"I see."
After hearing about Jing Yu's conversation with Che Kaijun, Cheng Lie nodded.
"What a shame. They still don't fully trust you."
After all, Cheng Lie knew very well—any drama Jing Yu was willing to invest that much in must hold exceptional importance for him.
Even with 'Fate/Zero' airing on both platforms simultaneously, Cheng Lie didn't think it would be a loss. After all, Jing Yu had also planned to include exclusive content for the streaming version. Qingyun Network was simply playing it safe.
Jing Yu's influence in the TV and film industry was undeniable. His previous films, combined with the two currently airing exclusive dramas, had brought nearly ten million new users to Qingyun Video.
But co-releasing 'Fate/Zero' with Yunteng TV was uncharted territory.
"This might be for the best. Multi-platform broadcasting is actually the most beneficial release model for production companies—especially for a work like 'Fate/Zero'." Jing Yu leaned back in his chair.
"If Qingyun Video didn't seize the chance, then so be it. Anyway—when is the open casting scheduled for 'Fate/Zero'?" he asked.
"Next Monday."
Currently, there are about thirty-four popular actors with available schedules in Great Zhou who've accepted our casting invitations. But honestly, your standards for the role of Artoria are ridiculously high," Cheng Lie said, growing more animated at the mention of casting.
"There are a few existing actresses whose looks and temperament fit, but they're too old. For the current production, it wouldn't matter—but since you mentioned the potential for long-term IP development, their age becomes an issue. On the other hand, some professors at the film academies in the Capital and Modo City have sent me profiles of promising students. It's up to you whether you want to let them audition."
"I have no objections to that. The most important thing is that the actor's image and aura match the role. Their fame or public appeal is only secondary."
"In that case, we may have a lot of audition candidates."
As he spoke, Cheng Lie jotted things down in his notebook.
"Plus, compared to your past projects, this one has way more characters—seven Masters, seven Servants, and all the supporting cast: friends, families, characters in flashbacks…"
"If everything goes smoothly, hopefully we can start filming by the end of the month," Jing Yu sighed.
"The VFX company has already completed most of the preliminary work. They're just waiting for our filming to begin so they can align their pipeline with our footage."
"The next six months are going to be intense," Cheng Lie remarked.
Both 'Kaiji' and 'Clannad' had already been confirmed for back-to-back two-season runs. Now Jing Yu was adding 'Fate/Zero' to the mix.
While Jing Yu only acted in two of the three series, all the production coordination and scheduling fell on Cheng Lie. Good thing his health was solid—any other producer would've been running on fumes by now.
"You've really worked hard."
"Come on, no need for that," Cheng Lie laughed.
"When all this dies down, let's give everyone at the company a nice long vacation," Jing Yu said.
"Forget it. Sure, everyone's tired, but I think they're happily tired. You pay them well, after all. Honestly, I don't think they'd even want a break." With that, Cheng Lie chuckled and left.
Jing Yu looked at the mountain of materials on his desk and let out a sigh.
Then he began reviewing the actor lists that Cheng Lie had handed over.
In the past, he could just hand roles to Yu Youqing or Xia Yining without thinking—mainly because those were romance dramas, and as long as the female lead looked good, things were fine. That's just how those productions worked.
But 'Fate/Zero' was different.
The roles of the King of Conquerors, King of Heroes, and Artoria were non-negotiable. Jing Yu felt confident playing Gilgamesh himself—his acting had matured, and with acting-enhancement props, it wasn't a problem.
But as for Artoria, neither Yu Youqing nor Xia Yining was suitable.
It wasn't about their looks—it was their physicality. Jing Yu had them both audition for the action scenes, and honestly, they just gave off too fragile a vibe. Artoria's heroic presence was completely absent. Their wrists were so thin they struggled even to hold a prop sword.
He looked again at the shortlist of actresses Cheng Lie had suggested.
The youngest among them was already 28.
Sure, their aura matched, and they had martial arts training—but when it came to future IP plans, that age was a problem. A few more years down the line, if they needed to shoot game trailers or promotional material, their screen presence might suffer.
On Saturday and Sunday, new episodes of both 'Kaiji' and 'Clannad' aired again.
In Episode 8, Kaiji finally discovered the trap behind the bridge—thanks to his comrades' sacrifices. The other side wasn't salvation. As soon as you opened the window, you'd be blown off the building due to the pressure differential. The real exit was a hidden glass staircase six meters before the end of the beam—virtually invisible in the dark.
Teiai Group's blatant disregard for human life and their twisted manipulation enraged viewers. You make it across that terrifying bridge… only to die from wind pressure? If Kaiji hadn't been the second one to cross, he would've been dead, too.
As for 'Clannad', it had entered a phase of smaller, self-contained story arcs—each spanning a few episodes. While its growth wasn't as explosive as Kaiji's, it was steady. Paid views continued rising at a healthy pace.
Meanwhile, news of Jing Yu and Cheng Lie's open casting call for 'Fate/Zero' in the Great Zhou actor circle finally began spreading among the fan communities.
'Fate/Zero!'
A title that left most people scratching their heads.
Could it be related to 'Steins;Gate'?
Yet the leaks and scoops circulating from gossip reporters were already stirring excitement among Jing Yu's fans.
Over 200 million yuan in investment. Over 40% of it is allocated to VFX.
And the ever-reliable 45-year-old action star Han Wenyu was officially confirmed to join.
Other veterans like Tang Li, Chao Lan, Hu Zhen, and Tang Ning—once dominant forces in Great Zhou's film industry—were also rumored to be auditioning.
Top-tier stars. And even if they only got a shot at auditioning.
That's what made 'Fate/Zero's announcement so impactful to the public.
A true blockbuster.
Since Jing Yu's debut, his productions—while successful—had rarely been true "big-budget" ventures. Most were mid-budget series.
But now—
A high fantasy drama with heavy VFX, written by Jing Yu himself.
That bold, dramatic flavor unique to Great Zhou's aesthetic was unmistakable. And with just that teaser, 'Fate/Zero' shot to the top of discussion charts across all major film forums.