novellhall Chapter 176 Is Chen Xun an Assassin? [5000]
Chapter 176 Is Chen Xun an Assassin? [5000]
Chapter 176 Is Chen Xun an Assassin? [5000]
An accident occurred in the studio, and the crew suspended filming for several days.
The safety team was severely reprimanded by the producer.
All the sets and props were checked again.
The two lighting technicians who were nearly hit received additional compensation and signed confidentiality agreements.
In Hollywood, there's nothing that money can't solve; if there is, it's simply that there isn't enough money!
After Jennifer's agent arrived, she spoke with the production team behind closed doors for two hours.
"You must be more careful next time!"
Jennifer's agent warned her: "You're a multi-million dollar star now; you can't afford any blemishes."
Jennifer nodded, but her mind was on Chen Xun's injured arm.
Filming resumed a week later.
Today we're shooting the lightning tree scene.
This is the second newly added deadly mechanism.
This is a mutated plant that releases high-voltage electricity and attacks players with rapidly spinning branches.
The special effects team made physical models, but the actors' reaction shots needed to be filmed live.
"Jennifer, in this scene you were hit by a branch and thrown out, spinning in the air at least three times."
Before filming began, the action director explained, "We'll use wire work to simulate the high speed. If you can't handle it, you can use a stunt double."
"I can do it!"
Jennifer refused without even thinking.
She glanced at Chen Xun, who was standing next to the monitor.
Chen Xun's arm was still bandaged, but he had already returned to filming dramatic scenes.
She didn't want to delay the progress any further because of her own reasons, and she didn't want people to think she was being spoiled.
The wire crew dressed her in a specially made tight-fitting harness with thickened back connection points to prevent injury during high-speed rotation.
Jennifer stood in the designated spot and took a deep breath.
"Action!"
The wire suddenly pulled up, suspending Jennifer at a height of three meters.
Then, the motor started, and she began to rotate horizontally.
One lap, two laps, three laps —
The speed is getting faster and faster.
Chen Xun saw her face on the monitor, from its initial tension to its later distortion.
The director didn't call "cut".
After about fifteen seconds of filming, the wire slowly descended.
Jennifer visibly wobbled when she landed on her feet.
But she held on and didn't fall, managing to make one last terrified expression for the camera.
"Cut! Great!"
As soon as the director yelled "cut," Jennifer bent over and vomited.
It wasn't acting; he really vomited.
I vomited up all the energy bars and fruit I ate in the morning, and the staff quickly handed me a bucket.
A commotion broke out at the scene.
The medical team rushed over, and the assistant handed them water and towels.
Jennifer waved her hand, her face pale but trying to appear fine: "I'm okay, I just felt dizzy."
Chen Xun walked over and handed her a bottle of mouthwash. Jennifer took it, her hands still trembling.
Why bother?
Chen Xun said in a low voice, "Using a body double is not shameful."
"I don't want to." Jennifer rinsed her mouth and wiped it. "Besides, your arm is still injured, but you still came back to filming, didn't you?"
The two looked at each other but neither spoke.
Just then, Chen Xun saw a golden orb of light fall from Jennifer's feet:
[Body Control Resistance +12]
Chen Xun absorbed the information without making a sound.
The ball of light merged into the body, and the system notification appeared: [Acting skill level progress +1%, currently 74%].
An experience about how to control one's body and fight off dizziness suddenly appeared in his mind and merged into his original memories.
Quite useful!
I think it won't be so uncomfortable to spin around while filming action scenes in the future.
"Should we still protect one of them?"
Jennifer asked the director, her voice still a little weak.
Francis watched the monitor playback and shook his head: "This take is enough. The expression is very realistic. You rest for half an hour, and we'll shoot a reverse shot."
Jennifer was helped to the rest area by her assistant.
Chen Xun followed her and sat down next to her.
"How are you feeling?"
"It felt like being thrown into a washing machine and spun around for ten minutes."
Jennifer, with her eyes closed, said, "Everything looks shaky now."
"The semicircular canals of the inner ear are irritated."
Chen Xun said, "Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and you will slowly recover."
This is the experience he summarized based on the attribute orbs he had just absorbed.
Jennifer did as instructed.
