Luo Yu pointed to himself, “Me? Do I, as Wen Yuchi, look like a rabbit? How do I look like a rabbit?”  

On the other side, Gu Xiaowei coolly replied, “After working overtime, your red eyes kind of do.”  

“Just you wait. When the movie’s done, I’ll send you a rabbit that’ll come over to poop in your house with red eyes!”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

At that moment, Huang Ling was nervously clutching his phone, wondering if Luo Yu’s performance was just acting or if he was intimidating him. If… if he sold these photos to the gossip rags now, they’d definitely be published soon. But if Luo Yu found out, he could identify the photographer and make things tough during filming. It might be better to wait a bit before releasing them.  

Putting his phone back in his pocket, Huang Ling looked up and found Gu Xiaowei staring at him. In Gu Xiaowei’s gaze as Lu Pingfeng, there was a chilling, ruthless intent that felt like an invisible rope tightening around his throat, suspending him in the air. He wanted to look away but found his neck immobilized, as if Gu Xiaowei completely controlled him.  

Then, Luo Yu sidled up to Gu Xiaowei, whispering, “What are you staring at? Watch out, or people might think you have a crush on him!”  

“Then why don’t you think I have a crush on you, since I’ve stared at you for so long?” Gu Xiaowei shot him a glance.  

Man, I wish! But saying it so bluntly in front of the director? How can I dare think that?  

“I’m staring at you too—come on, let’s mutually crush on each other, get our fans excited.” Luo Yu moved closer. Gu Xiaowei raised his hand, about to pull Luo Yu into his arms again, but Luo Yu quickly dodged.  

“Don’t even think about it. If you mess up my eyebrow makeup, Xiao Ye’s gonna freak out.” Luo Yu backed away with his hands in his pockets, his carefree manner keeping Gu Xiaowei’s gaze on him.  

Out of Gu Xiaowei’s sight, Huang Ling finally let out a breath, feeling anxious again. Why had Gu Xiaowei looked at him like that? Did he know about the photos? Luo Yu must have told him!  

A megaphone sounded, making Huang Ling flinch.  

“Next scene ready! Lu Pingfeng, Wen Yuchi, and Zhuang He!”  

Huang Ling swallowed hard. In the next scene, he would face Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu… both pretty intimidating people. What should he do?  

“Zhuang He! What are you doing, standing around? Get over here before it gets dark!”  

Huang Ling jogged over, his heart sinking with each step toward Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu.  

“‘Beast and Rose,’ day x, scene x! Begin!”  

When Wen Yuchi restrained Zhuang He with a dagger, Lu Pingfeng arrived, took out a climbing rope from Zhuang He’s bag, and tied him up, hanging him from a tree.  

Zhuang He, panicked, begged, “Please don’t kill me! I only acted out of desperation!”  

Lu Pingfeng tilted his head, gazing at Zhuang He with a cold, mocking tone, “He looks just like a mouse my neighbor hung when I was a kid, swaying from the branch.”  

With a frigid expression, Lu Pingfeng showed a complete lack of humanity. Hanging high up, Zhuang He’s panic intensified, his struggles growing more frantic. Wen Yuchi, meanwhile, took it in stride, giving Lu Pingfeng a nudge, “How’d you survive? I heard nonstop gunfire—was his aim that bad, or was there something wrong with the sights?”  

Lu Pingfeng spread his arms, looking at Wen Yuchi.  

“Hey, where’s your vest?” Wen Yuchi asked, frowning.  

“I gave it to a big, fat rabbit,” Lu Pingfeng replied.  

“You’re lucky, running into a rabbit out here,” Wen Yuchi said, addressing Zhuang He, “Now, what’s your name? How are you related to Zhuang Jie? Who else is on this island? What weapons do they have?”  

Zhuang He, frightened, answered, “Don’t kill me! I’m Zhuang He, and Zhuang Jie is my uncle… I was brought to the island for survival with these supplies. I don’t know if anyone else is here…”  

Wen Yuchi idly played with the dagger near Zhuang He’s shoelaces, which reminded Zhuang He of the brutal ambush, goosebumps rising.  

“I didn’t introduce myself yet, did I? I’m a forensic doctor. The reason this painter of death and I get along so well is our shared interests.” Wen Yuchi draped an arm around Lu Pingfeng’s shoulder with a friendly air.  

“You… you mean to…?”  

“I want to open you up and see how muscles and blood vessels respond in a live human.”  

Zhuang He shuddered, feeling terrified at Wen Yuchi’s smile. Worse, Lu Pingfeng, watching him, looked as if he was observing a lifeless object.  

“Dr. Wen, how many punches would it take to rupture an adult’s internal organs?” Lu Pingfeng asked.  

“Not sure. Curious?” Wen Yuchi replied, tapping his face with the knife, smiling.  

“Yeah. My neighbor killed that mouse one punch at a time, and when I saw it the next day, its bones were crushed. But people are sturdier than mice.”  

“Oh, if you want to see, then try it. When he starts bleeding, I’ll dissect him to check his organs.” Wen Yuchi said expectantly, and Zhuang He realized he meant less than the mouse to them.  

Lu Pingfeng pulled Wen Yuchi back, saying, “Stay back, so he doesn’t bleed on you.”  

Wen Yuchi obediently stepped back, eyes wide in anticipation like a devil in a handsome disguise.  

Lu Pingfeng’s face contorted fearsomely as he threw a punch at Zhuang He’s stomach, the force causing the vein to pop terrifyingly on his temple.  

There was no sign of slowing down. Suspended mid-air, Zhuang He could even feel the force of the fist cutting through the wind.  

“Ahhh—”  

Zhuang He’s piercing scream echoed through the mountains.  

The surrounding crew all craned their necks in alarm.  

“Holy crap—” The assistant director was so shocked his hat nearly fell off. Taking a punch like that, the actor playing Zhuang He, Huang Ling, might end up in the hospital!

“Cut!” Director Sheng Yunlan shouted. Hanging in the air, Huang Ling was terrified, feeling as if his soul had left his body.  

