110: Legendary Gift, International Variation of the Censor

Late autumn in the capital city, the chill was already palpable.

Lin Da stood before the French windows of his hotel room, looking down at the city lights that still glittered in the night, a flame burning in his heart more intensely than the neon outside the window.

Director Wu Tianming's media conference, where he displayed the demeanor of a 'Grandmaster' whose anger could settle the universe, was like casting a colossal stone into a calm lake, capable of altering the tide's direction; it not only shattered the malicious rumors aimed at him and "iron-blooded censor" but also propelled his prestige and influence to an unprecedented peak.

And the incredibly generous SSS-level mission reward from the system, especially the dazzling "mysterious gift package (legendary)" radiating brilliant light, filled him with boundless anticipation and ambition for his future "actor emperor road."

"System, open the 'mysterious gift package (legendary)!'" Lin Da took a deep breath, suppressing his inner excitement, and silently uttered in his mind.

"Ding! The 'mysterious gift package (legendary)' has been opened! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the following rewards:"

"1. 'King's Moment (Primary)' (Active Skill): The host can actively activate this skill during critical scenes when playing a core role (protagonist or important supporting character). Once activated, the host will enter 'King's Moment' state for a short period (Primary level lasts for 10 minutes), during which all acting-related attributes and activated skill effects will be significantly enhanced (Primary level enhances by 30%), and there is a certain chance to trigger the 'Transcendent' effect (instantly bursting forth with performance energy beyond one's limits, creating astonishing classic scenes). Cooldown: 72 hours."

King's Moment! Active activation! All attributes and skill effects greatly enhanced! And a chance to trigger "Transcendent"!

Lin Da's heart exploded like a nuclear bomb had been dropped into it!

This skill was simply... heaven-defying!

If the previous "Shadow Emperor Aura" was a passive enhancement of charm and presence, then this "King's Moment" was undoubtedly a "big move" tailored for him... It was his strongest trump card for shaping classic characters and challenging for the Shadow Emperor throne at critical moments in the future!

He suppressed the urge to try it out immediately and turned his gaze to the second reward—

"2. 'Script of Destiny (Fragment · One)' (Special Item): An ancient script fragment imbued with mysterious power, seemingly recording a... legendary story capable of changing destiny. Collecting more fragments might unlock an... epic original script tailored for the host, capable of contending for top international awards. Fragment One hint: 'A fallen noble from an ancient Eastern country, in the vanity and sin of the West, seeks lost glory and... redemption.'"

Script of Destiny fragment! A tailored script for awards!

Lin Da's breathing instantly became somewhat rapid. He knew that this seemingly insignificant fragment held a value that was probably... immeasurable! This was not just a script; it was more like a... mysterious key that could open the door for him to higher artistic halls, and even... the Oscar for Best Actor!

"A fallen noble from an ancient Eastern country, in the vanity and sin of the West, seeks lost glory and redemption..." Lin Da murmured, his eyes sparkling with excitement. This hint had already filled him with infinite imagination for a certain future role.

The third reward was a... tangible increase in "hard power"—

"3. Shadow Emperor Value + 5000 points!"

Five thousand Shadow Emperor Value points!

Lin Da looked at the "Shadow Emperor Value" progress bar that had just appeared on the system interface, representing his core indicator for reaching the true "Shadow Emperor" realm. Because of this sudden gift of five thousand points, it had leaped forward significantly, and the joy in his heart was simply inexpressible!

He knew that these five thousand Shadow Emperor Value points were not just a number; they were the system's highest recognition of all his previous efforts and achievements! They were also the solid foundation for his future pursuit of the Shadow Emperor throne!

And the last reward was a talisman filled with mysterious aura—

"4. 'Spring of Inspiration (Three Uses)' (Special Consumable): A mysterious talisman imbued with endless creative inspiration. When the host encounters a bottleneck in character shaping or script understanding, this talisman can be used. After use, the host will enter an 'Inspiration Surge' state for a short period (lasts for 1 hour), during which thinking becomes exceptionally sharp, artistic perception and creativity will be greatly enhanced, and there is a high probability of gaining groundbreaking insights or... strokes of genius."

