Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 183

Revealed Secrets (1)

* * *

Two hours before the final shoot.

Peter Shawn summoned the two lead actors.

As Jin Ji-yu headed to the detached lodging used by the director, she tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“Oppa [Korean term for older brother, used by females], have you ever been contacted separately before? It’s my first time with the director…”

Geon shook his head.

“No. I haven’t had anything since the first meeting either.”

“Then I guess it’s because it’s the last shoot. I think the other actors were heading to the office earlier.”

“Maybe.”

While answering, Geon retraced his memories.

‘The other leads went… was it a while ago?’

McClain and Rick, the two actors, had visited Peter Shawn’s lodging about thirty minutes earlier.

The mad tyrant and the betraying legion commander seemed to have finished their directing in that order.

“But doesn’t it feel a bit exciting? I was called in quite a bit when we were filming the drama. PD [Production Director] Na gives a lot of direction even to the cameos.”

“Ji-yu, you probably weren’t called in much because you’re so good at it.”

Jin Ji-yu glared.

“There you go again, empty words. I told you it’s embarrassing when you praise me without any soul, right?”

“I put enough soul into it.”

Since the initial concept meeting and casting session, Peter Shawn had never called the actors separately.

The most he did was throw a few words in jest when everyone was gathered.

-Let’s do it on our own. Character interpretation is the actor’s responsibility, and my job is to keep it from going too far astray. If you want directing… well, just make a ton of NGs [No Good takes, meaning mistakes]. Then someone will step in.

Due to the director’s style, acting direction was generally left to the actors, and there was no point in interfering with good acting, as it would only hurt feelings.

He thought that was how it would be, but it seemed like they were trying to have at least a brief meeting since it was the last shoot.

“A meeting? Why would we have that?”

So when they entered the lodging, the two actors blinked, looking bewildered.

Instead of script bundles, there were cakes and champagne bottles piled on the desk.

Peter Shawn waved his hand nonchalantly.

“There must have been some misunderstanding. I just called you in to say thank you for your hard work. I feel bad for making you suffer so much for a year.”

“Don’t you usually do this after the filming is over?”

“Hollywood style is originally like this.”

“I don’t think so…”

While Jin Ji-yu sent a suspicious look, Peter Shawn poured a glass of champagne for each of them.

“There’s almost no alcohol. Just wet your throats and go.”

Geon looked into the glass with transparent bubbles rising.

“You’re popping the celebratory firecrackers early.”

“Isn’t it worth it? You see the rough cuts every time.”

Last night, a small screening was held.

Watching the rough-cut videos of each episode, the lead and supporting actors and the director of photography unanimously agreed.

A masterpiece.

Even if it were released on the platform as is, a work that would be talked about for decades had been born.

The narrative is solid, the characters are alive, and there is nothing that is not perfect, from the background that makes up the world to the details of the props.

In addition, the New Zealand location that Peter Shawn chose after much deliberation boasts an amazing synchronization rate with the actual appearance of the ‘Book of the Lord’ continent.

It is the result of over a hundred people moving as one in any rough terrain and working together.

Jin Ji-yu, who took a sip of champagne, said slyly.

“It’s all thanks to the director. The location you chose was really a pain in the ass, though…”

After the huge success of the ‘Dwarves’ trilogy produced by Peter Shawn, the audience’s expectations were raised to the point where they couldn’t be raised any further.

Thanks to that, the actors had to go through all sorts of hardships. Not only Park Geon’s party, who were the mainstays of the adventure, but also Jin Ji-yu, who played the role of the princess, had to run, roll, and swim through all sorts of bizarre nature from the second half onwards.

“CG [Computer Graphics] is CG, but no matter how good the technology is, can putting it on whole be the same as a real location?”

Peter Shawn, who replied, looked at the two actors carefully and smiled.

“Anyway… you guys worked hard. I’ll treat you properly before you leave the country.”

“It’s not over yet.”

At his words, Peter Shawn and Jin Ji-yu turned to look at him with puzzled expressions.

