Directing in Arknights, Success if Not Banned

"Stop the car, Fredo."

Suddenly, Madam Sicily's words caused Giovanna, who didn't understand, to immediately hit the brakes. As Madam Sicily got out of the car, Giovanna followed and asked with some confusion, "Dad?"

"Wait for me a moment, I'm going to buy some fruit," Madam Sicily replied casually, as if it were a spur-of-the-moment decision. This eased Giovanna's slight confusion.

"Okay, Dad," Giovanna replied, returning to the car. Her relaxed nerves still didn't detect how dangerous Madam Sicily's situation was, with no visible bodyguards around.

Madam Sicily walked towards the fruit stall as if completely unaware, her eyes immediately falling on the oranges. She went up and said:

"Happy festival, I'll pick some fruit."

"Give me three of these, and this one too..."

Madam Sicily casually picked out the fruit. On the other side, the "assassination squad" played by the Executioner was ready. She quickly received a signal, and the Executioner immediately said softly:

"Ready? Go!"

Saying this, the Executioner and Mudrock, who were disguised, quickly stepped forward. They both raised their small prop firearms, immediately drawing Madam Sicily's attention.

Almost instantly, Madam Sicily dropped the fruit in her hands and ran towards Giovanna's car, shouting:

"Fredo!"

"Bang, bang, bang!"

However, Madam Sicily was still a little too late. As she lunged towards the car, the two had already raised their firearms and fired at Madam Sicily. The two small firearms shot at Madam Sicily's body, which was covered in blood packs, quickly creating bleeding holes.

"Dad!"

Giovanna rushed out almost immediately, instinctively drawing her firearm. But suddenly, with a whistling sound, she felt a pain in her hand, and the firearm slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.

At this moment, the gunfire had stopped, and by the time Giovanna reacted, the assassins were nowhere to be seen.

She only saw Madam Sicily, who had been shot several times, fall lifelessly from the car, collapsing into a pool of blood on the ground, completely still.

At this moment, Giovanna, a former family boss who had seen many bloody scenes, felt her mind go blank as Madam Sicily fell. She instantly lost all strength and collapsed onto the ground.

Fear and panic instantly consumed Giovanna's mind... She now realized that due to her own negligence... she had given the assassins an opportunity to get close to Madam Sicily.

Who were they? Which family were they from? Why would they assassinate Madam Sicily at this time? Where were Madam Sicily's bodyguards?

However, these questions were meaningless to Giovanna at this moment. She realized that with the occurrence of this assassination, she and her family would be held primarily responsible—all the families in Syracuse would have her family uprooted because of her negligence.

Thinking of her closest family members dying, and her family being completely wiped from this land after this day, Giovanna, who had lost her composure, clutched her hair in pain, her expression contorted and anguished, tears already welling up...

"Dad! Ahhhhhh—"

Filled with extreme regret, Giovanna lowered her head in pain, subconsciously calling out the name she had recently been calling Madam Sicily. Her extremely pained appearance caused the surrounding citizens, who didn't know they were filming, to involuntarily gather around.

However, they seemed accustomed to such assassinations; their expressions were numb, and no one even called for a doctor. They just watched quietly.

And all of this was so commonplace in Syracuse. The weeping Giovanna had lost all composure—until a crisp sound rang out:

"Cut! Okay, this scene is good! Giovanna, your performance was excellent! Anyone who didn't know would think Madam really died."

Chen Qi's delighted voice came through the loudspeaker immediately. At this moment, Giovanna, who had been crying and holding her head, looked up blankly and saw Madam Sicily on the ground opening her eyes and smiling at her.

...Was that just acting? Giovanna realized belatedly. At this moment, Madam Sicily also said apologetically:

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep it from you, child."

"It's just that to achieve this effect, we had to do it this way, and it saves a lot of time. At least, the effect is really very good right now."

"So, the rest... depends on the others. I hope they can get it in one take, just like you."

Let's see... what expressions will the other children show when they find out she's been "assassinated"?

Si Ye will probably be very angry. Will Chastisement be able to hold back her older brother then? Probably? Among the children in the family, Texas is the one Madam Sicily feels most reassured about. She's a good successor and will definitely handle problems calmly...

More importantly, she can't manage affairs anymore. Who among these children can take charge?

Madam Sicily thought this, and couldn't help but feel that her own thoughts were changing... She seemed to be treating these children more and more like her own children...

Chapter Eleven: We Always Go for Real Reactions When We Film

And after the scene where Madam Sicily was assassinated, on the other side, Texas and Sora were, as Chen Qi had instructed, experiencing the feeling of being "lovers" first.

