I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 301

Kang Woo-jin’s reply was calm, yet cold. Following that, his casual toss of his blazer at his feet was striking. At least, that’s how it appeared to Ethan Smith, a Hollywood stunt coordinator.

‘……Huh—he agreed right away without any hesitation or thought?’

Of course, Ethan, with his prominent nose, had been truthful when he told Woo-jin that he wanted to ‘check his current condition.’ It was also true that he couldn’t make a judgment based solely on the martial arts practice videos he had received beforehand. However, there was no need to make such a hasty request.

Kang Woo-jin’s form could have been assessed when they began full practice.

But Ethan Smith was an impatient man. He had a strong desire to see Woo-jin’s skills in advance, since he was already there. If he could assess and analyze his skills beforehand, it would help with body lines and storyboard revisions in the later stages of practice. There was also curiosity. His respected colleague in Hollywood, ‘Gary Peck,’ had highly praised Kang Woo-jin.

What did Gary Peck, a man of his caliber, see in Kang Woo-jin that made him so generous with his praise?

‘Honestly, I also wanted to see his guts.’

Naturally, mastering and practicing ‘CQC’ [Close Quarters Combat] required tenacity. Things like boldness, courage, and grit. If one approached it half-heartedly or carelessly, there was a 100% chance of an accident or injury. Ethan’s sudden, direct request to Woo-jin was a mix of things, including gauging his tenacity.

However, Kang Woo-jin seemed peculiar to him.

‘……His first impression was that he was a bit taciturn and brusque, so I thought he would be careful with his body—but his energy is not bad. That aside, why is he so confident?’

Even Kang Woo-jin’s last reply was.

‘Let’s do it then, but with a cut that includes everyone.’

It was as if he was telling them to all come at him, not just one member of Ethan’s team. It was strange. A subtly arrogant yet powerful reply.

Was it a bluff? That was a possibility.

What Ethan was requesting now seemed difficult to do without having mastered ‘CQC.’ After all, the martial arts storyboard was based on ‘CQC.’ Soon, Ethan, with his prominent nose, stared intently at Kang Woo-jin right in front of him, and a considerable buzz spread throughout the action school.

Around that time, Ethan calmly asked Woo-jin.

“That’s great, thank you. But I heard that you haven’t officially learned ‘CQC’ yet, as the director said. A cut that includes all of us would be quite high-level, so is it okay to choose a scene where you’re facing more than four opponents?”

Having taken off his blazer, Woo-jin, now in a white long-sleeved shirt, had rolled up his sleeves to his forearms.

“……”

His expression was stiff due to his intense concept, but internally, a slight thrill was spreading.

‘Of course, doing a scene with just one opponent would be the easiest.’

Kang Woo-jin scanned the large, robust foreign members of the stunt team.

‘Looking at them up close, they’re on par with Terminators.’

Seeing them in person, the stunt team members were quite large. They looked like they wouldn’t bleed even if stabbed with a knife. If he had nothing, it was a situation where he should definitely run. That’s why Woo-jin’s reply, with the nuance of ‘all of you come at me,’ was also a bit of a bluff. However, it included Woo-jin’s curiosity and sincerity.

‘Of course, I’m not doubting the subspace [a reference to a fictional space or ability]. It’s just that I’m curious since I’ve learned the ability, right? Like how it works in reality. To see it properly, it’s best if all those Terminators come at me.’

There was also a slight annoyance.

‘His tone is not great, this big-nosed guy. I guess it’s proof that he’s skilled. But so what?’

Whatever, he was already set. Kang Woo-jin roughly replied to Ethan.

“It’s fine. Any scene is fine.”

“……Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’ve roughly checked the added ‘CQC’ storyboard.”

At that moment.

“……Roughly?”

Ethan, briefly twitching his brow, asked again.

“Are you saying you’ll implement ‘CQC’ after just roughly reading the storyboard?”

“Yes, wasn’t that what you were hoping for?”

