Chapter 124: He Must Be Hiding a Secret; If I Were Your Fan, Could You Spare Me? (Extended Chapter)

[Blind Box *10 Opening...]
[Scripts: "Twelve Citizens", "Ip Man", "Chinese Paladin", "KO One"]
[Scores: "Glorious Years", "Chasing Light", "The Most Dazzling Folk Style"]
[Base Attributes +5.0]
[Skill Points +5.0]
[Proficiency +1000]

Looking at the rewards from the ten-draw, Su Mu began to organize the cards in his hand. He knew that the works produced by the blind boxes must be ones that did not yet exist in this world. Including this batch, he now had seven scripts in total: "Hello Mr. Billionaire", "Goodbye Mr. Loser", "Ip Man", "Twelve Citizens", "Chinese Paladin", "Meteor Garden", and "KO One".

The genres and quality were, to put it mildly, uneven. But Su Mu could accept it. After all, it was a blind selection. It was like playing cards; no one could guarantee they would be dealt a pair of Jokers and a hand full of bombs. The real joy lay in how to play a mediocre hand to create a winning streak. Idol dramas might seem superficial in content, but that didn't mean they weren't profitable. Conversely, content with depth that required high-level acting skills wasn't guaranteed to be favored by the box office. Everything depended on the player's judgment. At the right time, with the right people, playing the right cards—that was how to achieve a sweeping victory.

To grow and get stronger, one needed enough patience. Whether it was scripts or songs, there would always be a time for them.

After summarizing his inventory, Su Mu added the 5.0 base attribute points to his vocal range. He felt a tickle in his throat, likely his vocal cords developing. As for the +1000 proficiency, he distributed it across various acting categories. Normally, out of habit, he would have dumped it all into the skill he was currently grinding, but he felt there was no need to overexert himself on "grave robbing" proficiency. After all, he wasn't going into the "property" brokerage business. Unlike horse riding or sword fighting, which were useful for future acting roles, this was less applicable.

...

The next day, after a two-hour flight, Su Mu and his team landed safely at Galaxy Airport. As usual, Master Zhu went to the parking lot to retrieve the RV to take them home.

Qian Jida remarked, "Last year it was the Huaxia Peak Awards, and this year it's the Golden Peng Awards. These two alternate annually, around the end of October. It's just a pity that 'Xin Qiji' is a web movie, so it doesn't meet the nomination requirements."

Huaxia Peak was a major event for television dramas, while the Golden Peng Awards were for the film industry. Su Mu had never attended the Golden Peng before because he lacked relevant works. He didn't even recognize many of the award ceremonies. He later learned, however, that the Golden Peng Awards were quite significant for actors in mainland China.

But this year was different from last. Su Mu was invited just to observe. Based on quality alone, "Xin Qiji" certainly deserved some awards, but the Golden Peng was positioned specifically for theatrical releases and box office performance. Without box office metrics, web movies were inevitably marginalized by such awards. Su Mu didn't mind too much; after all, he wasn't just competing for this one year. Still, he had to go; he might see many film industry titans there.

Su Mu said, "It's fine. Next year we'll enter the Lunar New Year film season. The next Golden Peng will definitely have awards I can win."

Qian Jida smiled helplessly. "You're certainly confident. But honestly, I think the pressure of the Lunar New Year season is too high. There are only a few peak movie-watching periods for audiences each year, and many films are released simultaneously, making competition fierce. Take this year's season, for example; big directors like Gu An, Wu Dongsheng, and Dong Xuefei are going to fight tooth and nail."

The film schedule was divided into several stages: the Lunar New Year season (November to March), followed by the Spring season, the May Day season, the Summer season, the October National Day season, and the Winter Break season, before cycling back. With only twelve months in a year, even if you avoided one competitor, another was always waiting. It was an intense battlefield, especially considering the influx of films from Hong Kong, the Bay Area, and overseas.

Hearing Qian Jida’s concern, Su Mu chuckled. "You only know if it works after you try. Besides, when have I ever dropped the ball in the last few years? I'm not afraid at all."

Qian Jida paused, struck by the sudden realization that it was indeed true. He didn't know when it started, but Su Mu really hadn't failed since. Perhaps Su Mu would continue his triumphant march!

"Alright! Let's all work hard," Qian Jida said excitedly. "You just focus on moving forward, and leave the studio to me."

"And me!" added Little Orange.
"Yes," agreed Master Zhu.

