In the blink of an eye, it was time for a new recording of "China Speeding Up." Yi Xing arrived at the set early. Several days had passed since the last recording, and he hadn't been completely idle. He had returned to "Who is the Last Man Standing" to solidify his title as the Terminator.
Before this variety show officially aired, that was the only job he could get. But this situation would soon change. Just a few days ago, Xu Ke announced good news in the group chat: the show was officially scheduled to air every Friday night at 10 PM. Counting from today, tomorrow night would be the broadcast time.
Because he arrived too early, he was the only one in the dressing room, which suited him perfectly. Not having to greet other people was great news for him. He sat in a chair, closed his eyes to rest, and let the stylist beside him work. The stylist was quick and efficient, finishing in no time.
"Teacher Yi Xing, I'm done. What do you think?"
Yi Xing slowly opened his eyes, and what greeted him was his reflection in the mirror. He turned his head left and right, nodding with satisfaction. Every hairstyle created perfectly matched his inner vision. He had a fleeting thought of poaching the stylist to be his exclusive one, but it was just a thought; his current finances couldn't support it.
"That's great, I'm very satisfied!"
"As long as you're satisfied. I'll be going then."
The stylist packed up his tools and walked towards the door. At the same time, on the other side of the door, Xu Ke was standing there, opening it.
"Hello, Director!"
"Hmm, you go about your business."
Xu Ke waved his hand, signaling the person to leave quickly. Seeing Yi Xing sitting in the chair, he strode over to him and patted him on the shoulder.
"Oh, Director Xu, what can I do for you?"
"I'm here to record a pre-interview with you, about the first episode."
"Alright, let's go."
The two walked out of the dressing room together and entered another room. Several people were sitting on the floor inside, each holding a stack of cue cards, seemingly prepared with many questions awaiting Yi Xing's answers. He walked to the only chair and sat down.
As soon as he sat down, a staff member sitting at the very end handed him a portable microphone. Yi Xing took it with a smile, gripping it tightly. This was his first time recording a so-called pre-interview, and he felt a little nervous thinking about it.
Then, Xu Ke, sitting in the center, took a sip of water and explained the specific process.
"We've prepared a few questions about the first episode. We hope you can answer us truthfully, according to your inner thoughts. Is that alright?"
"Yes."
"Alright then, we're going to start asking questions. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready." Yi Xing sat upright in his chair, clearly prepared for the upcoming questions.
"You can relax a bit. Just pretend we're having a casual chat," one of the female staff members rubbed her mouth, dispelling her smile, and explained to him.
Hearing this, Yi Xing placed his hands on the armrests of the chair, interlaced his fingers in front of his stomach, and leaned his entire body against the backrest. If he hadn't noticed the camera in front, he would have crossed his legs, as that would have made him feel even more relaxed.
The first person to ask a question, sitting on the far left, asked: "In the show, besides yourself, who do you think performed the best?"
He immediately shifted his gaze to the female staff member from before, his facial expression showing his confusion. What happened to the casual chat? The first question was already so easy to offend people. He felt cheated. After a moment of contemplation, he gave an answer.
"TFBOYS, I guess. I can describe their performance on the show in eight words: courageous, resourceful, and perfectly coordinated! Although they are young, the spirit of daring to strive they displayed is very much worth learning from." This was the answer he felt was least likely to offend anyone.
The people sitting opposite him listened carefully to his answer without any reaction, then immediately threw out the next question: "In the show, was there any task that left a particularly deep impression on you?"
"That would definitely have to be the last task. When I received the news that there would be 30 more Hunters, I was still wondering if you had accidentally added an extra '0', but then you told me it really was 30. It was beyond my imagination. And this task practically put us right under the Hunters' noses, doubling the difficulty. Fortunately, with our tacit cooperation, we still completed the task."
At this moment, Xu Ke posed his question: "This is the last one. Please share some tips for avoiding Hunters with the Accelerators who want to participate in the show later."
Yi Xing coughed twice to clear his throat, straightened up, and spoke to the camera: "Never try to outrun a Hunter in a straight line; you'll lose badly. If you can circle around, do so as much as possible." He paused, then continued: "Be good at utilizing every available environment around you. Who knows, a pillar might become a powerful tool for evasion."
"Thank you for answering these questions."
"So, can I leave now?"
"Not yet. I still have something to announce." Xu Ke called into the walkie-talkie, and a staff member entered from outside, holding a paper envelope, which he placed in Yi Xing's hand.
"This is?"
"Open it and you'll know."
He tore open the envelope without a word, took out the paper inside, and read it carefully.
"Dear Mr. Yi Xing, in recognition of your excellent performance in the first two episodes, we have specially prepared a special perk for you. Congratulations on being selected to be an inside agent among the Accelerators. You are required to report the positions of other team members to us."
"For every team member we catch based on your report, you will receive a reward of 50,000 Victory Coins. If only the mole survives at the end of the game, your Victory Coins will be doubled. We look forward to our cooperation in the show. Sincerely, your dearest Hunters."
When Yi Xing finished reading the letter, his mouth gradually curved into a grin. The production team truly had good taste, knowing to choose him as the mole. They had found the right person. He loved this feeling of being the only clear-headed one among the intoxicated. His heart was filled with excitement; he couldn't wait to start recording immediately.
"Director Xu, if there are any other special roles next time, remember to find me again. I guarantee I'll complete it flawlessly for you."
"That depends on your performance this time."
"I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
Yi Xing stood up and walked over to Xu Ke, extending his hand. Seeing this, the other man also stood up, extended his hand, and firmly clasped the one in the air. Then, both of them smiled knowingly. The informed staff members nearby couldn't help but hug themselves, thinking how terrifying these two were!