A Professional Avenger

Despite his grandiloquence about taking his own career seriously, or finding a Client who’d like to pay for his service, Lin Yuetian ended up doing something else instead. He’s currently bombarding the Director of the film he had targeted earlier, Wei Dawen, with a voice call.

“Who is it?” Wei Dawen picked up his call, but pretended to be ignorant of the caller.

“It’s me, Lin Yuetian.”

Afterward, he kindly reminded him, “Director Wei, I believe your private number should only be known to limited people, am I wrong?”

“Oh! It’s you, Yuetian!” Wei Dawen exclaimed with the tone of someone who’d just been enlightened. “My My, look at my memory, I just picked up the phone and didn’t really look at it just now, hahaha —So, what’s the matter?”

Lin Yuetian didn’t make any roundabout excuse and directly told him about his intention: He wanted to be the Lead Actor in Wei Dawen’s Movie.

If it were in the past, Director Wei would be elated to hear Lin Yuetian was willing to act in his Movie, but today was different from the past. The rumors surrounding Actor Lin had yet been subsided. Wei Dawen was unwilling to take any risk in case more scandals blew up in the future and affected the outcome of his Movie instead. Besides, the relationship between Lin Yuetian and Wei Dawen was a close acquaintance but not close friends. Even with friends, people mostly only wanted to share glory but not a hardship.

Lin Yuetian quietly listened to Wei Dawen’s various rhetoric, using any kind of digressive excuses, in order to politely refuse his request. There’s no change whatsoever in his mood.

After waiting until the Director exhausted his energy to talk from the other side of the phone, Lin Yuetian continued to hit the straight ball directly,

“Director Wei, do you know? My mental state hasn’t been good lately.” He said softly.

“…You see, If I get struck so hard by your refusal…falling to despair…leaving a suicide note that you’ve driven me to death, and then go to your studio to choose a good building to jump off…what do you think will happen afterward?”

“?!” Wei Dawen felt like he might have had a heart attack.

“Oh, My God! Yuetian, if you’re not in a good mood lately, please take more rest, yes, yes, please have a good rest! You know, your status in the industry has been accumulated for so many years. Trust me, even if there’s some trouble brewing up recently, that is nothing compares to your years of record!”

Feeling that what he said might not be enough, Wei Dawen also immediately added, “—Didn’t they say, without experiencing wind and rain how can one see the beauty of a rainbow? Don’t give up, The edge of one’s sword is sharp due to sharpening, and the fragrance of Peach Blossoms comes from the bitter cold!^[1]All 3 proverbs mean: No Pain No Gain Everyone in the Entertainment circle is still very optimistic of you!”

“Don’t worry, Director Wei, I’m in a good mood. I’ve been easily agitated if I get nervous, however…But you see, I’ve been anxious, since I really want this opportunity, even if it’s just a chance to join the audition for the Movie.” Lin Yuetian replied calmly, still with the insinuating threat.

“…Director Wei, as you’ve said earlier, even if my current state isn’t that good recently, I should still have the reputation I’ve built over the years, and my decade of hard work isn’t nothing either — You’ve said it yourself, so, Director Wei, I sincerely ask you to give me this chance, and I promise you, you definitely won’t regret this.”

[“Hehe, I’m afraid he’ll only regret it if he refuses instead, right??”] The System was way too familiar with Lin Yuetian’s work style, and emphasized once more, [“…Regretting it, to death.”]

“System, your imagination is too much.” Lin Yuetian corrected him, “I won’t do anything to him, at most I’ll just make him regret it a little if he decides to refuse. After all, I can’t let a small grudge affect my task progress, right?”

On the other side of the phone, Wei Dawen was unaware of how the fate of his life had just been discussed over.

However, even just hearing Lin Yuetian’s tone that didn’t sound like he’s just simply bluffing, and the guy might even really feel on edge, Director Wei couldn’t help but softened.

