xu's hands is titled "The Path of Bones." Although he doesn't have the complete script, the original novel is available, so understanding the plot isn't difficult.

The former "01" team captain, Yu Yi, along with teammates "Old Cat," "Flying Mouse," and "Duck," completed a mission to escort something. Unbeknownst to them, the mission was a trap set by the mastermind to eliminate them. Among the group, only Yu Yi barely survived. He then became a vengeful spirit, embarking on a journey to avenge himself and his comrades.

The origin of the mission was a list they accidentally came across before they retired, which involved a secret. Unfortunately, Yu Yi and his team saw it, and it became their death sentence.

The original work is a novel, naturally winning with its tense and thrilling plot. Lu Xu compared the script he held with the original work and found that the protagonist's character had been significantly and well expanded. Lu Xu guessed that this version of the adaptation must have been reviewed by the author in advance.

Lu Xu first wrote a character biography himself and thoroughly prepared for the scenes he was to audition for.

In the opening of the original work, Yu Yi is actually a warm-hearted man, appearing cold but exceptionally caring for his team members. He was alone, with no family to worry about, and no reason to take risks, but his team members all had families to care for.

They took on the escort mission because they all needed money, hoping to earn more to provide a better life for their families.

After the team members died, Yu Yi also suffered severe injuries, and from then on, he completely closed off his inner world, allowing himself to become a cold and ruthless killing machine.

Being cold and ruthless does not mean being emotionless; on the contrary, it is because his emotions for his loved ones are too intense that his psyche has undergone such a drastic change.

After reading the original work, Lu Xu meticulously reviewed the audition scenes multiple times and practiced the role himself.

Regardless of the audition result, he had to prepare thoroughly.

...

On the day of the audition, it drizzled. Xu Wen drove Lu Xu to the destination. As one of the candidates for the male lead, Lu Xu received the rare privilege of a lead actor and went in to audition without waiting long.

"You're the only one here to audition for the male lead," Xu Wen said. "It's not easy to find an actor for this role."

The audition venue was quite small, and Lu Xu didn't recognize many faces. It seemed, as Xu Wen said, that the original author had given up on so-called big productions and preferred to cooperate with low-budget crews.

As soon as Lu Xu disappeared, other actors in the audition room started discussing privately: "Isn't that Lu Xu who came to audition for the male lead?"

"Is it confirmed?"

"How would I know now? I just took a good look at Lu Xu's face, and he seems quite suitable to play Yu Yi..."

"He looks even better in person than on screen, tall, just a bit thin."

The original author, Kong Le, also had the first impression that Lu Xu was a bit thin. In terms of image, Yu Yi should be more robust.

Before coming, Kong Le had heard Lu Xu's name so much that his ears were calloused. He had a reader group, filled with long-time readers who had been following his books for years. After hearing that "The Path of Bones" was selecting actors, several readers recommended Lu Xu to him.

"He's not just handsome—he can really act!"

His Weibo comments and private messages also had many fans mentioning Lu Xu's name.

Lu Xu himself had not self-recommended.

Kong Le also admitted that among all the actors interested in the role of Yu Yi he had contacted, Lu Xu's appearance was the most fitting.

However, the acting skills others mentioned, Kong Le had not yet experienced firsthand.

Before coming, he had mentally prepared himself that this audition might still not yield a suitable candidate, as this was not the first time. Previous actors who auditioned for Yu Yi always had something he was not satisfied with.

Kong Le absentmindedly flipped through the script, barely registering what the Director had just said to Lu Xu.

When he looked up again, Lu Xu had already changed his demeanor.

Kong Le quickly flipped to the page of the scene, and the young man's appearance had not changed, and the lighting in the audition room was sufficient. But the moment Lu Xu looked up again, Kong Le had a strange feeling—he seemed to see the blood and tears accumulated deep in the young man's eyes.

The beam of light enveloping him also seemed to dim at that moment.

How could one say Yu Yi is cold and ruthless? He just hid his deep hatred for his enemies and the world within his body, and with a slight touch, flames could erupt.

Kong Le didn’t find the audition scene right away, but as the original author of *The Path of Bones*, he instantly recognized Lu Xu performing the scene where Yu Yi faces a sudden, tragic turn of events.

Overnight, his world fell apart.

Yet Yu Yi did not wallow in the tragedy he endured. From the very beginning, he was determined to seek revenge. He had already hated enough; there was no need for further embellishment.

Lu Xu didn’t utter a single line, yet Kong Le seemed to see the pain and sorrow etched into Yu Yi’s very being.

Kong Le felt unprepared, yet Lu Xu had already given him the Yu Yi he envisioned.

The man dragged his battered body, crawling slowly, gathering his teammate’s dagger, a postcard from his family, and the ring from the girl he loved… In the dead of night, he crawled like a wounded animal.

The audition room lacked props, and performing this scene out of context might seem odd to an outsider.

Yet at this moment, the audition room was completely silent. Everyone saw Lu Xu as Yu Yi. No one found the action ridiculous; instead, they were immersed in the atmosphere he created.

His expression matched his movements. At first glance, Yu Yi seemed to have put away his sorrow and become calm, but upon closer observation, one could detect the shadow of death looming over the young man, as well as the sole remaining belief—revenge.

The word “captivating” suddenly came to Kong Le’s mind.

There were no lines, no inner monologues, yet they could still discern what Yu Yi was thinking.

When naming the character, Kong Le thought, for such a story, the protagonist should be called Yu Yi.

Yu Yi, the lone survivor.

While writing this novel, Yu Yi, as the protagonist, never had a distinct face. Kong Le didn’t base the character on anyone real.

Yet now, he realized that Yu Yi had gained his own face.

Kong Le was the author, and his connection to the entertainment industry was limited to occasional collaborations. He wasn’t swayed by fans’ flowery praise of actors’ performances. The disastrous experience with his previous work, *The Informant*, made Kong Le want to stay away from these people.

But looking at Lu Xu before him, he understood that acting talent truly existed.

Yu Yi’s personality was exactly as Lu Xu portrayed it—a calm exterior masking a fiery core, ready to burn anyone who got too close to ashes.

The audition room remained silent for a long time. Director Lei Ai glanced at Kong Le, signaling him.

*The Path of Bones* had auditioned more than one actor. Based on past experience, it was always Kong Le who couldn’t be satisfied.

In Lei Ai’s mind, Lu Xu’s performance was qualified. If Kong Le still wasn’t satisfied, he doubted an actor capable of playing Yu Yi even existed.

To perform like this with just movements and expressions—what more could one ask for?

Kong Le remained silent. Lei Ai’s heart stirred, sensing that this time, there might be hope.

In the past, after such a performance, the original author would have voiced his opinions without reservation—certainly not in pleasant terms.

His silence now equated to satisfaction.

Lei Ai then smiled and said, “Let’s try the second scene.”

—The scene where Yu Yi completes his first act of revenge.