Who said this top flow is crazy! This top flow is awesome!

"?"

Liu Xiaoxiao blinked her bright eyes. Her husband's reaction was unexpected. When they were still boyfriend and girlfriend, he had always criticized the Chinese entertainment industry and looked down on its various film and television works.

It's quite rare for him to react like that.

"This is the first time I've seen such a powerful scene in a domestic science fiction film."

Her husband stood up excitedly and grabbed Liu Xiaoxiao's arm: "Come and see, it's really beautiful."

"Is it really that exaggerated...?"

Although Liu Xiaoxiao and Chi Ye once had a "fan relationship," she is now at an age where she has indeed passed that most enthusiastic period.

She muttered to herself as she sat down, a smile still on her face. Deep down, she was very happy that her husband approved of Chi Ye.

"So short?"

Liu Xiaoxiao saw the length of the trailer, which was only 30 seconds long.

Is this what you call a trailer?

She was a little confused.

"The pilot episode is great, really great."

My husband highly recommended it.

Liu Xiaoxiao clicked play.

The opening scene is an endless, dark universe.

It was so deep it was suffocating, with only a few scattered stars twinkling faintly in the far distance.

Having gained experience from creating "The Martian," Guo Feng's team is clearly more mature, and they also possess a passion and dedication that other domestic teams have accumulated over a decade.

The atmosphere and sci-fi scenes created truly made all domestic audiences exclaim "Wow!"

In the trailer, the camera slowly zooms in, and the outline of a blue planet gradually becomes clear—that's Earth.

It was no longer as clear as before; its surface was covered with mottled gray-white, and the atmosphere seemed to be shrouded in a thin fog, exuding a deathly chill.

The background music is a slightly low and continuous hum, like the breath of the universe, or the preheating sound of some giant machine.

The very first shot was enough to make viewers who clicked on the trailer feel a tightness in their chest and a sense of oppression.

—The Wandering Earth, it seems to be wandering in the literal sense, but... here's the question, how can the Earth wander? If the Earth can wander, how big of a scene is that?
Thinking of this, Liu Xiaoxiao also held her breath and focused her mind.

At a certain instant, the camera suddenly cut to the Earth's surface.

The perspective drops down from high above, sweeping over the frozen continent and broken mountain ranges.

The original city ruins were buried under a thick layer of ice, with only scattered building remains visible, standing silently in the dim light.

Several giant beams of light suddenly erupted from the ground, piercing the dark, snowy sky.

Liu Xiaoxiao didn't quite understand what this was, but it seemed very professional and impressive.

The orange-red flames, accompanied by gray-white smoke, traced dazzling trails in the dim sky and earth. The pillars of light were so thick that they seemed to support the heavens and the earth, creating a stark contrast with the tiny outline of the earth in the distance.

The roar of the engines starting up echoed throughout the venue, drowning out the previous cosmic buzz. The camera began to switch between multiple planetary engines, some standing on the frozen coast, their flames reflected on the icy sea, shimmering with an eerie red light; others rooted in the ruins of cities, their jets of air blowing the surrounding ice into a frenzy.

The overall color scheme is dominated by cool gray and orange-red. The cool colors lay the foundation for the despair of the apocalypse, while the warm colors of the engine flames are both a symbol of hope and a tragic sense of desperate gamble.

In just the first ten seconds, Liu Xiaoxiao was completely stunned, because "The Wandering Earth" is all about the first visual impact of a domestic science fiction film. Compared to it, "The Martian" surpassed it in some aspects, but visually, "The Wandering Earth" has its own unique charm.

"How about that? Awesome, right?"

My husband was gesturing wildly beside me: "Holy crap, I can't believe that a movie like this can actually be made in China?"

What did you just say?

"what?"

"Don't swear!"

"Oh……"

"But why are you so excited? It's just a trailer. We'll have to see the movie to know how it is."

"I understand, I understand, don't miss it! Keep watching!"

Seeing that her husband was already captivated by those short thirty seconds, Liu Xiaoxiao clicked to continue playing.

Then, a classic line that will become a milestone in the history of Chinese science fiction films will be uttered. It is a profound and steady narration, with a voice carrying the vicissitudes of time and firmness.

"Initially, no one cared about this disaster. It was just a wildfire, a drought, the extinction of a species, the disappearance of a city... until this disaster became relevant to everyone."