The atmosphere in the RV became suddenly inspirational. Seeing his team so full of positive energy, Su Mu felt gratified. "Very good. Seeing such cohesion in our team makes me very happy. On this topic, let me just say a few more words..."

Master Zhu: "Okay."
Qian Jida: "..."
Little Orange: "!!!"

...

September passed in a flash. Su Mu didn't have many public appearances, but he wasn't idle. He accompanied Qian Jida to visit three legal firms and two accounting firms—all well-known nationwide. The studio needed to handle contracts and financial management, so these areas had to be settled. The real challenge was choosing the right partners. Accounting was simple, but legal services were tricky. Large firms often represented many corporate clients, including those in entertainment, which could lead to conflicts of interest. Experienced insiders always avoided using the same legal firm as their peers. After screening, only three remained: Wanyu Law, Hard Shell Law, and Jiangnan Legal.

Su Mu chose Hard Shell. It wasn't because the female lawyer in charge was beautiful, but because the name sounded reliable. The retainer fees were high—millions annually for a three-year commitment—but Su Mu knew this was an expense he couldn't cut.

...

October arrived, and the Golden Peng Awards approached. As the event was held in Galaxy City, news of celebrities arriving at the airport was constant. Su Mu kept a low profile, as he had no upcoming releases to promote.

However, this made life difficult for someone relying on him for headlines. In the parking lot below the studio, Sun Liaojun sat in the passenger seat, cigarette in mouth, staring at the gate with boredom. He had been following Su Mu, expecting some explosive new move like the one with "Xin Qiji," but Su Mu had done nothing for over a month. This made Sun Liaojun anxious; his "Dark Gossip" channel was losing followers because of his silence. He couldn't afford to lose the traffic he had worked so hard to build.

Just then, the car door opened. Little Li and Little Zhang climbed in with fast food.

"Boss, you're really not eating?" asked Little Li.
"Boss, food is fuel. How can you hold out tonight without eating?" added Little Zhang.

Sun Liaojun crushed his cigarette butt in a soda bottle and looked at their fried chicken with disdain. "You only think about eating! How did I teach you? Always stay vigilant—that's the basic professionalism of a media person!"

"But eating is also a necessity," Little Li countered.
"If you're not enthusiastic about eating, there's something wrong with your thinking!" Little Zhang chimed in.

Sun Liaojun felt like kicking them out. He couldn't understand the work ethic of the younger generation. When he started, he was like a special forces operative, surviving in the wilderness just to stalk celebrities. Now, these kids...

"Full," said Little Li.
"Stuffed," said Little Zhang.
"Damn it..." Sun Liaojun felt like vomiting blood.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared at the gate. "It's Su Mu! He's getting into the RV. Is he going out?"

Sun Liaojun's spirit was instantly reignited. "Quick! Follow him! This must be a big scoop!"

Half an hour later, they were following Su Mu onto the outer ring viaduct, heading toward the suburbs.

"He's heading out of town," Little Li noted.
"Does he have a secret villa in the suburbs? A secret love nest?" Little Zhang wondered.

Sun Liaojun shook his head. "Su Mu is far too disciplined for that. But the more mysterious he is, the more likely there’s a big story. Follow him closely!"

Two hours later, the RV stopped at a suburban park. It was dusk, and only the silhouettes of green mountains were visible. "Hiking? Is he going to work out?" Sun Liaojun recalled how Su Mu used to practice horse riding and sword fighting in secluded places. "Maybe he's practicing some kind of martial art!"

They grabbed their equipment and crept onto the mountain path. The road was paved with cement, and further up, there were stone steps. As they ascended, they saw rows of... something.

"Boss, what are those?" Little Li asked.
"They look strange," said Little Zhang.

They moved closer, and then, the world went silent. A cold chill crept up their spines. They finally realized what those rows were. Their scalps went numb, their minds went blank.

Just ahead, Su Mu stopped, turned slowly, and smiled at them!

The smile was gentle, but in this setting, it was bone-chilling.

"Still following me?" Su Mu said. "Why don't you come in and sit for a while? I'm home."

*I'm home...*
*Home!!!*

Sun Liaojun, Little Li, and Little Zhang were paralyzed.

"Ghost! It's a ghost!" Little Li and Little Zhang turned and bolted.

Sun Liaojun didn't run. Not because he wasn't scared, but because he was too hungry and weak to move. He felt like crying. *There was fried chicken in front of me, and I didn't cherish it...*

After a long silence, Sun Liaojun squeezed out a smile uglier than a cry. "Heh... brother~, I'm your fan!"