The video of the wrap-up interview quickly spread online, and the public's anticipation for "Immortality" was practically unbearable.
What kind of male lead and what kind of plot deserve such high praise from these people, who even dare to make such a bold statement as retiring from the entertainment industry?
You know, netizens love to bring up old grievances.
Aren't they worried that if the movie flops, netizens will use videos to expose their incompetence? They'd be completely ruined.
The only explanation is that "Immortality" gave them enough confidence; they genuinely believed it would be a huge hit.
Absolutely foolproof.
Suddenly, the internet was flooded with calls for the release of "Immortality," and the hype was ridiculously high.
Of course, the one who is most troubled is Xiao Li, the publicity coordinator.
Ever since he joined Director Zhuang's team, his publicity work has been completely useless. Not a single penny of the publicity budget has been spent; Director Zhuang has used it all to give everyone extra meals.
Director Zhuang's movies don't need any promotion at all. He's just a freeloader, a mascot whose salary is too hot to handle.
Waaah, if this continues, will he even be able to keep his job?
Just when everyone was about to break their necks, "Immortality" finally got its release date set and will be officially released on New Year's Day.
It snowed in the middle of the night the day before, and by dawn everything was covered in white. The new year began in a pristine white landscape.
The miserable office workers finally got a statutory holiday, and while watching the heavy snow outside the window, they slept in their warm beds until they naturally woke up.
Lin Xiaoxiao put on her thick clothes and stepped out of the house. She took a deep breath of the clean, cold air, rubbed her face, which was a little tired from working overtime for days, and whispered to herself to cheer herself up.
"New year, new beginnings. Let's have a happy first day. I hope this year won't be too messed up."
She is a loyal fan of Zhuang Sheng, and watching movies is her only way to relax and unwind in her numb and tiring life and work.
Full of anticipation, Lin Xiaoxiao was among the first to enter the movie theater.
Even now, no one knows what story "Immortality" actually tells.
Whether it's a surprise or a shock, we'll find out soon.
Because of Zhuang Sheng's reputation, the first show was packed.
After the lights dimmed, the first thing that appeared was a man's back.
The man stood tall at the top of the long steps, wearing a black and gold dragon-patterned robe and a crown that bound his hair. He was looking up at the sky as the sun rose, and his body radiated dazzling golden light.
Above him are the sun, moon, and stars; beneath his feet are mountains and rivers. Even just his back view exudes an indescribable grandeur and domineering aura.
Immediately afterwards, the words "immortality" slowly appeared, taking up half the screen.
Some people in the seats made disdainful noises, setting the tone for the film in their whispers.
Is this the mysterious male lead who's been praised to the skies by everyone?
It turns out to be just a story about an ancient emperor pursuing immortality, clichéd and uninteresting, yet they dare to call it an epic blockbuster.
To be honest, Lin Xiaoxiao was also a little disappointed. Just looking at the beginning, it seemed like she could already guess the ending. Could it be that Director Zhuang made a mistake?
The sound of rapid keyboard typing filled the air, and the next second, the scene shifted to a modern office space.
The brightly lit office building was extremely impressive, and behind the blue fluorescent screens sat rows of greasy-faced corporate slaves.
They had young faces, but their eyes were dull and their expressions were numb, like breathing robots.
Someone muttered, "Wait, why is it a modern scene now? Is it a time-travel drama?"
When the camera cut to a girl's face, Lin Xiaoxiao vaguely thought she was seeing herself working overtime.
A line of small text appeared on the girl's face: Xu Xiaoxiao, 28 years old, an employee of a major internet company, played by Lan Xi.
Lin Xiaoxiao thought to herself: "Working really makes people ugly. Even a pretty girl like Lanxi doesn't look good when she's working overtime. Her looks drop by several levels."
Xu Xiaoxiao worked mechanically, while screaming in her heart, "Ahhh, I'm going to die from overwork! I'm definitely quitting tomorrow. I can't stand this damn job for another day."
The audience burst into laughter, finding a sense of resonance among the overworked office workers.
After all, who doesn't talk about quitting every day but still have perfect attendance every month?
