Chapter 108: The Finale, It Had to Be Lin Xinghuo After All

"The finale is tomorrow. I really wonder how the last episode will play out??"

"I'm curious too. The plot has been moving so fast—twenty episodes just isn't enough, I feel like I haven't watched nearly enough."

"Tell me about it. I thought Wang Fei was the ultimate boss, and he just gets written off like that??"

...

Often, when a TV series has forty or fifty episodes, audiences complain that it's "padded" with fluff. But when there are only twenty episodes, everyone feels unsatisfied. From the premiere of *Sweeping the Black Wave* on January 1st to its official finale on Penguin Video on January 10th, it has only been ten days.

Furthermore, it was almost synchronized with the satellite television broadcast. Because the streaming site released episodes on weekends, as well as on the 9th and the upcoming 10th, they were technically a day ahead of the TV broadcast. Today, *Sweeping the Black Wave* reaches its finale on the Penguin streaming platform, while the satellite broadcast concludes tomorrow.

Right now, many people online are feeling reluctant to let it go. It has been years since we’ve seen a show that was only twenty episodes long—no padding, no fluff, with a cast of true veterans (except for Feng Qing), a brilliant plot, and a breakneck pace. With the finale coming tomorrow, many are naturally quite sentimental. Ten days have slipped by so quietly.

Tonight, many are discussing *Sweeping the Black Wave*. A hit show isn’t just about the leads. Alongside the three main stars—Ren Yi, Wang Fei, and Song Wen—Lin Xing is undoubtedly the most dazzling. He single-handedly gave his character, Zhou Bo, a massive sense of presence. The scene today where he took out Wang Fei shocked everyone.

"To be honest, Lin Xing really looked like he knew how to dispose of a body; the way he sealed Wang Fei inside that wall was chilling."

"No kidding. Look at how skilled he was at laying those bricks—damn, it made my skin crawl."

"And he was doing it while talking on the phone to Shen Ming's wife, telling her to set her mind at ease."

"The way he smiled after finishing the wall gave me goosebumps."

...

Everyone is still discussing Lin Xing’s portrayal of Zhou Bo. While some online are still hurling insults at Lin Xing, it no longer matters. Those attacks feel like people shouting into their own echo chambers; the average viewer really doesn't care.

Currently, *Sweeping the Black Wave* is the first breakout hit of 2024. This "hit" status means it has firmly held the top spot in ratings while generating massive buzz across Weibo, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, and Weishi. In particular, the number of derivative works—fan edits and memes—is more than ten times that of *Only Waiting for You*. After all, the secondary content for *Only Waiting for You* only revolved around two things: "The Overbearing CEO Du Fei" and "Family, he’s so greasy."

But *Sweeping the Black Wave* is different. There isn't a single weak link in the acting (aside from Feng Qing), and more importantly, every character is complex enough to merit their own deep dive. Ren Yi’s pain—he spent fourteen years investigating for his mentor. When he smiled at his mentor’s grave and said, "Master, I finally dare to come see you," everyone felt for Yu Feng.

What is acting? Think about it: before this, Ren Yi’s face was known for playing crime lords with an imposing aura. But here, he played a regular police officer—a man who had been stifled for fourteen years, a man who couldn't trust anyone because there were moles in the department, a poor soul who couldn't even sleep at night. He played it so well that it broke everyone’s heart.

As mentioned before, villains are easy to play, but heroes are hard. If you don't play a hero well, they come off as too righteous or too stiff, making them feel fake. But Ren Yi pulled it off. Add in Wang Fei’s portrayal of the underground emperor Shen Ming, and the hypocritical leader Song Wen—any of these three leads could spawn countless topics for discussion. These clips are already flying everywhere.

Lin Xing’s clips are even more numerous. His titles are no longer about "overbearing CEOs." Instead, they are things like "One smile from Lin Xing, and your life is in danger," "Don't fear Lin Xing’s cruelty, fear his smile," and "Lin Xing repays a favor, and your family is ruined." One has to admit, netizens are truly talented. Their secondary content keeps the heat of *Sweeping the Black Wave* burning.

Now, with the finale tomorrow, more viewers are feeling dissatisfied.

"I hope the original cast can restart for a second season as soon as possible."

"Yeah, this is the only show I've watched that left me wanting more."

"Hahaha, before watching this, I thought, 'How dare Lin Xing act in this show?' Now that I've finished it, I have to say, he’s actually quite good."

...

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, at 8:00 AM, Lin Xing finished his meal, ran a lap around the hotel gym, and returned to his room. He took a hot shower, changed, and sat on the sofa.

