Chapter 39: A D-list celebrity drunk, life and death uncertain; a D-list celebrity going crazy, total chaos! [Monthly Votes Requested]

It is well-known that a strict hierarchy exists within the domestic entertainment and film industry. Those who produce prestige dramas look down upon creators of web series, while the film circle looks down upon the television circle. Although these factions are fiercely divided and mired in endless disputes, if one were to ask what yields the highest profits in the entire entertainment sphere, everyone would share a single answer: feature films!

Compared to television platforms where viewers can binge an entire series just by purchasing a VIP subscription, film possesses an entirely different level of monetization efficiency. A single movie ticket easily starts at thirty-five yuan, requiring audiences to spend hard-earned money to experience it in theaters. A film with an investment of several tens of millions and a production cycle of at most three months can potentially achieve a return on investment exceeding three hundred percent if word-of-mouth explodes.

Such profit-generating efficiency rivals bank robbery; who could witness it without trembling with awe?

He had not yet stepped even half a foot into the film and television industry, and the outside audience's impression of him remained fixed at the stage of being a "pretty, useless idol." Yet, at this very moment, he actually possessed a reserve of movie scripts?

Lü Ming could not possibly have been more ecstatic.

He had already mapped out a crystal-clear path to prominence in his mind. Using *Soul Ferry* as a stepping stone, he would first produce this web series to accumulate wealth, and subsequently transition into a producer investing in films. If his funds fell short, he would raise capital; if he could not secure enough, he would cede a portion of the shares to attract investors. Once *Detective Chinatown* successfully debuted, he would soar to become the most sought-after, powerhouse traffic star in the entire entertainment industry.

By that time, having completed his primitive accumulation of wealth, the sea would be wide for fish to leap and the sky vast for birds to fly. He would stand independently as his own capital empire within the domestic entertainment sphere!

Just the thought of this filled Lü Ming with boundless exhilaration.

However, these ambitions rested upon a crucial prerequisite: he first had to refine his acting skills. While his foundation in music was already exceptionally robust, his capabilities in acting remained relatively weak.

Many actors in the domestic industry resorted to enrolling in acting classes, traveling far and wide to kowtow to industry veterans, and pulling strings, all merely to secure an opportunity to receive guidance from seasoned masters. Moreover, such periods of study and refinement were invariably measured in years, and the crucial point was that the ultimate results were often mediocre. Truly outstanding talents were exceedingly rare, and in some exceptional cases, actors even regressed, turning out performances with deteriorating acting skills and a disastrous grasp of dialogue.

Yet, for him, going from zero to mastery was simply a matter of two bottles of baijiu.

If two bottles were not enough, then four. Achieving the status of Best Actor was merely a matter of time!

With this thought, Lü Ming immediately picked up his flask, seized the weak and helpless Dilraba with one hand, and tilted his head back for a long, gulping draught from the flask!

[Ding! Detected that the host is drinking 'Feitian Moutai', 'Basic Acting Skills' +30!]

[Ding! Detected that the host is drinking 'Feitian Moutai', 'Basic Acting Skills' +35!]

[Basic Acting Skills advanced to: Level 2!]

Dilraba watched as Lü Ming alternated between glaring and laughing in front of her, and now he was even chugging liquor right before her eyes. Terror gripped her heart: "Brother, if you're going to kill or torture me, can you just give me a swift and painless end?"

Only then did Lü Ming notice Dilraba, whom he was still tightly gripping. He hastily released her, and just as he was about to explain, a broadcast echoed across the sky above Happy Valley.

[Warning! The traitor faction boss has been rescued from prison!]

[Warning! The traitor faction boss has been rescued from prison!]

Lü Ming: "There are even higher-level bosses?!"

"You actually have a boss above you?" Dilraba was equally astonished.

At that exact moment, boisterous shouts erupted from the distance: "The flop star is right there!"

"I see the flop star!"

"Chen, hurry over! Let's tear the flop star's name tag first!"

In the blink of an eye, Deng Chao, Baby, and the Big Black Bull converged from three directions.

"Help!" Dilraba clutched at this straw of salvation, crying out for rescue in agitation.

Lü Ming grabbed the young woman's slender hand and bolted like the wind: "Move!"

"I'm not going! Help!"

