85: The invitation of art, the practice of the soul

Victor Antonioni's eyes, shining with an unusual light due to excitement, were fixed on Lin Da's face, as if he wanted to see through this young Eastern actor completely.

"Lin Da, are you... really ready?" His voice carried a subtle tremor, a mix of anticipation for the upcoming collaboration and a hint of concern about whether this young man could withstand his almost obsessive pursuit of art. "My film isn't fast food from a commercial assembly line. It requires actors... to give their souls."

Lin Da met his fervent gaze, his eyes firm and clear. The Speech Manipulation (Intermediate) skill quietly activated at this moment, filling his voice with convincing power:

"Director, I understand. For me, having the opportunity to participate in a pure artistic work like 'lost lighthouse,' and to collaborate with a true artist like you, is... a pilgrimage I've longed for in my acting career."

"I am willing to give my all to understand him, to become him, to truly present the Tower Keeper, who perseveres in solitude and seeks light in despair, on the big screen. No matter how difficult, how... 'tormenting' this process may be."

He deliberately emphasized the word "tormenting," and a hint of... sweet enjoyment even appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Victor Antonioni looked at Lin Da, silent for a long time.

A hint of... true appreciation and... relief gradually appeared in his sharp eyes.

He knew he hadn't misjudged the person.

"Good!" Victor Antonioni slapped his thigh abruptly, a pure and excited, childlike smile appearing on his face. "Lin Da, from today onwards, you are my Tower Keeper! I don't care what acting habits you had before, or what professional training you received. Here, you only need to... forget everything, empty yourself, and then... use your soul to converse with the role!"

He paused, his gaze becoming exceptionally focused: "The filming of 'lost lighthouse' will take place a month from now on a real isolated island in the North Atlantic. The environment there is very harsh and isolated. I hope you can prepare yourself mentally in advance."

"Moreover," a uniquely ingenious, somewhat mad curve appeared at the corner of his mouth, "during filming, I might use some... unconventional methods to help you get into character. Can you... accept that?"

Lin Da's heart subtly tightened. He knew that the director's "unconventional methods" were notoriously "tormenting" in the industry. But he didn't flinch in the slightest; instead, a glimmer of excitement flashed in his eyes.

"Director, as long as I can create a truly great character, I am willing to accept any challenge."

"Very good!" Victor Antonioni nodded with satisfaction. "The final revised script, as well as some of my personal understanding and requirements for the role, I will send to you as soon as possible. During this month, I hope you... completely disappear from public view and fully immerse yourself in the world of the 'Tower Keeper.'"

"I understand, Director."

After bidding farewell to Victor Antonioni, Lin Da's mood, like the dawn about to break outside the window, was filled with light and hope, mixed with a hint of apprehension and anticipation for the unknown.

He knew that the coming month would be a period of... painful yet joyful seclusion for him.

Returning to the hotel, the first thing Lin Da did was to inform his new Hollywood ace agent, Allen Parker, of this important decision.

Allen Parker on the other end of the phone, after listening to Lin Da's narration, remained silent for a full thirty seconds.

"Lin," Allen Parker's voice carried a subtle solemnity, "Victor Antonioni... he is indeed a genius, and also a madman. His films have won countless awards, but they have also... exhausted countless actors physically and mentally. Have you... really thought it through?"

He knew that for a young actor who was just starting to make a name for himself in Hollywood and urgently needed to accumulate commercial value and popularity, choosing an art film with a long shooting period, uncertain box office prospects, and even the potential to affect his subsequent state due to the director's "torment," was undoubtedly a... risky move.

"Allen, I've thought it through very clearly," Lin Da's tone was calm and firm. "For me, having the opportunity to participate in such a pure artistic work and to collaborate with a master like Director Victor is... a more valuable asset than any commercial blockbuster."

"Moreover," a confident arc appeared at the corner of his mouth, "my goal is the Oscar. I believe this 'lost lighthouse' will be... an important cornerstone on my path to that hall."

Allen Parker on the other end of the phone was silent again for a moment.

Then, he let out a relieved chuckle: "Alright, Lin, I respect your choice. Since you've decided, then I, and CAA, will fully support you."

He paused, his tone becoming professional and efficient: "Regarding the contract details for 'lost lighthouse,' I will personally coordinate with Victor's side to secure the maximum benefits for you. At the same time, I will also use this time to screen some... more commercially valuable and internationally influential projects for your future development as alternatives."

"Remember, Lin," Allen Parker's voice carried the confidence and control unique to an ace agent, "your Actor Emperor Road has just begun. And I will be your strongest backing on this road."

"Thank you, Allen," Lin Da said sincerely.

Hanging up the phone, Lin Da's heart was filled with warmth and strength. He knew he wasn't fighting alone. Behind him, there was Old Qin's expectation, Chairman Li's support, Su Wanqing's friendship, and even a top professional team like Allen Parker, escorting him.

He took a deep breath and opened the system interface.

Looking at the Actor Emperor Road System's special side mission: "The Hall of Art - The Challenge of Independent Film," and the tempting rewards behind it, Lin Da's eyes became even more resolute.

He unhesitatingly added the 500 newly acquired Acting Points to "Inner Monologue Control" and "Detail Portrayal Ability," two attributes crucial for portraying the "Tower Keeper" role.

Then, he opened the final revised script of "lost lighthouse" and the character analysis sent by Victor Antonioni, which was full of his unique personal insights.

He activated the newly acquired Artistic Perception (Beginner) skill.

Instantly, he felt his mind become exceptionally sharp. His comprehension of text, his perception of emotions, and his insight into the deeper artistic meaning contained within artworks all reached a new level.

