Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 560 The Chinese Version of Jack and Rose
PS: Thanks to Ice Cream for the sponsorship, 86/100!
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Anderson could hardly believe how, with a grim face and bearing the honor and humiliation of an American soldier, he turned and gave orders to his squad.

It's just that this Anglo-Saxon officer was unaware of the national hero Yue Fei in the far East; otherwise, he would have certainly compared himself to him and labeled the Jewish official in front of him as a Qin Hui, making him kneel forever before the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

That was the place where his father died.

Anderson's chest heaved violently, and ultimately some deeper rule, transcending personal honor and disgrace, overwhelmed all his emotions.

He whirled around, avoiding Lu Kuan's piercing gaze, and roared at his naval soldiers in a suppressed, almost hoarse, yet undeniably authoritative voice:

"Execute the cleanup procedure! Target area: All permitted filming areas! Act quickly!"

The soldiers deftly removed the covers covering specific equipment interfaces, hatch covers, and electronic equipment bases. The key parts hidden by movable camouflage were also removed one by one. The simple camouflage shells added to conceal specific outlines were also removed, revealing the true shape of the structure below.

Even so, what was actually revealed to the unsuspecting crowd was still just a lonely steel behemoth.

Everyone believed that Anderson was suspected of racial discrimination, which was a mishap and a prelude to being framed by Boss Lu.

Now that the squid has taken care of things, his arrogance is no longer apparent.

If, by some unfortunate twist of fate, decades later, a U.S. agent were to trace back through countless clues and uncover the “slightly suspicious” scene of today, they would find that David Greenberg was extremely suspicious!

He was just an ordinary capitalist who was stingy with his money.

Harvey, Iger, and others who were present today and acted as accomplices to the enemy were all tools used to cover up the situation.

Harvey suddenly laughed and said, "Lou, don't be angry, the whole world is still waiting to see your great work!"

The crowd echoed the sentiments, and the capitalists celebrated their triumphs. In stark contrast, the soldiers expressionlessly packed up the various coverings that had just been ordered to be removed.

Their movements were mechanical and practiced, silently and neatly packing these items, which represented "frustration" and "compromise," into designated military storage boxes.

The metal fittings and tools occasionally made dull clattering sounds during transport, but these sounds were so faint that they were almost completely drowned out by the hearty laughter and pleasantries coming from the capitalists' side.

"Guo Fan".

At Boss Lu's command, the assistant director, Cyber ​​Daji, seemed to wake up from a dream as if she had just watched a "science fiction movie." Without needing any further instructions from him, she quickly arranged for the crew to begin pre-production preparations.

He quickly confirmed the pre-planned camera positions with the director of photography, and directed the photography crew to set up and inspect the cameras, lenses, and moving tracks that had passed security checks within the designated yellow marked lines. He also paid special attention to the stability of the equipment to cope with the sea breeze.

At the same time, the lighting director was urged to set up and adjust the lighting equipment according to the natural light conditions on site and the structure of the island superstructure, in order to create the specific lighting atmosphere required by the script.

The three main actors in today's scene:

Zhou Xun, who plays Lin Yun, Duan Yihong, who plays Ding Yi, and Xin Baiqing, who plays Dr. Chen, quickly put on makeup and changed clothes in an unimportant cabin on the deck that they had arranged in advance.

Around 2 p.m., the film crew, who had arrived at the base around 12 p.m., were finally able to begin filming smoothly.

Many of the foreign extras in this scene were U.S. military personnel, and of course, they were paid to work with them. Their uniforms and weapons were also made up of them, but they had been "de-Americanized," which was a procedure agreed upon with the entertainment office beforehand.

So, including Harvey, Quentin, Iger, Leonardo, and Liu Yifei who were "visiting relatives" today, as well as Anderson and his security team with a gloomy expression, all began to watch the Chinese director start filming with either anticipation or strange looks.

This scene is the climax of the entire film, or perhaps it can't even be considered one of the climaxes.

Even though this part of the plot is gripping in the novel, it is very abstract:
The main plot revolves around Lin Yun's determination to become the first observer of the macro-fusion weapon in order to stop the enemy's carrier battle group.

She activated the device and, at the instant the ball lightning was generated, "self-observed" with her own consciousness, quantizing herself. From the enemy's perspective, she did not disappear, but instead transformed into countless flickering, non-local quantum ghosts, like an invisible barrier surrounding the fleet.

This existence, which transcends the rules of physics, means that any attack could trigger unpredictable macroscopic quantum effects.

