Chapter 174: Gun-Fu On The Silver Screen!

Chapter 174: Gun-Fu On The Silver Screen!

It is now Monday morning, exactly two days after our grand-opening event at the raceway.

The girls truly had an absolute blast that night. I had deliberately decided to not try and secure first place during the race, as drawing too much public attention to my driving skills would be highly counterproductive. Instead, I focused entirely on making Hana experience the absolute maximum level of excitement possible by pulling off a series of dastardly, high-speed maneuvers on the asphalt. She was thoroughly satisfied with that chaotic outcome.

Though my seemingly reckless drift work did make several of the other professional drivers severely pucker up their assholes in pure fear that I was going to instantly wreck their expensive vehicles.

Currently, on this early morning, we are preparing to shoot the main action scenes detailing the intense physical fights between Ken and a faction of aggressive vampires who are actively hunting down both of our main female leads. Logan and Sam Sun will be executing some intense martial arts fight shots as well. Furthermore, utilizing highly trained stunt doubles, the two main rival characters of Luna and Lilith will be engaging in a brutal, synchronized battle.

Oh, that's right, I almost forgot to mention our current filming location! Well, of course, it is none other than the legendary Pangaea Disneyland theme park. You simply cannot capture an epic, high-stakes underworld conflict without utilizing a truly spectacular backdrop, right? We are scheduled to be shooting on location here for the entire week.

Inside one of the park's private, upscale restaurants, the entire primary cast is currently sitting down to be thoroughly debriefed regarding where our respective crews are going to be doing our filming.

A grand total of three distinct filming locations will have production crews working simultaneously. The explicit reason for this synchronized setup is to ensure that the natural sky conditions and the overall ambient lighting remain perfectly even across the footage, ensuring the final audience will never feel like the individual sequences were shot at completely different times of day.

The director stood at the front of the room, pointing a marker toward a secondary group of athletic individuals whom we were completely unfamiliar with before introducing them to the room. "Everyone, here are the professional stunt doubles we brought in to execute the dangerous fight choreographies for Kate, Ana, and Sam."

The exact moment Logan and I looked over to inspect the new arrivals, both of our jaws dropped, and we nearly fell flat out of our chairs in pure disbelief. The martial artist stepping up to play the stunt and combat double for Luna was none other than a thoroughly healed-up Lan Chow.

But what truly made both of our lips twitch in suppressed amusement was the physical fact that she was actively wearing a massive artificial chest prosthetic, entirely because Kate is so exceptionally well-endowed by nature.

I was both thoroughly impressed and deeply amused at her willingness to look like that just to secure the gig. The only reason a woman from the China Empire could successfully pull off the visual deception was the fact that her skin was naturally flawless and incredibly fair. Still, seeing the serious martial arts master dressed up in modern, trendy clothing and heavily dolled up by the makeup department felt incredibly strange to witness.

The moment Lan Chow's blue eyes locked onto our positions, she immediately glared daggers directly in my direction, looking exactly like a schoolgirl whose lunch money had just been forcefully stolen. Well, to be entirely fair, I did brutally break her nose during our last encounter, but hey, the medical team clearly healed it back perfectly, right?

I leaned over slightly, whispering under my breath to Logan. "Why in the absolute fuck is the Master of the Snow Temple standing on a movie set? I did not think a woman of her status would have an ounce of free time to play around with a film crew, correct?"

He smirked, pointing a finger first toward himself and then directly back at me before explaining the situational irony. "She is almost certainly asking herself the exact same question, Rick! Why are a Master of the Sea Temple and the literal monster who kicked both her and my ass roaming around Star City making fictional movies?"

Logan’s logic made a massive amount of sense given the absurdity of our circumstances, leaving me nodding in silent agreement.

The director tapped the whiteboard to draw our attention back to a detailed map of the theme park. "Over here at the mini-coaster tracks, we will be positioning Kate, Rick, and Lan. This specific sequence will capture the very first combative encounter of their reunion, depicting Ken as he desperately attempts to delay Luna from pursuing Lilith. The primary stunt fight will take place directly on the elevated coaster tracks, and our construction crew has already added reinforced wooden plywood platforms to create a more stable, secure footing for Mr. Lee and Miss Chow to exchange blows."

