novellhall 第247章 1桌4个人，3个在开挂？【5000】
第247章 1桌4个人，3个在开挂？【5000】
Chapter 247 Four people at one table, three of them are cheating? [5000 views]
The ultimate showdown between the Ancient One and Karuru.
The Mirror Space War.
The original script was written like a superhero battle with amazing visual effects, but it was missing something.
"It needs to have a philosophical touch."
Sanjay drew lines on the screen with an electronic pen: "It can't just be me being righteous and you being evil. It has to be like playing chess, where every move is a clash of ideas."
He pulled up his own modified version.
Chen Xun's eyes lit up after reading a few lines.
Sanjay wrote the battle as a dialogue.
Every time Gu Yi forms a hand seal, she is explaining the meaning of protection.
Every time Karuru casts a dark spell, she questions the price of freedom.
Actions are the outward expression; at their core, they represent a clash between two worldviews.
"Here, the Ancient One used the Vishanti Shield to block the Void Devouring."
Sanjay pointed to a passage: "What I'm protecting isn't perfection, it's possibility."
"Then Karuru retorted, 'Destruction is also a possibility. What gives you the right to choose for the world?'"
"Absolutely brilliant!"
Chen Xun gave a thumbs up.
This is what high-end goods look like.
Audiences enjoy the action scenes, while film critics appreciate the profound dialogue—it's a win-win situation.
The two revised the script until noon, and finally finalized the three scenes.
Sanjay sent the file to his contact at Marvel, then stretched and said, "All done, can go back now!"
"Leaving today?"
"Yes, the flight is in the afternoon."
Sanjay stood up, his knees cracking twice: "I'm getting old, my legs go numb from sitting cross-legged for too long."
By lunchtime, Dorje had already packed his luggage.
Two simple cloth bags, containing monks' robes and scriptures.
Sangye had even less luggage, just a canvas bag containing a tablet, a charger, and a few packets of Tibetan medicine.
"Where is Droma?"
Chen asked.
"She's waiting for us at the airport."
Dorjee said, "She went back to LS yesterday, saying she wanted to buy some things in the city to take with her."
At 2 p.m., the car left Ganden Monastery.
Chen Xun looked back.
The crimson buildings look like an ancient painting in the sunlight.
He arrived three days ago in a daze, but now he leaves with a clear mind and an added buff of a stable soul.
airport.
Sure enough, I saw Zhuoma standing at the entrance of the departure hall.
She changed her clothes; she still wore a beige linen long shirt, but this time she wore a light gray cashmere cardigan over it, and her hair was tied in a ponytail, making her look more neat than she had on the plane.
"Teacher Chen!"
She smiled and waved, her eyes curving into crescents: "Your soul has returned?"
Chen Xun smiled wryly: "Back to where I am. Thank you for the chance encounter."
"You're welcome!"
Zhuoma blinked: "Uncle asked me to check on you. I have to do my duty."
Sanjay snorted from the side: "She also received consulting fees from Marvel, double her salary, how wonderful."
The group went through security and boarded the plane.
This time it's a direct flight to Los Angeles, with a refueling stop in the capital.
Business class, spacious seats.
Chen Xun and Sangjie sat in one row, while Zhuoma and Dorje sat in the back.
After the plane took off, Sanjay took out an eye mask from his canvas bag: "I'm going to sleep for a while. Wake me up when we arrive."
She fell asleep immediately after saying that.
Chen Xun: "————"
This person falls asleep incredibly fast.
He opened the entertainment system in front of him and browsed the movie list.
Guardians of the Galaxy was featured on the homepage, with a still of him on the cover.
He silently scrolled past and selected an old Nolan film, Inception.
Halfway through the movie, a voice came from beside me: "You like Nolan?"
Zhuoma woke up at some point and was looking at his screen with her head turned to the side.
"Let me learn from this."
Chen Xun paused the film: "His narrative structure is very impressive."