“There’s no need to push yourself; we can go with a simple cut. The request also included the meaning of checking and adjusting your posture while going through the movements.”

Perhaps it was because of the word ‘roughly,’ but Ethan’s tone became cold. Regardless, Kang Woo-jin’s straightforwardness didn’t stop.

“I understand, but still, let’s do a cut that includes your entire team.”

From this point, even Ethan’s foreign team members showed a change in their expressions. They must have felt the same as Ethan. Then, Ethan Smith looked at Woo-jin and said again quietly.

“Did you treat Gary Peck with the same attitude when you met him?”

Gary Peck? Who is that? Kang Woo-jin was puzzled internally at the unfamiliar foreign name. He couldn’t immediately recall the face. Still, he didn’t lose his poker face, and after about five seconds, Woo-jin barely remembered who Gary Peck was.

‘Ah—he’s that agile guy I saw in Last Kill 3.’

He was the stunt coordinator who was in charge of the martial arts for the screen test. Short hair and a chiseled face.

“It was similar.”

“He spoke very highly of you. Said you had considerable skill.”

“Is that so?”

“But the word ‘roughly’—are you perhaps underestimating ‘CQC’?”

Woo-jin, with a nonchalant face, shook his head.

“Not at all. I was just being honest.”

“……”

During a brief silence, the martial arts team members at the action school, watching Kang Woo-jin and Ethan, were noticeably buzzing.

“What are those two talking about? But why is Kang Woo-jin’s English so good?”

“I heard he’s always been good. Anyway, I don’t know what they’re saying, but the atmosphere seems like they’re about to have a go at each other, right?”

“Yeah.”

As if that was the correct answer, Ethan spoke to Kang Woo-jin in a cold voice.

“Alright, choose the scene you want, and we’ll start in 10 minutes. We don’t mind any cut.”

“Yes.”

Woo-jin and Ethan, who had been facing each other, turned away simultaneously. Ethan Smith mingled with his imposing team members, and Kang Woo-jin also joined Song Man-woo PD, the martial arts director, and Choi Sung-gun’s group.

Bearded Song Man-woo PD was the first to break the ice.

“Woo-jin, are you really okay? This is… completely unexpected.”

The martial arts director agreed.

“That’s right. From their perspective and for Woo-jin, a movement test is essential, but there’s no need to jump in like this without any preparation.”

The most surprised was Choi Sung-gun with his ponytail.

“Are you, are you really going to do it??”

Kang Woo-jin, on the other hand, was calm.

“Yes. I’m also curious.”

“About what?”

“About me and them.”

“What does that mean?”

Without a long explanation, Woo-jin made it clear.

“It’s right to try it out.”

A few minutes later.

Ethan, with his prominent nose, approached Kang Woo-jin again, who was loosening up his neck.

-Swish.

He showed Woo-jin the storyboard for the newly added ‘CQC’ scenes in ‘Beneficial Evil.’

“Which cut are you thinking of?”

Without a second of hesitation, Kang Woo-jin pointed to one scene.

“This scene would be appropriate.”

“……Are you sure?”

“No problem.”

“Alright.”

Ethan paused for a moment for a simple reason. The scene Woo-jin had chosen was one of the highest-level cuts on the storyboard. To put it simply, it was a scene where Kang Woo-jin, the protagonist, had to subdue four opponents alone.

Soon, Ethan made eye contact with Song Man-woo PD and spoke in English.

“Let’s begin. You can film if you need to.”

Song Man-woo PD, having the meaning conveyed through interpretation, instructed the assistant director and the martial arts director. The two quickly moved into action. The martial arts director moved the dozens of martial arts team members filling the action school to the outskirts, and the assistant director moved the set cameras and the making team closer.

The large foreign team gathered. Their leader, Ethan, showed them the storyboard and briefed them.

“Kang Woo-jin wants this cut. There’s no need to overdo it, but we need to surprise him.”

It seemed Ethan wouldn’t be participating in the test.

