Chapter Seventy-Five: Preparations for "The Darkest Hour"-What Are Other Nations Planning to Do About Victoria?

Chen Qi knew very well that the World War II depicted in Darkest Hour would be somewhat difficult to recreate on Terra. In films about that war, bombers constantly hung over everyone's heads, meaning many scenes had to be filmed with air-raid shelters as the backdrop.

However, since Chen Qi had already made up his mind, none of that was a problem. To be honest, Terra was not without bombers. Ursus, for example, had such weapons of war; their mobility simply could not compare.

Besides, artillery, Originium Arts, Catastrophe guidance, and so on... all could achieve similar effects. Chen Qi was not worried about being unable to reproduce the feel of Darkest Hour.

After all, aside from its oppressive opening atmosphere, the defining scene of Darkest Hour was the final half-hour, when the prime minister sat on the subway and discussed the future with ordinary people, uniting their resolve.

Such a scene also fit Gaul's eventual destruction... After all, Gaul had fallen, hadn't it? Although it was somewhat inappropriate to cast Gaul in the role of the Third Reich, fortunately, people on Terra would never think the same way Chen Qi did.

After all, the closest equivalent to that grotesque thing on Terra was currently the Sarkaz. But Chen Qi was not filming the part where several nations ganged up on Kazdel, so it was not a major problem.

As for casting... Chen Qi already had a rough idea. He understood that he probably could not return to Victoria at a time like this. To achieve that effect, he had to find a nation somewhat similar to Victoria.

"Darkest Hour..."

However, Vina and Nian were quickly drawn in by the idea as well. It had to be said that, whether in theme or in light of the current situation, Darkest Hour was exactly what a fractured Victoria needed most!

It would tell how Victoria's monarch had once led the people of Victoria through their darkest days. The cabinet ministers and parliamentarians, who had become little better than "vermin" in the public eye because of Yes, Prime Minister, would also receive a positive reversal of their image.

Though the cabinet ministers and parliamentarians truly were vermin in peacetime, when they had to stand forth to defend Victoria, they would still do so without hesitation! This was Victoria's glory—how could they allow others to lay hands on it?

"Good! This film is excellent!"

After listening to Chen Qi's rough account of the story depicted in Darkest Hour, Vina immediately felt that this might be the best possible choice! Let those citizens who had lost faith in Victoria see one of Victoria's most glorious moments. That would be wonderful!

Even Vina, who had maintained a rather languid expression all this time, rarely revealed such delight. She could already imagine how deeply Victoria's people would relate to Darkest Hour once they saw it.

Victoria had endured an age that was just as dark, even darker than the present one. Yet its former emperors had turned the tide, never giving up and never surrendering. Naturally, Victoria today could not be so pathetic either. It had its own glory.

Vina could even imagine how much change the final line, "We shall never surrender," would bring to Victoria!

"This really is a great idea! Darkest Hour! I think that final scene, with the emperor chatting with commoners, will definitely be a huge hit!"

"What about the other film? What is this anti-war film you want to make?!"

At that moment, Nian had decided that she would absolutely help Chen Qi. A masterpiece of this caliber would certainly add a work she could be proud of to her somewhat shabby collection of representative films!

As for that anti-war film... honestly, even if Chen Qi's proposal followed the same formula as Terra's few existing anti-war films, Nian would still help him.

After all, even Nian did not know what fresh angle an anti-war film could possibly have.

"I already have a template for the anti-war film." Chen Qi immediately told Nian and Vina about the film he had chosen, speaking with confidence.

"This film will be called Braveheart."

"Braveheart?" x2

The moment Chen Qi finished speaking, Vina and Nian unconsciously repeated the title. Yet they both felt that... it did not sound like an anti-war film. It sounded more like something that encouraged war.

Could it be that Director Chen Qi had fallen into the same trap as those filmmakers who claimed to make anti-war films, only for their scenes to grow grander and the sacrifices to grow greater until the film indirectly became a large-scale spectacle glorifying war?

Both Vina and Nian had that question in their hearts. However, Chen Qi did not notice their expressions and continued.

"It tells the story of the friendship between four people and one beast. They come from different nations, yet all are drawn into war. The protagonists are all insignificant people struggling to survive amid the conflict. Through their perspective, we will see war's cruelty, as well as love and humanity within that cruelty."

"I plan to use the Four Emperors' Battle of Gaul as the main stage. Four small figures from different races, each of whom barely survives battle after battle, will revisit a period of history and use love and friendship to contrast the cruelty of war."

Viewing war through the eyes of ordinary people? Using love and friendship to contrast war's cruelty?

