It was like witnessing a huge reward for confusing humans.
It was a good thing that the filming was not going well and the effect was not satisfactory. However, what did he mean by asking me to give him some pointers?
Pei Qian was very confused. Lu Zhiyao was a talented young actor after all. He was only one award away from becoming a true Best Actor. Why was he asking him to guide him in acting?
The previous incident with Tomorrow is Beautiful was just a coincidence. How would I know anything about acting!
“I can’t guide him. Goodbye.” Pei Qian hung up honestly.
…
Mission and Choice’s filming location.
Zhu Xiaoce sighed softly and put his cell phone back into his pocket.
Lu Zhiyao’s heart could not help but drop when he saw this. However, he still held onto his last bit of hope and asked, “What did Boss Pei say?”
Zhu Xiaoce shook his head. “Boss Pei said that he can’t guide you.”
Lu Zhiyao could not help but be stunned. He frowned. “Boss Pei said… he can’t guide me?”
He frowned slightly. After some serious consideration, he said, “Boss Pei said that he can’t guide me, not that he did not have the time to or didn’t want to?”
Zhu Xiaoce nodded. “Yes.”
“Eh?” Lu Zhiyao fell into deep thought.
Zhu Xiaoce did not understand what he was thinking either. He asked, “Is there anything wrong?”
Lu Zhiyao nodded. “Of course!”
“If he said that he did not have the time or he did not want to guide me would mean that Boss Pei has the ability to guide me.”
“However, Boss Pei said that he can’t guide me. Does that mean he doesn’t have the ability?”
Zhu Xiaoce nodded. “Yes, that should be what he means from those words.”
Lu Zhiyao said, “That’s a problem.”
“Uncle Zhang has other matters to attend to and has no free time. What’s more, it would not be very appropriate for him to come all the way to Jingzhou just to give me some pointers on my acting skills.”
“But Uncle Zhang definitely has the ability to guide me.”
“According to the filming situation of Tomorrow is Beautiful, Boss Pei’s understanding of acting should be on the same level as Uncle Zhang’s. Boss Pei might not be good at acting personally but he is very good at analyzing the characters through the movie script. He would also dig deeper into the details of the performance based on the plot and character characteristics.”
“However, Boss Pei hasn’t even read the entire script yet. Isn’t it a little strange to say that he can’t guide me?”
“Why did he reject it so decisively?”
Zhu Xiaoce frowned slightly and nodded. “Yes, your suspicions are not unreasonable.”
“If Boss Pei was really not capable enough and could not give any opinions, he should have at least understood the script before coming to a conclusion. However, Boss Pei does not even know the complete script now, only a portion of the information, and yet he is firmly saying that he cannot guide you…”
“I understand now!
Zhu Xiaoce suddenly had an idea. “I think Boss Pei is emphasizing that you have to figure this out on your own. As a bystander and an outsider, I can’t give you much advice!”
“Even if I could guide you in some details and improve your acting skills, it would only treat the symptoms and not solve the main problem!”
Lu Zhiyao was shocked. “Really? Why do you say that?”
Zhu Xiaoce explained, “We’ll have to start from the difference between Tomorrow is Beautiful and Mission and Choice.”
“Tomorrow is Beautiful has a very clear theme. To put it bluntly, the male protagonist you play is just a tool. He is the message that expresses Boss Pei’s thoughts.
“Therefore, you would be able to draw inferences and learn from analogy with just a little guidance from Boss Pei.
“However, ‘Mission and Choice’ is completely different. Its script was actually written by a group of people, and there are many ways to interpret it. Most of the plot in the drama is a one-man show, and it’s all made up of green screens.”
“Therefore, there are actually many ways to interpret the character you’re playing this time!”
“With so many interpretations, it’s hard to say which is absolutely correct, but one of them must be the most suitable for you. No one can guide you on that, you can only rely on yourself to figure it out.”
“There are many classic and outstanding characters in the history of movies. The interpretation of these characters were not on a helicopter view, but on the actors themselves.”
“Obviously, Boss Pei thinks that you have entered this stage. The guidance from a helicopter view can no longer help you improve.”
“You can only rely on yourself now.”
Lu Zhiyao blinked blankly. “Director Zhu, are you sure that’s what Boss Pei meant?”
Zhu Xiaoce nodded confidently. “Based on my understanding of Boss Pei, I can’t say that I’m 100% sure, but I’m at least 97% sure.”
“Therefore, what you have to do now is to believe in yourself.
Lu Zhiyao fell silent.
For some reason, he actually felt relieved.
When he was filming previously, he always felt that he was lacking in something and that his interpretation of the character was not good enough.
Thus, he was always lacking in confidence and his performance was not natural enough.
Lu Zhiyao hoped that someone would be able to guide him like Zhang Zuting and Boss Pei had done before, so that he would be enlightened and be able to solve all the problems in such a ‘mechanical way’.
However, Director Zhu Xiaoce’s call to Boss Pei had sobered him up.
