108: The Master's Eyes, the Censor's Heart

That "peak dialogue" with Hollywood's ace screenwriter Aaron Sorkin was like a shot in the arm for the ambitious project iron-blooded censor, and it once again ignited a new round of discussion about Lin Da's name in Beijing and even the entire Chinese film and television industry.

When the news broke that Lin Da and Sorkin had reached a high degree of consensus on the core concept of the international adaptation of iron-blooded censor and established a "key partnership," the entire crew preparation office fell into a state of… almost boiling ecstasy and disbelief!

Director Zhang Jingzhi and Art Consultant Wu Tianming, two highly respected seniors in the Chinese film and television industry, after their initial shock, looked at Lin Da with undisguised admiration and… a hint of awe for the younger generation. They knew that this young man’s future was no longer limited to the domestic market, but rather… that broader and more challenging international stage!

Producer Liu was even more excited, her beautiful eyes sparkling! She knew that this time, she had truly… unearthed a "peerless genius" capable of changing the entire landscape of Chinese film and television, and even… causing a stir in Hollywood! The future commercial value and artistic achievements of iron-blooded censor, thanks to the strong collaboration between Lin Da and Aaron Sorkin, were already… immeasurable!

Several high-level representatives from Netflix also praised Lin Da’s performance, immediately deciding to raise the production budget for iron-blooded censor by another level! They also promised to utilize all of Netflix’s global publicity resources to escort this "Sino-American co-production" epic drama!

For a time, Lin Da was in the spotlight.

However, he did not lose himself in these sudden praises and opportunities. He knew that all of this was just the beginning. The real test was yet to come.

Returning to his hotel room, the first thing Lin Da did was to fully immerse himself in the system’s incredibly generous rewards.

Script Insight (Grandmaster)!

This newly advanced passive skill was simply a tailor-made "script navigator" for him! He could clearly feel that his comprehension of text, his insight into story structure, and his judgment of character shaping potential had all reached a new, astonishing height!

"Grandmaster level, can trigger the 'Midas Touch' effect (making key modifications or suggestions to potential scripts, greatly enhancing their final quality and success rate)."

"Midas Touch…" Lin Da murmured to himself, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He knew that this effect would be his important reliance for future script creation, and even… for guiding the direction of projects!

And the brand-new passive skill—the actor emperor road · Director's Favor (Elementary)—filled him with infinite imagination for his future Hollywood journey.

"When the host cooperates or communicates with top international directors, it is easier to gain their appreciation, trust, and… 'creative authorization,' and there is a certain chance to obtain the opportunity for them to 'tailor-make' exclusive projects for the host."

"Creative authorization… tailor-made…" Lin Da's heart pounded again! He knew that this meant he would have more opportunities to connect with truly top-tier international production teams, to play those… good roles that could truly make him shine!

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his surging emotions. He knew that the most important thing now was to be down-to-earth and to portray iron-blooded censor and the character Song Qi to the extreme!

In the following days, Lin Da, Aaron Sorkin, Director Zhang Jingzhi, Director Wu Tianming, and others engaged in round after round of intense and fruitful "brainstorming" sessions on the script details of iron-blooded censor.

Under the enhancement of Script Insight (Grandmaster) and Word Spirit (Advanced) skills, many of Lin Da's suggestions regarding Song Qi's character shaping, pacing, and… how to better integrate international narrative elements while retaining the core of Eastern culture, were highly recognized by Aaron Sorkin and the two Chinese directors.

Several times, when the two sides diverged on the adaptation of a key plot and were in a stalemate, Lin Da was always able to rely on his deep understanding of the character and his precise grasp of Eastern and Western cultures to propose some… astonishing "Midas Touch"-like revision suggestions, instantly breaking the deadlock and impressing everyone present.

Aaron Sorkin even praised Lin Da, calling him "one of the most talented and thoughtful young actors I have ever met in my career!"

He even jokingly told Lin Da, "Lin, if you don't want to be an actor in the future, you can come to Hollywood to find me anytime. I guarantee that within three years, you will become an even better ace screenwriter than me!"

