He plays Feng Yuxiu, and his girlfriend is a fairy-like beauty.

2 PM, Century Hotel.

A meeting room on the third floor was temporarily converted into an audition room.

There were seven or eight people sitting outside the door, men and women, all holding number plates.

Some were graduates of professional schools, while others came from martial arts backgrounds; they all had tense expressions and were clearly quite nervous.

After all, who wouldn't want to be in a film directed by Chen Desheng?

Inside the meeting room, three people were sitting behind a long table.

In the middle is Chen Desheng, in his fifties, with gray hair and wearing black-rimmed glasses.

Next to him are his assistant director and executive producer.

"Next."

Chen Desheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke in a flat tone.

The door opened, and a man in his thirties entered. He had a buzz cut, a muscular build, and was wearing a tight-fitting T-shirt with bulging muscles on his arms.

"Hello Director Chen, my name is Zhao Meng, a lay disciple of Shaolin Temple, and I have been practicing kung fu for eight years."

Chen Desheng nodded: "Let's begin."

Zhao Meng took a deep breath, assumed a horse stance, and performed a set of punches.

His movements were powerful and forceful, each punch landing with a satisfying impact; it was clear he possessed genuine kung fu skills.

After finishing his work, Zhao Meng's forehead was already covered in sweat.

Chen Desheng stared at him for two seconds, then lowered his head and wrote a few words in his notebook.

"Okay, go back and wait for our notification."

Zhao Meng opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back, turned around and left.

The assistant director leaned over and glanced at the annotations on Chen Desheng's notebook, which read: "Martial arts but no acting."

To put it bluntly, they only know how to fight, not how to act.

"Next."

Another person came in.

This one looks younger, in his early twenties, with a rather handsome appearance, and he greeted everyone with a big smile as soon as he entered.

"Hello Director Chen, I graduated from the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy..."

What roles have you played?

"Uh... I've acted in a few online movies, and..."

"No need to say anything more. You'll act out Feng Yuxiu's monologue before he challenges his opponent. You've read the script, right?"

"Yes, I've seen it."

The young man swallowed hard, cleared his throat, and began his performance.

"Kung Fu... is a killing technique..."

He tried to look fierce, but his eyes kept darting around and his voice sounded weak.

Chen Desheng looked at it for less than ten seconds before raising his hand.

"Alright."

The young man's face paled, and before he could explain anything, the assistant director waved him out.

The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.

Chen Desheng took off his glasses, wiped them, and sighed.

"Old Li, how many people have you seen these past few days?"

The assistant director flipped through the notebook: "Including the two from earlier, that makes a total of thirty-seven."

"Is there anything you're satisfied with?"

The assistant director didn't say anything, but just shook his head with a wry smile.

The executive producer chimed in, "Director Chen, the role of Feng Yuxiu is really hard to find. He needs to have a background in martial arts, and he also needs to portray that kind of evil and crazy energy. There aren't many actors in the industry who can fight, and even fewer who can act."

"I know," Chen Desheng rubbed his temples, "but this role is the soul of the whole film. If he messes it up, the whole movie is ruined. I'd rather have nothing than something bad. If I can't find a suitable one, I won't start filming."

The assistant director glanced down at the list: "Next... Ye Mo, 23 years old, graduated from the Central Academy of Drama. The remarks say..."

He paused for a moment.

Chen Desheng asked, "What should I write?"

"Recommended by Liu Yifei."

Chen Desheng raised an eyebrow.

Liu Yifei.

The girl and he weren't very close; they had chatted briefly at an event last year and exchanged contact information.

He's a nice person, low-key, sensible, and has a good reputation in the industry.

Since it was she who recommended him...

"Alright, we still have to give Liu Yifei face." Chen Desheng put on his glasses. "Who is this guy? What has he acted in?"

The assistant director flipped through the pages: "He hasn't played any serious roles, just worked as an extra for two years."

Chen Desheng frowned slightly.

Extra?

He wouldn't even glance at such a resume under normal circumstances.

"Never mind, we're already here." Chen Desheng waved his hand, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Let's give him a small role later, just something to get rid of him. Like that... police officer? The one with a few shots."

The assistant director nodded and wrote a few words in his notebook.

All three of them knew that this was just a formality.

Give Liu Yifei an explanation, as long as it's acceptable on the surface.

"Next."

……

Outside the door, Ye Mo was sitting on a bench in the corridor. When he heard someone inside call "Next," he stood up.

