Listen to Yourself-Does That Sound Like Something a Human Would Say?!

Then came a ferocious flurry of moves. Whether they were on the test or not, he demonstrated every stance and maneuver special forces personnel were expected to know, right in the middle of the audition space.

The guests watching around him did not even dare breathe heavily. Every last one stood dumbfounded, an impossible-to-ignore despair rising in their hearts.

Fuck.

Didn't that mean we had no fucking chance at all?!

After the audition ended, the Revenge Squad trudged out of the five-star hotel, heads hanging.

Li Lu, who had been waiting outside, hurried over. Seeing their state, his heart tightened. "What happened? You got eliminated? The results came out that fast?! Didn't they say it was already decided? Were they just stringing us along?!"

"Wait here. I'll go find the director!"

Still talking, he planted his hands on his hips and was about to charge inside.

But a celebrity coming out from the audition blocked his path and even shot him a glance, muttering sourly, "Talk about getting a bargain and playing innocent. They already announced it on the spot, and you're still pretending you weren't picked!"

The agent beside him hurriedly nudged him. "Keep it down. They've got real skills."

In the entertainment industry, claiming you relied on skill rather than connections would get you laughed out of the room.

Yet today, someone had used sheer skill to deliver one resounding slap in the face after another.

Was that fucking training?

He'd been on a battlefield, hadn't he?!

Keep testing him, and he could wipe out everyone here!

After watching that audition, who would still dare compete?

Wouldn't that just be asking for humiliation?!

At that thought, the celebrity said no more. Dejected, he climbed into his van and quickly left the scene.

Li Lu finally understood what had happened, and his face lit up with delight. "So it's a done deal?! Li, nicely done!"

Then he turned to the others. "You all did great too. Should we find somewhere to celebrate?"

"Not in the mood." Yuan Feng waved a hand. "I'm heading out."

"Me too."

"Same!"

"+1."

In less than a minute, the Revenge Squad had dispersed.

Li Lu stared after them in confusion. "What... what's going on?! You're all appearing in a CCTV ad! You're practically guaranteed to blow up!"

"Have you considered the possibility," Jian Li said quietly, "that they don't want to blow up?"

Li Lu froze, then decided that made no sense. "If they don't want to get famous, why are they in showbiz?! They might as well go back home and farm!"

Unable to explain, Jian Li decided to drive home and catch up on sleep. But just as he started walking, someone called from behind him, "Li."

(⊙o⊙)...

Who?!

Why did that sound so intimate?!

Jian Li felt currents of electricity zip through him. When he turned, he saw Huo Xiao's outrageously handsome face. "You... need something?"

"They've sent me the script. Could we run through our scenes first?"

Huo Xiao's deep gaze locked onto him, giving Jian Li the unsettling impression that he had nowhere to hide.

He had just opened his mouth to refuse when Huo Xiao continued, "Jian Yue is your younger brother? The mother of the classmate who bullied him had business dealings with the Huo Corporation. Last night, we notified them that their remaining contracts were being canceled."

"Also, the provincial education commission official with ties to his mother is under investigation. We should have results soon."

Jian Li's jaw dropped in astonishment. "You-"

Huo Xiao continued with a smile, "Jian Yue's homeroom teacher has also been reassigned and disqualified from this year's excellence awards. If any other disciplinary violations are found, their teaching license will be revoked."

"So I believe you should have no immediate worries and can rehearse with me."

Jian Li: "..."

Fuck!

What was this gorgeous, powerful, tragic villain up to?!

He'd actually left me no way to say no!

Confused and bewildered, Jian Li somehow found himself getting into Huo Xiao's car.

Before he knew it, they had arrived at a detached villa.

"Where are we?" Jian Li glanced out the car window.

Huo Xiao unbuckled his seat belt. "My house."

Jian Li: "!!!!"

"We're just running lines. We don't need to do that at your house, do we?!"

Huo Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Then should I book us a hotel room?"

"Your house is fine." Jian Li hastily unbuckled his own seat belt and reached to open the door.

Agreeing to rehearse definitely did not mean he wanted intimate contact. Mainly, Huo Xiao had given him too much...

He could not repay that favor, and he felt even worse about refusing.

There was no helping it.

After so many years as a mercenary cut off from the world, he had long since become socially anxious and terrible at dealing with people.

"Welcome home, young master!" The moment Jian Li got out of the car, the automatic gate was opened for them, and a housekeeper approached with a respectful greeting.

Jian Li turned back in shock. "There are other people in your house?!"

"Yes." Huo Xiao nodded, his voice unhurried. "My grandfather, my parents, my uncles and aunts, my nephews and nieces..."

Before he could finish, Jian Li turned to leave.

But a hand caught his arm. "Where are you going?"

"Something urgent just came up. I'll visit another day."

Please, I was already panicking, and now you're telling me your whole extended family is here?!

I'm allergic to enthusiasm...

I'll behave. Please let me go!

Jian Li gave him a pleading look. The amusement in Huo Xiao's eyes deepened. "Don't be nervous. They're all very easy to get along with."

As he spoke, the hand holding Jian Li's arm slid down and threaded between his fingers, assertive enough to brook no refusal.

For a moment, Jian Li felt weightless, and then he was stepping into the Huo Family villa.

Before they even reached the living room, a whole crowd poured out.

Holy fuck, holy fuck.

What were they trying to do?!

Jian Li hurriedly fumbled all over the back of his waist: ...

Huh?! Where was my weapon?!

Li Lu had just returned to his office when he got a call from the director of Lone Warrior. He hurriedly swiped to answer, and an urgent voice came through. "Tell Jian Li to clear his schedule. We start filming season two in three days."

"That soon?!" Li Lu frowned, troubled. "Jian Li just accepted a TV drama and an ad. Their schedules aren't finalized yet, so I can't confirm when he'll be free."

"I don't care. Even if he's booked, make room for me. I finally came up with a brilliant idea. This season will definitely be an even bigger hit than the last!"

That piqued Li Lu's curiosity. "What idea?"

"Heh heh, you've read the City Hunter manga, right?" The director chuckled to himself. "This time, we're going with a cops-and-robbers theme and directly challenging another production crew!"

"So our guests will be playing... the police?" Li Lu made the obvious guess.

"No." The director paused. "We're playing the criminals."

Li Lu: "..."

Fuck!

Good versus evil, and we end up playing evil?!

How was that supposed to be a hit?!

The director seemed to know what he was thinking and tried to reassure him. "Criminals can really shine too. They just have to show intelligence-ah, no, cunning and treachery-then find a chance to lose to the police at the end."

Li Lu: "..." Director, listen to yourself. Does that sound like something a human would say?!

I'll fix the typos a little later!