Villain? No, I'll catch up with the protagonist after passing the civil service exam.

"Snapped!"

A sharp, chilling slap suddenly rang out in the silent film set.

Then came the dull thud of a heavy object hitting the ground, accompanied by the girl's suppressed screams and sobs. Under the spotlight, a little girl dressed in thin ancient clothing lay on the ground, clutching her face, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, her whole body trembling like a leaf in the wind.

"Cut! Cut! Cut!"

Behind the monitor, Director Zhang, wearing a baseball cap and sporting a goatee, suddenly slammed down the script and stormed onto the set in a rage.

"What happened? Didn't you eat? That look in your eyes—I want despair! Shame! The feeling of being ravaged and broken!"

Director Zhang pointed at the extra playing the "perpetrator," spitting as he spoke, "Why are you holding back? Hit her for real! Tear it hard! How can this scene go on if you don't tear her clothes? The audience wants to see realism! Spectacular tension!"

The extra was an honest-looking man who was holding the girl's collar with a troubled expression: "Director, this girl is crying. If we tear it any more, she'll... she'll be exposed."

"So what if you accidentally expose yourself? That's artistic use of negative space!"

Director Zhang shoved aside the extras, his face flushed with excitement as he leaned close to the girl, his eyes filled with a nauseating fanaticism and greed.

"Xiao Liu, don't blame me for being harsh. This scene is the climax of the entire series; it's the key moment when the Immortal Venerable turns evil to save you. If you don't sacrifice yourself, how can the audience empathize?"

The girl curled up in a ball, clutching her neckline tightly, tears ruining her makeup, her voice choked and almost inaudible: "Director...Director, the script didn't say anything about showing skin...It was agreed in the contract that it was just a camera trick..."

"Using camera angles? Can using camera angles really create that heart-wrenching feeling?"

Director Zhang impatiently interrupted her, his tone laced with threat, "If you want to become famous, you have to be willing to go all out. Look at actress Su Qingge, she went through the same thing back then! If you're hesitant and reserved today, you're fired tomorrow! I'd like to see which production team would dare to hire you!"

The surrounding staff kept their heads down, and no one dared to speak.

In this industry, the director is like a god, wielding the power of life and death. The dignity of a minor supporting actor is utterly meaningless under the banner of "art."

"Come on, one more time!"

Director Zhang straightened up, waved to the production crew, and ordered, "Clear the set! Everyone who isn't involved, get out! This time, I'm serious. Anyone who dares to stop, I'll kill them!"

Just as that wicked hand was about to reach for the girl's collar again.

"It really should be cleared out."

A cold voice abruptly pierced through the noise of the film set, like a scalpel precisely severing the suffocating atmosphere.

Director Zhang paused for a moment, then whirled around: "Who? Who doesn't know the rules...?"

Before he could finish speaking, his gaze fell upon a dark blue wall.

Lu Jingyan stood there, one hand in his pocket, the other holding up the still-flashing red body camera, pointing it directly at Director Zhang's distorted face. Behind him, Zhao Tiezhu and Su Xiaoxiao stood like two guardian deities, coldly watching the entire scene.

"Who are you? Where are the security guards? How dare you let unauthorized personnel in?" Director Zhang roared angrily.

Lu Jingyan ignored his roar.

He walked straight to the girl, took off his black leather jacket, and draped it over her trembling shoulders. The jacket, still warm from his body and carrying a faint scent of tobacco, instantly enveloped the girl's fear.

"It's alright now."

Lu Jingyan said something in a low voice, then turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning, piercing Director Zhang.

"I am Lu Jingyan from the Special Investigation Team of the Jinghai City Public Security Bureau. We suspect your film crew of being involved in illegal or criminal activities. Please cooperate with the investigation."

"police?"

Director Zhang was initially startled, then sneered, his arrogance as a "great artist" instantly surging up. "So what if they're police? Does that mean they can just barge onto the film set? We're making a movie! It's artistic creation! Don't you even know what art is?"

He pointed at the girl on the ground, looking completely self-righteous.

"So what if actors suffer a little injustice to present the best work? That's called sacrificing for art! You guys don't know anything!"

"Sacrifice?"

Lu Jingyan repeated the word, a mocking smile curving his lips.

He approached step by step, and the powerful sense of oppression made Director Zhang subconsciously retreat until he bumped into the camera tripod.

"Director Zhang, isn't your artistic threshold a bit too low?"

Lu Jingyan pointed at the girl who was still crying, his voice as cold as if he had been pulled out of an ice cellar.

"Forcibly tearing off a woman's clothes, physically humiliating her, or even demanding that she expose her body parts in public against her will."

"In your mouth, this is called art."

"But in the Criminal Law, this is called the crime of forced indecent assault. If it involves coercion or intimidation by abusing one's power, it may even constitute attempted rape."

"You..." Director Zhang's face turned a deep shade of liver, his finger trembling as he pointed at Lu Jingyan. "This is slander! This is an unspoken rule in the film industry! Everyone films like this!"

"Just because everyone takes these kinds of photos, does that mean it's the right thing to do?"

Lu Jingyan interrupted him, his eyes sharp as knives, "If so-called industry rules are built on trampling on the law and dignity, then those rules should be smashed."

"besides."

He took out his police ID and waved it in front of Director Zhang.

"I recorded every word and action you just took, including your threat, 'Get out if you don't sacrifice yourself.' What is this called? This is forced labor, this is workplace bullying."

The chat room was already exploding with comments.

Tens of millions of viewers were furious when they saw this scene.

This is disgusting! Is this what they call a famous director? He's a complete scoundrel!

[Officer Lu's scolding is well done! What kind of artistic sacrifice is this? If you want to see striptease, go to a nightclub yourself!]

Investigate him! Investigate him thoroughly! There's definitely more to this production crew than just this!

Director Zhang finally panicked when he saw Lu Jingyan's unyielding attitude.

Although he was arrogant, he was aware of the current public opinion environment. If this matter was classified as indecent assault, his career would be completely over.

"It's a misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"

Director Zhang's eyes darted around, a greasy, fake smile plastered on his face as he tried to downplay the situation. "Officer, I was just trying to make the scene better, I got a little rushed. Since you're all here, we're done filming today. That's a wrap! Everyone, wrap up!"

As he spoke, he frantically winked at the stagehands, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of panic.

"Quick! Pack up all the equipment over there! Especially the break room, lock the door right now! Don't let anyone in!"

This unusual behavior immediately alerted Lu Jingyan.

The crime radar sounded a piercing alarm in his mind, and the flashing red dot pointed to the dressing room in the corner of the set that had a sign that read "Director's Only".

Lu Jingyan narrowed his eyes.

Why is it necessary to lock the door so quickly in a filming break room?

"Wait a minute."

He reached out and stopped Director Zhang, who was about to slip away, his gaze passing over Zhang's shoulder and locking onto the tightly closed door.

"Since it's a misunderstanding, let's explain it clearly."

Lu Jingyan pushed up his glasses, took long strides, and walked straight towards the lounge.

"Director Zhang, there seems to be some 'movement' in your room. Would you mind if I went in and took a look at your 'temple of art'?"