He straightened his collar and took a deep breath.

I've had countless job interviews in my past life, but I still get nervous every time.

However, this tension wasn't fear, it was more like...excitement.

He knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

Ye Mo pushed open the door, walked to the table, and stood still.

He glanced at the three interviewers, bowed slightly, and remained neither humble nor arrogant.

"Hello Director Chen, hello both teachers, my name is Ye Mo, I am 23 years old."

Chen Desheng leaned back in his chair and glanced at him.

His appearance is acceptable; he has regular features and a good temperament.

But being good-looking isn't enough; this industry has no shortage of good-looking people.

Chen Desheng nodded slightly, his impression score improved a little, but only a little.

Being good-looking is a plus!

"You know what the audition was like, right? Martial arts skills plus facial expressions," Chen Desheng said.

Ye Mo did not hesitate.

"Director Chen, I know. I'm preparing to perform the scene where Feng Yuxiu challenges the Northern Leg master at the martial arts school. The lines and movements will be done together."

The assistant director looked down and flipped through the script, finding that particular passage.

Chen Desheng was somewhat surprised.

The North Leg scene is one of the more demanding action sequences in the film, requiring a high level of physical fitness and acting ability from the actors.

It's dangerous for someone who's just playing a minor role!

"Okay, let's begin."

Chen Desheng leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

Ye Mo took two steps back, giving himself some space.

He closed his eyes.

one second.

two seconds.

three seconds.

When she opened her eyes again, her entire demeanor had completely changed.

If Ye Mo was a polite and sunny young man just now, he is now like a sword drawn from its sheath.

His left foot dragged slightly on the ground, causing him to walk with a limp.

This is Feng Yuxiu's congenital disability, which is written in the script, but he didn't even look at the script just now.

How did he know?

Chen Desheng's brow twitched slightly.

Ye Mo—no, now it's Feng Yuxiu.

He limped into the "martial arts school," his eyes scanning the surroundings, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The smile looked like a smile, but upon closer inspection, there was no smile in the eyes.

It's cold.

Like a snake.

The assistant director instinctively sat up straight.

......

Feng Yuxiu tilted his head and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"But I want to see..."

"It's because your legs are fast..."

"My punches are still faster."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Feng Yuxiu made his move!

Ye Mo's body suddenly erupted with astonishing explosive power. He slammed his right foot into the ground and thrust his left fist straight out!

The speed and power at that moment were unlike anything an extra could do.

The punch suddenly changes halfway through, the body turns, and elbow strikes, knee strikes, and a series of kicks are delivered—although there is no opponent, each movement has a clear target and landing point.

What's even more terrifying is his expression.

Throughout the fight, Feng Yuxiu maintained a smile on his face. It wasn't ferocious, nor was it madness; rather, it was a genuine, heartfelt...enjoyment.

He was enjoying the fight.

Enjoy the process of destroying your opponent.

Chen Desheng had sat up straight at some point, his hands were no longer crossed, but were resting on the table, and he leaned forward.

His eyes were fixed on Ye Mo without blinking.

This action...

That look in his eyes...

This kind of temperament...

Chen Desheng has met many actors.

I've seen people who can fight, people who can act, and people who can both fight and act.

But he had never seen anyone who could blend "evil" and "madness" so naturally.

Feng Yuxiu is not a villain.

He was a pitiful man consumed by his obsession.

Ye Mo captured that essence perfectly.

Suddenly, Ye Mo stopped moving.

He stood there, slightly out of breath, his eyes still sharp.

Then he raised his head, as if looking at someone who had already fallen, and whispered something—

"It not only distinguishes between superior and inferior, but also determines life and death."

The voice was very soft, as if talking about something very ordinary.

But the meeting room was so quiet you could hear someone breathing.

Ye Mo stopped moving, stood up straight, and his gaze shifted from "Feng Yuxiu" back to "Ye Mo". He was slightly out of breath, and sweat was already on his forehead.

Then he smiled and bowed to the three interviewers again.

"Dear teachers, my performance is over."

No one speaks.

Ye Mo's heart skipped a beat.

That's it? He messed up? No way, he thought he did a great job...

"Smack."

Chen Desheng clapped his hands.

And then it happened again.

One more time.

The assistant director and executive producer snapped out of their daze and joined in the applause.

Chen Desheng stood up.

He stared at Ye Mo, his eyes shining.

That kind of light is the kind of light a director gives when he sees an actor he likes.

......