I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor
Chapter 436: Beast (5)

Translator: Dreamscribe

"I just thought of another prank."

Should I stop that monster, that clown? Would it be okay to leave him be? He’s definitely up to something. Just like in the past, more bodies will pile up like the corpses lying here.

Reporter Robert Franklin, who was watching the ever-smiling ‘Joker’, and Chris Hartnett sank deeper into contemplation.

And then, he realized.

‘Ah.’

That he was in the middle of filming.

And additionally.

‘Damn, I’m actually experiencing this.’

Without realizing it, he had completely forgotten it was all an act. He had truly worried that the ‘Joker’, grinning in front of him, would become a real threat to the world.

Meanwhile, the entire alley was filled with ‘Joker’s’ laughter.

“Puhuhuhu, hahahaha!”

Even while taking a drag of his cigarette, he laughed heartily. The camera, which had been capturing Woojin in a close-up, slowly pulled back. Soon, Kang Woojin and Chris were both in frame on the monitor.

Seeing this, Director Ahn Ga-bok thought.

‘Both of them have completely forgotten this is acting.’

They were more focused than ever. At this moment, he too was nothing more than a third-party observer. Not a director, not anything else, just someone watching the ‘Joker’, witnessing the gradual emergence of a monstrous madness.

What was being captured on the monitor had long surpassed mere acting.

It was like the camera was filming reality itself.

And at the back, Executive Producer Nora Foster.

“......”

She couldn't think of a single word. She had one hand covering her mouth and didn't even budge. No, more precisely, she wasn’t even aware that she had frozen in place. What was this? What exactly was she witnessing right now? She was 100% familiar with the script of 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain'. Without a doubt, one of the scenes from the script was currently being shot.

The setting, the characters, the pacing, the directing, the mood.

Everything was exactly as written in the script.

Except for one thing.

The actors’ performances were entirely different.

Because of that, even though the angles matched the script’s direction, the impact and quality of the scene were on a completely different level.

‘…No, is it because I can’t predict what will happen next?’

The fact that she couldn't foresee anything doubled the shock.

And what was even more baffling.

‘Even though they’re acting so freely, the scene’s flow never strays from the script.’

The scene was never derailed.

In a way, it was being sustained solely by the actors' quick wits and instincts, yet the atmosphere and narrative, grounded in the script, continued to unfold naturally.

‘Did they coordinate in advance?’

No, there was no time for that.

Then how on earth were they in such perfect sync?

Nora, still frozen, remained rigid. The 'Columbia Studios' executives around her weren’t moving either.

“......”

“......”

“......”

Because they were all too absorbed in watching.

With the 'Cinematic Universe' just beginning, they were witnessing the villain who would carry its early stages running wild before their eyes.

At that moment, ‘Joker’, or rather, Woojin, abruptly stopped laughing.

He spat out his cigarette.

“Haa-”

Kang Woojin ran both hands through his tousled red hair.

His gaze lingered somewhere in the void, neither sky nor ground, somewhere in between.

His thick, slashed red lips parted.

“Robert, what do you capture with your camera?”

“……Well, many things. Anything that can catch people's interest.”

“Ignorance, neglect, persecution, discrimination, prejudice, contempt, violence. Those kinds of things?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“The world is boring these days, Robert.”

Suddenly, Woojin's lips twitched.

“Everyone ignores everyone else.”

His voice gradually rose.

It felt like the build-up of rage and madness.

“And at the same time, everyone hates everyone else! They persecute! They neglect! If someone is beneath them, they discriminate! If someone is above them, they judge with prejudice! If someone is different, they use violence! If someone is the same - they still use violence!!”

Woojin's contorted face, filled with frenzied malice, suddenly became serene.

“But everyone just spouts the same words. Endure it. You have to endure it. Just keep enduring. But that’s only on the surface. No one really cares about what’s inside.”

Kang Woojin kicked the two lumps of meat in front of him.

“Who do you think gives a damn about these things?”

His gaze shifted to Chris, who was standing to his right.

“Robert. You followed me around because of how I look, didn’t you? If it weren’t for that, you wouldn’t have given a shit.”

“……”

“Aaaah, what is this? I was actually feeling good.”

Suddenly, Kang Woojin twisted his body and pulled out the silver gun tucked into his side.

“I told you earlier that I thought of another prank, didn’t I? This is it.”

Woojin pressed the gun against Chris’s forehead. Chris visibly tensed, clearly thrown off.

“W-What? Don’t do this! H-How about another prank instead?”

“Listen, Robert. I’m not making a proposal here. I’m giving you an order.”

“An order?”

“That’s right. I’m ordering you to become a pathetic mess rolling on the ground.”