A few minutes later, she opened her eyes, and her gaze was noticeably clearer.
Jennifer looked at Chen Xun with surprise: "How do you know so much? I'm really not upset anymore!"
Chen Xun hadn't expected it to be so effective.
It seems that there are still many functions waiting for him to discover after the upgrade.
Chen Xun's role in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is not very large, except for a few scenes in Volcano Park and the beginning in District 2.
These shots were taken in less than two months in total.
After filming the main scenes, Chen Xun returned to Los Angeles.
Rob returned two days early.
Fast & Furious 5 is about to begin its roadshow.
Rob had arranged everything that needed to be noted beforehand.
Because Chen Xun injured his arm, he couldn't do many of the movements.
Rob was waiting for him at the exit. Upon seeing him, he looked him up and down and asked, "Is your arm any better?"
"It's alright, it doesn't affect the movements too much. As long as I'm not filming nude scenes, you won't be able to tell!"
Chen Xun raised his injured left arm.
The stitches in my arm have been removed, the bone was not injured, and there is still a faint scar.
Chen Xun discovered that after his physical fitness improved, his wounds' healing ability also increased significantly.
"Who cares if you do nude scenes or not?"
Rob handed him his phone: "Take a look at this first!"
The first official trailer for Fast & Furious 5 is playing on the screen.
Chen Xun took the headphones and pressed play.
The two-minute and thirty-second trailer was edited with a fast pace.
The film opens with Vin Diesel and Paul Walker racing through the streets of Rio.
The camera shakes, the engine roars.
Then there's a shot of Gal Gadot riding a motorcycle.
Chen Xun immediately recognized those as the ones taken before the accident; the way her long hair danced wildly in the wind was indeed quite dashing.
Then, the scene changes.
Chen Xun saw himself.
That was his fight scene in the Rio police station parking lot.
In the footage, he sidestepped the attack and then swiftly and cleanly elbowed his opponent in the ribs.
The next shot shows him running through the alleyways of the slums, with pursuers behind him and a fork in the road ahead.
The movie added gunfight effects, making it look more dangerous than it actually was during filming.
Chen Xun drove out of the encirclement, drifting around a corner, the tires scraping white smoke from the ground.
The final image freezes on his gaze as he turns to look in the rearview mirror.
After the trailer ended, the release date appeared on the black screen.
Handsome!
The feeling of seeing himself in a movie that was a huge hit in his previous life was a bit overwhelming for Chen Xun.
Especially when he appears with people like Vin Diesel and Paul.
My past self would never have dared to imagine this.
I got into the car, ready to return to my residence.
Chen Xun opened his phone and browsed Twitter.
Three of the top five trending topics on Twitter are related to Fast & Furious 5!
Chen Xun had gotten used to it!
But it's clear that Rob isn't used to it yet.
He sat in the driver's seat and began to ramble on: "Do you know what the last movie whose trailer generated this much buzz was? —"
Chen Xun's entire body sank into the soft back seat of Robert's newly replaced MPV.
This guy made money!
This car alone must be worth more than $10!
Chen Xun suddenly felt that he should buy a car too!
I wonder if he could sell him that Dodge Gallardo from the film crew?
Chen Xun had a special fondness for that car.
It has ample power and provides excellent road feedback.
Most importantly, Chen Xun has feelings for it.
Chen Xun opened his phone and continued browsing Twitter.
The most liked tweet was from an anonymous account, supposedly a crew member: "Regarding the real situation during the filming of 'Fast & Furious 5' in Rio, everyone knows the crew was attacked in the Rossini favela, but do you know who organized the counterattack?"
"It's Chen Xun!"
This statement immediately caused a huge uproar.
There has been no clear official explanation for the events in Rio.
It was just that a group of bandits attacked the film crew, and the military and the embassy worked together to rescue the crew.
No further explanation was given.
Chen Xun only answered some related questions during the press conference.
"Really?"
"He's just an actor, you're practically praising Chen Xun to the skies!"
"Confirmed, this account belongs to a die-hard Chen Xun fan!"
The anonymous account seemed surprised that no one believed its true account.
He then attached several blurry photos to the tweet, which were clearly taken secretly with a mobile phone.
