From the initial 'Fate/Zero' auditions, to Dimensional Pictures sending open casting invitations to domestic academies, to Zhuang Yuxin ultimately being selected—
The entire process left the Xia Nation's television industry stunned.
And the more people learned about the details, the more unbelievable it felt.
This was a drama with over 100 million invested.
No insider deals. No nepotism.
Up until Zhuang Yuxin received the invitation, even her plane ticket had been purchased by Dimensional Pictures.
And just like that—
Was she chosen?
Su Yan, are you really that confident in your own popularity that you dare cast a complete newcomer as the female lead of an S-tier production?
[Insane.]
[I heard the old thief hesitated for a long time before finally choosing her.]
[She really is beautiful. A mixed-race actress. But why is he suddenly adding Western fantasy elements to his drama?]
[Isn't that too risky?]
[Wouldn't it have been safer to use his two golden female partners? They already have popularity.]
[Probably a matter of character suitability. How would Shen Liqian or Gu Qingyuan convincingly portray a Western background role?]
[I'm so jealous of this Zhuang Yuxin. A sophomore spotted by the sadist and signed directly by Dimensional Pictures. Her life just started, and she's already airborne.]
[Dimensional Pictures only has Shen Liqian and Gu Qingyuan signed, right? Even the actresses who played Sayaka and Mami Tomoe in 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' weren't signed. And now she becomes the third signed artist? Give it a few years, and she'll be top-tier.]
[Not necessarily. Being mixed-race is both an advantage and a disadvantage. There aren't that many roles in the Xia Nation suited for her.]
[Don't forget Su Yan. If he wants to tailor-make something, that's not a problem.]
[Have you considered this—why wait two years? What if she skyrockets just from 'Fate/Zero'?]
[Skyrocket from one drama?]
[For others, maybe uncertain. For the sadist? Why doubt it? Take 'Tokyo Love Story'—if Shen Liqian had been a newcomer back then, would it not have exploded? The core of his dramas is his script, not the cast. If he dares use her, it means he knows exactly what he's doing.]
[True. Even if Akana Rika had been played by a newcomer, as long as the performance hit that level, it would've gone nationwide.]
[The real question is—what level is 'Fate/Zero'? So many Western-looking actors. Will Xia Nation audiences accept that?]
All Saturday, Zhuang Yuxin's name flooded the industry.
Meanwhile, inside the studio—
Su Yan was on set giving Zhuang Yuxin, a final briefing.
Though everything had happened suddenly, she adapted quickly. Her university arranged her leave immediately. She agreed without hesitation to join the production within three days and undergo action training as required. She also had no objections to the market-rate contract offered by Su Yan.
Saber was undeniably a popular character.
But Su Yan wouldn't pay her the standard salary of an S-tier drama female lead.
She was a newcomer.
He wasn't hiring her to boost the drama's traffic—
She was riding his drama's traffic to become famous.
Of course, once 'Fate/Zero' aired and Saber became popular, endorsement deals and IP collaboration profits would largely belong to Dimensional Pictures. However, as the performer, she would still receive a significant share.
In this regard, Su Yan wasn't stingy.
He had seen too many companies mishandle profit distribution and spark conflicts with actors. Yes, the Fate series was his creation—but he wouldn't downplay the performer's contribution to shaping the character.
"At the very least," Su Yan said seriously, handing her a stack of materials he had compiled on King Arthur, Artoria, and the knightly legends from his previous life, "if you can understand this role as deeply as Shen Liqian understood Akana Rika—then with Artoria alone, you can live off the dividends for a lifetime."
"In your free time, study these carefully. If you have any questions—any questions—you can contact me anytime."
"I won't be annoyed. I won't think you're disturbing me."
"Understood," Zhuang Yuxin replied in fluent Xia Nation language.
Her hair carried a faint golden hue like Artoria's, her skin pale as jade, her pupils a light blue.
Though she looked Western, she had grown up in the Xia Nation. Her ID was Xia Nation.
And now—
She felt the pressure.
There had been rumors among her classmates. Some whispered that she must have been "chosen" by Su Yan for ulterior reasons. Others sourly implied she had seduced him.
