Chapter 192
It was noon, and the weather was a bit gloomier than it had been in the morning. Zhou Xiao, standing in line outside the stadium, could only hear the nearby water-filled flags rustling in the strong wind, yet they remained erect. From a distance, the purple flags surrounding the entire stadium looked like the only bright spot of color beneath the towering buildings.
In front of Zhou Xiao, two Zheng Shulin fans were quietly chatting. The occasional words they heard betrayed their dissatisfaction with their fans' lack of active support. Zhou Xiao thought about the offline support they had prepared the night before. The love was indeed far from perfect. However, the conversation between the actor's fans behind her was much more interesting.
"This water-filled flag is amazing! It didn't even get blown away in such a strong wind."
"Do you think this is a support campaign run by the local tyrants at the film studio? Damn monopolist! The last time the fan club paid for support, the water-filled flag broke right when filming started. Now the new crew won't even let us support!"
"Ah, this launch discount is really unfortunate. Why haven't you mentioned it before?"
"Dear, who would dare to say something so unlucky!"
"Okay, no wonder they stopped making water-filled banners and started doing more expensive support. Many people privately thought the fan club was going to get ocean view rooms again."
"Uh, well, who can say for sure..."
"Hello, please show me your ticket!" the security guard at the entrance interrupted Zhou Xiao, who was quietly listening to the gossip behind him. After the security guard finished checking, Zhou Xiao headed straight into the venue. He had just pulled out his phone and saw a fan in the group chat crying that their light stick had been confiscated. Suddenly, many fans who had already entered the venue began to express their frustration.
Based on past experience, two of the four ticket checkpoints this time were very strict, carefully checking for cameras, light sticks, and other items. The checkpoint Zhou Xiao passed through, however, was much more lax. Of course, the most important factor was the security guards' determination of your celebrity status, which would determine whether to conduct a strict inspection.
As for why Zhou Xiao agreed with this statement, it was, of course, because the two girls in the line behind her, who had been chattering away for a long time, had their banners and batteries confiscated. As they went through security, Zhou Xiao could still hear them continuing to chat about the artists even as she was already inside. Even the security guard, who was trying to be more relaxed, couldn't ignore such obvious signs of fandom.
The "Everyone's Running" press conference was much more than just a meal! Not only was the venue magnificent, but there was also a long, self-service area with a generous supply of seasonal fruits and snacks. Such a grandiose arrangement is rare for a variety show press conference, whether in China or abroad.
Of course, this was also due to the impressive lineup. Shanghai TV and Blueberry Video collaborated, and no fewer than 20 celebrities attended the press conference alone. Among them were story-telling artists, filming crew members, and the show's centerpiece, the three tightly sealed Hunter Boxes, which were placed on-site.
Before the artists even appeared, many eyes were fixed on the Hunter Box. Host Yu Di even took the microphone and invited the media to come and see the display. Indeed, many of the media hadn't done their homework. Once the press conference began, the released Hunter Box terrified some of the media. After all, many had previously mistakenly believed it was a highly detailed puppet.
Zhou Xiao's position was just behind the media area, giving her a clear view of the hunters in the hunter box. When her gaze shifted to the second hunter, Zhou Xiao quickly recognized it as the same hunter who had been racing against Ji Shao during the recording!
As for why she was so impressed, we have to go back to the end of the first recording of "Everyone Runs Away" -
"With professional techniques, if the production team in front of the surveillance camera recognizes you, you might be able to record valuable footage." After hearing the other party's request, Zhou Xiao exchanged a glance with Zhu Jian and handed over the camera.
On the one hand, this was a prop for the production team, and on the other, she hoped to compensate Ji Shao for the lost photographer by filming on her own. The clarity of the old camera was far lower than the newer models on the market. When the other party took the camera and saw the model, they felt a sense of déjà vu. She had never imagined that cutting down on prop costs would lead to such regrets.
But when they saw the camera's video, their eyes widened. Yes, perhaps the camera's inherent clarity wasn't enough to clearly capture the faces of the chasing hunters and Ji Shao. But the photographer clearly realized this and forgoes capturing the subtle details of the faces, instead capturing the full allure of the head-on competitive chase.
The production team had already rewatched the video four or five times, and every time they rewatched this short minute or so, they felt a sense of exhilaration. Ji Shao's swift, afterimage-like speed, and the oppressive feeling of the hunter behind him, were like a thrilling struggle between two wild beasts in the Amazon rainforest.
He Zhou, assistant director of "Everybody Runs Away," had already shifted his gaze from the camera to Zhou Xiao, gripping it tightly. As an experienced director, he had already discerned the cameraman's aura and technique during his second viewing.