"But it's too brain-intensive."
Zhuoma took an apple out of her small cloth bag and took a bite: "Viewers don't understand it after watching it once, and they get tired after watching it twice. Your movie is good, you can enjoy it once, and you can discover details after watching it twice."
"Thank you for the compliment!"
"I'm not praising you, it's the truth."
She took another bite of her apple: "Eight out of ten of my studio's clients have seen 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' and they all say they felt much better after watching it. That's called emotional value, right?"
Chen Xun laughed: "Your business scope is quite broad."
"Spiritual healing also needs to be grounded in reality."
Zhuoma wrapped the apple core in a tissue: "You can't exactly tell a client, 'Come on, let's talk about reincarnation.' They pay $300 an hour to solve real-world problems like anxiety, insomnia, and relationship troubles."
"So I often use movies as a starting point, such as the scene in Guardians of the Galaxy where Groot sacrifices himself, to talk about dedication and letting go."
Chen Xun turned to look at her.
This woman's thinking is peculiar, yet strangely reasonable.
"So what do you think 'The Ancient One' can be discussed about?"
"Let's talk about choices."
Zhuoma wiped her hands: "The Ancient One chose to protect, Karuru chose freedom. There is no absolute right or wrong, only different prices."
.
"This topic is very popular in the United States. Individualism vs. social responsibility, freedom vs. security, the debate never ends."
She paused for a moment, then said, "By the way, my uncle didn't tell you, did he?"
"Among my clients in Los Angeles are several Hollywood screenwriters. They come to me when they can't write a script, and I help them organize their ideas for $500 an hour."
Chen Xun: "————"
This family are all business geniuses.
The plane stopped in Beijing for two hours to refuel, and the four people stayed on the plane and rested in their seats.
Sanjay didn't wake up the whole time; he was snoring.
Dorjee was a little reserved, sitting upright and looking at the airport lights outside the window.
"First time going abroad?"
Chen asked him.
Dorjee nodded: "The first time I took a plane was a few days ago, when I came from LS to BJ to pick you up."
Are you nervous?
"A little."
Dorjee honestly said, "But the teacher said that all things are empty, airports are empty, airplanes are empty, and tension is empty."
Chen Xun laughed: "Then don't sit so upright, relax a bit."
Dorjee tried to lean back in his chair, but his body remained tense.
Zhuoma whispered from behind, "He grew up in the temple, where the rules are strict and his habits are hard to change. If you let him be more comfortable, he'll be even more uncomfortable."
Chen Xun understood.
This is called culture shock!
After taking off again, Chen Xun fell asleep.
When I woke up again, the captain announced that we would be landing in Los Angeles in an hour.
Outside the window is the dark Pacific Ocean, with occasional glimpses of city lights in the distance.
Sanjay finally woke up, took off his eye mask, and rubbed his face: "Have we arrived?"
"Soon."
I'm hungry.
Sanjay patted his stomach: "The airplane food isn't good. You'll have to treat me when we land. I heard there's a really famous burger joint in Los Angeles."
Chen Xun nodded: "Enough for everyone!"
Zhuoma chimed in from behind, "Uncle, your three high indicators—"
We'll talk about it when we get there.
Sanjay waved his hand: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
At 8 p.m., the plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport.
Stepping out of the terminal, a wave of heat hit me.
Completely different from the dry cold of XZ, this place is humid and hot, with the smell of gasoline and fast food in the air.
Dorjee was clearly stunned.
He stared wide-eyed at the traffic, neon lights, and the giant "GG" sign in front of him.
The GG card features a promotional image for "Guardians of the Galaxy," with Chen Xun's face taking up half of it.
"That's...you?"
Dorjee pointed to the GG sign.
"Um.
"
Chen Xun waved and hailed an UberXL: "Let's go, let's eat first."
He didn't have Robert come to pick him up.
Sanjay and Dorje were visiting America for the first time, and I was going to show them around America.
