I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

Bai Qiquan's heart began to pound.

The entire movie theater was completely silent; everyone held their breath, waiting for the protagonist's exploration.

Everyone was curious: what exactly was up in that attic under such circumstances?

The protagonist arrived in front of the attic, and Bai Qiquan, who saw this scene, suddenly smelled a burnt stench.

Bai Qiquan saw the lock on the door.

hum-

His heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Everything around him drifted away and grew cold.

The sounds were layered upon each other, like calls from some distant world.

A chill ran down his spine and spread throughout his body. He wanted to close his eyes, not wanting to see what was going to happen next, but his eyes remained wide open, taking in everything.

Then, Bai Qiquan saw it.

Chapter 382 A Heartwarming Story of Lu Ban

Bai Qiquan can't remember how he finished watching the movie.

During this final scene, the entire set fell silent, everyone staring at the image on the big screen with wide eyes.

Upon seeing Amber's remains, someone in the movie theater suddenly made a vomiting sound.

Bai Qiquan's stomach churned violently, and a sour and bitter gastric juice surged into his throat. He covered his mouth, feeling a sharp pain in his stomach.

This is stomach cramps caused by psychological factors. It usually occurs after excessive stress, tension, or strong stimulation.

As the dialogue from the story reached his ears, Bai Qiquan felt that he understood it, yet also felt that he didn't.

His vision was blurry, and he had an unreal feeling.

In the scenes I was responsible for, Amber was clearly such a beautiful girl, with such a happy smile, so full of hope, and so pure and innocent.

Why did she have to suffer like this?

What's wrong with this world?

These clips I made for her myself...

Bai Qiquan's brain buzzed, and he felt blood rushing to his eardrums, as if three buzzing sounds were exploding in his brain like a nuclear bomb alarm.

His breathing became rapid, and a warm sensation flowed from his nose.

Bai Qiquan discovered that he had a nosebleed.

He hurriedly stuffed his nostrils with tissues, looked up, and saw Amber struggling desperately in the flames.

He glanced at his girlfriend beside him. Pang Zhen was completely stunned, her mouth agape as she stared at the scene of the raging fire, utterly unresponsive.

For a moment, painful screams echoed through the movie theater.

It was like a sharp knife piercing my heart, and it kept spinning, tearing the wound open.

Bai Qiquan felt short of breath. The plot on the big screen was relentlessly twisting, leaving him unable to react. It was as if he had truly experienced that journey with a young girl, truly witnessed her growth, her choices, and her death.

The film ended amidst cherry blossoms, and not a single audience member got up to leave.

There was no applause, no cheers, and no condemnation or angry shouting.

Everyone wore an extremely complex expression.

It's like being punched hard by the person you're closest to, and when the pain is at its peak, the other person gently touches the wound with utmost tenderness and care, showing concern and warmth with the most sincere attitude.

It's like someone who, filled with boundless rage, has found their most hated enemy and is about to exact revenge, only to discover that this enemy has saved countless children from suffering over the years and has become a pillar of support for many people. If they kill him, even more people will fall into greater misfortune.

Is Lu Ban's movie healing?

If you say that Lu Ban's movies heal people's hearts, then these viewers will definitely curse and yell, "You call this healing people's hearts?!"

This is clearly a case of luring a dog in to kill it. If this is considered heartwarming, healing, or a coming-of-age story, then "The Crying" would definitely win Best Comedy.

He used every means to showcase the beauty of amber to the audience, portraying this journey as a delicate and heartwarming tale of growth. He spent a hundred minutes weaving a somewhat thrilling, but mostly tender, journey, and then, in less than ten minutes, shattered it all in the most unacceptable way.

However, getting the audience to voice their anger doesn't seem so easy.

Whose fault was Amber's death? Was it the protagonist's? The priestesses'? Her own talent? Or the divine cherry blossom that had protected humanity for thousands of years? In their confused state of mind, people realized that the world was at fault.

If the world could be even a little bit better, then no one would have to get hurt.

But it was just a tiny bit off.

If they hurl insults and make indiscriminate personal attacks against Lu Ban because of Amber's death, or offer vicious comments and try to find flaws in Lu Ban, then it means that the despair of this world has been successfully conveyed to the audience's perception.

Lu Ban achieved what he wanted to achieve while making the movie.

This means that it is a perfect movie.

Many films, whether commercial or art films, primarily present a story to the audience, aiming to evoke resonance and emotional responses.

But in Lu Ban's film, he created hope out of thin air, and then created despair by completely crushing that hope, making the audience truly feel it all.

After experiencing such a desperate world, Bai Qiquan suddenly felt that nothing was a big deal anymore.

Although the world has all sorts of problems—environment, war, ethnicity, religion, poverty, hunger—it's not like the world in the movies, where death is inevitable no matter what. In the visible realm, human civilization is being gradually eroded, and humanity itself is pushing itself into the abyss. The most outstanding individuals are only fit to be used as firewood, dying in pain and despair.

Thinking about it this way, my current life seems a little too blissful.

Bai Qiquan felt that he couldn't be so decadent in the future and had to work harder. He felt that everything in the world was so beautiful and full of hope, and that the sun would still rise tomorrow was a kind of happiness.

As Bai Qiquan stepped out of the screening room, he saw the audience waiting outside for the next showing.

Their faces were full of anticipation, their eyes full of envy; they had no idea what they were waiting for.

The moment Bai Qiquan saw them, and felt the bright moonlight, the azure sky, and the pure air outside, he suddenly understood everything.

