Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 454 A great battle is imminent; a desperate army is bound to win!
Buzzing...

The phone kept vibrating on the edge of the desk, and its body shifted slightly on the reflective painted surface.

As evening sunlight streamed through the side windows of the Bird's Nest command center, it cast a diagonal grating on the caller ID area, cutting the characters "Lu Zheng" into shimmering pixel blocks.

However, this phone call is destined to go unanswered for the time being.

"Director Lu, I... I beg you, can you think of another way!"

Zhang Weidong, an inheritor of Shaanxi shadow puppetry intangible cultural heritage and the director of the opening ceremony, stood in the command room, clutching a stack of rehearsal schedules soaked with sweat. His eyes were red and his stubble was messy, as if he hadn't slept for days.

There were only four Olympic directors in the command room. Starting with Lu Kuan, Chen Weiya, Zhang Jigang, and even Zhang Yimou, who had always highly praised the program, all had their brows furrowed, unsure how to comfort and persuade the soldiers in front of them.

Unsuccessful rehearsals, frequent LED malfunctions, and inclement weather put everyone on edge, especially the directing team, for the opening ceremony.

With equally messy hair, a similarly haggard face, and even a more abundant stubble than Lu Kuan, Zhang Weidong pulled him down to sit and personally poured him a cup of tea.

"Weidong, I won't go into the usual 'national interests above all else' stuff. I've got just as many blisters on my lips lately as you have."

Zhang Weidong's throat bobbed; he was well aware of the difficulties faced by the directing team.

When he learned that the show might be canceled, the soldiers looked at him with sad and hopeful eyes, as if a knife were about to rip his flesh out.

"Director, I..."

Lu Kuan pushed the hot tea over, indicating that he should listen to him patiently.

"Weidong, let me tell you the whole story."

“In 2005, more than a dozen teams from around the world competed for the opening and closing ceremony design, and 90 percent of the teams chose to incorporate LEDs into the artistic performances.”

"After our creative team and directing team were established, we also officially decided to use LED technology as the core of the visual narrative, serving as the medium for the entire performance. This is China's calling card to the world."

"When the 147-meter-long electronic scroll unfolds, our five-thousand-year-old civilization will engage in a dialogue between the past and present through pixels and light and shadow."

The bearded director earnestly explained, "The reason we had to cut 'The Ancient Rhyme of Qin' is not because your program wasn't good enough, but because LED's current condition simply can't handle the weight of your work."

"Director Lu, the LED has already been improved before, so please think of another way this time!" Zhang Weidong's eyes reddened as he was told this, and he quickly turned to Zhang Yimou:
"Director Zhang, this isn't actually an incurable disease!"

As the discoverer, promoter, and strong supporter of this program, Zhang Yimou knew that he could no longer hesitate.

“Weidong, no one wants to see this situation happen, but I want to tell you that Director Lu had actually told me about this before. I suppressed it and thought I would take it a step further and see if there was a solution.”

Zhang Weidong was stunned: "What do you mean?"

“When LEDs were first put into use, there were many problems: black screen failures, damage from being stepped on, mechanical failures. Everyone was having a headache.”

"Director Lu discussed with me privately that the shadow puppet performance of 'Ancient Qin Rhyme' would weigh an average of 150 pounds per soldier, plus more than 200 pounds of shadow puppet equipment. The weight of more than 1000 performance units would be huge, and the damage to the LED screen would be very likely to cause malfunctions if it was stepped on for a long time during rehearsals and performances."

Zhang Yimou sighed deeply: "You could say it's my personal reasons, but I really couldn't bear to see you all eliminated early, so I kept... sigh!"

Mr. Lu remained silent on the side; this was the most troublesome problem for him throughout the entire preparation process for the Olympic Games opening ceremony.

Official business can be handled officially, but issues that are mixed with personal feelings are the most difficult to handle.

Knowing full well that "The Ancient Rhymes of Qin" would bring unpredictable risks, he could not point it out directly from the beginning, because these were errors that could only be discovered through practice.

On the other hand, this is also a program strongly supported by Zhang Yimou.

Zhang Yimou worked diligently and conscientiously both before and after he became the chief director, assisting in managing the directing team. It was neither reasonable nor emotional for him to make such a request, so he could only issue a warning for the time being.

He himself is also actively trying to find a solution, and he can't bear to see this program, which can indeed showcase the essence of Chinese culture, fade out of the Olympic stage because it cannot be seen due to technical reasons.