The car was a seven-seater SUV, the driver was a Mexican man, and Latin music was playing in the car.
Sanjay, sitting in the passenger seat, immediately asked as soon as he got in, "Is there a quieter place?"
The middle-aged man glanced at him and then switched to jazz.
Chen Xun sat in the middle row, while Zhuoma and Duoji sat in the back.
Dorjee kept staring out the window, like a child in an amusement park.
Zhuoma remained calm and took out her phone to reply to messages.
We drove to West Hollywood and parked in front of the In-N-Out burger joint.
"This is the one!"
Chen Xun got out of the car: "A California specialty, a must-try."
The store was quite crowded, with a queue extending to the door.
Chen Xun told the three of them to find seats while he went to order.
He ordered four double cheeseburgers, four animal-themed fries, four milkshakes (one vanilla, one chocolate, one strawberry), and a special protein-themed burger for Sanjay, which was low in carbs.
When I came back after ordering, I found Sangye, Droma, and Dorje sitting in the booth by the window, all three of them in the same position.
With his back straight and hands on his knees, he looked like he was meditating.
Some customers recognized Chen Xun and secretly took pictures.
Chen Xun pretended not to see it.
The food was ready, and he brought it over. The double cheeseburger was wrapped in paper, the fries were golden, and the milkshake cup was covered with water droplets.
"Eat."
Sanjay picked up the hamburger and studied how to unpack it.
Dorjee tried to imitate him, but his movements were stiff.
Zhuoma was the most skilled; she simply tore open the paper and took a big bite.
"Ugh————"
Sanjay chewed a few bites, his eyes lighting up: "This is delicious."
Chen Xun laughed: "Better than airplane food, right?"
"Much better."
Sanjay took another bite, his cheeks puffing out: "The meat is delicious, and the sauce is great too. What kind of sauce is this?"
"Thousand Island dressing with roasted onions."
"good."
Dorje ate in small bites, but at a fast pace.
Zhuoma had already finished half a hamburger and started eating fries.
Why are these fries called "Animal Style"?
Dorje asked.
"Because of the addition of chopped roasted onions, cheese sauce, and Thousand Island dressing."
Chen Xun explained: "A heat bomb!"
Dorjee nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Halfway through the meal, Sangjie suddenly said, "Chen Xun, you're a nice person."
Chen Xun looked up.
"Many Hollywood stars are rich, famous, and aloof."
Sanjay wiped his hands: "You're treating us to this. It's not a fancy restaurant; it's a place for ordinary people."
Chen Xun laughed: "I haven't been famous for very long, so I can't get arrogant yet."
"Even if you become famous, you can stay grounded."
Sanjay took a sip of his milkshake: "I've seen many gurus in India who become arrogant when they have a lot of disciples."
Zhuoma nodded in agreement: "My clients, those second- or third-tier celebrities, have a bigger entourage than the first-tier ones; they go out with five assistants."
.
"You didn't bring anything, you carried your own bags, took a taxi, and treated us to hamburgers. In the spiritual community, this is called being down-to-earth, and it's the highest praise."
Just as Sanjay finished speaking, a loud "bang" came from outside the window.
It was gunfire!
Chen Xun was all too familiar with that voice!
A few years before he became famous, he lived in a run-down apartment in Koreatown, where gang fights broke out every few days downstairs.
I was often awakened by gunshots in the middle of the night and would cower under the bed waiting for police sirens.
Later in Brazil, he even participated in gunfights and killed people.
But it's been peaceful since we moved to Beverly Hills!
I never expected to run into him here again today.
The burger shop fell silent for a second.
Then came the screaming.
The customer by the window immediately bent down, their movements so practiced it was heartbreaking.
The cashier girl turned pale and shakily pressed the alarm button.
"Get down!"
Chen Xun reacted the fastest, shoving Sangjie under the table while yelling at Zhuoma and Dorje, "Don't look up!"
