The Golden-Necked Flame Wolf, gravely wounded and on the brink of death, opened its eyes as if in a final burst of vitality. Clear light shimmered in them, as though it wanted to remember Zhang Guangmu's appearance forever.
A moment later, it used the last of its strength to gently lick Zhang Guangmu's palm. It let out a low whimper, slowly closed its eyes, and sank into eternal sleep.
Although they had stood on opposing sides, the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf's death still weighed heavily on Zhang Guangmu.
"Phew..."
After exhaling a breath of stale air, Zhang Guangmu quickly adjusted his emotions. He patted the somewhat jealous Flame Wolf Bai Yue beside him in reassurance. "They're already dead. What are you jealous of?"
As he stroked Bai Yue's head, a faint light shone in Zhang Guangmu's eyes.
In his view, not only the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf but even Bai Yue were the same. Dying in the Subconscious Film World did not mean truly perishing. Instead, they would enter a dormant state until they were assigned roles in another Subconscious Film.
Zhang Guangmu believed that Bai Yue and Golden Neck could both be considered unusual Subconscious Actors. They might essentially be artificial intelligence, yet each possessed a spirit of its own.
He could not control what others thought or how they saw things. At the very least, he felt that these special actors should also be treated as living beings.
Although once they entered a Film World, their past memories would likewise be sealed away, but...
In the not-too-distant future, he would definitely encounter Golden Neck and Bai Yue again in some film!
That was what Zhang Guangmu thought.
It was just that they would probably appear before him in different forms, right?
When that time came, perhaps he could resume his beautiful dream of becoming a Beast Taming Master!
Zhang Guangmu had read many professional forums and listened to scholars' analyses and speculations. They said that as long as highly compatible Artificial Intelligence Actors and Subconscious Actors continued accepting roles, there was a certain probability that they would continue working together in other Film Worlds.
The bond between the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf King and Fort Master Lin Yan had clearly been severed.
The bond and tacit understanding between Zhang Guangmu and Bai Yue, however, had gradually developed through their daily interactions and battles.
Thanks to the broadcaster's efforts, the number of White Balls floating in the air had multiplied several times compared to before.
Seeing that the intense battle had passed, the viewers transformed into the Xiao Bai Group began heatedly discussing it.
"Is he suffering from Split Personality? He can switch seamlessly between cold and gentle?"
"His coldness is reserved for enemies, while his gentleness is only for beings worthy of recognition! The Golden-Necked Flame Wolf King loyally protected its master. Even after being abandoned by him, it fought to the very end. It won Zhang Guangmu's respect and recognition through its own actions!"
"What does it mean for kindred spirits to recognize one another? This is it!"
"The interaction between this Assassin called 'Tian Guang' and the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf was so heartwarming! I love it!"
"You call this heartwarming? Why do I feel like it's so tragic?"
"Dying in a film doesn't mean really dying. Why are you all being so dramatic?"
"Crude but true! Just like Zhang Guangmu said, reincarnation really exists!"
"Although I was indeed a little touched, my heart of stone immediately shifted its attention to something more important—what's up with this 'Tian Guang'? How can an unknown Extra beat up the final Big Villain head-on?"
"I don't really understand. I just watched the highlights provided by the AI at Double Speed. It feels like this person probably took the route of knowledge changing one's destiny?"
"What does 'Heaven-Defying Technology' mean? This is it!"
"I've watched countless Subconscious Films over the years. When the broadcaster invited me to switch perspectives, I initially refused. After all, I'm a veteran viewer who's seen every kind of storm. But once I switched over—holy crap! I really haven't seen this kind of situation before!"
"It was originally an ordinary transitional scene. The Minor Villain received an assassination mission from the Big Villain, got killed by the Protagonist Group, and became experience points for the protagonist's growth. But this 'Tian Guang' forcibly smashed out a new path! Honestly, it feels great!"
"I'm different from you guys! I've been watching him since the beginning of the Water Prison Trial. This young Assassin called 'Tian Guang' clearly isn't simple just from his appearance and temperament. How naive would someone have to be to think he's really an Extra?"