"Are you an idiot? Even if I don't tear your tag off, they're going to do it anyway!"

Dilraba: "??"

Her brain stalled for a full second, and then she quickly caught up, taking the initiative to grab Lü Ming's wrist and sprint forward while panting heavily.

"Why are you following me?"

"No time to explain, just get me out of here!" Dilraba gasped for breath.

Seeing the three pursuers charging fiercely in his direction while panting, Lü Ming made a decisive move: he hoisted Dilraba onto his shoulder, and amidst her bewildered gaze, charged valiantly toward a half-man-high, two-meter-wide green hedge lining the path.

Dilraba: "?!l"

"Wait, what are you doing?!"

At that moment, with her hips pointing upward and her head hanging down like a pendant draped over Lü Ming's shoulder, she completely failed to understand how things had escalated to this juncture.

"I'll carry you through the storm, and bear the pain myself!" Lü Ming offered a carefree smile.

As a dizzying sense of weightlessness washed over her, Dilraba could only watch as the surrounding scenery flew past. This lunatic had actually hoisted her up, taken a massive stride, and leaped, intending to clear the hedge and land on the lawn beyond!

"Ahhhhh!" Dilraba lost her composure, screaming instinctively: "Help!"

She thrashed wildly. Her head, which had initially been safely above the foliage below, suddenly plummeted, making intimate contact with the dense leaves underneath. Just as she was about to plunge headfirst into the shrubbery, Lü Ming abruptly yanked her delicate ankle. The tremendous pulling force dragged her little head across the dense, neatly trimmed hedge, carving out a long, sweeping furrow through the greenery!

"Help! Help! Help!!"

Feeling the sharp sting tearing across her scalp, she experienced a fleeting moment of out-of-body sensation in her trance, as if the next second would transport her straight to her reincarnation...

[Dilraba!]

[My Dilraba!]

[When has Dilraba ever suffered such torture?!]

[What kind of sins did my goddess commit to be subjected to such devastation by a flop star?!]

[Is she still refusing to confess, I ask?]

[Confess my foot! Play is play, joking is joking—don't mess with our Dilraba!]

Countless Alices jumped up from in front of their screens in sheer agitation. Gazing at the scene unfolding on the livestream, they felt as though they had been struck by a divine thunderbolt, their hearts utterly shattered.

The alliance of veterans converging from afar watched this visually arresting spectacle with twitching facial features, looking as though they had witnessed something deeply terrifying. Their facial expressions instantly went completely out of control.

Li Chen's eyes widened: "Holy crap, is his explosive power a joke?!"

Deng Chao was baffled: "This is too hardcore. Exactly how much appearance fee did the production team pay these two? It's one thing for the flop star to be unhinged, but why is Dilraba also..."

Baby's eyes held stark terror: "How large must this girl's heart be to dare play like this with the flop star? Isn't she afraid of risking her life?"

The three stared at the furrow carved out by a human head through the otherwise pristine hedge, and at Dilraba—who now had leaves stuffed in her mouth and was dangling from Lü Ming's shoulder like a kite tossing in the wind as he sprinted wildly—their expressions twitching in unison.

Having spent the better part of their lives in the entertainment industry, they had never witnessed such a scene before!

However, such a golden opportunity could not be squandered to let the flop star escape. With this thought, the three immediately changed course, taking the long way around to cut him off.

Chen He had just emerged from the prison area when he spotted the flop star sprinting across the lawn with a frantically struggling Dilraba slung over his shoulder. He instantly became excited: "Flop star!!!"

"Do you have any idea how bitterly I've searched for you?!" He closed in rapidly, gritting his teeth.

Lü Ming felt exasperated: "Why is there another one? Seriously, a name tag-ripping game is a name tag-ripping game, why are you all chasing after me alone?!"

No matter how formidable he was, he could not fight four opponents while carrying Dilraba.

Seeing that Chen He was already charging toward him, Lü Ming, in his desperation, grabbed whatever was at hand. Reaching backward, he yanked the sports shoe right off Dilraba's foot and hurled it directly into Chen He's face with a loud *thwack*!

Seeing his pursuer locked in place by the unexpected projectile, Lü Ming hurriedly changed direction and bolted!

Chen He touched his handsome face, which now bore a clear footprint, his entire body trembling: "Ah! Flop star, I'm going to tear you to pieces!!"

