Chapter 123: Shootout (3)
Chapter 123: Shootout (3)
The horn signaling the start of the shoot blared, and actors instantly scattered in every direction.
The sight of nearly twenty actors nimbly sprinting across the set was nothing short of spectacular.
As expected, everyone here is confident in their physical abilities.
Seo-yeon ran after them, her eyes darting around rapidly.
Since they all claimed to be action actors, none of them were slow.
Ah, except for one.
There was one person running at a relatively sluggish pace.
Jo Seo-hee.
It felt a bit mean to say, but she looked like she would be taken out in no time.
Anyway.
Seo-yeon let out a long breath.
This was a variety show, but it wasn't just a variety show.
It was, strictly speaking, an acting audition.
Naturally, she had to establish a character and perform properly.
My character is...
After their previous meeting, she had received a call from the production team of <Hyper Action Star>.
They had asked her to define her "ability" so they could write the script.
This was likely where the powers were officially set.
Seo-yeon, of course, had answered "Regeneration."
She had no intention of changing it.
When she later received the script, it clearly stated that Seo-yeon’s ability was regeneration.
The abilities of the other Group A participants were listed as well.
The reason was simple.
The abilities themselves are the script.
Professor Kim Hong-baek had once asked what the most important thing in action acting was.
"It's matching the hab—the coordination."
No matter how flashy your solo movements are, if the other person can't keep up, it just becomes gymnastics. It’s nothing more than a ridiculous, hollow display.
"Therefore, for action acting, you must repeat the movements countless times until your opponent's motions are etched into your eyes."
Punching, kicking, getting hit, and falling down.
For that series of movements to look natural, the coordination must be perfect.
"However, if all of this is performed live... that is where an action actor's true skill is revealed. Because every bit of acting becomes, in essence, an ad-lib."
The abilities served as the minimum safety net.
If you memorized the opponent's ability beforehand, you could coordinate with them on the fly.
That’s why it’s the script.
There were no written lines.
However, all the opponents' abilities were listed.
Thus, the moment they began their performance, they had to clash their acting together like blades meeting in a duel.
Seo-yeon scanned the abilities of those in her sight as if reciting lines from a script in her head.
Then, she surveyed the surrounding terrain.
The electronic scoreboards mounted on the walls, and the number of cameras.
Aside from the fixed cameras everywhere, there are twenty mobile cameramen.
It was a staggering number.
With that many, she could assume one cameraman was assigned to each person.
Five people are watching me.
As Seo-yeon ran through the set designed to look like ruins, she felt gazes latching onto her.
These were eyes following her from the start to keep her in check.
Among them, three were moving as if they were a single team.
They had likely formed a tacit alliance before the shoot began.
Seo-yeon inwardly thought they were clever.
Three was better than one.
By grouping up like that, they gained character dynamics and had three cameras following them at once.
10 seconds.
The scoreboard displayed twenty names.
Next to each name, the score was listed as 0.
It seemed they were tallying points in real-time.
Since they weren't wearing separate sensors, the staff was likely tracking and updating the scores as they watched.
5 seconds.
Seo-yeon, who had been running, suddenly spun around.
She faced the three who were pursuing her.
"....!!"
Startled by her sudden turn, the three actors flinched for a moment.
However, realizing they had the numerical advantage, they glared at her sharply.
Ju Seo-yeon.
She was likely the most famous actor among the participants in this audition.
There was Jo Seo-hee, of course, but she was in a realm that was difficult to touch.
Besides, Jo Seo-hee had never done action acting before, making it hard to gauge her skill level.
If we don't eliminate her as quickly as possible, it'll be dangerous.
Acting is about presence.
The presence Cha Seo-ah had shown in <The Chaser> was that immense, and her action acting had been superb.
I don't know what the future missions will be like...
But it was clear that this first mission, a pure point-based survival, was the best opportunity to eliminate Seo-yeon.
Getting hit by a paintball was -1 point.
A fatal wound leading to "death" was -20 points.
Conversely, hitting an opponent's body was +1 point.
Hitting a vital spot was +5 points.
