Chapter 193
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: Hollywood's Arrival
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A heavy silence descended upon the set.
Those who knew beforehand and those who didn't all stared with blank faces at the three Hollywood stars who had appeared out of nowhere. Seeing their expressions, the actors shared a small laugh.
“Were we like that too?”
“Yes.”
At Lee Dajin’s question, Seojun smiled and nodded. It seemed the surprise had been a success.
Lee Seojun, Evan Block, Richel Hill, Kim Jongho, Lee Jiseok, Park Dohun, and Lee Dajin.
The seven actors seemed to radiate light just by standing there. The director of photography swallowed hard and moved the camera, determined to capture the best possible shot.
“Welcome.”
Director Choi Daeman greeted the actors. Though they had met yesterday, seeing them on set felt completely different. It was finally sinking in that he would actually be filming with these actors.
“Director Choi. We’re in your hands today.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”
After Evan and Richel exchanged greetings with Director Choi, he introduced them to the head of Plus+ Korea and CEO Lee Hansol of the production company, Movie Dream. Both men were so overwhelmed they could barely speak.
“Looks like we’re getting sidelined here.”
“Well, if it’s Richel and Evan, I’d probably do the same.”
Park Dohun laughed at Lee Jiseok’s remark.
Realizing his oversight, Director Choi Daeman quickly introduced Lee Jiseok and Park Dohun to the crew.
“Actor Lee Jiseok and Actor Park Dohun will also be making cameo appearances.”
“We look forward to working with you.”
“Please take care of us.”
Just as the staff had begun to think the two actors were only there to see Kim Jongho and Lee Seojun, the news of their cameos sent another shockwave through the set.
‘Is this movie for real?’
As if having Lee Seojun, Kim Jongho, and Lee Dajin as the leads wasn't enough, the cast now included the incredible talents of Evan Block, Richel Hill, Lee Jiseok, and Park Dohun. It was a situation they had never even imagined, and some people pinched their cheeks to see if they were dreaming.
The leader of the Bon Breaking Dance Team, who was seeing Korean actors for the first time, was now face-to-face with Hollywood stars and still looked completely dazed. The martial arts director, who had discussed the zombies' movements with him during pre-production, was also at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, Evan Block and Richel Hill were greeting people they knew.
“Evan! Richel! What are you two doing here?”
“It’s been a while, Jenna. I never imagined I’d see you here.”
Evan Block’s words made Jenna Tried and her Mirror Team burst into laughter.
“I should be the one saying that. My goodness. Are you appearing in a Korean movie? A cameo?”
“Thanks to Jun, I got to see a great script.”
Richel Hill said with a smile. Jenna Tried’s eyes sparkled.
“Me too!”
“Pardon?”
“I came to see Seojun Lee, too. And make some money on the side.”
“Me?”
Seojun, who was standing next to Evan Block and Richel Hill, tilted his head in confusion.
“Yes! I saw your werewolf transformation.”
Seojun and the others who understood English tilted their heads at Jenna Tried’s words.
“My god. I never thought you could create such an atmosphere with such shabby makeup.”
“Shabby…”
Heesang would have been heartbroken to hear that. But thinking about it, from a special effects makeup artist’s perspective, it probably did look shabby.
‘It wasn’t even proper makeup applied on the day; it was just a hoodie with wolf ears.’
“That’s why I’ve been dying to do your makeup. You, Jun.”
“As a werewolf?”
“Anything would be great. A werewolf, a zombie, any other creature. I feel like you could express it beyond anything I could ever imagine.”
Well now.
That was a sentiment Seojun wholeheartedly agreed with. He smiled, looking at the red-haired Jenna Tried, whose eyes were shining.
“But there’s no scene where I turn into a zombie in this movie.”
“...That is the problem, isn’t it? Well, if not this time, please be sure to call me and the Mirror Team for your next movie if there are any makeup scenes.”
“Yes. I will.”
The head of Plus+ Korea stroked his chin. It seemed there was another reason why Jenna Tried and the Mirror Team, who had been reluctant despite the generous offer, had decided to join the project.
‘It’s surprising that the reason is Seojun Lee.’
