19: Using a real knife during a dramatic scene, he scared his co-stars and extras to tears.

Zheng Xin nodded.

"Alright, Director."

He pulled a whip from his waist and cracked it right in front of Qin Rong's face.

"I see you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin."

This time, Qin Rong actually reacted—a physiological instinct to dodge.

Because the whip was about to hit her, she had to dodge.

But this reaction wasn't what Director Li Bing wanted at all.

After several attempts, Zheng Xin was already exhausted.

Yet, it was still a far cry from the effect Director Li Bing expected.

"Cut!"

"Zheng Xin, take a break."

"Let Lin Pei do it."

"Lin Pei, are you ready?"

Lin Pei had already walked outside the interrogation room.

His expression was calm, yet it sent shivers down people's spines; clearly, he was already in character.

The onlookers on the periphery were all subconsciously stunned.

"Holy crap, how did that feeling suddenly surge up?"

"This is what an Action Team Leader should look like; the one just now looked like a madman."

"Why do I feel like Brother Lin is actually pretty handsome?"

Outside the door, Lin Pei nodded toward Director Li Bing's position, indicating he was ready.

Director Li Bing froze for a moment.

In that instant, a chill ran down his spine.

He almost thought Lin Pei was about to interrogate him.

His heart rate quickened significantly.

He really wanted to pay tribute to the heroes.

Because if it were him facing such an Action Team Leader, he definitely wouldn't last long before spilling all the information.

"Ah... action."

Inside the interrogation room, Qin Rong, who had already cooperated with Zheng Xin's performance several times, smiled gently.

But in her heart, she couldn't help but feel a bit of disdain.

As a Human Trafficker who had been hiding in Hengcheng for years, even the police couldn't get anything out of her when they interrogated her personally back then.

No matter how good an actor's skills were, they couldn't possibly make her break.

Zheng Xin had quickly changed his attire by now.

He took off the Action Team Leader's outer coat, revealing the subordinate's uniform underneath.

He knew Director Li Bing's standards for acting were always very high.

If even he couldn't handle this scene, he didn't believe Lin Pei could.

He happened to be playing the subordinate nearby, so he stared intently at Lin Pei's face.

He made sure not to miss a single facial expression.

If Director Li Bing showed favoritism toward Lin Pei later, he would refute it relentlessly and provide his own reasons.

*Clatter!*

The interrogation room door opened from the outside.

Lin Pei walked in slowly.

Lin Pei's eyes showed a sense of inevitable victory, along with a trace of pity.

It was the look of a ferocious wolf watching its prey, or a policeman watching a criminal.

Somehow...

Qin Rong's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and panic almost made her swallow her saliva.

This actor was on a completely different level from the previous one.

Just now, she almost thought she was truly being interrogated.

And the police were far less terrifying than this man.

Lin Pei's gaze really made one's skin crawl.

Zheng Xin was also stunned.

Fortunately, those eyes weren't looking at him.

Otherwise, he would have been truly scared.

According to the script, he stood up and reported the progress of the interrogation to the Captain.

Lin Pei looked up, his chilling gaze sweeping across Zheng Xin's face.

"It's been this long, and there's no progress at all?"

His voice was flat, but it also had no warmth.

Yet it felt as if he were about to devour someone in the next second.

Zheng Xin's throat tightened; he almost knelt before him.

"Yes... yes, Captain."

Outside the camera's view, Director Li Bing couldn't stop nodding.

It was amazing.

As soon as Lin Pei came on stage, even Zheng Xin's emotions were spot on.

Inside the interrogation room.

Lin Pei slowly walked over to Qin Rong.

He paced around Qin Rong, his gaze fixed on her face the entire time.

Qin Rong's heart pounded.

Holy cow.

That look... if this person circled her a few more times, she would definitely break.

She suppressed the urge to swallow and lowered her head evasively.

Lin Pei, who had been leisurely a moment ago, suddenly bent down and grabbed Qin Rong's chin, forcing her to look up.

The death stare continued.

Qin Rong's hands were tied, and she was frantic inside.

Holy sh*t.

This part isn't in the script, is it?

This look was as if he carried hundreds of lives on his conscience; she really couldn't take it.

Lin Pei gripped Qin Rong's chin tightly, his lines squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Look at me. Confess."

*Gulp.*

Qin Rong finally couldn't help but swallow hard.

*Gulp.*

Zheng Xin trembled and also swallowed hard.

Qin Rong's brow furrowed.

"I... I have nothing to say."

Good lord.

Luckily, there was no actual intelligence content in the script.

Otherwise, she really would have blurted it out.

Or else she felt like she'd be finished in the next second.

Meanwhile, in front of the camera, Director Li Bing had no intention of calling cut.

There was a hint of excitement in his eyes as he watched the monitor.

"See, there's the reaction."

"What a great clash of performances."

On screen, Lin Pei finally let go, releasing Qin Rong's chin.

He beckoned to Zheng Xin with his finger.

Zheng Xin suddenly snapped out of it and handed Lin Pei a knife.

Lin Pei had tried it at home; with the Little Li Flying Dagger skill from the system, he could guarantee the knife would land exactly where he wanted it to.

There wouldn't be the slightest deviation.

Thus, for the sake of a realistic filming effect and with the director's authorization, he replaced the prop knife with his own real knife.

He used a strip of cloth to slowly wipe the knife; his serious demeanor sent another chill through Qin Rong's heart.

Dammit.

With this performance, he should be playing an executioner.

There was no sense of incongruity at all; it felt like he could chop down three people in one stroke.

*Whoosh!*

In the next second, the knife flew from Lin Pei's hand and landed on the pillar above Qin Rong's head.

It was only a millimeter from the top of her head, and several strands of hair were sliced off cleanly.

*Swish!*

Zheng Xin jumped in fright, nearly bolting for the door.

What the hell, wasn't this a prop knife? It can actually cut people?

Qin Rong's face turned pale.

If she hadn't been tied up, she definitely would have jumped as well.

Why hasn't the director called cut yet?

Is this kind of thing allowed on a film set?

On the outskirts of the set, everyone was in a panic; even the cameraman's hands began to shake.

"Director! Should we stop for a moment?"

"This actor's performance is good."

"But if this continues, someone might actually die."

"Director..."

The actors and staff all began to chime in with advice.

Because they were truly afraid the film set would turn into a murder scene.

Director Li Bing waved his hand.

"Wait a moment."

"Don't you think the emotions of the actors opposite him have also been stirred up, and they're very on point?"

"The atmosphere of the entire interrogation scene is perfect."

"Whether it's Qin Rong being interrogated or the subordinate Zheng Xin, they've both been drawn into the scene."

Hearing the director's words, everyone looked back at the people performing in front of the camera.

It had to be said, the director was right; the atmosphere was surprisingly, eerily harmonious.

Facing the second knife in Lin Pei's hand, Qin Rong was already sweating on her forehead, her breathing rapid.

But she still maintained her rationality.

"Go ahead and kill me, I don't know anything."

But inside, she was close to tears.

If she were in that era, she certainly wouldn't be a hero; she'd defect in a minute.

She had to constantly remind herself that this was just acting so she wouldn't lose control and scream.

Lin Pei's expression didn't change.

He slammed a knife into the stool next to Qin Rong's thigh, the distance still exactly one millimeter.