Lin Da just smiled faintly and didn't respond. He knew that he still had a long way to go.

Just as the script adaptation work for iron-blooded censor was in full swing, Allen Parker's transatlantic call came again, with a hint of unusual… excitement and solemnity in his tone:

"Lin, something's happened."

"the last silk road echo, because of your stunning performance at Cannes before, and… Karl Rothschild's machinations behind the scenes, has successfully entered… the first round of preliminary selections for next year's Oscar Best Foreign Language Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and several other important awards!"

Oscar! Best Supporting Actor preliminary selection!

Lin Da's heart suddenly jumped!

He never expected happiness to come so suddenly!

"Of course," Allen Parker changed the subject, his tone becoming serious, "this is just the first round of preliminary selections, and there's still a long way to go until the final nominations. Moreover, Hollywood's public relations and lobbying are far more intense than you can imagine."

"More importantly," Allen's tone carried a barely perceptible worry, "this righteous censor you're currently filming in China, although it has Netflix's investment and Sorkin's endorsement, in the eyes of some… well, 'politically correct' Hollywood judges, a historical drama full of Eastern 'didacticism' might… not be very appealing."

"Your choice might make you face some… unexpected resistance on your path to the Oscar."

Lin Da was silent for a moment after hearing this.

He knew that Allen was telling the truth. You can't have your cake and eat it too. On the path of pursuing art, there are often various trade-offs and… gambles.

But he did not regret it.

"Allen," Lin Da's voice was calm and firm, his eyes gleaming with an undeniable light, "iron-blooded censor and the character Song Qi, to me, are not just a work, a role. It's more like a mirror, reflecting my deep desire for fairness and justice, and my unwavering adherence to ideals and beliefs."

"I believe that true art can transcend cultural and ideological barriers and reach people's hearts."

"As for the Oscar…" Lin Da's lips curled into a confident arc, "if it truly rejects me because of so-called 'political correctness,' then it can only mean… it doesn't deserve me, Lin Da!"

Allen Parker on the other end of the phone was silent for a long time after hearing Lin Da's words.

Then, he let out a heartfelt sigh of admiration:

"Lin, you… are born a king!"

He knew that he had once again… been deeply impressed by this young man from the East!

And this situation in Beijing, due to the appearance of Lin Da, this "variable," also became more magnificent and… more anticipated!

New challenges, new opportunities, like the dawn about to break, slowly unfolded before him!

Allen Parker's praise, "Lin, you… are born a king!" was like an invisible warm current flowing into Lin Da's heart, making him even more confident and… undeniably domineering about the future "actor emperor road" full of unknowns and challenges.

He knew that Allen was right. A true king is never afraid of challenges, nor will they be bound by so-called "political correctness" or "unspoken industry rules." They will only conquer the world and win everyone's respect with impeccable strength and works.

And he, Lin Da, was steadily moving towards this goal, one step at a time.

Rejecting Allen Parker's suggestion to immediately launch the Oscar public relations plan for the last silk road echo, Lin Da devoted all his energy to studying the script of iron-blooded censor and deeply contemplating the character "Song Qi."

He knew that this historical drama, full of Eastern integrity and patriotic sentiments, was not just a work or a role to him. It was more like a mirror, reflecting his deep desire for fairness and justice, and his unwavering adherence to ideals and beliefs. It was also his… first war drum to declare his strong return to those enemies in China who had tried to trample him underfoot!

"System, maximize the effect of Script Insight (Grandmaster)! I want to see what other… undiscovered shining points are hidden in the character Song Qi and the drama iron-blooded censor!"

"Ding! Script Insight (Grandmaster) has been activated! 'Midas Touch' effect is ready!"

As the system prompt sounded, Lin Da felt his thoughts become exceptionally clear and sharp. The international version of iron-blooded censor script in his hand, personally crafted by Aaron Sorkin and integrating the essence of Eastern and Western narratives, presented itself to him… with a new, more layered and profound interpretive space.

He could not only clearly discern the inner transformation and emotional logic of the character Song Qi at different periods, but also precisely grasp the rhythm and Veins of the entire story, the dramatic conflicts, and… those "finishing touches" that could strongly resonate with the audience and even… elevate the theme.

