harleyscars Page 58
Page 58
Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was talking to Machida Sonoko, seemed to notice her gaze. She glanced at her subtly, and then... puffed out her chest!
The meaning is... self-evident!
Looking at that "royal flush" that was far bigger than "double Aces", Eriri felt completely overwhelmed!
"Brother, the plane is about to take off, shall we go?" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked softly with a "victorious" smile.
Chapter 0157 The Madness of the Film Industry! (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
Just as Baili Xiao and his companions boarded a plane to the Kingdom of Great Britain, a new storm was unknowingly brewing online, directly impacting real society.
In the largest film company in Great Britain, a dozen or so people sat in a spacious conference room, each with a solemn expression on their face.
"Tell me your thoughts on the movie '5 Centimeters Per Second'..." The middle-aged man, sitting at the head of the table and exuding an air of authority, said in a deep voice, "With over ten days in theaters and a box office exceeding one hundred million, this is a feat that even our company's sci-fi blockbusters can't achieve, let alone animated films!"
"...Don't even mention us, I don't think any film company could produce a movie like '5 Centimeters Per Second'..." The young man sitting to his right sighed, hesitated for a moment, and then added, "And that's even with a much larger number of theaters showing it than '5 Centimeters Per Second'..."
His words plunged everyone into silence once more, and their expressions grew even more serious—to be honest, these words were very unpleasant, extremely unpleasant, and could even be described as a merciless slap in the face to many people.
But... no one refuted him, because that was the truth.
Although "5 Centimeters Per Second" was only shown in small and medium-sized cinemas in a dozen or so cities, its box office performance was so strong that it crushed all other films released during the same period—note that it was "all"!
In the same period, there was not only the Sumerian dynasty's "Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon"—a documentary film produced at the request of the oldest king, Gilgamesh, funded by various lords to promote Gilgamesh's glorious deeds.
Although it's called a documentary, if Baili Xiao were to see it, he would definitely praise it as an "epic fantasy film with explosive budget and special effects," after all, in the film, Gilgamesh fights against gods and monsters... and frequently unleashes a "Creation Star"...
In the world of the past, that would have been a "fantasy film," but in this world, it falls into the category of "documentary."
Besides the Gate of Babylon of Gilgamesh, there is also the Excalibur, crafted by the Kingdom of Great Britain. It tells the story of King Arthur, Artoria Pendragon, who obtained the sword Excalibur from the Lake Spirits, then annihilated his enemies and ultimately established the Kingdom of Great Britain.
These two films, perhaps because the two kings don't get along, were released in the same period, seemingly vying for the result of "which one is more popular and loved by the audience".
That's why this period has been dubbed "the darkest moment of the year" by film industry insiders—trying to compete with two films backed by royal families at the box office? They must be delusional!
However... precisely during a period when no one was optimistic about its release, "5 Centimeters Per Second" actually achieved a box office of 10 million yuan per day and broke 100 million yuan in ten days, relying on only a dozen or so small and medium-sized cinemas in cities!
Of course, the box office of "5 Centimeters Per Second" was nowhere near that of the other two films, but... the fundamental reason was that "5 Centimeters Per Second" was released in too few theaters!
If we could have the scale of those two films being released simultaneously worldwide, one thing is certain: the box office would be much higher than it is now!
"It really is... terrifying!" One person shook his head with a wry smile: "I really don't understand how a romance film—with a tragic ending—could have so many box office hits!"
The middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table raised an eyebrow and asked in a deep voice, "Have you seen '5 Centimeters Per Second'?"
"Ha! How could I have seen one? I never watch romance movies!" Seemingly quite proud of his words, the man raised his chin, his tone brimming with disdain: "What's so great about romance movies? They're all just love stories over and over again. How can they compare to the excitement of watching movies about heroes and King Arthur?!"
The middle-aged man remained calm and composed, but looked at him with a hint of pity in his eyes: "Child, you are still too young."
Then, his gaze swept over the crowd, and he continued, "I'm thirty-seven years old this year, and I've become a father. At my wife's request, we took a special flight to the city where '5 Centimeters Per Second' was showing, and I watched it with her—not just once, in fact, we watched it three times!"
Everyone stared at him in astonishment—they knew him well; he was a man who was "unsmiling, meticulous, and perfect in both family and career"!
