Chapter 25: This TV Series Is Doomed

"Damn it!" Shingo Nachi, the flashy young actor, gritted his teeth as he listened to the whispers behind him.

He had a feeling they weren't saying anything kind.

"What's there to be so smug about? I just hope I don't get the chance to catch you slipping."

"Wow!"

Ran's exclamation echoed from the small pavilion.

Gao Mo, having finished his makeup, donned a high-collared grey trench coat and pulled his hat brim low. Combined with his full beard, the transformation was complete.

"You can't even tell it's Mr. Kido!"

"Indeed," Taeko Mayugaki said, clearly satisfied with her handiwork. "Looking at him like this, it’s as if the character has jumped right out of the script... though, will it be alright to have him play a murderer? The script calls for a ruthless, gun-toting thug."

"It should be fine," Gao Mo said, touching the fake beard on his face.

The rapid immersion skill of a Level 1 Actor was truly a divine talent; it allowed him to seize the initiative immediately. He wondered what the subsequent skill upgrades would be. He desperately needed to improve his ability to disguise himself.

"Try this." A sunny-faced young man with long hair pulled a prop pistol out of a box.

"Yuji? Why are you with the location crew?" Taeko Mayugaki asked, her expression turning slightly flustered upon seeing the young man.

"I was worried about you, and besides, I was supposed to be in charge of this location shoot anyway."

The young man scratched his head, his face flushing slightly, before turning to introduce himself to Gao Mo and the others. "Hello, I’m Yuji Shimazaki, the assistant director in charge of the location shoot."

"Hello."

Ran’s gaze darted between Taeko Mayugaki and the young man. She blinked, her youthful face breaking into a knowing, auntie-like grin. Unlike her best friend Sonoko Suzuki, who was prone to gossip and crushes, Ran’s favorite pastime was shipping couples.

"Mr. Shimazaki, could it be that you and Ms. Mayugaki are..."

"Yuji is my fiancé," Taeko Mayugaki explained, her face equally flushed, her eyes filled with happiness. "We’re getting married next month."

"Wow, congratulations!"

"A woman before her wedding day always looks like a blossoming flower," remarked a lanky man with a sharp, monkey-like face who was moving a camera nearby, his hat worn backward. "But that’s just a facade, isn't it?"

"Anzai, what are you being so snide about?" Yuji Shimazaki glared angrily at the man.

"Why are you getting so angry? I wasn't talking about you." The man chuckled as he picked up the camera and walked away, his peripheral vision catching Taeko Mayugaki, who had lowered her head and gripped her hands tightly.

This production crew... it was a mess before filming had even begun. Gao Mo couldn't help but complain internally. With Yoko Okino’s limited screen time and all these underlying issues, it was highly likely the production would flop.

"Mr. Kido," Yuji Shimazaki said, handing over the prop gun. "Would you like to try this?"

"Are you sure it's just a prop?" Gao Mo examined it closely.

"Of course. It's modeled after a real gun, but it's definitely different, and the barrel is plugged."

"You can't tell from the outside at all."

Gao Mo held the prop pistol with both hands. During his breaks over the last two days, he had read the "Shooting Guide" belonging to the mustachioed man several times. Unlike the low-star books that vanished after a single reading, this one had become significantly more difficult to grasp after reaching 4 stars, and it didn't seem to disappear until he had mastered it. The knowledge he gained seemed genuinely useful.

Case in point.

As he touched the gun for the first time, the content of the "Shooting Guide" surged through his mind. Gao Mo slowed his breathing and adjusted his grip. In an instant, he felt like a veteran detective with years of experience handling handguns. Even the mustachioed man nearby, who was laughing triumphantly about his own glory days, suddenly seemed to carry the air of a master.

No wonder the difficulty had spiked. A 4-star book allowed him to master professional skills ahead of time, and it was deeply tied to the person he had bound it to—the mustachioed man had taught him his secret shooting techniques without even realizing it.

