Chapter 125: His Acting Was Off the Charts

“I advise you to seriously reconsider the demands I just made. Perhaps I might spare your life,” Ye Linyun said, casually playing with her freshly manicured nails. The blood-red sheen, intensified by the crystal chandelier’s glow, was glaringly vivid, yet it radiated a chilling, bloodthirsty menace.

“And what if I refuse?” Lin Zhiwei whispered, trembling with fear.

“Unwilling, huh?” Ye Linyun shot her a glance, then clapped her hands. Slowly, the door behind her creaked open, and three burly men with fierce expressions strode in.

She rose leisurely, bypassed the three men, and spoke deliberately, “These three gentlemen are retired Marine Corps generals. Lin Zhi, I know you have some fighting skills, but all three of them were once Sanda instructors. No matter how formidable you are, one against three is a lost cause.”

Noticing Lin Zhiwei’s pupils dilate, Ye Linyun’s excitement grew. “Of course, violence isn’t really my style. If you don’t accept my terms, I’ll just leave you to these three. With your delicate skin and tender flesh, you’ll be their feast. And maybe I’ll add a few extras for flavor, hahaha!”

Her wild, eerie laughter echoed through the empty private room, utterly terrifying.

The three muscular men smiled darkly and suggestively, arching their brows at Lin Zhiwei as if she were about to become their captive at any moment.

Lin Zhiwei couldn’t stop trembling, cold sweat pouring down her face, sobbing silently, unable to speak.

Ye Linyun did not rush her, patiently waiting for a response; she had said all she needed to say and now awaited Lin Zhi’s answer.

Nanyu, in his small room, nervously stared at the surveillance feed, barely able to take a bite of his chicken wing. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at the trembling girl on screen and almost believed it—after careful thought, he suspected Lin Zhiwei might be acting. Wasn’t she supposed to be politely invited out for a meeting? But judging by the current scene, things were clearly amiss—they were about to resort to violence.

Although he trusted Lin Zhiwei’s strength and wit would have some backup plan, his anxiety led him to take out his phone and contact Pei Xi. “Xixi, do you have any arrangements over there? I feel something’s off.”

Pei Xi answered, “The boss and I are around Jade Pavilion. We have our people inside, so don’t worry.”

“That’s good. Did you check the monitors? Am I just overthinking it? Lin Zhiwei’s behavior seems unusual.”

Pei Xi hesitated, unsure how to reply. “Director Lin’s acting might be just too convincing.”

“What?” Pei Xi dropped his chicken wing.

Nearby, Ling Ziheng’s expression darkened as he stared at the screen. Though Pei Xi was explaining to Nanyu, he was also justifying things to his master, who had already crushed two cups in half an hour, making both the driver and Pei Xi hold their breath in fear.

Pei Xi silently pleaded, “Director Lin, must you be so realistic? Too much concern can cause chaos. If you keep this up, the young master might even consider killing Ye Linyun.”

Ling Ziheng sat rigidly, his face cold to the extreme, lips pressed thin, silent except for the clicking of his knuckles. The car was dimly lit; Pei Xi could only hear his own breathing and the young master’s finger joints cracking.

Though everything was orchestrated, Director Lin’s trembling and terrified demeanor just now was almost indistinguishable from genuine fear. If this was acting, it was truly superb.

At the other end of Jade Pavilion, Chu Chuo had already arrived early at his private room—a place so secret even Ye Linyun didn’t know about.

From the moment Lin Zhiwei entered, he never took his eyes off the surveillance footage. Until Ye Linyun brought out the three men, every trace of Lin Zhiwei’s panic and helplessness was etched into his mind, lingering relentlessly.

Was she pretending?

Impossible. The cold sweat and momentary loss of focus in her eyes couldn’t be faked.

Did she think Ye Linyun would show mercy?

His fists clenched involuntarily, a heavy unease and anxiety spreading within him. He poured a glass of whiskey; the sharp burn did nothing to ease his deepening worry.

Ha, how could Ling Ziheng allow her to be in danger? He pondered, feeling utterly ridiculous. What did that girl’s safety have to do with him? He only lent Ye Linyun a place; whether she escaped was solely her own fate.

He stood and shut off the video feed. The room plunged into darkness, engulfing him in shadows as he sighed deeply.

Lin Zhiwei pinched her thigh hard, convinced that if she didn’t draw bruises, it would be impossible. Waves of pain forced cold sweat to pour down her skin.

“Director Lin, have you made up your mind? My time is limited,” Ye Linyun said irritably. Seeing the man opposite her sitting motionless, face pale with terror, she couldn’t hide her smugness—he was clearly frightened, useless.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Lin Zhiwei realized time was nearly up. She had told Zhou Muyan she’d be ready by 8:30 p.m., leaving half an hour to cooperate with Ye Linyun in this staged scene. This footage would undoubtedly be useful later, so she had to act her part well—the more fearful and powerless she seemed now, the more devastating her reveal would be.

After all, this was her first real test before debuting—a valuable opportunity to hone her acting skills. And a memorable scene, no less.

“Empress Ye,” Lin Zhiwei slowly looked up, a cold smile curling her lips. The previous fear vanished, replaced by calm as she leaned back, arms crossed. “It seems you’ve greatly underestimated me.”

“What?” Ye Linyun, mid-sip of her wine, furrowed her brow, shocked by the sudden change. “What do you mean?”

“Empress Ye, are you really so confident that your plan tonight is foolproof?” Lin Zhiwei’s eyes swirled with unfathomable depth. A sudden chill ran through Ye Linyun. It was as if a different person sat before her now, exuding an entirely new aura.

Steadying herself, Ye Linyun thought this was merely a delay tactic. She said coldly, “Lin Zhi, don’t try to scare me with tricks. No one’s coming to save you. Even if they did, they wouldn’t get in. Jade Pavilion is sealed tight.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Lin Zhiwei replied nonchalantly.

Ye Linyun, exasperated, stood and slammed the table. “Lin Zhi, I gave you a choice, but you’re too ungrateful. Now that you’re stalling, what good will it do? You’re alone. No matter what, you won’t fly out of here. Today, I’ll show you who really rules the entertainment world.”

“I’d very much like to see who truly rules the entertainment industry, Empress Ye,” came a gentle yet chilling male voice from outside the private room.