She shifted her marker to the center of the diagram. "Moving on, here at site two, we will have Ana, Sam, Daniella, and Kevin executing their indoor martial arts encounter. This scene will be captured entirely within the 'It's a Small World' ride facility."

"Finally, we will be positioning Logan, Charles, Zack, and Drake over at the grand Aquarium to film your collective fight sequence against the forces of the Church of Light," she concluded, scanning the room. "Are there any immediate questions before we deploy?"

With absolutely no objections raised by the cast, our individual production teams were quickly escorted out of the restaurant to board a fleet of park go-karts reserved exclusively for internal staff transit.

Sitting on the vinyl bench of the moving go-kart, I found myself packed tightly between Kate on my left and Lan Chow on my right. Unable to contain my amusement, I leaned slightly toward the martial artist to question her out of sheer curiosity. "Miss Chow, do you mind if I ask why you have suddenly taken up professional stunt work?"

The twenty-nine-year-old woman refused to even turn her head to meet my gaze, staring rigidly at the passing park scenery as she answered in an icy tone. "You have systematically ignored every single one of my formal duel challenges. Because of your evasion, I was forced to locate a specific avenue to corner you so you could no longer run away from a proper match. It is really that simple. Furthermore, this specific stunt role pays exceptionally well. We at the Snow Temple do not possess the bottomless pockets of the four great families or the major underworld syndicates; our operations are strictly subsidized by the central government."

Kate looked over, a trace of genuine worry flashing across her features as she interjected. "Why are you so completely intent on forcing a physical fight with Rick anyway?"

The boob-prosthetic-wearing stunt double shifted her glare toward Kate, sizing up the real Luna before delivering her grievance. "Because your partner completely broke my nose with a blatant cheap shot during our previous encounter. Because of that disgraceful loss, I have entirely lost all face in front of my dedicated disciples, and our temple morale has hit rock bottom. To make matters worse, he personally defeated the bitter enemy I wanted absolute revenge against, completely stripping me of my right to claim my own vengeance."

Kate stared back at Lan Chow for a brief moment before her head tilted to the side, a melodic laugh escaping her lips. "So, let me get this straight. When Rick was completely smash-drunk, he easily dismantled you in a fight, and you genuinely believe that challenging him while he is entirely sober is going to work out better for you? Fufu, ha-ha! That is honestly so incredibly funny."

Fortunately, before Lan Chow could give into her rising fury and attempt to murder Kate on the spot for speaking the unfiltered truth, the go-kart brought us to a smooth halt outside the mountainous structure of the mini-coaster.

Roughly half an hour later, following an intense session in the wardrobe and makeup trailers, Kate and I were positioned at the absolute highest apex of the roller coaster ride. We stood flat on the heavy tracks, her custom clothing meticulously detailed with jagged bullet holes to show that Ken had already shot her up with his firearms prior to the start of the scene.

The director and the primary camera crew were stationed nearby on a massive hydraulic lift, hovering roughly twenty feet away to capture a crisp, high-definition close-up while the lighting technicians finalized the filters.

Kate’s character outfit consisted of a pleated skirt paired with a classic white button-down shirt. There were a grand total of ten visible bullet holes puncturing the fabric, though the script dictated that no blood would be present due to her immortal nature.

I was dressed in my character's standard blue jeans, white shirt, and heavy leather jacket, my fingers wrapped tightly around two automatic prop handguns aimed directly in her direction.

Even when utilizing harmless movie blanks, my personal training dictated that you never point a firearm directly at a human being's face, just in case a mechanical failure occurs with the fake load. If I remember correctly from the history of my past life, that exact oversight was precisely how a prominent actor accidentally lost his life due to a stray fragment wedged inside the shell casing.

The director's voice crackled sharply over the megaphone. [ACTION!]