The camera quickly flashes across several fragmented scenes: panicked crowds running, streets swallowed by ice and snow, red alarm numbers flashing on a dashboard, and the blurry profile of an astronaut gazing at Earth through a porthole...

Panic, confusion, despair—disaster seemed to have struck.

The narration fades, and the camera zooms out again, returning to a cosmic perspective.

Behind Earth, the outline of the sun is faintly visible, but it is no longer a warm gold, but a blinding white light. Propelled by planetary engines, Earth is slowly leaving its orbit, trailing a faint halo behind it, like a lone boat drifting in the universe.

The background noise returned to its low hum, the screen gradually darkened, leaving only a line of white text appearing in the darkness:

—"The Wandering Earth Project is launched."

"Project Wandering Earth, initiating..."

My husband slammed his hand on the table: "Awesome!!"

Although Liu Xiaoxiao was also stunned, she couldn't help but ask, "What's so cool about you? Do you know what the story is about?"

"NO."

My husband said, "The story should be pretty simple. Thirty seconds is packed with information. It's about Earth being doomed, a disaster has occurred, and Earth is going to wander. But... the story isn't the point, honey. The quality, the visuals, the special effects—the ability to produce something like this is what's most important!"

Liu Xiaoxiao was speechless. She felt that in just thirty seconds, she couldn't really see much. At most, she was shocked by the unprecedented scene, and then... nothing more.

Is it really that important? That's an exaggeration.

"This film is absolutely a milestone. It's not that its story is so good or that it's the best in the world, but that it proves to the world that we can also make this kind of film."

At the same time, at a meeting of a certain bureau, the old leader did not lie to Chi Ye. "The Wandering Earth" was indeed a "big project" that everyone was paying attention to. There was a 30-second trailer released for the first time, and there was also a special meeting - of course, it was convened by the big boss after watching it.

When the old leader first heard the news, he seemed twenty years younger. When he walked into the meeting room, his back was straight and his demeanor was excellent.

He didn't actually remember anything during the entire meeting, except for one sentence from that truly powerful figure who was someone you could only look up to: "Pretty impressive, everyone should take a look at the actual filming later."

The climax, the excitement, I went completely mad.

"Quite impressive." Although it was only four words, the old leader knew that this was the greatest affirmation of "The Wandering Earth" during this period of time. At the same time, what he had only guessed had come true.

When "The Wandering Earth" is released, there may actually be some big shots watching it.

He didn't know how to describe his feelings at that moment. He was sure that he was excited but nervous. This had nothing to do with Chi Ye, but was more about his own future.

Now it all depends on whether the quality of the final cut of "The Wandering Earth" can meet the standards. Ikeno has never let himself down before, and hopefully this time, which will be the most important one for both of them, will not disappoint him again.

……

The trailer for "The Wandering Earth" was released in just 30 seconds, and at the same time, it was officially announced that it would be released on the first day of the Spring Festival. Almost as soon as it was released, it soared to the top of the trending search list like a rocket.

It's not just about the quality of the trailer and the stunning visual impact. In reality, due to time constraints, not much of this was shown. Insiders find it incredible, and casual viewers share it with tears in their eyes. But the majority of moviegoers can't really judge anything from just thirty seconds.

It wouldn't attract public attention so quickly.

Ikeno's personal popularity and online presence played a crucial role.

Although he has disappeared from the public eye for more than a year, and although Chi Ye is no longer the top star that everyone thinks he is, both inside and outside the industry, his fans and viewers who truly like him are extremely excited because he hasn't appeared in public for a year.

"Finally, you've arrived!"

"You can't tell much in thirty seconds, but there's just a strange sense of excitement."

"When The Martian was released, I felt that Chi Ye was one of the few people in Chinese cinema who had the ability and talent to achieve such a high level of success, and now that idea is about to become a reality."

"Brother, how have you managed to stay out of the public eye for so long?"

"You've completely transformed into a talent-driven actor, and you don't care about the fate of your fans anymore, right?"

"Coconut has always been a talented performer, okay? She has never taken the pure idol route. Some people are just being ridiculous."

"Did you give birth this summer?"