Luo Yu hugged Gu Xiaowei from behind, feeling the tension in his muscles. He had no doubt Gu Xiaowei really intended to hit Huang Ling.  

In the end, Gu Xiaowei’s fist never landed on Huang Ling. Instead, he stopped mid-stride, just half a step forward.  

He turned his head slightly to glance at Luo Yu, who was holding him back. Placing his palm over Luo Yu’s hand, he tightened his grip.  

“I didn’t hit him.”  

Luo Yu let out a sigh of relief, trying to loosen his hold, but Gu Xiaowei kept his grip firm. “I thought for a moment… you’d fully channel Lu Pingfeng and actually send him to the afterlife!”  

“Heh…” Gu Xiaowei tilted his head up, casting a cold smirk toward Huang Ling.

“So… it was all acting… you really scared us to death! Look, even Luo Yu was frightened by Gu Xiaowei!” The assistant director wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Yan Jun, watching the scene, patted his chest, “Whoa, scared the life out of me!”

Nie Yangchen, however, knew that if Luo Yu hadn’t rushed forward, Gu Xiaowei’s punch would most likely have landed on Huang Ling.

For Gu Xiaowei to bring that level of anger into his role, Huang Ling must have done something to provoke Luo Yu.

“There are always some who are not afraid of death,” Nie Yangchen remarked coldly.

Sheng Yunlan didn’t comment or call for a retake; instead, he focused on replaying the scene on the screen.

When Luo Yu had rushed forward to hold Gu Xiaowei, Sheng Yunlan carefully played back that moment repeatedly, as if confirming something.

After a full ten minutes, Huang Ling was left hanging awkwardly, feeling miserable. When he looked down and saw the duo of Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu, he was genuinely terrified.

However, since the director hadn’t said anything, no one would let him down.

Luo Yu crouched on the ground, resting his chin on his hand, and gave Gu Xiaowei a look, suggesting, “Why don’t we go see what scene has the director thinking for so long?”

Gu Xiaowei nodded, grabbed Luo Yu, and was about to head toward the director, but Sheng Yunlan coughed into the megaphone.

Everyone drinking water, scrolling through their phones, or chatting all stopped and looked toward the director.

“Let’s continue from Lu Pingfeng’s line, ‘I didn’t hit him,’” the director announced.

Everyone exchanged looks.

“Wasn’t that line not part of the script? Just Gu Xiaowei saying it to Luo Yu?”

“I get it now; that’s the effect the director wants. Didn’t you hear how pitifully Zhuang He screamed just now?”

“The most important part was when Wen Yuchi rushed to hug Lu Pingfeng, and Lu Pingfeng looked back and said, ‘I didn’t hit him’—it had a comforting effect. It shows… that Wen Yuchi is different from everyone else in the world to Lu Pingfeng!”

Hearing the director’s instructions, Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu prepared to continue acting.

However, the lines had changed, and the two discussed how to transition.

Watching the two talking, Huang Ling, hanging in midair, became anxious, “Could… could someone let me down to go to the bathroom? I really need to go!”

“Hold on, it’ll be over soon.” Luo Yu smiled politely and gently at Huang Ling.

But Huang Ling felt a shiver, “D-Director… I want to come down…”

Gu Xiaowei raised his hand and said, “Director, we’ve discussed it and are ready to continue!”

Sheng Yunlan, once fully absorbed, rarely stopped. He spoke through the megaphone, “Zhuang He, hang on a little longer. We’ll be done soon.”

With that, everyone took their positions, the camera zoomed in, and all unnecessary personnel left the shooting area.

Huang Ling, with tears in his eyes, could only continue hanging.

Everything resumed from the moment Wen Yuchi hugged Lu Pingfeng.

“I didn’t hit him,” Lu Pingfeng said, looking back at Wen Yuchi.

“Normally, you could’ve hit him anytime you want, but I thought it over—if you really hit him too hard, there’d be no one left to answer our questions. He screamed so loudly just now; his associates on the island must have heard it. If it were me, I’d assume he’s been dealt with and wouldn’t waste any effort rescuing him.” Wen Yuchi glanced at Zhuang He, tapping his dagger on his foot. “Did you really think we wouldn’t understand the rules of the island?”

Zhuang He trembled, “You… you knew?”

“Isn’t it just an inheritance battle royale? Only one out of many survives. Or… if you kill me, you could leave the island. But think carefully—if you kill for the inheritance, are you sure it’ll still be valid when you’re the last one standing?” Wen Yuchi reminded him.

“The others told you to come alone, meaning they don’t see you as a partner but as a sacrificial pawn,” Lu Pingfeng glanced at him.

Zhuang He had always suspected as much, but held onto a sliver of hope, “I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you now! On the island, there’s Zhuang Jie’s adopted daughter, Zhuang Feifei, his nephew Ding Bing, and his nephew Zhuang Chao! And also his secretary, Qin Lin!”

Wen Yuchi paused, “What? Qin Lin too? Isn’t he just a secretary? Why would he have inheritance rights?”

“He’s cared for my uncle’s art collections for years… In my uncle’s eyes, he’s more useful than any of us!”

Lu Pingfeng chuckled, “Is that why he’s been thrown onto a deserted island for a death game?”

Zhuang He was stunned for a moment. It did seem to make sense. Qin Lin had followed Zhuang Jie for so many years, working diligently—if not with merit, then certainly with toil. If Zhuang Jie truly wanted to grant him inheritance rights, wouldn’t it have been simpler to just hand him a painting directly?

“So… is Qin Lin here to kill me too?” Wen Yuchi asked amusedly.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Zhuang He shook his head, “No, Qin Lin wants everyone to join forces, find you both, and negotiate to get the antidote from you!”

“Even if we hand over the antidote, it’s useless. There are at least five of you and only two antidotes. Who gets saved?” Wen Yuchi chuckled, “The best way to avoid you all fighting each other is to kill me…”

After saying this, Wen Yuchi froze, glancing at Lu Pingfeng, suddenly realizing something.