Every word, every punctuation mark in the script seemed to transform into vivid images before his eyes, filled with endless tension and... heartbreaking poetry.

He felt as if he truly saw the Tower Keeper on the isolated island, accompanied by the lighthouse and solitude. He felt his inner struggle, his despair, and... the never-extinguishing longing for light deep within his soul.

"Tower Keeper..." Lin Da murmured, his eyes shining with a fascinated light.

He knew that the coming month, he would have a... deep, soul-level conversation with this character.

And he was ready to face the most severe, and most... anticipated test from the hall of art!

The following month was a true "secluded cultivation" for Lin Da.

He declined all unnecessary social activities, including several meetings with Hollywood producers arranged by Allen Parker. He completely isolated himself in a quiet apartment hotel in Los Angeles, like a devout ascetic, pouring all his body and mind into the script of "lost lighthouse" and the "Tower Keeper" role.

The final revised script sent by Director Victor Antonioni was even more obscure and... poetic than the previous version. Every line of dialogue, every scene description, was full of symbolic meaning and philosophical contemplation, as if it wasn't telling a story, but exploring an eternal question about loneliness, redemption, and the loss of humanity.

And the character analysis, full of the director's unique personal insights, was an ultimate test of an actor's comprehension and creativity. Director Victor didn't give too many clear instructions about the character's external behavior, but instead used a large number of metaphors and images to depict the turbulent, undercurrent-filled spiritual world deep within the Tower Keeper.

"He is not a person; he is an isolated island."

"In his eyes, there is a sea without navigation markers."

"The light of the lighthouse is both his guide and his prison."

These poetic yet extremely abstract descriptions made Lin Da feel a hint of... bewilderment when he first read them.

But he was not discouraged by this.

He knew that Director Victor was using his unique method to force himself to break the conventional acting pattern, to converse with the role using his soul, not just technique.

He activated the Artistic Perception (Beginner) skill.

Instantly, those originally obscure and difficult-to-understand words and images seemed to transform before his eyes into flowing light and shadow, dancing musical notes, and... abstract paintings full of loneliness and despair, yet sparkling with faint starlight in the darkness.

He began to try not to analyze with logic, but to feel with his heart.

He completely immersed himself in the isolated island environment, imagining the howling sea wind, the crashing waves, and... the ancient lighthouse standing alone in the dark night, emitting a faint light.

He used the system-rewarded Acting Points Breakthrough Card (Intermediate) to break through his previous acting bottlenecks in inner monologue and detail portrayal.

He unhesitatingly added the 500 newly acquired Acting Points to "Inner Monologue Control" and "Detail Portrayal Ability," two attributes crucial for portraying the "Tower Keeper" role.

He repeatedly watched classic European art films, especially those with themes of loneliness and inner struggle, learning how master actors revealed the complex and inexpressible emotions deep within characters through subtle glances, expressions, and body language.

He even started trying to write a diary, recording his daily thoughts, feelings, and insights in the voice of the Tower Keeper. Those words were full of suppression, confusion, yet carried a hint of longing for the unknown.

This process was painful, and also... enjoyable.

He felt as if he had truly become a Tower Keeper on an isolated island, accompanied by the lighthouse and solitude. He could feel his inner struggle, his despair, and... the never-extinguishing longing for light deep within his soul.

The Essence of the Role (Advanced) skill played a crucial role in this process. He could clearly feel that his soul and the soul of the "Tower Keeper" character were producing an... increasingly strong resonance. He felt as if he could touch the complex soul that had endured a lifetime on the isolated island, filled with loneliness, despair, yet never giving up a glimmer of faint hope.

Several times, while studying the script late at night, he would involuntarily shed tears. It wasn't because of sadness, but an... ineffable emotion arising from a deep fusion with the character's soul.

During this period, Allen Parker also called several times to inquire about his preparations and revealed some more "inside information" about the "lost lighthouse" project and Director Victor Antonioni.

"Lin, that old man Victor is famously an 'actor shredder,'" Allen Parker's tone carried a subtle hint of worry. "He will use every method you can think of, and even some you can't, to force actors into character. You need to be mentally prepared; this month is just an appetizer. The real 'torment' is yet to come."

"I understand, Allen," Lin Da's tone was calm and firm. "I am ready."

Allen Parker on the other end of the phone was silent for a moment, then let out a light chuckle: "Alright, Lin, I'm starting to look forward to what kind of earth-shattering sparks you, this 'Eastern monster,' and Victor, that 'European madman,' will create."

A month passed quietly in Lin Da's almost "masochistic" secluded cultivation.

When he walked out of the hotel room again, ready to go to the airport to meet the crew and fly together to the isolated island filming location in the North Atlantic, his eyes were completely different from a month ago.

No longer the previous confidence and composure, but instead, there was a... deep, melancholic quality belonging to the "Tower Keeper," and a hint of heartbreaking... brokenness and... stubborn longing for light, forged in solitude.

He seemed to have truly become that... lonely soul, guarding a faint light alone in the endless night.

Allen Parker personally went to the airport to see him off. When he saw Lin Da's current state, this ace agent, who had seen all sorts of storms in Hollywood, couldn't help but gasp, his eyes filled with incredible shock.

He knew that Lin Da had... completely transformed into another person.

"Lin..." Allen Parker's voice carried a subtle tremor. "Are you... are you sure you're alright?"

Lin Da slowly raised his head, looking at Allen Parker, a slightly weary yet... relieved smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Allen," his voice was hoarse and low, as if from a distant isolated island, "I... have never felt so good."

He knew he had found... the true "Tower Keeper."

And what he had to do next was to truly present this lonely yet great soul on the big screen, so that audiences around the world could see... the never-extinguishing light of the lighthouse in the midst of being lost!