Chen Qi: We recreated a world war just to make a film / Młynar: Acting could give me PTSD? I don't believe it.

The Grand Tutor will first have him use his talents to handle some minor matters... such as things that local officials in the Great Yan Dynasty find troublesome, or the increasingly reckless behavior of martial artists in the Jianghu, to see if Chen Qi has any solutions.

But at least for now, the Grand Tutor's idea is to wait, to wait for Chen Qi to release his "good" side of his work. At that time, he will still have some confidence that he can persuade this great figure to come.

"Sigh... If His Majesty weren't so busy with state affairs every day, and really had a daughter, then I wouldn't be so troubled." The Grand Tutor muttered to himself, though of course he dared not say such things aloud.

After all, what country would actually marry its daughter to a director just to win him over? That would be... a bit too audacious, wouldn't it?

Chapter 98: Chen Qi: We specially recreated World War II for filming.

Meanwhile, Chen Qi, far away in the painting of Xi, was unaware that he had been unknowingly placed on high expectations by the Grand Tutor of Yan, but his keen senses still made him feel an inexplicable sense of crisis.

"What's wrong, Chen Qi?" Talulah was the first to notice Chen Qi's unusual behavior, but thankfully, Chen Qi quickly shook his head in response:

"It's nothing... I just feel like I'm being targeted by someone, like a world war is going to break out because of me."

Chen Qi answered somewhat awkwardly, but at that moment, Koschei's image reappeared in Talulah's mind, speaking to the two people in front of her:

"This might not be a misperception, kid. I dare say, your photo and file are now in the hands of more than just a monarch or high-ranking official of a country. There are probably quite a few powerful people across this land who have their eyes on your head."

"--You mean, someone wants Chen Qi dead?"

Talulah reacted almost immediately, and as soon as she said that, everyone in the entire Art Troupe was immediately drawn to her, including the Nearl family led by Młynar, Nian who was still directing, and Xi who was playing with the Fangbeast she had drawn. They all gathered around.

"Who? Who wants to take Chen Qi's life?" FrostNova was the first person to approach and ask. Her expression was once again as cold as frost, as if she could freeze anyone who dared to harm Chen Qi into an ice sculpture the moment they appeared before her.

Meanwhile, the other main actors from "Braveheart," Patriot and Młynar, also stepped forward silently. Clearly, they had already considered this possibility, but simply didn't say it aloud.

"Alas, my foolish daughter, haven't you realized that your actions have already disrupted the strategic plans of at least three countries? Add to that the division in Victoria caused by your TV series, and you've offended the high-ranking officials of at least four countries."

"I'm afraid this kid's information has already been discussed by several monarchs. As for whether they want to kill him, use him, or win him over..."

At this point, Koschei paused slightly, then said with a hint of mystery in his voice:

"At least, as far as I know, the Ursus Empire will definitely not let this kid off the hook. His current actions have crossed Ursus's bottom line."

Even if the young emperor values talent, the exasperated old nobles and the new nobles eager to prove themselves will likely find themselves, for once, in a rare moment, united in their opinions.

"Let them come."

However, no sooner had Koschei finished speaking than Xi, dressed in a cheongsam, slowly walked over. Her face was aloof and her voice was calm, yet it was as if everything was under her control.

"Ursus... their stuff, it's called 'The Emperor's Blades,' right? I've heard of it."

"They're just Demons Fragment objects. Those Demons Fragment can be quite troublesome after they explode... but there's no need to worry. I just need to prepare a few more scrolls. When they arrive, I'll just herd them into the scrolls, and then I won't have to worry about their abilities."

As she said this, Xi said in a nonchalant tone, "There's nothing to worry about. It's just that after that, I can't use a few of my paintings anymore... but I can always paint them again."

"... Whether Kazimierz will send knights to hunt us down, I can't say for sure." Młynar, who had just finished filming, casually put down his pitchfork and said calmly:

"But if the Campaign Knight do come, they will definitely be after the Nearl Family. No need to worry, Director Chen Qi, the Nearl Family will handle it themselves."

"Don't worry, Director Chen Qi! We're all inside Miss Xi's painting right now! They won't be able to find us for a while!"

Margaret, who even dressed as a man to play the role of "Carl" in "Braveheart," solemnly stated:

"And if Kazimierz were to truly be ravaged by an unjust war and then retaliate in a fit of rage..."

At this point, Margaret, who had always valued the honor of the Nearl Family highly, sighed in silence before finally making her decision and saying:

"... Then it will only mean that Kazimierz has embarked on a path that no longer belongs to a knight... It was Kazimierz who betrayed the Nearl Family, not the Nearl Family who betrayed Kazimierz."

"The Nearl Family has already done enough for Kazimierz... I firmly believe that the path we have chosen is the right one."