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A few minutes later, with the rain still falling, Sister Cui replied: [I asked around. Rumor has it that Huang Ling has decent acting skills, but he has a habit of taking photos of key actors’ interactions and selling them to gossip sites. It’s just a rumor without evidence, though, or the director wouldn’t use him. Do you know what photos he took?]

Luo Yu glanced at Huang Ling, who was now looking down at his phone, no longer watching them.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

[Not sure how many he took. Probably the one of Gu Xiaowei holding my face.]

Sister Cui responded immediately, excited: [Why would Gu Xiaowei hold your face?! You’re not even filming a romantic scene!]

[It started raining, and I was warming by the fireplace and almost got hit by a spark. He reached out to shield me.]

Sister Cui: [You just focus on filming. I’ll arrange for someone to look into which gossip sites Huang Ling might be dealing with, and I’ll coordinate with Meng Yu and also have a talk with Huang Ling’s agency.]

Since Sister Cui had things under control, Luo Yu knew nothing major would come of it. Besides, even if photos of him and Gu Xiaowei were posted, it would satisfy fans’ desire for moments between them. But Luo Yu was annoyed that someone was profiting off Gu Xiaowei’s image.

The rain finally stopped, and in just a couple of minutes, the sun came out.

A loudspeaker sounded outside, with the script supervisor calling for the next shot.

Gu Xiaowei stood up, about to reach out to fix Luo Yu’s collar, but Luo Yu turned his head to avoid it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Huang Ling holding his phone at an angle, probably filming them again.

“Let’s go; it’s time for the next scene,” Luo Yu said, smiling politely at Huang Ling.

Huang Ling froze, the usually easygoing Luo Yu giving a smile as sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Huang Ling’s nerves, nearly making him drop his phone.

Luo Yu was already outside the door. “That rain made the mountain paths slippery, so be careful, everyone!”

Gu Xiaowei paused, glancing coldly at Huang Ling, his gaze as sharp as a dissecting knife. Huang Ling felt a dull pain in his head as if being mentally sliced, and he frantically turned away.

As Huang Ling exited, he missed his footing, landing on his backside and sliding over a meter. It was Luo Yu who helped him up.

“Hey, didn’t I just warn you about the slippery ground?” Luo Yu asked with concern.

“S-sorry…”

Huang Ling hadn’t expected Luo Yu to be so strong, lifting him up effortlessly by his arm.

Once he regained his balance, Huang Ling instinctively distanced himself from Luo Yu.

Luo Yu said nothing further, putting his hands in his pockets and heading toward Gu Xiaowei, on their way to the next filming location.

Next up was the scene where Zhuang He, played by Huang Ling, attempts to ambush Lu Pingfeng and Wen Yuchi, only to be countered.

“Everyone, get in position, day X scene X take XX! Action!”

In front of them lay a shadowy forest, the hunting lodge behind them fading into the distance.

Lu Pingfeng, with a wooden stick in hand, walked forward, speaking to Wen Yuchi behind him: “Your shocked expression—was it because you thought I strangled Li Heng?”

“What pleasure would you get from strangling Li Heng?” Wen Yuchi had Li Heng’s dagger tucked at his waist.

“Taking his breath away, feeling his struggle, sensing his life vanish in my arms,” Lu Pingfeng replied.

“Heh, come on. Li Heng, a gambler? You’d rather see him poisoned to death than waste the effort strangling him. Think about your paintings—the stag, the redback spider, the shimmering butterfly. All living beings full of spirit. Where’s Li Heng’s spirit? He’s so deep in gambling, he doesn’t even have luck.”

Wen Yuchi muttered while walking, and Lu Pingfeng, leading the way, allowed himself a slight smile.

“Then why were you so shocked?” Lu Pingfeng glanced back at Wen Yuchi, extending his stick, which Wen Yuchi readily grabbed, pulling himself up.

“My surprise was in response to your performance! I also wanted to knock out Li Heng, but I thought of hitting him on the head! Who knew you’d go for choking him? Isn’t that worth my surprise?”

After a few steps, Wen Yuchi adjusted his collar.

Lu Pingfeng laughed, “Dr. Wen, your stamina seems pretty average.”

“Wouldn’t you be tired after hours of overtime and getting dragged to a place like this? Aren’t you hungry? Tired? Are you superhuman?”

Lu Pingfeng, unusually, wore an accommodating expression, glancing around. “Once we find the other heirs, maybe we’ll get something to eat.”

“Speaking of which, when I tied up Li Heng and threw him in the hunting lodge’s underground cellar, you seemed pretty happy about it.”

“Really?” Lu Pingfeng lightly responded.

“Yeah, I mean, just imagine him waking up, facing Old Han’s corpse, probably trembling all over with fear, maybe even wetting himself. Then, he’d have to twist like a cocoon to try to turn away, or else he’d be stuck staring at Old Han until morning… Just thinking about it is pretty funny.”

Wen Yuchi paused and looked at Lu Pingfeng in front of him. Although Lu Pingfeng had his back turned, he clearly let out a slight chuckle.

Who said Lu Pingfeng didn’t have human emotions? He obviously had a bit of a mischievous streak.

Suddenly, Lu Pingfeng turned around, grabbed Wen Yuchi’s head, and pressed him down.

The camera zoomed in, capturing Lu Pingfeng’s cold gaze as he looked in a particular direction, while Wen Yuchi braced himself on the ground, his head shielded protectively by Lu Pingfeng.

—They had just dodged a bullet.

Two more shots followed, whizzing past their heads and splintering the bark of the tree behind them.

Closing his eyes, Lu Pingfeng assessed the direction of the gunfire and then held up a finger to Wen Yuchi, indicating that there was only one shooter.

Wen Yuchi nodded in understanding.

Lu Pingfeng then made a circling motion with his hand, suggesting they flank the shooter from both sides.

Wen Yuchi frowned, pointing upward, and Lu Pingfeng immediately understood—there was a high chance the shooter had set up an ambush point on the western cliff.

Just as Wen Yuchi was about to hand the knife to Lu Pingfeng, Lu Pingfeng pushed it back, mouthing, “The knife suits a forensic doctor better.”