Dorje was still stunned when Droma pulled him under the booth.
Another series of gunshots rang out outside the window.
boom! boom! boom!
People were screaming and running in the street, car horns were blaring, and tires were screeching against the ground.
"Fuck!"
The gunfire outside was getting closer.
Judging from the sound, it wasn't a pistol, but at least a semi-automatic rifle, the kind that fires in bursts. The bullets hit the wall across the street, sending brick fragments flying.
Everyone in the store was lying on the ground, and no one dared to move.
A child was crying, but his mother covered his mouth tightly.
When will the police arrive?
Sanjay asked from under the table, his voice surprisingly calm.
"Soon—it should be."
Chen Xun was actually unsure of himself.
He's lived in Los Angeles for so many years and knows how efficient the police are.
The rich get there faster, the poor get there slower!
This middle ground depends on luck.
boom!
Another sound.
This time it was extremely close; it felt like the bullet hit the outer wall.
Inside the shop, people began to pray quietly, a mixture of English and Spanish.
Dorjee was trembling.
This child grew up in a temple and the most violent thing he had ever seen was monks throwing scriptures when they got heated during a debate.
Hearing live ammunition flying around me now, not wetting my pants is already a testament to my good self-control.
This is also a unique way to experience America!
Droma patted him on the shoulder and whispered something in Tibetan.
Dorjee took a deep breath and calmed down a little.
Chen Xun lay on the ground, peering out through the crack in the table.
The streets were deserted, except for a few cars parked crookedly in the middle of the road with their doors open; the owners had long since fled.
Police lights could be seen flashing in the distance, but they hadn't arrived yet.
The gunfire stopped for about five seconds.
Just when everyone thought it was over—
chug chug!
This time it was a burst of fire.
And bullets swept over.
"Splash!"
The glass window of the hamburger shop facing the street shattered.
The shards rained in, landing on the person lying face down.
Someone was scratched and groaned, but dared not move.
Chen Xun's heart was pounding in his throat.
He could feel the bullets flying over his head, hitting the back wall, leaving bullet holes.
The aroma of fried chicken mixed with the smell of gunpowder was incredibly eerie.
But the next second, he froze.
Because he discovered something.
The bullets that flew in seemed to bypass their table.
It's not a physical deflection, but rather a strange ballistic trajectory.
Even though the glass was broken and bullets were flying in, based on the trajectory, their booth by the window should have been the first to be hit.
But the bullets seemed to have eyes; they either hit the wall next to them or embedded themselves in the back of the seat opposite them, but none of them came this way.
One bullet even grazed the tip of Chen Xun's shoe, creating a crater in the ground before bouncing away.
This unscientific.
The image of the Vishanti's shield from the dungeon flashed through Chen Xun's mind.
A pale gold hexagonal screen with Sanskrit characters flowing along its edges.
But he's not forming any hand seals right now.
Moreover, there is no magic in the real world.
So this is—
He turned to look at Sanjay under the table.
The old monk sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his hands resting on his knees, his fingers forming a strange hand gesture.
A hand seal he had never seen before.
It was very well hidden, under the table, and no one could see it.
Only Chen Xun's angle allows for a glimpse of it.
Sanjay's lips moved slightly, but he didn't make a sound; his mouth movements resembled chanting.
Zhuoma was also making a similar movement, tapping her fingers lightly on her knees with a strange rhythm.
Dorjee was chanting sutras, his voice was very soft, but it was clear that it was Tibetan mantra.
Chen Xun:
So, out of the four people at the table, three were cheating?
Is he just an ordinary person who can only stare blankly?
The gunfire outside intensified, interspersed with shouts from police: "LAPD! Drop your weapons!"
"Get down! Put your hands behind your head!"
Then another firefight ensued.
Bang bang bang! Rat rat rat rat!
It sounds like at least two guns were returning fire.
Inside the hamburger shop, a daring employee quietly climbed towards the door, trying to pull down the roller shutter.
