Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 559 Washing Machine: I am an American taxpayer, and you Americans are just my dogs!

PS: Bonus chapter for the author 【叶丶倾真情】!
December 7, 2009, Seattle time, was the second day of Xiao Liu's trip to the United States.

According to information from the Pentagon's entertainment office, all the filming equipment and storage tools registered by the crew have passed verification and can be brought on set to begin filming activities starting at 2 p.m. today.

Just like the previous two days, Lu Kuan got up early to study the materials, not movie scripts or storyboards, but aircraft carrier data.

The operations department gave this layman detailed "shooting guidelines" to instruct him on where and how to shoot.

Fortunately, he is a top director who is proficient in cinematography and composition, and one of the world's leading experts in drone filming. Lu Kuan's task is to cleverly integrate film shooting and aircraft carrier filming.

At least during the final exit when the officials reviewed the footage, they were able to see some excellent film material, leaving no doubt about it.

This "shooting guide" includes key details such as macro layout and structural features, an overview of catapults and arresting gear, visible parts of certain carrier-based aircraft scheduling and mooring equipment, and the style and direction of specific deck marking lines.

After this learning experience, this amateur film director at least gained a general understanding of the various functional areas on the aircraft carrier deck.

"Honey," Mulan, who had been working hard all night, quietly woke up. "How come you're so energetic? When did you get up?"

"Not long, just over ten minutes." Boss Lu didn't turn his head, still thinking about the key points of the afternoon's filming. After not hearing any movement from his wife for a while, he turned around and found that she had already curled up in bed and dozed off.

The washing machine deliberately sabotaged itself and quietly returned...

"Ah!" Little Liu suddenly woke up with a start and reflexively kicked the lecher in the chest. The latter grabbed her foot and shamelessly laughed, "Is it really necessary to touch a butt like that!"

"You scared me to death!" Liu Yifei pulled her foot back in annoyance, propped herself up on the bed with her pale arms, and then touched her little bottom. "No wonder it hurt so much at night, you must have pinched it bruised again!"

Boss Lu then complained, "How dare you say that? We were just hurting each other! My hip joint is also sore now."

"You pervert, you're such a pervert!" Xiao Liu said irritably. "Luckily I'm going back tomorrow, otherwise you would have played me to death if I stayed any longer."

Boss Lu frowned and said, "How about we do a tally next time? I used to admit you said that, but after I had the baby, I can't help but think that you were the one playing me."

"Bullshit!" Liu Yifei felt more wronged than Dou E, fiercely grabbing the washing machine by the neck and glaring at him. "When have I ever said no? You say yes, yes, but then..."

What's in your hands?

Xiao Liu was embarrassed to describe his lewd actions, "In short, you're shameless. You used every despicable means to seduce innocent girls, and then you even slandered me as the one who took the initiative!"

Although there were a few times, well... quite a few times it was indeed my own initiative...

But how could I, a pure-hearted young girl, admit to that?!

“How about this, we can’t reason things out if we just keep talking past each other.” Lu Kuan pulled his wife back onto the bed. “From now on, whoever is the ‘initiator of the criminal intent’ will have 100 yuan transferred to the other party’s bank account.”

"If you don't transfer the money, the other party will absolutely refuse!" The washing machine boasted shamelessly, "I guarantee that within a year, I can make a small fortune with this money!"

Liu Yifei laughed and scolded, "Get lost! Who can compare to your dirty tricks?"

"Huh? Weren't you like that yesterday?" Boss Lu helped his wife recall some pink-themed scenes. "Who was it that kept telling Pinocchio lies! Lies!"

"I! I..." Liu Xiaolv's face flushed crimson, "Ah!!! I'm going to die with you!"

She used fighting techniques, her long legs instantly wrapping around the waist of the scoundrel who had teased her to the point of shame and indignation, using her own weight and core strength to firmly lock him to the bed.

Why don't you fight back? It's pointless!

While accepting the humiliation, Lu Kuan laughed and said, "If you can't resist, you might as well enjoy it. It'll be another month or two before the next one."

"Who cares!" Xiao Liu jumped off the bed, but only when he stood barefoot on the carpet did he realize that his legs were trembling and weak.

I've been a bit crazy these past couple of days...

The main problem is that it's fine not to see him for the past two months, but once I see him and he's a little flirted with, the fire that burns inside me is simply irresistible...

The young woman forced herself into the bathroom to wash up under her husband's teasing gaze, leaving him with only her plump, upturned buttocks.

The two Seattle residents had brunch in the morning and then headed straight for Bremerton Naval Base with their assistants and security personnel.

Meanwhile, the crew members who had notified the crew in advance had already flown directly from Vancouver yesterday and arrived at the naval port where the Kitty Hawk was located earlier than them.