With that, Lu Pingfeng crept in the opposite direction.

The two circled toward the shooter’s ambush point.

Lu Pingfeng might have been exposed because a series of gunshots suddenly rang out, causing Wen Yuchi’s heart to race. He sped up his approach to the cliff and saw a man wearing a knit cap and a black trench coat, lying in wait behind a rock with a gun.

Just as the man fired another shot, Wen Yuchi narrowed his eyes and, grabbing the knife from his waist, dashed forward as fast as he could.

The ambusher heard the noise and started to turn, but it was too late. As he tried to swing his gun around, it was jammed between two small rocks.

Wen Yuchi had already closed in, his eyes filled with cold killing intent, his knife slashing through the air with an overwhelming aura that multiplied the terror in the ambusher’s mind.

“Ahhh—” he shouted, clamping his hands over his head and closing his eyes.

But Wen Yuchi’s blade lodged into the rock crevice next to his ear.

The scene came to an abrupt halt because of the scream.

“What’s going on! Who told you to cover your head and close your eyes? Are you playing hide and seek with me?” Director Sheng Yunlan yelled through the megaphone.

Huang Ling, the actor playing the ambusher, quickly lowered his hands and, upon opening his eyes, found himself staring at Luo Yu’s gentle, harmless smile. Luo Yu smoothly pulled the knife from the rock, knocking loose some pebbles that clattered to the ground, making Huang Ling’s heart skip a beat.

That earlier scene had been terrifying; it wasn’t acting—it felt like life and death!

“Sorry, Director! Let’s try again… one more time!” Huang Ling hurriedly apologized to everyone.

After all, Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu hadn’t missed a single line, yet when it was his turn he couldn’t stay in character.

“Everyone ready! Zhuang He! Adjust your emotions! Focus! When Wen Yuchi advances with the knife, why would you cover your face? You’re supposed to grab his knife! You’re a fugitive! You’re not afraid of death; go for the knife!” the director shouted.

Luo Yu patiently rehearsed the movements with Huang Ling, even demonstrating the exact way to grab his knife.

“Why are you nervous? The blade isn’t even sharp,” Luo Yu said with a smile.

Huang Ling awkwardly smiled, but he was internally trembling. “Right… It’s just your acting was too real, and I forgot.”

“Let’s go again.”

In the second take, Luo Yu, as Wen Yuchi, quickly approached with the knife, while Zhuang He abandoned his attempt to adjust the gun and reached out for Wen Yuchi’s right hand.

As Wen Yuchi’s intense gaze bore down on him like a torrent, Zhuang He’s breathing caught in his throat. His fingertips barely brushed Wen Yuchi’s wrist before Wen Yuchi twisted it, pressing a hand against Zhuang He’s chest, and kneeled heavily on Zhuang He’s chest as he hit the ground.

“Ugh—” Zhuang He almost coughed up blood.

And Wen Yuchi’s gaze drilled into his own.

It was terrifying, and Zhuang He stared back in shock.

The scene stopped again.

“Zhuang He! What’s going on with you! In the script, you’re a hardened fugitive! You’re supposed to be tougher than Wen Yuchi! Are you weaker than a forensic doctor?”

The actor playing Zhuang He, Huang Ling, gulped and whispered, “But… forensic doctors aren’t normally this fierce…”

“Oh, my bad, my bad.” Luo Yu pulled Huang Ling up, lifting the knife. “I’ll hold back!”

Director Sheng Yunlan shouted, “Hold back! You’re worried about Lu Pingfeng being killed; you’re supposed to be desperate! If you hold back, what’s going to happen to Lu Pingfeng?”

Luo Yu’s mouth curved slightly. This was exactly what he wanted the director to say—no need to hold back; he could unleash his intensity.

Huang Ling’s throat tightened, and then Luo Yu put his arm around his shoulders and leaned close to his ear, saying, “What are you worried about? With everyone watching, it’s not like I can kill you.”

The words, drawn out slightly, sounded teasing but also like a threat.

Huang Ling couldn’t help but wonder—did Luo Yu know he planned to sell photos of him and Gu Xiaowei to the gossip rags, and was this a warning?

The third take began, and Huang Ling resumed his position, mentally preparing himself.

Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, he’s only trying to scare me. Could he really kill with a prop knife?

He waited for Luo Yu’s approaching footsteps and timed his turn, once again facing Luo Yu’s stare.

The knife glinted coldly as Luo Yu’s merciless eyes revealed a deadly glint. The knife came down toward Huang Ling’s face.

He grabbed Luo Yu’s wrist, feeling the weight and pressure, but Luo Yu shifted his wrist, transferring the knife to his right hand and aiming it at Huang Ling’s neck.

“Ahh—” Huang Ling broke out in a cold sweat, tensing up and shouting.

Just as the knife tip pressed against his skin, Luo Yu paused.

It wasn’t his imagination; Huang Ling heard a soft scoff.

It was an unrestrained scoff of disdain.

“Good! The knife transfer move looked great!” Sheng Yunlan praised with no hesitation.

Luo Yu smiled sheepishly. “It was just an instinctive move. I didn’t expect it to work.”

Afterward, Luo Yu bent down, clasped Huang Ling’s wrist, and pulled him up. “Sorry if I scared you.”

“No… no, not at all,” Huang Ling stammered, wiping sweat from his neck.

“Oh, really? I didn’t scare you?” Luo Yu leaned closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous octave. “Then I’d better try harder.”

“N-no… I’m scared!” Huang Ling nodded frantically.

The scene wrapped up for a location change.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu joined Sheng Yunlan to review the recent takes.

All three were silent.

“I feel like I don’t look like a forensic doctor—I look like a fugitive,” Luo Yu said.

Sheng Yunlan replied, “It just shows how much Lu Pingfeng matters to you. Even a cornered rabbit will bite.”

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“After killing people, you still think you can go back and inherit his wealth? Man, are you out of your mind?” Wen Yuchi rolled his eyes upward.