For Texas and Sora, this kind of experience was essentially a vacation. Everyone at Penguin Logistics were good friends and had already organized many team-building activities. Therefore, Texas took Sora to watch a very famous drama in Syracuse.

What Texas and Sora didn't know was that outside the theater, Chen Qi had already arranged for the phantom filming and sound recording teams to lie in wait around the area... Chen Qi, hoping to get the best genuine reactions, was waiting for Texas and Sora to come out so he could capture what could be called "Oscar-level" performances.

Soon, Texas and Sora walked out of the theater together. They looked in good spirits after watching a play.

"This 'Two Old Daggers' is really good, don't you think? ...Mike?"

Before Sora could call out Texas's name, she subtly changed it to Texas's "current" name.

This was also Chen Qi's request. Chen Qi had previously asked everyone to use their character names when addressing each other, no matter where they were. This was not only to help everyone immerse themselves in their roles more quickly, but also for Chen Qi's own reasons.

"The entire city will be our filming location. To achieve the best filming effect, I might film at any time without you noticing."

"So, if you encounter any unexpected events that are not in the script, it's perfectly normal. You can act according to your first reaction, which is what we want to capture on film."

"My only request is that no matter how tense you are, please remember your respective relationships in the movie and use your character names to address each other. If we have to do a retake, many performances that could have been perfect might lose a lot of their impact."

These were Chen Qi's words, which is why Sora and Texas were now addressing each other by their movie names even when they were out.

Sora's timely correction made Texas realize this, and she calmly said:

"It truly is a rare good play. It's been years since I've returned, and the playwrights' writing has indeed improved recently."

"I really wish I could be on a stage like that too." Sora linked arms with Texas, their intimacy evident. They were currently "lovers," but Sora had always enjoyed spending time with Texas, so it didn't feel out of place.

Especially since Texas was currently disguised as a man, wearing the male attire of the Texas family… The makeup artist Chen Qi had brought in, named Rob Rata, was truly skilled. She managed to highlight Texas's heroic spirit, making her appear male at first glance, yet still recognizable to those who knew her.

The two women walked happily down the street. However, as they passed a small newsstand, a familiar face in the newspaper caught Sora's eye, causing her pupils to slightly widen.

And in the invisible lens capturing the scene behind the newspaper, the joyful Sora's expression turned grave after passing the newsstand.

"—Kay, you're going to achieve your dream, I believe in you." Texas, who hadn't noticed the newspaper due to the angle, offered words of comfort to Sora, whose expression had changed. But Sora immediately shook her head and grabbed her, saying:

"No, look there…"

Sora pulled Texas back to the newsstand. It was then that Texas noticed the newspaper. Printed prominently on it was the familiar, disguised face of Madam Sicily.

Texas realized the gravity of the situation and immediately grabbed a copy. The headline, "Vito Corleone Murdered," even more striking than Madam Sicily's portrait, caught Texas's attention, making her breath hitch slightly.

"It doesn't say if he's dead or alive—"

Texas muttered to herself and instinctively, rather roughly, closed the newspaper. At that moment, she realized this newspaper was likely just a prop, part of what Director Chen Qi had mentioned – that filming could happen at any moment.

However, within the camera's view, Texas's initial rough handling of the paper and her subsequent return to composure perfectly showcased her calm, analytical thinking, distinct from her elder brother (Si Ye)'s impulsiveness and her second sister (Giovanna)'s timidity.

Almost immediately, Texas pulled Sora towards a nearby phone booth. Regardless of whether it was part of the act, she needed to call Si Ye first to confirm the news and prevent any accidents.

Texas entered the phone booth first, while Sora had to stand outside due to the limited space.

The "couple" who had been inseparable just a minute ago now felt like they belonged to different worlds.

Sora felt a similar sentiment, her expression tinged with a subtle sadness. Inside the phone booth, Texas dialed Si Ye's number and quickly asked:

"Sonny, it's Mike."

Si Ye: "Mike? Are you okay?"

"Is he okay?" Hearing Si Ye's address, Texas felt a wave of relief. It meant everything was indeed part of the plot, and Madam Sicily hadn't actually been assassinated.

Thinking about it, if it were real, the atmosphere in the city would likely be extremely tense. Texas regained her composure. From the phone, Si Ye's deep voice responded:

"Father is badly injured. Are you okay, Mike? We're all worried about you."

"I'm fine." Texas tilted her head slightly. At that moment, she noticed a sign being held high not far from the phone booth – an indicator sign.

"Go to the hospital now. Improvise this scene however you see fit, make the judgment you believe is most correct. —Chen Qi"

So, the next scene would be at the hospital? Texas subtly withdrew her gaze, then hung up the phone. After instructing Sora to go home first, she headed towards the hospital alone.