As if by coincidence, Wang Baoqiang—with a square name tag strapped flat across his back—approached from the opposite direction. Seeing Dilraba's disheveled state, he gasped in shock: "Lü Ming! Stop right there! Whatever the issue is, put her down and let's talk this out like civilized people. Don't hurt your teammate, Dilraba is innocent!"

"Which of your eyes saw me hurting Dilraba? I'm carrying her to save our lives!" Lü Ming yelled in a breakdown: "Besides, we are the teammates here, hurry up and help me block them!"

Lü Ming pointed at the howling mob of pursuers behind him and shouted.

Wang Baoqiang: "??"

"Baoqiang-ge, save... save me..." The moment Dilraba laid eyes on Wang Baoqiang, a wave of grievances welled up within her. Tears welled in her pretty, watery eyes like tiny pearls, but because Lü Ming was running at such breakneck speed, her tears scattered in all directions like raindrops.

Wang Baoqiang instantly snapped to his senses and bellowed: "Unhand her, you traitor!"

Lü Ming reached back and pulled off Dilraba's other shoe, taking dead aim at Wang Baoqiang who was hurtling toward him like a tiger pouncing on sheep. He planted the sole squarely on Wang Baoqiang's forehead, stunning the latter instantly. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he swung him in a graceful parabola, sending him flying with a precise *thwack* right onto Deng Chao's face.

[Dilraba's shoe!!]

[Damn flop star, what on earth are you doing!]

[Please, such unhinged behavior is genuinely terrifying!]

[Dilraba: I truly surrender to you!]

[Hahahahaha!]

"Ahhhhh!"

"Flop star!!!"

A chorus of battle cries echoed across the sky above Happy Valley.

Lü Ming remained silent, solely focused on accelerating his pace and running for his life!

In an instant.

Everyone still active in the game was engaged in a frenzied pursuit of Lü Ming. With Dilraba hoisted on his shoulder, he fled all the way from the merry-go-round to the entrance of the Ferris wheel attraction. His astonishing speed left even the camera operator trailing far behind. Seeing the group converging from all directions to trap him, Lü Ming gritted his teeth, resolutely dashed into the boarding cabin, shoved Dilraba into the square compartment, and leaped in after her.

Before the five pursuers could pounce, he swiftly bolted the cabin door from the inside. The desperate pursuers hammered against the glass to no avail; unable to open the door, they could only watch helplessly as the Ferris wheel began its slow, ascending rotation.

"Director, they've gone up, I couldn't keep up!" The camera operator hurriedly reported via walkie-talkie.

The director, currently stationed in the broadcasting room, immediately located the pre-set fixed camera angles. Moments later, the livestream feed switched to the interior of the Ferris wheel cabin.

The screenwriter chimed in with a sense of relief: "It's a good thing we anticipated beforehand that it wouldn't be convenient for a camera operator to lug equipment inside a Ferris wheel cabin, so we installed fixed cameras in advance."

"If I recall correctly, aren't there still quite a few fireworks left in the fireworks zone?" the director suddenly remarked.

Screenwriter: "?!"

"Oh, come on, give it a rest! With the flop star's erratic behavior, what sane person would agree to enter a faux romance pairing with him? And even if they did manufacture one, would anyone ship it? Other variety show pairings are sweet and distribute sugar; our pairing is unhinged and dispenses insanity!"

"Just go do as I say, stop chattering!" the director snapped. "Just moments ago, Huayue's official website released an announcement unilaterally severing ties with the flop star. He is a free agent as of now!"

"Putting everything else aside, based purely on that face of his, shipping fans might be scarce, but drama-loving trolls will definitely tune in."

The screenwriter was stunned:

"Didn't you call him a trouble magnet just a moment ago? Now you're planning to promote him? The entertainment industry's behemoth corporation just got hit with two lawsuits in three days—how many lives do you think you have to play with fire alongside him? Besides, since they took the initiative to fire the flop star, they're bound to orchestrate a blanket industry-wide ban against him. That's Huayue we're talking about, the colossus of domestic entertainment! Half of today's A-list stars are under their banner. Isn't the flop star completely doomed?"

"The station head called personally to give explicit instructions: we must give him a major push!"

