Abstract Art Award Winner

The film set, converted from an abandoned school on the Yunnan border, is perpetually thick with the scent of lingering rain and a certain invisible pressure.

The enormous photography studio resembled a crouching steel behemoth.

It devours light and shadow.

It contains fragments of hell on earth.

In a cramped and shabby corner of the "manager's office," a small Buddhist shrine was separated by a cheap red cloth.

The cheap sandalwood burned, its smoke rising straight up, lingering in the sweltering air, emitting a cheap, cloying sweetness.

In front of the incense burner, several plates of dusty plastic offerings looked particularly ironic.

Zhou Le's portrayal of Lu Bingkun features a flashy but wrinkled silk shirt that tightly wraps around his increasingly "voluptuous" body, with greasy hair plastered to his scalp.

He had just finished a "meeting" with several "piglets" who had tried to escape but were caught and brought back.

The air still seemed to linger with his spittle-flecked roars and the unseen, invisible stench of blood.

Behind the monitor, assistant director Guo Qilin held his breath.

The camera focused intently on Zhou Le's broad back.

As he walked up to the Buddha shrine, the cold, hard lines on his face—characterized by violence, calculation, and an air of absolute control—visibly relaxed the moment he touched the Buddha's blurred face, as if they had been ironed.

It even carried a hint of piety.

He knelt down awkwardly and extremely slowly.

His somewhat bloated belly made the movement look difficult and comical, and his knees made a dull thud as they hit the cold cement floor.

He clasped his hands together, raised them above his head, and then bowed down with utmost respect.

His forehead pressed against the dirty ground for a few seconds.

When he looked up again, his eyes were vacant as he stared at the rising column of smoke, his lips moving silently, as if he were repenting or praying for some kind of protection.

The dim, flickering light from the bulb fell on half of his face, creating a stark and jarring contrast between his devout posture and the lingering menace emanating from him.

"Cut!"

After the performance, Zhou Le's voice instantly returned to its usual clear and bright tone, and the chilling aura of "Lu Bingkun" vanished.

He supported himself on his knees, struggling to his feet. He dusted off his pants. "That's it, get ready for the next one, Anna!"

Zhou Le filmed his own movies, acted in them himself, and even called out his own lines.

He was so confident in this part that he didn't need to watch it a second time.

Meng Ziyi took a deep breath and was already waiting on the sidelines.

After a short rest and some adjustments to the lights and camera positions, we started filming the next episode.

The cheap sequined dress that Meng Ziyi was wearing, which was prepared for her "croupier" identity, lost its luster in the dim light, only making her face look a little pale.

She was shoved and pushed by two thugs and extras, staggering into the camera's view.

Zhou Le turned around, and the feigned piety on his face vanished instantly, leaving only a cold scrutiny and a nauseating, playful possessiveness.

He walked a few steps to Meng Ziyi, his tall figure casting a shadow that almost completely enveloped her.

“Anna,” his voice was not loud, but it carried a sticky, reptilian chill.

Her fingers lightly brushed across Meng Ziyi's cold cheek. "Do I have to teach you the rules of serving others?"

Meng Ziyi visibly flinched, her long eyelashes trembling violently, her eyes filled with humiliation and uncontrollable fear, her lips pressed tightly together.

In just a few breaths, Zhou Le's patience seemed to run out.

The fake smile on his face vanished instantly, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly reached out and grabbed Meng Ziyi's thick hair at the back of her head! The force was so great that she cried out in pain, her body involuntarily being shoved downwards by this brute force!

"Ugh!" Meng Ziyi let out a short cry of pain, forced to bend over, her face slamming into the buckle of Zhou Le's belt!

This action is extremely insulting.

Her struggles seemed futile and hopeless under the absolute power that suppressed her. Tears welled up uncontrollably, not as an act, but as a physical pain and immense humiliation that instantly broke down her defenses.

Her body trembled violently under Zhou Le's iron grip, like a leaf falling in a storm.

And so, the image remained displayed for a while.

However, the camera has already switched to a distant view, where the scene below is blocked by a partition, creating some blank space.

"Cut! Perfect!"

Guo Qilin then spoke.

Zhou Le immediately let go.

"Sister Meng! Are you alright?" The assistant rushed over immediately, handing over tissues and warm water.

Meng Ziyi was still reeling from the intense emotional shock she had just experienced. Her body trembled slightly as she took a tissue and covered her face, her voice thick with emotion, "N-nothing...it's nothing..."

She needed a few seconds to calm down the real, violated feeling.

Although they had performed in hotels before, it was completely different.

However, it's fair to say that if it were Zhou Le, it wouldn't be a bad idea.

"But is this what he meant by 'sex scene'?"

"It was really fun."

The entire set was completely silent.

Everyone was stunned by what they had just witnessed.

Zhou Le's sudden outburst of visceral violence and desire for control, and Meng Ziyi's almost instinctive, physiologically charged fear and humiliation, were so real they sent chills down one's spine.

The extra playing the thug subconsciously took a half step back, looking at Zhou Le with lingering fear, as if the demon from before had not completely left.