Chen Xun leaned against the wall, holding a gun, and directed the operation.
Chen Xun pulled Gal Gadot back to the cover.
Chen Xun stood in front of the collapsed set, blood on his arm.
"The scene was chaotic. Two groups of people were attacking the film crew. One group was ordinary criminals who were stealing equipment and cars, and the other group was professional gunmen from the local gang. Several of the film crew's security guards died, and almost all of them were injured. If Chen Xun hadn't reacted quickly, the casualties would have been even greater. He not only survived himself, but also saved several people."
Chen Xun was startled as he looked at the photos.
-
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He never expected that his actions would be filmed in such a chaotic situation and then posted online!
Although some people praised him, it was a good thing.
But Chen Xun sensed something was amiss.
This is clearly meant to push him up high and then throw him down hard!
Just then, Rob drove up to Chen Xun's house in Beverly Hills.
"Take a look at this!"
Chen Xun handed the phone to Robert.
Rob watched for a while, his expression changing, and he clearly realized what was going on.
"I'm contacting the PR team and the production crew right now to make sure this incident doesn't have any negative impact."
For a Chinese person living in the United States, Chen Xun's actions are very likely to lead the American authorities to believe that Chen Xun's actions in the United States have ulterior motives.
It could even have a very bad impact on Chen Xun's career.
After all, Chen Xun is a pure Chinese, not of Chinese descent, and has not become a U.S. citizen.
Before the two could react...
The tweet with the photo was quickly shared, and the comment section exploded.
"Wait a minute, so Chen Xun really has experience in those action scenes in the trailer??"
"This sounds like a movie plot—"
"But the photos are real. I checked the EXIF information, and the filming time was indeed during the film crew's time in Rio."
39
"So Chen Xun isn't just an actor? What's his background?"
"Some people say he used to be in the special forces and came to Hollywood after retiring from the military."
"Impossible. His resume says he graduated from USC, a proper academic background."
Then, more insiders came forward.
Another account, @PoisonousTongueFilmReview, tweeted: "I was working as a local translator on the set of Fast & Furious 5. Chen Xun did save people. He shot and killed at least three gunmen. Afterwards, Brazilian military personnel came to the scene and said that his shooting position and movement were so professional that he didn't look like an actor."
This tweet prompted some to question: "An actor shooting someone? Is that legal?"
-
Someone quickly replied: "In Brazil, self-defense is legal if your life is threatened!"
"Back then, in that situation, not firing a gun meant certain death!"
"He saved a film crew, mitigated the damage, and the Rio military should thank Chen Xun!"
Public opinion began to diverge.
Some people think Chen Xun is a hero for protecting his colleagues in times of crisis.
Others think this is ridiculous, like a story Warner Bros. made up to promote a movie.
A small group of people also questioned Chen Xun's identity and demanded that the United States investigate Chen Xun's background.
TMZ is entering the fray.
This media outlet, known for digging up dirt on celebrities, published a report with a sensational title: "From Chinese Actor to Rio Gun God: Chen Xun's Unknown Past."
The article didn't provide concrete evidence, but it subtly suggested that "according to a source, Chen Xun may have had a special background before coming to the United States."
Between his graduation and 2011, his whereabouts were unclear; rumors circulated that he worked for a private security company.
They have received professional training.
This report was followed up by other media outlets.
The New York Post's entertainment headline was about the true identity of the star of Fast & Furious 5.
Actor or soldier?
The Hollywood Reporter was relatively objective, interviewing several crew members anonymously.
The consensus is that Chen Xun's performance in Rio was extraordinary, but there is no evidence to suggest that he had an illegal background.
Chen Xun looked at these reports, unsure of what to do.
If I keep talking, I might sound like a killer lurking in America, waiting for the right moment to strike!
But this brought Chen Xun an astonishing amount of attention, surpassing any previous instance of his popularity.
Rob's car stopped in the garage in Beverly Hills.
Chen Xun was still scrolling through his phone.
The anonymous account's tweet has now been retweeted over 100,000 times, and the comment section has become a massive conspiracy theory forum.
The most popular comment was: "A Chinese actor, in a Brazilian favela, using professional tactical moves to repel two groups of armed men? Even Call of Duty wouldn't dare write something like that, unless he's not an actor at all."
