It was no wonder that Ying Chen was so confident in facing their threats, completely unafraid of the repercussions from the capital after killing them.
It turned out that Ying Chen had already devised a "光明正大" (guāng míng zhèng dà - open and aboveboard) path to death for them!
As long as Ying Chen released this video at the right time, accompanied by some touching text.
He believed that not only the citizens of Hong Kong but also people from the capital would believe that Huo Sheng and Director Lin, at the moment everyone fell into despair, bravely stepped forward to save them, ultimately sacrificing themselves in the battle against the sea monster!
"You... shameless!"
"Despicable!"
"Not human!"
Huo Sheng trembled as he pointed at Ying Chen and cursed.
Although Director Lin remained silent, his pale face and chattering teeth were enough to convey his fear and anger at that moment.
How ridiculous it was that they had thought Ying Chen was no match for the Azure Serpent and was destined to be eaten by it.
Now, thinking back, it was clearly Ying Chen who had been acting the entire time!
Only in this way could he create the illusion of the Azure Serpent's power and the scene of everyone falling into despair!
And only at such a time could the doomed Huo Sheng and Director Lin appear so heroic and fearless, turning them into two unshakeable mountains in the public's perception!
Even if someone discovered something was amiss, that there were suspicious circumstances surrounding their deaths, they wouldn't dare to speak up, or rather, they couldn't speak up.
Because millions of people were mourning a hero, and you were the one who dared to claim this hero wasn't a hero but was murdered.
Such an act of going against the popular opinion, even if the public could tolerate it, the politicians in the capital definitely could not!
This was a foolproof scheme!
"Sacrifice oneself for the nation in times of crisis, viewing death as a return home."
"I have already prepared dying words for both of you. Isn't it very fitting?"
Ying Chen looked at Huo Sheng and Director Lin and said leisurely.
Huo Sheng and Director Lin merely gritted their teeth and stared at Ying Chen, remaining silent.
"Of course, you also have the right to refuse. However, I believe both of you are intelligent people and should know that adding such a line would greatly enhance your image. While it cannot bring you back from the dead, it can at least bring some blessings to your descendants."
"It's better than just dying for nothing. Don't you agree?"
After a long pause, Huo Sheng and Director Lin managed to squeeze out a sound from their throats: "Devil! You are a devil!"
Ying Chen smiled slightly and corrected, "No, please call me Director."
With that, Ying Chen clapped his hands.
"Are the lights ready?"
"Ready," Zhuang Ruoting replied, turning on her phone's flashlight.
"Is the camera ready?"
"Ready," Zhuang Ruoting answered again.
"Are the actors ready?"
Huo Sheng and Director Lin gritted their teeth and did not respond.
"Alas, it seems our two main actors are not ready to get into character. In that case, we can only focus on filming the other protagonist."
Ying Chen sighed.
His gaze fell upon the Azure Serpent in the sea.
The Azure Serpent, clearly unaware of what was happening.
It still believed Ying Chen was no match for it and that Ying Chen was fleeing.
It swayed its ferocious head and let out a deep, menacing hiss.
As if threatening Ying Chen to give up resistance and obediently become its meal.
However, Ying Chen did not interpret it that way. The moment he heard the Azure Serpent's hiss, he couldn't help but laugh, "Excellent, the two human protagonists are not ready, but our beast protagonist is ready!"
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"Three, two, one!"
"Action!"
Hearing Ying Chen's tone, which was unmistakably that of a real director, and seeing his grand posture as if filming a blockbuster.
Everyone present was stunned.
They exchanged glances, speechless.
He Chongxu also looked utterly bewildered.
It took a full moment before he realized, "Master Ying, you... you... were actually acting!"
"I knew it, how could you possibly be no match for this beast?"
"Tsk, I thought this beast was quite cunning, but I didn't expect you, old sir, to be even more so!"
"Ah, no, not cunning, but... a master strategist! Yes, a master strategist!"
He Chongxu, realizing his choice of words was inappropriate, quickly corrected himself.
Ying Chen, however, had no time to attend to him.
Instead, he slanted his gaze towards Huo Sheng and Director Lin, "What? Do you intend for me to send both of you on your way personally?"
"There won't be such dignity then."
Huo Sheng and Director Lin both trembled.
It was only when facing death itself that one truly understood that no matter how defiant or willing to face death you were before, it was all useless.
You would still feel fear in your heart.
This was human instinct.
Huo Sheng was trembling like a withered leaf in the autumn wind, stammering, "Is there... really no room for negotiation?"
Ying Chen looked at Huo Sheng mockingly and said, "I already gave you room for negotiation, but you didn't seize it."
"When you give too much, it loses its value."
"Therefore, to maintain the value of my 'negotiation,' I can only trouble the two of you to die quickly."
"You're going too far! I'll fight you!" At this moment, Director Lin, who had been silent all along, suddenly roared with eyes wide with rage.
"You want to manipulate me as your puppet! No way! I refuse to play by your rules! I will let everyone see the footage of you killing people!"
As Director Lin spoke, he suddenly rose and lunged towards Ying Chen.
Ying Chen remained unfazed, simply looking at Director Lin and saying leisurely, "When an actor does not follow the director's instructions, the director has the right to replace him."
"Or, to edit him into an antagonist."
After saying that, Ying Chen deliberately let Director Lin pounce towards him.
Then, with a sudden stumble, Ying Chen fell into the water!