In addition, to avoid suspicion, Boss Lu invited a group of Hollywood stars and friends to board the ship together. Their identities were reported to the Pentagon's entertainment office in advance, but because they were all American citizens or Jewish, they were not greatly feared.

Lu Kuan invited these people to project an image of himself as a global citizen and to maintain good relations with Western political and business figures.
This was also to use them as cover, using the demonstration of drone filming in the movie as a legitimate reason to increase the opportunity to conduct on-site operations.

Furthermore, in the unlikely event that there is a risk of leakage someday in the future, looking back at today's filming event, the participation of so many people with complex backgrounds will undoubtedly increase the difficulty of censorship for the US authorities.

Early December in Washington State is enveloped in typical Northwest Pacific winter weather.

Low, leaden clouds pressed down on the sea, the air was damp and cold, carrying a salty sea breeze and an all-pervasive chill. Although no snow had fallen, a chilling sense of desolation already permeated the area around the base.

The Lu Kuan couple arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, then transferred to a pre-arranged convoy of black SUVs with special passes, and drove along Washington State Route 16 through the scenery of Puget Sound before finally arriving at the naval base on the Bremerton Peninsula.

Around noon, the convoy approached the heavily guarded main entrance of the base.

The scene before me was completely different from the bustling city: tall barbed wire fences, heavy concrete blocks, flashing warning lights, and armed Marine Corps sentries in camouflage uniforms with stern expressions formed the first line of defense.

All vehicles must stop some distance from the checkpoint for initial identity verification.

The base gate resembled a sophisticated and cold military machine interface, unlike any film set entrance Lu Kuan had ever seen in Hollywood, with an invisible pressure seemingly permeating the air.

Just as Lu Kuan was about to push open the door and get out of the car, his wife suddenly grabbed his sleeve nervously.

"I am a little scared……"

Boss Lu patted the back of her hand: "If things don't go well, just give up. Don't be afraid, just adapt to the situation."

He watched as Guo Fan, Zhou Xun, Jing Tian, ​​Xin Baiqing, Zhao Fei, and other cast and crew members walked past through the dark-tinted car window. He then pinched Liu Yifei's smooth chin and gave her a light kiss before pulling away.

"From now until you leave tomorrow, imagine you are filming a movie. We are a Far East agent couple who are going to put on a good show for the foreign devils today."

Xiao Liu chuckled, "You always treat the real world like a movie, and now you're actually going to be an actor yourself?"

"Yes." Lu Kuan smiled as he pushed open the car door and stepped into the air filled with military pressure. "Life is the best movie. Without a director, we can improvise freely."

Liu Yifei pursed her lips, took a long stride and stepped out of the car, standing side by side with her husband in this desolate world.

"Sissi!" "Director!" The crew members quickly surrounded the "Far East agents" couple.

Lu Kuan was still dressed in a casual suit and overcoat, at most rolling up his sleeves and putting on a vest for convenience during the shoot;

Xiao Liu wore a knee-length black double-breasted trench coat, cinched at the waist with a belt to accentuate her sleek figure. She paired it with a white silk shirt and black cigarette pants, and a pair of low-heeled but stylish ankle boots that allowed her to maintain both elegance and ease of movement.

She wore no heavy makeup, her long hair was tied into a low ponytail at the back of her head, and her sunglasses were pushed up on her head, revealing a clear but cautiously observant look in her eyes.

To be honest, they really do look like a pair of highly skilled secret agents.

"Sweetie! Sister Xun!"

The three women, who had been separated for a long time, embraced each other. Before Lu Kuan could exchange more than a few words with Guo Fan, Zhao Fei, and the others, a series of identical black SUVs arrived in an instant.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Iger, and a host of other Hollywood figures were present, as was Lin Ying, a member of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony team, who was also invited to "join in the fun."

The main reason for inviting her was that she had designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for the U.S. military, and given her Chinese-American identity, they were relatively close and she was not subject to any scruples.

Mr. Lu went up to greet him and shook hands with the number one figure at Walt Disney with some surprise: "I thought you were going to be absent today. Weren't you supposed to be talking to Jobs about the film library?"

Iger laughed: "Netflix's president is more concerned about our movements, but I'm sorry, we're probably really going to become competitors in another field."

Lu Kuan remained outwardly calm, but he knew that even in real history, this Disney president would lead the company into the streaming media frenzy in the past two years.

Steve Jobs and Iger have always had a close relationship. It was during Iger's tenure three years earlier that Jobs sold his shares in Pixar to Disney, where he was already a member of the board of directors.

Since last year, Disney has been one of the largest Hollywood content providers on the iTunes Store, and its content is a major force driving iTunes movie and television sales.

