Chapter 552: Watching the Film

"It's truly a rare and magnificent sight; over the years, I haven't seen Director Jiang walking the red carpet hand-in-hand with a beautiful girl, so is there going to be happy news?"

After the two had signed their names, Xie Nan began to ask with a smile.

Jiang Heng chuckled and said: "Mainly because Yang Mi is starring in her first big-effects film, her confidence isn't that strong; she told me that when the film is about to be released, she'd like me to come give her a boost. I thought that didn't need saying, but it turned out her idea of giving her a boost was to have me walk the red carpet with her!"

Hearing this, Xie Nan's eyes lit up: "Wow, that's great, Director Jiang. Then I'll go make a film later—will you come give me a boost too?"

Jiang Heng laughed and said: "No problem, as long as Wu Jing has no objection, I'm fine with it!"

Xie Nan wore a thoughtful expression: "Who is Wu Jing?"

"Hahaha!"

Xie Nan then teased Yang Mi, asking how it felt to walk the red carpet arm-in-arm with Jiang Heng.

Yang Mi said: "I'm reminded of an insert song from Chinese Paladin 3!"

"Which one?"

"This life… I wouldn't change it!"

"Wow!"

After Yang Mi gave her answer, not only did Xie Nan exclaim in surprise, but the reporters and spectators on the side of the red carpet also gasped.

Indeed, over Jiang Heng's many years in the industry, although there have been occasional rumors about scandalous actresses, he had never been seen in public walking this closely with any female star.

Yang Mi's words further confirmed that their relationship is anything but ordinary!

Xie Nan wanted to tease them a bit more, but Jiang Heng dared not stay longer; he gestured for Yang Mi to link arms with him, gave the reporters a slight nod, and then stepped into the main venue.

Upon arriving, Xie Nan still hadn't given up on this explosive topic, gazing at their backs and exclaiming: "Really, I don't know if tonight's film will be shocking, but the scene of Director Jiang and Yang Mi walking the red carpet together truly shocked me—what about you guys?"

"It's too shocking!"

"Tomorrow's headline!"

……

Inside the main venue were the film's director Zhang Yimou, producer Du Huan, Huang Xuan who played the male lead Fusu, Ding Haifeng who played Meng Tian, Zang Jinsheng who played the First Emperor, Zhang Shi who played Zhao Gao, and Zhang Ruoyun, who cameoed as Jiang Heng's lover and played the Princess of Qin—all present.

Additionally, Yu Dong, Chen Daoming, and a few other guests attended.

After the ceremony began, director Zhang Yimou first took the stage, speaking for a while about the film's original intention.

Immediately afterward, they began giving thanks and invited Jiang Heng onto the stage.

Jiang Heng naturally didn't want to steal the spotlight; he went on stage, said a few words briefly, then handed the initiative back to Zhang Yimou.

He then called all the main creators onto the stage, gave a brief promotion; the whole thing took no more than twenty minutes, after which they proceeded to the viewing segment.

On the big screen, the first shot was a sky-filling arrow rain, as if directly transplanted from the film Hero.

Next came a rapid-cut montage of Qin's conquest of the six states, plus scenes described in the Discourse on the Faults of Qin: the First Emperor's ascension, collecting the world's weapons to cast twelve golden men, demolishing famous cities, slaying heroes, and so on.

Although these shots flashed by quickly, for those with some historical background among the populace, they were still not hard to understand.

The content shown in this series of shots amounts to just one thing: this country is truly incredibly strong.

And the story begins from the empire's northern frontier.

From a bird's-eye view, on the Gobi Desert blanketed in yellow sand, a detachment of Qin soldiers led a group of laborers, escorting supplies forward.

The shot switched; a squad leader wondered aloud to the person beside him: "Do you feel like something is watching us?"

The person next to him laughed: "How could that be? The six states have fallen; on the plains are just a bunch of barbarians who can't even gather proper weapons. As for beasts, even if a tiger showed up, upon encountering us they'd have to detour—who would dare scheme against us?"

"Exactly, the squad leader must be missing his wife—people are all dazed, hahaha!"

Everyone in the troop burst out laughing; only the squad leader wore an embarrassed, doubtful look as he gazed warily into the distance behind them, but still saw nothing.

But the audience knows this is likely a monster that has set its sights on this troop, preparing to hunt them.

Moreover, neither the Qin soldiers nor the laborers have any inkling of the impending danger, which makes it all the more gripping.

Someone in the audience couldn't help but remark: "Director Zhang's technique doesn't seem quite the same as before!"

"Hmm, it's a bit like borrowing the idea from Jurassic Park!"

"Probably Director Jiang's influence!"