What kind of movie could make a man like this watch it three times in a row?!
"Could it be... that Madam forced you?" someone asked cautiously.
"I'd say the first time was a bit like that," the middle-aged man said with a wry smile. "To be honest, when she asked me to go see '5 Centimeters Per Second' with her, I initially refused... but after seeing it once, whether it was the second or third time, it was always me who offered to go..."
"Only those who have experienced a truly unforgettable love can understand what '5 Centimeters Per Second' is trying to express. It is precisely because of the sense of loss and longing for past love that people are so captivated by '5 Centimeters Per Second'."
"The two documentaries about King Hero and King Arthur are indeed thrilling, but... love is the only eternal truth in the world. '5 Centimeters Per Second' has precisely captured this point, rising to prominence during this dark period and finding its own niche between the two giants!"
Hearing the middle-aged man's high praise for "5 Centimeters Per Second," everyone fell into deep thought. After a long while, someone sighed, "What's the point of saying all this? '5 Centimeters Per Second's' release date is already set; it's impossible for it to be shown again. It has nothing to do with us anymore..."
"No!" A resolute denial interrupted him. The middle-aged man picked up two books from the table: "【5 Centimeters Per Second】is indeed not very relevant to us, but...!"
The front of the book was shown to everyone, and everyone could clearly see the names on the cover—"Your Name" and "The Monkey King"!
"The team that produced the animated film '5 Centimeters Per Second' is Huaxia Studio. At the world's largest comic convention, CM Comic Con, which just ended a couple of days ago, this studio also released two novels: one is a romance novel called 'Your Name,' and the other is an action-packed novel called 'The Monkey King.' Through personal connections, I learned that 'Your Name' will also be adapted into an animated film soon!"
As he finished speaking, the middle-aged man grinned: "The studio's director and head, Baili Xiao, once said personally that 'Your Name' is a work no less impressive than '5 Centimeters Per Second,' and now..."
"Do you still think this has nothing to do with us?"
Everyone was taken aback at first, but soon a crazed light flashed in their eyes: "So... if we can negotiate a release contract for 'Your Name,' if we can provide 'Your Name' with a larger theater chain... West..."
"Yes! With enough theater support, 'Your Name' might just create a box office phenomenon of billions, or even tens of billions! And we... can make a fortune from it!"
"Then what are we waiting for? Quickly send someone to find that... Baili Xiao, right? Let's discuss cooperation!"
"No rush... 'Your Name' has only just finished its first volume. It's not too late to go after it's all finished..."
...
This is just one film company in Great Britain. In fact, not only in Great Britain, but film companies all over the world have focused their attention on [China] Studio.
They were all watching and waiting—if Baili Xiao and the others had only managed to produce a high-quality, popular animated film like "5 Centimeters Per Second" by sheer luck, then there was no need for "cooperation."
If... it were a different story—the entire film industry would go crazy!
Chapter 0158 Sento Isuzu and Latifa! (First update, please subscribe)
"Lady Latifa, how...are you feeling today?"
At the top floor of the magnificent white building in Amagi Glory Park, a girl wearing brown boots, white stockings on her slender legs, a dashing red guard jacket, and a black skirt with white trim slowly approaches.
Her figure was absolutely perfect. Not only that, but her big eyes seemed to speak volumes just by looking at them. Her flaxen hair, like Minami Kotori's, was tied into a ponytail at the back of her head. Because it was so long, the ends of her hair even reached below her waist.
Her expression was somewhat stiff—not intentionally, but in fact, she had rarely smiled since birth and was a serious and somewhat aloof person.
Of course, for this reason, she has always been very proud and strong-willed since childhood, and could even be described as "rigid and inflexible".
The girl's name is Sento Isuzu, and she is the first guard of the Magic Kingdom "Red Maple Paradise." Her duty is to protect Princess Latifa on the ground.
She slowly approached the exquisite bed, her bright eyes quietly gazing at the beautiful girl lying on it—a girl even she couldn't help but exclaim, "So beautiful!"
"Lady Latifa..." Isuzu whispered, almost to herself, as she placed the tea and snacks on the table next to her in room 343. Although the movement was very gentle, it still startled Latifa, whose eyes were tightly closed.
