Chapter 36 - A Perfect Score! One Step Away from First Place in the First Round!

Chapter 36: A Perfect Score! One Step Away from First Place in the First Round!

Liu Heping stepped forward and accepted the microphone handed to him by Xiao Sa. The contestants below all perked up their ears, eager to hear what this legendary screenwriter thought of Lu Chen’s story.

“First, I want to congratulate Lu Chen on garnering attention from so many film companies and potentially having his first script adapted into a TV drama,” Liu Heping began, his voice calm yet commanding, creating an air of reverence among the contestants.

“Regarding this story, I have shared my thoughts several times during the live stream.

In terms of concept and character development, Operation Icebreaker has many praiseworthy aspects. Although it follows the traditional format of an anti-drug police story, it breathes new life into the genre.

The design of Tower Village, in particular, is a standout element that feels fresh and innovative. So, my final score for this story is… 9 points!”

As soon as the score was announced, the crowd erupted.

9 points!

Liu Heping had given a score of 9!

This was unprecedented. Among the 63 contestants before Lu Chen, Liu Heping’s highest score had been 8.5. Yet now, he’d gone straight to 9.

“Holy crap!”

The contestants’ eyes burned hotter as they stared at Lu Chen.

Why does he get to be this good?

Lu Chen, feeling the intensity of their envious glares, could only laugh awkwardly.

What’s with blaming me for the score? It’s not like I told him to give me 9 points…

That said, even Lu Chen hadn’t expected such a high score. He’d assumed that Liu Heping, a legend in the screenwriting world, might give him 8 or 8.5 at most.

Surprised yet grateful, Lu Chen stood up and bowed respectfully towards Liu Heping.

“Thank you, Teacher Liu!”

Liu Heping nodded slightly without saying more, handed the microphone back to Xiao Sa, and returned to his spot.

Xiao Sa commented, “It seems Teacher Liu has a special fondness for this script. Nine points—his highest single score so far!”

After a few transitional remarks, Xiao Sa continued,

“Next, let’s welcome Teacher Yan Gelin!”

_____

Yan Gelin strode to the front, her bold and forthright demeanor evident as she took the microphone.

“I have to admit, I didn’t have high expectations for Lu Chen’s story at first. I thought it would be yet another typical tale of a rural youth working hard to succeed.

But as the plot unfolded, the character of Lin Yaodong became increasingly brilliant—a villain so compelling he set a new benchmark for antagonists. It was then that I truly began to see this story in a new light.

As Teacher Liu mentioned, the structure of this story is straightforward—just an anti-drug narrative. But the way you’ve reimagined the rural setting into something so innovative and thrilling is remarkable!

Lu Chen…”

Yan Gelin’s gaze fell on Lu Chen, who quickly stood up.

Yan Gelin gave him a thumbs-up.

“The way you seamlessly integrated clan culture and ancestral hall traditions into the story, especially into Lin Yaodong’s character, is extraordinary.

In my opinion, among stories of this genre, your approach is unmatched!”

“Thank you, Teacher Yan. Your praise is too generous!” Lu Chen bowed deeply.

The other contestants were floored.

What kind of god-tier story did this guy write?

For Yan Gelin to say something like unmatched was practically a historic level of praise.

Clan culture? Ancestral halls? Anti-drug operations?

The keywords swirling in their minds didn’t even sound like they belonged to the same story, let alone a rural-themed one.

“So, my score is… 9 points!”

Another 9!

Gasps echoed through the room.

Yan Gelin added with a smile,

“I honestly wanted to give it a 10. But after thinking it over, I decided to hold back one point.

I’m looking forward to seeing how you’ll outdo yourself in the next round!

And congratulations, Lu Chen, on attracting bids from film companies.

You’re amazing!”

“Thank you, Teacher Yan!”

Lu Chen bowed again, expressing his gratitude.

As Yan Gelin returned to her spot, Xiao Sa quipped, “Lu Chen, are you feeling a little overwhelmed by Teacher Yan’s glowing review?”

Lu Chen nodded.

“It’s more than a little—I’m completely overwhelmed! Thank you, Teacher Yan, for your kindness.”

Deciding to remain standing, Lu Chen awaited the evaluations from the final two judges.

“Next, let’s hear from Teacher Shu Ping!”

_____

Shu Ping stepped forward, her expression calm yet contemplative as she prepared to share her thoughts. The audience fell silent, their anticipation reaching a fever pitch.

Amid the applause, Shu Ping walked forward with a calm smile and took the microphone. Her gaze locked directly onto Lu Chen, who bowed respectfully.

“Regarding Lu Chen’s story, Teachers Liu and Yan have essentially said everything I wanted to say.

I believe the audience in the live stream is already well aware that during the writing session, I spoke the most about Lu Chen’s work.

So, rather than repeating compliments, I will express my opinion with a simple action—My score is… 10 points!”

“Whoa!”

The room instantly plunged into an atmosphere of extreme shock and awe.

10 points!

A perfect score!!

It was the first perfect score of this round!

______

In the audience, contestants were dumbfounded, their faces filled with disbelief. Some clutched their heads as if they couldn’t process what had just happened.