Geon put down the champagne he hadn’t even touched.

“We mustn’t let our guard down. While the camera is rolling, you never know what might happen.”

*

‘The Book of the Lord’, the last filming and the final stage, takes place in the white castle that was first built.

The pure white castle, Kataram.

The residence of the old kings and an indomitable fortress. A symbol of the glorious tribal alliance.

That historical product was now burning in flames and smoke.

Boom, Kwagwagwang!

A huge rock, so large that it was difficult to shoot with a catapult, fell, destroying the spiers.

Stone fragments and pieces of flesh flew mixed in a cloud of blood, and those who barely survived stared blankly at the bottom of the watchtower.

“······.”

Beyond the horde of monsters covering the fields in black, far away… a monkey-like monster was picking up the next rock.

“Bring more oil! Where is the adjutant!”

“Pour down arrows! They’re climbing the walls!”

“Defend it, never let it fall!”

Meanwhile, desperate shouts echoed from the ramparts near the gate.

They had no time to worry about the flying rocks. The monsters that had been pouring in like a tide had begun to climb the white ramparts.

Kiek, Kieeek!

Spider-like monsters with eight legs fell, covered in boiling oil.

Dozens were swept away by the arrows fired from the ramparts, but more monsters filled the space faster than the dead ones.

Roughly thousands… no, would it be over ten thousand? It was a terrible number for the Imperial Army, which had defected due to the fight against the rebels, the legion commander’s betrayal, and Ido’s actions.

It had already been five days since the suddenly gathered horde of monsters began to attack the castle.

The pure white castle was moving one step closer to its end.

“It’s a flying type! They’re coming down from above!”

“It’s the sky, the sky!”

At that moment, a tearing shout erupted.

Flying type monsters. Those small dragons, flapping their huge wings and flying down, had now become the nightmare of mankind.

The defense that even crossbows could not penetrate, the long neck, and the ferocious teeth were the main culprits that sacrificed the most soldiers on the ramparts.

“Light, punish the enemy!”

Wizards cast attack magic, but their thick skin reflected some of the magic itself.

The rays of light that had been flying were deflected, and when the descending black monster swung its tail, six combat wizards disappeared.

“It’s coming! It’s a siege ram!”

If some of the monsters climbed the ramparts and some stole the souls of the soldiers from the sky, the real assault team advanced from the ground.

With footsteps that shook the earth, giant monsters carrying huge lumps of iron came forward wearing iron plate armor.

Soldiers clung to the scarred gate, but every time the siege ram hit the gate, the entire wall vibrated as if it would collapse.

The fall was indeed near.

“Ah······.”

One of the soldiers looked around with a blank face. The smoke rising from watchtowers here and there, and the shattered spiers.

And the collapsing empire itself.

“God is angry. Because of the emperor’s tyranny and human depravity, he’s trying to erase everyone from the world…”

The continent, once blessed by the grace of the Sun God, was stained with the desires of humans.

The empire. How terrible exploitation and massacre had taken place under the name of absolute power.

It was humans who created that hell, it was humans who suffered, and finally everyone fell with the same sin on their backs.

“Lord God.”

Eventually, the soldier knelt on the spot, calling out to the god who had been deprived of his divinity.

The moment a black shadow fell over him,

Flutteringㅡ

The sound of flapping wings was heard, and the giant dragon’s head crushed the soldier into dozens of pieces.

“Puhuhu, what a ridiculous sight.”

Meanwhile, on a slightly distant high ground.

The legion commander, who had reversed the forbidden spell activated by the emperor and sent the monsters to the pure white castle, was toasting with his adjutants.

“To die by being stabbed by the sword I was trying to wield. Isn’t it really insignificant? I’m sure he was proud of having shed the dignity of a human.”

“That’s right. No matter how much the emperor has obtained the power of the Sun God, he will not be able to break through those monsters.”

“What about the location marking magic? It’ll work properly, right?”

The adjutant quickly handed over the map. On the parchment, a red dot was blinking deep inside the imperial palace.

