Chapter 113: If a Deity Were to Descend to the Mortal Realm, Who Do You Suppose It Would Be? (Extended Chapter)

The most thrilling part of the entire play was the scene where Xin Qiji charges into the enemy camp to rescue his people. It required him to jump his horse over a burning roadblock.

In truth, with the right cinematography, one could easily fake the background. By having the horse jump over a low obstacle and using a low-angle shot, the jump would appear much higher than it actually was. With some post-production to add the fire effects, the desired scene could be easily achieved. But fake is, after all, still fake. If the audience were to be drawn in by the tension of the scene, only to be pulled out by a shot clearly laden with cheap, unconvincing special effects, that would not be the result Su Mu wanted.

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. In his view, a seventy-million-yuan paycheck shouldn't be met with the standards of cheap special effects or a stunt double. If Zheng Quan had offered five million less, Su Mu might have lowered his standards accordingly.

Qian Jida: "You aren't actually going to do this for real, are you?"
Su Mu: "Can there be anything fake about earning money?"
Qian Jida: "But this is too dangerous."
Su Mu: "Not making a hundred million a year is the greatest threat to my life."
Qian Jida: "..."

Qian was rendered speechless for a moment. But upon further reflection, he realized it was true. With only sixty million in income this year, life was indeed quite dangerous.

...

There were many shots to be filmed today. Six camera positions were set up: one overhead, one at a low angle on the ground, one for close-up tracking, two for wide shots, and one at the very end of the course.

The crew wrapped rags soaked in fuel around the log roadblock. With a burst from a flamethrower, it was quickly engulfed in flames. Many crew members looked on with fear—not because of the fire itself, but at the thought that Su Mu would actually jump his horse over it. Their hearts raced. The roadblock was waist-high; it wasn't just any horse that could clear that. Even in a circus, not every horse could leap such a height. Furthermore, the logs were sharpened to create spikes; a single mistake could lead to severe injury for both man and horse.

"My god, is Su Mu really going to jump? I admire him more and more."
"As expected of Master Su, he doesn't even use a stunt double. How professional."
"Without comparison, there is no pain. I remember on the last set, I saw an actor who, let alone riding a horse, needed special effects just to wave a sword."
"Don't compare Su Mu to those people; they aren't even on the same level."
"Damn, just watching this makes me nervous. What if the horse can't make it?"

Everyone stared at the roadblock in the center of the field. Just imagining the jump made their hearts pound, let alone actually doing it on a real horse.

Across the way, Chen Anzhi and Yuan Zheng were making final arrangements. Since this scene took place during the heat of battle, every extra had to follow a strictly planned sequence, leaving just enough space for Su Mu to get a running start for the jump.

After briefing the key cast members, Chen Anzhi turned back to Su Mu. "If you think it's too difficult, we can change the plan immediately. Honestly, I think it's too dangerous. Why don't you reconsider?"

Yuan Zheng, usually strict about action scenes, also chimed in. "The director is right. This isn't easy even for our professional stuntmen. You've already done well enough; if an accident happens, it's not what we want to see."

Su Mu shook his head, his expression suddenly hardening. "No, it's not me who has to make this jump—it's Xin Qiji! And since I am Xin Qiji now, how can I not jump? If I shrink back in the face of difficulty, the character will lose his soul."

[Acting Proficiency +1]
[Emotional Proficiency +1]
[Skill Points +0.01...]

Chen Anzhi: "!!!"
Yuan Zheng: "!!!"

After Su Mu finished speaking, Chen and Yuan were stunned. They exchanged glances, a wave of realization washing over them. Once Su Mu left to prepare, Chen sighed. "I didn't expect this. I truly didn't expect that we would be taught a lesson by a younger man."

Yuan Zheng nodded. "Indeed. Everyone here was worried about the risks, but only Su Mu was immersed in the role. He is the only one truly concerned with how to play the character; he thinks only of what Xin Qiji thinks and feels. With an actor like this, it’s hard not to succeed."

Chen Anzhi: "This boy will surely achieve greatness!"

...

'Little Lightning' looked at the fire ahead with some trepidation. Realizing it had to cross the obstacle, it lost interest in its hay and kept backing away, seemingly wishing it could return to the safety of the stable.

Su Mu walked up and stroked the horse's face. "Don't be afraid. With your build, jumping this isn't a problem. It’s all about confidence. You have it, right?"

Little Lightning breathed heavily.

Su Mu: "Good, having it is enough."
Little Lightning: ???
Su Mu: "By the way, that mare in the stable next to yours—I feel like you've got a crush on her. I can help you out; a little money can get you into the same stall, but it depends on your performance today. Of course, if you don't do well, forget the mare—there are some things you might not be able to use in the future. Think about it."

Little Lightning: !!!
Su Mu: "Excellent. That’s the passion and wildness I want to see. Keep it up! If the jump is beautiful, I’ll get you a little white mare too!"
Little Lightning: *Neigh!*

Suddenly, the horse's cry drew everyone's attention. Little Lightning, previously listless, was now inexplicably vibrant and full of fighting spirit.

Su Mu smiled, and without hesitation, he swung onto the horse. He wore aged armor and carried a long sword on his back. The makeup artist had applied soot and mud to his face to simulate the aftermath of battle, but his eyes were icy and filled with unshakeable conviction.

The moment he mounted the horse, the weary, battle-hardened aura of a soldier emerged. Everyone stood still, sighing in awe.