Somewhat weakly, she opened her eyes, her sky-blue eyes looking at Isuzu—the only and noble eye color in "Red Maple Paradise," though... the light seemed somewhat dim at this moment—a faint smile appeared on Latifa's lips: "Isuzu, you've come."
If Isuzu hadn't possessed a magically enhanced physique, she wouldn't have even heard what Latifah had just said. This caused her a pang of heartache, because she knew clearly that Latifah's health was much worse today than yesterday...
“Isuzu…” As she spoke, Latifa tried to sit up, but this startled Isuzu, who quickly sat down beside her and supported her with both hands: “Lady Latifa, you need to rest, perhaps you shouldn’t…”
Golden, wavy hair cascaded down Isuzu's back. Latifa shook her head slightly: "If I lie down, I won't be able to eat, right? That will make my health even worse..."
Feeling the weight on her arm, Isuzu bit her lip to stop herself from groaning—Latifa's body couldn't be healed simply by eating. If this continued, Latifa would fall into an eternal slumber on August 1st of the following year...
For the people of the magical kingdom of "Red Maple Paradise," "eternal slumber" means complete disappearance from this world—yes, like a bubble.
She forced a smile—she wasn't good at this, but she had no choice but to do it for Latifah—and placed the tea and snacks in front of Latifah with her right hand: "Lady Latifah, let me feed you."
Latifa didn't refuse—she knew her physical condition; right now, she probably couldn't even do something as simple as picking up a spoon. —Her blue eyes looked at Isuzu's profile, and she chuckled softly: "Isuzu, your smile is so ugly. You should practice more in the future."
"Yes, Lady Latifah, I will practice more in the future." Isuzu responded softly and carefully brought the tea snack to Latifah's lips, watching her eat it bit by bit—even a tea snack the size of half a palm took more than a minute!
Latifa took a sip of the black tea brewed by Isuzu herself and let out a satisfied sigh, after which the room fell into a long silence.
"Isuzu, my body probably won't last much longer." Latifa lowered her head slightly, her long golden hair obscuring her face, preventing Isuzu from seeing her expression.
Silence, still silence—Isuzu didn't know how to answer. Proud and inflexible by nature, she had never lied, but... the simple words "yes" were so difficult to utter today...
“When I… even opening my eyes becomes difficult, I hope you won’t take me back to Maple Paradise. Even if I disappear, I want to stay here.” Latifa’s voice was soft, but the meaning behind her words made Isuzu’s eyes widen in horror: “No! Absolutely not! Lady Latifa could never disappear! And your health won’t deteriorate any further. We will do everything we can to increase the number of visitors to the amusement park, as long as…”
The more visitors there are to Amagi Radiant Amusement Park, the more direct the impact will be on the amount of soul power in the park. This will allow Latifa's body to absorb more soul power and become healthier day by day—everyone knows this principle, but... "increasing the number of visitors" has been a problem they have been unable to solve for many years!
"Isuzu, don't worry." Latifa lifted her chin, her right hand slowly reaching towards Isuzu's cheek, her fair, even pale, fingers caressing her skin. "It's alright. I've seen everyone's efforts. The amusement park has only gotten to where it is today because of my own shortcomings..."
(Is it because I lack the ability...?)
With deep marks left on her lips from being bitten by her teeth, Isuzu's expression grew increasingly gloomy—as the acting manager, she was also "incompetent" to have the amusement park become like this.
"Lady Latifa, please rest." I didn't want to continue discussing this topic—one reason being that Latifa's current health couldn't withstand the strain of prolonged talking, and another reason being... rather than wasting time discussing "whose responsibility" here, it was more practical to think of solutions and take action to do our part to increase the number of passengers!
Helping Latifa lie down, Isuzu gave her a deep look with a complicated expression. She picked up the empty plate next to her and was about to leave when her cell phone in her pocket suddenly vibrated.
Isuzu paused slightly, but the next second she walked out of the room with the same expression—she knew that answering the phone would disturb Latifa's rest.
A very familiar name appeared on the phone screen:
"Kensaka Akane!"
PS: The image shows Sento Isuzu.