Those words left Vina and Nian momentarily stunned. Before this, they had never imagined that an anti-war story could be viewed through the perspective of ordinary people, much less portray friendship and love within it.

Generally speaking, Terra's anti-war works featured omnipotent heroic protagonists repelling enemy attacks time and again, then dying gloriously, or watching their comrades fall one after another while refusing to yield even in death. That was how they highlighted war's cruelty.

Yet most people who watched those films were drawn to the heroic protagonists. Every one of them wished they could be the protagonist and reach a glorious death, achieving great deeds and living a life without regrets... The anti-war effect was nowhere to be found. Instead, everyone came away wanting to become a hero.

However, Chen Qi's proposal made both women's eyes light up. They had already begun to feel that both Darkest Hour and Braveheart would achieve unprecedented success after their release!

"Director Chen Qi!" Nian suddenly raised her head and looked solemnly at Chen Qi.

"I admit it. You are absolutely the strongest opponent I, the great Director Nian, will face on my future path! I have decided to remain with your crew for now and learn from you—both your filmmaking methods and your ability to create scripts!"

"When I feel ready to strike out on my own in the future, please be sure to have a film duel with me! Until that day comes, I will keep following you!"

"Welcome aboard, Nian."

Chen Qi warmly welcomed Nian after hearing her give him such high praise. With Nian on board, Xi, whom he had long dreamed of finding, was no longer far away!

With Xi, Chen Qi would be confident in filming any masterpiece in the future! She would absolutely become one of the most capable members of his crew!

Preparations for Darkest Hour: The Nations' Moves Against Victoria?

"Then I'll go find my foolish little sister. Director Chen Qi, I'll borrow these television dramas of yours for now!"

"Don't worry. With these, I can definitely make that foolish shut-in sister of mine come out willingly—though it doesn't matter if she isn't willing. She can't beat her big sister anyway. I have a hundred ways to make her crawl out of that painting!"

After Chen Qi explained the plans for his next two works to Nian, she decisively threw herself into his film career and promptly offered him her solution.

To solve the problems of the large-scale scenes and massive number of extras needed for Darkest Hour and Braveheart, Nian immediately thought of her younger sister—Xi.

Within Xi's paintings, she could instantly create battlefields that would otherwise take enormous amounts of time and effort to arrange, as well as scenes of corpses littering the ground. Even some of the more exaggerated weapons they needed could be realized at once.

For the sake of a smooth production, Nian naturally had to seek her sister's help. Though it might make certain people nervous, Nian still decided to go alone, as that would save a great deal of time.

"Once I find that melon-brained little sister of mine, I'll bring her to you immediately. But where do you plan to film? You're not really going to Kazdel, are you?"

"No. We're going to Kazimierz."

Before parting ways with Nian, Chen Qi had already selected a filming location for Darkest Hour. It was the only country on Terra that still truly retained a parliamentary system. That was where he intended to film Darkest Hour and hold auditions.

Darkest Hour and Braveheart were different from Yes, Prime Minister. They required many protagonists and supporting characters, and Chen Qi could not return to Londinium to film. Therefore, among nations with a parliamentary system, largely overlapping races, and mobile cities of comparable prosperity, Kazimierz seemed to be the only choice.

Thus, after Nian set out alone in search of her sister, Chen Qi told Kal'tsit and the others about his plan, quickly receiving Kal'tsit's support.

"Kazimierz... Rhodes Island is currently seeking partners as well. If we can use this opportunity to establish trade relations with Kazimierz's officials, that would be a good option."

After giving it some thought, Kal'tsit felt that Rhodes Island could perhaps use the production crew's fame to negotiate several business deals with other powers and nations.

Moreover... considering that Chen Qi's crew had become far too famous and might trigger unnecessary unrest, Rhodes Island, at least as an openly neutral international organization, could perhaps guarantee them and put Kazimierz's officials more at ease.

"Also, if the crew members need Oripathy inhibitors, we can deliver them to you as quickly as possible if we are nearby."

"Then there is no time to lose. Rhodes Island, proceed toward Kazimierz."

"By the way, Operator Nearl, please take Miss FrostNova and make preliminary contact with Kazimierz's officials." Kal'tsit did not forget to send the former Shining Knight of Kazimierz as Rhodes Island's representative.

"This was Mr. Chen Qi's suggestion. He said that, as a Kazimierz native, you would be more familiar with its internal affairs. Miss FrostNova needs to depart in advance and obtain official permission from Kazimierz."

"I understand."