"... In that case, with everyone protecting me, what do I have to worry about?"

Seeing that everyone around him had expressed such opinions, Chen Qi's earlier worries about Koschei's words immediately subsided.

On second thought, what did he have to worry about? With only Talulah and Patriot as the two main combatants, and them currently in Rhodes Island, Kazimierz, Ursus, or Leithania, it was unrealistic to send a large army to encircle and annihilate them. Sending elite troops to Rhodes Island to besiege Chen Qi and his group would also be difficult to succeed without being prepared to suffer heavy losses.

Moreover, the Art Troupe is no longer what it used to be. Not only have Sui Beast Fragment like Xi and Nian joined them, but even Młynar is currently on set. Chen Qi believes that if someone were to come knocking at this time, given that her two nieces are present, Młynar would not stand idly by.

With this golden cast, Chen Qi didn't believe anyone would be foolish enough to mess with them during the filming of "Braveheart." However, after "Braveheart" ended... Chen Qi might have to consider going to other countries with the crew to try their luck.

"Alright everyone, let's finish filming 'Braveheart' first." Relieved, Chen Qi called everyone to begin filming and instructed the lead actors to take their positions.

"Act One, all the main actors except Mr. Patriot are ready!"

For the opening of "Braveheart," Chen Qi set the story in the same context as "Darkest Hour"—the period of the war between Gaul and the Battle of the Four Emperors. Since it's not easy to find a world war scenario on Terra, Chen Qi decided to tell a different story within the same setting.

If "Darkest Hour" tells the story of Victoria's spirit during the war, then "Braveheart" turns its attention to the ordinary people on the battlefield, those pitiful people who, under the impassioned call of the great figures, had no choice but to step onto the battlefield.

Compared to "Darkest Hour," the emotion and impact of "Braveheart" transcends national boundaries and is accessible to all. Therefore, Chen Qi placed more of his hopes and focus on this film.

The opening scene of the film depicts a dispute between Leithania and Gaul over the ownership of Bolívar, which escalates into war between the two countries. At the moment the two sides declare war, all Leithania from Gaul will be sent back to Leithania.

Margaret's character, Carl, the son-in-law of the Leithania, is one of them.

In the first scene, Margaret's character, Carl, is using a pitchfork to load bundles of hay onto a cart. Thanks to Rob Rata's superb makeup skills, the once-famous "Shining Knight" of Kazimierz has now truly become a handsome blond Caprinae lad.

After applying some makeup, Zofia concealed her beauty and transformed herself into a somewhat attractive woman from Gaul village.

The Infected girl who plays their child... is played by our Rhodes Island CEO, Ms. Amiya, with the support of Dr. Kal'tsit.

While Margaret was still focused on her work in front of the transparent camera, two members of the Gaul Inspectorate on bicycles soon broke the peaceful scene.

"Carl, because of your Leithania identity, we are informing you, on behalf of the Gaul Ministry of Defense, that you have been deported. Tomorrow is the deadline for your deportation. If you are found in Gaul after that date, we will arrest you as a spy."

The start of a war destroyed a once peaceful family in an instant. Margaret's character, Carl, had no choice but to be sent back to Leithania, where he was told he had to join the army, go to the front lines, and fight against the Gaul army.

His wife and daughters in Gaul were left in the care of his father-in-law, Emil, played by Młynar.

However, misfortune never comes singly. Just two days after Carl was sent back to Leithania, Emil also received a decree of forced conscription from Gaul. In the background story, the veteran Emil, who had already served once, was forced to enter this hellish war once again.

"You must be strong on your own after I leave, Marie."

"It will be alright, the war will end soon... I've already witnessed it once, I survived last time, and I will survive this time too."

He uttered words he himself didn't believe, and for a moment Młynar even forgot he was acting. Images of the horrors of the battlefield flashed through his mind. He knew very well that stepping onto the battlefield meant facing certain death.

Even the most formidable knight can be killed by an arrow from behind, let alone someone like himself who is playing an "ordinary person." With a heavy heart, Młynar embarked on this journey that might not be one of return.

"Mr. Młynar's acting... is truly superb, capturing that sense of helplessness yet the inability to move forward," Talulah remarked. At that moment, Nian, standing nearby, smiled and replied:

"This is all thanks to the advice my great director gave to director Chen Qi! Sure enough, to prevent the actors from overacting, it's still necessary to divide the script into segments!"

"Segment the script?" Talulah was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized the problem and turned to Chen Qi beside her to ask:

"Could it be... Mr. Młynar, or perhaps everyone else, still not know the ending of the movie?"

"Of course I don't know, otherwise Mr. Młynar might have acted like he was ready to die, which wouldn't fit the current situation." Chen Qi nodded. After all, none of the people he invited were professional actors, so to achieve the best performance, he, as the director, naturally had to Kung Fu Hustle.

