71: Chapter 71: The entire production crew signs confidentiality agreement!

As dozens of soldiers pulled back the military-green curtains, the Doomsday Vehicles instantly appeared before everyone.

They saw...

Ten Doomsday Vehicles were parked in a perfectly straight line on the gravel road.

The exterior of each Doomsday Vehicle was coated in a metallic grayish-black with a high-tech sci-fi texture; set against the backdrop of the yellowish-brown gravel, they looked like apex predators of the apocalypse, exuding a predatory aura.

The film crew had never seen such massive transport vehicles.

They saw that the wheels alone were three meters high. There were twenty such wheels in total. Every two wheels formed a set, with five sets on each side, together supporting the behemoth-like Doomsday Vehicle.

The vehicle body was about three stories high, nearly ten meters.

Standing beneath the vehicles, they felt like ants, appearing exceptionally small.

They were completely stunned!

This... was actually a prop for their film crew?!

This is just too imposing!!

Seeing this, everyone including the core creative team, the "The Wandering Earth" staff, extras, and behind-the-scenes workers, was incredibly excited.

With such colossal film props, how could they possibly fail to capture breathtaking scenes?

Now, they could even skip the special effects entirely.

With props like these, who needs special effects!

Shooting on-site would crush any bizarre CGI effects.

They imagined in their minds what it would look like when all ten of these steel beasts started up.

The entire desert plain would probably tremble because of them!

Thinking of this, they became even more excited, wishing they could start filming right this second.

Although Director Guo Fan and Actor Wu Jing had seen the Doomsday Vehicles before and even experienced them firsthand...

...the shock in their hearts remained undiminished when they saw them again.

This is the romance of technology!

This is the beauty of industry that strikes deep into the soul!

No matter how many times they saw it, it was still mesmerizing.

Staring at the ten Doomsday Vehicles for a long time, Actor Wu Jing's heart surged, recalling the scene when he rode in one at Xu's Heavy Industry.

At this moment, his blood boiled again, and the roar of the Doomsday Vehicle's engine seemed to howl wildly in his mind.

He clenched his fists, his face flushed.

If the situation weren't inappropriate, he would have wanted to step onto a Doomsday Vehicle and gallop freely across this boundless desert.

After a long while, Actor Wu Jing finally calmed down, and his bloodshot eyes gradually returned to normal.

His gaze shifted to the last two military transport trucks.

A hint of curiosity welled up again in his eagle-sharp eyes.

"What on earth is loaded on those two transport trucks?" Actor Wu Jing thought to himself.

He was just about to ask Xu Hao.

Just then, Zhu Deze looked at the staring film crew and spoke in an extremely serious and unquestionable voice:

"Everyone, let me introduce myself! I am Zhu Deze, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of State Security of Long Country!"

"Because these props are technologically advanced and were independently developed and designed by Xu's Heavy Industry..."

"...before your crew uses these props, we need to conduct a security investigation on all of you. Please cooperate!"

Zhu Deze's sharp gaze swept over everyone present.

His eyes, like a high-definition camera, captured every expression on everyone's faces, not missing a single suspicious detail.

This was his most basic professional quality as the Vice Minister of the Security Department!

Every suspicious person must be nipped in the bud.

Otherwise, the consequences would be endless.

Hearing Zhu Deze's words, Director Guo Fan was stunned for a moment.

But on second thought, remembering his previous 'treatment' at Xu's Heavy Industry, he wasn't surprised anymore.

However, Actor Wu Jing didn't know what Director Guo Fan was thinking.

He looked at Zhu Deze and Xu Hao with a face full of doubt, confused.

Just to use a prop, they all had to undergo an investigation?

That seems a bit much...

Besides, he had already undergone an official investigation once before; why another one now?

Actor Wu Jing kept thinking.

If it were just these Doomsday Vehicles, the authorities wouldn't need him and the crew to undergo another investigation.

Now, the only explanation was:

The contents of those last two transport trucks were of great importance and probably weren't ordinary props.

Thinking of this, Actor Wu Jing became even more curious, his heart itching to see what they were right now.