Realizing he was utterly screwed, Chris took a step back, then another. The distance between him and the gun’s barrel increased slightly, but ‘Joker’ continued to aim at his forehead.

Was this part of the script? No, the two actors were completely off-script, improvising freely.

With trembling hands raised slightly in front of his chest, Chris forced a smile.

“H-Hey, buddy. This is a joke, right?”

“Yeah. It’s a joke.”

“N-No- please. Please!”

“Hm?”

“Please! Oh God. P-Please, spare me.”

“……”

For a moment, Kang Woojin raised his red eyebrows on his pale face.

He took a step forward, then another, closing the distance in an instant.

Then, with his free hand, he pointed a finger toward the sky.

“The guy up there isn’t your god. He’s just a bystander. Right now, I’m your god. Am I wrong?”

“N-No. You’re right. You’re my god. Please, spare me.”

“Hm-”

Grinning from ear to ear, Woojin shoved the gun barrel into Chris’s mouth.

“But actually, I’m not a god either. I’m just a fickle bastard.”

“……Ugh!”

He pulled the trigger.

For a split second, Chris thought he heard a gunshot, Bang! Bang!, ring in his ears.

But no, it was just his imagination.

The only sound that actually echoed was.

-Click, click, click.

The sound of an empty chamber.

Kang Woojin, still smiling, pulled the gun out of Chris’s mouth.

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m fickle.”

Tucking the silver gun back into his side, Kang Woojin reached into the pocket of his red jacket.

He pulled out a card and slipped it into Chris’s jeans pocket.

“See you around, handsome reporter.”

And then, abruptly, Kang Woojin bolted, sprinting out of the alleyway.

The camera followed, running alongside him, capturing his retreating figure.

Another camera moved in, zooming in on Chris’s face as he lay sprawled on the ground.

His body had gone slack, the tension draining out of him.

-Sssk.

Still trembling, he slowly pulled out the card ‘Joker’ had slipped into his pocket.

The camera shared his perspective.

On the card, there was an illustration of a 'Pierrot'.

And underneath it, in English.

-(Joker)

On the back, written in red ink, was a series of numbers.

“A… phone number?”

It was ‘Joker’s’ business card.

A few moments later.

Chris Hartnett, playing reporter Robert Franklin, steadied his breathing.

Then, staying in character, he delivered a short finishing line in sync with the scene.

The camera, which had been capturing him from slightly above the chest, adjusted its angle.

It zoomed in on the ‘Joker’ business card in his hand.

“……”

A brief silence spread across the entire set.

A moment of stillness for the extra footage.

Roughly ten seconds passed.

Hundreds of foreign staff members turned to Director Ahn Ga-bok.

And then.

“…Cut.”

The call finally came from Director Ahn Ga-bok’s wrinkled lips.

“OK.”

Without paying any attention to the slight commotion around him, Director Ahn Ga-bok walked straight into the filming zone. He called over Chris, who was still seated, and Kang Woojin, who was being attended to by multiple makeup artists.

When the two actors gathered, Director Ahn Ga-bok greeted them with a smile full of satisfaction.

"Fantastic. No, it was beyond that. Thanks to your creative performances and natural chemistry, the scene turned out several times richer than originally planned. This is why I keep directing. Your acting easily surpassed my imagination."

It was high praise. And it wasn’t just empty words. Even now, Director Ahn Ga-bok still felt the chills from watching the monitor.

When a scene, once just words on a script, is brought to life by actors, when that depiction far exceeds what the director envisioned, it gives the director an indescribable thrill.

‘But that’s not something that happens often.’

Many directors never even get to experience such rare, extraordinary moments. It requires a perfect combination of script, actors, and directing, and even then, it’s uncertain. Ultimately, the actors' abilities matter the most.

Right now, Director Ahn Ga-bok was utterly satisfied.

His instincts, his ambitions, and his desires had all been realized and proven by the actors in front of him.

Soon, Director Ahn Ga-bok shifted his gaze to Kang Woojin, whose face was still pale.

He had already shed the aura of ‘Joker’, returning to his usual indifferent self.

‘Chris was great, but in the end, this guy was the one steering the entire scene.’

What Kang Woojin showed on the monitor was overwhelming. His presence was monstrous.

The eerie makeup and bizarre costume certainly played a role in his commanding aura, but the real explosion of energy, the one that made everything feel so visceral, came from Woojin’s acting.

‘What does this monster even lack?’

He wasn’t just exceptional; he had gone far beyond that.

‘Even in the next few decades, hell, maybe even a hundred years, there won’t be an actor who can rival him.’

Still smiling, Director Ahn Ga-bok gave Woojin a thumbs-up.

