novelraw Chapter 107: Burn the Boats
Chapter 107: Burn the Boats
The filming progress for the Battle of Julu scenes was astonishingly fast.
After the "mass grave" scene, the atmosphere within the crew underwent a subtle change.
Previously, the veteran actors treated Jiang Ci as an equal, with the respect one shows before a clash of masters.
Now, that respect contained a trace of wariness, one they themselves hadn't even noticed.
This young man, he immersed himself too deeply, and too quickly.
The scene shifted from the bloody killing grounds to the Chu army camp on the verge of crossing the river.
The atmosphere was equally grim.
The props team was busy pushing massive prop wooden boats toward the riverbank on the set.
On the other side, over a hundred huge bronze cauldrons and earthenware steamers were piled together.
These were the only cooking utensils the soldiers would have after crossing the river.Soon, they would all be smashed to pieces.
This was the historically famous "burning the boats and smashing the cauldrons".
Wei Song gathered the key actors around the monitor.
"Today's scene is 'burning the boats and smashing the cauldrons'," Wei Song said, his expression unprecedentedly serious.
"What I want isn't simple resolve. I want a declaration."
He pointed at the background actors playing the Chu soldiers in the distance, most of whom wore expressions of confusion and unease.
"What Xiang Yu must do is tell them one fact. After crossing the river, there is no retreat, only paths of death and paths of life. Either win, or die."
"This isn't a general motivating his troops. This is a 'man-butcher', using everyone's lives, including his own, to make a huge gamble."
"He wants to use the threat of death to forge these tens of thousands of scattered grains of sand into an invincible army."
Everyone present listened quietly.
Huang Shengqiu nodded, agreeing with Wei Song's interpretation.
Jiang Ci also agreed with Wei Song's view.
But he felt it wasn't enough.
"Director Wei," he spoke up, "I believe that before giving the order, Xiang Yu should have one action."
Wei Song looked at him. "What action?"
"A sacrifice to heaven," Jiang Ci said two words.
An assistant director beside them immediately interjected, "A sacrifice to heaven? Praying for heavenly blessing for victory? That doesn't seem to fit Xiang Yu's character, does it? Someone so arrogant, why would he pray to gods and buddhas?"
Jiang Ci shook his head.
"It's not a prayer."
He picked up a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, then slowly poured the water onto the yellow earth beneath his feet.
"It's a notification."
Jiang Ci's voice was calm.
"He pours a cup of wine onto the ground, but he isn't toasting to deities or ancestors. He is toasting to this land that is about to be dyed red with blood."
"He is telling heaven and earth, and also telling everyone."
"I, Xiang Yu, have arrived."
"I, am destiny."
Around the monitor area, everyone was stunned speechless by Jiang Ci's interpretation for a long moment.
In Huang Shengqiu's (playing Fan Zeng) eyes, a flash of brilliant light instantly erupted.
He slapped his thigh hard.
"Excellent!"
"This is excellent!"
He looked at Jiang Ci, full of admiration.
"Not a plea, but a notification to heaven and earth that he, Xiang Yu, has arrived, and that this place is about to undergo a world-shaking change!"
Wei Song stared blankly at the puddle of water on the ground, then looked at Jiang Ci.
This young man always managed to hit the core soul of the character from the most unexpected angle.
He picked up the walkie-talkie. "Props team! Prepare a bronze wine vessel! Make it archaic! Quick!"
The actual filming began.
Jiang Ci changed out of the heavy armor, putting on the black everyday clothes Wei Song had prepared for the audition, a wide leather belt cinched around his waist.
His long hair was tied back with a simple cloth strip.
He stood atop a high platform.
Below were hundreds of background actors playing Chu soldiers.
Arranged in a loose formation as directed, their faces wore the perfect expressions of fear and confusion toward the unknown.
The wind blew, whipping up dust from the ground.
Jiang Ci did not speak immediately.
He took the bronze wine vessel filled with clear wine from an attendant beside him.
Then he walked slowly to the very front edge of the high platform.
Under the gaze of hundreds of people, he raised the wine vessel, lowered his arm, and slowly poured the wine within onto the dirt beneath his feet.