"It's alright. We'll be spending a long time inside the painting this time. By the time we finish filming with meticulous care, less than a month will have passed in the outside world. We must film everything about 'Braveheart' to the best of our ability."

"--Especially the ending, the pressure wasn't just on us, but on the actors as well. So, to get the emotions right, we had to keep it a secret from everyone."

To ensure the quality of filming "Braveheart," Chen Qi put in a lot of Kung Fu Hustle in all aspects. He had Młynar and others experience rural life for half a month in advance, and he also made sure that none of the main actors used their Originium Arts, all to help them adapt to their current identities.

Of course, there's also the battlefield depicted by Xi. Chen Qi didn't even inform the main actors beforehand. All the NPCs in Xi's battlefield have a certain "personality," and apart from not getting hurt when they hit someone, everything else is completely realistic.

In other words, although these things don't hurt when they hit, their actions and movements on the battlefield, as well as their attacks when they judge you to be an enemy, will all be reflected in order to allow Młynar, Patriot, Margaret, and Maria to make the most realistic judgments and reactions in the most realistic battlefield.

This time, "Braveheart" must be even more shocking than "Darkest Hour." Only the most authentic portrayal can touch the hearts numbed by war.

Chapter 99: Młynar: Acting can give me PTSD? I don't believe it.

A few days later, in Jade Gate of Yan, in this war city shrouded in yellow sand and dust all day long, it was a Mobile City specially built by Yan to fight against the Demons of the northern frontier.

Most of those stationed here are elites from the Yan's army. The Yan soldiers at Jade Gate have changed batch after batch; the old ones have sacrificed their lives or returned home, and the young ones have joined in with renewed enthusiasm. But there is one special person who has remained here no matter how many times the people around him have changed.

All the soldiers of Jade Gate knew something about this person's identity, and on this day, Chongyue, the eldest brother of Jade Gate's "year", welcomed an unusual guest.

Inside the room, Chongyue and Zuo Le watched "Darkest Hour" on a videotape. It was the first time either of them had seen the movie, but they were both completely engrossed, their attention drawn to the emotional outburst in the last half hour of the film.

It wasn't until the end of the movie, when the king, played by Silver Ash, had walked the entire way, that Chongyue slowly recovered from his initial shock and excitement. He then turned to Zuo Le and asked:

"Young Master Zuo, I've finished watching the movie. Just as you said, it was a wonderful performance, truly exhilarating."

"However, forgive me for being a mere warrior, unable to fathom His Majesty's deeper intentions. Please, Young Master Zuo, speak frankly: what is it that you have come to see me for, and what do you require of me?"

Chongyue's words jolted Zuo Le, who was flushed with excitement during the final speech of "Darkest Hour," back to reality. After an awkward cough, Zuo Le forced himself not to lose face and quickly replied:

"This film, titled 'Darkest Hour,' was directed by a man named Chen Qi. I wonder if Chongyue is familiar with this name?"

"I've heard a little about it." Chongyue nodded. Although he was the eldest among the "Sui" brothers, Chongyue was surprisingly not old-fashioned at all. He was quick to accept most new things, including movies and TV series.

"I've watched clips of some of this director's works on my phone before. He's a very talented director—it's just a pity he didn't quite reach his full potential."

"Oh?" Zuo Le heard a hint of regret in Chongyue's words and asked curiously.

"I've heard about the division of Victoria, thousands of miles away... Although I don't believe a TV series can split a country, the fact that he was implicated by such a fabricated charge is enough to prove his exceptional talent and that he is a genius of our time."

Chongyue made no secret of his admiration for Chen Qi, even though they were not in the same professional field, and he had only just finished reading one of Chen Qi's works. Chongyue still respected someone who had reached the pinnacle in a particular field.

"Now, after watching 'Darkest Hour,' I think director Chen Qi must also feel something from the Three Kingdoms' taking advantage of Victoria's vulnerability. This film is enough to ignite a frenzy in Victoria, making their people fight to the death to defend their homeland."

"--That's true." Zuo Le was also a little surprised. Chongyue, who was far away in Jade Gate, was able to judge the situation in Victoria based on just some fragmented information.

"Victoria is now a nation in arms, Kazimierz has announced its withdrawal from the conflict, and Leithania and Ursus are showing signs of decline."

"But this cannot change the devastation; the war has caused enormous losses to several countries, and thousands of families have been torn apart." Chongyue nodded, speaking his mind, and closed his eyes as he said:

"Director Chen Qi is a genius, and if he could use his talent to resolve conflicts... But then again, I'm asking too much of him."

" --Chongyue, I think you might want to find an opportunity to convey your thoughts to Director Chen Qi."

