Generation Z Artists

Chapter 356 The premiere of Extreme God, everyone is dumbfounded.

The momentum of "Primordial Era" still needs to be built up, but "Extreme God" has already hit everyone hard.

Many stars remembered that today was Fang Xinghe's birthday, so the whole internet was filled with "Happy Birthday."

The poet also remembered that it was Fang Xinghe's birthday, so he specially prepared a multi-tiered cake and invited Fang Xinghe to the stage.

The poet, in high spirits and full of inspiration, picked up the microphone and began to gesticulate wildly.

"Today is a very special day. First of all, it is April Fool's Day. I really like this holiday. Friends play harmless jokes with each other, which amuses each other and others, and deepens the friendship through laughter."

Secondly, today is also the premiere day of "The Promise".

"The Promise" is China's first fantasy blockbuster, co-produced with directors Zhang Yimou and Fang Xinghe, and in collaboration with Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.

It is completely different from "Heroes". It is not based on real history, but is a unique, imaginative, and mysterious world.

Today, Director Zhang and Director Fang are also here. I don't know if you felt any regret because of the limitations of real history, which prevented you from fully expressing yourselves, but when I watched "Hero," I did feel a sense of restraint that only touched on the surface.

This kind of restraint must be somewhat frustrating for filmmakers, right?

Haha, just kidding!
"Hero" is one of my favorite movies and a milestone in Chinese cinema. "The Promise" is an exploration built on your shoulders, and I hope to receive your guidance as well.

Finally, today is also director Fang Xinghe's birthday.

Director Fang is a familiar name to everyone. He has made outstanding achievements in multiple fields, including film, television, literature, sports, and music, and is already the undisputed number one idol in the world.

On this joyous occasion, instead of having a birthday party, they came all the way to see my movie. I am both grateful and ashamed!
The banquet is probably out of the question, but there has to be a surprise—come on, bring it up!

The waiter pushed out a huge cake that was taller than a person from the side.

Happy birthday, Director Fang!

The poet let out a loud cry, and the whole audience applauded.

Mrs. Chen, dressed in a beautiful gown, gracefully stepped off the stage and walked to the center of the front row to invite Fang Xinghe.

"Director Fang, would you please come up on stage and cut the cake?"

Da Hong was gentle and soft-spoken, her eyes and tone carrying a hint of pleading, unlike the poet who was so wild and arrogant.

Kai Zi's opening remarks don't stand up to close scrutiny; upon closer examination, they're full of sour and sarcastic remarks.

My film, *The Promise*, is China's first fantasy blockbuster, while your film, *Hero*, is China's first historical blockbuster. We are on equal footing, and I'm not intimidated by you at all.

In fact, what you've produced isn't a wholehearted expression of your directing; it's a vulgar attempt to compromise yourself for commercial gain!
The Promise will definitely go even further by stepping on you...

Hahaha, just kidding, it's April Fool's Day, don't be angry!
The phrase "he is already the undisputed number one idol in the world" would likely be a compliment if it came from someone else, but given the poet's narrow-mindedness, it probably means that he only acknowledges Fang Xinghe's idol status and doesn't really recognize his director status.

This act of celebrating Fang Xinghe's birthday without his consent carries a strong sense of being an elder.

You can't find any fault with him on the surface, but you just feel that something's not right.

Who is more famous or less famous between us?
Do I need you to arrange things for me?
Fang Xinghe sneered inwardly, remained seated, and waved his hand at Da Hong.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I've never had the habit of celebrating my birthday. Today is the main event for 'The Promise,' so I won't go up there, lest I lose control of my mouth and steal the spotlight."

Seeing the coldness in Fang Xinghe's eyes, Madam Chen's heart skipped a beat.

The warning in this statement is almost overflowing.

If you insist on inviting me on stage, fine, but don't blame me if I say anything unpleasant or disruptive.

Those around them understood the barb in Fang Xinghe's words and all looked at Madam Chen, some nervous, some amused, ready to see her make a fool of herself.

At this moment, in this situation, the silence seemed to be contagious, and the entire venue gradually fell silent, with all eyes focused on the front row and the stage.