Luna looked down at the physical ruin of her clothing, a profound look of deep, ancient sadness washing over her beautiful features before she raised her eyes to address Ken. "Ken, please... I beg of you to listen to me. Everything that Lilith has told you is an absolute lie. In reality, you were Kristofer Long before you passed away and were reborn. Please, allow me to prove the truth to you. As you can clearly see with your own eyes, you do not possess the power to kill me. And I will never, ever harm a single hair on your head... because I love you!"

Ken, channeled through my own acting experience, forced a look of dawning horror onto his face, recognizing her absolute immortality as he fiercely denied her claim. "No! That's impossible! I am a completely normal human being, and you are nothing but an undead monster! There is absolutely no universe where I would ever love a vampire! My uncle, Kris Long, would never have succumbed to a creature like you!"

Kate offered a heartbreaking, tragic smile, her palm coming up to rest flat against her chest as she revealed the shocking plot twist to Ken's character. "I am so deeply sorry, my love, but you have been completely tricked from the very beginning... Lilith is not a human being either. She is my biological cousin, a full-blooded vampire."

My prop weapons lowered significantly in staggered shock, my head shaking side-to-side in calculated disbelief. "No... No, you are lying to me! She is human! We made love, her skin is warm, and she is alive! Do not attempt to fool me with your mind games!"

"The singular reason she is capable of walking out in the bright sunlight without turning to ash is entirely because of your presence," Kate countered, her voice trembling with scripted emotion. "You and I swore a sacred oath upon our very existence to remain together through eternity, and that soul bond is the only reason I am standing here today protecting your life."

"No! You are only fighting me to ensure those fanatical church exorcists can slaughter Lilith!" Ken yelled back, his expression turning desperate. "I need to save her!"

Luna smiled softly, taking a slow step forward on the tracks. "Ken, think about it. Why would a holy exorcist actively hunt a normal human? He completely ignored your presence, didn't he? But the exact moment you choose to protect her, he will destroy you for being her mindless thrall."

"That—She—No! I don't care, I have to save her life! Let me pass!"

Kate closed the distance between us, delivering her final line with absolute perfection. "Then allow me to kiss you just one single time, to remind your soul of exactly who I am, and I promise I will not step in your way to stop you from saving her."

Following the script's cues, I smoothly holstered my fake firearms, reaching up to loosen my collar as I tilted my head down. Kate’s slender fingers reached up to gently cup my chin.

I forced a look of deep, lingering confusion onto my features as her character bypassed drinking my blood, choosing instead to capture my lips in a passionate embrace.

This specific sequence was easily the one Kate had been looking forward to the most out of the entire production schedule; she finally had a legitimate excuse to romantically kiss me on the big screen, and her genuine internal affection made the cinematic moment infinitely better.

I absolutely adore kissing her, so as Ken, I held her body tight against mine, allowing the fictional memories of Kris Long’s past life to vividly surge through my posture as our characters' souls connected.

Breaking the embrace, Luna offered a satisfied, loving smile before delivering her exit line. "I despise the choice, but go save her if that is what your heart truly desires, my love..."

I executed my part flawlessly, perfectly embodying a man who had just unlocked the memory of his true eternal love, yet still felt a lingering human duty to rescue his current partner. I offered a decisive nod to Kate, turning on my heel to run at absolute full speed down the wooden coaster track to rescue Lilith.

The primary camera crew smoothly zoomed their lens directly onto Kate's face as she watched my heroic departure, capturing her bittersweet smile perfectly.

[CUT! THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!] the director screamed in delight. "Incredible work, you two! Come on down from the apex, and our crew will get fully reset for the stunt fight choreography!"

I turned back around to face Kate. Anxious to ensure she didn't trip or injure herself while navigating the steep wood and metal scaffolding of the roller coaster, I swept her off her feet, lifting her into a flawless princess carry to walk her down to the ground level.

Our descent was met with a massive round of clapping and teasing cheers from the production crew, driving a beautiful, bright crimson blush across Kate's cheeks.