Boss Pei’s words shattered his fantasy and completely eliminated his wishful thinking. Since he could no longer rely on others to guide him, he could only trust himself and try his best to be enlightened!
“Enlightenment” was very mysterious and probably would not lead to an ideal outcome but Lu Zhiyao now had the mentality of cutting off all means of retreat and felt relaxed.
What’s there to be afraid of if even Boss Pei said that I can only rely on myself now?
Lu Zhiyao made up his mind. “Alright! Boss Pei really views problems at the very core. I’ll think about this script for a while more and film again in a few more hours!”
Chapter 743 - Simulation Training On 'Realistic Elements'
Lu Zhiyao found a quiet corner on the set and read the script that he had obtained from beginning to end.
The first part of the script that he got started from the moment he woke up from hibernation, to the time when he received the order from the Executive Committee to become the supreme commander of the Alliance Fleet and watched the first humiliating defeat of the humans by the Zergs.
Lu Zhiyao was quite satisfied with the performance.
That was because this stage was relatively simple for the protagonist Qin Yi.
Qin Yi’s emotions were complicated but he was still confined within the concept of a ‘soldier’. In other words, although he had some complaints about the Blue Planet Alliance Fleet Executive Committee, AEEIS, and the previous commander, he had already decided to fulfill his duty as a soldier after learning of the former commander’s sacrifice and taking over the heavy responsibility of being a commander.
This part was no problem to Lu Zhiyao based on his current acting skills. He shot a satisfactory scene after a few NGs.
The second part of the script was Qin Yi taking over and adapting to AEEIS’ command system after watching the commander of the human fleet.
At that time, the Blue Planet Alliance Fleet was relatively loose in structure. The Asian Fleet, American Fleet, European Fleet, and so on had their own commanders, and each warship had a captain in charge.
There were also huge differences between the supreme commanders of different fleets. Some captains were very arrogant, while others w
ere overly cautious and only wanted to protect themselves. Thus, this space battle became a one-sided slaughter by the Zergs.
The human fleet was in a mess. Some battleships even crashed into each other while escaping. The communication channel was in chaos. It was a complete disaster.
In this space battle plot, Lu Zhiyao’s performance was also relatively simple.
Qin Yi calmly watched the entire process of the war. From time to time, he would use the control panel to change his perspective and observe the details of the battlefield. Gradually, he got used to the operation of the control panel.
There would only be some obvious fluctuations in his expression in special scenes.
The content of this part of the storyline was mainly to let Qin Yi understand the inevitability of the Blue Planet Alliance fleet changing their method of command.
The current method of command of the Blue Planet was actually a general directional decision made by an experienced commander with strong mental fortitude. Then, the artificial intelligence AEEIS would divide the decisions into specific instructions and direct them to the frontline army.
In other words, using the powerful artificial intelligence, AEEIS and Ansible communication, the current method of command actually directly replaced the entire middle-level command, greatly increasing the efficiency of the command.
The third script was for Qin Yi to start the first phase of command simulation training.
Qin Yi had to go through a lot of simulation training before he could truly take over the command of the front line according to AEEIS’ plan.
Humans had successfully beheaded the Zerg Queen under the previous commander’s command where he used himself as bait. They eliminated a large number of Zergs, curbed their reproductive capability and obtained a period of stability.
At this stage, AEEIS would be in charge of commanding the combined fleet for recuperation and strategic defence. Qin Yi, on the other hand, had to seize the time to improve his commanding ability.
The Zergs could make a comeback at any time. There was not much time left for Qin Yi.
The mock training at this stage was much smoother and simpler than Qin Yi had imagined.
That was because Qin Yi had rich first-tier combat experience. He also had AEEIS to provide him with all sorts of information at any time. In addition, humans were stronger than Zergs, and all soldiers followed orders without hesitation. Thus, the battle at this stage was very successful and completely in line with Qin Yi’s expectations.
This was a small climax in the early stages of the movie. Under Qin Yi’s correct command, the human troops in the scene won steadily.
Lu Zhiyao’s performance in the first three scripts was relatively simple.
That was because Qin Yi did not have complicated emotions or intense emotional changes. His acting skills were still within Lu Zhiyao’s control.
However, Lu Zhiyao was stuck after receiving the fourth script from Director Zhu Xiaoce. He felt like he was lacking in something no matter what he did.
…
Qin Yi woke up from the cabin again.
He was now the highest commander of the Alliance Fleet, where the fate of mankind was entrusted to him, However, as an ordinary human, he still needed sufficient rest to maintain the sharpness and clarity of his brain.
The hibernation capsule had a special sleeping gas. Qin Yi only needed three hours of deep sleep every 24 hours to ensure that his energy remained in a relatively good state.
During these three hours, AEEIS would continue to command the battle at the front line. AEEIS would immediately wake Qin Yi up if there was any emergency.
Until now, Qin Yi’s simulation had been very smooth. He had clear-cut wins in the first few small-scale battles.
