NOVPUB"Let’s set up our tents close to Director Zhang’s film crew campsite, this way we can get a bit closer, and have more exchanges in these wild and isolated hills," said the new Assistant Director Zhou with a smile.
He was directing the staff as they bustled about.
However, just when the film crew’s site workers were carrying equipment, within the crew, twelve people pretending to be curious began walking toward Director Zhang’s campsite.
Soon, these people, well-trained and each with their own tasks, dispersed into every corner of the campsite.
Assistant Director Zhou looked at them and saw them shake their heads slightly, as if they had discovered nothing.
At that moment, Liu Liqun suddenly came over, smiling at Assistant Director Zhou and said, "Assistant Director Zhou, long time no see. Zhou Cang, come over here, and give Assistant Director Zhou a hand with moving the equipment. Be careful not to damage anything."
Liu Liqun, as always, greeted everyone with a smile, hoping that they would remember him in case there was work in the future.
The foreman may not have been very wise, but he understood very well the saying, "it’s a blessing to endure loss."
However, Assistant Director Zhou suddenly stopped Liu Liqun, "No need, no need, we can move the equipment ourselves."
Liu Liqun hesitated and looked behind Assistant Director Zhou; the film crew’s site workers obviously lacked hands. They had to both set up tents and carry items, and without help, they might be busy until dawn.
He took the refusal as politeness and simply led the site workers toward the vehicles at the back, "Don’t worry, Assistant Director Zhou. Our site workers are meticulous with their work, and we don’t need to carry equipment, just help the artists with their luggage. We’ve worked together before, don’t you trust me?"
But just as Liu Liqun took a few steps, he suddenly saw a site worker in front put down the box in his hand, and his right hand silently moved to his back waist.
By this moment, Liu Liqun finally realized something was amiss.
He turned around, wanting to leave.
But at this time, Assistant Director Zhou put his arm around Liu Liqun’s shoulder with a smile, "Lao Liu, long time no see. Stay and catch up."
While speaking, Assistant Director Zhou reached under his arm and pressed a handgun against Liu Liqun, whispering, "Stay quiet and don’t talk. I’ll give you a way out after this is over."
Liu Liqun swallowed hard; he was just a foreman, unaccustomed to big scenes.
Even so, he now realized what was happening.
This film crew wasn’t here to scout for locations!
And the other party hadn’t even bothered to hide their real intentions very carefully, as if they were sure of their control over the place.
Assistant Director Zhou then took the silent Liu Liqun aside.
Assistant Director Zhou asked with a smile, "Let me ask you a question, is everyone from the film crew campsite here?"
As he spoke, Assistant Director Zhou’s gaze continued to sweep over the campsite.
Following his gaze, Liu Liqun saw him first look at Qing Yi, and then…passing over everyone else, he continued searching for something.
Initially, Liu Liqun thought they might want to kidnap big-name stars like Li Yu or Song Niannian.
After all, the monetary value of stars is immeasurable.
But Assistant Director Zhou’s gaze moved past Song Niannian and Li Yu without stopping.
Then Liu Liqun thought they might be wary of Sun Chu Ci, but again, Assistant Director Zhou’s gaze didn’t linger on Sun Chu Ci and moved on even more swiftly.
Liu Liqun was filled with doubt and surprise, thinking, who are they looking for?!
He replied in a low voice, "They are all here."
Assistant Director Zhou continued to smile, "Think again, there’s someone missing. Where has he gone, which tent is he staying in?"
Liu Liqun was stunned; he scanned the campsite again and suddenly realized that indeed someone was missing… Qing Xiaotu!
The Qing Xiaotu, who should have been sitting by the campfire, had disappeared at some unknown time.
Had he gone to the tent?
Impossible, Qing Xiaotu never had a tent; he always stayed in the vehicle to keep watch at night.
So, Qing Xiaotu had truly vanished suddenly.
Liu Liqun looked towards the dark woods outside the lake. Could the young man have escaped into the forest?
Wait, were this group here in such force just to find Qing Xiaotu?!
Assistant Director Zhou asked with a smile, "Remember anything?"
However, just when the latter thought he had control over Liu Liqun, the old foreman suddenly spun around, breaking free, and as he ran towards the campsite, he shouted, "Be careful, there’s something wrong with these people, they have guns!"
Nobody expected this usually meek foreman to act so bravely.
To dare break free under such circumstances and raise a loud alarm.
In the blink of an eye, the site workers around Assistant Director Zhou all drew their guns, and 12 of them quickly infiltrated the campsite in a tactical formation.
Meanwhile, the 12 people who had already spread out in the campsite quickly drew their weapons and herded all the film crew staff, including artists like Li Yu and Song Niannian, into the center of the campsite.
People like Sun Chu Ci wanted to return fire with their guns, but there was a big gap between them and the truly well-trained soldiers. They hadn’t even raised their guns when they were already being aimed at by five or six barrels.
Qing Yi frowned, his Protector was about to take action, but he stopped them, "No need to act rashly, these people have come prepared. A C-Class like you would only be going to your death."