In 2009, as the world paid increasing attention to and invested in the streaming media field, the two parties were negotiating a broader content licensing agreement and preparing for the Apple TV hardware and ecosystem, which was not yet officially released but was already in the planning stages, exploring how to more smoothly integrate Disney's massive content library into the future family living room big screen.

Personal relationships are personal relationships, and business is business. Disney and Wenjie are partners in film and television content production, but that doesn't mean they won't compete in other areas.

Fortunately, Netflix's deep cultivation and technological accumulation in the streaming field are two years ahead of the rest of the world, including the upcoming filming of "House of Cards".

Mr. Lu smiled and said, "Competition is welcome, but cooperation is even more welcome. If Apple can't offer a suitable price, please consider Netflix."

Iger gave a few perfunctory words and moved on, after all, Netflix was still too poor compared to Apple, which had been making rapid progress and raking in huge amounts of cash flow from all over the world.

Even if the cooperation is pleasant, he can't possibly give Disney's vast resources to a poor boy instead of a rich man.

After chatting for a while, Lu Kuan finally had time to conspire with Harvey and Quentin. The latter glanced at Liu Yifei, who was exchanging pleasantries with Leonardo DiCaprio not far away, and whispered:

"Louis, how's it like being America's sweetheart?" Quentin asked with a teasing smile. "I was so happy when Harvey told me. You're finally back in the organization. Once your wife gets back home..."

"Shh!" Lu Kuan looked speechlessly at An Lushan and the foot fetishist who were staring at him with lewd expressions. "The American sweetheart is great, but if you keep talking like this and get overheard, the Chinese sweetheart will turn against me."

The washing machine blamed his wife, saying, "You know she used to practice boxing. She's currently filming a period drama and is learning swordsmanship from a master swordsman in China... She's very skilled."

"Wow! Cool!" Quentin's attention was quickly diverted: "It's a pity there's no Kill Bill 3, otherwise I would invite her to demonstrate your Chinese swordsmanship in the movie!"

"Lu!" Leonardo DiCaprio, seeing that he had finished talking with Iger, came over and punched the Eastern director in the chest first:
“I was just chatting with Crystal and two beautiful Chinese women about how we first met, and it suddenly occurred to me that you still owe me a movie? Besides the script for ‘The Revenant,’ when can we collaborate?”

Boss Lu punched him back: "If it weren't for your handsome face, the role of Hanks in 'The Sky of History' would have been yours. Unfortunately, your face is second only to mine, so the conditions don't quite allow it, do they?"

"If there's a suitable role for your next movie, I'll definitely consider it. You gave me a friendly price for 'A Home Away,' so this time we won't haggle over the one-dollar fee, how about it?"

Leonardo DiCaprio's two timelines have returned, and both have starred in Christopher Nolan's "Inception," a film by a senior mentor at the Pan-Asian Film Academy. However, in this timeline, the time traveler combined the film with Disney's production, and even included actress Su Chang from the "Questioning World" series.

Leonardo was clearly not satisfied with his excuse. He was already starting to get restless about the Oscars, although not to the extent of the agonizing and yearning he would feel in later years.

"When we were filming 'A Home Away,' you said that Chinese people don't lie to Americans, but you've always been lying to me, buddy. Would it be better if I dressed up as a beauty like Crystal?"

Mr. Lu laughed as he looked at Leonardo DiCaprio, who had a resentful expression. “There was a role I was planning to discuss with you last month, but it was delayed by the aircraft carrier filming.”

He said seriously, "It is a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou about the Holocaust. The male protagonist will transform from a cynical playboy into a selfless hero who saves others. It is a film with many layers and a lot of emotional outbursts."

Upon hearing this news, Leonardo could only nod helplessly: "I need to think about it and take a look at the script first."

“Sure, after Christmas when you go to China for a promotional tour, I’ll ask Director Zhang Yimou to talk to you together.”

Little Li raised an eyebrow: "No problem, but I'd like to come to your house and try some authentic Chinese food."

"Okay, welcome."

……

After chatting for a while, and as the scheduled filming time approached, David Greenberg soon appeared at the entrance of the naval base.

He is also an international friend and Jewish official who may contribute to our aircraft carrier program this time.

"Lu, I didn't expect you to have so many friends here to support you today." The international friend was clearly pleased, after all, it was a win-win-win situation.

A win-win-win situation for the Chinese, Jews, and Americans.

He had no idea that the Americans he worked for might be losing badly, and that today might be the prelude to some future day.

Mr. Lu shook hands warmly with the entertainment office official: "Yes, I'd also like to ask them to promote the movie and accompany me, a foreigner, to admire the aircraft carrier."