The Shining Knight, code-named Nearl, nodded. She held the scripts for Darkest Hour and Braveheart in her hands, while a resolute light shone in her eyes.

She knew that what she held might be able to stop the civil war about to erupt in fractured Victoria... perhaps it could not be stopped, but these two films might reduce its losses to the lowest possible level.

Nearl had another plan as well. As she looked at the two scripts in her hands, she clearly thought of the members of her own family.

Whether it was Darkest Hour or Braveheart, Margaret felt that each contained a role suitable for a member of her family. With his presence, he could fully carry the image of those characters.

Furthermore, this would undoubtedly be good for the family. Especially with Braveheart, the knights of the Nearl family ought to promote an anti-war film like this. It would also be useful for Kazimierz's knightly image. She had no reason not to support its release.

That way, not only would it benefit their family, perhaps... Uncle could also use a new identity to say farewell to the year-round, never-ending work schedule that tormented him?

"Chen Qi... what exactly is this man thinking? Why did he choose this particular moment to come to Kazimierz and film?"

Several days later, at Kazimierz's Supervision Committee, the upper ranks of Kazimierz quickly received the permit submitted by the Art Troupe represented by FrostNova, along with Rhodes Island's letter of guarantee.

These documents immediately received the highest attention from the Kazimierz Supervision Committee. They held several meetings overnight. The people from the Commercial Federation did not know who Chen Qi was. To them, as long as the money was sufficient, any production crew that wanted to enter and film could be granted permission.

However, as Kazimierz's highest administrative body, the Supervision Committee considered matters the Commercial Federation could never imagine! They were worried—worried about what the "notorious" Chen Qi intended to do by coming here.

"Could our recent strategic plans have been exposed?" a Knight Commander could not help asking.

"Our forces are still being assembled, and Ursus has contacted us as well. They hope to pass their 'tourist group' through our border."

"Clearly, Ursus's upper ranks have come to the same conclusion as we have. Everyone wants to tear a huge piece of meat off Victoria while it is divided!"

At the mention of Kazimierz's recent strategy, everyone in the Supervision Committee became fired up. Victoria's fracture had brought joy to some and sorrow to others, but for Kazimierz's upper ranks, it was unquestionably a cause for celebration.

They could not help it. Kazimierz had endured an incredibly difficult time over the past few years. Their territory was trapped between the two great powers of Ursus and Victoria. They had only enjoyed a little relief in recent years because Victoria had lacked a clear leader, but friction with Ursus had never ceased.

The Ursus war machine was an empire that needed constant warfare to keep operating. After suffering defeat in its eastern conflict with Higashi, it could not possibly turn east again anytime soon. So besides Kazimierz, whom could it fight in the west?

Although Kazimierz's soldiers fought bloodily on the front lines, the fact remained that their battle lines had been steadily pushed back.

But now, Kazimierz's time to hold its head high had finally arrived! Ursus might not have split apart, but those Perro bastards in Victoria had finally fractured!

The people of the Supervision Committee were thrilled, ecstatic! After so many years, they had finally found an opportunity! In the past, they could not defeat the powers to either the east or west. Now, at last, someone weak enough to bully had appeared. If they did not go to war now, then when would they?

The Kazimierz Supervision Committee immediately notified the border forces. While holding the eastern front, they were to commit everything they had to expanding on the western front! While Victoria's dukes were occupied with civil war, the Kazimierz army would cross the border at once, occupy several of Victoria's peripheral mobile cities in the name of "preventing a coup in an allied nation"!

Ursus responded quickly as well. They had even organized a "tour group" composed of army groups, intending to pass through Kazimierz's border to visit Victoria for "tourism and condolences." Everyone could guess what Ursus was truly thinking.

For this reason, the Kazimierz Supervision Committee had already negotiated with Ursus over which mobile cities would belong to Kazimierz and which would belong to Ursus. Just as the four nations had partitioned Gaul in the past, they now intended to partition Victoria's territory!

But just at that moment, Chen Qi and his group arrived, claiming they wanted to film inside Kazimierz? What did that mean?

The members of the Supervision Committee did not believe it was a coincidence. After all, who was Chen Qi? He was the "chief culprit" responsible for Victoria splitting into nine pieces so early! If he had not filmed Yes, Prime Minister, Victoria would likely have taken several more years to gradually reach its current state.

And now, this very man wanted to come to Kazimierz to film. Honestly... everyone was a little afraid. Who knew whether this "notorious" figure intended to make a drama like Yes, Prime Minister in Kazimierz, only for Kazimierz to split apart the next day as well...

