Chapter 46: Prepare to Discipline and Educate Them!

[Talent Blind Box: Falsetto Proficiency/R&B Vocal Run Proficiency]
[Attribute Blind Box: Cardiopulmonary Attribute +0.1/Empty]
[Mission Blind Box: Task 1/Task 2]

Su Mu gazed at the blind box rewards appearing in his mind.

Luck was on his side this time.

Both talent blind boxes yielded singing proficiency skills.

At this stage, he did need techniques for switching between chest and falsetto voices, as well as mastering vocal runs, to elevate the sophistication of his performance.

As for attributes, he only drew a boost to his cardiopulmonary capacity.

That likely meant a general improvement to his heart and lung function.

Whether singing or filming physically demanding scenes in the future, such physical prowess would certainly come in handy.

It could be considered a timely benefit.

Lastly, there were the mission blind boxes.

This time, he drew two missions at once—a promising haul.

[Task 1: After the hit broadcast of “Surge,” your acting skills will be recognized by the public. Therefore, you must negotiate a fee of no less than 60 million for your next project.
Mission rewards:
[+1000 proficiency] (any option)
[+10.0 skill points]]

...

[Task 2: Next year will usher in a wave of popularity for costume romance dramas. Prepare to reshape the current market and show everyone what a true masterpiece in this genre looks like.
Aside from “Nirvana in Fire,” personally select three scripts for costume romance dramas that can sweep all major video platforms.
Please confirm: [ ? ] [ ? ] [ ? ]
Mission rewards:
[Manuscripts of the three scripts]
[+300 proficiency] (any option)]

...

Su Mu studied the mission options.

The first task required him to raise his market value, with his next fee to be no less than sixty million.

Given his current popularity, this wasn’t out of reach.

Moreover, the success of “Surge” would certainly boost his reputation even further.

The only issue was that his next project was Zhang Huaimo’s “Nirvana in Fire.”

He hadn’t discussed his fee with Zhang yet.

But considering he’d only received ten million for “Surge,” it was unlikely this new project would pay much better.

It wasn’t that Zhang lacked funding—on the contrary, investors were lining up to produce his films.

It would all come down to negotiations.

With that in mind,

Su Mu turned to the second mission.

He needed to fill in three costume romance drama scripts—each capable of dominating all major video platforms.

This didn’t seem too difficult.

He’d watched plenty in his previous life, so picking three strong contenders was straightforward.

However, if he intended to star in them, it would be best to choose three different subgenres, allowing him to showcase a comprehensive and unrivaled versatility.

Su Mu began to recall.

There were many subcategories within the costume romance genre: martial arts and political intrigue, fantasy and immortal legends, sweet romances, domestic intrigue, palace power struggles… and so on.

Selecting one from each would be ideal.

After some thought,

Based on his own appearance and the variety of genres, Su Mu made his choices.

“The Oath of Love and Orchid,” “The Son-in-Law,” and “A Dream of Splendor.”

The first, “The Oath of Love and Orchid,” had been on his mind for a long time.

In his previous life, its breakout success was largely due to the male lead, Wang Hedi, whose look in costume was striking.

Moreover, this drama was a fantasy immortal romance—the protagonist was not only powerful but also charismatic and domineering.

This fit perfectly with the public’s fantasy of an invincible, mischievous, and dashing male lead who also fell in love.

The great advantage of this script was its emphasis on the male lead.

No matter who played the role, they would captivate both male and female audiences, and the popularity would skyrocket.

Of course, the prerequisite was that the costume styling had to be top-notch and fit public taste.

Since Su Mu had built his career on his looks, the role seemed tailor-made for him—not taking it would be a waste.

The second choice, “The Son-in-Law.”

The reason was simple: in this world’s costume romance scene, there hadn’t been a single story about a man marrying into his wife’s family.

The pleasures and satisfaction of such a premise were things the audience had yet to experience.

Su Mu felt compelled to give them a lesson—showing how, after being reborn and marrying into a family, one could display their talents and charm their wife and maids into devoted admiration. What a delightful scenario!

As for the last one, “A Dream of Splendor,” it was mainly because Su Mu had a deep impression of it.

After all, he’d always enjoyed watching Yifei’s works.

[Task 2: “The Oath of Love and Orchid,” “The Son-in-Law,” “A Dream of Splendor”—complete!
Mission rewards:
[Manuscripts of the three scripts]
[+300 proficiency]]

Mission accomplished.

At this moment, three script manuscripts appeared in Su Mu’s inventory panel.

[Facial Expression Control Proficiency LV4: 120/10000 (Hall of Mastery)]

He decided to allocate the +300 proficiency to facial expression control.

Currently, this was the only proficiency he had at such a high level—LV4.

He was eager to see the effects when a skill reached the pinnacle—LV5.

Henceforth, whenever he was rewarded with proficiency points, unless there were special circumstances, he would prioritize maxing out facial expression control.

With the rewards distributed,

Su Mu began to contemplate the matter of these three script manuscripts.

He was confident that any director would be interested in any one of these scripts.

But he wasn’t desperate to sell to just anyone.

He was eager to make money, yes, but he also wanted to maximize the value of these scripts.

Not only did he plan to star in them, but he also intended to leverage these manuscripts to secure additional benefits.

This required careful thought.

…

…

Huayi Pictures Headquarters.

Zhang Huaimo warmly led Su Mu to his own studio floor.

It was half an entire open-plan office, with a sweeping view of much of the capital—a display of true affluence.

But as one of the industry’s most sought-after directors, Huayi Pictures was right to provide him with such treatment.

Zhang Huaimo poured Su Mu some tea. “The promotional campaign for the new drama is going extremely well, thanks to your popularity.”

Seeing Director Zhang pour tea himself, Su Mu politely tapped the table twice with his fingers.

[Behavior Mimicry Proficiency +1]
[+0.01 Skill Points]

Although he didn’t actually drink tea,

As an actor, Su Mu had learned many such etiquette gestures.

“Director Zhang, you’re too kind. This is all part of my job.”

Zhang Huaimo smiled. “There’s nothing to worry about going forward. Trust me—I have a feeling your Gao Qiqiang will create a sensation.
To be honest, Su Mu, I have high hopes for you. You’re highly adaptable, skilled, and still young. You might have a real shot at the big screen someday.
In recent years, our nation’s film industry has been lacking fresh talent, and we’ve hardly won any international awards. We old-timers are anxious, so you must work hard.”

Goodness, is he trying to send me off to Cannes or the Oscars?

Su Mu replied, “You flatter me, Director Zhang. It’s all thanks to your direction—I’m just a newcomer.”

“Haha!” Zhang laughed. “Alright, let’s skip the mutual compliments and get down to business. You came to see me about the new drama, right?
The team will be assembled in a few days. The specifics—including casting and auditions—will depend on the new producer.”

Su Mu asked, “New producer?”

Zhang Huaimo nodded with a smile. “Yes, Huayi and Penguin are strategic partners, so this time the script came to me through them.”

Su Mu: “So Penguin Video is the financier for this project?”

Zhang Huaimo: “That’s right.”