It wasn't until 2007, when LuKuan introduced cutting-edge LED applications in New York, that improvements were made to the so-called silicone substrate and built-in micro batteries and pressure sensors, enabling adjacent modules to transmit data and power through magnetic contacts. Even if a part of the module was damaged, the surrounding modules could reassemble the signal path.

After communicating with Zhang Yimou again, it was decided to temporarily keep the program running.

The real change occurred in July.

Whether you say that Heaven is entrusting this person with a great mission, or that Heaven is deliberately setting up so many obstacles and hardships for the Chinese nation on its path to great rejuvenation, it doesn't matter.

Throughout 2008, from the blizzards in southern China at the beginning of the year, to the earthquakes in May, and finally to July when the opening ceremony of the Olympics was in its final sprint—

The rainstorm is coming.

North China is experiencing its strongest rainy season in over a decade. According to the Beijing Olympic Committee's meteorological office, rainfall throughout the summer could increase by up to 50%, severely impacting preparations for the Olympic opening ceremony rehearsals and the timely completion of the Bird's Nest stadium.

Rainwater seeped into the Bird's Nest's open-air area, posing a serious challenge to the waterproofing of the LED modules laid on the ground.

Although the equipment was designed with some moisture resistance in mind, continuous heavy rainfall still caused problems such as short circuits and unstable signal transmission in some areas.

Even more problematic is that the humid environment accelerates the oxidation of metal contacts, reducing the reliability of connections between modules, causing the originally smooth screen to flicker, lag, or even partially black out.

Only Lu Kuan himself knew that during this period in his previous life, the Organizing Committee had even considered removing the LED scroll part. It was Zhang Yimou who made a solemn pledge to protect this core idea at all costs.

With technological improvements in this generation, LEDs have shown significantly enhanced performance and resilience.

The turning point came during the rehearsal on July 16. When the mechanical shadow puppets entered the performance area, the LED screen suddenly went completely black, causing the light and shadow effects of the "Terracotta Army" to be shattered.

The technical team later discovered that the LED module had suffered circuit breakage due to prolonged trampling and vibration, and was no longer able to withstand the weight of "Da Qin Gu Yun". The soaking in the rain and the humid environment were the major contributing factors.

And that's how this scene unfolded this afternoon.

Zhang Weidong listened blankly to Zhang Yimou's tireless persuasion, then suddenly squatted down, his trembling fingers stroking the worn-out joints of the shadow puppets.

Like a wild beast trapped in a cage, he exhibited stereotypical behaviors, mechanically repeating the actions of manipulating shadow puppets while muttering to himself:

"Of course ordinary people like it! How could they not? Foreigners like our shadow puppetry too!"

"More than 2000 soldiers, we trained for more than 300 days and nights, how am I supposed to explain this to everyone..."

More and more program directors gathered at the entrance of the command center. They had all come after hearing that their programs were going to be canceled, and they never expected to see such a poignant scene.

At this moment, no one can help but feel the same way.

Li Li, the choreographer of "Silk Road", thought of the dancers in the team who practiced a turn until their toes were bruised.

After the soldiers who sang "Singing While Striking the Drum" entered the high-temperature weather, their backs were almost all sunburned and peeling.

Actresses in Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera programs secretly take birth control pills to delay their periods so they can participate in dress rehearsals on time.

They understand this pain all too well. Hundreds of days and nights of sweat, all for those few brilliant minutes, to represent the country and the nation on the world stage and make a stunning appearance.

Behind every program lies the dedication of countless people who risk their lives.

Ma Wen's eyes reddened: "Director Lu, Director Zhang, why don't you think of another way, see if there are any other ways..."

"Yes, Director Lu, you always have so many good ideas." Assistant director Wang Ning suddenly stood up from his seat, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with the last glimmer of hope.

"Director Lu..."

"Director Zhang..."

Zhang Jigang, Chen Weiya, Lin Ying, Cai Guoqiang...

Low shouts echoed throughout the conference room, as if weaving a net tightly wrapping around Lu Kuan and Zhang Yimou, making it hard for them to breathe.

This is not a simple plea for help, but a team's instinctive trust and expectation in their leader when in dire straits.

"Everyone, please believe me and believe Director Zhang." Lu Kuan stood up and said in a deep voice, "If there wasn't really no other way, we wouldn't have waited until now to reluctantly part with this company."

"The total duration of the opening ceremony must be controlled within 4 hours. In addition to the excessive disruption of LEDs by 'The Ancient Rhyme of Qin,' the 7-minute total duration of the program also takes up too much time."