To put it simply, she transformed herself into the ultimate con artist—one you can't hit, and you can't afford to mess with.
The principle of the atomic bomb is well known. The current quantized Lin Yun can be approximated as a "macro bomb". Its effect is that it cannot be selected. Instead, any attack that disturbs the energy field will trigger an energy explosion that can instantly destroy the entire fleet.

No distinction is made between friend and foe.

Faced with this ultimate quantum weapon threat that was completely incomprehensible and impossible to counter, the enemy carrier commander, in extreme fear and shock, finally issued an order for the entire fleet to retreat urgently.

As a science fiction film director, the most important task is to visualize abstract science fiction concepts and scenes, just like the insights gained from previous filming and long-term reflection, so that the audience can understand and resonate with them.

Just like the "Boca Colors" he saw during his trip to Buenos Aires with his wife last August:
The gloomy fog of the Río de la Plata is grayish-white, the cold touch of the tin shacks is black, and the melancholy of homesickness is blue.

In the context of "Ball Lightning," when Lin Yun decides to undergo self-quantization and collapse, later on, tearing apart other visual colors from the cool tones of the environment, or using color to counteract the observer effect in quantum mechanics, are both viable options. (Chapter 474)
The sights and experiences of the artist during that time in Ushuaia with the aurora borealis, along with their accumulated knowledge and insights, all serve as sources of inspiration for their work.

At the same time, this is also the part that makes hard science fiction the most troublesome for directors, but also the best and most likely to become a classic, because it uses color, composition, and narrative to concretize an abstract, non-existent shot and scientific logic for the audience, and immerses them, makes them understand, and moves them.

Today, human intervention is not working in our favor, but the weather is cooperating. The usual cold, leaden sky and sea breeze in Bremerton in December naturally create an atmosphere of oppressive and tragic desolation, as if it were the end of the world.

Lu Kuan stood in the center of the site, where the simulated "macro-fusion" experimental device was already in place. He had specifically requested a large number of low-intensity, cool-toned lights to simulate the visual effect of energy accumulation.

They also prepared a large amount of dry ice to create low-hanging fog, allowing light to form pillars in the fog, enhancing the sense of mystery and uncertainty, and laying the groundwork for later special effects compositing.

Of course, this highly abstract scene places the highest demands on the actors—

What the audience sees as a magnificent, dazzling, and spectacular post-production process might just be a green pom-pom to the actors filming today, or even nothing at all.

Today's newsletter will face this situation.

The young director was explaining the scene to her in more detail than he had ever done before, because it was indeed very difficult.

He pointed to the equipment in place, "When the preset blue light suddenly bursts forth and envelops your whole body, I need you to slowly tilt your head back, not out of fear, but to naturally embrace this energy and physical rules as if you were feeling raindrops or sunlight."

"Try to relax your facial muscles, and then you begin to 'particle'. Your gaze can gradually lose focus, and your body leans back slightly, as if you are being lifted up and disintegrated by an invisible force."

"You can lift your hand slightly, as if you want to touch something, but you find that it is becoming transparent... but you have to keep in mind the laws of physics."

Zhou Xun's voice was still hoarse, but she was in a very relaxed state of mind. She considered the scene the director had described, and after a while, she smiled and shook her head.

"I've been practicing this scene in front of the mirror in the hotel for half a month, and I look like I'm performing a ritual no matter how I look at myself."

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "Let's shoot a few test shots first. Don't worry, I'm prepared to shoot 50 shots."

Zhou Xun knew he was relieving her stress, but she always had a strong heart during her performances and instantly switched into character.

Liu Yifei also came behind the monitor and stood silently, just watching her performance and mentally simulating how she would portray this extremely difficult scene.

"December 7th, deck scene on the Kitty Hawk, act one, first line..."

"start!"

Zhou Xun slowly walked to the center of the installation. When the pre-set, intense blue light suddenly burst forth and enveloped her, she tilted her head back as instructed, but her performance gave the movement a deeper layer:

Her neck had a graceful line, yet it carried a sense of sacrificial fragility;

The smile on her face was not one of complete relief, but rather a mixture of immense satisfaction and madness, like a scientist witnessing the verification of ultimate truth.

"Crack!"

The young director didn't hesitate to yell "cut" the first time, seemingly laying the foundation for his "bold statement" of shooting 50 takes in a row.

Liu Yifei and Zhou Xun on the field were equally puzzled. Both of them thought it was a perfect start, at least in line with his detailed instructions just now.

