What does it take to become the world's best actor?
The answer was the ability to act.
Then what does it take to be the most popular actor in the world?
If it were popularity, then I can answer with confidence that 'good looks' or 'beauty' was the only right answer.
With the above two assets, would it be enough to become the best actor? Of course not. Those two things are just the basics.
Charm, charisma, mentality, and even trivial things like attitude and intelligence, all of these things were very important if you wanted to become the best actor. However, there was one more very important asset in this world that was different from the past... Hunter.
About twenty-five years ago, Earth faced an attack from monsters that emerged from the Gate.
The humans who emerged to fight the monsters were called hunters. After that, the earth returned to peace.
Humans who were originally focused on survival have now focused on finding entertainment, including movies.
Compared to ordinary humans, the hunters found it very easy to do various dangerous scenes. So it would be natural that a hunter becomes a top actor.
Then the question arises...
Do I have any of the qualifications to become an actor?
Of course not.
I'm just an ordinary human.
My face? It would be lucky if people didn't laugh if they noticed me.
It can't be said to be ugly, but cheek fat and neck fat seem to dominate my face.
"This is your money, sir."
After taking the money from the bank counter, I walked out. Before opening the glass door, I noticed the reflection of my body... my big belly looked really disgusting.
A layman would think that I could kill a pig using my weight.
A few steps after exiting the bank, four cars could be seen stopping and surrounding the bank entrance.
I, along with the other people who were coming out of the bank, just stood in shock.
People carrying various guns were seen coming out of the cars. The moment they stepped on the ground, they immediately fired their guns.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
"Pwahahahaha. You're all dead!"
As they fired, they laughed loudly with their faces covered in masks.
If I had to describe the scene before my eyes, I'd say—shooting in broad daylight!
"Argh!"
"H-Help!!!"
"Hurry up and get out of here!"
People's shouts rang out.
Just like everyone else, I also screamed and tried to run. However, because of my large body, I moved slowly. In the end, I became one of the people who got shot.
My body fell to the floor along with the bodies of the other people who were shot. Red-colored liquid came out of my mouth and the parts of my body that were hit by gunfire.
Among the many people who fell, there was one person who was still standing. That person took out a sword from his waist and fought the shooters.
Do you think I'll die and be reincarnated into another world? 'It would be great if so.' Too bad your guess was wrong.
"Cut!"
When the sound of 'cut' was heard, everyone stopped what they were doing.
The armed terrorists stopped acting like criminals. The fallen humans covered in blood suddenly stood back up. Lastly, the main character who attacked back also stopped acting like a hero. Everyone suddenly laughed amongst themselves.
"Good job. You guys have worked hard. We've captured good shots this time. I'm sure this movie will be a success. Hahaha."
Not far from me, the person sitting on the chair with the big camera in front of him was talking happily. That person was the director who orchestrated the scene.
You're right, here, my job was as an extra for a movie. Although my dream was to be the number one actor in the country... or even in the world, here I was, being an extra.
Li Mao Zhe, the director, approached me when he finished talking to people.
"Qin Yu. Good job. I've sent your pay. You can check it later."
"Isn't it too soon if you pay me now?"
"It's fine. I'll pay with my own money first. I know you're struggling. But, are you okay with continuing to be an extra? Maybe my words will hurt you a lot, but honestly, it's almost impossible for you to get offers as a significant character."
Li Mao Zhe's words were very tolerable to me. From face to body, as well as from acting ability, anyone would say that I wouldn't be able to become an actor, let alone the best actor.
"...If there's an offer to be an extra again, let me know immediately." I could only change the subject. There was no point in telling Li Mo Zhe about the reason why I had stayed as an extra.
After talking with Li Mao Zhe, I went to an empty room inside the bank that had been converted into a collective dressing room.
There, I cleaned my face of fake blood and changed my clothes. Afterward, I returned home after receiving the message, "Xiao Ling is asleep. I'm going home for the day. Thank you for your trust."
The message came from Aunt Wang.
***
When I returned home, it was already night.
The first thing that greeted me when I opened the door of the small studio room where I lived was the sound of the television.
In the dimly lit living room, I saw a child sleeping on the sofa, while in front of the sofa was a TV that was still on.
She was my daughter, Qin Mei Ling.
"F-fathel?"
She opened her eyes slowly. Her little hands rubbed her eyes cutely. She was only a year and a half old, so she was just starting to learn to speak.
When she saw me come in, she got off the sofa with difficulty and approached me slowly, since she wasn't yet fluent in walking.
Seeing her trying to approach me, I quickly went to her first. Then I hugged and held her. Every time I saw her face, a smile appeared on my face.
"I'll turn off the TV, okay. It's not good to watch TV. You're still a baby, why can you watch TV alone here? Or did Aunt Wang turn it on?"
I intended to turn off the TV, but I could only stand frozen when I saw the movie scene playing on the TV.
- Will you live with me forever?
- What can you give me?
- I will make you the happiest woman in the world! Treasure, throne, everything I will give you! You will be my queen! And I will never marry another woman!
There were two people on the TV. They were wearing red hanfu. It was clear that they were a married couple.
Although the scene they were in looked very romantic, their acting was so real that it could make anyone cry; however, I'm not one of those viewers who would cry tears of joy.
Emotions of anger, jealousy, and despair filled my heart. I didn't know how I looked at that moment, but Xiao Ling, who was also hugging me, looked worried when she saw my face.
"Fathell, no ploblem?"
Xiao Ling's small hand tried to grab my face.
On the tip of Xiao Ling's little finger that touched my face, there were beads of water... were they my tears?
Xiao Ling's eyes then looked at the television. Her small hand pointed at the female actor in the movie scene and said, "Mothel?"
When I heard Xiao Ling say that word, my chest felt as if it had been pierced by thousands of needles. Tremors ran through my body. Especially when I saw her embracing a handsome man—her co-star—my feelings were burned uncontrollably.
If I hadn't been hugging Xiao Ling, I might have punched the old television set in the living room until my hands bled.
As Xiao Ling had said earlier, the woman in the television was Wang Jia Yi, my ex-wife and Xiao Ling's biological mother.