Chapter 539 - 348: Official Filming, Shocking the Entire Set

Chapter 539: Chapter 348: Official Filming, Shocking the Entire Set

Li Wei followed an assistant from the wardrobe department into the fitting room next door.

Inside, a private changing stall had been set aside just for Li Wei, with a sign that read "Reserved for Li Wei."

After pushing open the door to the stall, he saw the costume hanging on a rack. It was much plainer than he had imagined, but the material looked to be of good quality.

It consisted of a weathered, linen-colored tunic, a piece of armor with several leather patches sewn on, a pair of trousers spattered with dried mud, and a pair of short boots.

It was the outfit of an ordinary village militiaman.

But when Li Wei put on the clothes, his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and the lines of his muscles were faintly outlined by the linen fabric. He was strikingly handsome, and it was clear at a glance that he was no ordinary villager.

’This actually looks the part,’ he muttered to himself.

Back in the makeup room, Eileen took out a tube of dark paste and used a brush to create a travel-worn, exhausted look on Li Wei’s face.

"Today’s scene is the one where the village is destroyed and you go to the palace to meet the King, right?" she confirmed as she worked. "I’ve added some soot, dust, and a few wounds. It’ll add to the realism, and..."

She tilted her head to look at Li Wei. "It’ll make you look a little less handsome."

"Not bad," Li Wei nodded. "Better than I expected."

"Thank you for the ’Phantom of the Opera’ makeup," Eileen smiled. "Expensive cosmetics really make a difference, don’t they?"

After his makeup and costume were complete, Li Wei took out the [Deceiver’s Mask (Silver)] from his inventory, silently put it on his face, and pushed open the door to the makeup room.

...

The palace hall set had been fully constructed.

Seeing Li Wei arrive on set, Director Del Toro walked over from behind the monitor, surrounded by the director of photography, the gaffer, and the assistant director.

"Alright," Del Toro clapped his hands and glanced around the set. "How’s it feel?"

"Feels like you have a huge budget," Li Wei said, looking around. "So many extras."

"Of course," Del Toro smiled. "Councilors, a lord chamberlain, a master of ceremonies, guards... How’s that? Your money wasn’t wasted, was it?"

"I’d say it definitely wasn’t wasted," Li Wei said. "By the way, where’s Mr. Johnny Depp? Isn’t he playing the old King I have a scene with?"

"But you don’t have that much screen time with him, do you?" Del Toro shrugged. "He’ll make his entrance during the rehearsal. His look is a bit... special. I want to preserve the shock of you seeing him for the first time."

"Alright," Li Wei nodded. "Shall we do a run-through?"

"Let’s do it. A run-through."

Assistant directors started shouting through megaphones, calling out positions, lighting, set, and camera cues. The entire crew began to operate like a well-oiled machine.

[ACTION!]

[The Royal Palace is in chaos. The din in the grand hall sounds like more than ten thousand ducks quacking incessantly.]

[A lord chamberlain enters and shouts, "A report! The border patrol reports a dragon has been sighted!"]

[No one pays him any mind. The councilors, still standing in two opposing rows, continue to viciously attack their political rivals over matters including but not limited to fiefs, taxes, slaves, and soldiers.]

[The lord chamberlain persists, straining to make his voice heard above the escalating clamor. "A dragon! A dragon has appeared on the border!"]

[They finally hear him, and the council erupts. One councilor’s lips are moving, but no one can hear his words.]

[The master of ceremonies pounds his staff hard on the flagstones, a look of immense satisfaction on his face, as if he’s been waiting all day for this very moment.]

["Council—" the master of ceremonies begins once the noise subsides. "Now, please listen to the lord chamberlain!"]

["A dragon!" the lord chamberlain says furiously. "I’ve said it three times! A dragon has been discovered on the border!"]

[The shouting instantly doubles. Amid the uproar, phrases like "Nonsense!" "Lies!" and "Who saw it?!" can be faintly heard. Some shake their heads vigorously in denial, while others look around wildly.]

["A militiaman from the border, Lovi, saw it!" the lord chamberlain shouts. "And he is the sole survivor of his village! He is waiting outside the door now!"]