Lu Kuan picked up the walkie-talkie, but hesitated for several seconds before speaking, seemingly trying to figure out how to describe his request.

Admittedly, such hard science fiction is too difficult to define and understand, both in terms of filming and performance:
“Zhou Xun, I think we still need to clarify the differences between science fiction, religion, and mythology.”

"Your outward appearance was excellent, even exceeding expectations. From a performance perspective alone, it was almost perfect."

"But the problem is that you're trying too hard to portray the 'particleization' result. What you're presenting now is a dramatic, almost religiously sacrificial 'sublimation.' It's beautiful, but it doesn't align with Lin Yun's current scientific core."

He stood up and said helplessly, "In other words, you're acting out religion and mythology, not science fiction. Science fiction is always based on fundamental physical rules."

Lu Kuan stepped out from behind the monitor and approached Zhou Xun, using more specific language to guide her in understanding this subtle difference:

"Lin Yun's quantumization is not ascension to immortality, nor is it the martyrdom of a saint. It is an extremely cold and detached phenomenon based on the laws of physics. In your performance, the human will and emotions are too intense."

"Who is Lin Yun? A female scientist with a cold exterior yet a touch of warmth, whose lifelong pursuit is the physical laws governing ball lightning. Given this, how could her self-sacrifice not reflect the coldness of those physical laws?"

“It’s really hard to describe.” Boss Lu shook his head. “What I need is a more passive and decomposed quality. You’re not embracing energy, but being ‘eroded’ and ‘covered’ by an irresistible, inhuman physical law.”

Zhou Xun was practically dizzy from listening to it.

The same was true for all the cast and crew members present who could understand Chinese, including Liu Yifei.

Their understanding of science fiction and the final visual presentation is far from reaching the level of Lu Kuan, who has been immersed in film for decades.

However, given the subject matter, Lu Kuan himself couldn't provide a clear model for her with straightforward guidance, so everyone had to work on it again and again.

Zhou Xun let out a soft breath: "Again!"

Thus began the long journey of acting for this top-tier Chinese actress.

"Click! The movement of tilting his head back was slightly hesitant, and the smile on his lips was a bit too much, making it look more like a reluctant response to the unknown."

"Crack! It's not coordinated enough with the pressure. Find that light feeling of being 'lifted' by energy."

"Click!" Lu Kuan stood up again. "The gesture he raised was too stiff, lacking that subtle transition and sense of exploration from solid to nothingness, like 'wanting to touch it but finding it has become transparent'."

"You still haven't remembered that you are the embodiment of a physical law, and you lack a sense of rules."

"Click..."

This is already the twentieth or soth.

Even though the crew was mentally prepared, they still found this biggest obstacle since filming began to be a challenge.

Harvey and Iger weren't exactly worried, but things weren't looking too good. Leonardo and Quentin, who had just skimmed the script, were gesturing wildly as they discussed something.

This kind of hard science fiction is many levels deeper than the "straightforward" approach of "Avatar," and this young director still has the ambition to express the core ideas through commercial films.

This climax scene is undoubtedly the key to expressing Lu Kuan's "Chinese-style science fiction" core.

Even if it takes several months to film, we have to finish it.

But the key point is that his task today is not limited to this.

Although filming was allowed for nearly a week, if we could successfully use drones to covertly film the aircraft carrier today and send the data back to Liu Yifei by private plane, that would undoubtedly be the safest option.

After thinking it over, Boss Lu decided to give it one last try.

If all else fails, it would be perfectly logical to postpone this challenging scene and instead shoot footage of the aircraft carrier being enveloped in particles.

After all, Anderson had witnessed firsthand how much everyone struggled with this scene.

"Everyone, it's easy." Boss Lu unusually reassured the crew members. After all, with the confrontation with the moldy fungus earlier, everyone's mood and pressure during today's filming were obviously different.

He walked to the center of the venue once again, remained silent for a moment, and then his gaze swept across the entire venue before finally landing on Liu Yifei, who was standing quietly by the monitor.

Huh?
"Xiao Liu," Lu Kuan said, "come here for a moment."

Liu Yifei followed his instructions and stepped forward, looking at Lu Kuan with some confusion.

The latter then turned to Zhou Xun: "Brother Xun, relax a little, let's try to understand this scene in a different way."

"We've talked for a long time about physical rules and laws, things like martyrdom and sublimation, which are really hard for us non-religious Chinese to understand."

