Lin Yipeng acted quickly, arranging for Xiao He to attend the audition in the morning and return to his current drama set for the final scenes in the afternoon.
Since the "Starry Radiance" crew was already in production phase, Xiao He went directly to the film studio where they were shooting.
The entire area was decorated in the distinctive fusion style of Eastern and Western aesthetics from that historical period, making it a popular location for filming Republic-era dramas and spy thrillers. According to Xiao He's information, this entire set had recently been exclusively booked by the deep-pocketed "Starry Radiance" production team.
"Starry Radiance" was precisely the drama Xiao He was auditioning for.
The story took place during the war-torn years when puppet regimes collaborated with invading forces to control occupied territories. Amidst this humiliating and painful history, there remained those who moved through the shadows, fighting for their ideals and beliefs—even sacrificing their lives.
They shone like constellations, their brilliance undimmed even in darkness, heroes who should be remembered by future generations.
Xiao He was auditioning for the antagonist Meng Zetian, naturally part of the collaborationist faction. As leader of the secret police squad, his character specialized in hunting down undercover intelligence agents like the protagonists. The role primarily involved psychological games and tactical maneuvering between him and the protagonists.
Overall, it was a significant supporting role.
When Xiao He arrived at the audition site, he was surprised by the unusually large turnout.
Rather than arranging separate spaces, the production team had set up auditions directly in the studio's vintage theater, its decor meticulously recreating the era's atmosphere to the point of feeling like actual time travel.
The corridor was packed with actors mostly in their twenties and thirties, all dressed formally to show their seriousness about the audition. Xiao He even spotted someone wearing a full military uniform to enhance their character image.
Scanning the crowd, Xiao He didn't recognize anyone—just unfamiliar faces, likely all minor celebrities below third-tier status.
This actually relaxed him somewhat.
While he couldn't compete with A-listers in fame, he felt confident among this group. At least he could perform "authentically."
Shouldn't be a problem... right?
Suddenly, commotion erupted at the other end of the corridor as a sunglasses-wearing young man entered with two companions.
When he casually took a seat, the previously noisy hallway momentarily hushed.
"Damn, why's he here?" someone whispered bitterly.
Xiao He narrowed his eyes, discreetly studying the newcomer.
Shit... not someone he'd researched recently.
Xiao He immediately perked up his ears, trying to catch the man's name from nearby whispers—
"Why would Chen Yulin come here? Doesn't he have enough resources already? Why steal roles from us?"
"Shh, keep it down unless you want to offend him before even auditioning."
"Game over. With him here, what chances do we have?"
"Relax, rumor says the director only cares about acting skills. We can still fight for it."
—So his name's Chen Yulin...
Xiao He quickly pulled out his phone to research.
Chen Yulin, another artist under Hao Entertainment, slightly less famous than Ran Yunrui. While lacking lead roles in major productions, he'd gained recognition through supporting parts in several popular dramas and was considered an upcoming star.
Most expected him to pursue lead roles next, making his appearance here auditioning for the fourth male lead somewhat surprising—almost like a step backward.
However, "Starry Radiance" was indeed one of this year's biggest S+ projects. Even a fourth lead could provide massive exposure and heat, making it smarter than headlining lesser dramas.
Chen Yulin had also gotten lucky timing-wise—previously occupied with another production during initial auditions, he'd missed this role's troubled casting process that had dragged on until his schedule cleared. Naturally, he wouldn't miss this second chance.
After some quick research, Xiao He had a rough grasp on Chen Yulin.
This was indeed a formidable competitor.
Xiao He took a deep breath, focusing on his script.
No matter—he'd been constantly improving his acting skills recently. In a pure acting showdown, he wasn't afraid of this guy!
After Chen Yulin's arrival, several other recognizable actors showed up, though none matched his stature. As everyone waited, their hushed conversations completely overlooked Xiao He in the corner.
Soon, auditions officially began.
Xiao He had terrible luck drawing a late slot, while key competitors got early numbers.
Xiao He: "..."
He almost suspected foul play.
Was this just for show with the role already decided?
But he quickly dismissed the thought—if it were rigged, the well-connected Lin Yipeng would have warned him. After working together this while, Xiao He trusted Lin's intelligence.
Thus began the long wait.
"Number 21."
Finally, Xiao He's turn came.
Removing his face mask, hat and sunglasses, he followed staff into the audition room.
Only after he entered did a nearby actor gasp: "Holy shit!"
"What?" someone whispered.
"That was Mu Ze!"
"Wait, really? I didn't even notice!"
"He kept his face covered—I didn't recognize him either! Had no idea he'd come."
Xiao He had underestimated his Bilibili fame. Despite only one acting credit, his unexpected popularity there spawned countless "psycho chainsaw" memes and frequent appearances in content creators' videos. Even Weibo had an active Mu Ze fan community with surprisingly abundant fanworks.
So actually, Xiao He was quite famous now.
Though many still thought his real name was "Mu Ze."