#SweepingTheBlackWaveFinalesToday#

Lin Xing glanced at the trending list. This topic had already climbed to the top spot. Clearly, it’s normal for a good show—a show discussed by everyone, a show with iconic lines that have permeated pop culture—to trend. This is the difference between a good show and a bad one. In a bad show, the leads might all fail, and only a supporting character might come out on top. In a good show, the leads and the supporting cast all get a seat at the table. Everyone gets to share in the success.

Because of this, many supporting actors from *Sweeping the Black Wave* have been livestreaming these past few days. A few days ago, some of them even went to the Zhalang offices for a promotional visit, and thanks to the popularity of their characters, they drew quite a crowd. Still, they were a step behind Lin Xing.

With the finale tonight, the standard promotional strategy is to post a farewell essay during the day. The publicity team sent a draft to Lin Xing, but a staff member said, "Teacher Lin, if you want to write your own, that’s fine too. This is just for reference."

Lin Xing replied, "Received!"

Lin Xing truly didn't intend to use that draft. How to put it? It was too sentimental. Something like, "Although Zhou Bo is a complete villain, I’m still a bit reluctant to say goodbye to him; he is actually a pitiful person..."

This kind of text feels like it’s forcing a "happy ending" on a show that doesn't need it, similar to how most urban dramas—no matter how disgusting the characters are in the beginning, whether it's a deadbeat husband, an evil mother-in-law, or a sibling-obsessed manipulator—end with everyone gathering to make dumplings. What does "even though he is a villain, I am reluctant" mean? What does "he is also a pitiful person" mean? That’s like saying in real life, "Although he killed your whole family, he is also a pitiful person..." That’s ridiculous. A villain is a villain.

So, Lin Xing decided to write his own. But unlike his previous, emotionless farewell for *Only Waiting for You*, this time, Lin Xing actually felt a little stirred. He carefully wrote a farewell essay and set it to publish at noon. This was also a requirement from the production team: don't let everyone post their farewells at the same time. They would be released in sequence to keep the buzz going.

At 12:00 PM, Lin Xing’s essay was posted.

#SweepingTheBlackWaveFullCastFinale# #GoodbyeZhouBo#

In this essay, Lin Xing didn't write anything flowery. He didn't write from Zhou Bo's perspective like the others did. He simply and honestly wrote about his own feelings.

For instance: "I hope you never meet anyone like Zhou Bo in your lifetime. Someone like him is not worthy of anyone’s forgiveness. He has only one path, and that is the death penalty. Only the death penalty is his final destination!"

At the end of the essay, Lin Xing thanked Zu Ming, thanked Liao Qingshan, and thanked Ren Yi and all the creators of *Sweeping the Black Wave*. It was because of them that he had the chance to play Zhou Bo and be seen by everyone. "So, please give a round of applause to everyone on the *Sweeping the Black Wave* crew."

...

Unlike the other farewell essays, Lin Xing’s showed absolutely no intention of using the character’s popularity to gain followers. That’s right. Sometimes, villains aren't without fans, especially since many people nowadays like "strong" characters. Why do you think actors who play crime lords often gain more fans? If Lin Xing had played this character less villainously, or even added a touch of humanity, many people would have fallen for him instantly. For some viewers, whether a villain is "hateful" or not depends on their face.

But Lin Xing played Zhou Bo as a madman—a completely depraved madman. Yet, it was precisely this madness that allowed the industry to see Lin Xing’s acting ability, and it even gained him some fans. Because of this, Lin Xing specifically wrote that he hoped everyone would never meet someone like Zhou Bo. He didn’t want people to look back and say, "Fate is determined by heaven; if we’re at the bottom, we have to be daring," and then go out and commit robbery.

Netizens could tell whether an essay was sincere.

"Who still dares to call Lin Xing illiterate?"

"Lin Xing really doesn't want to milk the character's popularity at all; he’s already starting to cut ties with the role."

"I think it’s great. Just like when he played Du Fei, he didn't go around calling himself an 'overbearing CEO,' so now he wouldn't call himself a 'crime lord'."

...

Additionally, Lao Zhong, who had been helping Lin Xing fight against "Old Wang Reviews Movies," reposted Lin Xing’s Weibo and wrote: "This essay is great. Often, the success of a show really can't be separated from the behind-the-scenes staff. Also, it’s been ten days, Old Wang, aren't you going to apologize? @OldWangReviewsMovies."