"Impossible. Our strategic plan is strictly confidential. At present, even Victoria's dukes should not yet know of our coming operation."

"Even if Chen Qi is protected by both the Sarkaz and the Sarkaz, there is no reason he should know our strategic plans."

That possibility was quickly ruled out. Yet after a round of discussion, no one could understand why Chen Qi had come to Kazimierz to film for no apparent reason... especially when his works were simply too "memorable."

"...No matter what, and no matter what he plans to film, once he comes to Kazimierz, we must first straighten out our internal problems before considering an expedition."

In the end, the person who settled the matter was a highly respected old knight of the Supervision Committee. After slowly rising to his feet, he took the initiative to propose:

"Our strategic plan will remain unchanged, but we must first ensure internal security... Dispatch a unit of Silvermane Knights back to the Grand Knight's Dominion. Until we send that living calamity away, this unit of Silvermane Knights will guard the Grand Knight's Dominion."

"As long as we hold the Grand Knight's Dominion and prevent Kazimierz's residents from learning about the filming, then no matter how capable Director Chen Qi is, he will be unable to influence Kazimierz's situation!"

"Additionally, urgently recall several competitive knights and agree to all their demands wherever possible. They have only one objective: to 'protect' Director Chen Qi and ensure that whatever he films has absolutely nothing to do with Kazimierz! Furthermore, during filming, it must not reach Kazimierz's cinemas by any means!"

The old knight's words immediately drew agreement from the Knight Commanders present. Soon, as several Knight Commanders raised their hands, this response strategy was finalized.

"I agree."

"I agree as well."

"Good. Do not reveal any information to Director Chen Qi, and no matter what genre he intends to film, we will seal off the news! Meet every need they have except troop deployment. Once they finish filming, send them away!"

Meanwhile, at a hotel in the Grand Knight's Dominion, Margaret, who had returned home, watched her uncle—Młynar Nearl—read the scripts for the two films with a nervous expression.

After returning home and greeting her younger sister and aunt, Margaret immediately handed the scripts to her uncle, who had just gotten off work.

Margaret desperately hoped that her uncle would play the newly crowned emperor in Darkest Hour, the one who accepted the mission of defending Victoria in its time of crisis!

"...So now you no longer wish to be a competitive knight and want to become an actor instead, Margaret?"

Only after a long while did Młynar finally speak. This middle-aged man, whose past was shrouded in mystery and who was clearly far from as ordinary as he appeared, sounded exhausted even in his words.

"If that is what you want, then I think it would at least be more pleasing to the eye than being a competitive knight."

"But I will not play this role—I am not suited to playing an emperor, nor do I possess that sort of leader's bearing."

"...I understand." Margaret did not seem surprised by the result. After all, she had only come to try her luck. She knew that her uncle would most likely have no interest in this matter.

However, Margaret had no idea that what Młynar was thinking about was the fact that he now knew Kazimierz was preparing to wage war on Victoria, while Darkest Hour would undoubtedly encourage Victoria's side!

What would Kazimierz think if a member of the Nearl family appeared in a role in this film? What would the people of the Supervision Committee think? He could not allow the Nearl family to fall into danger, even if... he did not approve of this opportunistic war against Victoria either.

"...However, I am rather interested in Eric, the protagonist of the other film, Braveheart."

Młynar's sudden words immediately turned Margaret's cloudy expression bright. She looked at her uncle in surprise as he finally relented. Młynar promptly explained:

"It is nothing. I have simply grown tired of work lately and truly intend to change my environment."

"Besides, I already said that this work is more pleasing to me than being a competitive knight. I am glad that you have changed your mind, Margaret."

As Młynar spoke, he slowly rose to his feet. "I will ask the company for leave... No, after thinking it over, resigning would be better. It is indeed time for me to go somewhere else."

"Besides, the company could never give me such a long period of paid leave. I only hope this time will not be wasted effort."

Not wasted effort... Młynar naturally had his own plans. Kazimierz's preparations for war against Victoria had made him realize that the Nearl family needed to leave Kazimierz. Otherwise, after the army suffered repeated setbacks, the lingering flames of war would soon spread to the civilians and force them to endure war as well.

Młynar did not want to see any child of the Nearl family step onto a battlefield... Therefore, he had to take them all away from Kazimierz, far from the conflict and flames of war.

Of course, some lingering part of Młynar's own "ranger" nature was at work as well... He knew the war could not be stopped, but if he could use his own methods to salvage even a little of it, then perhaps...

And... if this film became a massive hit, would the people he sought somewhere on Terra... hear their voices?

"...I will protect the children. I swear it."