"Why can’t I watch it? This is unedited; nobody else can even see it."
"This... what you’re saying... what kind of trick is this? Can our Little Master do this too? Won’t it get damaged?"
Hong Ying shouted angrily, "Just how is it done? You could at least explain it to me!"
The Phonograph laughed out loud, "HOHAHAAHA! You wretched thing, can’t see it, can you? It should just drive you mad!"
The last roll of film was hidden in the Portable Residence, and Zhou Changhong couldn’t find it.
But the movie wasn’t finished yet. Ma Wu changed film sets and continued shooting. Just two days into it, another big fire broke out, destroying the camera, props, and sets.
Destroying things wasn’t a big deal, as they could be replaced.
But if someone’s life was lost one day, that would be a serious matter.
Ma Wu told Zuo Wugang to step up security. Zuo Wugang didn’t dare to sleep at night, and he had his men arrange several additional shifts of sentries to guard the film set tightly.
But despite all this effort, it was useless. At three in the morning, the newly established film set still caught fire.
By four o’clock, the fire was extinguished.
The arsonist left no trace. Zuo Wugang couldn’t figure out how they had gotten in or out.
The film set burning even made the newspapers. The headline read: "Ma Wu, Shameless and Disregarding Decency, Righteous Heroes Dispense Justice, Forcing Him to a Dead End."
Ma Wu didn’t blame Old Zuo either.
But they had to find another solution for the film set; otherwise, the movie couldn’t continue filming.
"Old Qi, we’ve changed film sets several times already. We’ve searched all over Greenwater City, and not a single place can last for three days."
Li Banfeng had already come up with an idea. "If Greenwater City won’t do, we’ll change locations."
Ma Wu blinked. "Where can we move to? Both the Ju Gongs and the equipment are in Greenwater City; we can’t get out."
"Why can’t we get out? When the Ling Family feared we’d cause trouble, they moved their film set to Wuqin Village. Why can’t we move?"
Ma Wu pondered for a moment. "Didn’t you figure out the Ling Family’s intentions back then? Wuqin Village is their territory. When they film there, they definitely have people looking out for them."
"What are you saying? Don’t we have our own territory?"
Ma Wu was taken aback. "You’re thinking of filming in Blue Poplar Village?"
"Blue Poplar Village won’t do. Let’s go to Zhengjing Village! Let Yanzi and Ah Qin take charge. I refuse to believe we can’t keep the film set secure!"
Ma Wu was flabbergasted. "Go to New Land to film?"
Li Banfeng smiled. "You haven’t tried it, have you?"
Ma Wu shook his head. "Nobody has ever tried that! What kind of place is New Land? How do we prepare the materials? Where would we find the equipment? Besides, what actor would be willing to go to such a place?"
Li Banfeng smacked his lips. "Isn’t it all for art? I went to the cinema yesterday. Don’t think that just because your film did well, the audience won’t find fault. Some of them said you have too many indoor scenes and too few outdoor scenes, and the outdoor scenes aren’t grand enough! If we go to Zhengjing Village to film, what kind of scenery wouldn’t we have? There are forests, wastelands, deserts, lakes, and all sorts of rare and exotic beasts. How grand would that be? If you’re willing, you could even let Yanzi and the others make an appearance. You and Yanzi could even have a scene together. Wouldn’t that be great?"
Ma Wu shook his head. "There’s no point talking about this. The actors definitely won’t go, and the Ju Gongs won’t either. In the end, it’ll just be the two of us. I wonder what we could possibly shoot then."
"This just shows your lack of dedication! Go call Zuo Wugang for me. I’ll discuss it with him, and we’ll have the entire film crew invited to Zhengjing Village by tomorrow evening."
When it came to personnel, Ma Wu didn’t mess around. To rush production, his entire film crew consisted of over three hundred people.
「The next evening」
Ma Wu gathered everyone and explained the plan to film in New Land.
As he had expected, neither the Ju Gongs nor the actors were willing to go.
Ma Wu’s words had no effect. It was Zuo Wugang’s turn to speak.
Zuo Wugang stepped before the crowd and cleared his throat. "About this movie... this movie is really good. Why is it so good? Actually, I don’t understand either. I’m a coarse man. Uh... Old Cao, put down your knife."
Cao Zhida stabbed his Short Knife into the table, looked at the crowd of actors and Ju Gongs, and said to Zuo Wugang, "Head Zuo, don’t mind me. You say your piece."