“Yes. Kaldwin Airas, the emperor is still sitting in his chambers.”

“Good, then let’s just watch. When the pure white castle is completely burned down, let’s slowly go in…”

The legion commander, Gale, who was smiling slyly, suddenly hardened his expression.

Swish, Ssak!

At the same time, the adjutants’ necks were separated and popped up. A swordsmanship that infuses strong tension into the sword, he can’t not recognize it because it’s a relentlessly intertwined bad relationship.

Blocking the next blow with the sword he had already drawn, Gale gritted his teeth.

“That crazy old man······!”

The old swordsman, Hectan, who had been missing for a while, distorted his wrinkled mouth fiercely.

“It’s been a while, nephew.”

Pachang, Chang, Pakakang!

Several exchanges of swordsmanship take place, but the outcome is not easily decided. Gale, who pushed his uncle away, clenched and unfolded his numb hands and growled.

“How did you get stronger? Did you learn some forbidden secret from that wanderer?”

“Nephew, you’re always the same. You’re so drunk on the gold in front of you that you can’t see anything bigger. Don’t you still know that those desires will destroy you?”

“What nonsense······.”

Hectan took a deep breath and exhaled. The reason he helped Ido and entrusted himself to the rebels was only for revenge.

To cut off the long and bad relationship with his nephew, who had massacred all his relatives and entered under the emperor… and even betrayed his lord.

Just the day before, Ido briefly told him as he was grooming his sword.

‘There’s a saying that the one who tied the knot must untie it.’

‘Huh? Did you call me?’

‘Even if you don’t do it, that man will finish what he started. With his own hands.’

‘···You know why I helped you.’

Ido tilted his head. His long, shaggy hair, already up to his neck, fluttered.

‘Go to your nephew. You’ll only be a hindrance in the fight against the emperor.’

‘Words you don’t mean. Kaldwin Airas has already shed his human shell. Wouldn’t even an old man’s hand be missed?’

‘There’s no room to feel regret······.’

Ido, this man full of secrets, never hesitated or faltered. He only moves forward as if everything is set, or as if it has already happened.

Soon, his dry lips opened.

‘We’ve come too far. All of us.’

The illusion disappeared and reality unfolded. Facing his nephew, whom he had chased all his life, the old swordsman smiled for the first time, not a lie.

“Let’s end it here.”

.

.

.

At the same time, the west wall.

“Now… it’s all over······.”

“We’re all going to die, we’re going to be torn apart and eaten by those guys!”

The arrows have run out, and there are no more stones or oil to throw. The gate has already been half-destroyed, and the northern and eastern walls have been occupied.

In front of the Imperial soldiers who had fallen into despair, black figures suddenly appeared.

“Wh, who are you!”

The soldier at the front aimed his sword, but soon the tip of the sword trembled weakly and went down.

He realized that the figures in front of him were the ones who had slaughtered the Imperial Army for the past few months.

However, the wanderer, Ido, didn’t care and looked around the ramparts.

“The west is still safe.”

“The gate is half-destroyed. The bottom won’t last long than the top.”

Zerin, the son of the Elf King, who was standing next to him, said.

What moved the two was advanced teleportation. They were able to enter by finding a gap where the countless barriers and defense magic of the castle had weakened and been nullified.

“It’s okay since we’re in. When will they arrive?”

Zerin took out a small leaf from his arms. The tip of the golden leaf was sparkling.

“Roughly… an hour.”

“It’s touch and go. Hey.”

The soldier who was suddenly pointed out blinked and looked at his colleague.

Ido calmly instructed.

“Go and tell all the troops to concentrate on the gate. That’s the only way you can live.”

“Why… what, what are you going to do…?”

There’s no point in rushing in here anyway, it’s just a dog’s death. When the overwhelmed soldier asked, a short answer came back.

“It’s time to wash away the sins committed by humans.”

Leaving only those words, Ido walked out.

Soon after, fog began to gather over the ramparts.

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