C-Class couldn’t even evade bullets yet.
The Protector glanced at their young master and remained silent.
Qing Yi had once even talked to his father about secretly having a B-Class Protector for himself, since the other Shadow Candidates probably all had one.
However, Qing Yi’s father did not believe that over-protecting his son was a good thing; he always brought up his own time in the Federation Group army, boasting of how he had fought his way out of an ambush on Deer Island without any protection.
At this moment, everyone in the campsite was stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Assistant Director Zhou’s people not only trapped Director Zhang and the others in the camp, but also forced their own cast to come and sit in the middle of the camp, squeezing together.
It seemed that these artists were also brought over without any knowledge, held hostage.
Beside them were over forty guards.
Among them, there seemed to be masters hidden.
No one knew why Assistant Director Zhou, once familiar to everyone in the entertainment industry, had suddenly transformed into a vicious criminal.
Li Yu sat among the crowd, shivering, though whether from cold or fear was unclear.
Director Zhang said, "Director Zhou, do you want money, we can give you money. Don’t do this, let’s talk it out."
But Director Zhou just smiled and shook his head, "I do like money, but I’m not here for wealth."
The cast and crew looked at each other in bewilderment; they had thought the other party wanted to kidnap stars, but it turned out they weren’t after money.
Trembling, Li Yu said, "Don’t mess around, we have some influential people here."
"Oh?" Director Zhou showed interest, "How influential?"
Li Yu said, "People respected by Li Su and Qing Yi! Sun Chu Ci!"
Sun Chu Ci: "..."
At that moment, he internally cursed a great deal, impersonating a boss had gotten him into trouble!
Indeed, the smoother it seemed before, the more awkward it was now.
Director Zhou laughed, "Which one of you is Sun Chu Ci?"
After a moment’s hesitation, Sun Chu Ci still stood up, "What do you want to do?"
Director Zhou said, "Thank you for your efforts, for covering for ’that person’ for so long."
Sun Chu Ci stood there stunned, the man in front of him actually knew the truth!
The crew members were perplexed, what was Director Zhou talking about, and what did he mean by Sun Chu Ci covering for ’that person’ for so long?
Who is ’that person’?
Director Zhou asked, "Where is Qing Chen?"
In confusion, Director Zhang asked, "Who is Qing Chen?"
Director Zhou smiled, "The set worker, Qing Xiaotu."
After saying this, he turned to Qing Yi and said, "Am I right, Mr. Qing Yi? Why is it that in this camp, the only one missing is him?"
Qing Yi’s expression grew serious; the accurate naming of Qing Xiaotu signified that there was an insider within the camp.
The events that had unfolded in the camp had surely been leaked out via a satellite phone by an insider.
Knowing that there was a Shadow Candidate here yet still daring to act meant that among the soldiers guarding them, there must definitely be a master.
These people had come for her Master.
Who exactly did these people belong to?
However, once Director Zhou spoke, now it was the crew that was shocked.
They hadn’t expected that these criminals, who had suddenly surrounded the camp and didn’t care about the stars, were actually looking for a set worker.
Disappointed, Director Zhou shook his head, "It seems you still don’t know. The Inspector from Intelligence Department One in Federation City No. 10, who has been the talk of the town recently, Qing Chen, the youngest future head of the PCA, has been in your team all along. He is a favorite person by Mr. Shadow’s side. Compared to him, your importance is not worth me revealing my identity. You all think that Sun Chu Ci is an important figure, but in fact, he is nothing more than a glove used to cover for Inspector Qing Chen in the crew... It appears that you know nothing about Inspector Qing Chen."
The crew members exchanged looks. Were they talking about the set worker, Qing Xiaotu?
The ever-cheerful and hard-working Qing Xiaotu?
The Qing Xiaotu who always waited to eat the leftovers after everyone else had finished?
So, the ’Master’ referred to by Qing Yi upon his arrival, and by Li Su, was actually this Inspector Qing Chen.
As everyone recalled Qing Chen’s appearance, they felt he was too young.
Liu Liqun murmured, wondering why he had refused to go to Song Niannian’s studio and had never curry-favored Director Zhang or Assistant Director Wang; because being a star was a path he was never interested in.
In this moment, Li Yu finally understood how she had offended Sun Chu Ci.
It was only because when the rumor went around that Song Niannian fancied this ’Qing Xiaotu’, her own agent showed disdain.
All that Sun Chu Ci had said before was just to vent anger on behalf of Inspector Qing Chen.
The agent sitting next to Song Niannian wore a shocked expression and turned to Song Niannian, "Is he the Inspector who saved you back in Utopia?"
Song Niannian nodded, "Yes, it’s him."
"So, the financial tycoon who invited you to the crew is also him?" the agent asked.
Song Niannian nodded again, "Yes."
The agent was stunned for a long while, thinking to herself that her girl had finally come to her senses.
However, what no one could understand was why Inspector Qing Chen would want to blend in with the crew?!
And where had he gone now?
...
Another chapter at 11 PM.