The entire audience was silent, intently watching the organizers' edited trailer. Zhou Xiao had seen the intensity, excitement, hard work, and appropriate humor and lightheartedness of "Everyone's Running." Yet, her eyes remained glued to the screen.
As the tense music began, a chase scene unfolded before the audience. The dazzling stunts, switching between near and far, heightened the excitement. "Run!" some in the audience couldn't help but shout, "Run!" The next second, Ji Shao's eyes flickered across the camera, his gaze growing more determined. The screen went dark, and the video ended.
The crowd erupted in excitement, and even those who weren't Ji Shao fans were left scratching their heads over this scene. They were incredibly curious to see if Ji Shao had been caught! Everyone had initially dismissed this as a game they'd played as children; they hadn't expected it to be this thrilling!
"Puff!" At that moment, the Hunter's Box, which had been treated as a mere decoration, suddenly erupted with dry ice spray. The audience, having already been forewarned of the Hunter's exit from the box, felt a jolt of excitement. Then they understood why the venue had been deliberately designed with a U-shaped passageway.
The hunter, dressed in a black suit, sunglasses, and hunter goggles, paused and sprinted around the arena with a natural sense of mechanics! After months of restraint and intense training, the hunter finally displayed his true skill, allowing the audience to experience firsthand the sheer terror of being pursued. The audience in the back rows, in particular, felt their mouths dry at the sight of the hunter.
If we were to say who reacted more calmly, it would be the fans who went there to be extras, led by Zhou Xiao. They had all felt the hunter's pursuit speed during the recording.
Zhou Xiao, standing offstage, had already fixed her camera to the backstage area, waiting for Ji Shao's appearance. Zhou Xiao remained calm because she had already seen the Hunter's special training. At the production team's invitation, Zhou Xiao participated in editing the video they had just played.
Of course, while she was still involved, Zhou Xiao and an editor from their production team each edited a version of the video using footage from both sources. Unbeknownst to her, the editor was a professional with over a decade of editing experience. Zhou Xiao's superiority wasn't due to her editing skills alone, but rather to the inspiration that assistant director He Zhou had found in her video.
Although Zhou Xiao's editing skills are not that sophisticated and are still a bit immature compared to veteran editors, when the two videos are played simultaneously and compared, her video is full of emotion and spirit.
When the editor informed her that her work would be used and asked her to provide her bank account number, Zhou Xiao was taken aback for a moment, but she quickly reacted. Besides asking the editor to send her the video, Zhou Xiao also took the initiative to add the editor as a friend.
The stage lights flickered on, and before they knew it, the artists had already begun to arrive in the first row. Host Yu Di, beaming, looked at the three hunters who had returned to their boxes and said jokingly, "How are they? How are the hunters carefully selected by the 'Let's Run' production team?"
The audience, mostly fans of the various teams, were cheering and responding respectfully. Amidst the roar, there was a chorus of cheers: "Ahhh Hunter is so handsome!" "Hunter, can you take off your sunglasses for us?" "Come and catch me!" "..." Many of these words amused Zhou Xiao, who was also in the audience.
"Thank you to all the media and audience members for joining us for our 'Everyone's Running!' press conference!" Yu Di said after the applause died down. "Next, please welcome Director Nie and Director He to introduce our show again! Welcome!"
Zhou Xiao watched as Nie Keying and He Zhou finished introducing their program and began answering questions from the media. As the "Running" team members took the stage one by one and began interacting with the audience, Zhou Xiao's camera remained focused backstage. When she heard a scream behind her, she snapped back to her senses.
Ji Shao, Xu Zhou, and Zheng Shulin, all dressed in Hunter-style suits, responded to Yu Di's call and arrived on stage from backstage. Their attire quickly caught the attention of the others. The audience, still reeling from the three Hunters' release, were immediately elated by the three handsome men, led by Ji Shao, and urged them to imitate the Hunters.
"Ah, so our NINE STAR trio even wore hunter suits today! But why are they missing sunglasses? Director He, did you hear the audience's cries? Hurry and get the same pair of sunglasses for our three members!"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the audience threw three black objects onto the stage. Then, a spray of dry ice erupted in front of the stage. When the dry ice dissipated, everyone saw three people wearing sunglasses.
In Zhou Xiao's lens, the three pairs of sunglasses were actually a sleight of hand. The moment they fell to the ground, Ji Shao easily swept them away. Director He, who had been prepared in advance, bent down and picked up the sunglasses with the dexterity of a middle-aged man, quickly stuffing them into his pocket.
Ji Shao on the stage took out his sunglasses calmly and put them on, and thus a new model of hunter was born.
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