Darkstone Code

"Lynch, my friend!" As soon as he passed through the corridor, Lynch heard Mr. Fox calling out. He walked over to Lynch, smiling, while each of their female companions released their hands before they met, maintaining a very appropriate distance from them.

Sometimes social etiquette can be really cumbersome; you have to know when to do what, even a slight mistake can lead to subtle ridicule.

People won't openly mock someone for losing face or dignity; they might even kindly point out what someone did wrong, but deep down, they're still laughing at these mistakes.

It's like not making noises while drinking soup; those people view these behaviors as standards to distinguish the upper class from the lower class.

If someone makes a mistake, they will laugh, but it's definitely a tolerant smile from the upper class to the lower class.

The two hugged briefly before separating. Only Mr. Fox uses the term "Lynch, my friend" when addressing Lynch. This phrase actually sounds street-like, but he likes to call Lynch this way, possibly because he sees Lynch as an important figure in his life and therefore gave him a special name or commemorated something.

He behaves normally when dealing with others.

"You look great!" Lynch complimented while his gaze shifted away from the girl next to Mr. Fox, a girl he hadn't seen before, seemingly in her twenties, though her exact age was unclear.

Some girls appear very young regardless of their age, yet this girl in front of him gives off a contradictory feeling.

She looks very mature, but at the same time gives the impression that she's actually quite young and not very old.

Additionally, her figure is excellent, nearly meeting the standard of what most Federation women desire for their bodies, and her outfit is quite bold.

This wasn't the girl from last time; Mr. Fox had changed his female companion, which is common in this industry.

Based on some subtle interactions between them, the quality of their life seems pretty good. Mr. Fox is nearly fifty years old, yet he can maintain such physical fitness, which is truly commendable.

"Of course, I'm still young!" Mr. Fox said while introducing Lynch to the girl by his side.

This is a girl who, after debuting, had only made one adult film. For some reasons, she managed to connect with Mr. Fox.

As for why he chose such a girl instead of more traditional actresses, perhaps it was to avoid trouble.

Those traditional actresses also have regular fans, and if a scandal erupts, it becomes a public issue, potentially causing significant setbacks for the Fox family, such as breakup scandals.

Mr. Fox knows very well that he could never marry someone who could be his daughter or even younger than his son; it is unfair to young Fox.

At the same time, he cannot share his money with those women who want to obtain benefits from him purely for self-interest by being with him, so constantly changing female companions, those who can be easily dismissed, has become his first choice.

He pulled Lynch aside, "I've arranged everything for what you told me. I also found the people. After the premiere, let's find a place to sit down and talk."

Yesterday, Lynch called him, hoping he could find a documentary director and one or two documentary screenwriters to consult about his new filming plan - "Federation People in Nagariel."

Mr. Fox has released several movies now, and with Lynch's name attached, he is already considered a somewhat prominent producer in the industry, so finding directors and screenwriters is just a phone call away.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with him, Lynch entered the cinema, while Mr. Fox needed to host other guests.

As always, Mr. Fox welcomes guests outside, while young Fox manages the scene here. It's hard to see the traces of past life left on them, the aura from the lower social strata, the street energy.

They wear neat clothes, confidently conversing in front of social celebrities, which makes one sigh, money is indeed a great thing, and clean money is even better.

As the time approached, the lights in the cinema dimmed, a single focused frame appeared on the large screen, and people began to quiet down because the movie was about to play.

After a dozen seconds, the entire cinema went completely dark, and the big screen suddenly lit up with a line of white text on a black background: "This film is based on real events and a novel."

This line brings forth a very special feeling.

The initial scene shows a shaky camera and various indistinct branches whipping at the lens, accompanied by heavy panting from intense running emanating from the sound system.

Strong motion shots and wide-angle rotations provide an immersive sensation.

A leopard suddenly leaps out from the bushes behind, tightly chasing, the race between human and beast, the immediate death-like tension instantly grips every viewer's heart.

Lynch could feel that the girl next to him became very tense, as even her breathing was silent.

After about ten seconds, the image suddenly falls forward, returning to darkness.

This scene is from the second act of "Lynch's Adventure," where he encounters danger in the jungle. The general storyline is that he accidentally got lost in Nagariel's dense natural rainforest and discovered ruins before finding his way back to human society.

Although many scholars and experts believe that without support equipment, it's impossible for a human to find their way out once lost in the primal rainforest, this does not prevent this book from becoming a bestseller.

The entire ninety-five minutes revolve around the story of struggle with nature and wildlife, interspersed with elements like ruins.

Finally, Lynch was forced into an ancient ruin, where after battling mechanisms, guardians of the ruins, and other enemies, he escaped through the ruin's underground waterways, drifting to a somewhat backward small town outside the rainforest.

The desperate search and rescue team found him, and when his good friend, an archaeologist, celebrated with him for surviving, they accidentally discovered an antique he brought back, a ring that should adorn the hand of the legendary Swaahyaain king.

And thus, the entire movie ends.

After a brief calm, people soon gave warm applause. Regardless of what film critics think, at least the audience coming to enjoy the movie are thrilled and even eager for more.

Undoubtedly, the ring Lynch inadvertently took as a souvenir will spark the next series of films, maybe in the future they'll make a third or fourth, capturing all of Lynch's adventures in Nagariel.

This is undoubtedly a successful movie. James and his team of screenwriters, along with the director, discarded elements trying to portray an epic feel and heaviness, opting for quicker, tightly-linked narrative, faster scene transitions, and more sensory stimulation.

There's no deep philosophical message, instead, actors continuously showcase physique, looks, muscles, alongside grand scenes.

An engaging ninety-five minutes, reportedly the initial version was one hundred thirty minutes, including lengthy educational sections and various backstory explanations. Yet it was re-edited under James's strong request, receiving approval from the Fox family.

A successful movie!

Lynch clapped, undoubtedly, this film will succeed, as people pursue long shots and stream of consciousness, this commercially toned film will definitely ignite the market.

It might not be profound, lack substance, void of content, and imaginary, it might not win any awards, but as long as it's a box office hit, that's the greatest validation.

The Fox family and the creative team ascended the stage. They deserve congratulations and blessings. After the intense applause ended, Lynch was invited to the stage as well. People hoped the "concerned person" would say something.

Facing thousands of audience members, Lynch glanced back at the big screen that had finished playing, "He's not as handsome as me!"

The cinema immediately erupted in laughter, even the male lead beside him couldn't help but laugh, and Lynch nodded to add, "That's a fact!"

The laughter intensified, with some people echoing in agreement. Of course, it was indeed a fact, being a "based on real events" movie.

Once the laughter mostly subsided, Lynch's expression became slightly serious, "A great movie, I wasn't involved in its filming process. Today is my first time seeing it, but I must say, it is undoubtedly a great movie."

"A faster rhythm, more vivid color contrasts, stronger tension. I noticed throughout the screening, no one went to the restroom, nor did anyone fall asleep, which indicates its captivating elements."

"And most importantly…" He paused for a bit, teasing, "Surely someone might criticize me, yet I must still say, this time I didn't see any lessons; it enthralled me completely, allowing me to experience the adventure anew, though definitely more exaggerated."

"It's an excellent film because it has an excellent team, exceptional director, screenwriters, actors, and our Fox family; it contains all elements of success…"

Lynch suddenly stopped speaking, glancing at the host on the side, "Did I steal your job?"

The host quickly responded, "That depends on whether they're paying me a salary!"