Jealousy was human nature.
But the truth—
Su Yan had chosen her purely for her image.
She would never forget the look on his face when she first put on the blue knight armor costume and held the prop greatsword.
The brief moment he froze.
And then, without hesitation, he had asked:
"Would you be willing to become the third signed actress under my company?"
That feeling of affirmation—
Of opportunity descending from the sky—
Perhaps her entire twenty years of life had unknowingly been waiting for that moment.
Well…
It wasn't like she had worked that hard.
But luck—
It was also a form of strength.
"Perform well. You will become famous," Su Yan said with a final smile before leaving the office arranged for her.
On Saturday, the television industry buzzed with Zhuang Yuxin's news.
But by Sunday—
All attention was swallowed by 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'.
Su Yan's cryptic comment from the previous week—
[Over the next two weeks, welcome the descent of "the devil."]
—had thoroughly baited the fans.
At 7 p.m., Zhongxia TV's ratings began climbing sharply.
Su Yan's fanbase was ready.
Chu Ming absentmindedly browsed the latest news about Su Yan on his computer.
Besides the finalized 'Fate/Zero' casting—
The supporting cast announcements for the 'Rurouni Kenshin' movie were also trending.
Rumors claimed the film was scheduled for a spring release next year.
And supposedly—
It would continue the story after Yukishiro Tomoe's death.
Several anonymous accounts online, claiming connections to Su Yan's crew, leaked these tidbits.
They didn't dare spoil plot details—but minor information circulated freely.
Soon, it was 8 p.m.
The new opening of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' began.
The story resumed from last week's ending.
Inside Mami Tomoe's home, she warmly hosted the magical girls.
Meanwhile, Homura Akemi secretly used her time magic to capture the witch Bebe.
Yes.
I knew something was off about that Dessert Witch.
No matter how the timeline changed, how could Mami live peacefully with a witch that once bit her head off?
Although—
Chu Ming felt his heart melt a little.
"This Dessert Witch is so cute! When she's not eating people, she's even cuter than Kyubey."
But the moment he thought of Kyubey—
He snapped back to reality.
Homura, with her memories restored, dragged Bebe to an abandoned construction site.
And then—
She stopped pretending.
She beat Bebe mercilessly.
That's a bit… violent, isn't it?
Chu Ming felt slightly uncomfortable watching.
And then—
The turning point arrived.
A bright yellow ribbon suddenly appeared around Homura's ankle.
Mami Tomoe had tied it there at some unknown moment.
Homura's time magic didn't affect anyone she was physically connected to.
As long as the ribbon remained wrapped around her—
Her time stop wouldn't work on Mami.
"I intended to understand everything before revealing myself. But I couldn't just stand by and let you continue bullying Bebe."
Mami spoke calmly.
?
Chu Ming frowned.
["That tone… isn't right. Does Mami think she can beat Homura?"]
After all, in Episode 2, Mami had been carelessly ambushed and killed by the Dessert Witch. Then the same witch had been effortlessly defeated by Homura.
It naturally created a power hierarchy in viewers' minds:
Homura > Dessert Witch > Mami.
But in the original setting of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'—
Mami Tomoe was actually among the strongest magical girls.
Her weakness was her mentality.
Her external battle record was poor.
But in internal battles—
She was flawless.
Among fans in Su Yan's previous life, Mami was jokingly known as the "Queen of Civil Wars."
And tonight—
In 'Rebellion Story', the time-stop gunfight between Homura and Mami—
It was the most spectacular battle of the entire work.
Before this—
Chu Ming couldn't imagine how two people could fight within frozen time.
Now—
He was completely stunned.
Dazzling barrages of bullets.
Homura's arsenal versus Mami's magic.
Hundreds—thousands—of bullets suspended midair.
White shockwave arcs tracing through space.
From rooftop to ground.
From ground to sky.
Minutes of continuous combat.
A peak duel between two beautiful girls.
["Mami was this strong?"] Chu Ming blinked.
This battle scene completely erased his previous impression of her as weak.
And—
It was unbelievably cool.
So this—
Was it a magical girl battle?
The budget must have exploded.