Furthermore, if you inflicted a fatal wound on a high-scoring opponent and brought them to a "dead" state, you would take half of their points.
Those are roughly the rules.
And since this was acting, once you were "dead," you couldn't move anymore.
This was left to the actor's discretion.
No one would be convinced if an actor kept moving after sustaining a wound that anyone could see was fatal.
"1 second."
Someone whispered.
The handguns moved, muzzles aiming at their respective targets.
Three muzzles pointed at Seo-yeon.
Watching the situation through a camera from a distance, Lee Gi-tae’s eyes sharpened.
At the same time, a conversation he’d had recently with a director from the GH Group flashed through his mind.
"If you proceed with a survival mission like this, there's a high probability that Miss Seo-yeon will be eliminated."
"Is that so? I actually think the opposite."
Director Kang Tae-jin of the GH Group sat with his hands clasped over his knees.
"Didn't you see <The Chaser>?"
"I did."
"Did you happen to miss the interviews?"
"Interviews... you say?"
He didn't think he'd seen them.
Had there even been interviews?
As he wondered, Kang Tae-jin continued.
"Right after they hit ten million viewers, there was an interview with the production staff and the actors."
In that interview, Kim Dae-heon, who played Detective Im Seung-cheol, and Park Hee-jun, who played Detective Seo Gwang-il, had said this:
"The final brawl scene? Oh, don't even get me started. I thought I was actually going to die. I'm sure Actor Park Hee-jun feels the same way."
"Ah, you're right. I was confident in action scenes since I served in the special forces, but..."
They had said this:
When they were filming the action for <The Chaser>.
It could have ended in a single take.
"A single take?"
"Yes, but I wasn't satisfied with myself. Miss Seo-yeon was perfect."
"Is that even possible?" the surprised reporter had asked.
Action scenes usually require multiple takes from different angles because the coordination has to be perfect.
That’s why they are physically demanding and difficult, often requiring body doubles—professional stunt actors who specialize in action.
The two veterans were one thing, but how could Seo-yeon?
If the two actors were so dissatisfied with their own performances that they asked for retakes, just how good was she?
"What do you think those two actors said in response?"
Kang Tae-jin remembered exactly how they had answered that question.
"They said, 'She sees the action and matches the coordination.'"
"Sees the action and matches it?"
In other words, the moment Seo-yeon sees her opponent's move...
"It seems that the moment Miss Seo-yeon sees her opponent's acting, countless action sequences flash through her mind."
"Is that... even possible?"
"Who knows? Maybe it's possible because she's the one doing it."
It's possible because she's the one doing it.
As Kang Tae-jin's words echoed in Lee Gi-tae's mind—
Rat-tat-tat!!
Paintballs were fired from the muzzles.
The camera following Seo-yeon instantly zoomed in on the scene.
The muzzles were aimed at Seo-yeon's chest.
A spot that, if hit, could be a fatal wound even for someone with regeneration.
Ju Seo-yeon has two weaknesses written in the script.
The script listed their abilities and their respective fatal spots.
Since Seo-yeon was a regenerator, they needed to be specific: the heart and the head.
If she didn't have any fatal spots, she would be essentially invincible under these rules.
So, the three actors pursuing Seo-yeon aimed for her chest.
Firing at the face on purpose would result in immediate disqualification.
The moment they pulled their triggers.
Their eyes met Seo-yeon's.
And they couldn't help but see them.
Her vividly glowing red eyes.
In that instant.
Seo-yeon dropped her body low and twisted her posture in a single motion.
"....!!"
Three bullets whizzed past her.
No way!!
Did she seriously see them and dodge?
It was an evasion so concise it felt impossible.
"What are you doing? Fire!!"
The moment one of them shouted at their flustered comrade, Seo-yeon lunged forward.
"Gasp!!"
She's charging at us?
Normally, one would take cover or retreat upon seeing the opponent's numbers.
Or, at least, fire back to keep them at bay.
Why?
But Seo-yeon kept running, staying low.
Her red pupils were fixed on the three of them.