“Is that okay?”

“……Kang Woo-jin doesn’t seem to be disregarding ‘CQC,’ but he does seem to be taking it lightly. It’s important to see his form, but we also need to let him know beforehand how difficult it is.”

“Hmm. I heard that actor Kang Woo-jin is currently very popular in Korea. Maybe he’s too arrogant and his judgment is clouded.”

“Use only half your strength, just enough to imprint on his body how high the difficulty of the ‘CQC’ he’s trying to learn is.”

“Understood.”

Ethan’s idea was simple. First, they needed to make him clearly aware of how tough ‘CQC’ was so that his attitude and posture in learning would be firm. If it was ambiguous, he would definitely get hurt or an accident would happen. In short, he intended to broaden the perspective of the arrogant Kang Woo-jin.

It was a form of consideration, if you could call it that.

Soon.

-Swish.

Ethan’s four team members stood in the center of the action school. Their size was imposing, but the aura they naturally exuded was extraordinary. The dozens of martial arts team members, actors, and staff who had moved to the outskirts surrounding them were all excited. This kind of spectacle wasn’t something you could easily see.

Around this time, Kang Woo-jin approached Ethan’s four team members.

Here, the largest foreign man among the four asked Kang Woo-jin in English.

“……Is your outfit okay as it is?”

Kang Woo-jin briefly looked down at his long-sleeved shirt and slacks before replying in a low voice.

“It’s sufficient.”

Soon, Kang Woo-jin and the four robust Hollywood stunt team members took their positions. Woo-jin was in the center of the action school, and the four stunt team members stood around Kang Woo-jin in a slightly irregular manner. It felt like they were surrounding Woo-jin haphazardly.

That was how the scene to be implemented was.

Of course, in the storyboard scene, the four opponents were in different positions, such as sitting, but for the test, they just needed to create the basic formation and move.

Soon.

-Swish.

Plastic models were handed to the four surrounding Kang Woo-jin. They were a knife and a pistol. At this sight, the dozens of martial arts team members filling the outskirts whispered.

“Woah—they’re really getting into character. Giving those hulks guns and knives, even if they’re models, makes them look damn scary, doesn’t it?”

“Even if Kang Woo-jin looks so calm, he’s probably a bit intimidated.”

While watching other people’s fights was the most entertaining, they also had considerable doubts about Kang Woo-jin. After all, his opponents were a Hollywood stunt team, right? This was the same for Choi Sung-gun with his ponytail, Song Man-woo PD, and the martial arts director. However, their worries were more extreme.

But for now, they decided to watch.

There must be a reason why the silent Kang Woo-jin was moving, they thought.

Meanwhile, Kang Woo-jin was now.

‘Hoo—’

He was relaxing his body. Amplifying his flexibility. He recalled the control of his strength. And he pulled up various things. The start was ‘Jang Yeon-woo,’ the male lead of ‘Beneficial Evil.’ Everything of ‘Jang Yeon-woo,’ who had received his master’s command, spread through Woo-jin’s veins. He layered ‘martial arts’ on top of that. But it wasn’t the end. Finally, he pulled out the recently imprinted ‘CQC.’

In that instant.

-Swoosh.

The air surrounding Kang Woo-jin, who slowly swept back his black hair, changed. Or rather, his breathing had changed. It was calm but cold. Half of the emotion in his eyes disappeared. Instead, a cold judgment settled in. His body didn’t move. An indescribable force, a coldness, enveloped Kang Woo-jin.

Kang Woo-jin’s vision was completely different from before.

The dozens of martial arts team members watching him, the staff of ‘Beneficial Evil,’ the key staff, the actors, and their teams all disappeared. The same was true for his bodily senses. He couldn’t feel the soft mat under his feet or the faint smell of sweat in the action school.

The background Woo-jin was seeing now was the interior of a dilapidated building.

