Chapter 212: Shocking “movie Emperor” Goes Wild
Smooth, natural, seamless.
In just a brief appearance of a dozen seconds or so, Zhao Tai’s character leaps off the page.
This is Chi Ye?
He has this acting skill?
At the premiere ceremony live performance, Sister Qianzi looked at the familiar yet strange face in the shot, slightly stunned in her heart.
At the same time, she realized in her heart—this person is a madman.
In the front row, a certain movie big V, freelance writer raised an eyebrow, surprised yet not surprised, and wrote a few keywords on the tablet: madman, flat villain, gimmicky?
Is Zhao Tai a flat, gimmicky villain?
Soon, Shi Jinwei, the writer, and many others who guessed the same as her, “dispelled” their own thoughts.
Zhao Tai is indeed a “mental illness,” but all his abnormal behaviors actually have their own purposes.
The reason he stopped this car was because the owner of this car was a competitor of their company, and the agreed cooperation changed at the last minute, so he used violent means to intimidate and threaten.
In the end, he achieved his purpose.
Afterward, the prologue ended, and Zhao Tai made his formal appearance.
The audience gradually learned about this story, as well as his identity background.
Zhao Tai, the illegitimate son of the chairman of Zhao’s Group, a refined scoundrel who appears gentle and elegant on the surface but is perverse and violent underneath.
His behavior is manic, but he has his own set of “logic”; he places extreme importance on the company’s external image, cares about his performance and partners.
Before entering the company gate, he will personally adjust his subordinate’s tie and attire, softly reminding the other: “Be mindful of your attire before entering the company.”
He will also swing a fire axe in an empty elevator, blood staining the floor, utterly manic.
He will also, for a single deal, caringly pick up and drop off a partner’s child every day, and even if teased by the child like a prank, he doesn’t get angry.
Due to a car accident, a missing girl, and a conflict over “demolition payment,” the male lead Xu Zhe noticed Zhao Tai.
Their first meeting was on the second day after the car accident incident, when Zhao Tai was called into the police station to assist with the investigation.
Heavy rain washed over the glass curtain wall of the police station, and the one-way mirror in the interrogation room reflected Zhao Tai’s figure with his legs crossed.
Midnight 3:17—the moment when the human body is most fatigued.
“Name.” The old detective Xu Zhe slammed the transcript notebook onto the iron table, knocking over the cheap disposable paper cup.
Tea stains spread on the file, like a pool of dried blood.
Zhao Tai dug at his ear with his pinky finger, then blew as if at nonexistent earwax: “Xu… Zhe?”
He tilted his head, staring at the duty roster names on the wall: “Your daughter is at Binhai Arts High, right? Plays the piano pretty well.”
Xu Zhe was stunned.
The surveillance camera suddenly “clicked” toward the corner.
Xu Zhe came back to his senses and hurriedly went to steady it, but knocked over the evidence bag—in it were a bloody broken wine bottle and club found in Zhao Tai’s luxury car.
“Be careful.” Zhao Tai gently reminded: “That’s a limited edition.”
He suddenly hummed《Für Elise》’s tune, his fingers playing invisible keys on the tabletop: “I hear your daughter has a solo recital next month?”
“?!”
The hot-tempered and explosive Xu Zhe had veins bulging, staring incredulously and extremely angrily at the scum and scoundrel in front of him.
The police station lights suddenly flickered twice.
Zhao Tai leaned close to the one-way glass, adjusting his tie to his reflection in the mirror: “Everyone, are the officers enjoying the show?”
The crowd outside: “……!”
His breath condensed into white mist on the glass, and he smiled: “Need me to perform chest-breaking boulder?”
Urgent footsteps came from the corridor.
The moment the emergency light came on, Zhao Tai was already standing behind Xu Zhe, his lips almost touching his earlobe: “Three seconds.”
He pressed the stopwatch button on his watch: “Two, one—”
“Crash!”
The interrogation room door was violently pushed open, the superior’s forehead covered in cold sweat: “Xu Zhe! Out! Now!”
Xu Zhe glared furiously: “He—”
“Out!!”
Zhao Tai elegantly fastened his suit jacket, a mild smile on his lips, and stepped toward the door.
“……”
At the doorway, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and made a gun gesture at the surveillance camera.
His lips moved silently; reading his lip shape—it was “bang.”
Xu Zhe’s eyes were bloodshot, staring deathly at Zhao Tai.
Outside the police station.
A convoy of a dozen black Mercedes cars with scarlet taillights glowing.
Zhao Tai paused under the eaves, reaching out to catch raindrops: “Binhai’s rain… is getting dirtier.”
He shook his hand, taking the mink coat handed over by his trusted secretary Cui.
When the Mercedes convoy crushed through the puddles and departed.
Xu Zhe stood there holding the disposable paper cup, his gaze deeply fixed on the end where the convoy disappeared—the conflict piercing through the entire film, the clash between justice and evil, thus began.