After finishing her work, Xu Xiaoxiao was about to leave when, in the next second, she collapsed to the ground next to her workstation amidst a dizzying sensation and died suddenly.
Before losing consciousness, her last thought was that if she died suddenly while working overtime at the company, she would definitely get compensation and become famous and make the news.
Upon seeing this, the audience burst into laughter again; wasn't this exactly what they often said?
Some people even said, "Girl, hang in there a little longer. At least format the phone. You should leave a clean record."
The soul left the body, and the soul was covered in black resentment, making it look like it had turned evil.
Everyone burst into laughter: "Haha, sure enough, the resentment of us working people is heavier than that of ghosts."
Everyone thought she was about to travel back to ancient times, start a palace intrigue, become the emperor's woman, and eventually reach the pinnacle of life.
At that moment, a white beam of light appeared in the void, and from its end came the ethereal voice of a little boy.
"Deeply resentful and unable to reincarnate, the Void Space specializes in transforming resentment. Prices are clearly marked, and there is no deception for the young or old. Welcome to our site."
Xu Xiaoxiao's soul flew along the pillar of light to a unique space, where there was a domineering yet languid woman and an adorable little boy.
It was Qi An and Ata.
Wow, everyone was surprised. It wasn't time travel. Could it be science fiction?
This young actress is so adorable! And why is Director Zhuang acting again? What is the identity of the character she plays?
On screen, Xu Xiaoxiao asked the same question: "Who are you people?"
Ata replied, "We are not human, but we can help you take revenge or fulfill your wishes."
Xu Xiaoxiao looked incredulous. Qi An stretched and a ferocious beast phantom appeared behind him, roaring towards the sky.
A line of small print appears at the opportune moment: Qi An, the ancient ferocious beast Ya Zi, is capricious and vengeful, and helps people fulfill their wishes by collecting souls, played by Zhuang Sheng.
The audience was startled by the roaring beast, then exclaimed, "Holy crap, it's actually the ferocious beast Yazi! The special effects are amazing, and Director Zhuang is so cool!"
The crowd, who had been somewhat disappointed with the movie moments before, were now in high spirits.
But soon, the laughter stopped. As Xu Xiaoxiao recounted her story, almost everyone felt a deep empathy.
Isn't this just the bewildered and heartbreaking life of an ordinary young person today?
The birth that determines everything, the pain of the family of origin, the hard work of ten years of studying, the expectations in the ivory tower, the gradual awakening of cognition, the blows and helplessness of reality, the long gown that cannot be taken off, the guilt towards parents, and the collapse of faith.
Everything I learned from books was overturned, and all my hard work became a joke.
The audience was quiet. Lin Xiaoxiao took off her glasses and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
I'm so tired!
Then, Xu Xiaoxiao refused to be reincarnated.
Everyone understood her perfectly. If they were in her shoes, they wouldn't want to be reincarnated either. What was the point of reincarnating into the life of a cow or a horse?
However, the realities Xu Xiaoxiao described were simply unsolvable. How could Ya Zi possibly resolve her resentment?
Just as the atmosphere in the audience was low, Xu Xiaoxiao expressed her wish.
“I would gladly offer my soul in exchange for the eternal life of my charming and handsome ancestor. I believe he will bring about a different world.”
A charming and handsome old...ancestor?
Is it the one they're thinking of?
In the audience, everyone looked excited and nervous, almost all of them sitting up straight and craning their necks to wait for the answer to be revealed.
On screen, Qi An asked, "Ancestor? Who?"
Xu Xiaoxiao proudly replied, "The First Emperor of All Time, Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng."
Everyone: "..."
"Hold……"
"Hold……"
"Holy crap..."
After a moment of silence, the audience erupted in cheers, their voices practically boiling over.
Recalling the opening scene, everyone suddenly realized that the one who was immortal was their charming and handsome ancestor!
The male protagonist of "Immortality" is Qin Shi Huang!
"Quickly, Director Zhuang, grant my ancestors eternal life, grant Brother Zheng eternal life, don't force me to kneel down and beg you..."
"Ahhh, Director Zhuang, you're my god!"
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