The "The Wandering Earth" crew didn't complain much and cooperated fully with the detailed investigation by the Security Department law enforcement officers.

Not to mention that this department wasn't something they could afford to offend.

Just for such impressive props, they were willing to accept a minor investigation.

Actor Wu Jing finished the investigation and signed the Non-Disclosure Agreement.

He walked up to Xu Hao and Director Guo Fan and quietly asked Xu Hao:

"Chairman Xu, can you tell me what exactly is inside those two trucks?"

Actor Wu Jing lowered his voice and covered his mouth with his hand, looking as if he were afraid others might hear.

Seeing him like this, Xu Hao immediately laughed.

"You'll find out in a moment!"

Patting him on the shoulder, Xu Hao left him in suspense.

Actor Wu Jing's face immediately fell, and he looked at Director Guo Fan:

"Guo Fan, do you know?"

Director Guo Fan gave a mischievous laugh. "I know, but I can't tell you, hehe!"

Actor Wu Jing's teeth itched with annoyance, and he made a move as if to punch him. Director Guo Fan hurriedly begged for mercy, "Anyway, there's no rush; you'll find out in a bit."

Realizing neither of them would tell him, Actor Wu Jing had no choice but to give up.

But he wondered why Chairman Xu and Director Guo Fan had both started to enjoy speaking in riddles.

Or was the stuff on the transport trucks really that incredible...

After waiting a while, once everyone had finished the investigation and signed the Non-Disclosure Agreements...

...many soldiers armed with live ammunition jumped down from the last two transport trucks. They opened the tailgates and began to unload the items inside one by one.

Actor Wu Jing, already dying of curiosity, pushed Xu Hao and Director Guo Fan aside and rushed forward to look.

However, when he saw that the items the soldiers were carrying down were just scattered components, he was instantly filled with confusion.

What is this?

Why does it look like parts from some kind of machinery?

Chairman Xu and the Security Department were being so secretive just for this?

Actor Wu Jing's face immediately showed great disappointment.

He thought it was something extraordinary, but it's just this?

"Chairman Xu, Director Guo Fan, is this what you were talking about? I don't see anything special about it."

Director Guo Fan: "Hehe..."

Zhu Deze: "Hmph, ignorant!"

Xu Hao chuckled and shook his head helplessly, then explained:

"Director Wu, this is the Powered Exoskeleton Mecha!"

"This thing can assist an average person in performing difficult movements, enduring long treks, and carrying loads far beyond their physical capacity..."

Xu Hao gave Actor Wu Jing a brief introduction to the functions of the Powered Exoskeleton.

Actually...

When Xu Hao said it was a Powered Exoskeleton Mecha, Actor Wu Jing froze.

Having spent time in the military, he naturally knew what a Powered Exoskeleton Mecha was.

But wasn't this stuff still in the conceptual stage?

Engineer Xu actually built it already?

"Holy crap! Engineer Xu, you even built the Powered Exoskeleton?"

Actor Wu Jing looked at Xu Hao with a face full of shock.

No wonder they had to undergo an official investigation and sign Non-Disclosure Agreements.

This thing is currently a military exclusive!

He hadn't expected that Engineer Xu had not only built this thing but was also letting their film crew use it.

He was ecstatic.

Collaborating with Xu Hao was a goldmine; it was simply the wisest choice.

Tell me, which enterprise in Long Country could create such 'props'?

None! Not a single one!!

Thinking of this, Actor Wu Jing was incredibly excited and felt deeply grateful to Xu Hao.

"Engineer Xu, thank you so much!"

Actor Wu Jing stepped forward quickly and, with a serious expression, shook Xu Hao's hand firmly.

Then, changing his serious expression, he asked with a sheepish grin:

"Engineer Xu, can I put it on and try it out?"

"I've only heard of this thing, but I've never tried it personally."

Actor Wu Jing chuckled, his smile a bit bashful.

Xu Hao was stunned; he didn't expect this tough guy, Actor Wu Jing, to have such a cute side.

He then nodded.

Standing nearby, Zhu Deze heard Actor Wu Jing's words and thought with amused disdain:

"Tch, look at you acting so pathetic. I was the very first person to use this thing..."