“You don’t understand my uncle’s influence! He’ll make it happen! I can kill the others and claim it’s justifiable because we’re forced to fight for survival. His lawyers are excellent and will ensure I get off without punishment. If I don’t do it, I’ll die from poison within 24 hours!”

“What if the whole poisoning thing is just a lie?” Wen Yuchi asked again.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“The person who read out this inheritance rule to us… he was my uncle’s driver. He died from the poison right in front of us. Do you think we should believe it or not?” Li Heng replied, tears streaming down his face. “I must be cursed to have such an uncle. He was always stingy with family, never giving us a penny, no matter how rich he was. I failed in business, got into debt, nearly got my legs broken, and he wouldn’t lend me a dime. Now, on his deathbed, he pulls this nonsense!”

Hearing this, Wen Yuchi felt a headache coming on. “The world really is big… there are all kinds of lunatics out there.”

Lu Pingfeng was listening nearby, standing across from the fireplace. The firelight cast his shadow on the wall, changing shape, as if the demon within him was slowly breaking free.

Wen Yuchi didn’t turn around, his back to Lu Pingfeng.

“This reminds me of one of your paintings,” Wen Yuchi said.

“Which one?”

Mentioning his artwork softened Lu Pingfeng’s tone considerably.

“Hunger. The one collected by Zhuang Jie. I remember it depicts a nest of young hawks. The mother hawk, wounded, fell from the edge, leaving a poisoned mouse behind. The young hawks, unaware, fought each other over the mouse and ended up all dead.”

“You’ve seen it?” Lu Pingfeng asked.

“I’ve seen every painting on your portfolio list,” Wen Yuchi said.

Lu Pingfeng slowly walked over from the fireplace and stood beside Wen Yuchi, gazing down at the back of Wen Yuchi’s fair neck.

“There’s one more painting you haven’t seen.”

“Which one?”

“You.”

“What about me?”

At the time, Wen Yuchi didn’t know that Lu Pingfeng had left a side profile of him on the wall of his studio.

Wen Yuchi held a dagger, lightly poking Lu Pingfeng’s chest with its tip. “Hey, didn’t you hear? As long as you kill me, you can leave this place safely and inherit Zhuang Jie’s vast fortune.”

To his surprise, Lu Pingfeng took Wen Yuchi’s dagger, walked behind Li Heng, and held the blade against his throat.

Wen Yuchi was alarmed, “Hey! What are you doing?”

“If I kill him and then kill everyone else, I can take you away from here,” Lu Pingfeng replied, expressionless like a statue. His wrist was about to twist when Li Heng, terrified, began struggling desperately.

“Hey! Are you out of your mind? In the end, it’ll still just be the two of us left, and Zhuang Jie will still only let one person live! What’s the point of killing everyone?”

“Yes, I mean everyone except you.” Lu Pingfeng smiled, looking at Wen Yuchi.

He was including himself among the “everyone.”

Wen Yuchi felt a shiver down his spine. “There has to be another way! If you go along with Hunger, you’ll be playing right into Zhuang Jie’s hands! Are you really willing to become just another character in his story, under his influence?”

“What way?” Lu Pingfeng tilted his head. “Do you know this is a gift from Zhuang Jie to me? He’s pushing me past that boundary, to experience taking life, to depict real death, not merely ‘imitate death scenes.’”

“But haven’t you lost your fascination with death? Haven’t you recently painted something beautiful, full of life? Maybe Zhuang Jie saw it and was displeased. If that’s true, why follow the inspiration he’s set for you? You should be chasing your own inspiration.” Wen Yuchi’s voice softened.

Lu Pingfeng didn’t respond, just looked at Wen Yuchi with his deep gaze.

“Listen, they need our antidote. If we disappear for long enough, they’ll all die without it. Or, we could use our antidote to save them. That way, they won’t come after us for the inheritance.”

“No, for the inheritance, they’ll still turn on each other. If I’m right, Li Heng was chosen because he’s already deep in debt. If he doesn’t repay it, he’s as good as dead. So even if he takes the antidote, he’ll still try to kill the other heirs.”

“No… No, I don’t owe that much!”

But Li Heng’s panicked and guilty expression confirmed Lu Pingfeng’s suspicion.

“See, this is what Zhuang Jie loves to collect—human greed.” Lu Pingfeng chuckled.

He was naturally handsome, and with this smile, a chill spread outward from him, seeming to wrap the entire space in icy threads.

“We… we could immobilize each heir one by one. If they die after 24 hours, that’s their bad luck. If they survive, Captain Zhao will eventually find us,” Wen Yuchi suggested, slowly approaching Lu Pingfeng and grabbing his wrist, looking into his eyes. “Believe me, blood spraying from a wound is too direct; it lacks any subtle beauty. It has fixed trajectories, without any creative potential.”

Lu Pingfeng smirked and let go. Wen Yuchi immediately took the dagger back.

Just as Wen Yuchi exhaled in relief, Lu Pingfeng suddenly wrapped an arm around Li Heng’s neck, tightening his grip, and closed his eyes, a horrifying, pleased expression crossing his face.

Li Heng struggled but eventually slumped down.

It all happened too quickly, and by the time Wen Yuchi reacted, it was too late.

“What are you doing!” Wen Yuchi rushed over to check Li Heng’s pulse, his body tense with worry.

Lu Pingfeng let his arms fall calmly. “I tried it out. You’re right. There’s no meaning in it.”

Wen Yuchi looked at Lu Pingfeng with wide eyes, his expression filled with intense emotion, yet his gaze penetrated through Lu Pingfeng. It wasn’t blame or shock, but a more profound certainty.

The hunting lodge was silent, with only the crackling of the fire in the fireplace and their hearts beating.

In that silence, it was as if the world existed only in Wen Yuchi’s gaze at Lu Pingfeng.

Everyone held their breath, not wanting to break the delicate balance.

Sheng Yunlan, propping his chin on his hand, stared at the screen, wishing this moment would last longer.

Seated to his left was the assistant director, on his right Yan Jun, and behind him stood Nie Yangchen.