The replies were varied: "It might be a CIA secret agent; the actor is using a disguise."
"Or perhaps an Eastern version of 007? I heard they have a Wolf Warrior project—"
"He's watched too many movies, but to be honest, the way he holds the gun in those photos doesn't look like a novice."
"I served in the military for four years and can confirm that his posture against the wall was a standard angled observation, which is not something ordinary civilians would do."
""
Then someone dug up clips of Chen Xun's previous interviews.
During the promotional period for "2 Broke Girls" last year, someone asked him if he had received any special training.
At the time, Chen Xun joked, "Does hiding from paparazzi on the streets of Los Angeles count?"
The video has now resurfaced, captioned: "What is he hiding?"
Once you become famous, even the smallest actions will be magnified!
"Are these people crazy?"
-
Rob slumped in the driver's seat: "This isn't entertainment news anymore, it's fucking becoming a political issue."
Chen Xun remained silent.
He opened Weibo.
really!
The country was bombed.
#ChenXunRioGodofWarrior#
Clicking through reveals a completely different art style from Twitter.
The Weibo post by a military blogger reads: "Analyze Chen Xun's tactical maneuvers in the leaked photos."
"Figure 1 shows a low-stance firing position with the muzzle pointing towards the gun and the finger not on the trigger guard. This is the standard alert stance."
"Figure 2 shows that when using a corner for cover, only the minimum lateral exposure of the body is required. This is the foundation of urban warfare."
"Conclusion: Either he has received professional training, or he is the most talented tactical imitator I have ever seen."
The comments section erupted in laughter: "Brother Xun is awesome! He not only went abroad to film but also showcased the tactical skills of our people!"
"If this is true, I suggest that the Beijing Film Academy establish a tactical performance major and have Brother Xun as a visiting professor."
"So Chen Xun is actually an Easter egg in Wolf Warrior 3?"
"Upstairs, I won't watch Wolf Warrior 3 without him."
Then, netizens started making memes.
Someone photoshopped Chen Xun's picture onto the Call of Duty: Rio Operations poster, changing the title to: Call of Duty: Rio Operations.
Someone made a meme: Chen Xun holding a gun from the side, with the caption "When the boss says we have to work overtime tonight."
Even more outrageous, an account called "Entertainment Sherlock Holmes" published a long article, fabricating a complete backstory for Chen Xun: "Based on publicly available information and clues, I speculate that Chen Xun's true identity may be a former employee of an international private security company, codenamed Qianlong, who left due to ideological differences during a mission and entered the entertainment industry under an assumed name. But the fighting spirit ingrained in his bones..."
Instinct cannot be erased, and thus it was unintentionally exposed during the Rio incident.
This article is written in great detail, even filling in the fact that Chen Xun was in the country and disappeared for two years.
During those two years, he was not unemployed, but received training at a multinational security company and participated in several overseas escort missions.
The article concludes with a friendly reminder: "The above content is purely fictional; any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."
But netizens don't care whether it's a single structure or not.
The number of reposts skyrocketed, and the comments section was filled with: "Got it, got it."
"I see"
"No wonder he acts so realistically in action scenes."
Chen Xun covered his face as he looked at these things.
Rob leaned closer for a look and nearly fainted: "Are they trying to mold you into a real-life John Wick?!"
"Even worse than that!"
Chen Xun handed him his phone: "Look at this."
The tweet was from a conservative American media figure: "A Chinese citizen has demonstrated exceptional tactical skills overseas and is rapidly rising in Hollywood."
"We need to ask a few questions: What is his real purpose in coming to the United States? Has his background been adequately vetted?"
Has Hollywood become a target of infiltration by certain forces?
This tweet was retweeted by several influential politicians, and calls for "investigating Chen Xun" and "protecting the American cultural industry" have begun to appear in the comments section.
"This is going to be blown out of proportion."
Rob's face turned pale: "If those anti-China members of Congress really target you, they might put you through a hearing or something—"
Chen Xun took a deep breath.
He knew he could no longer deal with this passively.
"Call the head of public relations at Warner."
He told Rob, "We also need to contact a lawyer; we need a formal response plan."
Robert immediately started dialing.