"Everyone says that Jin Xia is love-struck, but actually Chi Ye is the biggest love-struck person. It's my blessing to be a fan of you. Your wife got pregnant and you just disappeared. You're really something."

"..."

There are not many topics surrounding "The Wandering Earth," but there are also quite a few. Most of them are mixed with various complaints and greetings, some malicious and some well-intentioned, about Chi Ye's disappearance for more than a year.

Even though Ferrari is old, it's still Ferrari. The top star isn't the top star anymore, but as soon as it appears, the traffic is still terrifyingly high.

The news that Director Wu and "Yang Jian 2" were scheduled for release during the Spring Festival, which were originally trending on the hot search list, were suppressed. Several other top celebrities who emerged in the new year were also suppressed.

Everyone was very indignant about this.

"The one I bought looks a bit fake."

"This trending topic was bought. It jumped straight to number one without any warning. I'm new to the Chinese entertainment fandom, and this is the famous 'unrivaled top star'?"

"Yang Jian 2 has a release date, and so has The Wandering Earth. A certain PR firm, just like its master, is focusing on its first traditional tactic: piggybacking on the success of the film. I'll piggyback on it big!"

"???"

"Oh my god, have I traveled to another world? I'm seeing someone questioning whether Ikeno's online traffic was bought..."

"To be honest, it feels like the wrinkles in my brain have been smoothed out."

"I'm a veteran in the industry, and this is the first time in all these years that I've seen someone say that Ikeno is riding on the coattails of other movies or buying trending topics. Am I too old? Am I out of touch with the times?"

"Ikeno's fans are not to be underestimated. If he's washed up, he's washed up. A top star who hasn't filmed a movie in a year? Those anxious 'Ikeno fanboys' in the comments section are laughable."

"Huye... such an old name."

Is Ikeno washed up?
From an actor's perspective, not having filmed or produced any work for a year does mean one has faded into obscurity, but in the case of Chi Ye, it seems to have a different flavor.

Because everyone in and outside the industry knows that Coconut has grown into a big and powerful company. Chi Ye is not just an actor, but also the boss of a top entertainment group. Isn't it normal for the boss not to film for a year?

However, the thought process of this special group in the fan circle is quite different from that of normal people. For example, the so-called "top influencers" and "stars" are greater than everything else to them.

For example, no matter how much wealth you have, it's not a benchmark in their eyes.

As long as you're still in the Chinese entertainment industry, you must still have traffic, endorsements, advertisements, and new user acquisition. A movie star without traffic is a nobody, an 18th-tier nobody. If you can't get endorsements from veteran actors with good ratings, then you can't put pressure on their older brothers and sisters.

What? You mean, can we bet on something that has both high traffic and a good reputation, and also has decent performance?
Sorry, although your ratings broke records and your popularity made history, you yourself have no fans and your "star power" is weak, so you are still a nobody.

In this respect, Ikeno was once the man at the very top of the food chain, and his fan base naturally stood at the "top" as well. They were so strong that they had no flaws and could beat all sorts of fake top influencers.

But as the saying goes, "what goes around comes around." After more than a year of silence, Chi Ye suddenly reappeared, instantly exciting the various rival fan groups, who then launched a coordinated attack.

Ikeno and Yego were both aware of this. Ikeno's status is undeniable; whenever he appears, regardless of the outcome, it always sparks various discussions and heated debates. This is what is meant by his "bloody and stormy" personality.

This is exactly what they "need"—this kind of overwhelming traffic and popularity is something that probably no one in the Chinese entertainment industry, except for Chi Ye, can achieve. Every appearance generates buzz, and every moment is a major marketing campaign.

So, The Wandering Earth capitalized on this surge in popularity and continued its film promotion efforts.

at the same time.

Ikeno himself has entered the final "preparation phase" in the past few days.

This includes, but is not limited to, finding hospitals, doctors, hospital caregivers, and also having to work outside the hospital from time to time.

Early December, the last month of the year.

A heavy snow fell in the capital, covering the entire city in a thick blanket of white. On the evening of the 3rd, Chi Ye had just finished dealing with work when he suddenly received a phone call—it seemed that the Empress Dowager was about to give birth.

"Brother Chi, don't worry, there are plenty of people here..."

"Okay, I'll hang up now."

Chi Ye hung up Coco's call, then took a deep breath and strode towards the ward. (End of Chapter)