Chapter 0159 First Meeting with Latifa! (Two Chapters, Please Subscribe)
"Ms. Kousaka." Isuzu said softly as she answered the phone. Akane Kousaka was silent for a few seconds before speaking, "Isuzu, has Latifa's condition worsened again?"
The worldly-wise Akane Kousaka could guess what had happened just by hearing Isuzu's voice—just as she expected, the latter hesitated for a moment before finally saying "hmm".
"Miss Kousaka, please tell me, what can I do for Lady Latifa now?" The disappointment in her voice was undisguised. Isuzu gripped her phone tightly in her right hand, the veins on the back of her hand clearly visible. "If this continues, Lady Latifa will soon become so weak that she will have to fall into a deep sleep... By August 1st of next year, I'm afraid..."
Isuzu squeezed her eyes shut, and images from a past experience involuntarily flashed through her mind—in the Red Maple Paradise, many elderly people who died of old age would fall into a deep sleep, and then, one day in the sunlight, turn into glimmers of light and disappear before everyone's eyes...
She's seen this kind of thing so many times that the thought "that's how it should be" pops into her head.
However, Lady Latifa is only fourteen years old (because of a curse, her body is reset every August 1st, so she has always maintained the appearance of a fourteen-year-old)! It is precisely at the age when she is most beautiful and should be enjoying life the most... that it is absolutely impossible for her to calmly accept the fact that Lady Latifa is "about to die"!
"Isuzu, don't get agitated. This time, I've found someone who can help Latifa." Hearing the muffled sound from Isuzu on the other end of the line, Akane Akasaka's voice turned deep and serious: "Believe me, this person can definitely change the current situation of the amusement park. As long as we listen to him, he can definitely attract countless tourists to the amusement park!"
"!!!" Startled, Isuzu opened her eyes and saw a glimmer of light in them. After confirming that she hadn't misheard, a last glimmer of hope arose in her heart—in this moment of near despair, if she could see even a ray of light, whatever it was, she would grasp it tightly!
"Who is that person? Miss Kurosaka, please tell me! I'll bring him here no matter what it takes!" Isuzu asked anxiously, while simultaneously preparing for the worst—(If all else fails... even if it means resorting to force, I'll "bring" him here!)
A soft chuckle came from the other end of the phone: "I know, Isuzu, the way you 'invite' people is quite unusual—just like how you did to me a few years ago... Actually, we've already arrived in Amagi, just got off the plane. Wait a moment, we..."
Before Akane Kousaka could finish speaking, Isuzu's joyful—almost roaring—sounded clearly, even to the ears of Hyakuri Akira and the others standing nearby: "Miss Kousaka! I'll find someone right away... no, I'll go there immediately!"
With a wry smile, Akane Akasaka pulled her phone back slightly, looking at the "Call Ended" message on the screen. She shook her head and said, "Isuzu has always seemed so unhurried and rigid, like she doesn't care about anything... It's rare to see her so anxious."
She paused slightly, then looked at Baili Xiao, her gaze holding something unreadable: "Of course, this also shows that the situation has indeed reached its most critical moment, Baili-kun..."
After a moment's thought, Baili Xiao nodded: "Ms. Kurosaka, please rest assured, now that I'm here, I will do my best to resolve the Amagi Radiant Amusement Park issue... It may be inappropriate to say this in advance, but to be honest, I already have quite a few solutions in mind."
"Of course, I have never doubted Baili-kun's abilities, not since our first meeting when the first volume of [5 Centimeters Per Second] was released!"
...
Half an hour later, led by Sento Isuzu, Baili Xiao and the others finally arrived at the castle where Latifa lived—it was called a castle, but it was not very large, barely reaching the size of the villa where the studio staff lived.
"Everyone, I'm so sorry, Lady Latifa is too weak. If possible, please rest in the living room for a while." Isuzu said, bowing deeply to everyone, then looked at Hyakuri Akira and Akane Akasaka: "Lady Hyakuri, please follow me into the room. Miss Akasaka..."
"I'm not going." Akane Akasaka shrugged, her expression somewhat helpless. "My memories are reset every year. I suppose Latifa has already forgotten who I am?"
Her mouth was slightly open, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, Isuzu chose to remain silent—just as Akane Akasaka said, in the second year after she left, Latifa had already forgotten the name "Akane Akasaka".