Yan Jun, an experienced actor, felt his breath caught in his throat watching Gu Xiaowei’s expression as Lu Pingfeng choked Li Heng. Gu Xiaowei’s intense, almost ravenous look felt like a long-starved demon finally tasting blood, ready to fully unleash. Yan Jun was struck by Gu Xiaowei’s performance, wondering if he’d even remember his lines if he were to play Wen Yuchi opposite Gu Xiaowei’s Lu Pingfeng.

But Luo Yu held steady. Not only steady, but he also remained fully present in the powerful, immersive aura that Gu Xiaowei created.

No matter how much Gu Xiaowei pulled the scene into Lu Pingfeng’s world, Luo Yu remained grounded, like an anchor in the depths of the ocean.

Standing behind the director, Nie Yangchen exhaled slightly. It wasn’t just the complexity of the scene and the long lines that impressed him, but that Sheng Yunlan had the confidence in both actors to shoot three continuous scenes in one take.

Nie Yangchen had his doubts. Even experienced actors make mistakes, like forgetting lines or missing their mark.

But these two didn’t make a single error. They carried everyone’s emotions into the scene, an immersive experience that edited films struggle to convey.

Skill and chemistry—both essential.

Earlier that morning in the van, Nie Yangchen overheard someone say that Bai Ying’s role was popular, boosting Luo Yu’s career, implying he owed his success to the character’s charm. What nonsense. Bai Ying’s character would never reach Luo Yu’s level with anyone else. 

In ‘Counterattack’, Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu elevated each other.

In ‘Beast and Rose’, each frame of their scenes together brims with the contrast and unity between them.

Sheng Yunlan hadn’t called “cut.” Luo Yu kept staring at Gu Xiaowei, his gaze deepening, shifting the scene’s center from Gu Xiaowei to Luo Yu, enhancing the atmosphere.

Then the firewood in the fireplace crackled loudly, snapping reality back, startling the actor playing “Old Han” into a small shoulder twitch. The tension created by Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei dissolved.

The “corpse” sat up, pressing his palms together apologetically. “Sorry! My bad! I slipped up!”

Sheng Yunlan finally lifted his megaphone and said, “That’s a wrap. Let’s get some close-ups and cover those extra lines!”

The frozen moment resumed.

Cameras reset, returning to the start of the track.

Luo Yu took a breath, patting his chest as Gu Xiaowei approached, giving him a light tap on the shoulder.

“You really went all out choking Li Heng! I was afraid you’d actually suffocate him!”

Having witnessed Gu Xiaowei’s strength firsthand, Luo Yu was still a little shaken from that scene. Because of this, his expression as Wen Yuchi in the current scene appeared very genuine.

“What about you? Do you think Lu Pingfeng would really strangle Li Heng?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“Ah?” Luo Yu stopped, took a deep breath, bent down to pick up his script from a small chair, and unexpectedly whacked Gu Xiaowei’s head with it. “We’ve been acting together for so long, don’t you know whether Wen Yuchi believes Lu Pingfeng would actually kill someone?”

“Then why did you look at me so surprised? Just to create suspense for the audience?”

Luo Yu smirked and beckoned Gu Xiaowei over with a finger.

Gu Xiaowei leaned in towards him, surprisingly obediently.

“To test whether Lu Pingfeng actually cares what others think of him.”

Saying this, Luo Yu’s eyes curved in a smile as he picked up his script and walked over to Ye Shengyi for a makeup touch-up.

Gu Xiaowei lowered his eyes, sighed lightly, and then smiled.

“Brother Gu, what are you smiling at?”

Ah Yan, who came over to do Gu Xiaowei’s makeup, thought he was seeing things. Did Gu Xiaowei not only let Luo Yu mess around with him but also smile at his back?

“Just smiling at someone with too many schemes,” Gu Xiaowei replied.

As for this scene’s reshoot, Sheng Yunlan was meticulous, raising even the gaze interactions between Lu Pingfeng and Wen Yuchi to a higher standard than before.

With all these back-and-forths, the entire morning passed by.

But the weather changed quickly; right after lunch, the previously clear sky was suddenly filled with clouds.

At this time, Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei were filming the scene of leaving the hunting lodge to search for the other heirs.

Who could have known, after only a few lines, it started pouring rain.

Luo Yu was looking at Gu Xiaowei’s back when he suddenly turned around, grabbed Luo Yu’s shoulder with one hand, and shielded his head with the other, pulling him towards the tent.

Behind them, staff members shouted.

“It’s raining! How did it suddenly start raining?”

Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei had just ducked into the tent when the rain started pouring down heavily.

The most important equipment was the camera. Luo Yu grabbed a waterproof tarp from inside the tent and handed it to a crew member rushing past them.

They put on raincoats and quickly went out to help.

After packing everything up, some people stayed in the tent to monitor the equipment, while Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu returned to the small hunting lodge.

Even through the wooden door, they could hear the heavy rain outside.

“This rain comes quickly and goes just as fast. But for your outdoor scenes later, be careful not to slip,” the assistant director reminded them.

“Thank you.”

The two sat on small chairs by the fireplace, drying their damp shoes and sipping hot coffee.

Water had gotten inside Luo Yu’s collar, so he leaned close to the fire, stretching his neck. Just as sparks nearly jumped onto his face, Gu Xiaowei immediately cupped his cheek to pull him back.

“Are you alright?” Luo Yu anxiously checked Gu Xiaowei’s hand.

Luckily, there were no burn marks on his palm or the back of his hand.

“I should be asking what you were thinking?” Gu Xiaowei frowned at him, his voice dropping.

“My collar just got a bit wet…” Luo Yu trailed off, glancing over Gu Xiaowei’s shoulder and spotting an actor who seemed to be taking a photo of them.

Who was that again? Looked like one of the heirs, Zhuang Jie’s nephew, Zhuang He…

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Luo Yu lowered his head and checked the cast list for the day, finding the actor for Zhuang He was named Huang Ling.

Luo Yu sent a message to Sister Cui: [Sister Cui, do you know an actor named Huang Ling? It looks like he took a photo of me and Gu Xiaowei.]

