A little after 10:00 PM, the first night of the watch-along livestream came to an end.
“Everyone, we'll continue the watch-along tomorrow night at eight. Don't miss it!”
Jiang Yue waved at the camera and cut the connection.
Although only eight episodes had aired over the first two days, the momentum behind The Hidden Sentry was incredibly powerful.
The plot—where everyone in the Secret Service Department was ruthless and possessed eight hundred scheming thoughts—paired with a breakneck pace that left no room to breathe, pushed the show's popularity on Penguin Video to a record-breaking high.
On Weibo, hashtags like #TheHiddenSentryPremiere, #ZhouJinnanInnocentToDark, and #ChiefLuOppressivePresence surged into the top twenty of the hot search list one after another.
Meanwhile, on short-video platforms, Jiang Yue's personal Douyin and Kuaishou accounts managed by Chen Fei also welcomed a massive surge in traffic.
Jiang Yue's mention of “conservation of momentum and ergonomic application” from the premiere livestream, paired with the footage of him locking up Han Song with one hand on stage, was edited by netizens into several viral versions.
On the evening of the third, episodes nine and ten aired.
The plot grew increasingly tense as it progressed. Zhou Jinnan had almost been exposed by Lu Cheng for smuggling military supplies as early as the third episode, and their confrontation in the office—where they superficially sipped tea while trading verbal daggers—immediately earned an “Explosive” tag on the Weibo hot search list.
The three-day watch-along livestream also concluded amidst a screen flooded with “hahaha” and “Jiang Yue, you have no heart.”
Even more explosive in popularity were the watch-along highlight clips edited by netizens overnight.
#ZhouJinnanAManWhoFightsWithPhysicsFormulas#
#JiangYueWatchAlongBecomesAComedyShow#
#WhatIsReallyInChenJiamingsThermos#
#HanSongSquadTwoCaptainWatchAlong#
These hashtags continued to dominate screens across major platforms.
In the drama, Zhou Jinnan cornered his target with a sinister gaze, saying, “I'll be taking your life.”
Outside the drama, in the small livestream window, Jiang Yue sat cross-legged on the sofa, holding his tablet and smiling innocently at the camera. “This move is actually just choreographed. Please don't try this at home.”
This striking contrast not only obsessed his fans but also won over a massive wave of casual viewers.
Jiang Yue's Weibo follower count broke three million in just a few days, and the upward trend showed no signs of stopping.
Chen Fei wasn't idle either.
He released a steady stream of silly behind-the-scenes clips he had hoarded, featuring Jiang Yue yawning on set, unconsciously biting teeth marks into his pen while reading the script, and being chased around the set by Han Song.
Viewers who were still immersed in Zhou Jinnan's ruthless aura commented after watching the short videos: “The illusion is completely shattered, but somehow he looks even more endearing now!”
The official Weibo account of Yuchuan Media Studio was flooded by a massive wave of fans, with the comment section unanimously demanding updates on his schedule.
【Studio, don't just sit there! Hand over Brother Yue's schedule for the second half of the month!】
【I'm starving! I want to see some fresh Jiang Yue content!】
【Please tell us if Brother Yue's next drama is confirmed! If not, even joining a variety show as a regular is fine!】
Looking at the steadily climbing backend data, Su Qing couldn't keep her lips from curling upward. However, her responses to the fans remained highly professional: “Thank you all for your love for Jiang Yue. For the second half of the month, Brother Yue will undergo closed-off pre-production training, so there are no public schedules for now. Please continue to support The Hidden Sentry!”
In the blink of an eye, it was mid-October at the Beijiao Film and Television Base, inside The Pivot Bone training camp.
As an A-Tier male-centric wuxia drama, The Pivot Bone had exceptionally high demands for its action scenes.
To guarantee quality, Director He Chuan had squeezed out a portion of the budget to bring the main actors in a month ahead of schedule for a closed-off training camp covering equestrian skills, archery, and martial arts.
Dressed in a loose black tracksuit, Jiang Yue arrived at the training hall right on time.
Many people were already warming up inside, the sharp, metallic clashing of swords echoing through the space.
Jiang Yue took a deep breath, absorbing the fiery atmosphere.
He instinctively thought of his system. If he drew a trait like “Martial Arts Genius,” this month of training would likely yield twice the results with half the effort.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
The system was a trump card, not a crutch.
With a whole month of luxurious preparation time, he wanted to see just how far he could go relying solely on his own body and willpower.
“Your stance! Keep your stance stable! Do you think you're dancing?”
A familiar, booming voice rang out nearby.
Jiang Yue paused and looked toward the source of the sound.
On a mat not far away, a sturdy man with a buzz cut was holding a foam stick, sternly instructing several young actors.
Old Hong?
Jiang Yue raised an eyebrow.
When they were filming The Grand Game, this martial arts director had choreographed moves for him and supervised Chu Yan's few action scenes.
Sensing a gaze, Old Hong turned around. The moment he saw Jiang Yue, his stern expression froze, replaced by one of sheer disbelief.
“Teacher Jiang?”
Old Hong tossed the foam stick aside and strode over, sizing Jiang Yue up from head to toe with curiosity in his eyes.
He noticed that Jiang Yue stood even straighter than during the filming of The Grand Game, his shoulders and back lines more defined. Standing there, he exuded an indescribable sense of composure.
“What are you doing here?”
“Brother Hong, long time no see.”
Jiang Yue greeted him with a smile. “I'm playing the male lead in The Pivot Bone.”
Old Hong froze, sucking in a sharp breath.
He was naturally well aware of the scale of The Pivot Bone.
For a script of this caliber, how many eyes were coveting the lead role?
When he first met Jiang Yue on the set of The Grand Game a year ago, Jiang Yue was merely the fourth male lead. Although talented and willing to work hard, who could have imagined that in such a short time, he would have reached this height?
“You did it, kid!”
Old Hong slapped Jiang Yue heavily on the shoulder, his strength like striking iron. “You're a big star now! Just yesterday, I saw you on TV playing that... secret agent. You were really giving it your all.”
Old Hong was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush, his eyes full of admiration as he looked at Jiang Yue.
“What's this? A big star like you still needs to show up a month early for training?”
Old Hong teased, “Most people with any fame in this industry only show up two days before the cameras roll just to make an appearance.”
“Brother Hong, don't say that.”
Jiang Yue rotated his wrists, his eyes bright and clear. “Director He's contract states very clearly that they'll dock my pay if I don't show up. Besides, I've never ridden a horse or shot an arrow. If I wait until filming starts to learn on the fly, wouldn't that delay the production?”
Hearing this, Old Hong felt incredibly pleased.
He despised those spoiled stars who thought they were above action scenes just because of their popularity. It seemed Jiang Yue was still the same Jiang Yue as before.
“Alright, since you're on my turf, there's no 'Star Jiang Yue' here—only 'Student Jiang Yue'.”
Old Hong rubbed his hands together, excitement shining in his eyes. “You have a good foundation, I remember. But The Pivot Bone is different this time. The male lead is a character who constantly walks the line between life and death. The moves have to be wilder and fiercer.”
He pointed to a nearby weapon rack. “Go pick a blade that feels right. Let me test your baseline first.”
Rate on N.U.
