Volume Two: Shadows of the Past Chapter Twenty-Three: Rest assured, we are professionals at blowing things up.

The two of them arrived at the marked spot.

“From here, just keep running along this road, all right? Don’t stop, and don’t look back. Keep going until the director says cut. This kind of explosion shot is hard to reshoot; if you blow it and the director loses his temper, there’s nothing I can do.” Yan Le was giving Liu Manqiang and Chen Jing his final instructions. Most of what he said was really meant for Chen Jing, because he knew Chen Jing was a newcomer who had only just joined the production that morning, so he was a little worried and couldn’t help but remind him a few extra times. If Liu Manqiang hadn’t vouched for him, he would never have let a rookie extra like Chen Jing take part in a somewhat dangerous scene like this.

“I got it, Brother Le. We understand. Don’t worry, we won’t mess it up.” Liu Manqiang hurriedly said with a flattering smile.

“All right then. Keep an eye on him.” Yan Le shook his head and walked off.

After Yan Le left, Liu Manqiang turned to Chen Jing and said, “Don’t panic later. When you see me running, you run after me. Keep your hat on, try to show your face as much as possible, and make your expression as resolute and determined as you can. You need that look of someone willing to die.”

Beside Chen Jing, Liu Manqiang kept chattering away, reminding him of everything he needed to pay attention to. Chen Jing just listened quietly at his side.

Meanwhile, two lovely figures appeared outside the production area. Their slender silhouettes stood out brilliantly in the busy set, drawing many eyes.

These two beautiful women were, of course, Lin Xi and Lin Zitan, who had secretly come to the set to find Chen Jing. They had originally wanted to come with him, but Chen Jing had refused. Yet after finding themselves with nothing to do at the company, the two of them decided to slip over and see how he fared as a background extra. After all, they were both rather curious about the sight of Chen Jing working as one.

“Xi, do you think A Jing is playing some nameless extra who dies the moment he appears, with not even a single shot?” Lin Zitan asked with a grin.

Lin Xi nodded. “Most likely. Maybe even the kind who dies a dozen times a day.”

Lin Zitan covered her mouth and laughed softly. “Hahaha! Our musical prodigy really has it rough.”

Lin Xi couldn’t help but laugh too. “It’s good for him to experience the hardship of making films.”

The two of them entered the set. Lin Zitan took out her phone and called the production manager. Soon someone came out to lead them in to see the director. The crew, watching the two beauties walk toward the director’s area, were all full of curiosity.

One person saw Lin Xi and the other pass by and quickly nudged the person next to him. “Look! Beauties!”

“Beauties my foot. Do you even know Director Zhang’s set? It’s nothing but a bunch of men. Forget beauties; you can barely even see a woman here.”

“I’m serious. I’m not lying. If I’m lying, then you’re my dad!”

“Damn it, if there really are beauties here, then you’re my dad, all right? ... Holy hell! There really are beauties!”

“Good son, call me father.”

“...Woof! Woof woof woof!”

“Damn, you’re ruthless.”

“What are these two beauties doing here?”

“What else? They must be here to take a role.”

“That makes even less sense! Director Zhang’s crew is shooting a war film this time. There’s no need for beautiful actresses at all. Even if they came, there wouldn’t be any role for them to choose.”

“Then who knows what they’re here for.”

“...”

Ignoring the staff’s whispers, Lin Xi and Lin Zitan arrived beside Director Zhang Qishan.

“Director Zhang, hello. I’m sorry to disturb you so abruptly.” Lin Xi shook hands with Zhang Qishan and spoke politely.

Zhang Qishan burst into laughter. “Hahaha! No trouble at all. I’ve been hoping for more young, beautiful girls like you to come around the set! Otherwise my whole crew is nothing but men, and they’re always sneaking off every other day, almost to the point of not wanting to shoot anymore. To be honest, not just them—just looking at them makes me annoyed.”

Lin Xi smiled faintly. “You’re joking, Director Zhang. There are plenty of people who would love to squeeze into your crew but can’t get in. Who would be willing to leave?”

Zhang Qishan waved a hand. “Ah, that’s all other people praising me. It’s not worth mentioning.” Then he chuckled. “By the way, where’s our musical prodigy? Didn’t you say he was coming to my set to work as an extra and get a feel for filming? Why didn’t he come with you?”

“Huh?” Lin Xi was taken aback. “Chen Jing isn’t here yet? He told me this morning that he had already joined the production.”

Now it was Zhang Qishan’s turn to look surprised. “Oh? You’re saying he’s already joined the production? I never heard anyone mention that. Wait a moment.” With that, Zhang Qishan called out loudly toward the distance, “A Le, come here for a second.”

Yan Le heard Director Zhang calling him and hurried over, smiling as he asked, “What’s up, Director Zhang? Is something wrong?” As he spoke, his eyes couldn’t help glancing at the two beauties beside the director.