"Haha! You're not some foreigner, you're a friendly American." David exchanged a few pleasantries, then gestured to the naval officer beside him:

"Let me introduce you. This is Lieutenant Commander Anderson, who will be your main contact person and security supervisor at the base. Please be sure to follow his instructions at all times."

"Nice to meet you." Lu Kuan smiled and extended his hand to him.

Lieutenant Colonel Anderson was clearly not as casual as the ordinary soldiers at the checkpoint.

He looked at the Chinese director with undisguised arrogance on his face, nodded slightly, and said succinctly, "Director, have your men follow me and keep the group close together."

"Okay." Boss Lu didn't take it seriously and beckoned to Guo Fan, "Accept the inspection according to the plan and organize everyone to enter the venue in an orderly manner."

"Received!" Cyber ​​Daji also showed excitement.

He never imagined that he would one day be able to board an aircraft carrier to film a movie, so much so that he didn't sleep well last night.

For science fiction filmmakers, aircraft carriers are the most hardcore science fiction concept.

Its sophisticated operating system, complex functional zoning, and strategic deterrent power as a mobile fortress are almost like a real-life "space mothership".

Guo Fan was once fascinated by the grandeur of the Enterprise in Star Trek, but the Kitty Hawk in front of him interpreted the sense of the future in a different way. It is not a fictional interstellar expedition, but a military wonder that mankind has already achieved in the present day.

Westerners like Harvey and Iger went through the checks first, and it was obvious that when it was the Dongda film crew's turn, the verification process and checks were more rigorous.

At the first checkpoint before entering the core dock area, two Marine Corps sentries armed with M16 rifles stepped forward, expressionlessly checking each person's original passport and temporary pass one by one, and strictly comparing them with the list in their hands. Their eyes lingered briefly on each person's face, and only after confirming that everything was correct did they wave them through.

Cyber ​​Daji glanced at the director, who was chatting and laughing with Liu Yifei as they prepared to undergo the inspection, and thought to herself that the boss was still the most composed, entering the foreign devils' military base as if it were home.

But what Guo Fan didn't know was that he not only treated her like he was home, but he was also going to NTR her face-to-face!
When the two soldiers, a man and a woman, saw Lu Kuan and his companion, their stern expressions softened slightly; they recognized the Chinese couple.

Whether it's Mytube, which was briefly popular when Liu Yifei was young, Marvel movies, or Netflix, which is closely related to the DVD entertainment life of every American.

Actually, if it weren't for the fact that the film crew's nationality and identity were rather special, there would have been quite a few Hollywood film crews coming to the base in the past, so everyone was used to it.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Director, beautiful lady." The tall male soldier greeted him readily.

Boss Lu nodded: "Hello, buddy. We'll be dealing with you two for the next few days. How should I address you?"

"James Franco", "Heidi Schmidt"

James checked the identification documents, while Lu Kuan opened his arms for female soldier Heidi to use the metal detector, casually remarking, "Oh, this lady must be from Texas."

The female soldier laughed and said, "Yes, sir, it seems you know a lot about America. No wonder Netflix was able to crush all the other DVD companies."

Schmidt is a very typical German surname, and Texas has the largest and oldest German immigrant community in the United States, so he was just guessing.

Mr. Lu smiled and said, "Speaking of which, do you two have any suggestions for Netflix's business? We hope you are our long-term clients."

James took Liu Yifei's passport and documents, and spread his hands with a smile: "I have to say, the trailer for 'House of Cards' that Netflix released last time was pretty good, but can Kevin Spacey play our president well? He looks more like someone who would be planning a bank robbery in the Oval Office than signing a bill."

"Come on, is it that hard to play our president?" Heidi, a "German-American mob" from Texas, scoffed.

"All you have to do is read the script from the teleprompter while pretending you came up with it yourself. No matter what the reporter asks, you just have to deflect it with a long sentence that sounds impressive but actually says nothing at all."

"Hahaha!" Lu Kuan laughed out loud. He didn't expect the German female soldier to be so eloquent and to have such potential as a stand-up comedian.

He watched as the female soldier checked on Liu Yifei and reached out to stop her, saying, "Heidi, my wife is breastfeeding."

"Oh, I'm sorry." The German-American female soldier slung the metal detector behind her back. "Wishing your child good health, Mr. and Mrs. Director."

"Thank you, and I wish you all the best," Liu Yifei replied with a smile, then linked arms with her husband and entered the checkpoint.

Guo Fan, Jing Tian, ​​Zhou Xun, and others watched them chatting and laughing from a short distance away. It looked like two Chinese Americans and an American soldier gossiping casually, with a relaxed atmosphere.

Because of his past reputation and behavior, Mr. Lu's nationality may be something that many Americans habitually overlook.