Lao Zhong holds a grudge. Anyone who is a long-time follower of Lao Zhong knows this. Once, someone said Lao Zhong took money to bash a movie, so Lao Zhong didn't just debate that fan; after the movie left theaters, he posted a comparison of its performance on streaming sites to tell that fan, "Is it really that bad?"

This time was the same. Lao Zhong had been going at it with "Old Wang Reviews Movies," essentially pinning him down. Later, "Old Wang Reviews Movies" admitted defeat, enabled protective settings, and shut down his comment section. He thought he would just wait out these few days. After all, he knew that Lin Xing’s extreme fans had already turned on him, and there were definitely plenty of anti-fans, so he could use them to reverse his image later.

Unfortunately, Lao Zhong didn't plan to let him go, tagging him every day. As long as there was no apology, Lao Zhong planned to keep tagging him. Today, Lao Zhong reposted Lin Xing’s Weibo and tagged "Old Wang Reviews Movies" again. As expected, Old Wang continued to play dead. As a major influencer, he had that much thick skin. Eventually, Old Wang could just release a video about being cyberbullied, rewrite history, and gain a new wave of followers.

Netizens don't have long memories. It’s like some female celebrities who were exposed for cheating, yet a few days later they emerge playing the victim. As long as you have good PR, even a terrible person can be whitewashed.

At the same time, at the *Portrait of a Killer* set:

"Director Liu, I need to ask for an hour off tonight." Lin Xing said to Liu Zhou, "Tonight is the finale of *Sweeping the Black Wave*, and I need to livestream with the others. Probably from 8:00 to 9:00 PM."

"Small thing, A-Xing. Just head back to the hotel after we wrap up this afternoon. Focus on the livestream tonight; no need to come back to shoot." Liu Zhou said dismissively.

Lin Xing replied, "It's fine. The crew is rushing the schedule; I can't let them down. It’s only an hour; I’ll just livestream from the rest area..."

In Lin Xing’s view, he had already taken a few days off for the press conference and promotions for *Sweeping the Black Wave*. If there was a wrap party, he would have to go again. A single livestream didn't warrant heading back to the hotel. Promotion is work, but filming is even more important. So, he couldn't favor one over the other. This was exactly why Liu Zhou thought so highly of Lin Xing.

Inviting Lin Xing to be the lead was a reach for their crew, yet Lin Xing didn't demand any special treatment—no trailers, no luxury hotels, no specific dietary requirements. Not only that, Lin Xing worked diligently on set, and in his downtime, he even helped with logistics. Liu Zhou had only seen that kind of work ethic in veteran actors. True veterans, not the so-called "young" actors of today. Don't look at how strong some young actors' acting skills might be; their diva behavior is just as bad as any traffic-star.

If it were anyone else, after *Sweeping the Black Wave* became a hit, they would have been asking for leave every few days to promote or livestream to cash in. Unlike Lin Xing, who would rush back to film as soon as his leave ended. He never asked the crew for anything extra.

"No, A-Xing, listen to me." Liu Zhou smiled at Lin Xing. "We’re rushing the schedule, but one night won't make a difference. Besides, there aren't many scenes tonight anyway. Just finish up after we wrap, relax after your livestream, and come in early tomorrow."

"Alright." Lin Xing didn't play coy.

After wrapping up in the afternoon, Lin Xing returned to the hotel. Xiao Nan had timed it perfectly and ordered takeout—all oil-free. By the time he finished, it was past 7:00 PM. The livestream was less than an hour away.

"Teachers, the livestream starts at 8:00, but we need to start at 7:50, so please remember to join in..." A staff member sent a message in the *Sweeping the Black Wave* Weibo group.

Lin Xing replied, "Received!"

"A-Xing, where are you???" Ren Yi asked. "I just got back to the capital, want to practice tonight??"

Wang Fei also chimed in, "Old Ren, I'm in the capital too, sounds good."

Song Wen said, "Count me in."

...

Good heavens. Ren Yi, Wang Fei, and Song Wen were all in the capital.

Lin Xing replied, "Brother Yi, Brother Wang, Brother Wen, I'm sorry, I'm not in the capital; I'm filming in Luda."

Ren Yi asked, "Not finished yet??"

Lin Xing said, "Yeah, it'll be the end of the month at least."

Ren Yi sent a sighing emoji, "Then we'll drink at the wrap party."

...