Even Xiao Sa appeared stunned by Shu Ping’s score. But thinking back, it made sense—during the live stream, Shu Ping had been noticeably more animated than the other judges.

Her praise and enthusiasm for the story had been unparalleled, especially in the latter stages. So, while shocking, the perfect score seemed justified.

“Thank you, Teacher Shu Ping!”

Lu Chen bowed at a full 90 degrees to express his gratitude.

A perfect score!

The first perfect score!

With this, Lu Chen not only secured his spot in the next round but was now within reach of claiming the top spot for this round.

If Chen Sicheng gave him a score of 8 or higher, first place would be locked in!

_____

On stage, Xiao Sa couldn’t help but exclaim, “A perfect 10! The first 10 of the competition!

Teacher Shu Ping, you’ve truly delivered a critical hit!”

Shu Ping waved her hand modestly and addressed the audience.

“I encourage all of you to rewatch the live stream after today’s competition.

I believe that once you see Lu Chen’s creative process, you’ll understand why I gave this score. I also believe that his work will inspire all of you.

Thank you!”

After speaking, Shu Ping handed the microphone back and returned to her spot.

_____

Xiao Sa, still trying to steady his excitement, turned to the last judge.

“Teacher Chen Sicheng!”

He gestured for Chen Sicheng to step forward.

Amid the applause, Chen Sicheng walked onto the stage, smiling and waving to the audience before addressing Lu Chen.

“Lu Chen, hello.”

“Hello, Teacher Chen!”

Lu Chen bowed again.

“First, congratulations on attracting bids from eight top-tier film companies. That’s an incredible achievement!”

Chen Sicheng gave a thumbs-up.

“Thank you!”

Lu Chen nodded in gratitude.

The contestants and audience immediately picked up on the familiar tone and gestures.

Oh, no…

Here we go again—another 9 or even a perfect 10! How are we supposed to live with this?!

Their despair was almost palpable as they watched Chen Sicheng prepare to deliver his verdict.

Whether it’s a nine or a ten!

Without a doubt, Lu Chen is going to claim first place in this round!

And not just claim it, but do so in a sweeping, grand slam fashion, leaving all other competitors in the dust!

Speechless!

Absolutely dumbfounded!

But if anyone’s more stunned than the rest… It has to be contestant #40, who previously held the highest score.

Their heart must have already sunk halfway. If Chen Sicheng gives an eight, Lu Chen’s final score will tie with his. But judging by the number of online votes for each, he’s definitely going to lose to Lu Chen.

And if it’s above nine, then the throne of first place will be completely out of reach. Looking at the current situation, it’s almost impossible for Chen Sicheng to give a score below eight!

In that case, any hope of clinching first place in this round will be completely shattered!

From the biggest winner to the biggest loser in an instant! Could anyone be worse off than me?

……

Meanwhile, in the livestream chat, the viewers’ comments painted a different picture.

Viewer comments.

[Hmm, why does it feel like scumbag Chen is suddenly being overly polite?]

[Yeah, I feel the same. He clearly didn’t like Lu Chen before. Why the sudden change in attitude?]

[Something’s fishy when things are out of the ordinary!]

[Could Chen Sicheng be planning to deliberately give Lu Chen a low score?]

[No way! He wouldn’t dare give Breaking the Ice a low score, not even with a hundred times the courage!]

[Exactly! Three judges have already given it glowing reviews, plus the 2 million viewers gave it an 8.4! Not to mention the eight top-tier film companies vying for the script—what reason could he have to score it low?]

[Just wait and see what he’s up to. We’ll know soon enough!]

For a moment, countless viewers stared intently at their screens, afraid to miss a single word or detail!

And now…

on-screen.

After offering his congratulations, Chen Sicheng spoke again…

But this time, his opening words left Lu Chen momentarily stunned.

Chen Sicheng began.

“Although contestant Lu Chen’s performance is remarkable, with impressive achievements across various metrics, I want to emphasize that my evaluation of a work is not swayed by external factors.

I personally place greater value on a story’s coherence, structure, and commercial viability. And in the context of this competition, I also consider adherence to its rules. So while contestant Lu Chen’s story is undoubtedly compelling, as a judge, I still have my own criteria and opinions.

Before formally elaborating on my thoughts, let me first give this work a score to express my stance.”

At this point, Chen Sicheng deliberately paused.

His words immediately sent shockwaves through the livestream chat!

……

Viewer comments.

[What the hell does he mean by that?]

[I knew scumbag Chen was up to no good! And sure enough!]

[The moment I heard ‘although,’ I knew Chen Sicheng was about to pull something!]

……

The three judges seated behind him simultaneously frowned, fixing their gaze on Chen Sicheng’s back.

Meanwhile, on the stage below, the contestants, who had been ready to wrap things up casually, were now wide-eyed and laser-focused on Chen Sicheng after hearing his sudden 180-degree shift in tone.

They had assumed Chen Sicheng would follow the other judges’ lead and “go with the flow” or “stick to the script.”

But no one expected this!

His words clearly implied a stance completely different from the other judges!

In an instant, all the contestants held their breath, widened their eyes, and perked up their ears, eagerly awaiting what would come next.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Chen Sicheng finally spoke again.

“So, the score I’m giving is…”