Back to 1997, I became the originator of online literature

Chapter 364 Destiny Arrives? A Meeting of Minds?
Seeing Mai Yaohui's lack of confidence, Cao Sheng decided to encourage him.

“Mr. Mak! You’re the one I’ve been looking for. Although you’ve never written a screenplay for a crime film, I know you’re a very creative and talented screenwriter. Besides, you’ve acted in crime films before. As a screenwriter, I’m sure you must have had a lot of ideas when you were acting in crime films, right?”

Mai Yaohui: "???"

At that moment, Mai Yaohui felt like he had struck gold.

Cao Sheng actually invited him to co-create a script for a police and gangster film for this very reason.

He himself didn't have that much confidence in himself, but Cao Sheng seemed to have a lot of confidence in him.

He certainly wanted to collaborate with Cao Sheng on a screenplay.

Once their jointly credited script is published, Mak Yiu-fai will surely become famous in the screenwriting world.

Even if the script they co-wrote is made into a movie and flops, the public will still remember his name.

An old saying flashed through his mind at that moment: "If you can't be remembered for your fame, you can be remembered for your infamy."

Of course, their scripts were neither destined for lasting fame nor for eternal infamy, but the general idea was similar.

In short, as long as he co-writes a script with Cao Sheng and is given the opportunity to be credited, he will definitely become famous in the industry.

Before this, who had co-written a script with Cao Sheng?

No!

He, Mai Yaohui, was the first.

"Mr. Cao! Thank you for thinking so highly of me, and thank you for giving me this opportunity. If you don't mind my lack of talent, I would be happy to co-write a script with you. If you need, I can arrange to come to your city for a while to communicate with you face to face. Would that be alright?"

Huizhou.

Cao Sheng smiled; of course, he didn't need Mai Yaohui to come to Huizhou.

Firstly, he had a good grasp of the script for "Infernal Affairs" and could recreate about 70-80% of it himself. Mak Yiu-fai could help revise and polish it, and that would be about right.

Secondly, Mai Yaohui is not a beautiful woman, and he does not look forward to meeting her.

Cao Sheng: "Very good! Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

Mai Yaohui: "Yes, it's a pleasure working together. I wonder what kind of script Mr. Cao wants to write? Where shall we begin?"

Cao Sheng hesitated for a moment, because he had reached the most crucial stage of the test.

Whether the script for "Infernal Affairs" has actually been released remains to be seen, depending on the next question.

Cao Sheng: "Um, Mr. Mai, have you seen John Woo's film 'The King of Masks'?"

Mai Yaohui: "Oh? You mean the movie 'Face/Off' that Director Wu made in Hollywood? The one where the male lead and the main villain swap faces using medical technology?"

Cao Sheng: "Yes, that's right! It's this movie. Since you know about it, have you seen it?"

Mai Yaohui: "I've seen it. I think this is the best film that Director Wu made after going to Hollywood. It's very creative, but it's a little fake. I personally think that in reality, it's impossible for the two sides to swap faces. Moreover, I think it's impossible for two people with different identities to replace each other's identities just by swapping faces. That's very unrealistic. But as a film, I think 'Face/Off' is a very creative and good movie."

After a pause, he tentatively asked, "Mr. Cao, would you like to write a script... similar to 'The King of Masks'?"

At this moment, Mai Yaohui's heart was beating a little faster, and his feelings were very complicated.

After recently rewatching the movie "Face/Off," he wanted to write a story with a similar concept.

What he just said reflects his recent thoughts and reflections.

Now, it seems that Cao Sheng also wants to write a similar story.

This is too coincidental, right?

Is this God's will?
I just happened to want to write a story like this, and Zhongyuan Yidianhui also happened to want to write a story like this. What's more, Zhongyuan Yidianhui called to ask me to write a story like this together.

While waiting for Cao Sheng's reply, Mai Yaohui walked to the window and stared blankly at the setting sun on the horizon.

At that moment, he felt as if there was a divine will at work.

This seemed to be his destined opportunity.

Cao Sheng was his destined benefactor.

Unaware that Mak Yiu-fai had recently been inspired by "Infernal Affairs," Tsao Sheng smiled and said, "Pretty much! However, my opinion is similar to yours. I also think that the idea of ​​the two sides swapping faces is almost impossible in reality. My idea is that the two sides don't need to swap faces, but they can directly exchange identities. For example, the police can plant undercover agents in the triads, and the triad boss can also plant undercover agents in the police. Let an excellent police officer go into the underworld, and let an elite triad member work in the police force, to achieve a dramatic conflict. I think such an identity misplacement should be very interesting. The showdown between the undercover agents on both sides should be just as exciting as the showdown between the protagonists and antagonists in the movie 'Face/Off.' What do you think?"

Hong Kong.

Mai Yaohui listened to Cao Sheng's introduction with surprise.

A feeling of sudden enlightenment washed over me.

Because although he recently wanted to write a story similar to "The King of Masks", his ideas were still very vague and he hadn't figured out how to write it.

Cao Sheng, however, had the idea of ​​both sides planting spies on the other's side.

The dramatic tension was immediately apparent.

The undercover agents on both sides are like the protagonist and the main villain in the movie "Face/Off".