"...6!" The screenwriter didn't understand, but respected the decision.

...

"Phew... finally safe!" Lü Ming collapsed into a seat, utterly exhausted, gasping for breath as he unscrewed his flask and took a massive gulp to soothe his frayed nerves.

"Hiss... ha..."

Casting his gaze sideways, he finally noticed that Dilraba's mental state appeared somewhat unhinged.

The Western Regions goddess who had previously exuded charm with exquisite makeup and a breathtaking appearance was now thoroughly disheveled, covered in dust, barefoot, with wild, bird's-nest hair. Her aggrieved expression and vacant, watery eyes made her look like a young bride who had just been forcefully violated—she was utterly pitiful.

"Are you alright?" Lü Ming waved a hand in front of her face.

Dilraba: "..."

After a moment of silence, a spark of life gradually returned to her eyes. Then, amidst Lü Ming's startled gaze, she lunged forward like a rabid little kitten and sank her teeth directly into his arm with an angry "Awooo!"

Lü Ming: "?!"

"Hisss... ouch! Were you raised by dogs?!"

Dilraba offered no retort, simply clinging to his arm and chewing furiously, completely immovable.

[Bite him hard!]

[Bite the flop star to death!]

[Serves you right! Just look at what the hell you've turned our goddess into!]

The Alices cheered with undisguised schadenfreude.

Lü Ming rolled his eyes in pain. Due to his sudden movement, the cabin rocked violently, startling Dilraba into hastily retreating to her seat. Her pretty, tear-filled eyes looked up at him with an expression brimming with poignant resentment.

"You're utterly devoid of a conscience, woman. I carried you away to safety, and instead of gratitude, you return my kindness with malice?" Lü Ming muttered in displeasure, wiping the saliva from his arm.

"You still have the nerve to say I have no conscience? Big Brother, I am a young woman! You carried me on your shoulder in front of the entire country's audience, ran two kilometers in such an undominating posture, and even stripped off my shoes! I'm an actress whose livelihood depends on her looks—do I no longer need my dignity? Do I no longer need my face? How am I supposed to get married in the future?!"

The more Dilraba thought about it, the angrier she grew. She pointed at her own head and cried out accusingly: "And most importantly, right here, right here!"

"My mother always said I wasn't overly bright, and you went and assaulted my head! Do you know I was this close to seeing my ancestors?!"

Lü Ming: "..."

"Alright, fine, I was wrong."

Dilraba: "You finally know you were wrong?!"

"Yes, I was wrong. In fact, I'm practically a sinner!"

"Then what are you wrong about?" Dilraba's tone softened slightly upon seeing Lü Ming's unusually cooperative attitude.

Lü Ming suddenly grew indignant: "My mistake was having too soft a heart, shouldn't have taken you along with me, and above all, being too kind, too responsible, and showing too much backbone!"

Dilraba: "Huh?!"

"No, you're the one in the right! You're unreasonable, unreasonable to the core, hot-tempered, prone to screaming, unable to tell right from wrong, extreme in personality, violent, and emotionally unstable! I feel like you're going to have severe domestic violence tendencies in the future. Just the thought of it makes me tremble with fear. Staying in the same space as you feels so suffocating, like being in hell!"

"I genuinely can't endure this kind of life for even another second!"

"Meeting you is an absolute catastrophe in my life!"

Dilraba: "Ah?"

"We're done!!"

"Done with what?" Dilraba was thoroughly bewildered.

Lü Ming: "We're breaking up!"

"Brother, I didn't even know we were dating in the first place?" Dilraba's expression turned delicate.

Lü Ming slapped his forehead: "Then we're parting ways! Get out of my safe house right now, this instant! From now on, you walk your broad path, and I'll cross my single-plank bridge. We'll mind our own business and live in peace!"

Watching Lü Ming deliver his vehement accusation, Dilraba simply could not hold it back anymore. A snort of laughter escaped her lips. She rolled her eyes and muttered, "You've got a whole string of rehearsed dramatic lines—who on earth did you learn this from? It sounds genuinely terrifying."

"Learned from experience!"

"I can tell—your previous relationship history must have been truly miserable!"

Lü Ming calmly raised his flask and took a sip: "Let the past drift away with the wind; it's merely a touch of frost and dust!"