I'm not mentally ill, I'm a master of a thousand faces!

Chapter 518, The First Part of "The Three-Body Problem"

Zhang Mouzi had thought a lot about the scenarios in which they would communicate.

Zhang Mouzi suddenly chuckled, surprised by the unexpected turn of events.

"Looks like I'm running out of excuses."

"Huh?" Li Yun asked, puzzled. What excuse?

"As you know, our special effects team for 'The Great Wall' used the latest technology from Industrial Light & Magic, which will be used in Cameron's blockbuster next year," Zhang Yimou said slowly. This is also the most commendable aspect of 'The Great Wall'.

Special effects technology.

In a sense, The Great Wall is indeed the first Chinese film to achieve this.

It delivers an unparalleled visual experience.

China's first domestically produced blockbuster with special effects.

This is the achievement of the film "The Great Wall".

An achievement that no one can take away, an achievement that is beyond doubt.

Li Yun also bluntly stated that, at least in the movie "The Great Wall," the visual effects were incredibly exciting.

This made Li Yun feel good.

At least, the ticket price was worth it.

Absolutely worth it.

"Aren't you looking for a special effects team lately? If you're going to look for one, look for the best Industrial Light & Magic team in China. If you can afford it, I'll use it for you."

Zhang Mouzi then spoke slowly.

It turns out that while he was working on the Sino-US co-production, he was also in contact with Industrial Light & Magic's visual effects teams in China, including both outsourced teams and members of his own team.

Zhang Yimou is truly a cunning old fox.

In times like these, everyone wants to profit for themselves.

At this moment, Zhang Mouzi's expression was very complicated. If Li Yun had spoken rudely or even arrogantly just now, he could probably find a reason for himself not to talk about it.

But Li Yun did not.

Even Zhang Mouzi couldn't convince himself anymore.

The special effects team at Industrial Light & Magic. I personally contacted them and witnessed the immense price they paid and the immense effort they devoted to their ambitions.

But now, this achievement will be handed over to someone else.

Reluctant, unwilling.

But he still made that choice.

"Thank you," Li Yun said.

If Zhang Yimou is really that generous this time, it will be a huge help.

Even Li Yun couldn't have imagined it.

Surprisingly, it was Zhang Yimou who offered him help in his time of need.

"No need to thank me, but you need to be able to afford it; this kind of new technology is very expensive."

"Are you sure you can afford this price?"

"I'm sure, sci-fi blockbusters without special effects feel like they're missing a lot," Li Yun said bluntly.

A sci-fi blockbuster.

A sector monopolized by Hollywood.

Historically, the West has held the exclusive right to interpret science fiction.

Western science fiction is the real science fiction.

Science fiction in other places is pseudo-science fiction, it's all fake.

This is not because Westerners are hypocritical.

Rather, the works that can truly be called science fiction are all works by Westerners, and that is why the West has this right.

courage.

Li Yun's courage.

That's admirable.

Perhaps it is precisely this unwavering courage that makes Zhang Yimou feel, as if he himself has become a little younger.

"I heard you have a sci-fi TV series coming out in December. I hope your sci-fi TV series won't disappoint me. I don't want my hard-earned team to be wasted."

"Absolutely necessary"

At this moment, Li Yun smiled slightly.

The next book is "The Three-Body Problem".

It will air in January.

Human nature is just that complicated.

Li Yun himself didn't expect that the special effects resources he couldn't get from Wang Chen, he could get from Zhang Mouzi.

Although the price is indeed not cheap. Even a purely Chinese outsourcing team costs twice as much as a top-notch domestic special effects team.

This is the price of "top-tier".

Zhang Yimou said that he will also read the next installment of "The Three-Body Problem".

Let's see Li Yun's scientific fiction prowess.

To what extent can we go when facing the work "Westworld"?

At this moment, Li Yun remained calm.

The Three-Body Problem is a very important work for me.

It also has important significance for the creation of "The Wandering Earth".

They were able to assemble a team like the one behind "The Wandering Earth," and they still can now.

The Three-Body Problem also has its significance.

This can be considered the first step into science fiction.

This marks the first step that Li Quan has taken into the world of science fiction.

"Are you ready? Our sci-fi masterpiece, *The Three-Body Problem*, is about to be released."