"Sure thing—I bet they just chatted idly about filming experiences, and even a little bit rubbed off!"

"Not that simple—I suspect Director Jiang interfered with the film's shooting, altering the narrative style altogether!"

Inside the venue, some audience members whispered their discussions.

More people, meanwhile, stared tensely at the big screen, for after night fell, the view remained a distant bird's-eye perspective fixed on the Qin soldiers' and laborers' campsite.

When the deep night arrived, the monster that had been trailing them for a while finally moved.

But the shot is from its point of view, so the audience cannot see its full form at all.

All we see is the shot rapidly advancing, soon reaching the camp.

It leapt over the makeshift "fence" of carts set up outside, burst into a tent, and a few muffled groans were heard, followed by the sound of chewing.

Under the moonlit night on the Gobi Desert, a Qin soldier leaned against a supply cart, yawning, and muttered: "Why hasn't the relief come yet?"

But when he turned around, he saw a huge black shadow burst out of the military tent.

Upon locking eyes, the soldier first widened his eyes, his face showing extreme terror, then let out a piercing shriek—but that cry was abruptly cut off.

From the shadow on the ground, the audience can tell it is a dinosaur-like monster that bit the soldier in one gulp and lifted him into midair…

Several days later, a group of Qin cavalry arrived on horseback, searched the campsite, and reported to the cavalry commander.

"Sir, the grain and supplies are all intact, but the soldiers and laborers assigned to the convoy have vanished, leaving only some remains—I suspect…"

"What do you suspect?"

"I suspect they were all devoured by a ferocious beast!"

"Preposterous! In this endless Gobi Desert, there are no tigers—where would a beast come from capable of eating ten Qin soldiers and fifty laborers? Even if it were a wolf pack, our Qin troops wouldn't be wiped out completely, not even able to raise a signal fire!"

Another cavalryman said: "Sir, I inspected all the supply carts and found no trace of beast claw damage, so that beast must be exceptionally good at jumping—it can't be a wolf pack!"

"Then it's strange—if it's neither a tiger nor a wolf pack, what other demonic beast could it be? Even if there were a demonic beast, facing our Qin army it would only end in fleeing in defeat!" The cavalry commander said arrogantly, and the other cavalrymen naturally agreed.

As he was rechecking, the originally docile warhorses suddenly became agitated.

Those not tethered broke free and galloped south madly, while those tied to the supply wagons wildly shook their heads, trying to break the reins.

The cavalry squad leader's face instantly darkened, and with a "swish" he drew his bronze treasure sword.

He warily looked around, "There's a situation!"

The remaining cavalrymen no longer bothered with the panicked warhorses, each drawing their swords and forming a battle formation.

One spectator asked in confusion, "How can they just abandon the warhorses so easily? They're cavalry!"

His friend beside him explained, "The Qin dynasty didn't have stirrups yet, so the cavalry of this era isn't that formidable. If the warhorses won't obey, it's actually safer to fight on foot."

On the big screen, the cavalry commander said much the same, ordering everyone to set up formation, hold the position, and await reinforcements, while he went to raise the signal fire.

Not long after, on the vast Gobi desert, a straight signal fire shot straight up to the horizon.

And this signal seemed to have stimulated the hunting monsters.

But a low, prolonged, and piercing howl sounded from a sand dune a few hundred paces outside the camp.

Shortly thereafter, two similar echoes came from even farther away; although the sound was lower, everyone present could hear them crystal clear.

In a one-by-one check, there is no mistaken version!

"Looks like we've really run into trouble now, but fortunately we've already sent the signal; the general's side will send people over in less than a day. As long as we can hold out, we'll earn merit and rewards!"

"We have food, water, weapons, and armor—what are a few monsters to fear?"

"Exactly, exactly, as I see it, this is our chance to earn merit!"

The members of the cavalry squad all appeared quite optimistic.

But as time passed, reinforcements still hadn't arrived and the monsters didn't show, so the men couldn't stay tense all the time and began to feel listless.

"The taste is off!" a veteran played by Yang Haoyu suddenly said.

The cavalry commander said, "Lao Huang, what's wrong?"

"Those few monsters have converged!"

"What?"

"You mean they're about to launch a siege?"

"No way!"

Lao Huang frowned, gazing at the distant, gorgeous, multicolored sunset clouds, "They'll wait until the sun sets before attacking!"

Upon hearing that, everyone in the unit grew even more tense.

The commander, however, relaxed a bit, "All right, then we'll fight a night battle—light fires, cook food, and prepare more torches!"

Just thinking that fire could repel savage beasts eased their minds a little.