It felt like this movie, *Escape*, was revolving around Lee Seojun.
* * *
The staff moved about busily, preparing for the shoot. Now that they realized this wasn't just a ‘rehearsal,’ they were working with a level of focus they hadn't shown just moments before.
“Are we really filming with Hollywood actors?”
“Wow. I never imagined something like this…”
“Me neither.”
The excited staff moved with a noticeable lightness in their step. Some froze whenever Evan Block or Richel Hill’s gazes fell on them, while others subtly tried to hide behind the set pieces. Yet, their eyes never left the two actors.
"Wow. Even Richel Hill is speaking Korean."
"Evan Block is surprisingly good too. He sounds like a native Korean."
The staff’s excitement was palpable, as if they were about to announce the actors' appearances to the world, prompting Director Choi Daeman to issue another reminder.
“I must insist that you keep the appearances of Evan Block and Richel Hill, as well as Lee Seojun, Lee Jiseok, and Park Dohun, strictly confidential. Not even to family or friends.”
Seojun found it all rather amusing.
‘It was like this when we filmed *The Evil Spirit*, too…’
Back then, his appearance had also been kept a secret until the reveal. The trailer for *The Evil Spirit*, which mirrored the post-credits scene of *Shadowman 2*, had become a huge topic of discussion.
“Come to think of it, it was the same back then, wasn't it?”
It seemed Lee Jiseok had been thinking the exact same thing. As Evan and Richel showed interest, Lee Jiseok and Seojun recounted the story. Kim Jongho, Park Dohun, and Lee Dajin also listened with fascinated expressions.
* * *
“We’ll begin filming!”
Assistant Director Park Jaemin’s voice was unusually powerful today. The shoot they thought was a ‘rehearsal’ had turned into something more critical than the main production. The directors focused with an intensity they wondered if they had ever summoned before in their careers.
Filming with Hollywood actors.
This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The staff and directors all held their breath, their eyes fixed on the set. The two Hollywood actors standing on it felt strangely distant, as if a large pane of glass separated them from the crew, despite being right there.
“Doesn’t it feel like we’re watching an American TV show?”
“I know, right? Or a Hollywood movie.”
The situation felt so surreal that such thoughts began to surface.
The other actors and staff watched with sparkling eyes as the two stars did a final check of their scripts.
The seated actors watched without blinking, captivated by the two who commanded the space simply by standing there.
To see Hollywood actors perform in person—they were curious about what their acting would be like.
Evan Block and Richel Hill handed their scripts to their managers and gave the signal.
The noise on set died down. As everyone watched in silent anticipation, Director Choi Daeman shouted.
“Ready, action!”
Amidst multiple computers and high stacks of paper, a woman with long blonde hair tied back messily and wearing a white lab coat read through the papers in her hand, her face pale. No matter how many times she read them, the words on the page didn't change.
“This is insane! Insane!”
Professor Maria frantically rummaged through the piled-up papers. She felt as if she might faint at any moment, but she couldn't afford to.
“This is…!”
She read one document, then another. The papers she had researched and written, mixed with documents that had been included by someone's mistake, all pointed to one thing.
“Professor Maria.”
As Professor Maria was muttering, “It can’t be,” and poring over the documents, a man with a relaxed expression called out to her.
Maria glared fiercely at Samuel, who stood in the doorway. Blinking his blue eyes a couple of times at her sharp gaze, Samuel smiled and knocked on the wide-open door.
“Ah, I forgot to knock.”
“Samuel! Is this true?!”
“Hmm. What do you mean by ‘this’?”
Samuel, in his crisp suit with his hair neatly slicked back, and Professor Maria, in her white coat with her disheveled blonde hair loosely tied, stared at each other.
“This… this research!”
Professor Maria stammered, as if the words themselves sent a shiver down her spine.
“Ah, the research.”
“Didn’t you say we were finding a way to completely kill X?! This… this is something else entirely!”
As if he knew nothing, Samuel blinked a few times. He surveyed the chaotic lab and stroked his chin.
The other actors, knowing that every single one of those movements was part of ‘Evan Block’s Analysis,’ watched with shining eyes.
