"Three contestants, I will now explain the rules of this level to you," a guide standing in front of the steps said to the three people who walked over.
"There are three stages ahead. On each stage, you will receive a script synopsis. All three scripts are written by the film mogul ' The Watchmaker,' depicting various anecdotes from Penacony's pioneering era. You need to imagine the scenes, deliver appropriate lines, and give fitting performances so that the judges can feel the emotions the scripts are trying to convey."
After the rules were explained, the guide jokingly said to everyone, "I wish you all the best of luck! By the way, the highest score for this round was achieved by a red-haired contestant. His superb acting skills even moved the most demanding judges to tears, who highly praised him, saying, 'It doesn't look like acting!'"
"I'm a little nervous..." Hanxing's hands involuntarily started to sweat. "Come on, let's finish this quickly!" Firefly encouraged, and the three of them officially walked towards the first stage.
"Oh, look at this 'iron triangle,' they look like stars! Since you're a trio, I'll prepare a three-on-three battle for you." With that, the judge looked at the three. "Are you three ready?"
"Ready?" Yan Bai nodded. Soon, the judges began to describe the scene. "Now, imagine the three of you receiving the call to pioneer, setting foot on the dreamland of Penacony for the first time. But here, yellow sand fills the sky, a desolate wasteland, nothing like the paradise the ' Watchmaker ' spoke of!"
"You were driving a beat-up old car across the wilderness of dreams, enduring the cold wind and choking on the yellow sand, only to be blocked by a ferocious Memory Zone Meme... Now— Hanxing, what lines can express your 'disappointment' with Penacony?"
"Hey, what the hell did I do here? Is this still Penacony?" Hanxing's lines seemed to express his true feelings, but they were actually his first thought upon setting foot on the land of Fansha Star.
"Very good! Next—although you are disappointed, your partner is very excited. Now, sir, what would you say—" The judges looked at Yan Bai, eager for his response.
"Turning barrenness into prosperity, that's true ' Trailblaze '!" Yan Bai's voice was as passionate as when he gave a speech, earning praise from the judges, "Excellent, very exciting! Then comes the next scene of the story—you found a job repairing the railway, but after working day and night and becoming physically exhausted, you finally collapsed deep in the desert..."
"Suddenly! A gentle rain from the sky moistened your lips and awakened your fighting spirit. Now— Hanxing, what line best expresses your 'surprise'?" " Penacony truly is full of opportunities!" Hanxing exclaimed sincerely.
"But at this moment, your partner looked up at the sky and closed her eyes. Raindrops fell, and her vision blurred. She said sadly—" The judges looked at Firefly. This question was clearly not for Yan Bai to answer.
"Maybe... maybe we just can't succeed... right?" Firefly's lines perfectly conveyed the feeling of disappointment, and Hanxing was well aware of her acting skills. At the same time, the stairs leading to the next level gradually appeared, and the judges praised her:
"Fantastic! Your delivery of lines is truly exceptional! However, lines are not everything in a performance. Please continue this story on the second stage... Next, you will face a test of your physicality."
"Hopefully this test won't last too long..." Firefly and Hanxing exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat helpless. After their teasing remark, the three ascended the steps and met another judge:
"In my hands, the three of you need to use masterful 'body language' to interpret the story I'm describing. Picking up where we left off, a downpour saved you from the desert. This rain extinguished your anger, and looking at your companion who had lost all will to fight, you wanted to comfort her... At this moment, what action should you take to 'make her laugh'?"
Hanxing thought for a while; this problem was indeed a bit difficult for him. After some time, he stepped back and said, "I really don't know how to do this. I'll leave it to you, Yan Bai."
"Okay..." Yan Bailu a helpless smile and said into the microphone, "Roll around in the sand!" "Ah... this..." Firefly was a little surprised.
"Correct answer! Your companion watched you roll around in the sand, recalling all the hardships before this journey. She couldn't help but laugh out loud, her hope rekindled. So this girl—" The judge unexpectedly gave a positive review, making Hanxing wonder just how bizarre the judge's taste was. "I will... stand up and set off again with him," Firefly continued.
"So touching!" the judge praised, then presented the next scene. "As the story unfolds, the heavy rain gave the three of you a business opportunity, and you entered the umbrella industry. But just as business was picking up, competitors began dumping large quantities of low-priced goods to seize the market. You were forced to sell your high-priced stockpiled goods at a loss... This was tantamount to drinking poison to quench your thirst, dragging you to the brink of bankruptcy. At this point—what decision would you, with your indomitable spirit, make?"
"We'll implement an innovation-driven development strategy, innovate production processes, and reduce production costs. At the same time, we'll use public opinion to attack opposing companies and work with the government to regulate market Order..." Yan Bai rattled off a series of solutions, but it seemed he was taking the performance too seriously. Hanxing had to gesture for him to stop, while simultaneously slapping his own thigh hard.
" Dream Chaser can be knocked down, but they will never be defeated! I'll fight you to the end!" "Great! Unfortunately, your friend doesn't agree. Seeing you drowning in debt, she feels hopeless about the future, and then—"
"Uh... then I'm disheartened and want to leave Penacony... is that alright?" Firefly hesitated. This wasn't a scenario she had anticipated, so she could only improvise.
"Excellent, absolutely excellent! You two have exceptional acting skills; I was almost moved to tears!" The judge gave high praise, but then quickly added, "But the real challenge is yet to come. You will face the most demanding judges in the history of this show, and you can only win them over with your flawless acting!"
As the judges finished speaking, the staircase leading to the next level slowly descended from the top, signifying that this challenge was complete. "Let's go, let's face the final challenge!" Hanxing encouraged the two.