He looked at his wife as if it were just casual conversation, "Didn't you recently spend about half a month learning kendo from Yu Chenghui?"

"Especially that thing you mentioned last time, what was the opening statement he made to you called again? Something about Yu Chenghui's research on the combination of Kendo and Chinese philosophy?"

"Oh!" Liu Yifei didn't understand his intention, so she could only repeat what he said verbatim, which was also her first lesson in becoming his apprentice:
"Master Yu emphasized that although Kendo is also part of the performance, the highest level is to make the sword an extension of the arm, or even forget the existence of the sword and just go with the flow."

She assumed a starting stance, her feet naturally spread apart, her center of gravity slightly lowered, and her figure instantly calmed down.

She did not hold a sword; her right hand, which was loosely clenched, seemed to rest naturally on an invisible hilt, while her left arm was slightly bent with her palm facing down, as if gently pressing on an invisible scabbard.

The entire posture is relaxed yet contains a certain tension that is not yet released, and the eyes become focused and calm, as if everything around has been excluded.

Lu Kuan's eyes lit up. Xiao Liu, who was well-versed in "Grotovsky's physical techniques," was a perfect match for Kendo. Coupled with the temperament of a classical Chinese beauty, she instantly exuded an otherworldly charm.

What he wanted Zhou Xun to convey was this natural quality.

Zhou Xun just gave a performance that felt like mythology, religion, and even fantasy, but physics is nature, and she just couldn't get the feel for that.

"Good!" Boss Lu nodded approvingly, then called to the assistant director beside him, "Guo Fan, go and get that spare long, rectangular soft spot light stand, yes, the silver one, about 1.2 meters long!"

Cyber ​​Daji immediately jogged over to fetch the lightweight alloy lamp stand.

Everyone looked over curiously, and the latter's slender shape did indeed resemble a plain sword without a guard.

"Let's do it again." The young director patted Zhou Xun on the shoulder. "Words can't describe it. Just let me tell you to feel this posture and momentum. Try to feel it."

Liu Yifei took the lamp stand. It felt slightly heavy in her hand. She naturally flipped her wrist and skillfully adjusted her grip. The originally ordinary lamp stand in her hand immediately seemed to be given the meaning of a "weapon", and her aura became more refined.

The commotion immediately attracted Quentin Tarantino and Harvey, who were not far away. These two filmmakers, who had a strong interest in Chinese kung fu and Eastern culture, immediately came over with great interest.

Lu Kuan ignored the others and said, "Qianqian, there's no need to do anything complicated. Just demonstrate the 'slashing with the flow' that Teacher Yu mentioned. It's your first lesson. Let us see that the generation and convergence of that force is not a performance, but a natural generation under the coordination of physical rules and human body structure."

"it is good."

Liu Yifei took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on a point in the void in front of her. Her arm moved naturally, raising the plain sword. It wasn't a deliberate high lift, but rather as if it were in harmony with some kind of inner breath and rhythm.

Then, with a slight twist of his waist and hips, power rose from the soles of his feet, flowed through his waist and back to his arms, and the plain sword slashed down smoothly with a slight whooshing sound!

The entire movement was without the slightest exaggeration or pause; it was concise, precise, and full of the beauty of the laws of mechanics. It ended naturally at just the right moment, with the tip of the lamp stand trembling slightly, as if it had truly cut through something invisible.

"Beautiful!" Quentin couldn't help but whisper his approval, and Harvey was also watching intently, seemingly returning to the amazement he felt when he first saw "Hero," and even more so.

Lu Kuan was so engrossed in watching Zhou Xun that he seized the opportunity to hear her "demonic voice," as if an old demon were imparting his ultimate martial arts techniques:
"Hard science fiction films must be based on the rules of physics and have a sense of aesthetics. But what are the rules of physics? I don't know. But if you pat your own arm and feel the twisting of your joints, your body is itself a set of physical rules."

"The difficulty of this scene lies in your ability to interpret the rules of quantum mechanics from scratch, but think back to what Xiao Liu just did?"

“She wasn’t thinking, ‘I’m going to perform a cool slash.’ She was probably thinking about the target, angle, and force—these are extremely specific and even tedious physical and physiological principles. But what she presented was an almost instinctive, precise, and powerful movement.”

The young director himself got into character, gesticulating wildly and looking quite comical.

"Your 'quantization' is the same principle! Stop acting out those outcome-oriented emotions like 'Ah, I'm dissipating, I feel so liberated, I feel so heroic.' You need to find that feeling of being controlled and guided by the laws of physics, just like she wields a sword."