The next day, at a certain charity gala.
Under the crystal chandelier, Zhao Tai in a custom suit, his gaze mild and smiling behind gold-rimmed glasses, raised his glass and chatted amiably with political and business elites.
“Zhao’s Group’s charity fund this year will focus on supporting impoverished children.”
He lightly swirled his red wine, his voice low and refined, while the camera slowly panned down—his leather shoes were viciously grinding the shards of a highball glass broken by the waiter who had dropped it, glass slivers deeply embedded in the other’s palm, the waiter dripping cold sweat but not daring to make a sound.
A female reporter squeezed over to ask: “Manager Zhao, I heard you deliberately hit someone with your car the day before yesterday… Someone photographed your license plate…”
Zhao Tai smiled and turned around.
The female reporter froze, instinctively stepping back.
“It’s crooked.”
Zhao Tai personally adjusted her crooked microphone, his fingertip ambiguously brushing her trembling Adam’s apple: “Miss Reporter, defamation means jail time.”
He leaned close to her ear, in a gentle volume everyone could hear: “But… I prefer private settlements.”
The whole venue went silent for a second, then burst into laughter.
The female reporter stood rigid, her face flushed red.
The gala ended.
Zhao Tai slipped into the restroom.
The mirror reflected his ferocious expression as he yanked loose his tie, a far cry from the warm and jade-like gentleman on stage moments ago.
He suddenly shoved the entire bottle of hand sanitizer down his throat, practicing his smile to the mirror: “Thank you everyone for your concern for vulnerable groups…”
Before finishing, he retched violently.
The moment footsteps sounded outside the door, he instantly regained his composed demeanor.
Turning around, he met the waiter’s panicked eyes and bloodied hand; Zhao Tai smiled and stuffed the bloody handkerchief into the other’s pocket: “Tell your manager the mirror needs replacing; they always remind me of… unclean things.”
The waiter trembled: “Yes, Manager Zhao.”
Zhao Tai nodded and walked out of the restroom: “Remember to go to finance for ‘work injury compensation’.”
……
—Due to this incident, Zhao Tai faced a lot of criticism; led by Xu Zhe, a group of detectives had fully set their sights on him, and in secret, the task force began preparing a deep investigation into Binhai’s largest listed enterprise, Zhao’s Group.
But Zhao Tai didn’t care; the demolition payment mix-up, Chen Yong’s murder, the car owner’s daughter from the opening who was drugged and ultimately jumped to her death…
The film’s plot rhythm was so tight, almost one ring linked to another, not giving viewers any time to zone out, filled with conflict and bloody incidents one after another.
Among them, Chi Ye, who could almost be called the “highlight” of the entire film, had completely immersed himself in the role; in the early literary scenes, half were “Zhao Tai”; in《Big Shot》 this movie, “Big Shot” is Zhao Tai.
If he couldn’t hold it or acted poorly, the whole film would instantly become a bad movie; if he acted well… no, Chi Ye—this isn’t just good acting, it’s an explosive performance beyond standards.
At this moment.
In the cinema where Ling Han was, the entire movie theater had gone from initial whispers debating whether《Big Shot》 deserved to peng ci《Magic City Fortress》 to silence.
From the film’s first scene of the “car crash,” to Zhao Tai’s various performances in between, to the classic famous scenes in the elevator with the fire axe smashing the mirror, the hypocritical “vomiting” solo performance in the restroom…
The cinema also went from initial clamor to gasps, then to quiet, finally only immersive movie viewing remained.
—People would curse Zhao Tai from time to time, but on the IMAX big screen, whenever Zhao Tai turned his head, that face made people “unable to hate,” and even more heart-pounding for male viewers—they were afraid.
Yes, not even halfway through the film, and now seeing Chi Ye’s face made them shudder a bit.
This is Chi Ye?!
This was Shang Youshu’s who-knows-how-many-th time feeling shocked and incredulous… She had booked the entire theater alone, no need to pretend; at this moment she was waving her hands: “Shattered, shattered, Teacher Chi you’re so scary, don’t come near me!”
Assistant: “…”
“Zhao Tai is actually quite pitiful… He… he’s so handsome… why does a villain have to be this good-looking…”
Sister Shang: “…”
At the same time.
Across the country, fans, audience, movie fans—many who bought tickets tonight to watch《Big Shot》 all had this thought in their minds.
Chi Ye has this acting skill?!
—Acted too damn well, suggest strict investigation, doesn’t look like acting!
You ask why everyone thinks Chi Ye’s acting is good?
On one hand, Zhao Tai’s role firmly established itself in the opening prologue; on the other… male lead Wu Zhenyu in the scenes opposite Chi Ye actually “complemented each other perfectly”!