After sending it, Luo Yu felt a bit strange. He and Gu Xiaowei weren’t in a relationship, so what did it matter if a photo was taken?

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A dim lamp hung from the ceiling of the cabin, the coals in the stove crackled, and a deer head mount adorned the wall above the fireplace. Wen Yuchi lay on a rocking chair draped in animal fur.

Wen Yuchi slowly came to, his head pounding as though it would explode. He pounded his head with his fist, and pain shot up his back. Reaching behind him, he found what felt like a bandage. The pain made him fully alert.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Feeling carefully, he suspected someone had made a small incision in his back, then stitched it up.

What in the world was going on?

As he tried to stand, he realized a chain was fastened to his ankle, less than a meter long, with the other end embedded firmly in the ground.

And in the chair opposite him lay Lu Pingfeng!

Lu Pingfeng’s head was turned to the side, sound asleep, his arms dangling off the chair, and his ankle was also chained.

Wen Yuchi looked around and saw that, besides the two of them, the cabin seemed empty.

“Mr. Lu! Mr. Lu! Lu Pingfeng!” Wen Yuchi tried to move closer to Lu Pingfeng but was pulled back by the chain.

He picked up a stick from the ground and threw it at Lu Pingfeng.

Hit on the head, Lu Pingfeng frowned and finally opened his eyes.

“Tsss—” The first thing Lu Pingfeng did upon waking was touch his own back, indicating he had a wound just like Wen Yuchi.

“Hah, Mr. Bigshot Artist, I thought you were dead.” Wen Yuchi breathed a slight sigh of relief.

“Where are we? How did I end up here?” Lu Pingfeng asked, rubbing his temples.

“Who knows? I got in a cab back to the station for some overtime work, dozed off for no reason, and woke up in this hellhole. What about you?”

“Captain Zhao showed me a photo of the Song of the Evening and I realized it was a forgery. He asked me to go to your station to verify it in person.”

“So? You don’t even take cabs. How’d you get caught?” Wen Yuchi asked.

“My driver was taking me, but I smelled something strange and fell asleep.” Lu Pingfeng’s frown deepened, apparently suffering from a headache as well.

Wen Yuchi leaned back into his chair and started to lazily rock, saying, “Looks like you’re in the same boat as me. I’m guessing the fake Song of the Evening Captain Zhao found triggered the killer. Keep digging, and we’ll find a lead on the serial murders. Or maybe we did something that spooked the mastermind.”

Lu Pingfeng glanced at Wen Yuchi, rubbing the wound on his back, and said helplessly, “I can’t believe how calm you are. Aren’t you afraid of being silenced?”

“Whoever went to such lengths to bring you and me here isn’t planning to kill us right away, right?”

“So, what’s the point?” Lu Pingfeng asked.

At that moment, the cabin door opened, and a gust of wind caused the firelight in the fireplace to dim and then flare back up.

Against the light, someone entered with stiff strides.

It was Lu Pingfeng’s driver, his face pale and eyes full of fear.

“Old Han? You’re here too? What’s going on?” Lu Pingfeng’s brows furrowed.

Old Han trembled as he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, with a printed message. He read it aloud mechanically.

“Lu Pingfeng, you’ve disappointed me deeply. When your paintings lost their deadly allure, filled instead with vulgar colors, you lost my devotion and affection. I created you, yet you wish to escape my control, so I must remind you of your true nature—death will always be your theme.”

Wen Yuchi sat up straight, his expression shifting from casual to serious. “What are you babbling about? Who created whom?”

“You have 24 hours: either kill my mediocre heirs or kill the man who caused you to lose your faith in death—Wen Yuchi.”

Wen Yuchi looked incredulous, pointing to himself. “Me? Making Lu Pingfeng lose his faith in death? That’s some halo!”

“Let me enjoy this final feast. If you win, you’ll become my sole heir. If you lose, then you’ll join my collection of death.”

After reading the paper, Old Han, full of terror, threw two keys between Wen Yuchi and Lu Pingfeng, then started shouting into the cabin, “I’ve done what you asked! I don’t want to die! This has nothing to do with me! Let me live; I want to go home! I want to go home!”

He then began to rummage frantically through the cabin, shouting madly, “Where… where is it, the antidote?! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”

“Old Han, calm down. Did you take some kind of drug? Getting worked up like this will just speed up the effects of whatever it is!” Wen Yuchi called out, hoping the other man would calm down and get a clear grasp of the situation.

But Old Han didn’t listen; he was almost ready to crawl into the fireplace to look for the antidote.

“No… Why is there no antidote?! They lied to me! Why did they lie to me?!”

Wen Yuchi and Lu Pingfeng both got up and searched their chairs, lifting the cushions and fur pads, but couldn’t find the antidote Old Han mentioned.

Suddenly, Old Han collapsed to the ground, his body trembling violently.

“Damn!” Wen Yuchi lay on the ground, stretching his arm to reach for the key on the floor, while Lu Pingfeng stood calmly, watching Old Han’s death throes with a deep gaze.

Wen Yuchi’s ankle was almost cut from the restraints, but he finally hooked the key and unlocked himself.

He rushed to Old Han’s side. By then, Old Han was coughing up blood continuously and couldn’t even speak.

“Old Han, did you see who kidnapped us? How many of them are there? What are their intentions? Old Han! Old Han!”

Old Han turned his face, using his last bit of strength to lift his hand, pointing at Lu Pingfeng. His eyes suddenly widened, and then his hand fell down.

Wen Yuchi checked his pulse and then sat back, exhaling.

“Is he dead?” Lu Pingfeng turned slightly, looking into Old Han’s eyes as he spoke.

Wen Yuchi opened Old Han’s mouth and sniffed, but there was no distinctive smell, so he couldn’t determine the drug’s composition yet.

“Yes, he’s dead.” Wen Yuchi stood up and found a cloth to cover Old Han’s body. “This is a warning from the mastermind, telling us to follow his rules. And this big boss believes he’s the one who ‘created’ you. Seems like he’s been silently watching you all these years.”

As he spoke, Wen Yuchi bent down, picked up another key, and tossed it to Lu Pingfeng.