This is mainly because the United States is also a nation of immigrants, unlike the relatively homogeneous East Coast, where there is a greater sensitivity to nationality and skin color. Take Heidi, the German-American who just made fun of the head of state, for example; Texas, where she lives, has historically been a "troublemaker" within the federal system, arguably the number one rebel in the United States.

After the 2020 election, the Texas Attorney General even filed a lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to overturn the election results of other swing states. Although the lawsuit was rejected, the "Texas vs. the Federal" drama has always been a microcosm of the political divisions in the United States.

As the local cowboys jokingly say, "We're not Texas, America owes us a republic."

Liu Yifei linked arms with her husband as they walked inside, chuckling softly, "It feels like you're a true ABC (American-born Chinese), you can chat with anyone for a bit, it's unbelievable."

"Right? I still have the potential to become the Emei Peak." Boss Lu smiled. "If it were the 1980s, with my acting skills, I might have become the head of the FBI's Asian Affairs Division."

Xiao Liu affectionately pinched her husband's cheek: "It's mainly because your face and your mouth are so deceptive, and you have such a good mentality, plus you're so eccentric!"

The couple sat in front of the empty dock, laughing and chatting with their heads down. No one knew what they were talking about; they were simply enjoying the sweet intimacy of a reunion after a short separation.

The relaxed atmosphere vanished instantly when security chief Anderson stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the room like a hawk's.

He began his final warning in a cold, hard, and unquestionable tone:
"Ladies and gentlemen, listen carefully! You are standing on a naval base of the United States of America, and you are about to board what was once a federal sea fortress. This is not a Hollywood film set; everything here is about security and secrecy."

"I'll emphasize this one last time: your area of ​​operation is limited to the area marked by the yellow lines on the deck. Without my explicit permission, you are strictly prohibited from entering any compartment or touching any shipboard equipment, not even a button or a valve!"

"All filming must be conducted under my supervision or that of my designated personnel, and cameras must not be pointed at any unauthorized areas. All equipment you bring, its purpose, and its movement must be reported in advance. If any violation is discovered, I will immediately terminate all your filming privileges and expel the responsible personnel from the base."

“Here, my orders are the highest law, and there is no room for negotiation. I hope you understand that this is not a request, but an order. Now, please follow me onto the ship.”

The crew members' expressions turned serious. After all, they had arrived at the military base of the world's top superpower, and being warned by this fierce-looking officer made them a little nervous.

Boss Lu knew in his heart that this officer was not easy to talk to, but as long as everything was done according to the contract, he couldn't care less about the details.

Since the USS Kitty Hawk had been decommissioned, its massive hull resembled a stationary steel mountain, and the crew could only reach the iconic flight deck via a makeshift, sturdy gangway and elevator.

The "Far East agents" couple took the elevator into the platform, and the huge flight deck was finally revealed to them without reservation.

At the same moment, almost everyone felt an indescribable visual and psychological shock.

The leaden-gray low clouds seemed almost within reach, and the damp, cold sea breeze swept across this endless gray steel plain, carrying a biting chill.

The flight deck of the USS Kitty Hawk was extremely vast, stretching all the way to the blurry bow outline in the distance. This sense of scale was unprecedented in daily experience, making one feel instantly insignificant.

The deck surface is not smooth either; it is covered with various wear-resistant and anti-slip coatings, mooring holes, complex pipeline trenches, and various metal covers and tracks of unknown purpose.

The massive island superstructure stands majestically on the right, like a steel fortress, densely covered with various radars, antennas, and observation windows, silently demonstrating its former authority as the command center.

Zhao Fei and Guo Fan had already led the production team to begin setting up tracks, green screens, and other related equipment. Lu Kuan and the other man were taken aback when they saw the scene before them.

Xiao Liu held her husband's hand, which was slightly damp. All the previous plans, jokes, and teasing were over. From the moment they stepped onto the deck, it was the beginning of this battle without gunpowder.

However, from the moment they entered the deck, the battlefield situation seemed less than optimistic—

The mold in the trenches had carried out a lot of "pre-treatment" on the aircraft carrier deck that was not announced in advance, especially since many of these were the key points of the "photography guidelines" issued domestically. This is also why Liu Yifei's palms were sweating just now.

For example, covering up many specific equipment interfaces, hatch covers, electronic equipment bases, and nameplates;

In certain areas of the deck and island superstructure, removable temporary camouflage paint or film was used to conceal the true condition.

Additionally, temporarily removed antennas and camouflage shells can also affect the drone's ability to conduct covert filming.

Liu Yifei turned her head to look at her husband's calm and composed expression, and hesitated to say something but couldn't. Her small hands were freezing cold in the wind, just like their current mood.

"us……"

"It's alright, go find Jing Tian and Zhou Xun. It's windy on the deck, don't catch a cold." Boss Lu gave his wife a heavy hug on the shoulder, then turned and walked directly towards Anderson.