He pointed to the macro-fusion device in the center of the arena, "That beam of blue light just now was your sword. Your body reacted in a series of ways, all of which should be like that slash—a natural physical result, not an expression of your emotions!" The young director's speech quickened.

"Your smile is a physiological reaction produced when nerve endings are washed by a huge energy flow, mixed with the cognitive pleasure produced when brain cells are overloaded to understand extreme physical phenomena."

"Your backward lean is a natural reaction to the loss of support when the body structure is rapidly deconstructed at the microscopic level."

"Your raising of your hand was a brief confirmation of your own state while you still had consciousness, which was then quickly swallowed up by the laws of decomposition..."

"Stop!" Zhou Xun finally broke down, looking at Lu Kuan with a deathly pale face: "I understand, or I don't understand yet, but I can't listen to any more."

She quickly stepped forward and grabbed Liu Yifei's arm: "Qianqian, do it one last time. I can only remember this feeling."

"Okay!" Xiao Liu did as instructed, and so a female swordsman dressed in modern clothes appeared on the deck of the Little Eagle for the third time today, performing a sword-testing move full of classical Chinese philosophical meaning.

Zhou Xun, pushed to the limit by the immense pressure, took a deep breath and exclaimed, "Damn it! Come on!"

"Get ready, start!"

Even Liu Yifei was watching the monitor intently. She saw Zhou Xun close her eyes, take a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her expression had completely changed.

It was an extremely calm, almost inhuman focus, as if she were no longer a female scientist, but an "object" about to be redefined by the laws of physics. When the intense blue light enveloped her again, her tilting her head back was no longer a sacrificial stretch, but a mechanical movement as if her jaw was being precisely "pulled" by an invisible energy field.

The smile on her face stripped away all emotion, leaving only the slight spasm of her facial muscles as they were subjected to an energy shock, mixed with the radiance of a sudden intellectual enlightenment of ultimate truth.

Her body leaned back without any grace, more like a rigid collapse after the supporting structure suddenly failed.
Her raised hand showed no lingering or exploration, more like the last unconscious impulse signal before a neural circuit completely collapses.

Throughout the process, she completely abandoned any performative emotions, perfectly embodying the science fiction core of "humans being used by rules":

Lin Yun did not die a tragic death, but rather used her body as a bridge to verify the universal law that she had pursued throughout her life, a law that originated from human emotions but also transcended them.

"It's so beautiful." Xiao Liu murmured in disbelief, though she didn't know why she used the word "beautiful" to describe the performance.

On the monitor in front of her, which had been digitally enhanced with simple special effects, Lin Yun, played by Zhou Xun, seemed to truly transform into a physical law, collapsing herself with her lifelong dream.

"Pass!"

After watching the video several times, Lu Kuan suddenly stood up from behind the monitor and was the first to applaud loudly.

Even he couldn't control his excitement. "This is the feeling! Calm madness, the demise of reason! This is Lin Yun!"

Even if Iger, Harvey, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Quentin Tarantino couldn't understand the content of his conversations with the actors before and after, these industry professionals could still see the difference in the performances over twenty takes.

Even the U.S. military squad silently observing from the deck couldn't help but feel a little excited at this moment. What kind of story would be presented with such a performance and top-notch special effects?

This is by no means a formulaic narrative like Avatar. Lu Kuan himself is paying homage to and following in the footsteps of his favorite 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is a sci-fi masterpiece that is almost impossible to make a "sequel".

"Are you alright?" Zhou Xun grinned in the middle of the field, the cold wind suddenly blowing into his throat, and tears streamed down his face as he laughed.

That was incredibly tough; the American troops in the ditch even took away her cigarettes.

It was 3:30 p.m. when the sea breeze subsided, the sky cleared, and the leaden clouds dispersed, providing ideal lighting conditions for the shoot.

Lu Kuan stared at it intently for a few moments, then made no further hesitation.

The auspicious time has arrived; it's time to do something important.

"Let's take advantage of the good lighting now and collect drone footage from overhead and surround views!" Lu Kuan came to the center of the venue and instructed the crew to remove any unnecessary scenery. Quentin and the others approached to watch the excitement.

"I came here to see how you use drones to shoot movies." Hollywood foot fetishist looked curiously at the four "identical" devices that the staff were setting up. "I saw these guys at the Beijing Olympics, and I thought they were just little toys with LEDs on them."