Zhang Qishan waved his hand to show that nothing was wrong. “No, I just want to ask you something. Did you receive any new extras today?”

“New extras?” Yan Le froze for a moment, then reacted and said, “Yes! Look, Director Zhang, that tall one over there—he’s one of today’s new extras. I think he was introduced by that guy Manqiang.”

Lin Xi and Lin Zitan followed Yan Le’s pointing finger and spotted the two extras, one tall and one short, not far away.

“Xi, look, that’s A Jing.” Recognizing the tall figure as Chen Jing, Lin Zitan tugged at Lin Xi’s sleeve happily.

Chen Jing was dressed in a worn military uniform, his face smeared dark with grime. Without looking closely, he really would have been hard to recognize.

“Oh, so that’s him!” Zhang Qishan’s eyes lit up. He still remembered this extra. It was precisely because he had seen how tall the man seemed that Zhang Qishan had decided to have his own actors change into smaller-sized costumes.

“A Yan, why did you say he was introduced by that brat Liu Manqiang?” Zhang Qishan asked Yan Le with some curiosity.

He knew Liu Manqiang. The man had been running background roles with his crew for nearly two years, knew a bit of martial arts, was honest by nature, and very good with people, getting along well with everyone in and around the production. Zhang Qishan had even planned to design a role specifically for him in the next film after this one. What puzzled him was how Liu Manqiang had ended up mixed up with a singer from the music world.

Yan Le explained, “Uh... because just now, when I told Liu Manqiang to get ready for the next shot, he took the initiative and said he wanted to bring that extra along.”

“Oh, so that’s it.” Zhang Qishan nodded in understanding, then turned to Lin Xi and said, “Heh, this Chen Jing kid really knows how to conduct himself, doesn’t he? He quietly slipped into the crew as an extra and even made friends with that brat Liu Manqiang. Not bad, not bad.”

Lin Xi only smiled without replying, instead looking toward Chen Jing and asking, “Are they about to start filming?”

Zhang Qishan nodded. “Yes. The next shot is theirs. Oh, it’s ready already. Come, stand here and take a look. I’ll go check the camera setup. They’re getting ready to start below.”

Lin Xi nodded. She had originally wanted to ask what the next shot was, but since Zhang Qishan had already turned away to check the camera, she let it go.

Beside her, Lin Zitan quietly asked, “Xi, this scene A Jing’s filming won’t be dangerous, will it? I think I just heard them calling for the explosives team to get ready.”

Lin Xi frowned and hesitated before saying, “It should... be fine. Movies nowadays seem pretty safe.”

“Oh, all right.” Lin Zitan still looked worriedly toward Chen Jing in the distance.

Meanwhile, Chen Jing had naturally spotted Lin Xi and Lin Zitan arriving at the set, but he didn’t want to draw too much attention, so he didn’t greet them.

Besides, filming was about to start, and he wouldn’t have the time to go over and join Lin Xi anyway.

“Look, two beauties have come to the set,” Liu Manqiang said, noticing Lin Xi and the other woman as well. While there was still time before shooting began, he nudged Chen Jing.

“Tsk, tsk. Look at those legs in black stockings, and that figure—plus the professional skirts. If only I knew those two beauties, heh heh.” Liu Manqiang winked at Chen Jing and let out a laugh only men would understand.

Chen Jing merely shrugged without comment. Beauty is something everyone appreciates; that’s perfectly normal, isn’t it?

“Explosives team ready? Actors ready! First take of the twelfth scene of Bloody Battle at Black Mountain Ridge. Preparing to shoot... Action!”

“Run!”

At the staff’s order, Liu Manqiang barked a low command to Chen Jing, then sprinted off first. Chen Jing followed closely behind, and the two ran swiftly along the prescribed route.

“Explosives ready. Actors in position. Three, two, one—detonate!”

Boom!

With the blast, the ground less than a meter behind Chen Jing and the others erupted in flying dirt, looking every bit like a bomb had gone off, terrifyingly so.

“Ah!” Lin Zitan jumped in alarm. Only after seeing that Chen Jing kept running as if nothing had happened did she finally breathe a little easier, though her heart still remained very worried.

Lin Xi at her side also had her brows tightly knit. She hadn’t expected the extra job Chen Jing had taken on so casually to be this dangerous. If she had known it was so risky, she would never have let him come and work as a background extra.

Seeing the two women growing so tense, Zhang Qishan smiled and said reassuringly, “Don’t worry. It’s fine. Our explosions are all calculated in advance. As long as they run according to plan, the blast definitely won’t hit Chen Jing and the others. Look, they’ll be done running soon.”

No sooner had Zhang Qishan finished speaking than another explosion rang out. This time, however, the blast was no longer behind Chen Jing and the others.

It was directly beneath their feet.

Earth split apart, dust surged skyward, and the figures of Chen Jing and Liu Manqiang were instantly swallowed by smoke and grit.

Zhang Qishan: “...”

“A Jing!!!!”