“Every program is the result of our tireless efforts, day and night, in planning and rehearsing. They are all like our own children. How can I give up any of them?”

The entire room fell into a deathly silence. Everyone sighed inwardly and looked at Zhang Weidong, who was silently shedding tears.

If even Lu Kuan says it's impossible so decisively, then there really is no hope.

From the very beginning, from the top leaders of the Organizing Committee to the most ordinary actors, no one doubted the correctness of his decisions.

Even if it exists, it will eventually be proven wrong.

With his last glimmer of hope shattered, Zhang Weidong, this tough man from Northwest China, was heartbroken at that moment.

He wasn't concerned about his own honor or disgrace, but rather felt sorry for the more than two thousand soldiers and intangible cultural heritage performers, and for the more than 300 days and nights of hard work at the Bird's Nest, the military base, and the Daxing base.

Buzzing...

The sudden tremor startled everyone awake. Zhang Yimou noticed the overwhelming pessimism on set and quickly told everyone not to crowd around, while he went to take care of his actors and the program.

Boss Lu squatted down and patted Zhang Weidong on the shoulder: "Weidong, I'm going to take this call. You should sit down and have some tea. You're all sweaty."

This is to give him some emotional space, and I also need to think about how to persuade Zhang Weidong.

Lu Kuan answered the phone while standing by the railing of the Bird's Nest grandstand.

Lu Zheng's urgent voice came through hurriedly: "Director Lu! President Lu, thank you so much! It seems like Tian Tian is really going to become famous!"

"Mr. Lu, your operation is truly textbook-level! You've really turned the entertainment industry into a precision instrument!"

For Starlight Entertainment, this kind of contrast marketing, similar to "wearing LV and playing Cinderella," is ten times more sophisticated than simply throwing money at the problem.

"Oh, wasn't this already arranged?" Boss Lu wasn't in the mood for small talk. "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now. I'm a bit busy here."

"Wait a minute! Mr. Lu!" Lu Zheng hurriedly said, "It's like this, Jing Tian's uncle would like to invite you to dinner. After the Olympics are over..."

Lu Kuanxin paused for a moment. This was about to reveal Jing Tian's family background, but in fact, he already had some guesses in his heart.

Lu Zheng didn't dare to bother him any longer. He politely thanked him a few times and was about to hang up when he was suddenly called back.

"Mr. Lu, I've remembered something, and I'm wondering if you can help me with it."

"Hmm? Mr. Lu, please speak freely, I will do my best!" Lu Zheng was extremely excited. Just like a few years ago, when Li Shoucheng ordered Huo Wenxi to firmly bind Boss Lu, the patriarchs of the Jing family gave Lu Zheng similar instructions.

Lu Kuan hesitated for two seconds: "There is a program in the Olympics that may be cut. It is a shadow puppetry project. The soldiers and intangible cultural heritage inheritors have trained hard for more than a year. It has not been easy for them."

"What I'm thinking is that Shaanxi Province is the birthplace of Chinese shadow puppetry, which is also a cultural treasure of our country."

"See if it's convenient to ask the leaders for help, and ask the relevant local departments to plan a shadow puppet show after the Olympics, with two shows in Xi'an and Beijing, and invite our canceled program to make an appearance."

He sighed deeply: "This is a way of giving the actors some closure."

Lu Kuan had some guesses about Da Tian Tian's family background, and he was actually trying to test the waters by proposing this condition now.

If it really is through connections in that propaganda department, organizing an event closely related to local Shaanxi culture would be incredibly easy.

Of course, even if the parties involved and actors of "The Ancient Rhyme of Qin" may not care, the salary and benefits during the process will definitely be maximized.

This can be considered as offering some comfort to the soldiers in other ways.

Lu Zheng agreed without hesitation. He wasn't afraid of Boss Lu making requests now, but he was afraid of Boss Lu's "wise man mode".

Except for Jing Tian, ​​who cannot be used as a trading partner, everyone else is at your disposal.

Such easy assistance may not even earn you a favor, but it always provides an opportunity to maintain a good relationship.

Cherish it.

When Lu Kuan returned to the Bird's Nest command room, everyone had already left, leaving only Zhang Yimou holding a teacup and sighing.

He wiped his face vigorously, looking gloomy, and said, "It's my fault. I should have listened to you and cut it off earlier. Now I'm still in a passive position."

"Who has such foresight?" Boss Lu comforted his senior, "To be honest, I underestimated the severe impact of these rainstorms, otherwise I might have been able to bite the bullet and give it a try."