After the first baiter appeared, people quickly took the bait and began arguing, each insisting that "Tian Guang's amazing performance comes from his own powerful subconscious and has nothing to do with the script."
Others then joined in to refute them, believing it was the Production Team's underhanded maneuver. They had used Script Hints to control the situation, forcibly granting the role of "Assassin Tian Guang" knowledge he should not have possessed.
The reasonable observers could not stand such claims. They said they had long since disabled Immersive Experience Mode, allowing them to see the Script Hint bubbles above every actor's head. Assassin Tian Guang had truly relied entirely on himself to turn the tables against all odds and force his way into the spotlight, rather than being pushed into an important role by someone else.
Zhang Guangmu firmly believed that people could not convince those who held different opinions. Even if they succeeded, the other side would merely be pretending to agree.
Sure enough, before long, he saw the viewers transformed into the Xiao Bai Group begin grouping up and brawling.
Soon, the field controller issued a warning and forcibly separated the fighting White Balls. One group of White Balls was sent back to the cool-down zone, while another immediately swarmed over.
Zhang Guangmu gathered his thoughts, then immediately took Flame Wolf Bai Yue with him and pursued Fort Master Lin Yan in the direction of his escape.
This was his second time hunting down an important plot character, so he had gained at least a little experience.
The last time, in "Endless Food Bag," Zhang Guangmu had pursued Chu Fan. He basically only needed to move his lips and promise a large amount of food to drive the people below into a frenzy. This time, in "Wolf Fortress," he was still only a minor supporting character, with no useful subordinates at all. He could only work a little harder himself.
The good news was...
The direction Lin Yan had fled in was a dead end.
That area contained at most one hidden Life-Saving Secret Room. There were no other escape routes.
The so-called Life-Saving Secret Room could only serve to delay things.
If Zhang Guangmu's memories had truly been sealed, he might indeed have been baffled by the empty room and possibly allowed Lin Yan to hold out until reinforcements arrived.
Unfortunately...
Zhang Guangmu had read the script. Even though he had never been in this room before, he quickly pinpointed the mechanism that activated the secret door.
After pretending to search around the room, he placed both hands on the vase.
"Oh? This vase... there's something wrong with it!"
Zhang Guangmu exerted a little force. "It won't lift..."
"A condition-triggered mechanism?"
"The key to the secret door?"
He bent slightly forward, narrowed his eyes, and carefully examined the friction marks on the bottom of the vase and the tabletop.
A moment later, Zhang Guangmu turned the vase clockwise once. "Judging from the degree of wear, turning it this way..."
As he spoke, Zhang Guangmu turned the vase counterclockwise once. "And turning it this way, the ratio is roughly two to one?"
Then he began the trial-and-error process of brute-force decryption.
Click! Click!
After getting it wrong twice in a row, some viewers could no longer resist mocking him.
"Stop wasting your energy, will you?"
"Watching him so seriously crack the code really makes him look like someone who earns a living with his intelligence..."
"Hey, hey! You're an Assassin, not a Detective!"
"Did I walk into the wrong Film Set?"
"The correct code is nine clockwise turns and five counterclockwise turns. Take the solution and don't thank me!"
"Hahaha, you bunch of idiots are killing me! Subconscious Actors and us aren't even in the same dimension. No matter what you say, they can't hear you!"
"Ah, what a pity! Brother Mu was already so close to the truth! Just a little more, only a tiny bit more!"
"Usually, with this kind of secret room, three failed attempts would lock it completely, right?"
"Holy crap! Holy crap!"
"No way! He actually guessed it!"
"Are people this incredible no matter which world they're thrown into? This is way too fantastical!"
"Don't tell me you think 'Wolf Fortress' is an urban or science-fiction film? It's a fantasy story to begin with!"
"I just think this person is frighteningly capable! The speed at which he applies his knowledge, his powers of observation, reasoning ability, and practical skills... He has no apparent weaknesses at all! Is there really someone this perfect in real life? He's still so young, too..."