However, Qin Yi was neither proud nor complacent because he knew very well that a real battle would be countless times more complicated and arduous than a battle of this level.
Thus, after he woke up, Qin Yi sat on the command platform again and continued his mock training.
The sooner he completed all the simulation training, the safer the human race would be.
A light blue stream of data appeared in the air. AEEIS’s sound wave image appeared.
“Commander, today’s simulation training will include ‘realistic elements’. Please be prepared.”
Qin Yi was slightly surprised.
AEEIS began to explain before he could ask. “The so-called ‘realistic elements’ is to use the data of past battles to show how every unit on the battlefield has their own will. There is a probability of resistance.”
Qin Yi nodded lightly.
As expected, the previous battle was very simple because there were no ‘realistic elements’. It was a battlefield simulated under ideal circumstances.
The premise of such a battle was that all soldiers were rational people who would carry out the mission given by the commander without any hesitation.
However, absolutely rational people did not exist. Thus, such idealized battles naturally did not exist.
AEEIS’ cold voice sounded. “Commander, you may think that you are prepared, but you are not.”
“Here are some data that can help you understand the difficulty of adding the ‘realistic elements’.
“In the era of cold weapons, the casualty rate of the army would reach 3% or even 5%. That means that the entire army could collapse if you lose about 5,000 soldiers in every 100,000 soldiers.
“Once that happens, the casualties caused by the pursuit and trampling of the retreating side would far exceed the deadlock stage. This is also the reason why there is often a huge disparity in battle losses during the era of cold weapons.”
“In the age of thermal weapons, the army’s organization efficiency and will to fight have been greatly improved. However, once the casualty rate reaches 10%, it will be regarded as a ‘stop’ state. That is, the team will lose the ability to complete specific tasks. When the casualty rate reaches 30%, it will be regarded as a ‘destroyed’ state. That is, the team’s will to fight will be completely destroyed and will not be able to fight for a very long time.”
“As for ‘persevering to the last person’, it is an extremely rare phenomenon. That is why these battles were recorded in history and repeatedly promoted by humans.”
“Commander, understanding this information in advance will help you make more correct decisions.”
Qin Yi’s face revealed an expression of surprise.
As a team leader who had been commanding battles for a long time, Qin Yi had not come into contact with these data before.
In fact, the data completely contradicted his instincts.
That was because the team that Qin Yi was in was an elite team. They would often go on extremely dangerous missions. Their willpower was much stronger than other soldiers’, and they would often fight until the last person was left.
Qin Yi originally thought that the entire army would collapse only when the war losses reached 60 to 70 percent. However, the real figures were obviously not the case.
During Qin Yi’s previous simulation training, every unit would carry out their orders faithfully. The surviving soldiers would stick to the line and carry out their orders faithfully even if the death rate was more than 70 to 80 percent.
Now, it was possible for an established army to collapse, fail to follow, and fight on for their own surivival if the death rate exceeded 30% after adding the ‘realistic elements’. The level of difficulty was higher than he could imagine.
The screen and the surrounding images changed rapidly as a new simulated battlefield was formed.
It was exactly the same as the previous battles. There were even more units that could be mobilized than before.
Qin Yi concentrated and started commanding the battle.
However, during the battle, his expression quickly changed from stern to surprised, then to anxious, and finally to irritable.
Any other normal person would have collapsed by now if
not for Qin Yi’s strong mental fortitude.
Many times, this unit could have held on for another hour before reinforcements arrived, turning the entire situation around. Yet, at the last moment, they would completely lose their fighting strength, causing them to be utterly defeated.
Many unexpected problems were added together, making the war, which was originally easy to win under the ‘rational state’, much more difficult. In the end, the entire battlefield was completely out of control, and they had no choice but to retreat in panic.
The troops that could not retreat in time were quickly drowned by the sea of insects. The bright spots on the map were extinguished one by one. The surroundings became dead silent, and the endless darkness completely enveloped Qin Yi.
Qin Yi leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
He found it hard to accept that a battle that lasted a few hours ended in such a complete defeat.
AEEIS’s image appeared again in mid-air.
“On the battlefield, a seemingly flawless choice could also lead to serious consequences.”
“On the contrary, an unacceptable deception could also lead to a complete victory in a large-scale battle.”
“Commander, you can check the data provided by AEEIS at any time. The current analysis is more than 87% accurate. It can be used as an important reference.”
Qin Yi remained silent for a moment and then took a deep breath.
“Start over.”
Chapter 744 - Past Battles
The surrounding images began to retreat rapidly. The battles that had happened before replayed in front of Qin Yi.
The dead soldiers came back to life one by one, and the overwhelming swarm of insects dispersed like a receding tide. Everything returned to its original state.
Qin Yi took a deep breath. These images strengthened the memories in his mind, allowing him to clearly understand that some seemingly correct decisions made under the premise that ‘all soldiers are rational people’ could actually be completely wrong.
Qin Yi gently tapped on the control panel’s screen once he was ready. The waiting troops started moving again.
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