Coincidentally, the Azure Serpent was gaping beneath the water at that very moment.
From the perspective of everyone on the ship, it seemed as though Ying Chen had fallen precisely into the Azure Serpent's mouth!
"Mr. Ying!"
Zhuang Ruoting and He Chongxu were terrified and cried out.
But they immediately realized that Ying Chen was perfectly fine!
Instead, he formed a fist with one hand, repelling the Azure Serpent's massive head, while with the other hand, he made a gesture towards them.
Upon seeing Ying Chen's gesture, He Chongxu immediately understood.
He then turned to the camera and repeatedly rebuked, "Director Lin, do you still have any humanity?"
"To save your own life, you deliberately pushed Mr. Ying down to be sacrificed to the sea monster?"
"Are you still worthy of being a director of Hong Kong? Are you still worthy of being human?"
"You are simply Hong Kong's disgrace! You are a hypocritical scoundrel!"
"..." Director Lin was stunned.
He had been wondering how he had suddenly become so powerful, pushing Ying Chen into the sea with such ease.
It was only at this moment that he realized he had been tricked by Ying Chen!
So, Ying Chen's words, "The director has the right to edit him into an antagonist," meant this!
"No, it's not like that!"
"I didn't push him! He jumped down on his own!"
"He's purely trying to frame me!"
Director Lin's reaction was relatively quick, and he spoke to the camera.
Unfortunately, his words sounded so pale and weak, and only served to further enrage people.
You pushed him down, you harmed him to death, and yet you claim he deliberately jumped to his death to frame you?
Have you no shame?
How can a person be so shameless?
Clearly, after his attempt at a defense, Director Lin quickly realized the problem.
He suddenly fell silent, his gaze turning angry and despairing.
From beginning to end, Ying Chen had calculated his every move.
He felt like an ant trapped in a sealed bottle, all his efforts reduced to a joke!
Only death was the ultimate outcome!
Director Lin suddenly regretted it, regretting why he hadn't acted out the scene as Ying Chen had instructed.
At least then he would have left behind a good reputation, and at least his family would have enjoyed the benefits after his death.
Now, he had become the villain!
He had become a despicable scoundrel who betrayed others just to survive!
*Plop!*
Director Lin slumped to the ground in despair.
At this moment, the Azure Serpent in the sea, whether voluntarily or forced, suddenly thrust its massive head out of the water, its mouth open.
Instantly, a suction force emanated from the Azure Serpent's mouth.
It drew in the slumped Director Lin, who fell directly into the Azure Serpent's maw!
*Crack!*
The Azure Serpent's jaws closed.
Blood mist instantly filled the air, and blood dripped down.
Director Lin was directly bisected in the Azure Serpent's mouth!
However, what no one expected was that after a single chew, the Azure Serpent turned its head to the side and spat out the two halves of Director Lin's body!
It seemed that Director Lin's inner vileness made his flesh unpalatable. Even the sea monster wouldn't eat him!
Seeing this, Huo Sheng trembled even more violently.
He, who had still held a sliver of hope, was now completely in despair.
He dared not imitate Director Lin any further.
Otherwise, he would surely suffer the same fate as Director Lin, leaving behind no "reputation before death or legacy after death"!
"I... I am willing to cooperate!"
Huo Sheng raised his hand, trembling.
At this moment, Ying Chen, who was supposed to have drowned, bizarrely surfaced.
Behind him, the Azure Serpent let out a roar of unwillingness and anger.
It was clear that Ying Chen had done something to the Azure Serpent to make it mistakenly consume Director Lin just now.
This was akin to someone who had been eating a full banquet of imperial cuisine, and you suddenly made them eat a bowl of fermented bean curd.
If they just put down the bowl and cursed "swill," you'd consider them polite; if they didn't, they might chase after you like the Azure Serpent was now!
*Splash!*
Ying Chen leaped back onto the ship.
As soon as he was on board, he clapped his hands and said, "Excellent, our protagonist is in character. What are we waiting for? Let's start filming!"
"We can't waste the emotions of our protagonist and our beastly protagonist!"
Everyone looked at Huo Sheng, then at the Azure Serpent.
It did seem like both of them were quite invested in their roles.
Huo Sheng's expression was one of sorrow, and the Azure Serpent looked furious.
Wasn't this a standard composition for a monster movie scene?
Huo Sheng had clearly accepted his fate.
With a deep sense of sorrow and unwillingness, he walked step by step towards the ship's railing.
He held a harpoon that the prop department had just handed him.
"Sacrifice oneself for the nation in times of crisis, viewing death as a return home!"
Huo Sheng truly uttered the line as arranged by Ying Chen!
Most importantly, Huo Sheng recited it with great emotion, as if he had truly transformed into a lone hero saving everyone!
"Good!" Even Ying Chen applauded.
Huo Sheng seemed to have completely immersed himself in the acting, gripping the harpoon tightly, and staring at the Azure Serpent in the water.
The next second, he suddenly roared, "Beast! Die!"
Then he leaped straight down!
The harpoon, carrying Huo Sheng's entire body weight, pierced the air, whistling sharply.
It shot directly towards the Azure Serpent's eyes!
Combined with the gasps of the crowd and the roar of the sea,
This scene appeared so tragic and heroic!
For a moment, everyone seemed to forget that this was an act, and that Huo Sheng was truly saving them, to the point where some were moved to tears!