Before the dream of a certain mystery novelist could even begin, it had already ended.
The story was actually quite simple.
After Xue's argument with Shin yesterday, she sulked for a while. The next morning, instead of doing anything else, she went to the props carriage to organize equipment and try to adjust her mood.
As it turned out, she had been wearing headphones and listening to music, so she didn't hear the broadcast calling for her. That's why she was completely unaware that people were searching for her.
"Looks like not every situation turns into a murder case," Edward quipped with a grin. Beside him, Crane's face remained expressionless.
Even though his detective dream had been shattered this time, it wasn't a total loss for Crane. At the very least, he came up with a promising idea—something he could turn into a manuscript to meet his looming deadline.
That way, his editor wouldn't have to chase him down like a madman.
Reinvigorated, Crane felt that the idea had great potential. All he had to do now was refine the plot, work out the murder method and the body disposal, and he'd be set.
With the premature mystery now resolved, Edward officially began filming Sherlock Holmes Season 2.
But before the shooting started, Edward still decided to hold a simple opening ceremony.
"Here's hoping this shoot goes smoothly, and no more strange incidents pop up," Edward said sincerely, glancing at the offering table where a Jirachi figure had been placed.
Once the ceremony ended, Edward had the crew take everything down.
"Deck, did you guys also do this kind of opening ceremony when filming movies before?" Edward asked curiously.
When he mentioned the idea earlier, Deck had immediately prepared a full set of ceremonial items, including the Jirachi figurine. That made Edward wonder if such rituals were common in this world.
And sure enough, Jirachi—a special Mythical Pokémon known not for overwhelming power but for the miraculous ability to grant wishes—was indeed a symbol of good fortune.
In that sense, offering to Jirachi wasn't a bad idea at all.
"In the past, it really depended on the director," Deck answered quickly. "Some directors loved these kinds of opening ceremonies. Some even held one when wrapping up filming or during special situations. But other directors didn't really care and just skipped them."
Edward nodded. That was about what he expected. He'd noticed that even in the Pokémon world, some directors insisted on holding these ceremonies before filming began.
Some high-profile productions even turned their opening ceremonies into standalone news pieces to generate publicity.
But Edward didn't need that kind of attention—Sherlock Holmes Season 2 was already trending.
After resolving the almost-crime, Edward finally dove fully into the filming of the second season.
This time around, everything was going incredibly smoothly.
The entire cast was skilled, and most scenes were nailed in one take. Even Daniel had noticeably improved in his acting, which left Edward quite pleased.
Still, to give the editors more flexibility later, Edward chose to film extra takes just in case.
"Hmm… The Thousand Actors Showdown? That name really is plain and simple," Edward muttered during his lunch break, scrolling through his phone.
He couldn't help but twitch at the title. The naming sense was... unique, to say the least.
But considering the massive number of contestants, The Thousand Actors Showdown wasn't exactly inaccurate.
Right now, Edward was more interested in the public reception of the variety show, because its reviews would directly impact Sherlock Holmes Season 2's overall reputation during this crucial period.
[The Thousand Actors Showdown! A Feast of Performance That Leaves Directors and Viewers in Awe]
[Was Episode One's Voting Fair? A Professional Film Critic Breaks It Down in Ten Points]
"Looks like it's trending nicely," Edward said as he scrolled through the comments while eating lunch in the dining car.
The first episode had aired the previous night, and reviews were already flooding in.
The ratings system hadn't launched yet, but with over 300,000 comments on just one episode, it was clear the show had caught fire.
Most of the reviews were positive.
The biggest controversy centered around the results of the first round of voting.
After all, eliminating half the participants from a pool of already-talented actors was no easy task.
Even veteran director Clive Moreau—known in the industry for his harsh critiques and sharp tongue—admitted that the decisions were extremely difficult this time around.
In the past, casting shows usually selected the best from a batch of average performers.
Now, it was about picking the best from a lineup of already excellent actors—which made things exponentially harder.
Edward clicked on the video and watched a bit. The acting was indeed top-tier.
Many performances were on par with the originals they were recreating. This first episode featured selected scenes from classic films and TV shows, which the contestants reenacted in dramatic face-offs.
That kind of challenge was significant.
With the original scenes being so iconic, any misstep in the remakes would be glaring.
It was a big test of both the directors and the actors.
Fortunately, everyone performed admirably, and even Edward felt quite satisfied.
Still, despite their skills, half of them would be eliminated in the first round.
It was harsh, but unavoidable—Sherlock Holmes Season 2 simply couldn't accommodate that many cast members.
"Come to think of it," Edward said, looking around at the actors eating lunch, "these folks really are the best of the best of the best."
He smiled.
Working with such a capable cast made things so much easier.
His workload felt lighter, and the filming process had significantly sped up.
As for those who had competed in the variety show but were eliminated, it wasn't a total loss.
At the very least, they had now entered the radar of many top directors.
Even if they didn't get to work with Edward this time, their career prospects had undoubtedly broadened.
Of course, compared to the top sixteen finalists, they still had a ways to go.
Edward's expression grew slightly complex when he thought of the top three winners from the variety show.
This time, besides acting ability, looks had played a very big role in the final rankings.
Unfair, perhaps—but that's just how the entertainment industry works.
(End of Chapter)