The clear wine seeped into the dry yellow sand, disappearing instantly.
After this action, he casually tossed the wine vessel aside.
With a *clang*.
He drew the bronze longsword from his waist.
The blade reflected a cold, gloomy light under the overcast sky.
He still did not utter a word.
Slowly raising the sword in his hand, he pointed the tip straight across the river.
That was where the Qin army's camp lay.
Then his wrist moved horizontally.
The sword tip withdrew from the distance, pointing successively at the cauldrons and steamers piled like mountains below the platform.
Those were their cooking tools.
Finally, his sword tip abruptly turned toward his rear.
Pointing at the boats moored at the shore, their only means of retreat—the ferry boats.
The entire process had no lines.
An indescribably oppressive atmosphere enveloped everyone on set.
The confusion on the faces of the background actors below gradually disappeared.
Replaced by a kind of panic born of being driven into a corner.
They understood the silent actions of that young general.
He was cutting off everyone's path to survival.
Just as this oppressive atmosphere reached its peak, almost enough to drive one mad.
With the support of the Lines Master skill, Jiang Ci let out a deafening roar!
"Within three days, if we do not defeat the Qin army, then we shall all die here!"
"Boom!"
The hundreds of background actors below were completely ignited by this roar and the madness and resolve it contained!
"Roar!"
Someone, no one knew who, was the first to raise their weapon and let out a bellow.
The next second, the bellows converged into a tsunami!
"Die here together!"
The hundreds of background actors completely broke free from the script's control.
They frantically beat their shields with their weapons, bellowing with all their might, their faces twisted with fanaticism.
The atmosphere on set was almost out of control.
The genuine reaction of people being forced to the brink by a madman!
The layers of Jiang Ci's performance were displayed to the fullest at this moment.
From the cold, overbearing arrogance during the wine sacrifice, he was a "king".
To the absolute resolve when pointing his sword at the cooking tools and boats, he was a "butcher" who spared no cost.
To the final roar, he completely transformed into a mad "god of war" who had tied everyone's fate to his own war chariot!
This instantaneous metamorphosis caused a real and immense psychological impact on all the actors present.
"Charge!"
Jiang Ci gave no one time to react. He issued the final command, leading from the front, being the first to leap down from the high platform.
He charged toward the direction of the camera, launching an assault!
His running speed was astonishingly fast.
The black everyday clothes billowed in the strong wind, his entire being carrying an unstoppable, terrifying momentum as he crashed straight toward the lens.
The cinematographer was one of the most senior in the country, having filmed countless grand scenes.
But at that moment, watching the figure on the monitor rapidly enlarging, carrying overwhelming killing intent.
He couldn't control himself, instinctively taking a step back.
The camera on his shoulder consequently produced a slight shake.
Behind the monitor.
Wei Song looked at that shaky shot caused by the cinematographer's mistake. Far from being angry, he practically leaped up from his chair!
He snatched the walkie-talkie, shouting like a madman.
"Excellent!"
This "imperfect" shot perfectly captured the instinctive, unconcealable fear of an ordinary person facing a humanoid beast of "natural disaster" level!
This was more real than any perfect camera movement!
After this scene was filmed, the reaction of everyone in the crew, whether staff or actors, toward Jiang Ci was completely different from before.
Everyone knew it in their hearts.
A living, breathing Conqueror of Western Chu, stepping right out of the history books, was being born on this set.
Jiang Ci's "Xiang Yu" was completely deified within the crew.
After filming wrapped, assistant Sun Zhou, holding a water cup, excitedly ran to Jiang Ci's side, his face full of worship.
"Brother Ci! You were incredible just now! Seriously! My legs went weak!"
"You didn't see it, those female clapper loaders, their eyes were glued to you! That move just now definitely won you countless fans!"
Jiang Ci took the water, took a sip. The madness and ferocity had faded from his face, replaced by his usual cool composure.
He didn't pay attention to Sun Zhou's flattery.
Frowning, he looked down at the system panel only he could see.
The Heartbreak Value hadn't budged at all.
He murmured to himself.
"Still not enough..."
"None of this is 'heartbreak'."