[The Speaker speaks. "Let him in!" he says.]

[The young militiaman, Lovi (played by Li Wei), walks in. His gaze sweeps across the hall as he slowly explains the situation to the council.]

"Huh?"

Behind the monitor, Del Toro let out a surprised "Huh?" and said, "Li Wei’s acting is..."

"What about his acting?" the assistant director asked. "Is it terrible?"

"Are you kidding? He’s amazing!" the producer rolled his eyes. "If I didn’t know he’d never acted before, I would’ve thought he was a child star from a family of actors."

"He’s a real monster," Del Toro marveled, a grin spreading wider across his face. "I have a feeling this movie is going to be a hit."

["This is a matter of great importance," the Speaker says after listening, turning around. "Perhaps we should let His Majesty the King judge for himself?"]

[He signals to the guards, and the heavy iron doors are slowly pushed open.]

[Eight Knights in gleaming full-plate armor, wearing magnificent purple capes emblazoned with a golden sun, descend the steps in perfect unison and halt before the table. Four trumpeters follow close behind, raising their horns to play a world-shaking fanfare.]

[Lovi (Li Wei) is stunned.]

[The master of ceremonies chants in a loud voice: "My lords, I have the honor of announcing His Majesty Gulaf IV, King of the North, South, East, and West, Protector of the Distant Harbors, and High King of the Kingdom!"]

[Everyone rises from their seats and kneels on one knee.]

[Six faceless Knights carry the throne slowly through the great doors. The King sits on a gilded chair, leaning askew against a splendid cushion, swaying slightly from side to side.]

[He opens his eyes and surveys the crowd like a drunkard who has just woken up, seemingly unaware of his surroundings.]

Li Wei hadn’t expected Del Toro to arrange Johnny Depp’s look this way: Johnny Depp was wearing an extremely bulky fat suit, and his face was done up with makeup. He looked like a mountain wrapped in red satin, his head seemingly sinking into his neck under the weight of a massive, glittering crown.

["Oh," His Majesty the esteemed King mutters. "My beloved subjects, you may rise." A rustling sound fills the hall as everyone gets up and returns to their places. Lovi (Li Wei) stands up. The King frowns at him.]

[Lovi hears the King say, "Why have I been summoned here?"]

["There are rumors of a dragon, Your Majesty," the Speaker says quickly.]

["Oh, right!" The King’s eyes light up. He pauses. "Where is the dragon?"]

["The dragon destroyed my home! Mine!" Lovi says impatiently. "Your Majesty, please send men to search for the great beast’s whereabouts?!"]

["So, there’s no dragon here?" the King mumbles, seeming to deflate instantly.]

["I... The dragon—" Lovi tries to say more, but the King mutters and then presses, "Where’s the dragon?"]

[Lovi is at a loss. The King leaves. The Speaker orders Lovi to be thrown in the dungeon for the crime of deceiving the crown, to be beheaded on the morrow.]

["Let me go! You bastards!" Lovi yells as he is dragged out of the palace.]

"Alright! Cut!"

Del Toro stood up from behind the monitor and took off the headphones hanging around his neck.

He didn’t say a word, just gave Li Wei a thumbs-up.

"Is that a wrap?" Li Wei asked, dusting himself off as he stood up. "Do you want another take for safety?"

[Dragon’s Heart (2): Travel to the Palace of a Thousand Years Ago - Complete]

[Free attribute points +0.1]

[You have arrived at the palace from a thousand years ago, but unexpectedly, the King did not bless you. Instead, he threw you into the dungeon. Now you must find a way to deal with the dragon yourself. But first, you need some teammates.]

[Dragon’s Heart (3): Find 3 Teammates]

[Quest Reward: Gain 0.1 attribute points for each teammate found.]

"No need," Del Toro said, looking at the monitor with satisfaction. "That take was perfect. The next scene is in the dungeon, but the set isn’t quite ready yet. We’ll schedule it for next week."

Li Wei nodded and took off the [Deceiver’s Mask (Silver)].

"So, how was my acting?" he asked with a smile. "Decent, right?"

