"Did I say something just now? Haha… I think the air is getting to me."
Overwhelmed by the excitement of the moment, Chloe Vance had almost completely exposed the family secret. She secretly glanced at her brother, Leo.
Their parents had always raised them with a strict code of conduct: never use the Vance name to bully others, and always earn your own seat at the table. Chloe could proudly say that their upbringing was excellent, though Leo's path into the "Hollywood Hellraiser" persona had certainly been a detour that tested their father's patience.
"It's fine, Chloe. You can say whatever you want now," Leo said, his voice calm as he steered the Ferrari. He knew that after the legal hammer he'd just dropped on Ava's agency, the secret was going to come out eventually.
"Ava, I want to tell you something," Chloe said, looking a bit sheepish. She felt bad for hiding the truth from her best friend, especially after lying about Leo's identity when they first met.
"What is it? It's okay, you can tell me," Ava replied with a bright smile. Her mood was at an all-time high now that the shadow of Miller Media had vanished.
Chloe took a deep breath. "Actually… Vance Global? The company Miller was so afraid of? That's my family's business. My dad is Arthur Vance."
Ava stared at Chloe, her expression unmoving for a long five seconds. She blinked, then pondered for a moment. "Actually… I had a feeling. Especially when Leo resolved a multi-million dollar contract dispute with a five-minute phone call."
Ava took a sip of water, trying to ground herself. "But hearing you say it out loud… I'm still a bit shocked. My roommate is a billionaire heiress?"
Chloe asked nervously, "You're not angry?"
Ava pretended to be indignant, crossing her arms. "Of course I'm angry! You let me worry about my career while you were sitting on a mountain of gold!"
Leo watched his sister's panicked expression in the rearview mirror and found it amusing. Chloe had grown up in the shadow of their family's prestige and didn't have many genuine friends who didn't want something from her. Ava was clearly the real deal.
"How about this," Ava's tone shifted into a grin. "I'll punish you by making you treat me to the best hotpot in the city tonight!"
"No problem!" Chloe let out a long sigh of relief.
With Ava's legal issues settled, the plan for the Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory movie officially moved into high gear.
That afternoon, Leo contacted Riley. He asked her to coordinate the logistics for the original JJK cast. They needed to assemble at the primary filming base by the next afternoon.
As the actors received the news, whether they were finishing classes at UCLA, on vacation in Europe, or working on brand deals in New York they all dropped everything. Those who were further away booked red-eye flights immediately, determined to be on set for the return of the "Strongest Duo."
Around seven in the evening, Leo, Chloe, and Ava arrived at a high-end hotpot restaurant near the studio. Leo had also called Riley over to join them.
When the group walked in, it didn't take long for the whispers to start. Even though Leo was wearing a mask and a hat, his height and aura were unmistakable. More importantly, The Outcast was currently the biggest show in the country.
Riley Evans, playing Jo, was an absolute national treasure at this point. Even the elderly patrons who usually ignored "teen dramas" were obsessed with the "Hollow Girl."
In the restaurant, a large TV mounted on the wall was currently broadcasting the latest episodes of The Outcast. At one table nearby, a family of five was celebrating a birthday.
"Oh! Isn't that the girl? The one from the mountain!" the grandfather of the family exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "The one who buries people!"
"Jo?" the grandmother next to him said, immediately pinching his ear. "Why are you looking at that young girl so intensely? Are you secretly a fan of vixens?"
"No, no! It's the show the kids watch! Look, she's right there!"
The younger couple at the table followed the grandfather's gaze, but they didn't look at the TV. Their eyes were wide as brass bells, staring directly at Leo's table.
"Oh my god… isn't that Wang Ye?!"
"Holy crap! That's Gojo Satoru sitting right there eating spicy broth!"
The exclamation rippled through the restaurant. Everyone froze, looking back and forth between the screen and the real people. However, out of respect for Leo's reputation as the "Hellraiser," most people kept their distance, though the waitresses were practically fighting each other to be the ones to deliver their side dishes.
"Thank you," Leo said politely to a waitress who was visibly shaking while handing him a plate of tripe. Leo had worked service jobs during his "rebellion" years, and he always treated the staff with genuine courtesy.
Today, the network was airing Episodes 9 and 10, the heart of the Raten Taishou.
On the screen, Asher Reed (Zhang) began his first match.
His opponent, Shan, was a no-show (since the audience knew Jo had buried him in the woods the night before). Asher was declared the winner by default without even throwing a punch.
The stadium on screen erupted in boos, and the title "No-Bilian Asher Reed" (The Shameless Asher) was officially born.
The first half of the episode showcased the brilliant technical combat of the other contestants. Silas's (Zhuge Qing) "Occult Matrix" used the Eight Trigrams in a way that had the audience fascinated by the metaphysical roots of the magic system.
Then, the plot shifted to the darker underbelly of the tournament. A rogue Outcast named Hu was hunting lone contestants, only to be stopped by a "Spirit Medium" from the North, a Shaman who could summon the power of ancient mountain animal spirits.
"Those are the Immortals," the veteran Lu Jin explained on screen. "They sign contracts with humans to lend them their strength."
The audience learned that the entire Raten Taishou was actually a giant trap set by the High Priest (Marcus Thorne). The tournament, the "Origin Qi" prize, and even Asher himself were bait to draw the "All-Saints" cult out of hiding and capture them all in one fell swoop.
Finally, the episode delved into a flashback, revealing the history of the High Priest and his "Sworn Brother," Thomas Reed (Asher's grandfather).
The scene showed a younger version of the High Priest and his friend, Timothy (Tian Jinzhong).
"As long as we can bring Thomas back to the mountain, the High Priest's Mansion can protect him, right?" a young, idealistic Timothy asked.
The previous High Priest spoke with a domineering power: "As long as we bring that scoundrel back to Dragon-Tiger Mountain, no one in this world would dare harm a hair on my disciple's head!"
The two young masters went down the mountain together, separating to search the countryside for their wayward brother. But they didn't expect the tragedy that was waiting for them in the dark…
The restaurant was silent as the flashback played out. People had forgotten their food, their chopsticks suspended in mid-air as they watched the heart-wrenching history of the Reed family.
Leo took a bite of his hotpot, his eyes calm. He knew that the "Healing" was just beginning. Beside him, Ava was staring at the screen, her eyes full of professional envy and awe.
"Teacher Leo," Ava whispered. "The way you structured the transition from Asher's comedy to this ancient tragedy… it's brilliant."
Leo smiled. "Just wait for the movie, Ava. Hidden Inventory is going to make this look like a warm-up."
Chloe cheered, clinking her glass against Leo's. "To the Vance siblings! And to the future of the industry!"
As the "Shameless" Asher Reed's face appeared on the screen again, the entire restaurant erupted in a mix of laughter and groans. Leo Vance sat in the middle of it all, the hidden architect of the nation's joy and sorrow, enjoying his food in peace.