At this moment, Li Yun looked at his own personality in the mirror.

He remained calm, though he could not hide the excitement in his eyes.

If The Wandering Earth is the second installment...

So The Three-Body Problem is the first installment.

It still has to be a successful shot.

"Have you ever thought about how all your efforts now, if this Three-Body Problem fails, will all be in vain, all your efforts will be nothing but bubbles?"

At this moment, the personality next to him spoke leisurely, looking at Li Yun with great interest.

This road is extremely difficult.

No matter how many times I watch it.

All of these are extremely difficult.

The Wandering Earth project is a large-scale production, and the investment provided by Li Yun is unprecedented in China. No production of this scale has ever been undertaken in China before.

Even the Great Wall, a Sino-US co-production commercial film, never had such a huge budget.

There is no such large investment.

This is the first time.

The creation of the TV series "The Three-Body Problem" was also met with fierce competition.

There's Westworld on the outside and Wesley on the inside; one is hard science fiction with a long history, and the other is soft science fiction with emotional and humanistic themes.

Both have their own strengths, and both have their own mysteries and wonders.

They all possess a despair-inducing power.

Li Yun even chose to challenge Cameron.

To think that his next project would be such a challenge.

Even Li Yun, the former wild and poor boy, knew what the name Cameron meant.

That is the summit of the highest mountain in the world.

And yet you chose to fight against such a guy.

On what grounds?

At this point, Li Yun did not answer the question about his own personality.

On what grounds?

Before that, there was Cameron's Avatar, which ushered in a golden decade for Hollywood. During that decade, domestic films simply couldn't sell tickets.

You could say he is truly at the summit of the mountain.

The pinnacle of a despairing era that could usher in a new one.

A legend that will be remembered in history.

But Li Yun also had his own thoughts.

If we can conquer this mountain peak.

Whether or not I will take his place.

Will China's film industry have been spared the dark decade?

Right.

The significance of The Three-Body Problem is also very simple: if The Three-Body Problem fails, then no one will believe that he can challenge Cameron. If he were to say so directly that his next project would be scheduled to coincide with Cameron's schedule, then he would definitely be considered a madman, an incomprehensible lunatic.

Therefore, I must win.

We must win.

And you have to win beautifully.

Let everyone know that you not only have the desire to challenge God, but also the right to do so.

At this very moment, the promotion and distribution of The Three-Body Problem is also underway.

After the first quarter of the year in December, the new year has finally arrived.

Last year, the best drama of the year was The Hidden Corner, a small but exquisite work.

Small stories told within a small framework.

It garnered a lot of attention.

After all, this is the king of dramas.

But this king of dramas shows no signs of stopping in the new year.

Instead, they built up momentum and launched a two-pronged attack.

"He is very good at telling stories on a small scale, especially in exploring the inner world of the characters and their surroundings. This may be related to his upbringing. He climbed up from the bottom to his current position step by step, which makes it easy for people to empathize with him. He has a unique advantage when narrating such subjects."

"Whether it's 'Silenced' or 'Dying to Survive,' these two purely his works are both based on this principle."

At this very moment, Ni Haishao, the chairman of the Science Fiction Association, was scrolling through Weibo in his office, looking at his upcoming schedule with great interest.

The August First Film Studio's production of "Wesley".

Li Quan's "The Three-Body Problem".

There's also the blockbuster "Westworld".

One imported, two domestically produced.

Domestic productions were once the pride of Chinese-made works, produced by the August First Film Studio, and were also the most anticipated domestic works within the science fiction association.

Although it's soft science fiction, the original script still retains a fantastical feel. Moreover, with Ni Haishao, a relative of Ni Kuang, serving as chairman, it naturally receives considerable respect. And the August First Film Studio's claim to be the pride of Chinese science fiction isn't just empty boasting; they truly were the pioneers of Chinese science fiction.

Needless to say, Westworld is another example.

main course.

A work that lies between hard science fiction and soft science fiction, it tells the story of an AI robot trapped in "Western Paradise" in the future, about freedom and the awakening of true self.

It's fair to say that *Westworld* offers the strongest sense of immersion, since its AI technology actually exists in the real world, rather than being a fictional creation. This is why it can be considered somewhere between hard and soft science fiction.

