375: Chapter 375 I am patriotic!

"Next!"

It was finally Zhou Lunfa's turn.

Zhou Lunfa was nervous, his palms already drenched in sweat.

He kept wiping his palms on the corners of his clothes, trying to ease his internal tension.

"Don't be nervous."

The interviewer, Zhou Qun, spoke.

"Mhm, mhm."

His words seemed to possess a certain magic, causing Zhou Lunfa's heart to calm down.

"Are you literate?"

Zhou Qun asked.

"I am."

Zhou Lunfa nodded in response.

"Then take a look at this script."

Zhou Qun then explained to him the emotions a Captain of the Guards should have.

"Mhm, mhm."

Zhou Lunfa listened intently, nodding from time to time.

Because he had spent years drifting through the streets, he had seen a vast array of people. Therefore, he could find a corresponding template within his mind.

Once he had a template, it was simple; he just had to step into the role.

"As the Captain of the Guards, I couldn't even protect my own subordinates..."

Zhou Lunfa began to weep with a mixture of grief and indignation.

His voice was saturated with self-reproach and remorse.

Clearly, Zhou Qun hadn't specified any physical movements for Zhou Lunfa.

Yet, as if by sudden realization, Zhou Lunfa dropped to his knees, covered his face with his hands, and let the tears fall like rain.

His sorrowful emotions moved Zhou Qun, making it seem as if Zhou Qun were truly seeing a weather-beaten, self-reproaching Captain of the Guards. He knelt on one knee before his fallen subordinates, tears streaming down his face.

"With what dignity can I still live in this world! I hate it, I hate that I am so incompetent!"

Zhou Lunfa quickly finished performing the content of the script.

But his brief performance left the onlookers profoundly shocked.

A good performance possesses a powerful infectious quality.

Undoubtedly, Zhou Lunfa's performance had immense infectious power, giving Zhou Qun a great sense of shock.

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Excellent!"

Zhou Qun clapped and cheered, "You acted wonderfully."

"Passed, passed."

"Congratulations, you passed!"

Zhou Qun said, excitedly patting Zhou Lunfa.

"I... I passed!"

Zhou Lunfa's face was full of excitement; he hadn't expected to pass the interview so easily.

At the same time, his heart was filled with a sense of pride.

To know that so many people were unable to pass the interview, yet he actually could—how could that not make him feel excited?

"Lunfa, that's great!"

Chen Le was genuinely happy for Zhou Lunfa.

His own heart was incredibly nervous.

He was the very next person!

After Zhou Qun arranged for someone to lead Zhou Lunfa to collect his ID badge, his expression returned to calm as he shouted toward Chen Le, "Next."

"Good luck, Brother Le!"

Zhou Lunfa shouted to Chen Le.

"Mhm!"

Chen Le nodded vigorously.

Seeing this, Zhou Qun asked him, "Do you two know each other?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

Chen Le nodded repeatedly.

"Good."

Zhou Qun said with a smile, "Then I look forward to your performance. I hope you can perform as soul-stirringly as Lunfa did."

"Are you literate?"

"I am."

Chen Le answered after swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

"Alright."

"Take a look at this script."

As he spoke, Zhou Qun handed a script to Chen Le.

Chen Le originally thought the script he received would be the same as Zhou Lunfa's, but looking at the content, he found that the script he had was different.

Seeing Chen Le's furrowed brow, Zhou Qun knew what he was thinking.

Because Chen Le was an acquaintance of Zhou Lunfa, Zhou Qun explained to him: "We have already found the actor for the Captain of the Guards."

"We now need to find an actor to play a Great Qin soldier captured by the Water Bandits."

"Take a look at the script."

Zhou Qun handed a script to Chen Le while explaining the scene to him.

"Now, imagine yourself in a den of thieves in the Yunmeng Marsh, with a sinister atmosphere all around. You've been captured by the Yunmengze Water Bandits, and to make you surrender, they begin to threaten you."

Zhou Qun paused, then continued with more emphasis: "At this moment, a water bandit with only One-Ear, his face wearing a hideous grin, approaches you step by step with a red-hot branding iron. The iron is radiating scorching heat."

"He uses a threatening tone to demand your surrender."