In the entire entertainment industry, who doesn't know that Director Chen is defiant and Director Fang is not to be trifled with?
Director Chen specifically chose this day for the premiere, and there were more reporters waiting for them to fight than there were celebrities present.

Seeing that Fang Xinghe remained motionless, Director Chen's expression gradually stiffened—he had never been good at controlling his emotions.

However, rumors circulate that Mrs. Chen, who is arrogant and lacks emotional intelligence, is surprisingly flexible and adaptable at crucial moments.

She covered her chest with her dress, bent slightly to the side, and respectfully and politely closed the distance between herself and Fang Xinghe, speaking in a voice loud enough for everyone around to hear—

"Director Fang, I'll bring you a piece of cake later. Everyone says that desserts can improve your mood. I'm just a simple woman and don't understand any ideological debates. I just sincerely hope you have a good day."

She is smarter than the poet.

Fang Xinghe smiled noncommittally and replied, "Thank you, Producer Chen. Please continue with your process."

Da Hong sighed silently to herself, then turned and went on stage, her face beaming with a bright smile once again.

A collective sigh, similar to a "boo," erupted in the hall. Many people were genuinely disappointed that a fight hadn't broken out.

Before long, the cake was cut, and the staff brought out a bunch of small tables and placed them in front of the guests in the first row. Cake, fruit, champagne, red wine, and everything else were available.

The poet, having received a reminder and even advice from his wife, pursed his lips and continued with the next step of the process.

The producers and key members of the creative team took to the stage to share their experiences in creating "The Promise".

The investment in this film, *The Promise*, is even greater than in the previous one.

Shanghai Film Group, a certain person from Hong Kong Island, and a certain person from Taiwan are the main investors, but it is not three companies that provide funds, but rather three entire systems.

Shanghai Film Group spent 5000 million yuan, which is quite a generous sum.

Xiang, along with a group of people from Hong Kong who were at odds with Fang Xinghe, invested a total of 1.2 million.

This Taiwanese man, Chai, is a figurehead who has been put on the public stage. He has several Taiwanese backers, and even some capital from the Bamboo Union. The total investment is 1.2 million.

SM C&C, a subsidiary of SM Entertainment, symbolically invested 2000 million RMB. Jang Dong-gun's management contract is currently with them.

Toei Animation of Japan pre-purchased the Japanese distribution rights with a cash investment of 2000 million yen plus promotional funding.

At this point, the total investment in "The Promise" had reached 3.3 million yuan, but this was not the end.

The poet couple raised 2000 million yuan on their own, and also brought in about 3000 million yuan of other capital from within the circle, including those from Shanghai and Beijing. Basically, if you treat me as the leader, I'll take you along.

The final official announcement stated a total investment of 4 million RMB. Kai Zi was ambitious and did not ask for the director's fee, but instead converted it into the investment and took 10% of the profit-sharing rights.

When Fang Xinghe found out about this, he laughed in a very strange way.

In his past life, Kai Zi didn't invest personally; instead, he honestly received his director's salary plus profit sharing, and it seems his salary wasn't low.

In the end, not only did they not work for nothing, but they also made a fortune.

If I remember correctly, Kai Zi received over ten million yuan in director's salary, and Da Hong, as the producer, also made a considerable amount of money through various means.

But in this lifetime...

I wonder if the money Da Hong scrambled up will be enough to cover the hole...

Fang Ge crossed his legs, a smile gradually spreading across his face. Watching Kai Zi and a group of actors putting on a great show on stage, he felt increasingly pleased.

The lineup of the new Extreme God is very strong.

Jang Dong-gun (Kunlun), Hiroyuki Sanada (General Guangming), Xie Biwang (Wuhuan), Lin Zhiling (Qingcheng), Liu Ye (Ghost Wolf), Zhang Ziyi (Manshen), Jin Chengwu (King), Guan Xiaotong (Soy Sauce).

Look, the cameo appearances are all by top stars, and the five main actors in front are the top stars among top stars.