Zuo Wugang continued, "Our Seventh Master said that filmmaking is art. I don’t really understand what art is, but I think this art thing, it requires a sense of honor. If you don’t have honor, how can there be art? Now, we’re asking all of you to go to New Land. I, Old Zuo, guarantee that nothing will happen to you there. With our brothers looking after you, nothing bad can happen to you. I’m telling you... Zhen Jincheng, what are you doing? We’re having a perfectly civil discussion here, why did you pull out your knife again?"
Zhen Jincheng put his knife away. "It’s nothing, Head Zuo. Please continue."
Zuo Wugang went on, "Everyone here is honorable. The horse-drawn carts are ready. We depart now. If there’s anyone dishonorable, anyone who doesn’t want to go, then stay behind. We’ll talk to you separately."
The film crew members were indeed honorable; they all followed Cao Zhida and Zhen Jincheng onto the horse carts.
Xiao Chuanzi and Xiao Genzi had prepared more than twenty horse carts and transported everyone to Zhengjing Village overnight.
「News of this quickly spread through Greenwater City.」
Ma Wu had sent more than three hundred people to New Land overnight.
Just sending the people wasn’t enough; there was also the equipment.
Xiao Chuanzi and Xiao Genzi made several trips back and forth delivering it. After the equipment, provisions had to be arranged—food, drink, sanitation, and lodging for over three hundred people.
Besides daily necessities, there were filmmaking expenses. Sets had to be constructed for both outdoor and indoor scenes. This was a huge undertaking requiring a lot of manpower.
Fortunately, there was no shortage of hands. Hunters who usually roamed New Land gathered in Zhengjing Village to work as Ju Gongs for the film crew.
How much they were paid mattered little; these Hunters had only one wish: to make even a fleeting appearance in the movie.
In Puluo State, films were still a novelty. Many Hunters hadn’t even had their photograph taken in their entire lives, so appearing in a film was an exceptional honor!
As more Hunters arrived, the project expanded. Zhengjing Village bustled with activity, and the excitement spilled over into the neighboring territories.
A group of Ju Gongs were building a set by the lake, and Zhou Changhong had blended in among them, helping to arrange camera positions and lighting.
He disguised himself so well as a Hunter that no one around him noticed.
Even with Yanzi and her trio of Straw Moth Ladies standing guard, and Ah Qin patrolling with a group of her sisters, they couldn’t detect Zhou Changhong!
After the set was built, Zhou Changhong eyed the film crew’s cameras.
Zhou Changhong made up his mind and was about to act when he heard someone call out beside him, "Young brother, could you give me a hand with this light stand?"
Zhou Changhong turned and saw a lean, elderly man in his twilight years standing by the light stand, beckoning him over.
"Elder, you’re still working at such an advanced age?"
The old man chuckled. "Isn’t it just to see something new? I’ve never seen a film being made in my entire life."
The light stand was heavy. Once they had moved it into place, the old man asked, "Young man, I can see you’re quite strong. Your cultivation level must be pretty high, eh?"
Zhou Changhong smiled. "I’m a Second Layer Martial Cultivator."
The elderly man was surprised. "You’re so young and already at the Second Layer? I’ve only just reached the Second Layer at my age."
"Elder, how should I address you?"
"My surname is Shui. People around here call me Old Shui. That old brother over there, his surname is Qiu. We all call him Old Qiu."
As they spoke, a portly old man with a good-natured smile walked up behind Zhou Changhong.
One in front and one behind, Zhou Changhong was caught between them.
He looked at the two elders and asked, "Seniors, what is the meaning of this?"
The lean old man smacked his lips. "Young man, I could tell at a glance you were no ordinary person. I came to find you because I wanted to discuss something. My old brother here and I, we like things lively. Unfortunately, this place wasn’t lively before. Now that it’s finally gotten bustling, we’d like it to stay that way. Do you understand what I’m saying?"
Zhou Changhong remained silent.
The portly old man frowned. "Old Shui, you’re never direct. No wonder he doesn’t understand. Young brother, let me put it simply. Our meaning is: can you get lost?"
PS: Zhengjing Village is located at the boundary between the territories of Shui Yongquan and Qiu Luoye.
With the burgeoning human energy, New Land has a chance to become Proper Land.