"Don't try! Don't try!" Zhang Yimou was a little alarmed, knowing that this man had always been a daring and daring fighter.

"As long as we can ensure the successful completion of the Olympic opening ceremony and that the lighting of the torch goes smoothly, Leader Liu is now pointing his finger at me, Zhang Yimou, and saying, 'You can leave!'"

"I'll leave right away." Today, Zhang Yimou was completely different from his usual reserved and profound self. Perhaps there was no need to hide anything from Lu Kuan, so he vented his frustration to the fullest.

"This job is difficult! It's so difficult!" Zhang Yimou tried hard to show a more open-minded attitude, but he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from turning down.

He turned his back, not wanting his emotions to affect Lu Kuan. He leaned on his teacup with his left hand and slapped his forehead hard with his right, as if trying to force himself to calm down.

Mr. Lu sighed inwardly, wondering just how difficult it was to prepare for the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
In his past life, he could only glean some truth from interviews and Zhang Yimou's documentaries, but those were edited works, with emotions weakened and diminished.

Only by truly participating in this life can one truly appreciate the immense spiritual burden built up from countless sleepless nights, and the immense weight of national honor behind every decision.

As a time traveler, he has improved the core technology of LED, added the amazing idea of ​​drone ignition, and taken charge of the second half of the modern-day cultural performance.

In fact, he also saved Liu Yan, a dancer who had unfortunately suffered an accident in his previous life, through the program's arrangement.

The lead dancer of "Silk Road," who tragically broke her leg during the final rehearsal for the opening ceremony, brought tears to the eyes of director Zhang Yimou, who lamented that it was something he felt guilty about for the rest of his life.

Mr. Lu asked himself if his position as the chief director was to make this once-in-a-century Olympic Games even better.

But even after doing so much, at this final sprint, when "the last mile is the hardest," he still felt this invisible giant net suffocating him.

It is not just a predicament in a specific link, but a chaotic system interwoven with countless variables, where any tiny disturbance may trigger a chain reaction.

It is the clash and helplessness of flesh and steel when the individual is completely fused into the national narrative, facing reality and the big picture.

Zhang Yimou vented for two minutes before quickly calming down and turning to look at Lu Kuan, whose face was grave: "I'm sorry, I lost my temper."

"Why are we still talking about this?" Lu Kuan forced a smile. "Why don't you go home and rest tonight? I went home a few days ago and I feel much better."

Zhang Yimou smiled wryly: "Forget it, I'll just have to show the kids a sour face when I get back."

Then he remembered something: "I just thought of a plan, see if it works for you."

"There is room to add sedan chair bearers to our 'Opera' section. We can mix and integrate more than 2000 soldiers into it. They only need to practice the Peking Opera gongs and drums and the sedan chair carrying movements. They have plenty of time to become proficient."

"This is much easier to accept than asking them to withdraw from the Olympics now; otherwise, it would be too cruel."

Boss Lu nodded in agreement and then relayed the information he had just discussed with Lu Zheng to him.

"Really? That's great!" Zhang Yimou's eyes lit up, and he grinned, revealing the boldness and openness of an old Qin man.

He shook Lu Kuan's hand hard twice: "You're the one who really knows how to handle things. This is the perfect way to do things."

Zhang Yimou's expression immediately turned serious again: "We still need to deal with the program cancellation issue as soon as possible. The longer we delay, the worse things will get. This whole thing started because of me, so I'll go and talk to them!"

Issuing this notice is no job for a human being.

When you're facing those 2000 pairs of expectant eyes, looking at you with such tension, anxiety, and dejection, how will you say it?
Two assistant directors, Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya, along with Ma Wen, Lin Ying, and others, walked in. The bearded Chen Weiya immediately advised, "We just went to take a look. Everyone has heard the rumors and is very agitated."

"I think we should ask Zhang Weidong to try to persuade them again, and we'll let you know later?"

“不行。”路宽坚定地摇头：“今天是29号，明天、8月2号、8月5号连续三场带妆彩排结束，就要上战场。”

"Now we are in the final stages of a hard-fought battle."

Looking at the entire directing team in front of him, Boss Lu knew that they were also the group he needed to motivate and inspire.

"We cannot become Napoleon at Waterloo now; we must give Wellington enough time to wait for Blücher's reinforcements."