He had just touched the switch—
"Don't move!"
Someone is yelling outside.
Then a bullet hit the door frame, just ten centimeters from the employee's hand.
The employees were completely paralyzed.
Chen Xun cursed inwardly.
What incredible luck! I'm eating a hamburger and stumble upon a live Hollywood movie.
The sound of sirens finally reached the door.
Red and blue light streamed through the broken glass window, flickering erratically on the wall. The loudspeaker's announcement grew more urgent: "Final warning! Drop your weapons!"
"We have surrounded them—"
Before he could finish speaking, another gunshot rang out.
This time it was the police who opened fire; their voices were synchronized, clearly indicating they were well-trained.
The retaliatory gunfire weakened, eventually dwindling to just one or two sporadic shots.
Then it became completely quiet.
Footsteps could be heard on the street, the sound of many people's footsteps.
"Safety!"
"Safety!"
"Medical staff!"
The roller shutter door was pulled up from the outside, letting in blinding sunlight.
Police officers in bulletproof vests rushed in, guns pointed downwards, but their hands still on the trigger guards: "Everyone stay where you are! Don't move!"
"Raise your hand if you're injured!"
Chen Xun slowly crawled up from under the table; his legs were a little numb.
Sangye also stood up, dusted off the dust on his monk's robe, his movements as natural as if he had just finished a walk.
Zhuoma helped Dorje up. Dorje was pale, but at least he was able to stand.
The other people in the shop gradually got up; some were crying, some were trembling, and some were calling their families to let them know they were safe.
Outside the window, police tape had been put up on the street. Three police cars were parked across the road, along with two ambulances. Shell casings were visible on the ground, gleaming in the sunlight.
Several plainclothes police officers began questioning each person one by one.
"Name?"
"What were you doing at the time of the incident?"
"Did you see anyone suspicious?"
When it was Chen Xun's table's turn, the police officer was clearly taken aback.
An Asian celebrity, an elderly Tibetan monk, a young Tibetan woman, and a young Tibetan monk.
This combination is indeed rare in West Hollywood.
"Mr. Chen Xun?"
The police officer in charge of the questioning recognized him and softened his tone: "Are you alright?"
"fine."
Chen Xun shook his head: "I almost got cut when the glass broke."
The police officer glanced at the ground around their table.
It was full of broken glass, but strangely, there wasn't a single shard of glass on the table, the chairs, or even the tablecloth.
It looks like someone cleaned it on purpose.
But only ten minutes have passed since the shooting started. Who has time to do this?
The police officer frowned, but didn't ask any further questions and continued taking the statement.
Sanjay's answer was simple: "We were eating, and we lay down when we heard the noise."
Zhuoma said, "This is my first time in the United States, and I didn't know something like this would happen."
Dorjee was so nervous that he could barely speak English. It took the police a while to figure out that he was from a temple and that his visa was valid.
After the statement was taken, the police told them not to leave until the preliminary on-site investigation was completed.
The media has already arrived.
CNN, Fo, and local TV stations' reporting vans crowded outside the police cordon, their cameras snapping away at the burger joint.
The reporter spoke rapidly into the camera: "A shooting has occurred at the In-N-Out burger joint in West Hollywood. According to preliminary reports, at least two gunmen exchanged fire with police. The extent of casualties is currently unknown."
Chen Xun's phone started vibrating wildly.
Rob: "Fuck! I saw the news! You're there? Are you okay?"
Chen Xun replied, "It's okay, it's safe, we can leave in a bit."
Half an hour later, the police concluded their initial investigation.
The gunmen were two Mexican men, suspected to be involved in a gang fight. They exchanged fire during a car chase in the street and were caught in the crossfire by patrolling police officers. One gunman was killed, and the other was seriously injured and arrested.
Three people were cut by broken glass in the hamburger shop; all injuries were minor and have been bandaged.
No one was hit.
This is simply a miracle!