Handling a prop gun was more than enough.

"Kido! Come over here!"

Before Gao Mo could fully savor the feel of the weapon, the director began waving him over. The group had just listened to the mustachioed man recount his heroic feats, though most of them were left confused, unsure of what they had just heard but feeling it was impressive nonetheless.

"Are we starting?" Gao Mo tucked the prop gun into his trench coat pocket. It was decent for improving his "gun sense" and would help him accelerate his mastery of the "Shooting Guide." Until he could get his hands on the real thing, he would make do with a prop. It shouldn't be too expensive. Gun control here was extremely strict, especially regarding handguns—it was very easy to end up with a ten-year prison sentence for a violation. If he wanted to shoot a real firearm, his only legal path seemed to be traveling to another country and visiting a shooting range.

...

"Ran-neechan," Conan said, staring at Gao Mo’s back. "Come to think of it, why did Kido-niichan lose his popularity? His acting and image are both excellent."

"Huh?" Ran looked bewildered. "About that, I actually..."

"I happen to know a little bit about it," Taeko Mayugaki said, packing away her makeup kit. "It seems there was a huge scandal involving an actress. Although it was eventually proven to be a rumor and a false accusation, the case dragged on for two years. By the time the truth came out, it was already..."

Taeko sighed with regret. "Two years later, no one cared about the truth anymore. Plus, Mr. Kido had been shelved by his agency and chose to retire from the industry... This is the first time I’ve seen him since then."

"So that’s what happened."

Conan looked silently at Gao Mo’s calm back. He had some vague recollection of it, but he had been in Hawaii with his father at the time and hadn't been interested in such cases, so he hadn't followed it.

"Mr. Kido is so strong," Ran said, feeling a pang of heartache. "To have endured so much alone, yet he looks as if nothing happened."

"Yeah," Conan agreed, nodding. The last shred of suspicion toward Gao Mo dissipated like smoke in the wind; he even forgot to be jealous. The depression and the scars on his wrists were real... that man had simply persevered.

...

A simple set had been prepared beside the shrine. Gao Mo was pulled aside by the director to familiarize himself with the task. He hadn't spoken more than a few words before he felt a prickling, intense gaze. He could ignore Ran and the others, but Conan was starting to really creep him out.

"Kido," the director said, looking at the script with a headache. "Can we start right away? Is it too soon to schedule your scene with Nachi?" He wasn't very confident in the acting skills of these two idol performers, especially Gao Mo, who had been out of the industry for years. Yet, he was playing a key bit-part that influenced the plot. "Should we prepare a bit more?" The director frowned, still worried about wasting time on the first scene. Gao Mo’s costume looked the part, but who knew how he would perform? They had only rented the Beika Shrine for one day, and they had to rush to another location tomorrow afternoon. They had to finish the scenes set around dusk as soon as possible.

"I'm fine, Director. Let's just shoot." Gao Mo didn't think this show would last, but since he had been paid, he would be professional; even a bit-part had to be played well. "I'm ready."

"Uh..."

The director inadvertently met Gao Mo’s gaze and felt an inexplicable chill, as if he were being throttled and unable to speak. The Gao Mo in front of him had completely transformed into a vicious murderer, especially the look under the brim of his hat—it looked as if he had truly killed someone before.

"Oh, right, Director," Gao Mo said, taking out the prop gun. "Can I keep this after we're done? As a souvenir." He wanted to save money where he could, and he found he quite liked the prop gun. If not, he would just buy it for cheap...

"Y-yes, I suppose?" The director swallowed hard, nearly dropping the script, his voice noticeably quieter. "If you like it... just take it."

"?"

⊙_⊙

Gao Mo couldn't quite fathom the director’s attitude. He was suddenly so agreeable... he’d just take that as a yes.

"Director, let's start!" Assistant Director Yuji Shimazaki called out, everything ready. "First scene, Mr. Kido and Mr. Nachi... Mr. Mouri, you’re blocking the lens!"