As for "The Three-Body Problem"...

Too little information, claiming to be hard science fiction

Although Li Yun is currently riding high, his popularity has reached an explosive level, thanks to the hit drama "The Hidden Corner" from the previous year.

But in Ni Haishao's eyes, this was the work he least had a good chance of succeeding in.

Because it claims to be "hard science fiction".

"Hard science fiction, huh? Could he even pull that off?"

"This Li Yun can be considered a people's artist. His works are based on the general public and are liked by the masses. Who do you think you are?" Pan Donghai next to him looked at Ni Haishao and rolled his eyes at him.

The president of the science fiction association seems a bit arrogant.

But Ni Haishao still spoke with complete rationality.

"It is precisely because he is an artist rooted in the general public that writing science fiction works seems so fantastical."

"President, I think you're being a bit too arrogant."

At this moment, Pan Donghai, who had the best relationship with Ni Haishao in the Science Fiction Association and was a research expert in the aviation field who could always find time to watch TV amidst his busy schedule, had also lost his smile.

Your arrogance is really disliked.

Ni Haishao, on the other hand, remained calm and completely objective.

Science fiction has always been an art form that is incomprehensible to the common people.

He has extremely high standards.

Just look at the average educational background of the Science Fiction Association.

I'm almost embarrassed to tell people I only have a bachelor's degree; most of them have at least a master's or doctoral degree and are highly educated.

It is niche art.

The elements of the novel "The Three-Body Problem" are quite simple.

If he continues to focus on his artistic expression as before, he will likely achieve good commercial success and perhaps even have some shining moments.

But if he really goes in the direction of hard science fiction, he will only end up pleasing neither side.

This "Three-Body Problem" story will ultimately only have two possible directions.

One type is popular with the general public, but is scorned by the science fiction enthusiasts of science fiction associations.

There's another type. It's liked by science fiction enthusiasts in the Science Fiction Association, but its commercial success is mediocre, and it's too highbrow for the general public. This is unlikely, after all, Li Yun doesn't seem like someone who can write this kind of hard science fiction script.

Another possibility is that it will be a work that satisfies both the general public and science fiction enthusiasts.

This kind of work.

It happened in my dreams.

"Do you think we can stop Westworld this time?"

"You can block it in your dreams."

"Then our works... we have no choice but to block them, even if we can't."

at this time.

The three directors of "Wesley" are at the August First Film Studio, awaiting their "trial," to be honest.

Li Liguo, Zhang Dahuzi, and Yu Mingsheng, three top TV drama producers in the industry, devoted their energy and effort to creating this work.

Although all three are top-tier figures in the industry, possessing more directing and producing experience than most people have in a lifetime, they are truly exceptional talents of their generation.

But they were always fighting amongst themselves, waging a civil war.

This is the first time we've faced a foreign enemy directly.

According to the August First Film Studio, they are on the front line and also on the last line. If they fall, the title of "King of Dramas" next year will likely be constantly overshadowed by "Westworld".

"Isn't there another book, 'The Three-Body Problem,' fighting alongside us?" Li Liguo said, half-laughing and half-crying. "It's not like we're the only ones 'going to our deaths.'"

"Li Yun"

Yu Mingsheng sighed with emotion.

"It's amazing that his work actually came out on top last year as the drama king. We are also lucky to be born in this era of heroes."

If Li Yun is given time to grow, he will surely lead Li Quan to become a legend.

The TV series "The Three-Body Problem" has been the subject of much gossip and controversy, from the controversy surrounding the subsidy fraud to the current hit drama "The Hidden Corner." Compared to the hit drama of two years ago, the current "The Three-Body Problem" has far fewer rumors and controversies, although there are still many people who hold prejudices against domestic science fiction.

But Li Yun can still be trusted to some extent.

Without Westworld, Wesley's novels and The Three-Body Problem would seem like they were truly competing against each other.

With the rich heritage of the August First Film Studio and Li Quan's talent, can these two "tender sprouts" of the science fiction world truly shine?

Unfortunately, Westworld, a towering tree that had already grown to its full potential, was mercilessly crushed.

Tender buds.

It is useless

(End of this chapter)