Playing the Eighth Route Army, the system is forcing this on me?

The morning light slanted down through the gaps in the scaffolding.

Yi Zheng followed behind Ning Qiang.

The leather shoes made a sticky sound as they stepped on the muddy dirt road.

A dozen or so extras were squatting on the edge of the film set.

They were holding aluminum lunchboxes in their hands.

He swallowed large mouthfuls of bland white porridge.

Seeing Ning Qiang walk by, the group quickly put down their lunchboxes and stood up straight.

Ning Qiang waved his hand, signaling them to continue eating.

He turned his head and looked at Yi Zheng, who was half a step behind.

"Xiao Yi, Director Kong called me last night and strongly recommended you."

Ning Qiang's voice had a rough quality from years of smoking.

"He said you're a promising talent, with a kind of obsessive passion for acting."

"But let me be clear from the start, I don't care who recommended you."

"I'm a straightforward person, and I only recognize the real kung fu in movies."

"I don't care how popular you are online. If your acting is bad when it comes to me, then it's no good."

"Young man, this industry is treacherous. You can't go far by relying on hype, you know?"

Yi Zheng nodded repeatedly; he quite liked Director Ning's straightforward personality.

Compared to directors who only care about popularity and not acting skills, Director Ning's character is very much in line with Yi Zheng's values.

"Director Ning, don't worry, I know the rules of the crew."

However, Yi Zheng readily agreed verbally.

But I was also a little apprehensive.

As for his acting skills, he knows his own limitations better than anyone else.

Without the system's support, he would get scolded by the director even for the most basic positioning.

Even more problematic are the skills displayed on the system panel.

They are all special editions for Japanese soldiers.

What talk of being fluent in Japanese, what talk of having a sleazy demeanor?

None of the righteous skills on the Eighth Route Army's side have been unlocked.

The new [Delicious Chicken Soup] I drew last night.

It's outrageous to the extreme.

Who among the Eighth Route Army soldiers fights the Japanese by stewing chicken soup?

Are you suggesting we carry a pot of chicken soup to the front lines and let the aroma kill all the Japanese soldiers on the other side?

Or is it that we can use a bowl of chicken soup to influence those vicious enemies?

This system is just messing with your mindset.

He was originally making plans in his mind.

Perhaps by relying on Kong Sheng's connections, I can skip the audition and directly join the cast.

Judging from the current situation...

Ning Qiang is someone who cannot tolerate any wrongdoing.

This hurdle is probably going to be tough.

But since we're already here...

We have to grit our teeth and push forward.

In order to complete the system's task, this role must be taken.

The two walked through two alleys filled with clutter.

I passed by the filming location of a period drama next door.

Luxury cars were gathered there, and RVs were lined up in a row.

In contrast.

I pushed open the creaking, dilapidated door in front of me.

The dressing room in "Battle of Jiangnan" was so rudimentary it was heartbreaking.

A few rusty iron pipes propped up several pieces of faded canvas.

They managed to create two spaces.

Several wooden crates with peeling paint were piled up in the corner.

It was stuffed full of yellowed and stiff military uniforms.

There isn't even a decent lighting fixture.

There was only a dim, yellow incandescent light overhead.

It barely illuminated the center of the room.

However, this makes sense.

The economy was already bad these days, and making war films wasn't profitable.

Directors who persist in making films about the War of Resistance against Japan are those who have never wavered in their original aspirations.

Yi Zheng glanced at the actors who were putting on makeup in the room.

They were all unfamiliar faces.

Just as Director Ning said, there are no traffic stars among them.

Everyone was quietly memorizing their lines.

Yi Zheng didn't care about any of that.

Whether the production crew is poor or not has little to do with him.

As long as we can get through the system tasks.

Once the system is officially activated, his path to becoming a movie star will be secure.

"Come here, Xiao Li, come and do his makeup."

Ning Qiang waved to a girl in the corner, whose body was covered in theatrical costumes.

A young girl wearing a tank top and denim shorts jogged over.

"Director Ning, which role is he auditioning for?"

Xiao Li pulled out a set of gray military uniform and patted off the dust.

Her voice had a sleepy, innocent quality to it.

"pangolin."

Ning Qiang took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

Xiao Li glanced at Yi Zheng a couple more times.

A hint of doubt flickered in her watery eyes.

"Okay, you change your clothes first, I'll go get the color palette."

Yi Zheng took the rough military uniform.

Walk behind the canvas.

The fabric smelled of musty sweat and the pungent odor of mothballs.

He quickly took off his coat.

Put on the gray military uniform.

Put on the leg wraps and fasten the collar.

Gang walked out from behind the canvas.

An elderly actor next to him, who was memorizing his lines, stopped what he was doing.

His reading glasses slid down the bridge of his nose.

He stood up and circled Yi Zheng halfway around.

He looked Yi Zheng up and down.

His brows gradually furrowed into a knot.

"Hmm~ This doesn't taste right, buddy."

The veteran actor shook his head repeatedly, his tone full of criticism.

"Young man, your posture is so straight, but it looks awkward no matter how you look at it."

"Wearing our Eighth Route Army's gray uniform, he managed to look like a secret agent."

"Oh my goodness, are you interviewing for a position with the Eighth Route Army?"

"When people play Eighth Route Army soldiers, they portray down-to-earth heroes like Li Yunlong, who are like peasants."

"You're something else."

"If you were standing here, I would believe you if you said you were going to sweep the village."

Yi Zheng felt a surge of heat in his ears after hearing that.

Oh no, as soon as I joined the film crew, why did the Japanese soldiers' passive skills activate automatically again?

He instinctively forced an awkward smile.

The smile did not have any of the expected effect.

This only made him look even more sleazy!

Xiao Li walked forward with a makeup brush in her hand.

I was just about to apply powder to his face.

But his hand froze in mid-air.

She stared at Yi Zheng's face.

Her full breasts, visible beneath the neckline, rose and fell with her rapid breathing.

Two snow-white mounds seemed about to burst out from the edge of her vest.

"Director Ning... this..."

"Is this supposed to be Eighth Route Army makeup?"

Xiao Li was also embarrassed.

"His aura is completely unlike that of a respectable person."

As Xiao Li spoke, he shifted his waist nervously.

Ning Qiang took a drag of his cigarette.

Thick smoke swirled within the beam of light.

He didn't speak.

They simply circled around Yi Zheng twice.

My gaze lingered on Yi Zheng's slightly oversized gray military uniform.

It then slid across Yi Zheng's tense face.

Yi Zheng was feeling very uneasy.

We're doomed.

This time, I've really lost face.

It's one thing to have no acting skills.

Even her temperament has gone astray.

If Director Kong finds out, how will he ever be able to work in Hengdian again?

He gritted his teeth inwardly.

I'm preparing to speak up and find a way to save face.

"Director Ning, how about I..."

Ning Qiang forcefully stubbed out his cigarette in the tin can full of cigarette butts.

The firelight flickered briefly in the dim light before going out completely.

He raised his head.

The seriousness on his face disappeared.

Instead, there was an irrepressible excitement.

Xiao Li was so frightened that he took half a step back.

"Director Ning, I'm so sorry, my skills aren't up to par..."

"How about I redo your makeup?"

"No need to change it."

Ning Qiang interrupted her.

He strode up to Yi Zheng.

A thick, calloused hand patted Yi Zheng's shoulder.

The corners of his mouth stretched wider and wider.

The light in his eyes was frighteningly bright.

"No need to change it, not at all!"

"This is exactly the feeling I've been wanting!"