Yes, not only was Chi Ye not overshadowed by Wu Zhenyu, but due to the “complexity” of Zhao Tai’s character, to many ordinary viewers, he clearly outshone Teacher Wu.
Chi Ye’s acting is even better than Wu Zhenyu’s?!
This is what all insiders found most unbelievable, mind-blowing, three-views-shattering—you’re a movie emperor too?!
But…
The better he acts, the more hateful he is.
The freelance writer isn’t an employee of any company; he does self-media on Douyin with millions of fans, and he’s a guy.
So, despite Chi Ye’s explosive acting even making him feel a bit “refreshed,” he wouldn’t let his senses override his principles.
“Still just pure evil? If so… even if not gimmicky, the character isn’t standout.”
He thought this in his heart, but as the plot progressed, Zhao Tai, the true highlight of the movie, finally revealed his complexity.
……
Because Xu Zhe and the detectives pursued relentlessly regardless of “life-threatening” danger, Zhao Tai finally encountered various unexpected “accidents,” and his career stalled.
At an international cooperation negotiation, while he was fluently communicating in English and French with the partner, Xu Zhe led detectives to take him away on the spot, causing the cooperation to fall through.
The girlfriend he had been pursuing was “stolen” by Big Brother; the legitimate son’s status was N times higher than an illegitimate one, and the contract project was also snatched by the trash big brother.
In his team… there were many parasites, embezzling, betraying, and not doing their jobs.
This day, at the golf course.
May’s sunlight poured like melted gold onto the green fairway.
The distant river surface shimmered with ripples, several yachts floating like toys on the water.
“Manager Li, that shot was brilliant!”
Amid the fawning cheers, a tall figure in a pure white golf outfit slowly straightened up.
Zhao Tai removed his sunglasses, slowly doing stretching exercises.
“Brilliant?” He chuckled lightly, his voice like a blade wrapped in silk: “Manager Li, are your eyes bad? This ball is clearly off by five degrees.”
“Uh…”
The named middle-aged man’s forehead immediately beaded with cold sweat; he hunched over, trotting to Zhao Tai’s side: “I-it’s me who saw wrong, Manager Zhao’s golf skills are naturally…”
“Since your eyes are useless, no need for them.”
Zhao Tai suddenly turned, snatching a club from the caddie, his movement elegant like plucking a flower.
He pointed to the hole fifty meters away: “Manager Li, stand there, put a ball on your head.”
The entire course froze instantly.
Several business partners in matching outfits exchanged glances, but no one dared speak.
Manager Li’s face turned ghastly white, his legs starting to tremble uncontrollably.
“Man-Manager Zhao…”
“Still three seconds.” Zhao Tai took a golf ball from his pocket, tossing it lightly in his palm: “Three, two—”
Manager Li stumbled to the spot, trembling as he placed the ball on his head.
Sunlight shone on his oily bald head, the white ball glaringly bright.
Zhao Tai narrowed his eyes, slowly assuming position.
His form was textbook perfect, his back outlining a flawless arc in the sunlight.
The club sliced through the air with a sharp “whoosh”—
“—Bang!”
The white ball flew like a bullet from a barrel, precisely hitting the ball on Manager Li’s head.
—And also hitting his “head.”
The club’s impact grazed his right eye corner viciously, blood immediately flowing.
“Ah!” Manager Li clutched his head and knelt to the ground.
Zhao Tai burst out laughing, tossing the club casually to the caddie: “That’s brilliant.”
His leather shoes crunched softly on the grass: “Medical fees reimburse through finance, say… work injury.”
He turned to the dumbfounded business partners, raising his champagne glass: “Everyone, where were we? Oh right, that plot of land in Jiangnan District.”
He sipped the golden liquid, his Adam’s apple bobbing: “Three hundred million, no more.”
“But Manager Zhao, market price is at least…”
“Bang!”
Another dull thud, this time Zhao Tai smashing the champagne glass at the speaker’s feet.
Glass shards flew everywhere, a few slicing through the other’s expensive suit pants.
“Market price?” Zhao Tai tilted his head, his expression innocently like discussing the weather: “In Binhai, my word is the market price.”
He suddenly leaned close to the retreating businessman: “Or does Manager Zhang want to experience Zhao’s Group’s ‘benefits’ like Manager Li?”
“N-no, I wouldn’t dare! Three hundred million is reasonable!” Manager Zhang bowed repeatedly, sweat beads dripping from his forehead onto the grass.
Zhao Tai patted his face in satisfaction, gently like caressing a lover: “That’s right.”
He turned toward the rest area, suddenly pausing: “Right, deal with that trash, don’t dirty my turf.”
Two black-suited bodyguards immediately dragged the dog-like Manager Li, leaving a long blood trail.
Zhao Tai didn’t even glance, wiping his hands with a towel, muttering softly yet heard by all: “I hate seeing blood… but hate traitorous, disobedient dogs even more.”
The crowd instantly froze, trembling all over.