The subsequent plot can be completely referenced from "The King of Masks". In this way, this script is essentially a re-creation based on "The King of Masks", which guarantees a basic level of brilliance, and the possibility of surpassing its predecessor is entirely real.

"Cao Sheng! Your idea is fantastic! Really, I think we can totally set it up this way. By the way, have you finished the first draft of the script? If so, could I get a sneak peek?"

Cao Sheng: "No, I only have this idea for now, and I haven't started writing it yet because I don't know much about the police and triads in Hong Kong. So, I'd like to ask you for help. I wonder if you could write the script for me? We can discuss the ideas and plot over the phone. Would it be alright if you could write the first draft of the script for me?"

He recently wanted to focus on writing the ending of "The Legend of the Primordial Era", so he wanted the original author, Mak Yiu-fai, to ghostwrite "Infernal Affairs".

Of course, if Mak Yiu-fai is unwilling, he can write "Infernal Affairs" in his spare time after he finishes writing "The Legend of the Primordial Era".

but……

Will Mai Yaohui refuse?
"Sure! Sure! Of course! I'm so grateful that you're giving me this opportunity, I'd be happy to do it! I'm just afraid that my knowledge is too limited and the first draft I produce won't satisfy you."

On the phone, Mai Yaohui expressed his stance with great emotion.

Cao Sheng smiled and said, “Mr. Mai, you are too modest! You are a professional screenwriter, while I am a screenwriter from another field. In terms of professional screenwriting skills, you are definitely superior to me. I believe in your ability. Besides, after the first draft is completed, we will still need to revise it many times, so you don’t need to worry at all.”

Mai Yaohui: "Okay, okay! In that case, I'll take the first draft. Shall we discuss the plot properly? By the way, have you decided on a title for the script?"

Cao Sheng: "Hmm, I've thought of a name, tentatively called 'Infernal Affairs,' what do you think?"

Hong Kong.

Mai Yaohui felt a chill run down his spine.

A sense of destiny instantly filled his heart.

Because the title of the script he recently came up with is: "Infernal Hell".

It means that the lives of undercover agents on both sides are like those of people who have died and come to suffer in the Avici Hell, which is the most painful of the eight great hells.

The name "Avici Hell" was inspired by a line from a Buddhist scripture: "The body suffers endlessly without dying; the long lifespan is the great calamity of Avici Hell."

One can only imagine the agony of never dying in the deepest hell.

He felt that "Infernal Affairs" could describe the suffering of the protagonist in the script when he was reduced to living as a villain.

Although he hadn't thought about how to write the script beforehand, nor had he come up with the idea of ​​planting spies between the two sides.

But while watching "Face/Off," he was moved by the protagonist's inner torment and got the inspiration to come up with the name "Infernal Affairs."

He never expected that the title of the script Cao Sheng chose would be so similar to the title he had chosen, "Infernal Hell".

Infernal Affairs...

"Mr. Cao, may I ask which three words you used to refer to 'Infernal Affairs'?"

When he asked this question, Mai Yaohui's voice trembled slightly.

As a native of Hong Kong, he was influenced by local customs and education and was not an atheist. The local culture of gods and Buddhas, which were inherited from feudal society, is still prevalent here, and many people believe in the existence of gods and Buddhas.

People his age also believe in fate.

Today, Cao Sheng's phone call made him feel that destiny had descended upon him.

What a coincidence!

He had just come up with the idea of ​​writing a script similar to "The King of Masks" when Cao Sheng called him and asked him to write a script similar to "The King of Masks" together.

He had never written a police and gangster film script before. There are so many screenwriters in Hong Kong who are good at writing police and gangster films, but Cao Sheng didn't look for any of them. Instead, he chose Mak Yiu-fai.

The key point is that the two of them did not know each other before and had never crossed paths.

They even seemed to have the same idea for the script's title.

If this isn't preordained, how else can it be explained?

At that moment, Cao Sheng's voice reached his ears, "Mr. Mai, do you know about Avici Hell? Buddhist scriptures say: 'Those who suffer in Avici Hell never die, and their long lifespan is the greatest calamity of Avici Hell.' I feel that the life of an undercover agent is like someone falling into Avici Hell, trapped there, unable to extricate themselves. As long as they don't die, they will suffer endless torment. Therefore, I named this script 'Infernal Affairs.' 'Infernal Affairs' is the 'infernal' of Avici Hell, and 'the Way' is the path leading to Avici Hell. The protagonist's undercover identity is a path leading to Avici Hell. What do you think of this name?"

Mai Yaohui: "..."

Mai Yaohui felt the tingling sensation on his scalp once again.

Cao Sheng actually said, "To suffer endless suffering and never die is the greatest calamity of the Avici Hell." He had thought of the name "Avici Hell" because of this sentence.

He, a grown man, living in Hong Kong, somehow found himself connected with Cao Sheng, who was far away on the mainland.

He had never encountered anything so amazing in his life.

But I encountered it today.

At the same time, he also deeply respected Cao Sheng's erudition.

Because he knew that in recent years, the mainland had been conducting atheistic education.

Logically speaking, the school should not have taught knowledge such as Buddhist scriptures, but Cao Sheng knew about the Avici Hell in Buddhist scriptures, and also knew the words "suffering in the Avici Hell and never dying..."

(End of this chapter)