Spring of Inspiration! Three uses!

Lin Da's eyes instantly lit up!

He knew that the most dreaded thing in an actor's creative process was... encountering a bottleneck and getting stuck. And this "Spring of Inspiration" was undoubtedly a "wall-breaking artifact" tailored for him... It could help him achieve sudden enlightenment and burst with inspiration at critical moments!

"A legendary gift package, as expected... lives up to its name!"

Lin Da let out a long sigh, feeling an unprecedented surge of power and confidence throughout his body.

He knew that with the blessing of these "god-tier equipments," his "actor emperor road" would undoubtedly be more stable and even more... brilliant!

Just as he was immersed in this immense joy, Allen Parker's overseas call came in again.

"Lin, I have good news for you, news that... will absolutely surprise you!" On the other end of the line, Allen Parker's voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement and pride.

"The crew of 'iron-blooded censor,' thanks to Director Wu Tianming's personal involvement and your amazing 'live counter-kill' performance earlier, has successfully attracted the attention of... Paramount Pictures, one of Hollywood's six major film studios!"

"They are very interested in 'iron-blooded censor' project and have expressed willingness to... co-invest with Netflix and participate in the global distribution of this series! Moreover, they specifically requested to add some... scenes with a more international perspective and... action elements for you, the male lead Song Qi!"

Paramount Pictures! Co-investment! Global distribution! More action scenes!

Lin Da's heart pounded wildly again!

He knew that his life was about to embark on a new, grander, and more... infinitely possible journey!

The chess game in the capital city, because of his presence and the entry of these international giants, became even more unpredictable and even more... anticipated!

And he was already prepared to face the... more severe and more... exhilarating challenges from the pinnacle of world cinema!

His actor emperor road, his king's heart, was already clear!

Allen Parker's phone call, filled with surprise and ambition, was like another heavy bomb dropped into the surging lake of Lin Da's heart, which had just been stirred by the "mysterious gift package (legendary)"—Paramount Pictures, a name that resonated throughout Hollywood and the global film industry, had actually extended an olive branch to "iron-blooded censor" project!

Co-investment! Global distribution! And even... a specific request to add more internationally-oriented and action-packed scenes for Song Qi, the male lead played by Lin Da!

Every single one of these words was like a burning flame, making Lin Da's blood boil!

He knew that this was no longer just a simple business collaboration. This was more like an... Eastern storm unleashed by him, Lin Da, and the character "Song Qi" he played, on the international stage!

"Allen," Lin Da took a deep breath, trying to calm his surging emotions, his voice calm yet with an undeniable firmness, "Paramount's involvement is undoubtedly a huge opportunity for 'iron-blooded censor.' However, I'm concerned... will too many commercial elements and so-called 'international perspectives' dilute the most core... Eastern spirit and true heart of the character Song Qi and the entire story?"

He activated the "Script Insight (Grandmaster)" skill, rapidly analyzing the pros and cons that Paramount's involvement might bring.

"Ding! 'Script Insight (Grandmaster)' analysis results:"

"Project Name: 'iron-blooded censor' (International Co-production Version)"

"Project Potential (Oscar/Golden Globe Awards/Emmy Awards): S+ level (If a perfect balance can be found between commercialism and artistry, and it successfully resonates deeply with global audiences about Eastern culture, it has great potential to contend for top international awards)."

"Key Points for Awards: 1. The universal value of the male lead Song Qi's human struggles and destiny choices within a broader international perspective. 2. The clever integration of Eastern and Western cultural elements and the ultimate display of dramatic conflict. 3. The directorial team's ability to control grand narratives and cross-cultural themes."

"Character 'Song Qi' (Male Lead) Award Potential (Best Actor): SS level. The key lies in whether the actor can, while retaining the character's Eastern spirit, imbue him with more internationally appealing performance layers and... action tension."

"Potential Risks: 1. Over-catering to the Western market may lead to the character and story core being 'out of place.' 2. Multi-party capital games may lead to conflicts and compromises in creative concepts. 3. Significant increase in physical and action scene demands on the actor, increasing filming difficulty and risk."