He was contemplating how he should approach this predicament.

Clearly, as a film crew owner who paid up to $300 million in rental and usage fees to the Pentagon's entertainment office, the most important thing he needs to do when the other party is obstructing filming by "mixing in their own interests" without any reason is to give them a stern rebuke!
These bastards deserve to be cursed! I'm the boss of Netflix and Marvel! I'm a esteemed American taxpayer!

You soldiers in the trenches are all my employees, what are you doing here? Is this how you do business?
Of course, he had to find the right balance. If the other party refused, he couldn't force them. He could only take the "beggar-style" filming footage back with him.

This is a psychological game.

Mr. Lu took a deep breath of the cold sea breeze, looked around but did not see David Greenberg. He then walked steadily toward the security officer who stood like an iron tower at the edge of the filming area.

“Lieutenant Colonel Anderson, I think we need to talk.”

His voice wasn't loud, but all the American soldiers and Hollywood figures around him turned to look at the Chinese director, who had just been chatting and laughing, with displeasure on his face.

Anderson's eyes held a hint of disdain. "Director, what do you want to talk about?"

“Let’s talk about your unreasonable arrangements,” Lu Kuan began, his voice calm yet carrying undeniable weight. He pointed to the extremely incongruous coverings:

"These unannounced obstruction measures have seriously interfered with our normal filming and scouting, which had been reported and approved."

"I need an explanation, or please remove it immediately."

The onlookers didn't look over with much surprise, especially for American Jews like Harvey and Egger. They had paid but hadn't received the goods they were entitled to. Was this how business was conducted?

They had just seen the obstructions as well, but Lu Kuan, being the director, knew best whether these extra factors might hinder filming, so he was the first to speak up.

That's why I've brought these two investors along today.

Iger and Harvey exchanged a glance. Since his phone had been confiscated, the latter could only look around for David Greenberg.

Zhou Xun, Jing Tian, ​​and Liu Yifei stood together, along with the surrounding crew members. Everyone seemed a little confused about the situation, but that didn't stop them from being used to the scene before them.

That's how Boss Lu is. When he's making movies, the movie is the biggest thing in the world. He even scolds his own wife, let alone these lousy people who take money but don't do their jobs.

Only Xiao Liu, who seemed to have a guilty conscience, remained expressionless, but his palms, which were tucked into his pockets, were sweaty.

As she just said: If this were a movie, it would undoubtedly be an extreme test of Lu Kuan's acting skills as an undercover agent.

Be angry, but be angry with the right stance and with control over your emotions.

While others watched a business negotiation where arguments were being made logically, she was watching a unique live spy thriller.

The actress couldn't help but feel her heart pounding with curiosity, wondering how her husband would act.
Anderson remained expressionless, his tone as cold and hard as the steel plate of a warship: "Director, this is a necessary measure for safety reasons. I cannot disclose the specifics. Your filming must proceed under the existing conditions; that's the rule."

"Rules?" Lu Kuan, dressed in a trench coat, approached, his voice suddenly rising so that his reasonable demands would be heard by everyone:
"I and my company paid a hefty sum of three million dollars to the Pentagon's Office of Entertainment to obtain permission for compliant filming on this decommissioned ship. Every shot and every camera position will be reviewed by you!"

He stepped forward, his tall figure exuding an invisible sense of oppression. "These makeshift, excessive coverings are a serious violation of the foundation of our contract. This is no longer a matter of security; this is baseless obstruction!"

“I’m sorry, sir.” Anderson remained unmoved, but finally showed some emotion in response to his rebuke. “But this is an order, a rule.”

"I think you can resolve some parts through post-production, rather than asking the base to make concessions here. Please understand."

Disney's Iger frowned as he listened, and came out to offer some support, but the Eastern director immediately started cursing!

"What kind of bullshit rules are these! Whose rules are these?"

“Lu, calm down.” Iger tried to dissuade the radical film director; in fact, he had seen many directors in this crazy state.

These are the artists.

Boss Lu completely ignored him and continued to point at Anderson, whose face was ashen, and started yelling: "I need you to understand something first!"

“Although we are a co-production crew mainly composed of Chinese actors and staff, like all the Hollywood crews you have previously hosted, we are a compliant filming crew that has paid huge commissions.”

“Even though I’m not American, I’m the owner of Netflix, Marvel, and North American entertainment, contributing nearly a billion dollars in taxes to California and the federal government every year and creating more than 3,000 jobs.”

Lu Kuan's finger almost poked Lieutenant Colonel Anderson's face, his expression filled with undisguised anger and contempt from a squid-like international capitalist:

"Look at yourself, Lieutenant Colonel!" he demanded sharply, his gaze sweeping over Anderson's crisp uniform and equipment. "Look at your fine uniform, look at the gleaming badges on your shoulders, and look at the impeccably maintained equipment behind you!"