“But what should I do, really, Gao Yan’s team has already booked the role of the Lead Actor in this movie…”

“Gao Yan? So are you really satisfied with having him as a Lead Actor?” Lin Yuetian chuckled gently. “Even giving him 500 years won’t be enough for him to catch up with me.”

“—But, oh well, Director Wei, naturally I won’t force you to make a difficult decision either. So, how about this, your Movie this time is a double Protagonist, right? Just leave the other role for him, in return, I’ll make an additional investment to this set. You can even honestly say to them it’s me who forces you to steal the role from their hand, I don’t mind it.”

“Hm? This is…What’s the matter?”

Upon hearing Lin Yuetian deciding the matter bluntly, Director Wei’s interest had been piqued in the wrong direction, unexpectedly.

He began to speak with a gossipy tone, “Say, What is this? Did you change into a whole new person? Isn’t he, your favorite Little Gao? Could it be…breaking up?”

Lin Yuetian didn’t try to evade but lightly answered, “Nothing much, I’m just tired of him.”

[“I’m just tired of him~ What a line to say. Let’s add this sentence to the list of Scumbag’s quotes, shall we.”] The System remarked.

Even Director Wei also felt a bit of amazement over there, obviously never expecting such a reply. After pondering for a while, Wei Dawen eventually agreed.

“Yuetian, you have to know that I still have faith in your acting skills, and I also trust your popularity comes from your ability…”

Wei Dawen paused for a moment, before apologizing for his previous attitude, “Please don’t mind my bad response earlier. You understand my position as well, don’t you? After all, I’m just doing what my job requires me to do. I’ve been preparing for this Movie for a long time, that’s why I, I can’t let any mishap happen and can’t be too casual with it.”

“No need to worry, I understand.” Lin Yuetian smiled.

“Well then, Director Wei—happy cooperation.”

***

At night, a call from Gao Yan came. The guy had the guts to question him, kicking up a fuss over Lin Yuetian’s interception of his role in Director Wei’s Movie.

Lin Yuetian, “…I’ve given you a lot of roles before this, haven’t I? So, what’s the problem with me taking this one role? Gao Yan, calm down, don’t be too agitated, and act like a nutjob.”

Lin Yuetian replied with the gentlest tone, sounding like he intended to pacify Gao Yan, but his choice of words obviously didn’t have the same intention and added the fuel to the fire instead. Gao Yan became even more enraged at the other side, but couldn’t do anything and was soon deflated.

“Lin Yuetian, let me tell you something! So what if you’re a Movie Emperor?! I said, don’t pester me anymore! You want me to be honest, don’t you? Then I’ll tell you, I’m straight, I’ve never been bent at all! I feel sick every single day of those 3 years with you!” Gao Yan yelled at him on the phone.

“—I won’t ever fuckinnn pretend to play this sick game anymore, you hear me!”

“Xiao-Gao^[2]Literally mean Little Gao—an endearing call., please rein your little temper…” Lin Yuetian spoke unhurriedly, imitating the original owner’s way of speaking to Gao Yan—in other words, coaxing a bratty child.

But the words he said afterward were absolutely not in the slightest bit comforting:

“—So you said you’re actually Straight? Well, not that I care. But you see, since you think that you’re forced to play as a Sugar Baby these past three years, then I as the Sugar Daddy will only care about what you can provide, and won’t give a damn about your real orientation. At least…you don’t seem that Straight the night before we parted~” Lin Yuetian said meaningfully.

The one who got triggered first was the System instead. [“Cut! Cut! No adult jokes, please! Please refrain from off-color jokes!”]

Lin Yuetian was speechless. “That isn’t a joke, you know?”

He further complained, “Didn’t I promise you I’ll give you a head start if Imma starts telling a joke? Right now I’m seriously communicating with my target.”

The other party of this aforementioned serious conversation, Gao Yan, was thoroughly offended, but unable to argue aside from uttering;

“You, you…”

—He didn’t know how, but somehow Lin Yuetian had become so eloquent.