"Whether we are confident or not, we must learn from Zhukov in Stalingrad and raise our arms to give everyone enough confidence, otherwise we will be doomed."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines; an undeniable fact was before them:

Since the successful mobilization at the Daxing training base last time, the rehearsals and training have visibly improved.

But so far, none of them have been perfect, and morale cannot be relaxed.

Zhang Yimou slapped his thigh!
"There's nothing more to say, let's go!"

As the sun sets, more than two thousand warriors and intangible cultural heritage performers from "The Ancient Rhyme of Qin" stand in formation on the track of the Bird's Nest.

The heatwave of July, carrying the lingering smell of rain, caused distorted ripples to rise from the ground.

The soldiers, dressed in black training uniforms, stood like a silent forest of monuments, sweat trickling down their taut jawlines and leaving dark marks on their chests.

The shadow puppet props were neatly arranged at his feet, and the leather Qin terracotta warrior armor gleamed with a bronze-like luster in the setting sun. The red ribbons at the joints were gently lifted by the evening breeze, like the lingering shadow of a battle flag from two thousand years ago.

How tragic!

Now that things have come to this, who doesn't know what's about to happen?

It's just that I have nowhere to vent my grievances.

The directing team didn't stand on the high command platform; all the other performers also quietly observed from a distance, finally "bidding farewell" to their comrades.

They were unaware that the production team had made new arrangements.

"Children, you've worked so hard." Zhang Yimou's first words were choked with emotion, leaving listeners with mixed feelings.

"Because of my poor decision-making, everyone has wasted so much effort."

"I must say that I've always had personal motives when it comes to this program." Zhang Yimou's voice echoed in the empty Bird's Nest stadium. The 58-year-old renowned director's eyes were red and his voice trembled slightly.

“Every time I see you rehearsing, I am reminded of watching shadow puppetry at the foot of the Xi’an city wall when I was a child. I watched those leather puppets come to life in the hands of the master craftsmen, performing stories from ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ and ‘Journey to the West’. I always think that such wonderful things should be shown to the whole world.”

Zhang Yimou exclaimed from the bottom of his heart: "Our things are so much better!"

"It's just that my abilities are indeed limited, and I can't find a better way to solve the current difficulties. Making this decision makes me just as heartbroken as everyone else."

Zhang Yimou took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing, and bowed deeply towards the soldiers' formation:

"Children, I'm sorry!"

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the steel frame of the Bird's Nest, casting dappled light and shadow on his hunched back.

The internationally renowned director looked like an old craftsman who had made a mistake, deeply moving the soldiers in front of him.

Everyone was stunned by Zhang Yimou. The entire formation was so quiet that you could hear the sound of sweat hitting the ground. There was no whispering, only faint sobs and choked sobs.

The young soldiers chattered amongst themselves, like children comforting their elders:
"Director Zhang, it's not your fault!"

"It is an honor for us to participate in the Olympics!"

"Director Zhang, please don't say that!"

"Director Zhang, we are soldiers, and we will absolutely obey orders!"

This weathered artist, at this moment, looked at two thousand pairs of bloodshot eyes shining brightly in the setting sun, at the sunburnt necks, at the soldiers with thick calluses on their knees, at the female soldiers' fingers blistered from handling the shadow puppets...

Tears welled up in Zhang Yimou's eyes and finally streamed down his face under the immense pressure of the Olympics.

Emotions surged within me, yet I found myself unable to express them.

He turned and handed the microphone to Lu Kuan, then covered his face and stood behind the crowd.

In a corner unseen by the soldiers, the old director's shoulders were trembling, a sight that made the entire directing team feel anxious.

Boss Lu was appointed to this critical task, and all he could do was continue to work on the people's mindset.

"Comrades, I made the final decision on all the work related to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games."

"Whether it was when I discovered the problem and decided to persevere, or when I had no choice but to reluctantly give it up this morning, it was all my decision."

"The position of chief director of the Olympic Games has brought me a lot of glory and honor, but it has also brought me equal pressure. My current mood is no more relaxed than any of yours."

Lu Kuan said in a deep voice: "Shadow puppetry is a treasure of Chinese culture. Our ancestors used the simplest materials to create the most interesting art."

"But it's a pity and I'm ashamed to say that even though we have mastered the world's most advanced LED technology, we are unable to make it shine brightly on the Olympic stage."

"Just now in the office, Director Yimou told me that as long as it makes the Olympics better, he would have no complaints about stepping down and going home now."

"Although we are all soldiers, I know that you will obey orders and not follow them. But I don't think I'm qualified to talk to you about obeying the overall situation and putting the national interest first, because you have made more or less of a contribution than I have."