“As expected. You’re too brilliant, Professor. We were right to entrust this to you. I’ll have to give the headhunter a bigger bonus.”
“Samuel! This is no time for jokes…!”
“I’m not joking, Professor.”
Samuel, who hadn't lost his smile since entering the lab, let a hint of coldness slip through for the first time. Professor Maria flinched at his frigid tone.
“Professor Maria. What do you think people who have money, power, and fame lack? What do you think they fear the most?”
“...!”
Samuel’s words made Maria’s eyes widen. She, too, had realized the answer. Samuel smiled again and continued.
“That’s right. Youth. Or rather, living forever, evading death.”
“...You’re insane!”
“One day, a strange creature appeared. A thing that kept moving no matter how many times you killed it. A zombie that infects the living through its saliva.”
Samuel picked up a paper from the floor as he spoke. *Tsk, tsk. Such a precious thing.*
“Well, that sounds too much like a comic book, so let’s call it X.”
The paper Samuel picked up contained a detailed analysis of Virus X.
It was data that Samuel, who had no connection to research or science, couldn't comprehend, but all he had to do was pass it on to the other team.
“The appearance of X turned the scientific community upside down. They analyzed and researched to eliminate Virus X. Then one day, a scientist came up with an unexpected idea, and the people funding the research listened.”
Professor Maria remembered that mad scientist’s proposal. She spat out the word.
“...Eternal life.”
“Yes. Eternal life. They thought they could find the secret by studying Virus X, which couldn't be killed. Well, even if not eternal life, they thought its tenacious life force could provide clues for life extension.”
Samuel shrugged.
“We never dreamed such a good business opportunity would present itself.”
Slowly circling the large table, Samuel carefully collected each piece of paper. The way he cherished them, despite his face clearly showing he didn't understand the contents, looked truly bizarre.
Professor Maria shouted.
“That’s impossible! You call that a life force?! It’s just a corpse moving because of Virus X!”
Maria thought of her brother, who had been infected with Virus X. He had gone to investigate the site where X was first discovered, only to get infected and be reduced to a test subject. She had joined this experiment to bring him peace…! To think her analysis was being used like this! If it weren't for the misdelivered documents, she would never have known.
And with her anger came fear.
Her brother had been a soldier. There was no way those in power didn't know about his case. The Department of Defense, and even higher-ups, surely knew about the emergence of Virus X. The fact that everything was so quiet meant they all shared a similar line of thinking to this man.
They believed that current technology was sufficient to handle Virus X and any mutations that might arise from it.
‘That’s impossible…!’
Professor Maria glared at Samuel and the people behind him, her gaze piercing.
“Professor Maria. Such people… no,”
*‘Hope’ is too clean a word for something this sordid.* Samuel smiled as he gathered the papers from the floor.
“They bet vast sums of money on even the slightest possibility.”
Samuel paused for a moment, then smiled as he tapped the collected papers on the table to neaten them, saying, “I’m not sure about the order of these.”
“And we at O.W.C. do our best to make such possibilities a reality. Of course, the costs are a bit high.”
Samuel placed the neatly stacked papers in front of Professor Maria.
Maria stared at the organized stack. The papers, which had been jumbled together in a chaotic mess, now seemed to represent Samuel and O.W.C.'s current understanding of Virus X, and she couldn't help but bite her lip.
“You, Professor, just need to focus on researching a vaccine to eliminate Virus X for your brother's sake. There’s a separate team that will analyze your data to create new substances.”
Unlike her, who had been conducting experiments with donated corpses and several X specimens, the thought of what ‘that team’ might have done with her research data sent a chill down her spine. Maria couldn't help but squeeze her eyes shut.
Samuel gave a slight bow and started walking toward the entrance, then turned back.
“Ah, I came here to say this… I almost forgot.”
A gentle smile on his face, Samuel continued.
“A new type of X has been discovered in South Korea. We’ll be heading there, and I hope you will accompany us, Professor. We have a hospital and research facility owned by our company, so you’ll be able to continue your research in Korea without any issues.”
Like a hunter refusing to let go of prey that had stepped into a quagmire where only money mattered, Samuel’s blue eyes glinted savagely.
#