Zhu Yilong stood on the periphery, her eyes behind her glasses serious and focused, her fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the script.

Zhou Ye crossed her arms, her brows furrowed. She could clearly see the muscles in Meng Ziyi's neck tense instantly when she was pressed down, and the uncontrollable tears that welled up in her eyes—it wasn't feigned vulnerability, but a real, painful reaction to being forcefully oppressed.

"My God..." a young stagehand murmured, his voice unusually clear in the silence, "Teacher Meng's performance just now was amazing! I never knew she could act like that before."

"It's more than just acting," a lighting technician whispered, his eyes filled with disbelief. "It's like she's a completely different person! That fear, it's so real! It feels like she really experienced it!"

"It still has to be Director Zhou!"

An older man in charge of props shook his head with a sigh, looking at Zhou Le, who was speaking gently to Meng Ziyi and had completely lost his previous ferocity. "Look at the people under him. Teacher Yu Shuxin is now playing the lead role in a movie, Tian Xiwei is now an absolute leading lady, another future Zhao Liying, and Teacher Meng, who I used to think was just a pretty face, is now completely transformed in this show!"
"Whether you're an idol or a seasoned actor, Director Zhou can squeeze something real out of you! Ultimately, it's all about Brother Le's talent!"

The murmurs spread quietly, filled with astonishment at Meng Ziyi's breakthrough acting skills, and ultimately, admiration for Zhou Le's ability to train actors.

Zhou Le seemed completely oblivious to the discussions, focusing intently on reviewing the surveillance footage from earlier, confirming every detail.

A few days later, the crew moved to a large "propaganda" scene set up on an open space outside the village.

On the simple platform, below was a dark mass of extras dressed in tattered clothes, their eyes numb and desperate, playing the roles of "piglet" who had been lured and imprisoned.

Zhou Le makes another appearance.

At this moment, he was wearing a slightly neater white polo shirt, his stomach bulging even more from the belt. His face shone with an almost fanatical light, the kind of seductive radiance unique to pyramid scheme leaders and cult leaders.

He strode onto the swaying platform, snatched the megaphone from the person next to him, and slammed it twice. The piercing electrical sound instantly broke the dull atmosphere, jolting everyone in the audience who had been drowsy awake.

"All of you, get your heads up!"

His roar was like a thunderclap.

Countless numb and fearful eyes in the audience were forced to focus on him.

"Look at the pathetic state you all are in!" He spat as he spoke, waving his arms dramatically, pointing at the audience with a pained yet inflammatory tone, "Like a bunch of pigs waiting to be slaughtered! Are you waiting for someone to put a knife to your throat?!"

He paused abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the room like a hawk's, his voice rising sharply, carrying a hysterical excitement and an undeniable, seductive quality:

"Money! Do you understand?! What are we here for?! To be slaves, to be beasts of burden?! No! We're here to get rich! To change our worthless fate!"

"Think about the kind of life you lived back home? Eating coarse food and wild vegetables? Being looked down upon? Having your parents sick and just waiting to die? Your wives and children suffering poverty because of you?!"

He accurately struck at the deepest pain and longing in the hearts of every "piglet".

The extras in the audience, under the prior guidance of the director team and the pressure of Zhou Le's powerful aura, began to change their eyes, from numbness to confusion, and then to a faint but crazy flame of desire that was ignited.

Zhou Le's voice was like a bewitching melody, full of exaggerated body language and highly infectious emotional progression:

"Here! As long as you listen to me! As long as you're willing to work hard! The opportunity is right in front of you! Do you see those people who are winning money? Do you see those top-performing salespeople? Do you see how they live a life of luxury? That's your tomorrow!"

"Don't be afraid of hardship! Don't be afraid of being beaten! Those are all God's tests for you! Tempering your will! Only by enduring the bitterest of hardships can you rise above others! Today you bleed and sweat here, tomorrow you will return home in glory! You will make all those who looked down on you kneel before you and call you 'Master'!"

His words were like the most potent spiritual drug, a mixture of a desperate depiction of reality and a fanatical promise of a illusory future.

He was sometimes as passionate as a raging storm, and sometimes as deep as a devil's whisper. Every pause, every wave of his arm, and every spittle he spat out struck precisely at the fragile hearts of the "piglet" in the audience.

He was no longer Zhou Le; he was now a complete and utter demonic missionary, indulging in his own mad dream of wealth, a fiend who used lies to ignite the last glimmer of hope in the despair!

The atmosphere on set was completely ignited.

The extras' breathing became heavy, and the light in their eyes grew brighter and more distorted.

They were completely drawn into that fictional, sinful "hope" by Zhou Le's powerful performance.

Some people started waving their arms unconsciously along with Zhou Le, some were so excited that their faces turned red, and some even let out suppressed, beast-like growls.

The entire scene was filled with a frenzied, almost out-of-control, collective hysteria-like atmosphere.

Even the crew members responsible for maintaining order were terrified and instinctively gripped their walkie-talkies tightly.

"Good! Get rich! Get rich!" One of the extras got so into character that he shouted it out in a hoarse voice.

"Follow Manager Lu! Let's get this done!"

Another person was completely ignited and roared along.