Lin Yuetian didn’t stop at that and continued to speak, “Would you like me to say it more frankly, Gao Yan? Considering that we’ve been together for 3 years, don’t you think that you’ve gone too far? Or perhaps, you won’t really think that I hold no handle on you at all, will you?”

“—Still, we don’t need to come to this point, right? By exposing each other I mean. That’s why, Gao Yan, listen carefully; I know that you may not believe this, but I really just want to act in the same Movie with you for the last time, before quitting the Entertainment circle for good.” Lin Yuetian patiently elaborated his stance.

Gao Yan was taken aback and blurted out, “You…Are you really going to quit?”

“That’s right. So, rest assured.” Lin Yuetian confirmed it.

Afterward, with a soft voice, he said, “I have enough enjoyment of this Industry. This glittering world, a dazzling place of luxury and glamour, I’ve had it for more than a decade. You might still feel the beauty of it, but for me, I’ve grown tired of such a life. Gao Yan, I really am tired, and I just want to wrap my career with a nice end—Just leave us both with some good memories.”

Gao Yan hung up his call.

But Lin Yuetian didn’t take it to heart. He was confident:

“That guy will definitely acquiesce.”

[“Again with your boasting? Thinking that no one understands men better than you?”] The System rolled his eyes.

[“Fine, you can think you understand whoever, but Big Brother, where is your previous determination to take your own career seriously? Where are you planning to find a Client here?”]

Lin Yuetian was currently browsing through the System Mall, and ended up purchasing a Hacking Skill worth 500 points.

“No worries, I have a plan…”

[“Oh, yeah, of course, I’ll be rest assured with you~~ I know!”] The System chewed him out, [“—But the problem is that, you’ve never let me really feel at ease at all, Big Brother!”]

“Hey, this is slander!” Lin Yuetian quickly expressed his dissatisfaction.

“System, Dear Buddy, seriously, what’s with this deep prejudice against me, ever since the day we met?”^[3]T/N: definitely because of the traumatizing first impression, Brother. LoL

[“Hha! Why do you think I hold such a biased view toward you, Big Brother?”]

“Of course, because you keep refusing to admit that I’m an amiable person, and keep mistaking my professional way as something else.”

[“Oh, you…Whatever, forget it.”] The System gave up, and decided to ignore him for the time being.

***

That night Lin Yuetian continued to be busy working.

First, he created an account on a secret website intended for niche visitors. Afterward, he spent the rest of the night making several PPTs with animations inside. The content was rather simple: A Truth or Dare game.

A mysterious Shadow Man^[4]Something like this:

was asking some other Animated Characters some questions. If they refused to tell the truth, the Shadow Man would let them experience a great adventure. The main props included were more suitable for appearing at a torture scene, however.

After finishing his simple animation display, Lin Yuetian began to dig around the original owner’s memory, while muttering out loud;

“…Say, who do you think will likely be tempted to buy Gao Yan’s life?”

[“Are you asking me? How would I know?”] The System was still sulking. [“Aren’t you the Industry Elite, why ask me to be a middleman now? I refuse!”]

Lin Yuetian wrecked his brain a little more but still couldn’t come up with the answer. While he did feel a bit disappointed he also knew that he was only a mere human. He shouldn’t expect everything to go ever so smoothly. After all, didn’t people say; Three points are attributed to fate while the seven points depend on one’s effort?^[5]Proverbs: means that one’s success mostly relies on one’s hard work.

Thinking of it that way, Lin Yuetian soon cheered up, and once again used his recent encouraging speech:

“Oh well, forget it. It’s fine if I can’t directly find a surefire customer. If there’s no potential customer, then let’s create one ourselves! Remember, if there’s a will, there’s a way!“

[“Big Brother, you know, the quote is supposed to encourage people in a positive light! For you to use this awe-inspiring proverb to motivate your felony is just…”] The System weakly complained in despair.

[“…Honestly, please hurry up and enroll in a class and learn literature properly!”]

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T/N: see you next weekend~