Lu Kuan smiled, explaining both to the film crew and to these individuals who were using this as a pretext today:

"Next, we will film the panoramic view and details of the aircraft carrier after the burst of macro-fusion energy. We will show the terrifying scene of the energy pulse spreading in a spherical shape around the aircraft carrier, as well as the strange special effects of the various equipment and hull structure on the aircraft carrier deck becoming briefly 'transparent' or 'polarized' after the pulse."

He patiently described, “This requires the lens to have both a grand wide-angle shot that shows the moment of destructive power and an extreme close-up shot that captures the subtle changes when the laws of microphysics are rewritten. This can only be accomplished by using drones at multiple angles and altitudes to shoot together.”

After all, this is an aircraft carrier. Many large cranes and machinery are not easy to bring up. Putting aside the cost, it's not really appropriate to approach and take aerial photos from above by helicopter, is it?

Tokyo University was already a leader in drone technology and applications, and in this life, the existence of the time traveler undoubtedly accelerated and deepened this process by several years.

After a brief introduction, Boss Lu got to work and assigned tasks to the three pilots, including Zhao Fei:
"Xiao Gu, Group A, high-altitude wide-angle."

"Awei, Group B, low-altitude skid deck."

"Old Zhao, Group C, circle the island superstructure."

He picked up a "same model" of equipment that had been assembled and said, "I'll supplement your route. Everyone, follow the established flight plan and don't crash your planes. If they fall into the sea, they'll be hard to retrieve."

Everyone burst into laughter, thinking he was joking.

Filming began at the end of April this year, and the use of drones has become commonplace. It can be said that most of the iterations of DJI's commercial filming drones were based on feedback from the "Ball Lightning" production team. (Chapter 546)
The generals received their orders and went to their posts to prepare for their tasks. Suddenly, Anderson, who had been silent for a long time, walked over.

The American officer's face regained its sternness, making it impossible to discern his state of mind after such humiliation.
“Director, I must warn you in advance,” Anderson said carefully. “Although we have inspected the drones, their wide shooting angles make it easy for them to capture shots that are already written into the prohibited regulations.”

He carefully observed the Chinese director's expression. "I want to emphasize again that this was agreed upon in our contract. Therefore, we will conduct a routine check after filming, and we may cut some scenes. Please understand."

Boss Lu remained serious and did not continue to humiliate the soldier who was loyal to America: "As long as the contract is followed, I have no objection. This is just a business transaction."

Anderson seemed worried that the conflict might break out again, so he mumbled something and left to continue his vigilance and surveillance with his security team.

Knowing that the main event was about to begin, Xiao Liu took a teacup filled with Longjing tea, thoughtfully unscrewed it, and handed it to her husband: "It's just cooled down a little, so it's perfect to drink."

"Oh, okay!" Lu Kuan took the teacup and watched as the three of them took off with the drone, not in a hurry.

He arranged for Zhao Fei to circle the island superstructure. Even if the latter didn't know that he was operating a modified "dual-sensor" machine, he would still be able to capture some key footage.

"Longjing tea is still the best, it smells so good." Lu Kuan squinted at the sunlight. "Just like this drone, it only needs the water to heat up before it can fully unfold and absorb the flavors of the mountains and rivers."

He was surrounded by other crew members such as Liu Yifei and Guo Fan, as well as Quentin and Harvey, who were curiously peeking out from next to Zhao Fei.

Of the two hundred or so people on the deck of the Little Eagle, only Xiao Liu could understand what he was saying in his seemingly leisurely manner, and she smiled sweetly at her husband.

The latter took a few sips of tea, savoring the sweet aftertaste, and then strolled over to the control panel, picking up the controller for his "special" drone.

Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Durant, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others immediately gathered around out of curiosity, eager to see firsthand how this Eastern director operated these "flying cameras."

"Watching and learning are fine, but remember to promote the plane! It's a company owned by a friend of mine, and they even sponsored the Olympics."

Mr. Lu smiled and began his demonstration, his fingers skillfully sliding across the controller, and the image on the screen moved smoothly accordingly. "Next, we're going to shoot a detailed shot of the polarization reaction that occurs on the side metal structure of the island after a simulated energy pulse."

He spoke loudly, making sure everyone around could hear him, “We need drones to fly close to the side of the island superstructure to capture that microscopic, strange texture that seems to be instantly magnetized by a strong magnetic field, to provide a reference for later special effects.”

As Mr. Lu spoke, he smoothly maneuvered the drone to approach the massive gray hull of the island superstructure.