When movies are made, they are never really filmed in chronological order. For example, the upcoming intimacy scene with Ana has not even been shot yet, but according to the timeline of this current fight sequence, that encounter had already taken place. We also had to shoot the emotional dialogue portion with Kate well before initiating the main physical conflict with Lan, strictly due to the shifting location of the afternoon sun.

The primary crew will be shooting this next sequence from a much further distance because the combat stunt double is obviously not Kate. The wider angle means the audience will mostly see the back of Luna's character, while the lenses remain tightly locked onto my front profile. This specific setup shows the viewers that I am the actual person fighting super high up on the scaffolding, actively risking my health and life to bring absolute realism to the silver screen.

Bang! Bang!

Lan started the action from the absolute bottom of the steep hill, charging up the wooden platforms at a frantic pace while I followed closely behind, firing off a couple of sharp warning rounds. "Stop right there, vampire! You will not lay a single hand on Lilith!"

Bang! Bang!

Right on cue, the special effects team remotely detonated the two simulated bullet holes pre-set into the back of her shirt, making it look as though my shots had cleanly pierced her heart. Lan reached the high summit of the track layout, and the camera angles instantly shifted to capture me meeting her at the peak. I fired off more consecutive rounds to show Ken unloading his entire magazine into Luna, aggressively ruining her wardrobe without slowing down her immortal approach.

At this exact juncture in the script, only my character is supposed to engage by throwing a series of aggressive punches and kicks, while her role is strictly limited to blocking and parrying my advance. Lan completely flipped the script, however, lowering her center of gravity to charge directly at my body. She wanted to initiate a real fight right here on the scaffolding.

I instantly adapted by utilizing my Gun-Fu style. I couldn't simply drop the expensive prop handguns and ruin the shot, so I engaged her with both hands completely full. I even maintained the exact manic, knowing smile Ken would possess as I continuously emptied the remaining blanks, making the choreography look infinitely more brutal and realistic than the original design.

Down below on the production platform, the primary camera operator leaned over to whisper frantically to the director. "Ma'am, I really don't think any of this physical exchange is inside our active script. Do we call a cut?"

"Don't you dare cut the feed!" the director hissed back, her eyes glued to the monitor. "This is significantly better than anything I originally expected. It looks exactly like they are fighting for real. Look at how Rick is utilizing those firearms to fluidly strike and shoot; it is like a completely new style of martial arts. It is absolute perfection. Keep rolling the film and let's watch this play out!"

Bang! Bang!

I thoroughly irritated Lan by firing the loud blanks right next to her ears, utilizing the intense muzzle flashes to mess with her spatial perception. The exact moment her guard faltered, I drove a sharp knee directly into her stomach, hitting her hard enough to almost make her lose her lunch. Her teeth gritted in sheer frustration as she rebounded with a high-flying kick. I grinned, leaning in close to murmur loud enough for her ears only. "Red lace. You are a thoroughly naughty crimson woman, aren't you?"

Lan growled in absolute fury, her strikes turning frantic. "You are not fighting fair, Rick! Fight me for real!"

The exact moment those words left her mouth, I countered her momentum with a fluid, spinning backhand. Utilizing the heavy bottom of the handgun handle, I delivered a calculated pistol-whip directly to her temple, sending a sudden wave of dizziness through her posture.

I carefully controlled the physical force behind the strike to ensure I didn't cause any permanent injury, but her glazed, dizzy eyes told me she was in absolute shock. Her knees buckled, dropping her to the plywood platform for a brief second before she desperately tried to reassert her footing.

Unfortunately, her balance was completely gone; she missed her step on the narrow framework, her body tumbling directly over the rail.

An accidental death on a high-profile movie set would be absolutely catastrophic for Victoria's public reputation. Without a second thought, I tossed the prop firearms aside.

As Lan Chow fully cleared the edge of the railing, plunging into the open air, I leaped forward before gravity could pull her down too fast for me to intervene. I snaked my left arm out, securely grabbing the falling woman right around her waist. I locked her body against my torso with one arm while my right hand clamped down onto the metal track rail with a vice-like grip.