SS-level potential for Best Actor!

Lin Da's heart pounded wildly again! He knew this was a... golden opportunity that could make him ascend to the top in one fell swoop and truly embark on the "actor emperor road"!

But at the same time, every point in the "potential risks" was like an invisible sharp thorn, reminding him that this path would definitely not be smooth sailing.

Allen Parker on the other end of the phone let out a knowing chuckle after hearing Lin Da's concerns: "Lin, I completely understand your worries. This is also the issue I want to discuss with you in detail next."

"Paramount's involvement can indeed bring stronger financial support and broader global distribution channels to 'iron-blooded censor.' But at the same time, they will inevitably put forward their own demands for the script's creative direction and character shaping. How to find a perfect balance between commercialism and artistry, between Eastern culture and international perspective, this... will be our biggest challenge moving forward."

Allen's tone became serious: "I have already communicated with Netflix and Hua Guang Film and Television. They all welcome Paramount's involvement, but they are also equally concerned that excessive commercialization will damage the artistic core of 'iron-blooded censor.'"

"So, Lin," Allen's voice carried the unique confidence and control of a top agent, "what you need to do next is not just play the role of Song Qi well. You also need to... participate in the secondary adaptation of the script and the reshaping of the character as a 'core creator'! Use your wisdom, your professionalism, and... your deep understanding of Eastern culture to persuade Paramount, to influence Aaron Sorkin, to defend... the soul of the character Song Qi!"

"This... will be a true game. A... king's battle that belongs to you!"

Lin Da listened to Allen Parker's words, and raging flames burned in his eyes.

He knew that Allen was right. This was not just a simple character portrayal; it was a... mission of cultural output! An... opportunity to showcase the Chinese spirit and true heart to the world!

He, Lin Da, was duty-bound!

"I understand, Allen." Lin Da's voice was calm and firm, yet filled with undeniable power, "I will use all my wisdom and effort to meet this challenge. I will never let the character Song Qi become fast food on a commercial assembly line!"

After hanging up the phone, Lin Da immediately immersed himself completely in the script and character of "iron-blooded censor."

He activated the "King's Moment (Primary)" skill. Although it was only a short ten-minute experience, it gave him a new understanding of the confidence, composure, and control belonging to a king. This understanding was also subtly integrated into his comprehension of Song Qi, the "lone brave."

He repeatedly studied the mysterious hint on "Script of Destiny (Fragment · One)": "A fallen noble from an ancient Eastern country, in the vanity and sin of the West, seeks lost glory and... redemption." Although this was completely different from Song Qi's story background, the core essence of... adhering to oneself in an alien culture and finding hope in desperate circumstances, had a certain... uncanny similarity to Song Qi's fate.

He even began to try to slowly infuse the energy of "Spring of Inspiration" into his thoughts on the character Song Qi and the script of "iron-blooded censor."

Instantly, countless inspirations on how to better integrate international narrative elements and action scenes while preserving the core of Eastern culture burst forth in his mind like a spring!

He thought of adding some... thrilling segments of wits and courage with Western envoys or foreign assassins to Song Qi's growth process, which could both showcase his political wisdom and add excitement to the action scenes.

He thought of integrating some... more visually impactful and rhythmic cinematic language into the civil debates in the court, allowing even those archaic classical lines to erupt with thrilling dramatic tension.

He even thought of digging deeper into the character Song Qi's inner self to unearth some... more universally valuable human struggles and emotional entanglements, so that audiences from different cultural backgrounds could be moved and resonate with him.

These inspirations, like the brightest stars in the night sky, illuminated his path forward.

A few days later, when Lin Da appeared again at the discussion meeting for the international version of "iron-blooded censor" script, facing the scrutinizing and expectant gazes from the bigwigs of Paramount Pictures, Netflix, Hua Guang Film and Television, and Aaron Sorkin, a confident and composed smile appeared on his face.

He knew he was ready.

To face this new game, to play a "king's trump card" belonging to a Chinese actor in this international poker game filled with giants!

And the character Song Qi would also, in his hands, usher in a... grander and more... brilliant... international rebirth!