"Decent? It was more than decent," the head of the lighting department said, walking over with a cup of coffee. "You scared the hell out of us. No joke, I was completely drawn in."

"Yeah, Li Wei," a voice called out. "You scared me too."

Johnny Depp walked over, wearing his fat suit half-off. The zipper was pulled down, and the top half of the suit was bunched around his waist, revealing a sweat-soaked T-shirt underneath.

He was holding a cup of iced coffee. Although his face was drenched in sweat, his Spirit seemed high. "It’s been a while since I’ve acted. This is a real rush."

He looked at Li Wei, clicking his tongue in amazement. "Who taught you how to act?"

"No one," Li Wei smiled. "I just figured it out myself."

Johnny Depp chugged a large mouthful of iced coffee, crunching the ice between his teeth. CRUNCH CRUNCH. "Then you were really born for this. Seriously."

He clapped Li Wei on the shoulder and turned to walk toward his trailer.

His bodyguards, makeup artist, and assistants trotted after him.

...

When he walked out of the side door of Studio 9, a small crowd of reporters was already lying in wait outside the parking lot.

"Li Wei! Mr. Li Wei! Can we have a word?"

"Today was your first official shoot! How did it feel?"

"What was it like acting opposite Johnny Depp? Has his acting recovered since his divorce?"

Chen Haisheng and Don Quixote blocked the reporters. "Sorry, no interviews today."

Chen Haisheng walked ahead a few steps and brought the car around.

The reporters were held back behind a barrier by security, forced to watch as Li Wei got into the car.

But the reporters didn’t disperse. They staked out the smoking area outside the studio lot, waiting to pry some information from crew members leaving work.

About an hour later, a lighting technician wearing a standard-issue crew T-shirt and carrying a jacket under his arm walked out the side door.

A female reporter in a baseball cap immediately approached him. "I’m a resident reporter from Deadline," she said, flashing her press pass. "I just want to know how Li Wei’s shoot went in the studio today. Could you just say a few words? It’s off-camera, just as an anonymous source."

The lighting technician thought for a moment and glanced around.

Understanding the hint, the female reporter took out a small roll of USD bills and handed it to him.

"Well, how should I put it," the lighting technician said, rubbing his hands together. "I’ve been in this business for 15 years and seen a lot of A-list actors, but Li Wei’s performance was just unreal."

"He got it in one take for Director Del Toro," he said. "It’s like, the moment he stands there, the character just comes to life. Although, I didn’t actually see it—"

"Wait a second," the female reporter interrupted him. "You didn’t see it? Then how do you know?"

"I’m with Zone B," the lighting technician said, stuffing the USD into his pocket. "The palace hall scene was shot in the main studio in Zone A. We were in Zone B testing the lighting setup for next week’s dungeon scene, so I didn’t see it."

"Then all that stuff you just said—"

"I heard it from other people," the lighting technician said.

The female reporter took a deep breath.

’He took my money without seeing a thing, and still managed to talk my ear off for a full four minutes.’

"Fine," she said, holding back her anger. "Thank you."

"Don’t mention it, happy to help," the lighting technician said as he walked toward the parking lot. After a few steps, he added, "Don’t use my name, just write ’a senior crew member’."

The female reporter gritted her teeth, frozen to the spot.

The hot California wind messed up her bangs, making her even angrier.

But she couldn’t go back empty-handed. She had to get that 50 USD reimbursed, after all.

That evening, she published the story in the entertainment section of Deadline:

"Li Wei’s On-Set Debut "Shocks" Johnny Depp, Reveals Anonymous Crew Member"

The comment section below was, as usual, polarized—

"Here we go again, another Netflix PR piece. I refuse to believe a sports star’s acting could ’shock’ Depp."

"I second that. Shockingly bad, you mean? Just like a certain other athlete."

"Another jab at LeBron James?"

"To be honest, I’m actually curious. I’ll definitely pay to see it when it comes out."

"Please, Li Wei, come back to basketball."

As for these comments, Li Wei had always disdained to even acknowledge them.

Right now, he had more important things to do.