【What does this mean? Director Lin, please don't tell me Shen Jue is dead.】

【One second I was grinning like an idiot, the next I was dumbfounded. Come on, Director of 'thief catcher', what do you mean by this? What's with those two blood-stained Bone-Cleaving Knives? Don't tell me Shen Jue died and his body was never found.】

【A bit of trivia: many parts of the desert have quicksand that can swallow people. Once you fall, it's very likely your remains will never be found.】

【Hahaha, stop stabbing us in the heart! If Director Lin dares to do this, I'll grab a knife and camp outside his house!】

After watching the trailer for 'the thief catcher 2', there was no doubt that the long-awaiting veteran audience members immediately exploded.

In order to be released in theaters, the story of 'the thief catcher 2' didn't actually have that much connection to 'thief catcher 1'. Aside from the same protagonist and background, this new storyline had no difficulty or barrier for even new viewers to follow.

However, the first batch of viewers to arrive had basically all seen 'thief catcher'. After all, 'thief catcher' was considered a popular big movie on the platform. It wasn't very expensive when it first launched, and it had been recommended through clips on various short video platforms. Plus, it later participated in short-term free viewing and VIP free viewing events, so its audience base was massive.

So, even if some people couldn't remember much of the first film's plot, as soon as they saw Jiang Rushuai and Shen Jue's handling of the Bone-Cleaving Knife, these veteran viewers would inevitably brush back their hair and exclaim, 'Ah, I remember! I remember everything!'

Shen Jue was simply too distinctive. How many people had been stunned by Xiao He's realistic De-boning Knife Technique back then?

Thus, when they saw in the trailer that the Penglai Inn where Shen Jue and the proprietress stayed was burned down, and Shen Jue was suspected dead with no body found, those viewers who sincerely loved Shen Jue were deeply enraged.

Oh, wait—they were already starting to feel the 'knife' in their hearts in advance.

And most importantly, who was the most popular person in the 'thief catcher' series right now?

That would definitely be Xiao He!

Naturally, even more fans were being'stabbed' by the plot!

【If Shen Jue dies in 'the thief catcher 2', my youth is truly over.】

【Director Lin, say something! Say something quickly! Don't leave us hanging!】

【Director Lin, I'm begging you. You only edited it this way for promotion, right? Actually, Shen Jue and Jiang Rushuai are both fine, the Penglai Inn is okay, and everyone goes back happily in the end, right? I'm begging you, tell me!】

【Oh no, could it be that Xiao He is too famous and expensive now, so the Film Crew is planning to give Shen Jue a reasonable 'bento' so he can fake his death and not participate in future sequels?】

【No, I won't allow it! I'm still waiting for 'thief catcher 3'!】

【So why release the trailer so early? Why can't we just wake up and have it be May Day? I'm really angry!】

While the fact that 'the thief catcher 2' was hitting the theaters was a happy occasion for the veteran audience and other fans, they couldn't feel happy right now.

Even though this trailer still featured the familiar Wuxia combat, added many new characters from the old Wuxia world, and the overall plot maintained the style of the first film—being sufficiently hot-blooded and satisfying.

Yet, the first thing to climb the trending searches was the news: 【Shen Jue, No Body Found】.

-

After watching the trailer and reading the netizens' discussions on the trending searches, Xiao He really broke into a cold sweat for Director Lin.

As a performer, looking at it from a God's perspective, he naturally knew that Shen Jue didn't die in the end. Those ambiguous shots were just Director Lin's little editing tricks for the trailer. But everyone else had no idea!

And netizens seemed really good at self-convincing and using their imaginations to'stab' themselves.

Even though nothing was confirmed yet and no actual death scene for Shen Jue was shown, they had already brainstormed a 'no body found' plotline—and now the related comments sections were exploding with people wailing and crying.

Xiao He:...Although this move risks getting literal razor blades sent in the mail, it's incredibly effective!

Hadn't he already occupied several trending search spots in one go?

Uh, it's just that I seem to be a bit... dead...

Xiao He really admired Director Lin's imagination.

He opened his own account again, and as expected, it was very lively. Many people had come to his comment section to ask him about 'the thief catcher 2'.

Unfortunately, Xiao He obviously wouldn't tell them the truth right now.

So he could only leave them howling helplessly in the comments.

Xiao He expressed regret at being unable to help, and likewise reposted the promotional poster for 'the thief catcher 2', welcoming everyone to watch it together on May Day.

Director Lin, who had a very fast internet speed, immediately arrived on the scene with his main account and posted a team photo of them watching the sunset in the desert.

【Director Lin: Everyone must come and see it on May Day! Click here to pre-order local premiere tickets for that day—【Link】】

Xiao He clicked on the photo and then saved it with lightning speed.

The sunset that day was beautiful. Many people in the 'the thief catcher 2' Film Crew couldn't help but take many selfies on site, and Director Lin had been camping at the highest point of a sand dune, waiting to capture the most beautiful glow of the evening clouds.

No one expected that during this wait, he had taken advantage of his high and optimal position to quietly take photos of many people.

And most coincidentally, almost everyone in this photo was smiling, looking very happy and unaware that someone was photographing them from a distance. Thus, everyone's actions were spontaneous; bathed in the last faint warmth of the winter desert sun, they chatted, laughed, and went about their business in a scene of harmony and beauty.

Even Xiao He had his arm around Pu Rong's shoulder, saying something. At that moment, the vibe between the two was like Jiang Rushuai and Shen Jue from 'thief catcher', giving a sense of happiness as the plot stepped into reality.

It had to be said, Director Lin was really good at taking photos.

And he firmly grasped the audience's current intense anticipation, attracting more people to go to the cinema for 'the thief catcher 2'—

But wait, hey! Why are there viewers below saying this scene is actually 'using a happy scene to highlight sorrow'!

Everyone was grinning back then! Where exactly do you see sorrow?!

Ah, what?! You say this sunset and desert inherently carry an atmosphere of loneliness and sadness?

Xiao He:...

Fine, you win.

Anyway, before you step into the cinema for me, I won't tell you that Shen Jue is actually alive and well. Not only is he not dead, he might even continue to appear in the third installment.

So Xiao He pretended not to see the wailing in the comments and replied [N O V E L I G H T] to Director Lin very calmly.

【Xiao He: When did you take this? Send me a copy later; it's worth commemorating.】

Netizens:?

Wait, Brother Xiao, did you just use the word 'commemorating'?

Why does that sound a bit weird?

Pah, pah, pah! The person is still alive, what's there to commemorate? You kid better not have intentionally 'eaten a bento' just because the pay for 'thief catcher' is low! We're still waiting for 'thief catcher 3'!

Brother Xiao, if you're so obsessed with money, we're going to be really angry.

Xiao He, who 'viewed money as dirt': Hehe...

Misleading the audience into crying is truly a joyful thing~

Understand Director Lin.

Become Director Lin!