You're dumping me, huh? Fine, then I'll just pick up the school beauty and make her my wif

The moon-white cheongsam clung to Su Qinghe's slender figure, the piping at the neckline accentuating a small section of her fair neck, and the hem of the cheongsam revealing a section of her shapely calves.

She wore only light makeup, but paired with this cheongsam, she looked like a beautiful woman cut out of an old Shanghai calendar poster.

Feeling uncomfortable under everyone's gaze, Su Qinghe subconsciously took two steps toward Jiang Che.

Jiang Che reached out his hand, and she immediately placed her hand in his palm.

"Is it pretty?" she asked, tilting her head up, her voice carrying a hint of anticipation and a touch of unease.

Jiang Che lowered his head with a mischievous grin and whispered something in her ear.

Su Qinghe's earlobes flushed a thin layer of red at a visible speed. She raised her hand and punched Jiang Che in the chest. "You pervert!"

Lin tide witnessed the whole thing and couldn't help but twitch her lips in envy: "Hey you two, can't you consider how we single people feel?"

"No." Jiang Che replied without changing his expression.

"..."

Staff members appeared at the right time and led the eight people into a room decorated in the style of a study from the Republican era.

A long mahogany table was placed in the center of the room, with eight chairs arranged on either side.

Several paintings and calligraphy works hung on the wall, and neatly stacked thread-bound books were arranged on the bookshelf against the wall. An old-fashioned gramophone was also placed in the corner.

To enhance the visitor experience, staff had already turned off the indoor lights in advance.

Only two table lamps illuminated the faces of everyone, making their features indistinct.

The host stood at the front of the long table and began to speak after everyone was seated:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's dinner."

"In Shanghai in 1942, the situation was tense, with various forces deeply entrenched in their own power."

"Those of you gathered here tonight each carry secrets and missions unknown to others."

"Among you, some fight for their beliefs, some maneuver for their interests, some risk their lives for loyalty, and some—betray their own side."

The host's gaze swept across the faces of the eight people one by one.

"In the ensuing conversations, probes, and games of strategy, please be extremely careful, because the person you trust most may be your most dangerous enemy."

Upon hearing this, the group couldn't help but glance at the others at the table out of the corner of their eyes.

"So, are you all ready?"

The host smiled slightly and raised his hand.

"The Mist Theater's Republican-era spy drama, 'Dark Currents,' has officially begun."

The lights above the long table dimmed for a moment, then slowly came back on.

A deep cello melody came from the gramophone, and the atmosphere became somber.

The plot progresses very quickly in the first phase.

The host's narration is interspersed among the conversations, revealing each person's identity and background story layer by layer, like peeling an onion.

Xu Wenbin plays the role of Zhao Huaijin, the leader of a Kuomintang (KMT) action group.

He deliberately lowered his voice when he spoke, and his tone carried a fierce edge, giving him the air of a tough guy from a spy drama.

Song Mingxuan plays the role of a manager at a Shanghai bank. He is refined and composed, and every word he speaks is impeccable.

Lu Ziang was a senior translator for the Japanese puppet regime's intelligence agency. He was impeccably dressed in a suit and spoke with a cool and distant air.

His delivery of lines was surprisingly good; every line was perfectly in sync with the character's rhythm, neither over the top nor exaggerated.

Lin tide plays Zhao Huaijin's deputy, a female Kuomintang agent.

She absolutely adored the character, delivering her lines with great energy and displaying remarkable chemistry with Xu Wenbin.

The interaction between Zhao Weilan and Shen Shiyu is also noteworthy; one is quiet and reserved, while the other is intelligent and quick-witted.

But everyone's attention was eventually drawn to the two people.

Jiang Che, and Su Qinghe.

Su Qinghe plays the role of a secretary in the Japanese puppet regime's secret service, a seemingly gentle and harmless young woman who is actually cunning and scheming.

Her apparent identity requires her to display just the right amount of tact and caution in front of others, but the occasional sharp glint in her eyes suggests that this character is not as simple as she appears.

Her performance was so natural that you almost forgot she was acting out a script.

Jiang Che's Gu Mingzhi, on the other hand, has a completely different style.

He leaned back in his chair with a lazy posture throughout, speaking in a slow and unhurried tone, and occasionally chuckling.

It's like he's having a casual chat with someone, making it impossible for anyone to tell what's wrong with him.

Lu Ziang, who plays a senior translator, directly targets Jiang Che when the plot enters the first round of discussion.

"Reporter Gu, what exactly is your purpose in coming here tonight?"

Jiang Che looked up at him, the curve of his lips faint and elusive.

"Translator Tang, that's an interesting question." He interlaced his fingers on the table, asking in return, "Of all those present tonight, who has come to this banquet with truly pure intentions?"

Lu Ziang's gaze darkened slightly. "I just feel that Reporter Gu's performance was too composed, too composed for an ordinary newspaper reporter."

"Oh? So, what does Translator Tang think a reporter should be like in this kind of situation?"

"Are you so nervous your hands are shaking, or so scared you can't even speak properly?"

Jiang Che smiled slightly and said, "I've been in this line of work for so many years, what haven't I seen? As for being nervous—"

He paused, his gaze lingering on Lu Ziang for a second.

"I think Tang, the translator, should be more nervous than I am."

Lu Ziang returned a smile, "What do you mean by that, Reporter Gu?"

"It's nothing, just a joke."

"However, to be honest, Translator Tang just said that I seemed too composed, which is an interesting perspective."

"Most people won't detect anything suspicious in a composed demeanor, unless—"

Jiang Che suddenly stopped speaking, his gaze toward Lu Ziang sharpening abruptly, his smile vanishing completely.

"—He has something to hide."

The long table fell silent for a moment, stunned by Jiang Che's acting skills.

While inwardly marveling at his performance, Xu Wenbin nudged Song Mingxuan with his elbow and whispered, "Damn, Lao Jiang's acting is just too good! Is he really not some big star?"

Song Mingxuan pushed up his glasses and whispered four words: "Jiang Che is awesome."

The host then aptly moved the story to the next stage.

The group began exchanging information, completing tasks, and triggering hidden storylines according to the established process.

In this process, everyone revealed aspects of themselves beyond their character to varying degrees.

Su Qinghe's acting is characterized by an immersive, self-conscious approach.

In the second act of the story, her character is questioned and has to face the suspicious gazes of everyone present.

The host asked her if she was ready, and she nodded, then her whole demeanor changed.