178: Chapter 179 Making a Bet—Is It Just Asking for Trouble?

Director Zhang led Jiang Jing to the specialized wire-work training area, where various pulleys, steel cables, and protective gear were fully stocked.

He earnestly explained the precautions for wire-work to Jiang Jing: how to exert force in coordination with the staff's instructions, how to maintain body balance, how to keep the core tight, how to bend the knees to cushion the landing, and so on, while also demonstrating a few basic movements.

Jiang Jing listened attentively, nodding from time to time.

However, he soon realized that it seemed only he was listening carefully.

The few beauties nearby had already huddled together, heads close to each other, pointing at their phone screens, occasionally letting out hushed laughter and discussions:

"This one, this one! Photoshop me to look slimmer!"

"Oh my, Jiang Jing's profile is stunning; it doesn't need any editing at all!"

"Sister Mi, look at the expression in my eyes in this one, how is it?"

"Leng Ba, move aside, you're blocking my light!"

They were completely immersed in the joy of selecting and editing the costume group photos taken earlier, and no one paid any attention to the director's "teaching."

Jiang Jing was stunned, and couldn't help but speak up: "Hey, you all... don't you need to listen? Could it be that your wire-work skills have already reached a divine level?"

Upon hearing this, Leng Ba looked up, chuckled, and wore a look of slight smugness on her face: "It's not like it's reached a divine level~ Anyway, we've done wire-work many times; basic operations are still no problem! You could say... practice makes perfect."

The other women also nodded one after another, looking relaxed as if to say, "This is just basic training."

After all, as actors, especially those in costume dramas, wire-work is almost an essential skill, and they certainly all had experience.

Although this experience wasn't necessarily good...

Jiang Jing watched their confident expressions, his eyes darted, and a barely noticeable, mischievous smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

He deliberately rubbed his chin and mused: "Oh? It seems everyone is very confident? Since that's the case... dare to make a bet with me?"

"A bet?" The women's attention was instantly drawn over, and they looked at him curiously, "Bet on what?"

Jiang Jing pointed to the wire-work equipment above his head, his smile sly: "Let's bet on this. Since you all think it's simple, why don't we have a competition? We'll choose a moderately difficult move and see who can complete it the most standardly, beautifully, and with the most style! How about it?"

"Huh? Compete with you?" Mimi was the first to laugh out loud, as if she had heard something hilarious, "Jiang Jing, President Jiang, this is your first time touching wire-work! Competing with us? Isn't this clearly asking for punishment..."

"Exactly! We might not be able to beat you in other areas, but this one!" Zhu Xudan puffed out her chest, looking proud, "We are [professional] actors! Wire-work is a basic skill; you are purely asking for punishment!"

Li Xibing also nodded: "President Jiang, although you are very capable, this bet doesn't seem very fair, does it?" Although she said that, a gleam of eagerness was already shining in her eyes.

Leng Ba nodded frantically on the side.

Although Tong Liya didn't speak, the meaning in her eyes was very clear—she felt that Jiang Jing was asking for trouble.

"What? Don't dare?" Jiang Jing deliberately provoked them, "Weren't you just full of confidence? You're chickening out already?"

"Who's chickening out!" Leng Ba, least able to handle provocation, immediately jumped out, "Let's compete then! What's the bet?"

"Straightforward!" Jiang Jing clapped his hands, "As for the bet... let's keep it simple. The loser must grant the winner one condition; as long as it doesn't break the law or violate morality, it must be fulfilled! How about it?"

One condition!

The eyes of the women instantly lit up!

Their minds had already started wildly fantasizing about what condition to propose after they won!

Should they ask him to have a meal alone with them?

Or have him tailor-make a movie for them?

Or... some more intimate, heart-pounding requests?

Anyway, no matter how you look at it, Jiang Jing, this novice, couldn't possibly beat them, these "old hands"!

"Good! It's a deal!" The women agreed almost in unison, afraid that Jiang Jing might go back on his word.

The director on the side saw this, his eyes lit up, and he immediately volunteered, raising his hand: "I'll be the judge! I guarantee it will be fair and impartial!"

Jiang Jing nodded with a smile: "Good, then I'll trouble you, Director Zhang."

Thus, a bet that everyone saw as having no suspense, with Jiang Jing destined to lose, was established.

The women were rubbing their hands, already starting to think about how to enjoy the fruits of victory after they won.

However, they didn't notice the flash of confident light deep in Jiang Jing's eyes, the kind that belongs to a hunter.

He possessed terrifying martial arts foundations, and his body control and coordination abilities had long surpassed ordinary people. Learning this kind of wire-work that relies on body control was, for him, like Zhang Fei eating bean sprouts—a piece of cake!

The bet officially began.

The first to go up was the super confident Leng Ba.

The staff skillfully helped her put on the wire-work protective gear.

She took a deep breath, made a peace sign at the women's phones, and then, following the staff's operation, slowly ascended into the air.

Her movements were a set of medium-difficulty aerial combinations set by the director: simulating being knocked back by an enemy, then flipping in the air, simultaneously swinging her sword to block, then using the momentum to rush forward, performing a sword flourish, and landing gracefully.

Leng Ba was indeed experienced; her aerial posture control was quite good. The flipping, sword swinging, rushing forward, and landing were all done in one go. Although there was a slight wobble, the overall completion was very high, and it certainly looked the part.

"Good! Perfect!" As soon as she landed, she proudly lifted her chin and looked at Jiang Jing, her eyes full of the boast— "See that? This is what professional means."

The women applauded one after another, the phone cameras faithfully recording everything, with "It's in the bag" smiles on their faces.

Next, Da Mimi, Tong Liya, Nazha, Zhu Xudan, and Li Xibing took turns going up.

The movements they chose were much the same, all showcasing light postures and martial arts stances in the air.

After all, they were all actresses who had filmed quite a few costume dramas, and their basic wire-work skills were on point.

Although some landings were slightly rushed and some movement transitions weren't smooth enough, they all completed it successfully without any mistakes, and it looked quite watchable.

After each one finished, they would high-five each other in celebration, then cast provocative yet expectant gazes at Jiang Jing, as if they had already seen victory beckoning to them, and started calculating in their hearts what conditions to propose.

Finally, it was Jiang Jing's turn.