The setting... what was the setting again?
In this situation, the lines written in the script wouldn't come to mind easily.
It wasn't just simple dialogue; how were they supposed to remember who had what superpower?
Bang! Bang!
Instead of the comrade who had frozen in panic, another fired a succession of rounds.
Seo-yeon raised her left arm and deflected them.
"!!"
Normally, the moment you were hit by a paintball, you wouldn't be able to use that arm.
If this was acting, that's how it had to be.
But Seo-yeon was a regenerator.
Her weakness was her heart; conversely, it didn't matter where else she was hit.
I should have picked regeneration too!
Most actors had chosen physical enhancement, and the rest were mostly easily imaginable powers like telekinesis or pyrokinesis.
However, the latter would be difficult to portray properly without CG.
But with regeneration...
"Act."
Suddenly, Seo-yeon's face was inches away from his panicked expression.
Her voice was a whisper, barely audible.
"You have to, right?"
He hadn't even realized she had gotten this close.
Before he could even scream in surprise.
Seo-yeon's right hand, holding the gun, moved.
The muzzle pressed against his clothes, right where the protective gear was.
Bang!
A cheerful sound rang out as the paintball slammed into his chest.
Before he could even try anything, -20 points.
"....!!"
The others couldn't fire because Seo-yeon was pressed so tightly against their comrade's body.
Meanwhile, Seo-yeon didn't move easily, using the man as a shield.
She could have just shot from a distance.
Seeing Seo-yeon's reaction, the other two actors belatedly realized the reason.
Wait, is she unable to do long-range combat?
Looking at Seo-yeon's physical abilities, there was no way she couldn't.
But the fact that she didn't meant...
That's her 'setting.'
The character Seo-yeon had created was terrible at long-range shooting, a constraint that forced her into close quarters.
She had explained that entire concept with this one scene.
A character who possesses regeneration but insists on melee combat.
She was clearly demonstrating both strengths and weaknesses.
"Aren't you going to keep coming?"
Seo-yeon's voice was chilling.
Furthermore, her emotionless eyes were reminiscent of Cha Seo-ah.
The corners of her mouth curled up into a smirk.
Acting.
Just when had the acting started?
The actors felt goosebumps erupt on their skin.
No, wait, are those the movements of a normal person in the first place?
She's the one who looks like she has physical enhancement!
All three of them had chosen physical enhancement as their ability.
They thought it would be easier when performing action scenes.
But looking at Seo-yeon in front of them, they couldn't bring themselves to say that.
They even started to feel like mere extras.
"Gah!!"
One of them lunged forward, signaling with his eyes.
He would draw Seo-yeon's attention while the other took the shot.
Even with regeneration, her left arm shouldn't have healed yet.
That was his thought.
But the moment he took a step forward.
"?"
Seo-yeon was gone.
As he slowly turned his head to see where she went—
Poke.
A muzzle touched his side.
The moment the two startled actors turned their guns toward Seo-yeon.
Rat-tat-tat!!!
Three gunshots rang out in succession.
*
The scores were displayed on the electronic board.
Ju Seo-yeon: 13 points.
As the score climbed with a cheerful sound, everyone's eyes turned to the board.
Among them was Min Do-ha, who had been watching the fight between the four.
"...."
He had intended to intervene if an opportunity arose, but the situation was strange.
I mean, how the hell do you dodge paintballs?
Seo-yeon looked at the three fallen actors.
She thought it was a bit bittersweet that the soul-stirring performance these three—who hadn't acted much until now—were giving was a death scene.
Min Do-ha raised her gun toward Seo-yeon.
Now, while she's off guard.
Slowly and quietly.
He pulled the trigger from behind Seo-yeon's back.
Bang!
With that sound, Seo-yeon took a step back.
The paintball hit her left shoulder and splattered.
"Huh?"
He had aimed exactly for the center of her back.
Did she hear the sound and dodge?
"...."
The moment he thought that, Seo-yeon's gaze shifted.
Her red eyes stared directly at Min Do-ha.
The moment he saw them.
Min Do-ha turned around and bolted.