For Advance/Early Chapters:
patreon.com/Shadownarch_
"Too… too wonderful!"
On the screen, Doghead cupped his face in his hands, his eyes wide and shimmering with a mix of academic fervor and drunken awe. "Unlike the exaggerated and deliberate designs of today's modern magic, these runes are full of classicism! It's a unique, simple, and mysterious beauty!
It wasn't just him. At this moment, all the surrounding companions at the bonfire were cheering for the drunk, swaying Asher Reed.
"Golden Light within my body, covering and protecting me!" Asher's character roared, stimulated by the crowd's welcome. The golden dragon manifested in the VFX glowed even brighter, roaring toward the moon from time to time.
"Aren't I generous enough to let you all watch the 'birds,' I, Asher Reed?!"
Just as Asher was acting like a total drunken idiot on screen, the camera cut to a nearby balcony. Xander, who had originally intended to approach Asher and apologize for his earlier coldness, watched this embarrassing scene with a dark, freezing expression. He felt utterly speechless.
"The High Priest was wrong," Xander thought, his grip tightening on the stone railing. "He really shouldn't have allowed this idiot… to ever enter the gates of Dragon-Tiger Mountain!"
Starlight Management Headquarters.
"Holy crap! Asher Reed is awesome!"
Julian Cross stood up in the agency's lounge, paying his highest masculine respects to Asher's actions on screen. However, this respect was mixed with a heavy hint of envy, jealousy, and a touch of hatred.
Asher Reed… is he really that big? Julian wondered, looking down at his own lap with a sense of sudden inadequacy.
"Hahahaha! I'm dying of laughter!" Della Rose laughed without any regard for her "Global Goddess" image. She was sprawled over her velvet chair, waving her hand frantically at the screen. "This screenwriter is too good at playing around! Asher Reed's current character setting is definitely unique in the history of the industry!"
Maya West also covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "Exactly. In a sense, isn't this also the 'ceiling' for a male protagonist's character setting? He's reached the peak of being a scoundrel."
Although Natalie G. was also laughing, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She sat up straight, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Hey! What do you guys think… Is there a possibility that Asher is acting this way to hide himself?"
"After all," Natalie continued, "Asher Reed's Origin Qi is coveted by every faction because they fear he might threaten them in the future. If he acts like a total, shameless idiot, he lowers everyone's guard. It's the ultimate disguise."
Della Rose shook her head, leaning back. "Natalie, you're overthinking it. Asher's character seems to be growth-oriented. He's just a brat. How could his thoughts be so profound? To act like this just to hide? That would take a terrifying amount of resolve."
Maya West also agreed, "Exactly. Even if he were to act like an idiot, it wouldn't be to this extreme, right? He literally summoned a golden dragon to his crotch. That's a one-way ticket to social suicide."
Upper East Side. The Vance Estate.
"Damn it! This kid is too bold, isn't he?" Arthur Vance grumbled, adjusting his glasses. "NBN actually let this air on a national network? Where is the FCC? Where is the decency?!"
Despite his complaints, Arthur's eyes never left the TV for half a second. He was leaning so far forward he was nearly touching the screen.
Catherine Vance interjected with a smirk, "Hahaha! Leo really knows how to play the crowd. It reminds me of your style back in the day, Arthur."
"Speak properly! What do you mean 'my style back in the day'?" Arthur feigned a cough, secretly glancing at his daughter, Lauren Vance, who was sitting beside him. He looked embarrassed. "Can some things be spoken carelessly in front of the children?"
At this moment, Lauren wasn't paying much attention to her parents' bickering. Instead, she was staring at the golden dragon VFX on the screen.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Her younger brother's creativity, his boldness, and his directing ability… she was truly impressed. He was too good at playing with the audience's expectations. And with just such a "casual" comedic scene, he had secured first place in the NAC tournament and a prime-time slot on NBN 1.
She remembered that she had also submitted several high-budget projects for that competition. In the end, only one of her projects, a high-end period drama got third place. She thought her taste was impeccable, but how exactly did Leo get first place?
Just by relying on a sparkling golden dragon? Lauren wondered. Wait… Leo didn't 'sell' himself to the judges, did he?
If Leo knew his elder sister's thoughts, he would probably spit blood. This was a special effect produced with the high-tech power of the system, perfectly combining realism and cinematic flair.
"Mountain Retreat" Set.
As Asher Reed's mindset in the real world shifted into "Sage Mode," a calm, peaceful smile returned to his face.
But Director Lee was still as "insane" as ever. Seeing Asher's bizarrely calm reaction, he had the cameraman aim the live broadcast lens directly at Asher's face.
The audience watching the variety show was surprised. Asher Reed wasn't crying or hiding. He was smiling so calmly and composedly it was eerie. Some viewers even began to suspect that Asher had finally snapped and gone insane.
[Hahaha! Director Lee, you sure know how to play! Poor Asher, my condolences!]
[If the director had aimed the camera at the 'original' dragon, it would have been a decisive blow!]
[What's going on? Why is Asher smiling like that? Has the trauma turned him into a saint?]
[When Asher is old, surrounded by his grandkids, and they ask: 'Grandpa, is there really a golden dragon hidden in your pants?' How will he even explain the NBN broadcast?]
[I have a great idea! I'm going to cosplay as 'Asher's Golden Dragon'. I'll just wear a gold dragon suit and stand near the bathroom. Perfect.]
[666 brother! Call me when you do, I'll be your official photographer!]
Hotpot Restaurant.
"Pfft!"
Riley Evans almost spat out a piece of beef. Because her scenes with Asher were filmed separately, she hadn't been on set for the "Bird Stroll." Seeing the final product now, with the "Golden Dragon" roaring across the screen, she couldn't stop the laughter from spilling over.
It wasn't just her. Everyone in the entire restaurant was looking at the TV screen, grins plastered on their faces.
"Who was it?!" a college student shouted from a middle table. "Who just said that if Asher Reed showed his 'bird,' they'd drink this boiling 100-degree hotpot broth?! Step forward!"
"Yeah! Someone definitely said it! Don't hide!"
A boy at the corner table looked nervous, pretending to be very interested in his noodles. "Uh? Did I say that? That was just what I said ten minutes ago. What does that have to do with me ten minutes later? I'm a different person now."
"Damn it! You little brat, are you trying to play 'Metaphysics' with me just to save your stomach? Drink up!"
Just as the customers were debating and Leo's group had eaten their fill, Leo noticed something alarming.
The number of customers outside the restaurant was growing exponentially. A long queue had formed, stretching directly across the road and surrounding the entire block. It was becoming a security hazard.
What Leo didn't know was that several patrons had already secretly posted videos of him, Riley, and the Vance siblings eating together online. Currently, the top trending searches were:
#AsherReedBirdStroll
#GojoAndJoHotpotDate
#TheGoldenDragonReveal
Leo didn't pay much attention to the noise. He finished his meal, enjoying the fact that the "Bird Stroll" had landed exactly as he intended.
In truth, it wasn't that Leo didn't want Asher to appear "authentically" on screen. It was just that, during the wardrobe check, he'd noticed Asher's... "natural assets" were a bit too modest for a legendary protagonist. It would have been embarrassing to film and even more embarrassing for Asher to see.
Now, with this million-dollar "Golden Dragon" VFX covering him, Leo estimated that Asher Reed would eventually have to send him a massive thank-you note. He hadn't just directed a scene; he had saved a man's reputation for life.
Leo wiped his mouth, stood up, and looked at his team. "Alright, the check is paid. Let's get out of here before the fans start a riot. We have a movie to film tomorrow."