According to Quentin and others, the scene on the screen was exactly as Lu Kuan described:

The camera carefully scans the cold, metallic skin, searching for the imagined "special effects traces".

Anderson was sensitive to such novelties that might resemble reconnaissance and strike weapons, and he quietly moved closer.

However, after listening to the Chinese director speak in a fluent California accent and use some film terminology that he couldn't understand at all, he walked away with a somber expression.

“Look, like this,” Lu Kuan explained, “the energy field may have altered the physical properties of the metal surface, and we need these subtle texture changes.”

However, under his precise control, the camera's focus was actually firmly locked onto the detailed structure of a row of inconspicuous cable interfaces and ventilation louvers with waterproof covers on the side of the island superstructure.

The dual-sensor high-definition camera silently records its model, size, arrangement, and even the type of screw.

Next, he maneuvered the drone to make a slight upward climb, continuing to explain: "Let's add another low angle to simulate the effect of energy particles flowing from bottom to top, and see if the bottom structure reacts differently."

The drone then slowly moved from one side of the island superstructure to the other side to scan.

While the camera appears to be capturing changes in light and shadow, it actually clearly includes all the riveted structures, welds, and the layout and markings of various pipes and valves at the connection between the ship's hull and deck in the frame.

Quentin, Leonardo, and the others watched him show off his drone skills with exaggerated surprise, like country bumpkins. Only Liu Yifei, holding her husband's teacup, pretended to drink water to hide her nervousness, while out of the corner of her eye sensing Anderson and the approaching patrol of American soldiers.

Just then, Jing Tian and Zhou Xun, who had removed her makeup, also came over. The three women stood together, and Xiao Liu looked at her and smiled, "Did you enjoy the performance just now?"

The fierce Xun Ge glanced around, covered his mouth, and whispered something lewd to the two women: "Seriously, even Gao Chao didn't have this much fun..."

Da Tian Tian looked curious: WTF? What does that feel like?
Liu Yifei smiled without saying a word: I don't believe it. I still prefer being with my husband...

Zhou Xun looked around at Lu Kuan, who was surrounded by the three men: the Jewish An Lushan, the Hollywood foot fetishist, and the Oscar-nominated actor. "What are they doing?"

"Technological poverty alleviation!" The words Zhou Xun had just mentioned suddenly popped into Jing Tian's mind, so she gave Liu Yifei a strange look. Could it really be even more...?

But why does Sister Sisi always sound like she's dying?

Little Liu had no idea what the young maid was thinking. Under the guise of whispering with them, she secretly kept an eye on Anderson's movements, acting as a beautiful spy for her husband.

Mr. Lu's expression remained focused and composed, as if he were completely immersed in his artistic creation.

All the reconnaissance actions with "hidden agendas" were perfectly wrapped up under the irrefutable reason of the ultimate pursuit of "science fiction special effects details".

Quentin and Harvey nodded repeatedly, completely captivated by his professional filming techniques, unaware of the turbulent undercurrents beneath the calm surface.

The first flight lasted for about an hour. To prevent an accident and the plane from falling into the water, Lu Kuan carefully arranged for it to recharge before flying again.

He then switched roles with pilot Awei, flying the low-altitude deck himself to penetrate deeper into enemy territory.

This continued until nearly 5 o'clock, when Da Tiantian suddenly exclaimed, and everyone seemed to sense something and looked up at the same time.

The sky over Bremerton, which had been gloomy all day, suddenly witnessed a breathtaking miracle.

The thick, lead-gray clouds seemed to be slowly torn open by an invisible giant hand, and a magnificent beam of sunset, as bright as molten gold, suddenly poured down, piercing through the clouds and splashing directly onto the flight deck and the majestic island superstructure!
The damp, cold sea fog that had been lingering just moments before now evaporated and swirled into a thin, golden veil, flowing slowly.

The dark surface of Puget Sound in the distance was thus shimmering with countless tiny, joyful sparkles.

All the noise came to an abrupt halt at that moment; the director's instructions, the staff's conversations, and the sounds of equipment running all seemed to be rendered meaningless.

The day's work was drawing to a close, and nearly two hundred people on the deck—whether they were crew members, Hollywood guests, or U.S. military personnel—all stopped what they were doing and held their breath, gazing at the magnificent view.

Liu Yifei approached her husband, who had smoothly retrieved the drone, and instinctively raised her hand to lightly cover her brow, squinting as she looked towards the source of the beam of light:
"With a wide road ahead, the clouds will eventually part and the sun will shine through."