"You think these things fell from the sky? Huh?"

He sneered, each word shooting out like a bullet, "Every fiber, every piece of metal, every penny spent on maintaining them comes from taxpayers like me! From the enormous amounts of taxes that I and my company pay every year!"

He stepped forward, his imposing manner completely overwhelming the other person, as if he were disciplining a pet dog:
"It's me! Along with millions of American taxpayers, who are supporting this army and paying your salary! Now, you, a mere lieutenant colonel, are standing on my legally leased grounds, using the weapons and equipment purchased with my tax money, and the so-called 'orders and rules' of the bureaucratic system supported by my tax payments to obstruct my legitimate business activities?"

"Now you fucking tell me!"

Lu Kuan's voice plummeted to freezing point, filled with a threatening tone: "Who exactly is it! Who should we be talking to about rules?"

Anderson's brows furrowed almost together. He certainly recognized the internationally renowned director and knew about his works such as the Beijing Olympics, Tangshan, and Sky.

This included the praise and depiction of the rabbit army and the nationalist tendencies in these works that displeased him, which was the reason why he and his superiors decided to give him a hard time.

However, in his eyes now, Lu Kuan was no different from those Wall Street bankers he had always despised who thought money could buy everything and treated the nation's military force as their own private army.

Damn thing!
Last year's subprime mortgage crisis almost bankrupted his family's wealth. He really wanted to throw these arrogant capitalists into the sea!

Anderson was now in a difficult position. The eyes of more than a dozen Marines behind him seemed to be burning on his back, all watching how their commander would react.

The US lieutenant colonel's hesitation did not prevent the Chinese film crew watching from enjoying a thrilling movie. Zhao Fei and Guo Fan were secretly thrilled, only regretting that filming hadn't started yet, otherwise they would have definitely filmed this scene accurately.

On an American aircraft carrier, he berates the American military as his pet dogs. Even the best Chinese actor couldn't portray such a satisfying scene!
This continuous barrage of questions and long takes, if actually made into a movie, would far surpass Gu Weijun's scathing rebuke of the Japanese diplomats at the Paris Peace Conference.

This is not only due to the personal charm and demeanor of this Chinese director, but also the confidence he gains from the power, resources, international prestige, and industrial foundation he holds in Western society.

This is something that even the most powerful officials and entrepreneurs in China cannot do or dare to do.

Jing Tian had been watching with starry eyes for a while, and then she suddenly felt the actress next to her with hot palms. She looked up at Liu Yifei with curiosity.

She seemed really nervous just now.

Because of the unique perspective, Xiao Liu was indeed extremely nervous at first, but after witnessing Boss Lu's subsequent Oscar-worthy performance, he suddenly felt that he couldn't distinguish between reality and the movie.

Her husband's elitist tone, tinged with class prejudice and brimming with pure American logic and taxpayer arrogance, impressed her as an actress.

His performance was flawless.

The gradual build-up of emotions, the logical flow of dialogue, and the body language perfectly capture the essence of a top-tier tycoon enraged by bureaucratic procedures, exuding a deep-seated arrogance and an unquestioned sense of control.

She almost believed that the root of his anger was really just the damn filming schedule and the millions of dollars.

Looking at her husband's sharply defined profile in the cold wind, Xiao Liu loved his unwavering composure in the face of adversity, a composure that remained steadfast even when faced with imminent collapse.

The fleeting brilliance of the performance reminded her of the adrenaline rush she felt when she was speeding through the streets.

No wonder he tricked me so early on; what woman could resist that?

She glanced quickly at Anderson's ashen face, almost black, his lips pressed tightly together to the point of being bloodless, and his chest heaving slightly, clearly trying to suppress his emotions.

As a child actor with nearly ten years of experience in the industry, Xiao Liu is very good at interpreting this kind of body language.

It is an extreme state of being deeply humiliated, consumed by rage, yet suppressed by even stronger rules or commands, unable to vent one's anger.

Indeed, the reason Anderson was unable to act was that Lu Kuan accurately exploited the nature of the US military system being deeply bound and distorted by capital.

In the United States, the operation of the state's violent machinery is highly dependent on the funding and political support provided by capital through taxes and lobbying. This system has given rise to a massive military-industrial complex, the core logic of which is that capital obtains excess profits by investing in the war machine, while the military relies on capital to maintain its existence and advanced nature.

As a capital tycoon who pays huge amounts of taxes, Mr. Lu was shaped into the "supporter" and "client" of Lieutenant Colonel Anderson and his system under this logic, even if it was somewhat convoluted.

