I Asked You To Simulate A Crime, And You Pulled Off The Perfect Crime? - Chapter 38

“It’s me. May I ask who you are?” Chen Shu responded.

Immediately, a flattering laugh came from the phone, “Haha, I’m Zhang Sheng, the director of ‘Actor: Inescapable Justice.’ Just call me Director Zhang.”

“Alright, Director Zhang. What can I do for you?”

“Oh, I called to inform you that in the sixth episode, since you accidentally got involved without signing a contract in advance, even though you pulled off a perfect crime, you are technically not eligible for the winner’s prize.” Zhang Sheng explained.

Chen Shu was momentarily stunned. He wasn’t aware of this, so he asked, “If I had signed the contract, what would the reward have been?”

“Ten million in cash.”

Hiss! Chen Shu took a sharp breath. He felt like he had suffered a huge loss. Why didn’t they tell him earlier? These damn capitalists always wait until the last moment, huh?

“Hehe, but…” Suddenly, Zhang Sheng changed his tone and continued, “However, given your outstanding performance, which brought significant attention to the show, I personally stepped in and negotiated with the higher-ups. In the end, we decided to still transfer the money to you as soon as possible.”

Chen Shu understood immediately. This director was deliberately trying to establish a connection with him, making it seem like he owed him a favor. In reality, this money was probably always meant to go to him.

Zhang Sheng was just acting like he went through great efforts to fight for his interests. Classic director move, manipulative as hell. Of course, Chen Shu didn’t care much and casually responded, “Alright, thank you, Director Zhang. I’ll treat you to a meal sometime.”

“Great, great.” Zhang Sheng replied, but instead of hanging up, he got straight to the point. “So, Chen Shu, we all saw your impressive performance. Regarding the next episode, would you be interested in participating?”

“If you’re willing, we can sign a contract in advance. Just name your terms!”

Hearing this, Chen Shu’s eyes lit up. He originally thought that after pulling off a perfect crime, the production team wouldn’t dare invite him back. 

First, they couldn’t control him. If he pulled off another perfect crime, the show might get shut down. Second, he wasn’t some award-winning actor, just an ordinary guy who happened to gain temporary popularity. But fame is fleeting. 

Yet, despite all that, the director personally invited him.

Chen Shu had been thinking about where to stage his next crime. Now, this invitation was like a pillow appearing when he was just about to nap. He could continue simulating crimes on the show, level up his crime rating, and then take on system missions!

“Sure, Director Zhang. I’d love to join the seventh episode. As for conditions, I don’t have any. Just pay me the standard signing fee.”

“Great, great! It’s settled then. I’ll have someone deliver the contract in a couple of days.” Zhang Sheng was thrilled. He hadn’t expected Chen Shu to agree so quickly. He thought Chen Shu would negotiate for more money. After all, haggling over pay was common in the entertainment industry. This just proved that Chen Shu, despite being a newcomer, had an exceptional character!

“Oh, right, Chen Shu, I have a small request. Don’t worry, it won’t affect you at all,” Zhang Sheng added.

“Alright, let’s hear it.”

“It’s about Liu Liang’s body. There’s no need to reveal it for now. I’ll have the planners tweak the next script a bit and save the reveal of his body’s clues for the next episode. What do you think?”

“Hmm…” Chen Shu thought about it. It made sense. It would keep the audience engaged and create more hype for the next episode. “Sure, do whatever you need to.”

“Great! We’ll talk more later. Get some rest!”

After Chen Shu hung up, Zhang Sheng moved his phone away from his ear. Then, he opened the work group chat and summoned all staff to the meeting room immediately. Soon, the meeting room was packed.

“Director, why did you call us so late? Are we celebrating a ratings record?” Zhang Bingbing asked with a sweet smile.

“No,” Zhang Sheng immediately shut that idea down. He looked around and said, “The sixth episode was a success, and we’ve gained a lot of outside attention. So, I called you all here to brainstorm ideas for the next episode.”

“For example, what should the theme be? That’s crucial, it has to appeal to young audiences.”

“And which A-list actor should we invite?”

Hearing this, the scriptwriter, Liu Hui, responded, “Director Zhang, I’ve already written the script for the seventh episode. The theme is ‘family.’ It’s a widely relatable topic, making it easier for viewers to connect.”

“As for the criminals, there will be three this time. One of them has already been cast, Liang Wei, who we previously had to cancel on.”

“The other two can be cast freely.”

“Three?” Zhang Sheng was surprised. In previous episodes, there had only been one criminal. The sixth episode introduced two. Now, they were increasing it again?

“Yes, three. The audience’s expectations keep rising, so the plot needs to be richer. Single-criminal cases just don’t excite them anymore.”

“Alright,” Zhang Sheng agreed, then added, “By the way, I just contacted Chen Shu and invited him to participate in the next episode. So, out of the three roles, save one for him. We only need to cast one more actor now!”

The room erupted in chatter. Zhang Bingbing immediately stood up. “Director Zhang, we should reconsider! If he pulls off another perfect crime, our show might get shut down for real…”

Liu Hui agreed, “Yeah, Director. He’s really popular right now, but we need to stick to the show’s original mission, to promote positive values. We can’t let him steer it off course. Plus, the three criminals in the next episode are ruthless characters. He’s not suited for that.”

“Calm down, everyone.” Zhang Sheng waved them off with a smile. “You think I’m stupid? I’ve already considered this.”

Liu Hui asked, “So, what’s your plan, Director?”

“First of all, Chen Shu is trending, so we need to use him to generate buzz for the next episode. But we can’t let him play a criminal again, he’s too unpredictable.”

“So…” Zhang Sheng patted Liu Hui’s shoulder. “I need you to adjust the script. Add a minor character. We just need Chen Shu to make an appearance, that’s enough!”

“Even if he wants to commit a crime, we won’t give him the chance!”

“Make him a background character!”