"You were incredible. Take a short break, and let’s adjust the composition before going again. How about standing with one leg forward when looking down at Chris at the beginning?"

"I’ll give it a try."

After briefly discussing the previous scene, Ahn Ga-bok stepped away.

As he walked off, Chris’s brown eyes drifted left, toward Kang Woojin, who was getting his makeup touched up by the staff.

That terrifying madness, the one that seemed capable of tearing anything apart, was completely gone.

Chris let out a small sigh.

Then, inwardly, he laughed in frustration.

‘A challenger? A resolve? I didn’t do anything. I got completely overwhelmed.’

He felt embarrassed.

All the bold declarations he had made before now felt meaningless.

‘From start to finish, I did nothing. I was just dragged along by Kang Woojin.’

This was a first for him.

How should he describe it?

It wasn’t even about losing or feeling defeated.

It was like standing still, watching the back of someone already sprinting far ahead.

There was no sense of loss, no anger.

This was simply.

‘A difference in level.’

The stark contrast between someone imitating acting and someone who truly brought a character to life.

After a moment, Chris spoke to Woojin.

"I was just being pulled along by you the whole time."

Woojin looked at Chris calmly.

His expression didn’t change much, but internally, he was slightly concerned.

‘What’s this? Is he getting discouraged? Should I give him a little pep talk?’

In a low tone, Kang Woojin responded.

"No. If Robert hadn’t been there to react, 'Joker' would have fizzled out in this scene."

"...Haha, is that so? I always thought you were cold, but it turns out you know how to give encouragement too."

"Of course. But this isn’t encouragement, it’s simply the truth."

Somewhat moved, Chris ran a hand through his hair and steeled himself.

"I’d better get my act together. To make 'Joker' burn even hotter."

His eyes sharpened with renewed determination.

Watching him, Woojin remained silent, but internally, he was slightly exasperated.

‘Yep, as expected. This guy’s way too intense. Total overachiever.’

Meanwhile, Director Ahn Ga-bok returned to the area where multiple monitors were gathered. After briefly conversing with key staff around him, he shifted his gaze.

His eyes met the sharp-featured Executive Producer Nora Foster.

Neither of them spoke immediately.

After a brief exchange of looks, it was Nora who let out a short breath and spoke first.

"I made a mistake......I was foolish. I almost missed those scenes just now."

She took a step closer and continued speaking to Director Ahn Ga-bok.

"I’m not unaware of Kang Woojin’s explosive acting power. But… I didn’t expect something even more shocking than his previous ‘Joker’ performances."

Director Ahn Ga-bok, recalling the time of 'Leech', let out a short chuckle.

"It might sound absurd, but he’s not a finished product. He’s still growing. The difference in skill between now and his 'Leech' days is clear."

Nodding in acknowledgment, Nora looked past Ahn Ga-bok toward Kang Woojin, who was on set.

"He’s unfamiliar and unsettling. Honestly, he’s an existence that doesn’t make sense. Maybe that’s why, even though I knew he was incredible, I was still afraid."

"I understand. Safety over risk. It’s something I also struggled with frequently as a director in Korea."

"Director."

Once again, Nora met Director Ahn Ga-bok’s eyes.

"I promise that from now on, I won’t add any more suggestions."

She declared with certainty.

"Just focus on bringing the free-spirited ‘Joker’ to life."

Then, turning toward the gathered 'Columbia Studios' executives behind her, she smiled faintly and murmured.

"Let’s head back. Staying here any longer would be a hindrance. If anyone still has complaints even after seeing the previous scene, speak now."

The executives.

"……"

"……"

Not a single one of them said a word.

The Next Morning - 'Columbia Studios'

It wasn’t the film set but inside the main building.

More specifically, a mid-sized conference room.

Seated at a ㅁ-shaped table were 'Columbia Studios' executives.

And across from them.

"……"

Sat Kang Woojin, his face unreadable, his expression cold and composed.

Naturally, beside him was Choi Sung-gun, his hair tied in a ponytail.

One of the executives, a bald man, slid a tablet and a transparent file toward Kang Woojin.

"This is the project for the film that will follow 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain'. It’s the second installment in the overall 'Cinematic Universe'. Since the first film introduced the birth of a villain, the next one must introduce a hero."

The executive delivering the briefing then spoke definitively.

"Mr. Kang Woojin, we propose that you, as the 'Joker', appear in the second film and the third film after that."

A massive deal, an offer to appear in two sequels following 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain', the opening chapter of an expansive 'Cinematic Universe'.

However, after quietly looking at the bald executive for a moment, Kang Woojin’s response was simple.

"The script comes first."