He understood why the people at the premiere had those expressions, why the harsh critic suddenly changed his attitude after watching Lu Ban's film, praising Lu Ban and recommending his movies, and why all the audience members gave it unanimous praise and didn't mention the final plot at all.

Because no one wants to ruin this opportunity for others to be healed.

If viewers know the plot in advance, the impact of the movie will be much smaller. They will watch it with a preconceived notion, unable to fully feel and immerse themselves in the story, and thus unable to experience the strong impact or the true despair.

Therefore, they would not be able to enjoy this healing effect.

Now, in Bai Qiquan's eyes, everyone exudes hope, and the whole world is thriving. He thinks it's wonderful.

He, being so gentle, certainly couldn't take away such an experience.

Everyone is too kind.

Bai Qiquan glanced at his girlfriend Pang Zhen beside him.

She had recovered from her blank expression. Her brows were furrowed, but when she saw the people outside, the expectant audience, and Bai Qiquan's gentle smile, she understood everything.

Then, Pang Zhen gave the audience a healing smile.

Chapter 383 A Healing Smile

A healing smile enveloped Cannes.

Since the premiere of "All Quiet in Spring," smiles like these have gradually filled the streets and alleys of Cannes.

This smile is both warm and sunny, yet tinged with bitterness; it's both sad and gentle. When you see such a smile on the street, you'd think that this person must have suffered some kind of sadness or hardship, but they've overcome it and are now facing life with a more positive attitude.

These people with mysterious smiles are active in the streets and alleys of Cannes. Some help sanitation workers clean the streets, some help old ladies cross the road, and some bravely catch thieves. When they see you on the street, they will greet you with great enthusiasm. They are kind and polite to people. They come from all walks of life, including tourists, citizens, people from the film industry, and journalists.

The air in Cannes became much better because of them.

Bai Qiquan had just gotten up when he felt boundless energy and a longing for life. Life was so wonderful, and he felt he should be more proactive.

He came to the cinema, and for the past two days, apart from sightseeing around Cannes, he has been helping new audiences here.

"Two tickets to 'All Quiet in Spring', thank you very much for coming."

Bai Qiquan even taught himself some basic French in the past few days. He felt full of boundless motivation, believing that he could learn anything if he wanted to.

He watched as wave after wave of people entered the cinema. The audience members, who had been filled with anticipation and expectation, were somewhat puzzled by Bai Qiquan's smile. But when the movie ended and the audience members left, the same smile would return to their faces.

Through eye contact, Bai Qiquan understood that these people had become his comrades.

Newspapers in Cannes were filled with reports about "All Quiet in Spring," with film critics praising it as "one of the most heartwarming films ever made," and viewers saying that seeing the film was "the luckiest thing they've done this year." More than 5,000 people ranked "All Quiet in Spring" as the number one film they would most recommend to others.

Of course, this state of affairs did not last long.

Some people, after experiencing a huge emotional shock, unconsciously transmit their thoughts outwards through their bodies, and as more and more people watch the film, the number of such people is also increasing.

Relevant comments quickly appeared on film review websites both domestically and internationally.

[Liars, you're all liars! I watched "All Quiet in Spring," the beginning was great, and the plot developed well, but I can't accept the ending. Why did such a good girl have to be treated like that? Amber, sob sob sob, my Amber!]

[Lu Ban is such a jerk. He lied to us, saying this was a heartwarming movie. Heartwarming my foot! All the good women die in the end, and in such tragic ways. Did Lu Ban offend someone in his past life?]

[Upstairs, did you just say "nigo"?]

Believe me, everyone, this is definitely not a movie you can watch with a smile. The ending is extremely tragic, so please be mentally prepared when you watch it.

How the hell could I have imagined that the movie ticket I paid so much for would turn into such a terrible tragedy? Can I ask for a refund?

[Has Lu Ban experienced some kind of trauma lately? Oh, no, did he experience some kind of trauma when he was born? The praying mantis can trigger the "Isolation and Helplessness" effect in his house, right?]

[This guy is right, he really does seem to have come from an orphanage.]

【Grass!】

With these comments, there are naturally other comments refuting them.

[Are you all just haters and paid trolls? This movie is so heartwarming. Look, after the film's release, the crime rate in Cannes dropped by 50%, and the city's environment improved significantly. Now, if you walk down the street in Cannes and drop your wallet, five people will rush to pick it up for you. It changed Cannes.]

As a moviegoer who has watched films for over a decade, I believe "All Quiet in Spring" is an excellent film. Any film enthusiast can find something in it, and the current criticisms of its quality are undoubtedly irrational.

[Although I haven't seen this movie yet, aren't you guys being a bit ridiculous? If Lu Ban really had this kind of trashy ending, wouldn't the movie be a disaster? Would the film festival critics still praise it? Have some common sense! So many people are giving it rave reviews, this movie must be quite excellent. I'm planning to see it tonight and then come back to share my thoughts.]

I believe a truly healing film is one that fills viewers with hope and longing for life. This film, clearly, has helped most viewers rediscover their zest for life. If this isn't a healing film, then what is?

[I'm disgusted. Anyone who was there in Cannes knows that the people there became much more positive and uplifted because of this film. You haters, did you even buy tickets and are just spouting nonsense? Can you show me your ticket stubs?]

The two sides remained deadlocked, and as the film festival continued and more and more people watched the film, the debate intensified until the last day of the Cannes Film Festival.

On the final evening, a red carpet ceremony and awards ceremony will be held at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, where several awards, including the Palme d'Or, will be announced. The red carpet appearances of film directors and stars are also a major focus for reporters.