"He has such a presence! It’s amazing!"
"My god, he’s so handsome! He really is the only one who should play Xin Qiji!"
"Su Mu is my idol from now on!"
"This show is definitely going to be a hit!"

Yuan Shuang and the other stuntwomen looked on, starstruck. On set, everyone was in position. Chen Anzhi grabbed his walkie-talkie. "Fire and medical teams, stay alert. Be ready to move in if anything happens!"

"All cameras ready. Scene 89, Action!"

The scene began. The story followed Xin Qiji returning to Tai'an City after chasing down a spy, only to discover that the Great Marshal Geng, who had taken care of him, had been murdered by traitors. The Song army was demoralized, and the generals were ready to disband. Faced with this, Xin Qiji decided to avenge the Marshal and capture the traitor Zhang Anguo, hoping to reignite the flickering hope of the Song dynasty.

He led only fifty men into the Jin camp. After a bloody battle, they captured the traitor and killed a Jin commander, but the ending was tragic. His brothers and his beloved woman had all died in the fight.

The final scene was his escape from the Jin camp, the classic jump over the roadblock. The difficulty lay not just in the stunt, but in the tragic grief. He had never known defeat, but this marked the beginning of his true sorrow.

The set was filled with smoke and the sound of steel clashing. Su Mu swung his sword, following Yuan Zheng's choreography perfectly. The cameras tracked the final moments as his brothers were surrounded and killed, pushing him and the traitor onto the horse.

"Go! In the next life... we'll be brothers again!"

As the last man fell to a spear, Xin Qiji, alone, charged the traitor out of the camp. Ahead lay the burning roadblock. Su Mu held the reins with one hand, looked back at his fallen brothers with a face of tragic sorrow, and let out a roar!

"AHHH!!!"

The gut-wrenching cry echoed through the set. Little Lightning surged forward, front hooves rising high, and soared over the fire!

"!!!"
"!!!"
"!!!"

The entire set fell silent. Everyone watched, dumbfounded, their hearts skipping a beat. It was too thrilling, too magnificent. Little Lightning, with its black mane, looked incredibly heroic amidst the orange flames. It ignored the Jin soldiers, cleared the obstacle, landed steadily, and galloped into the distance.

The entire sequence flowed so naturally that it felt as if they were witnessing a real event. That figure really was Xin Qiji, just having survived a brutal battle. And that final glance Su Mu cast back—beyond the grief for his fallen brothers, it held a trace of pain for his lost love.

Chen Anzhi and those who understood the script well knew the value of that look; it laid the foundation for the eventual ending. It was exactly as the poem said: "Suddenly I turned my head, and there she was, where the lanterns were fading."

It was brilliant. So brilliant that the director forgot to call "Cut." It wasn't until Su Mu rode Little Lightning back, clip-clopping towards them, that everyone snapped out of it.

"Holy cow!"
"Awesome! Su Mu is awesome!"
"Too perfect! That was incredible!"

Applause erupted across the set. Everyone was ecstatic. Honestly, no one had expected such a perfect take on the first try. Though Chen Anzhi hadn't officially confirmed it, everyone knew it was a success. It was simply too spectacular.

...

Outside, in a black car, Sun Liaojun, Xiao Li, and Xiao Zhang sat with their mouths agape. What they had just witnessed was the most shocking thing they had seen in all their days here.

Sun Liaojun: "Did you... did you see that? Did he clear it?"
Xiao Li: "He cleared it."
Xiao Zhang: "Damn, this Su Mu is like a god of war!"

A few minutes later, Sun Liaojun snapped back to reality. "Don't just sit there! Check the camera, did you get it?"

Xiao Li and Xiao Zhang rushed to check the footage.
Sun Liaojun: "Well?"
Xiao Li: "Boss, the video is blurry..."
Xiao Zhang: "But there’s one good photo."

Sun Liaojun checked it. His expression shifted from disappointment to a slight smile. The video was blurry, but that was expected given the distance. Even if they had a clear video, they wouldn't dare publish it. But the photo was fine. It captured the exact moment of the jump—a side profile where the silhouette was clear, but the face was obscured.

Sun Liaojun grinned. He realized this photo was perfect. It was brilliant! If you said it was Su Mu, there was no face; if you said it wasn't, it was posted from the 'Black News' account. This vague, mysterious quality was the most tantalizing and would definitely drive the fans wild. The data was bound to explode.

Sun Liaojun pointed at the screen. "Use this for the fourth installment."
Xiao Li: "Huh? Boss, are you sure? Just this photo where you can't even see his face?"
Xiao Zhang: "Can this work, Boss? We've been posting videos; if we switch to a photo, won't we get roasted?"

Sun Liaojun smiled smugly. "A clear face would be boring. Besides, posting this isn't dangerous for us. More importantly, this installment will be more explosive than the last, and Su Mu and the crew will even thank us."

Xiao Li: "???"
Xiao Zhang: "???"

Sun Liaojun didn't explain. He pulled out his laptop and began writing the copy for the fourth installment. Looking at the stunning photo, he asked, "What did I tell you was the core philosophy we should follow from now on?"

Xiao Li: "Oh... stick to 'fawning' as the core!"
Xiao Zhang: "Hold onto Su Mu's leg and pick up the money!"

Sun Liaojun smiled in satisfaction. Inspiration had struck.

[Black News V: Fourth installment! If a god descended to earth? Do you think this is that man?]
[Attached Image/JPG!]