Jang Dong-gun became South Korea's only superstar to reach 10 million viewers with "Taegukgi," and is also South Korea's only "homegrown hope" capable of competing with Bang Sung-ha.

Hiroyuki Sanada has just broken into Hollywood, acting opposite Tom Cruise and gaining global attention and praise for his superb acting skills. While Xie Biwang has indeed gotten into a lot of trouble lately, during filming, he still carried the last hope of Hong Kong's younger generation—no one else was truly worthy of this project.

As a Golden Horse Award-winning actor, Liu was recognized as a benchmark for art films across China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. At that time, his reputation in the industry was even stronger than that of President Huang.

Lin Zhiling deserves special mention – a pillar of Taiwanese actresses, second only to the young actress last year.

She was Taiwan's number one print model from 2000 to 2003.

She became a sensation in 04 thanks to a beauty advertisement, rising to become Taiwan's number one beauty.

She hosted the Golden Horse Awards at the end of 04, the year Fang Xinghe didn't attend. Then, starting in early 05, she became a sensation, gaining popularity across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, captivating countless older men with her figure and baby voice.

If it weren't for Janine Chang's explosive popularity with "The Condor Heroes" at the beginning of this year, no Taiwanese actress would have been able to rival her in terms of popularity.

So Kai Zi's arrogance is not without reason—with this lineup, how could he possibly lose?!

He was optimistic, the lead actor on stage was optimistic, and the investors in the front row were equally optimistic. The atmosphere rose in waves, and applause resounded one after another.

An hour and a half had passed, and Old Zhang was starting to get impatient.

He leaned closer to Fang Xinghe and whispered, "Is this a deliberate attempt to intimidate us? Aren't you worried?"

puff!
Fang Xinghe almost burst out laughing. He raised his hand to cover his mouth and replied, "I'm so scared! You'd better keep your eyes wide open and watch carefully in a bit."

His words made Mouzi even more flustered.

Looking restless, he muttered to himself: "7 million dollars is impossible, they don't have your appeal, but it's probably better than my two later films. Brother Kai still has the ability..."

Amidst Fang Xinghe's muffled chuckles, the Extreme God finally began his performance.

The opening act, with its composition and colors, immediately struck the audience.

To be fair, it was filmed very beautifully.

Fang Xinghe calmly and objectively examined the new Wuji, and then quickly discovered that, apart from the visuals, the plot was still the same old mess.

The story begins with two children. Young Qingcheng finds a steamed bun among the corpses on the battlefield, but it is captured by a mischievous boy named Wuhuan.

Wu Huan wanted Qingcheng to be his slave, and Qingcheng pretended to agree, but secretly launched a sneak attack and escaped.

During her escape, she encountered a charlatan named Man Shen, who said in a high-pitched voice, "Qingcheng, I am Man Shen. In Wuji, everyone experiences birth, aging, sickness, and death, joy and sorrow. I can give you wealth and glory, and the most beautiful clothes, but from now on you will never find true love, unless the rivers reverse and time flows backward..."

Many years later, a general dressed in flower-embroidered armor led his punk-style army to fight against the barbarians.

Before this scene, Old Zhang frowned slightly and muttered to Fang Xinghe, "The visuals aren't bad, and the story seems interesting too. He's a formidable opponent..."

After this scene, Old Zhang's eyes widened and his mouth remained open.

Just how outrageous was Kai Zi's portrayal of this war scene?
In the U-shaped valley, the general sent a group of slaves to lure the cattle herds into charging the barbarian army.

Old Zhang didn't understand: "How was this scene designed? Regardless of whether there are slaves or not, these bulls can only charge at the barbarians..."

Then, the cattle sent the slaves flying, and the general, standing on the mountaintop, ordered his men to shoot the slaves dead from above.

Old Zhang thought the general would continue shooting at the barbarians—the use of crossbows in "Hero" was spectacular, and no one knew more about crossbows than him—but then the scene changed, and the general's arrows all disappeared. He also abandoned the advantageous terrain and led his army to clash with the barbarians in the canyon.

The general was victorious and took in a slave named Kunlun.