Not long after Texas left, the previously quiet street was suddenly filled with people and equipment. Ethan, who was in charge of the filming there, let out a sigh of relief and said happily:

"We've got a lot of great shots now. The great director should be satisfied."

"So, the hospital scene is with Executioner? The chief cinematographer is already there. Hopefully, we'll get it right this time."

By the time Texas arrived at the hospital by car, the sky had completely darkened. As soon as Texas reached the hospital entrance, she noticed a critical issue – there were no guards.

Even if it was a play, it was impossible for there to be no guards around after a mafia boss was assassinated. Director Chen Qi wouldn't make such a mistake, because Madam Sicily would surely point it out.

Texas observed the surroundings. Various signs and details indicated that there had been guards here originally, but now not a single one was present. Texas quickly reached a conclusion.

Someone had bribed the guards. This assassination attempt on The Godfather was not over!

After reaching her conclusion, Texas immediately rushed to the ward area, her gaze quickly locking onto the only room with a bouquet of flowers at the door. That had to be where Madam Sicily was.

Texas cautiously pushed the door open. She didn't know what the subsequent plot was; Chen Qi had told her to improvise… so she worried that if she opened the door to find Madam Sicily shot, she wouldn't know what to do.

"Crrk."

Upon opening the door, Texas found not a bloody scene. Madam Sicily lay there, unharmed, an IV drip still supplying her with blood. She was sleeping soundly.

Seeing this, Texas breathed a sigh of relief. She walked up to Madam Sicily and looked at the elder who, even in her sleep, appeared much older after the assassination attempt…

"—What are you doing here? It's not visiting hours."

The sudden voice made Texas instinctively place her hand on her waist. But upon seeing it was a nurse, she calmed down and said faintly:

"I am Mike Corleone. This is my father."

"There are no guards here. Where are they?"

Nurse: "Your father has too many visitors. They were hindering the hospital's work, so the police made them leave ten minutes ago."

"I see…" Texas's pupils turned slightly cold. The information revealed by the nurse was more than enough… The police had been bought off by the assassins. It was the police who had ordered the guards to withdraw.

With this thought, Texas immediately grabbed the bedside phone. After dialing a series of numbers, Texas spoke into the phone to Si Ye:

"Sonny, I'm at the hospital. I'm late. There's no one here, no guards, no police. Dad is alone in his room."

"—I'm not panicking."

After a brief exchange, Texas immediately hung up. After a moment of thought, she said to the nurse: "Nurse, you need to help me move him to another room. We'll have to remove the tubes to move the bed."

"But…" The nurse was about to say something, but Texas didn't give her a chance. Her eyes became sharp, and she said word by word:

"You know who he is, right? Someone wants to kill him. If their plan succeeds due to your mistake, you won't escape consequences either—so please help me, okay?"

Although this part was Texas's improvisation, it was almost identical to Chen Qi's script. The calmness and investigative skills that Mike possessed, Texas also possessed.

Even more so, Texas was colder and more assertive than Michael—if she hadn't already left the family, the future Texas might have become an even more ruthless existence than the character she portrayed.

"Texas is fiercer than I imagined."

backstage, watching Texas's performance on the large screen fed by the equipment, Sora and Lappland were both observing.

Sora seemed a little shaken by Texas's reaction, while Lappland smiled and replied:

"This is the Texas I knew before. She's starting to feel like herself again."

"Ah, it looks like a slip-up. Madam Sicily got her hand caught in the door. Is that okay?" Lappland's sharp eyes noticed this, and when she asked Chen Qi, she found him still busy with the next setup:

"Since we're here, Croissant, Exusiai, are you ready?"

"Are we really going to do this? Director? Am I really going to punch Texas?"

On the walkie-talkie, Exusiai's voice carried a hint of worry, but also undisguised excitement. Chen Qi smiled slightly upon hearing this and said calmly:

"Yes, you should. While there are things I shouldn't say, it's best not to hold back to achieve the best effect. But if you want to go easy, that's fine too. Texas will probably understand."

"It's okay if you hit too hard. Our medical operators are nearby and can heal Texas right away, so don't worry."

"—Alright, since the director said so, I won't hold back!"

After that, Chen Qi didn't care about what Exusiai said on the walkie-talkie, such as "It's rare to have the chance to hit Texas openly" or "Should I go hard or light later."

Because the harder Exusiai hit now, the more invested Texas would be when she retaliated later, thus contributing two perfect shots.

...Maybe I shouldn't tell him? Lappland saw that Chen Qi's attention wasn't on her. Thinking about the spectacle of Texas being hit, she overlooked Madam Sicily's hand getting caught and focused intently on the big screen.

"Texas... let's see how much of your spirit this scene can bring back."