Somewhere, a whooshing sound was heard. It was raining. A strange smell wafted through the air. It was the odor of a dilapidated building soaked in rain. The background of the scene in the storyboard was displayed in Kang Woo-jin’s vision.

At that moment.

“Action.”

Bearded Song Man-woo PD’s signal dropped. Then, the four surrounding Kang Woo-jin took their stances. Some acting was included. The bear-like man stood still, glaring at Woo-jin, and the half-shaved man with a knife at his waist had one hand in his pocket. The man with tattoos on his neck and arms, and the man with a beard, slowly approached from Woo-jin’s diagonal sides.

Song Man-woo PD, with his arms crossed, swallowed hard.

‘Certainly—their stances are on a different level. But… why isn’t Woo-jin moving at all?’

Even though the opponents had begun to corner their prey, Woo-jin remained in the same spot. His eyes were different from those of ordinary people. Yes, the real prey was not Kang Woo-jin, but the four foreign men who had begun to corner him. All their movements appeared to Woo-jin in slow motion.

Time was fair to everyone, but it was proof that Kang Woo-jin was making quick judgments in his vision.

The bear-like guy is the leader. His stance is the most relaxed, but his aggression is strong. The half-shaved guy has a knife at his waist. It’s short and flashy, but sharp.

Kang Woo-jin’s eyes moved slightly.

‘The guy on the right diagonal, the one with tattoos, has a pistol in his hand. He’s nervous.’

His index finger keeps twitching. He’ll raise the gun as soon as he shows a small movement. It takes two seconds to recognize, aim, and shoot. That guy’s arms are long. I can use that. Woo-jin’s eyes changed direction.

‘The guy on the left, the one with a beard, has a knife. But he’s clumsy.’

The fact that he keeps fidgeting with the hand holding the knife was proof. He’s familiar with the technique, but he recently changed knives. Gradually, information about the guys was quickly being inputted into Kang Woo-jin. The answer came quickly.

“Within three minutes.”

As soon as Kang Woo-jin finished his monologue.

-Swish.

He suddenly moved his foot. A straight line with his usual stride. However, he wasn’t in a hurry. His destination was the bear-like man in front, the furthest away from the others. Seeing him walk towards him expressionlessly, the bear-like man narrowed his eyes. But Woo-jin didn’t stop.

-Thud, thud.

Of course, this wasn’t reality.

A production similar to reality. And they were implementing a scene from the martial arts storyboard. So, while the gun was important, martial arts and techniques were more important. In fact, the stunt team members were planning to deviate from the storyboard from this first movement. If they followed the storyboard where ‘Jang Yeon-woo’ swept them away, they wouldn’t be able to show Kang Woo-jin the difficulty of ‘CQC.’

They had to subdue Kang Woo-jin easily.

Even if he realized it, it wouldn’t be difficult to make his leg strength give way and make him kneel.

The bear-like man remained still for now. On the other hand, two of the three surrounding Kang Woo-jin began their attack. The first to reach Woo-jin was the tattooed man, holding a pistol in both hands.

-Whoosh!

Suddenly, Kang Woo-jin turned his body towards him. And with a stride. He closed the distance in an instant. The tattooed man flinched. Kang Woo-jin’s current movement had also deviated from the plan, from the storyboard.

So, the tattooed man instinctively.

“Hup!”

Raised his pistol. Before he could even raise it, Woo-jin’s left hand stopped him. The tattooed man was flustered. Kang Woo-jin was a beat faster. Woo-jin’s right hand wrapped around his left hand. The hand holding the pistol. Naturally, Woo-jin, who had turned behind him, twisted his arm.

In an instant.

Kang Woo-jin hooked his leg behind the man. The tattooed man’s posture collapsed. He knelt down.

‘Ugh.’

It wasn’t acting. It was real. At the same time, Woo-jin snatched the gun from his hand, which was twisted behind him.

-Thud.

The gun touched the tattooed man’s crown.

At this moment, the tattooed man’s face was full of question marks.

“???”

Because he wondered what had just happened to him.

End