Cassius looked at the simulated duct space, his mind replaying the camera tricks and the mechanics of force he had learned from Brother Qiang and the stunt team.
He hesitated, then spoke up: "Mike, maybe we don't need such a complicated turn?"
Mike looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Cassius walked into the marked area and started gesturing.
"Like, if the guy lunges at me like this, I don't need to dodge completely. I can just block hard with my forearm, use the duct wall to bounce back, and throw a knee at the same time."
"Small movement, but on camera, it'll look explosive!"
He mimed the action as he spoke. The movement was compact, but his core was tight, radiating intensity.
Mike watched, his eyes slowly lighting up. "Interesting. Go on!"
Encouraged, Cassius spoke more smoothly.
"Because the ceiling is low, when we grapple on the ground, we can use more elbow strikes and close-range joint locks. It looks more realistic and fits the environment better."
He demonstrated a move using leverage to lock an opponent's arm in a confined space.
This was something he had absorbed and digested from the grappling expert on the set.
Mike rubbed his chin, thinking seriously.
He had Cassius and Tyson try it out based on this concept a few times.
The result was surprisingly good.
The movements not only fit the narrow setting but also looked incredibly gritty and tense on camera.
"Good! Very good!"
Mike slapped Cassius on the shoulder, his face full of undisguised appreciation.
"Cass, you're fighting with your brain now! Not just mimicking. You understand the logic of the action! That is fcking progress!"
Just as Mike was hyper-focused and excited about finding the solution, a green orb dropped from him.
[Rhythm Attribute: Spatial Awareness +2]
Cassius absorbed it instantly!
He felt his understanding of the relationship between movement and environment deepen another layer.
Tyson looked at Cassius with new respect too.
"Hey, bro, that stuff you just said was pro. You sure you only studied with stunt guys for a few days?"
Cassius laughed.
"Maybe I'm just good at getting beat up, so I know what hurts the most?"
Everyone laughed.
The rest of the shoot went much smoother.
Cassius was no longer just an executor. He started discussing the rationality of moves with Mike, offering his own tweaks.
Some ideas were green, but others genuinely brought a fresh angle to the choreography.
Mike was happy to discuss things with him. During breaks, the two often stood around gesturing with props for ages.
When shooting a high-difficulty breakfall, thanks to his advanced anticipation and precise force dissipation, Cassius nailed it beautifully. One take!
After the director yelled "Cut," several crew members spontaneously applauded.
Cassius noticed that the camera operator, who had been laser-focused on framing that perfect moment, dropped a blue orb.
[Rhythm Attribute: Timing +3]
Absorb!
This gave him a new insight into syncing action with camera movement and editing beats.
At wrap, Mike said to Cassius, "Cass, keep this up. You have potential. Not just as an action actor—you're showing signs of being a fight choreographer!"
"If you get the chance, you should develop that side of things!"
Cassius knew this was high praise.
"Thanks, Mike. I learned a lot from you."
"You put in the work yourself!"
Mike waved his hand.
On the ride back to the motel, Cassius reviewed the day's experience.
From passively mimicking to participating in discussions and offering valid suggestions—this growth was tangible.
The attribute panel boost was the foundation, but synthesizing those attributes into his own understanding was the key!
The production had put them up in a motel near the industrial zone.
It was bare-bones, but cheap and close to the set.
The production rented out two floors, housing most of the main cast and crew.
Cassius showered, washing off the exhaustion, and collapsed onto the uncomfortable bed, carrying today's harvest of attributes.
His phone screen lit up with a string of messages from Lee So-yeon.
Oppa! How's the action movie going? Did you get beat up badly?
I tried making Stir-fried Pork with Peppers in the oven today. The smoke alarm went off...
Landlady came up and scolded me. Said too much grease smoke...
Cassius's mouth twitched as he read the messages. He replied:
Still alive! Give up on the oven. That's blasphemy against Stir-fried Pork.
Just as he put down his phone to sleep, there was a knock on the door.
Cassius frowned. He checked the time. Almost midnight.
Who would come looking for him at this hour?
Mike or Tyson?
He pulled on a T-shirt and shorts, walked to the door, but didn't open it immediately. He asked through the wood:
"Who is it?"
A young, slightly sugary female voice came from outside. "Hey, Cass? It's me, Jessica."
Jessica?
Cassius searched his memory quickly.
Right, a blonde extra on the crew. Played a bar patron or a victim or something.
Sweet face, hot body, very active on set.
Rumor had it she was "well-connected." Privately, some crew members called her the "Set Lubricant" or the "Public Bus."
Anyone could get a ride!
Cassius's internal alarm bells rang.
He didn't want this kind of trouble.
"What's up? Jessica, it's late."
"My shower seems to be broken. Can I borrow yours?"
The voice outside sounded aggrieved and helpless.
Cassius was speechless.
Even Hollywood screenwriters were too lazy to use such a cliché excuse.
"Not really convenient, Jessica. You can go to the front desk."
Silence outside for a moment. Then, the doorknob jiggled gently from the outside.
Luckily, Cassius had habitually locked the deadbolt.
Jessica's voice got closer, practically pressed against the crack of the door.
"Please, Cass. Just for a bit! Besides, I see you're alone. Maybe we can talk about the script? I know a few casting directors, maybe I can introduce you..."
Just for a bit?
Who are you kidding?
Cassius knew he couldn't hide forever, so he abruptly yanked the door open.
Jessica clearly didn't expect him to open it so suddenly. She leaned forward slightly.
She was wearing a flimsy slip dress, blonde hair loose, makeup carefully applied. She was holding an empty ice bucket as a prop.
Seeing Cassius open the door, she immediately flashed what she thought was a charming smile and leaned her body toward him.
"Whoa!"
Cassius reacted fast. He took half a step back and extended his hand to block the doorframe, effectively stopping her advance.
"Stop! Jessica, we can talk right here."
Jessica missed her mark. A flash of surprise crossed her face, but she quickly adjusted her expression, looking at Cassius with misty eyes.
"What's wrong, Cass? Aren't you going to invite me in? It's so cold out here..."
As she spoke, she hugged her arms deliberately, letting a strap of her slip slide down.