Therefore, when he spoke out as a representative of capital, he was actually using the most efficient language within the other party's system to launch a devastating attack. Anderson's anger and frustration stemmed from his inability to refute this cold, hard fact:

In capitalist America, behind the gun, the money bag always holds the ultimate command.

Today, those present from North America, Miramax, and Disney all have the right to point their fingers at Anderson and condemn him for providing a flawed product to the esteemed capitalists—this is absolutely unacceptable!

Especially Jewish capitalists!

As for the superiority of the system, you chose it yourselves.

“The road…” Anderson began to speak, but was suddenly interrupted by Harvey and David Greenberg, who rushed over.

"Lu, what's going on?" The Jewish deputy director of the entertainment office looked at the scene in front of him with confusion:
The Eastern director stood tall and fearless in front of Anderson and his Marines, whose expressions were unpredictable, and whose once straight back was now slightly hunched, unable to offer any rebuttal.

Because this is their breach of commercial contract. You are the US military, that's true, but you're doing business now.

Mr. Lu turned to David Greenberg, a Jewish man: "I'm sorry, Mr. David, I think our cooperation will have to be put on hold."

He suddenly waved to Zhao Fei and Guo Fan, who had been watching the situation closely from a distance, and said, "Tell all your people to stop filming immediately..."

David was shocked: "This?"

Liu Yifei smiled as she watched, now fully aware of what tricks her husband was up to.

Lu Kuan turned to the Pentagon official, who had just been given a brief explanation by staff, and solemnly announced: "The Ball Lightning crew will suspend all filming until you restore the filming location to its previously agreed-upon state as stipulated in the contract."

"Or, ask your superiors for a reasonable explanation."

"Otherwise, it is regrettable that we will have to resort to legal means to protect our rights. I will hire the best legal team in the United States to sue the entertainment office and Bremerton Naval Base in federal court."

"I want the whole world to know how the U.S. Department of Defense treats sincere business partners and huge taxpayers!"

Jewish official David Greenberg was shocked!

Why is this so?
“Lu, please give me some time.” He turned to Anderson with a displeased expression, the senior bureaucrat showing no regard for the latter's feelings, his gaze sharp and direct.
"You are well aware that this filming collaboration is a major project that was directly approved and overseen by the Pentagon's Office of Entertainment, and was known to the Office of the Secretary of Defense."

"Any material deviation from the approved agreement must be authorized in writing by my office, or at least by your direct superior, the Commander of Naval Base Bremerton, or a brigadier general-level officer in charge of public affairs and logistical support for the Pacific Fleet."

David Greenberg was "of course" not worried about millions of dollars disappearing from his pocket, nor was he afraid of facing legal trouble—

He was simply a champion of justice who acted impartially and strictly adhered to U.S. laws and regulations.
"Anderson! Now! Clarify the source of your orders! Who exactly authorized you to do this?"

"Who instructed you to disrupt the harmonious working relationship that the Entertainment Office has always maintained with film crews around the world?"

"Who instigated you to target a top artist and respectable taxpayer who is friendly to the United States in a way that could potentially damage our international reputation?"

Anderson looked at the hook-nosed man with obvious Jewish features and felt a surge of hatred. He suddenly felt that the man was even more despicable than the Chinese man!
"I……"

"Alright! Stop with the pointless explanations!" David didn't want to hear his explanations. He pulled out his phone and glared at Anderson, his sinister eyes making it seem as if the latter had killed his parents.

That's right, cutting off someone's livelihood is tantamount to killing their parents, isn't it?

“I demand that you immediately remove all unauthorized cover and restrictions and restore the filming conditions as agreed. Otherwise, I will call your superior commander and the Navy Public Affairs Office directly.”

"I must truthfully report this violation, which has seriously hindered the established cooperation project and may trigger major diplomatic and commercial disputes. You will personally bear full responsibility for all the consequences arising therefrom!"

Lieutenant Colonel Anderson, who has served for more than 15 years, is a tall, straight-backed Washington State soldier with typical Anglo-Saxon ancestry. Standing on the aircraft carrier deck that he was once so familiar with, he felt an unprecedented sense of alienation and suffocation.

He looked at Lu Kuan, the director from China, with a calm and even slightly pitying gaze, as if examining an expired product about to be abandoned by capital.
He then looked at David Greenberg, a typical Jewish official, with a sharp, cold gaze, as if assessing the potential losses and solutions for a failed investment.

On this steel territory, which should have been absolutely controlled by his faction and symbolized American maritime hegemony:
He, a native-born white American military officer, was cornered by a Chinese capitalist and a Jewish civil servant, who used their own system of rules, leaving him powerless to fight back!

This is a disgrace to the nation and a loss of sovereignty!

This is a humiliating loss of sovereignty and national dignity!
(End of this chapter)