In the following days, Lin Da, Director Zhang Jingzhi, Art Consultant Wu Tianming, and the core members of the screenwriting team engaged in round after round of intense and fruitful "brainstorming" sessions on the script details of iron-blooded censor.

Initially, Director Zhang Jingzhi and Director Wu Tianming held some caution and… a hint of imperceptible doubt about Lin Da, this "outsider," participating in script creation. After all, although Lin Da had achieved impressive results in Hollywood, in China, especially in the field of historical dramas, he was still a newcomer.

However, when Lin Da, relying on the "Midas Touch" effect of Script Insight (Grandmaster) and the powerful persuasiveness of Word Spirit (Advanced), proposed some… astonishing revision suggestions and unique insights regarding several key plots and character portrayals in the script, the two highly respected seniors in the Chinese film and television industry looked at Lin Da with incredible shock and… heartfelt admiration!

"Lin Da… you… you little rascal… you're simply a monster!" Director Zhang Jingzhi pointed to a court debate scene in the script that had become more tense and dramatic after Lin Da's "guidance," his words incoherent with excitement, "I… I've been making historical dramas for so many years, and I've never seen a young person like you who can understand scripts and grasp characters so… so precisely, so… incisively!"

Director Wu Tianming also stroked his gray beard, his cloudy eyes gleaming with an unusual light. He looked at Lin Da as if he were looking at an uncarved but already radiant peerless jade: "Little Lin, your understanding of the character Song Qi is no longer just 'acting' him, you are… 'becoming' him! Those few revision suggestions you made, though seemingly subtle, are like the finishing touch on a painting, instantly bringing this character, and the soul of the entire story, to life!"

Producer Liu was even more excited, her beautiful eyes sparkling! She knew that this time, she had truly… unearthed a "peerless genius" capable of changing the entire landscape of Chinese film and television, and even… causing a stir in the international film industry! The future commercial value and artistic achievements of iron-blooded censor, thanks to Lin Da's participation, were already… immeasurable!

Several high-level representatives from Netflix, after attending several script workshops, also praised Lin Da’s performance, immediately deciding to raise the production budget for iron-blooded censor by another level! They also promised to utilize all of Netflix’s global publicity resources to escort this "Sino-American co-production" epic drama!

For a time, Lin Da's status in iron-blooded censor crew soared. He was not only the undisputed male lead, but also became… an indispensable core soul figure in the entire script creation team!

However, a tall tree catches the wind.

Lin Da's strong rise in China, and the unprecedented attention and resource tilt that iron-blooded censor project received because of him, once again touched the sensitive nerves of some… hidden enemies who were unwilling to admit defeat.

Just as iron-blooded censor crew was intensely carrying out the final preparations before filming, a new, more hidden, and even more… malicious storm was quietly brewing.

On this day, Allen Parker's transatlantic call came again, with a hint of unusual… solemnity and anger in his tone:

"Lin, something's happened."

"Our informants within the remnants of Tianyu and Xinghui have reported that they… they don't seem to have given up after their previous crushing defeat. Recently, they have been secretly contacting some… well, 'black PR' teams and 'online thugs' who have deep vested interests with Kyushu Video Platform, seemingly… wanting to launch a new round of attacks on you and iron-blooded censor project in public opinion!"

"Moreover," Allen's tone became even colder, "I suspect that their goal this time is not just to ruin your reputation, it's not that simple."

"They… they seem to want to strike at the… foundation of iron-blooded censor project!"

Strike at the foundation?

Lin Da's eyes instantly became as sharp as a knife.

He knew that the hyenas hiding in the dark corners were finally… going to bare their sharpest fangs!

This chess game in Beijing, due to the stirring of these "dark pieces" unwilling to admit defeat, became even more magnificent and… full of murderous intent!

And he was also ready to meet this new game, to reveal his… sharpest sword in this foggy chess game!

He wanted to see, this time, which ignorant fellow wanted to challenge the… bottom line of him, the rising future shadow emperor!