At this moment, a scout reported that Wu Huan had led his troops to surround the royal city. The situation was extremely urgent. The general abandoned his army and, with the slave Kunlun, embarked on the journey back to the city.

Two people!
Old Zhang started scratching his head.

Then the two "suicide squad" got lost in a banana grove. The general met Man Shen, who made a bet with him, saying that the attempt to support the king would fail.

He was later pursued by Wu Huan's black-robed assassin, Ghost Wolf, and was injured as a result.

The general ordered Kunlun to wear his flower-embroidered armor to rescue the king.

Good heavens, the two-person comedy act has finally turned into a stand-up comedy routine...

In the royal city, Queen Qingcheng quickly undressed, seducing Wuhuan's soldiers and causing them to point their weapons at the king. Enraged, the king drew his sword to kill Qingcheng. At that moment, Kunlun, clad in flower-embroidered armor, arrived, killed the king, and saved Qingcheng.

Wu Huan sent troops to pursue, but Kunlun escaped by jumping off a cliff. Qingcheng was captured by Wu Huan. Kunlun, who had messed things up, returned to the general's side, and the general ordered him to capture Qingcheng back.

The black-robed assassin Ghost Wolf suddenly betrayed Kunlun and helped him. After some twists and turns, he rescued Qingcheng.

Qingcheng thought that the Great General of Light had saved her, so she began to have lewd relations with the Great General of Light—a Mongolian place name, Balabel Banner, Golimengcha City.

Old Zhang turned his head and glanced at Fang Xinghe, his gaze so complex it was hard to describe.

I don't understand... I really don't understand!

Please teach me the recipe!
Fang Xinghe simply couldn't do it. His CPU was about to overheat from trying to extract key information from the chaotic visuals, disjointed plot, and nonsensical dialogue.

That's how the story sounds, but when you actually see it with your own eyes, you'll constantly doubt your own intelligence.

Am I right in my analysis?
Can't you?
Did I not understand?
Ouch, shit!

……

During this time, Ghost Wolf made contact with Kunlun and told him that they were both from the Snow Country, and that the Snow Country had been destroyed by Wuhuan, blah blah blah.

Then it seems that Wuhuan used some amazing scheme to lure the general into the royal city and capture him, and then captured Qingcheng and the male protagonist as well.

Wu Huan forced Gui Lang to take off his black robe, but Gui Lang would die if he did, and he really did die. Then Wu Huan, like a pervert, made the general put on the black robe and become his slave.

It gives the impression that, well, everyone wants to sleep with Qingcheng, but Wuhuan is already tired of it, and now he wants to do something new...

The general pretended to agree, but then betrayed Wu Huan and started fighting him. After a chaotic massacre, both the general and Wu Huan died.

The male protagonist, Kunlun, dons a black robe. Already incredibly fast, he gains even greater speed with the robe, carrying Qingcheng at faster-than-light speed. As a result, time reverses, rivers flow backward, Qingcheng finds true love, and the series ends.

……

Old Zhang finally shut his mouth, which had been open all day, rubbed his cheeks, which felt swollen and painful.

Fang Xinghe also started rubbing his temples, wondering if the information he had extracted was correct.
One by one, the lights came on, and the Great Hall of the People was quiet.

Looking around, I saw many familiar faces exchanging bewildered glances, their eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty, their expressions blank and confused.

This is this...

Finally, Lao Xiang suddenly stood up and clapped loudly: "Bravo!"

Whether it was good or bad, I don't know, but his face turned bright red, and he looked like he was gritting his teeth, with a crazy expression.

Gradually, scattered applause followed from various corners, but it didn't convey any enthusiasm; instead, it was filled with a heavy, stagnant anxiety and doubt.

Kai Zi returned to the stage.

His expression was visibly grim in the face of lukewarm applause.

Fang Xinghe didn't know if there would be a post-screening interview session, but if there was, he had a lot to say.

April Fool's Day, if you can celebrate it, so can I.

Is this true?
***********
I suspect most readers haven't read *The Ultimate God*. I've summarized the plot for everyone, which is definitely a work-related injury...

(End of this chapter)