Zuo Le nodded upon hearing this and immediately explained his purpose, "Your younger sister, Nian Yuxi, is now with Director Chen Qi. They've joined the film crew, and 'Darkest Hour' is their first film together."

"Oh? Nian and Xi are in Director Chen Qi's film crew?" Chongyue was somewhat surprised by this news, and Zuo Le Chongyue seemed genuinely unaware of it, Zuo Le continued:

"His Majesty is somewhat concerned about the gathering of the two women, especially since Director Chen Qi's works often have a huge appeal... Imperial Calendar Bureau also does not want the two women to use Director Chen Qi's talent to cause any unforeseen complications."

"Therefore, I have come here specifically to ask Chongyue to write a letter to your two younger sisters, reminding them not to overstep their bounds. The reason they can move freely at the Imperial Calendar Bureau now is because they are well-behaved, but that does not mean their threat has been eliminated."

"I see." Chongyue nodded in understanding, but he was still quite nonchalant about Chongyue Imperial Calendar Bureau's worries, because he knew his two younger sisters' personalities all too well.

Xi was timid, and Nian was afraid of loneliness; Chongyue that anyone in the "Sui" family would rebel, but he had absolutely no worries about his two Chongyue sisters.

However, Imperial Calendar Bureau's concerns were not without merit, and Chongyue immediately nodded in reply:

"I understand. I will write now. Would you please help me grind the ink, Young Master Zuo?"

Chongyue already knew about the concerns of the Yan Emperor and Imperial Calendar Bureau, so he only needed to give his two younger sisters a slight reminder not to do anything out of line—after all, although Nian and Xi didn't get along very well, the two of them often produced strange reactions when they were together, which could easily lead to trouble.

However, Chongyue didn't forget to subtly suggest that his younger sister should respect Chen Qi more, implying that he wanted his two younger sisters to get closer to Chen Qi.

Clearly, Chongyue had also considered that with Chen Qi's talent, perhaps in the future... he might be helpful to the future of these fragments of "Sui" who wanted to integrate into the human world and already possessed their own identities.

"By the way... this is also a good opportunity to let these two younger sisters 'turn over a new leaf,' to let His Majesty and the Imperial Calendar Bureau see their changes, and given time, they will surely be able to be like me, no longer subject to much surveillance."

"Staying by Director Chen Qi's side is quite safe. If we can create some works that benefit the country and its people, that would be a great thing."

The Chongyue thought about it, the more he felt that letting his two younger sisters stay in Chen Qi's film crew might be the right choice—it was better than letting Xi stay in the painting all day long and Nian do nothing all day long.

Thinking this, Chongyue wrote even faster. By the way... he also planned to give Chen Qi gift to thank him for taking care of his two younger sisters on his behalf as the eldest brother.

"Crack! Mr. Patriot! Stop! You just used your Originium Arts, didn't you? I need you to control yourself!"

"FrostNova, go up there and calm your old father down! This is a film set, not a real battlefield!"

In the scene depicted in the painting, another NG (no good) occurred. This scene clearly required more NGs than any previous shoot by Chen Qi and his team. After all, they were filming a battlefield scene, which was far more challenging than any other scene.

However, the biggest problem lies in the actors' performances... Take Patriot for example.

The character Freddy, played by Patriot, is the only Sarkaz mercenary in Braveheart who volunteered for the war. He claims to have been hired by the Gaul to participate in the war against Leithania.

The character "Freddy" is, in the background, a Sarkaz mercenary with considerable combat experience and stronger than most people, and the actor playing Patriot clearly had a major problem.

This scene is based on the Battle of the Marne. According to the plot, Freddy showed extraordinary courage in this battle, constantly breaking through barbed wire, blowing up bridges with explosives, and even being the first to capture the enemy's fortress and tear down the enemy's flag.

Patriot was well aware of all this, but this Ursus veteran clearly had some PTSD from his past experiences on the battlefield. In addition, Chen Qi, for the best filming effect, asked Xi to portray the enemy's offensive and performance in the most realistic way.

This resulted in Patriot, a veteran, being unable to control his racial instincts as soon as he entered the fray. He charged straight at the "Leithania" army, smashing through barbed wire and even managing to advance despite a large number of Originium Arts.

On several occasions, facing fierce enemy attacks that barely harmed Patriot and seeing his own soldiers fall one after another, Patriot used Originium Arts to wreak havoc on the battlefield with the ferocity of Wendigo.

But this was clearly not what Chen Qi wanted; they were making an anti-war film, not a story of individual heroism!

So whenever Patriot lost control of his emotions, Chen Qi had to send FrostNova into the fray. FrostNova walked up to Patriot with a helpless expression, looked at him with red eyes still wielding his halberd, and took his arm.

"You old fogey, wake up! Wake up!"

"This isn't a battlefield, we're filming a movie, remember? This is all fake."