"Yes." The man put his arm around his wife's shoulder, his heart filled with an indescribable excitement and relief.

Only he and the girl beside him understood this feeling.

From the initial planning nearly a month ago to the successful completion of the "drawing" just now, it was no easy feat.

Even though there will be another process of deletions and reductions later, the most important information and data should be able to be brought back to China without any problems.

"That's wonderful..." Xiao Liu silently praised in his heart, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

He had just finished drawing the aircraft carrier that carried the dreams of the Chinese people when dawn broke.

The scene before her eyes had transcended the realm of natural weather phenomena in Liu Yifei's eyes; it was more like a grand and auspicious metaphor, as if their meticulous depiction and collection, completed over a long day under various restrictions and pressures, had finally come to a successful conclusion.

Perhaps she caught a glimpse of Leonardo DiCaprio's voice, but her quirky personality struck a chord, and she tugged at her husband's sleeve, pleading, "Let's go take a picture like a 'Chinese version of Jack & Rose'."

"what?"

Boss Lu was still immersed in the extreme joy and satisfaction of completing the national mission, completely unable to keep up with his charming wife's thought process.

Xiao Liu jokingly asked Xiao Li in English, "Leo, I want to take a classic photo of you and Rose with Lu. Could you teach him how?"

Leonardo was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "You have to be careful, it was very windy where Rose was. I almost fell into the Atlantic Ocean."

The young director, realizing what was happening, was pulled by his wife to the edge of the deck at the ship's side, with the Puget Sound bathed in the golden sunset and shimmering with light behind them.

"Teacher Zhao, thank you for your hard work!" Xiao Liu excitedly greeted Zhao Fei, a photography expert who was packing up his equipment. Upon hearing this, Zhao Fei grabbed a handheld camera and ran over. "No problem, I have to take this job!"

The photographer finally had a chance to give the big boss some reverse guidance, and even Guo Fan, who was just watching the fun, came over and said, "Director, can you at least put on a smile?"

"You should feel the same excitement, satisfaction, and joy as if you've just finished filming a masterpiece!"

Liu Yifei and her husband exchanged a smile. It should be two films, one a science fiction film and the other a documentary.

The latter is far more important than the former.

Anderson and other security team members have begun to organize a review of the footage shot today and the storage devices. They do not suspect the Chinese film crew who still have the leisure to play around, but simply feel disgusted by them.

The couple stood at the safe end of the gangway, far away from everyone else.

Liu Yifei took her husband's hand and wrapped it around her waist, gently leaning her back against his strong chest. Then she smiled, opened her arms, and tilted her head back slightly, as if to embrace the magnificent sunset and sea breeze.

With a weight lifted from his mind, Lu Kuan gradually relaxed under her influence, gently resting his chin on his wife's hair, greedily inhaling her sweet scent.

Xiao Liu raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair that had been tousled by the sea breeze behind her ear, then turned back and gently rubbed her smooth cheek against the man's chin. "I've always been proud to have you. I think I'll remember this day for a long time."

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "You don't need to remember that much. There are still decades to go. How could someone as stupid as you possibly remember them all?"

Liu Yifei smiled, revealing a dimple, and turned to peck the man's lips hard, like a pair of revolutionary partners passionately kissing on the highly symbolic Western aircraft carrier, the Kitty Hawk.

The onlookers, who didn't have cell phones, could only cheer and urge Zhao Fei to take pictures. Zhou Xun and Jing Tian were also getting tired of watching, and together they enjoyed the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment after this arduous shoot.

In "Ball Lightning," Lin Yun sacrifices himself for his country, repelling the invaders' aircraft carrier.

In reality, patriots from all walks of life are also contributing to the great rejuvenation of the nation in their own ways.

Bathed in the golden light of the sea and in her lover's arms, Liu Yifei was undoubtedly the happiest at this moment. Only she could continue to enjoy this unknown journey with the time traveler.

Liu Yifei looked up in a daze at the dazzling clouds that burst forth from the sky. The radiant light that pierced through the clouds was like a huge golden seal, eternally imprinted in the depths of her memory.

Many years later, when they recall this scene, they may still feel a sense of bewilderment:

In that dazzling golden light, is it the romance of lovers' tenderness, the glory of mission accomplished, or the two already intertwined and inseparable?
But in any case, they are about to enter the tenth year of their lifelong friendship, and they will continue to walk firmly on this path.

Having traversed this golden age.

(End of this chapter)