“You still dare to set me free? Did you forget Old Han pointed at me before he died?” Lu Pingfeng asked with a smile.

“Maybe he pointed at you because being your driver brought him bad luck, and he got dragged into this for no reason. Or maybe he wanted to tell you something, but you were standing too far away.”

Lu Pingfeng unlocked the restraint on his ankle, then picked up a piece of paper from the floor, carefully going over the message on it.

Wen Yuchi wandered around the hunting cabin for a while but found no other useful clues or weapons—not even a small knife.

There were a few abandoned, poorly functioning animal traps, though.

“Aren’t you supposed to blame me for being cold-hearted since Old Han’s death doesn’t bother me?” Lu Pingfeng said.

“Heh.” Wen Yuchi stood in front of a stuffed deer, looking at it closely. “Your model dies, and you feel nothing. Your agent dies, and it doesn’t affect you. But if Old Han died and you suddenly cried out in distress, that would be strange. Besides… it was clear he wasn’t going to survive, even if you rushed to his side.”

“I’m wondering why this person would think he ‘created’ me,” Lu Pingfeng mused.

“Forget who created you. Think about why you may have offended your ‘creator.'” Wen Yuchi took the paper and rubbed his chin. “Judging by his words, he only wants to see you depict death. Did he freak out because you painted something he didn’t like? ‘Full of vulgar colors’… What’s that supposed to mean?” Wen Yuchi asked.

Lu Pingfeng folded the paper, not answering directly. Instead, he said, “When you return, you can take your time and enjoy it.”

“Are you sure I’ll even make it back?”

Lu Pingfeng didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “What do we do now? Wait here for Captain Zhao to notice we’re missing and come look for us, or go out and figure out where we are? And this so-called ‘battle of the heirs’ on the paper… Are they planning a ‘battle royale’?”

Wen Yuchi continued to stare at the deer, then suddenly moved toward it, stood on his tiptoes, and pried out the deer’s eye.

Behind the deer’s eye was a camera.

“If I’m not mistaken, someone here loves the theme of death even more than you do.” Wen Yuchi’s expression turned cold as he threw the eye to Lu Pingfeng. “Someone’s watching us like a live show.”

Wen Yuchi returned to Old Han’s body, unbuttoning his clothes.

“Are you going to examine him barehanded?”

“Of course not. That would damage the body and hinder future autopsies.” Wen Yuchi turned Old Han over, uncovering a blood-soaked bandage on his back. Removing it revealed a stitched wound.

The wound was slightly raised, as if something was inside.

Wen Yuchi used the key to cut the stitches and removed a small thumb-sized container.

He unscrewed the container, revealing a tiny pill inside.

“The antidote he wanted may have been on him all along.”

Wen Yuchi put the antidote back in the container, then pocketed it.

“We have something on our backs, too.”

“But I suspect it’s someone else’s antidote. And nowhere in your ‘game instructions’ does it say we’re poisoned.”

“Someone else might come for the antidote on our backs and kill us.”

At that moment, footsteps approached outside the hunting cabin.

Lu Pingfeng’s expression sharpened, and he quickly pulled Wen Yuchi with him to hide behind the door.

Wen Yuchi felt his hand covering his mouth, holding his breath.

The door creaked open, and Wen Yuchi instinctively turned his head, noticing a man walking in. When he saw the two empty chairs, he frowned.

The man held a knife, its cold glint flashing past Wen Yuchi’s eyes, forcing him to turn his head into Lu Pingfeng’s chest.

The man didn’t expect them to be hiding behind the door. Instead, his attention was drawn to Old Han’s body on the ground. He flipped Old Han over, and seeing the exposed bandage, his face darkened. “Damn, the antidote’s gone!”

If he turned around, he would see Lu Pingfeng and Wen Yuchi, but the distance was also close enough for them to make a dash out the door.

But if they wanted to understand what was going on, they had to get information from this guy.

Lu Pingfeng signaled Wen Yuchi, then slowly released him and carefully approached the man.

The man was still searching Old Han’s pockets, hoping he had retrieved the antidote himself.

Lu Pingfeng’s steps were light, but when his shadow appeared in front of the man, he was immediately alerted and stabbed toward Lu Pingfeng with the knife.

What he didn’t expect was that Wen Yuchi would come from the other side, grabbing a rusty iron cup from the table and smashing it against the man’s head.

The cup wasn’t as effective as a brick, but it was enough to distract the man, allowing Lu Pingfeng to grab his wrist and twist it, forcing him to drop the knife.

Wen Yuchi quickly caught the knife, turning it and pressing it against the man’s throat.

“If you want to live, behave.”

They then tied the man to the rocking chair and locked him up.

“Speak. Who are you? What’s going on? Where are we?” Lu Pingfeng demanded coldly.

The man looked at them, laughing bitterly. “Who would’ve thought—you two are the prey and don’t even know the situation!”

Wen Yuchi closed his eyes, recalling recent case developments, and then pointed at the man. “You… you look like Zhuang Jie’s nephew, named Li something…”

“Yes, I’m Zhuang Jie’s nephew, Li Heng! I got a message saying my uncle was near death, so I rushed to the hospital, with a car arranged to pick me up downstairs. But as soon as I got in, I blacked out, and when I woke up, I was on this island!”

“An island? This is an island?”

“Yes.”

“Besides us, who else is on this island?” Wen Yuchi asked.

“I guess… everyone who could inherit my uncle’s estate! I’ve seen another cousin and a niece…”

“When you came in, you immediately checked Old Han’s back. Why?” Wen Yuchi motioned toward Old Han.

“Because I was told I was poisoned. The poison would take effect in 24 hours, and I need the antidote on your backs to survive.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Wen Yuchi laughed, tapping the man’s face with the knife. “Is it only our antidote you want? We have a ‘game manual’ too. We’re just asking to see if yours is the same.”

Hearing this, Li Heng’s face went pale, and after a long pause, he swallowed and said, “We’re also required to kill all other heirs or… kill the forensic expert named Wen Yuchi. My uncle will only take one person off this island.”

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