She stared up into my face, her breath catching as she realized she had just come within inches of a fatal drop.

[CUT!] the director's voice boomed over the megaphone, filled with panic. [Medical team, run up there right now and check on their condition!]

Utilizing a highly advanced acrobatic maneuver, I swung my right leg completely up over the framework. Combining the explosive strength of my right arm and leg, I smoothly hoisted both her and myself back onto the secure track platform, drawing a massive collective sigh of relief from the onlookers below.

Lan lay flat on her back for a moment, staring up at the blue sky as I knelt down beside her. "Why did you choose to save me?"

"Ah, don't get the wrong idea," I laughed, shaking my head as I recovered my breath. "It wasn't out of any grand desire to save your life. I simply didn't want a messy accident to completely ruin our movie, ha-ha."

A look of quiet resignation settled over her features. "I formally admit defeat. I and the rest of the Snow Temple disciples will pack our belongings and return to the North."

I extended my hand to pull her back up to her feet. The moment her boots stabilized on the platform, I shocked her with a quiet declaration in Chinese. -No. I want you to actively work for my network instead. I will fully back your organization with immense money and resources to build a brand-new Temple right here in the Azure State, with you positioned as its absolute leader. I refuse to allow the Forest Temple to establish a foothold in my home territory. Lan Chow, work for me.-

She stared dumbly at my outstretched hand, completely frozen by the sudden business offer. Then, her gaze locked onto my eyes. For a fraction of a second, I allowed her to see the unyielding, terrifying gaze of a true Grandmaster.

An involuntary tremble ran directly down her spine. Without any conscious thought, her hand instinctively moved forward to shake mine, finalizing the deal. Sensing the agreement was locked, I instantly suppressed my aura back to its normal, casual level.

She leaned in close, speaking in a tiny whisper so absolutely no one on the crew could read her lip movements. "Rick... you really are a Gr—Grandmaster, aren't you?"

"Oh? What makes you say something like that?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"During our exchange earlier, you flawlessly executed my Hidden Temple's sacred Falling Snowflake Technique," she whispered, her eyes wide with reverence. "You performed it significantly better than my own master ever could. You were actively toying with my every single movement."

I offered a casual shrug. Backing this new temple would give me a highly loyal, specialized faction to deploy during my upcoming conflict with the traditionalist Li family. I decided to feed her a completely honest lie. "Would you honestly believe me if I told you that I was the original founder of the entire Snow Temple style?"

I was entirely messing with her head at this point, but her response caught me off guard. "I do believe you."

She was completely serious. I found myself wondering what kind of intense drugs people in these hidden traditional sects were taking to readily believe in that kind of mystical nonsense. But on second thought, her belief was highly advantageous; she would be infinitely more loyal to my commands if she genuinely believed she was serving some ancient, reincarnated monster. It is hilarious gags exactly like this that systematically spread wild legends around the world, eventually spawning into fictional stories, sigh.

"Lan Chow, ensure you tell absolutely no one what you witnessed up here today," I ordered, my tone turning serious. "Tell me, if I provide your faction with unlimited money and defensive resources, can your group successfully dismantle the Forest Temple? I have some exceptionally strong fighters at my disposal if you require enforcement help, and I can personally eliminate their high masters if necessary."

"Yes, with your backing, completely crushing their operation can easily be achieved," she answered, bowing her head slightly. "Though I would never dare ask a figure of your stature to personally fight on our behalf."

As the panicked medical staff and crew members finally reached the top of the roller coaster scaffolding, I offered her an evil smile. "Don't you want to see me fight at my absolute full strength to expand your learning? Also, consider your past feud with Logan Chen entirely over. He is a close friend of mine."

She executed a subtle, respectful bow to keep our alliance completely hidden from the approaching staff. "I wish to witness your true battle very much to study your movements. As for Logan Chen... your friends are now my friends."

"Good," I replied, smoothing down my leather jacket as the doctors surrounded us. "Your Temple needs to become the absolute strongest faction in the region within the next five years, and I will personally ensure it happens."