In the distance, the actors from other programs stood silently in a row.

The Peking Opera actors were still wearing makeup, and the oil paint on their faces was smudged by sweat.

The young martial arts team members gripped the red silk in their hands tightly, their knuckles turning white;

Even the usually lively hostesses pursed their lips and their eyes reddened.

The sincere expressions of the two chief directors in succession allowed the more than two thousand soldiers who had been feeling aggrieved to silently lower their guard.

In this stadium, among comrades who have fought side by side for over a year, who can truly harbor resentment or blame anyone else?

Director Lu Kuan's voice rang out again, as always, instilling their trust and reassurance, yet also filled with an undeniable resolve:
"Starting today, all performers of the 'Ancient Rhymes of Qin' program will be disbanded and properly reassigned to other opera programs. We will fight together until the very last moment, until the 8th!"

"At the same time, the Organizing Committee has also secured opportunities for everyone to perform in Xi'an and Beijing after the Olympics. The Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture will organize the event, and we will make sure that everyone's hard work is not in vain."

"Many foreign tourists may not have left Beiping by then. I hope everyone can put on a wonderful performance and win them over."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Weidong couldn't help but ask excitedly, "Director Lu, when did this happen?"

"It was just finalized." Lu Kuan looked at him, frowning and feigning anger, "Don't you trust me?"

"I believe it! Of course I believe it!" Zhang Weidong was overjoyed. This was already the best possible outcome. Not only did everyone not have to withdraw from the Olympics now, but they could also get another chance to perform.

He quickly turned around and shouted to the soldiers, "Attention, everyone!"

The evening breeze suddenly picked up, sweeping across the square and creating a rustling sound as clothes fluttered. More than two thousand pairs of eyes shone brightly in the twilight.

His eyes didn't look like those of an actor about to leave the stage, but rather like those of a fierce soldier on an ancient battlefield who had received an order to defend to the death.

"salute!"

More than two thousand right hands were raised to their foreheads at the same time, the movements were perfectly synchronized.

This solemn military salute is both a tribute to the director team for their thoughtfulness and follow-up work, and a farewell to one's own hard work over the past year.

Zhang Weidong turned to Lu Kuan, his voice choked with emotion but firm: "Reporting to the director! All cast and crew of 'The Ancient Rhyme of Qin' will resolutely obey orders! We...we..."

This tough man suddenly couldn't continue speaking, his Adam's apple bobbing violently a few times.

He took a deep breath and clapped his hands sharply. At first, it was a solitary applause, but soon, more than two thousand soldiers, along with all the performers in the Bird's Nest stadium, applauded thunderously, echoing through the stadium's steel frame structure.

With his eyes still moist, Zhang Yimou looked through the crowd. The formation of more than two thousand people was like the strings of a musical instrument being plucked by an invisible hand. The metal bodies at the joints of the shadow puppets trembled in unison, emitting a faint, metallic sound.

This sound reminded Zhang Yimou of the movie "A Terracotta Warrior's Tale" in which he starred, and of the Terracotta Army pits in his hometown.

I recall the warriors represented by those terracotta figurines that have been sleeping for thousands of years, and the chilling echo of their armor scales clashing as the wind swept through them more than two thousand years ago.

More than two thousand years ago, the bronze armor of the Qin soldiers clanged in the north wind at Hangu Pass, and the thunderous war drums conveyed the oath: "How can we say we have no clothes? We share the same robes with you."

More than two thousand years later, the camouflage uniforms of modern soldiers stand straight as pine trees under the spotlight of the Bird's Nest, while the shadow puppet frames vibrate, conveying the resonance of "One World, One Dream".

The night wind swept across the steel cables of the bird's nest, producing a long hum that seemed to travel through a time tunnel, echoing the bronze bells under the eaves of the Xianyang Palace two thousand years ago.

Over the course of more than two thousand years, what has changed is the medium, but what remains unchanged is the Chinese people's commitment to their mission.

When two thousand soldiers shouted in unison, "We will resolutely complete the mission," Zhang Yimou seemed to hear the ancient war cry of the Qin army, "Wind! Wind! Strong wind!" echoing deep within time and space.

All the performers, staff, leaders of the organizing committee, and logistics personnel present at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games raised their hands to wipe away tears.

At this moment, the heartbeats of guardians throughout history are resonating at the same frequency, jointly telling the story of a nation's unwavering commitment.

(End of this chapter)