A full-cast livestream today was impossible. To be honest, if everyone livestreamed, it would be chaotic. But since it was the finale, they decided to have the three leads plus Lin Xing. The host for the night was Zhao Fang. With Ren Yi, Wang Fei, and Song Wen, it was a heavy-hitting lineup, and with Lin Xing’s massive traffic, the effect would be explosive. Plus, there was Zhao Fang. Although she was sharp in interviews and had been called "low EQ" in the past, that was just her interviewing style. Her hosting skills were strong. More importantly, she had been following *Sweeping the Black Wave*, and being from Penguin Video, she was the perfect fit.

Zhao Fang was also in the group and asked politely, "Brother Yi, Brother Fei, Brother Wen, when are you free to come on our show?"

Ren Yi said, "Count me out. I'm afraid I'll get scolded on your show."

Zhao Fang sent a crying emoji. Everyone knew Ren Yi had been on her show before, but the result wasn't great because he had been a bit too blunt that day. Many people attacked him for being disrespectful to women. Good heavens, some even tried to label him with sexual harassment. It got so bad that Zhao Fang herself had to come out and speak up for him. After all, a sexual harassment accusation was meant to destroy him. Because of that, Ren Yi hadn't done any interviews since. He was scared. Now that it was brought up again, Zhao Fang couldn't say anything other than sending a crying emoji. As for Wang Fei and Song Wen, there was no need to mention them—they rarely showed their faces, let alone did interviews. They weren't "stars," they didn't need exposure. They were actors.

At 7:50 PM, the Weishi livestream officially began. Lin Xing joined, as did Ren Yi and Wang Fei. But Song Wen found he couldn't get in.

"Why can't I get in?" Song Wen asked in the group.

Well, it turned out because his account was newly registered and hadn't gone through real-name verification, he couldn't join the video, only chat via text. That was awkward.

As they talked, the stream began.

"666, it's here, it's here."

"Hahaha, it's here, Xing-Xing, look at me."

"I'm here to support Xing-Xing."

...

The first people to flood into the livestream were Lin Xing’s fans. This was what Wei Fei meant—even if Lin Xing lost fans or was insulted, he was still the one with the most traffic. If the livestream only had Ren Yi, Wang Fei, and Song Wen, there would be people, but it would be impossible to have this many. He brought his own traffic.

The stream started, and Zhao Fang explained why Song Wen wasn't on video. The dramatic turn of events made the comments section laugh. Then, the real segment began. Since it was for *Sweeping the Black Wave*, the focus was on the show. Why did they take the roles? Were there any funny stories on set?

"If you want a funny story, there is one." Ren Yi brought up a scene from *Sweeping the Black Wave*—the scene where Zhou Bo killed Mr. Wu’s dog and then invited him to eat dog meat hotpot.

"That scene wasn't originally played that way. At first, we were just going to have Zhou Bo threaten Mr. Wu, but Lin Xing suddenly changed his lines. He said, 'The bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish...'"

Ren Yi laughed, "Old Wang and I were on set, and we were stunned when we saw that."

Wang Fei said, "Exactly. Usually, it's normal for actors to change lines, but Lin Xing’s change was brilliant. Because his character was a fishmonger, and for a fishmonger, doesn't it make sense that the rougher the waves, the more valuable the fish?"

"Yes, but what really surprised us—and even Director Zu didn't expect it—was when we discussed the scene later. Lin Xing argued that Zhou Bo was a madman, but a madman with a plan; he had a backup strategy..." Ren Yi recounted the story, "That was the scene that changed my perspective on Lin Xing. He is someone with a unique understanding of his characters."

It wasn't just Ren Yi saying this; Wang Fei felt the same. By now, the comments were moving too fast to read. The chat was absolute madness.

"Holy crap, is that for real??"

"Damn, is Lin Xing that good??"

"Wait, isn't he illiterate? Since when are illiterate people so sharp?"

"To the person above, Lin Xing hasn't been illiterate for a long time. Have you ever seen an illiterate person change a script?"

"No, have you ever seen an illiterate person even read a script???"

...

The madness of the comments aside, Zhao Fang was also surprised. When she interviewed Lin Xing, he never mentioned this. He only kept thanking the crew, Ren Yi, and Wang Fei. But today’s livestream? Wang Fei said he didn't help Lin Xing much, but Ren Yi was often consulted by him. Ren Yi admitted that at first, he really didn't think Lin Xing could pull it off, but realized he was wrong.

Add in this scoop, and it was clear Lin Xing was truly talented. Yet, he had never advertised any of this. Zhao Fang had read his farewell essay, too; in it, he thanked so many people. He was the only one who thanked the entire cast and crew. Forget the acting—with this level of emotional intelligence, he deserved to be a star.

...

...

(End of chapter)