"I have to admit, the last time I saw someone this ridiculous was the last time."
"So many new fans! The ten-year veterans of Shou Mu Ren all know that Mu Zai is amazing at looking cool and showing off at critical moments, but in essence he's an idiot. Whenever I see someone praise him as perfect, I want to laugh. Pfft... hahaha! Sure enough, Mu Zai's misleading appearance is still incredibly effective!"
Click!
Zhang Guangmu released the vase. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, and a knowing smile appeared on his face. "Done."
As soon as he spoke, the sound of interlocking gears and heavy stone bars moving rang out.
Click, click, click!
Vroom...
The massive stone bed, weighing who knew how many tons, flipped open, revealing a quiet, dark secret passage.
By deducing the process backward from the result and forcibly piecing together clues, anyone could disguise themselves as a Detective. As long as their Acting Skill was good enough, anyone could do it.
It was proof that the Acting Skill 2 ability recognized by the Book of Acting was not empty words, nor was it data unrelated to reality.
After Zhang Guangmu's performance, nearly every viewer present reacted with something along the lines of, "Holy crap, this guy is amazing."
Only a tiny number of viewers sourly said things like, "Finding a secret door is simple, so why are you reacting so strongly?" "I could do it too if I were there," "What's so impressive?" "His detective skills are average, and he's still a little worse than me," and "Even a blind cat can stumble upon a dead mouse."
While the viewers argued endlessly, Zhang Guangmu had already carried a small lamp into the tunnel and brought Flame Wolf Bai Yue before Fort Master Lin Yan.
The once-mighty and intimidating Wolf Fortress Lord now looked like a defeated stray dog. His hair was disheveled, his eyes were frantic, and he practically dared not meet Zhang Guangmu's gaze.
Zhang Guangmu said nothing. He merely stared at him in silence.
After a long while, Lin Yan finally could not bear the immense psychological pressure. He forced himself to raise his head and look at Zhang Guangmu, his voice hoarse. "When fortune comes, even Heaven and Earth lend their strength. When fortune leaves, even heroes lose their freedom!"
"The birth of that vile son, Lin Xuan, stole my fortune and caused my destiny to decline."
"What happened today isn't my fault. Heaven wants me dead!"
One could tell from his opening words that he was a superstitious old man.
A feudal-class aura emanated from Lin Yan. He gritted his teeth and demanded resentfully, "Who exactly told you the secret code to the room?"
"I want to die knowing the truth!"
"At the very least, I need to know who betrayed me!"
Zhang Guangmu raised his brows, his face calm and unruffled. "Observe the wear on the vase and tabletop a little, then try two or three times, and you can deduce it."
"Shun Jiu Ni Wu, the Supreme Number."
"Did the Fort Master once want to conquer the world and become emperor?"
This kind of Easter egg—or perhaps cheap gag—that used details to shape a character was a typical example of a Director's bad taste.
Under normal circumstances, just to open a lousy secret door, one would have to turn the vase fourteen times...
Bystanders might not feel that anything was wrong, but Zhang Guangmu, who was experiencing it firsthand, felt that this setting was absurd beyond belief.
Back to the matter at hand.
Now that the Fort Master of the Old Era had fallen, it was time for the new king to ascend!
Today's update was 6,400 words. Many books released around the same time, despite being published earlier than "Transcendent Actor: Rewriting the Script," had already been overtaken in word count!
In a sense, that was also a kind of victory, right?
Hahaha~
Thanks to Roronoa for the 1,500-point reward~
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Thanks to Where is my dried fish for the 100-point reward~
Thanks to I am not a giant, Eren for the 100-point reward~
Thanks to Flowing Years for the 100-point reward~
Thanks to Xi Yuelin for the 100-point reward~
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Thanks to Mo Yan 2333 for the 100-point reward~
Thanks to Hero Old Wang for the 100-point reward~
Thanks for the support! (▽ )
See you tomorrow, everyone!
Before you continue