The sound spread like a plague, merging into a noisy yet eerily powerful wave of sound.

at this time!

“Woooa ...

A sharp, piercing siren, growing louder as it approached, instantly drenched the frenzied "preaching" scene like ice water!
Everyone was stunned! Including the assistant director and executive producer behind the monitor!
Several police cars with flashing red and blue lights, kicking up dust, sped through the temporary cordon set up by the film crew and screeched to a halt at the school gate that was being used as a film set!

The car door suddenly opened, and seven or eight fully armed and serious-looking policemen jumped out, quickly spreading out in a well-trained manner.

The middle-aged police officer in the lead had sharp eyes and immediately locked onto Zhou Le, the “pyramid scheme leader” on the platform, who was wearing a white polo shirt, holding a megaphone, with a round belly and a fanatical expression still lingering on his face!
"Don't move! Hands behind your head! Crouch down!"

The police officer shouted sternly, his voice full of energy, instantly silencing everyone present.

The police officers around him quickly formed a perimeter, their hands on their waists and their eyes alert.

Time seemed to stand still on the entire film set.

The "piglet" who had been so excited just moments before froze instantly, their fervor replaced by terror. They fell silent, too afraid to even breathe.

Subconsciously, I squatted down with my hands on my head, just like those people who were arrested on TV.

The crew members were all dumbfounded and stood there dumbfounded.

Zhou Le stood on the high platform, still holding the broken megaphone in his hand, the mouth of the megaphone facing him, his expression blank.

He looked down at his round belly, then at the police officers below who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy, and his mind went blank for a moment.

This...this wasn't in the play, was it arranged by the props department?
"Officer! Officer! It's a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding!"

Assistant director Guo Qilin and executive producer finally realized what was happening and rushed over, waving a filming permit stamped with a large red official seal. Their faces were pale with fright. "We're making a movie! Filming! The crew of 'All or Nothing'! This is our director! He's acting!"

"Yes, that's Zhou Le. I'm Guo Qiling, officer."

The lead officer frowned, suspiciously scanning his surroundings: a simple platform, a dark mass of terrified, raggedly dressed people below, and a fat man on the platform who looked every bit the part of a pyramid scheme leader… This scene, this atmosphere, this inflammatory… a movie? Can a movie be made like this?
He took the permit from the assistant director, checked it carefully, and then swept his sharp eyes over the extras who were still in costume and whose faces were still filled with fear, as well as the cameras and lighting equipment set up next to them.

They were patrolling nearby when they received an urgent call from villagers reporting that a large number of people had gathered there, and a "big-bellied leader" was giving a frantic speech inciting people to engage in pyramid schemes. He was very agitated, and the situation was about to get out of control!
They rushed over, and...
"Aren't you guys getting a little too into it?"

The executive producer, wiping away cold sweat, forced a smile: "Yes, yes, the director has high standards, and the actors are all... extremely dedicated and committed. Hehe, I'm so sorry for causing trouble for the police officers!"

The officer took a deep breath, glanced at Director Zhou on stage who had finally come to his senses and was now wearing an awkward but polite smile, and waved his hand: "Fall back! False alarm! In the future, be more mindful of the impact of these kinds of scenes! Keep it down! Don't really scare the audience!"

The police car drove away with its siren blaring, creating an atmosphere of awkwardness and amusement.

The set fell silent for a few seconds.

Then, someone couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

That laughter was like lighting a fuse, instantly igniting the entire venue!

"Hahahahahaha!"

"Holy crap! Someone called the police! Someone actually called the police!"

"Director Zhou is awesome! His acting was so realistic that he even attracted real police officers! Hahahaha!"

"That officer's expression just now...it was priceless!"

"Sister Meng! Did you see that?! This is what you call getting into character! People believe whatever he's acting!"

The uproarious laughter nearly lifted the roof off the photography studio.

The extras were laughing so hard they were doubled over, the staff were laughing so hard they couldn't stand up straight, and even the usually composed Zhu Yilong couldn't help but turn her head, her shoulders shaking. Zhou Ye was laughing even more unrestrainedly, patting Meng Ziyi on the shoulder.

Zhou Le stood on the high platform, looking down at the laughing "piglet" and staff below, then looked down at the broken megaphone in his hand and sighed.

"Alright, alright! Stop laughing!" Guo Qilin suppressed his laughter and picked up the megaphone, shouting, "Attention all departments! That last take was too good! The police officers were even acting as extras for us! But! The footage wasn't finished! Let's do it again! Director Zhou, you...you should tone it down! Don't attract any more attention!"

The set erupted in even louder laughter.

Zhou Le cleared his throat, picked up the megaphone again, and the embarrassment on his face quickly disappeared, instantly replaced by the fanatical and seductive look of Lu Bingkun.

"Where were we? Oh, getting rich!"

His voice boomed, echoing across the set once more, "Yes! Follow me, Lu Bingkun, as long as you..."

This time, the audience was still "excited," but in everyone's eyes, besides the fervor required for the performance, some were already planning to ask Director Zhou after filming today's scenes if there really was such a lucrative way to make money. (End of Chapter)