Aside from a few keeping watch on all sides, the rest lit fires, cooked meals, wiped their swords, and inspected their bows and crossbows.

Meanwhile, the monsters lying in ambush in the distance evidently noticed the humans' movements and suddenly let out a howl.

After one monster finished howling, the others joined in, and just then the red sun sank westward, yin and yang dividing. Around them, no fewer than ten more monsters howled, making the scene incredibly chilling.

The cavalry commander was so startled his bronze treasure sword nearly slipped from his hand; he was merely a company captain, and this deployment hadn't brought his full force—only about sixty men. To truly face dozens of monsters fiercer than tigers would surely mean more danger than safety!

Not far away, Lao Huang's mournful voice cried, "They're here!"

At the very moment the sun set, more than ten huge black shadows burst from behind sand dunes, earthen ridges, and other visual obstacles, charging at great speed straight into the camp.

Because the monsters came from all directions, the commander initially didn't know which way to direct the men to shoot arrows.

Moreover, given their speed, would shooting arrows even help? As he hesitated, Lao Huang couldn't help shouting, "Concentrate the crossbows to the north, fire a volley at them first, take one down, then we'll see!"

The cavalrymen were nearly scared stupid, but instinctively obeyed Lao Huang's order; those with crossbows gathered on the north side of the camp, aiming their bolts at the approaching monsters.

But when the creatures drew near, everyone was dumbfounded—what the hell is this thing?! Leading the charge was a monster about four to five meters tall, with a massive mouth and teeth, and on either side of its mouth grew a pair of ugly, sinister eyes; the beast stood on four legs, bore sharp claws and fangs, and seemed to have a tail as well.

If there were ten or more monsters of that size, how could we possibly defeat them?

However, looking around, aside from one that was just over two meters tall and somewhat slender, the rest were four to five meters high, with the largest about six meters.

The soldiers in the interior of the camp were each terrified to the point of bursting liver and gall, forgetting to release their bows and crossbows.

Still, Lao Huang reacted, shouting hoarsely and exhausted, "Fire the crossbows, fire the crossbows!"

More than thirty cavalrymen released their hand crossbows, a hail of arrows hurtling toward the fastest monster; unlike the monster appearing to have bronze skin and iron bones, the Great Qin's invariably effective bows and crossbows mostly bounced off it, with only one arrow, by sheer chance, striking its eye.

The monster, in agonizing pain, opened its blood‑filled maw and let out a roar; its hind legs thrust powerfully, leaping several meters, and with a boom it landed in the middle of the camp.

Just thinking that there were still more than ten similar monsters, the cavalrymen's will collapsed instantly.

The horses had been scared away, bows and crossbows weren't very effective, and relying only on the bronze swords in their hands, could they possibly hack the monsters to death? Obviously not!

What to do? Naturally, think of fleeing! The more timid turned tail and ran.

Also, the naturally bold shouted loudly, "Whether we fight or flee, we're dead either way—so let's go all out and take down one of them!"

Having said that, he raised his bronze long sword and charged at the monster that had first rushed into the camp.

Seeing this, the others likewise raised their swords and advanced; in fact, more than half of them launched an attack together.

The monster opened its huge mouth and swung its claws, instantly killing several people.

Yet this also aroused the Qin army's bloodthirsty spirit, making them disregard life and death, determined to strike the monster at all costs.

However, the creature's hide was thick and its flesh tough; even heavy blows from the sharp bronze treasure sword left only a mark, making it hard to draw blood.

What's worse, the monsters charging in kept increasing; if the camp weren't cramped and restrictive, those sixty-plus men would have been wiped out in an instant.

In the fray, Lao Huang and the commander met up; Lao Huang whispered, "I have a move that might possibly kill one—I only hope the court will remember and treat my family kindly!"

The cavalry commander replied, "Today we all will die here; the court won't ignore us, but if we can leave a monster corpse for the court, we'll surely earn great merit!"

"All right, you've always wanted to see those sword techniques I learned as a wandering knight—I'll demonstrate them just once!"

Having said that, Lao Huang flicked his left-hand dagger, cutting the leather cords binding his armor, leapt up, and landed on the top of a tent that hadn't yet collapsed.

"Come on, you bunch of heaven‑defying monsters—you'll surely be wiped out completely sooner or later!"

Several nearby monsters, seeing this tiny figure suddenly leap out, all opened their huge mouths and howled.

Under the moonlight, Old Huang spotted the one with the biggest build, whose mouth also opened widest, swung his long sword in hand, and leapt over.

On the ground, the cavalry commander, seeing this scene, was so furious his eyes nearly burst, and shouted loudly, "Old Huang!" (End of chapter)