"And you must show a spirit of facing death with equanimity, shouting loudly: Kill me! If you kill me, there are thousands and millions more like me; I cannot be eradicated! I am patriotic..."

As Zhou Qun spoke, he gestured with his hands, trying to help Chen Le better understand the scene.

After finishing, Zhou Qun looked at Chen Le and asked, "Do you understand?"

Chen Le nodded slightly, a hint of nervousness in his eyes, but even more determination.

"Very well, I will now play the water bandit One-Ear. Let's start the scene."

Zhou Qun quickly entered character, his face instantly shifting into a fierce expression.

"Okay."

Chen Le nodded repeatedly, taking a deep breath and trying to immerse himself in the established scenario.

Zhou Qun suddenly lunged forward, making a motion as if holding a branding iron, and said fiercely to Chen Le: "Kid, be smart and surrender quickly! Otherwise, this iron won't be merciful!"

As he spoke, he brought the 'branding iron' close to Chen Le, making a gesture as if to press it down.

Chen Le's body trembled slightly, as if he truly felt the searing heat of the branding iron.

He gritted his teeth, glared at One-Ear, and shouted loudly: "Kill me! You heinous Water Bandits, do you think this can make me surrender?"

"If you kill me, there are thousands and millions more like me! I cannot be eradicated! I am patriotic!"

"I will never surrender to you Yunmengze Water Bandits!"

Chen Le's voice was high-pitched and impassioned, echoing in the room, his gaze incredibly firm.

"Let's see just how patriotic you are!"

One-Ear roared in anger.

He ripped open the clothes on Chen Le's chest, only to see the two characters for 'Patriotic' written clearly there. Beside the words 'Patriotic,' there was even a heart shape framing them.

It was evident that Chen Le was truly patriotic!

"Patriotism is not a crime!"

Chen Le roared loudly.

The enraged One-Ear pressed the red-hot branding iron firmly onto the words 'Patriotic' on Chen Le's chest.

"Aaaagh!"

"Aaaagh!"

Chen Le opened his mouth and let out a wretched wail.

"I surrender!"

"I surrender!"

"I've surrendered!"

Chen Le had spoken with such unyielding integrity before, but as it turned out, he crumbled in the very first round.

"Aaaahhhhh..."

Chen Le continued to scream in agony; the scar burned into his chest caused him immense pain.

"Good!"

"Cut!"

Zhou Qun said: "Congratulations, Chen Le, you performed wonderfully."

"You passed!"

"I... I passed too!"

Chen Le's face was full of excitement.

He hadn't expected to pass the interview so easily either; this meant he could earn a high salary!

How could that not make him feel excited!

"Yes!"

Zhou Qun nodded in response: "Your performance was excellent!"

"Mhm, mhm."

Hearing Zhou Qun's praise, Chen Le was extremely excited.

He just loved hearing these kinds of complimentary words.

"Brother Le, you passed the interview too! That's great!"

Zhou Lunfa said excitedly.

"Yeah, I passed!"

Chen Le nodded in response.

Zhou Lunfa said to Chen Le: "Let's go, Brother Le, I'll take you to the place where we get our ID badges."

"We'll be collecting last month's salary on the second Thursday of next month."

"Thursday!"

Chen Le was taken aback.

Due to Zhao Fusu's habits, the Imperial Court always settled salaries on the second Thursday.

Therefore, the salary settlement for the Great Qin Art Troupe was also on the second Thursday.

Chen Le had been a merchant before and didn't know anything about Thursdays.

Zhou Lunfa knew because someone had explained it to him.

Now he told Chen Le everything he knew in one go.

"Oh, I see."

After hearing Zhou Lunfa's explanation, Chen Le nodded in understanding.

"Our days will definitely get better and better from now on."

Chen Le said with a look of longing.

"Yeah!"

Zhou Lunfa nodded in agreement: "A beautiful life is beckoning to us!"

The next day, Zhou Lunfa and Chen Le went together to the courtyard where the Great Qin Art Troupe was located.

The gatekeeper let them in after checking their ID badges.

After seeing them, Zhou Qun told them to sit in the hall first. Once all the actors had arrived, he would provide training and tell them specifically what the work of the Great Qin Art Troupe entailed.