novellhall Chapter 205 Don't Argue with Online Trolls [5000 words]
Chapter 205 Don't Argue with Online Trolls [5000 words]
Chapter 205 Don't Argue with Online Trolls [5000 words]
Chen Xun then realized what was happening.
Matt Damon plays Dr. Mann in Interstellar, the scientist who waited for many years on the icy planet.
A pure scientist who would murder his teammates for his own ideals.
But he didn't expect Matt to join the training group so early.
"So you're a secret weapon?"
"Suffering in secret!"
Matt chuckled wryly, "I trained in Alaska for two weeks and almost lost my toes to the cold."
Olaf handed Matt a set of training gear: "You and the others will complete the test together."
"clear!"
The three began to put on their gear.
Matt's movements were very practiced, clearly indicating that he had practiced many times.
What do you train for in Alaska?
Annie was a little curious.
"Similar to here, low-temperature tolerance, walking on ice, and also—"
Matt paused for a moment: "Loneliness tolerance."
"What?"
"Dr. Mann waited alone on the icy planet for twenty-three years."
Matt put on his crampons: "The director made me stay in a cabin in Alaska for ten days. There was no internet, no one to talk to, and only a tape recorder for me to record scientific discoveries."
"It sounds like a reality show."
Chen Xun thought about it and realized that if he left himself like this, he would probably go crazy.
When you're alone, time completely loses its power.
You'll feel like the day is going to be very long.
"It's worse than reality TV. At least reality TV has cameras pointed at you, but I don't even have a camera."
Matt seemed to recall the dreary days he had been living a few days ago, and a thought struck him.
After the equipment check was completed, Olaf pressed the timer.
"start!"
The three of them stepped onto the glacier.
The first section of the road is a flat ice field, but there is a thin layer of snow on the ice, making it very slippery.
Chen Xun walked at the front, using his ice axe to probe the way.
"Cracks generally appear where the glacier's flow velocity changes drastically."
As he walked, he explained, "See those wavy ice surfaces? There might be cracks underneath."
"Where did you learn that?"
Matt was a little curious.
He had never met Chen Xun before, only heard of this Chinese actor who had just been nominated for an Oscar.
I never imagined that my first encounter with it would be in such a freezing, snowy environment.
This scene is actually somewhat similar to the setting where Cooper and Mann meet in the movie.
This feeling is wonderful.
"The coach taught me part of it, and I also figured it out myself!"
Actually, this knowledge was gained by Chen Xun after absorbing the [Glacier Terrain Recognition +4] attribute orb dropped by Olaf.
After walking for about a kilometer, we encountered the first ice crevasse.
It's not very wide, only half a meter, but it's bottomless.
"Jump over or go around?"
Annie turned to look at Chen Xun.
After so many days, she had long regarded Chen Xun as her pillar of support, and would ask Chen Xun for advice whenever she was in doubt.
"Take a detour, safety first."
Chen Xun glanced at the GPS: "The detour adds two hundred meters, but we have enough time."
They walked along the edge of the crack and found a narrower spot to cross it.
As he stepped across, Chen Xun glanced into the depths of the crack.
Darkness, coldness, as if it could devour all light.
The second obstacle is an ice slope with an incline of about thirty degrees and a smooth surface.
"How do we get on?" Annie asked.
"Kick it in with crampons, one step at a time."
Chen Xun gave a demonstration.
He kicked the front teeth of his crampons into the ice to make sure they were secure before taking the second step.
Matt and Annie followed suit.
Halfway up the mountain, Annie's crampons suddenly slipped.
"what!"
She slid down, her ice axe leaving a white mark on the ice.
Chen Xun reacted extremely quickly, grabbing the securing rope with one hand and Annie's backpack strap with the other.
"Hold on!"
Annie kicked a few times and finally found her footing again.
Thanks!
She was panting.
"It's okay, continue."
Anne Hathaway's favorability +1, current favorability: 85
After reaching the top of the slope, the three rested for two minutes.
From here, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the glacier.
The white ice fields stretch to the horizon, dotted with black volcanic rocks, and the sky is Iceland's distinctive grey-blue.
"This place is like an alien world."
Matt seems to have found the place where he hibernated in the movie.
"I guess that's why director Nolan chose to train here."
Chen Xun took a sip of water and looked into the distance.
With only three people in the vast snowfield, a strange sense of loneliness arose spontaneously.
"He's right."
Matt gazed into the distance: "Back in Alaska, I often stood on the ice fields, lost in thought, wondering what it would feel like to be alone on an alien planet."
"How does it feel?"
"First comes freedom, then fear, and finally numbness —"
Matt paused for a moment: "This is from the character biography I wrote."
"Dr. Mann waited for twenty-three years, from hope to despair, and then to doing whatever it takes to survive. This process needs to be gradual."
Anne listened attentively: "So you're experiencing loneliness ahead of time."
"Yes, although it was only ten days, the feeling of being isolated from the world was very real. On the tenth day, I talked nonsense into a tape recorder for two hours, just because I hadn't spoken for so long."
Chen Xun thought of his time on the farm in Canada.
Although he was tired at that time, at least someone was talking to him.
True loneliness is having no one to talk to.
After the break, let's continue.
The last two kilometers are downhill, so they are relatively easy.
But Chen Xun could feel his physical strength declining.
Forty kilograms of equipment is no joke; it's consuming you with every step.
He began to adjust his breathing rhythm.
A blue attribute orb fell from his body:
[Endurance Control +3]
absorb!
Chen Xun felt his fatigue lessen a little.
The other two were already barely breathing.
He was panting heavily with every step he took.
Matt looked at Chen Xun, who was still walking steadily forward, and couldn't help but exclaim, "You have great stamina, you're not even out of breath after walking this far."
With 500 meters to go, Olaf waved from the finish line.
The three quickened their pace and almost crossed the finish line.
The timer stopped at 1 hour and 28 minutes.
"Exceeded the target!"
奥拉夫记录成绩：「陈1小时27分，安妮1小时29分，马特1小时30分，都不错。」
The three of them took off their equipment and sat on the ground, catching their breath.
Matt's assistant handed him hot drinks and energy bars.
"How long have you been practicing?"
Matt gulped down a mouthful of hot drink.
"Three weeks!"
Annie sipped her drink.
The three of them ate and chatted, like they were camping in the wild.
Matt trained with them for three days, and then the training in Iceland came to an end.
The base held a simple farewell ceremony.
The training team, instructors, doctors, and more than twenty people gathered in the restaurant.
Olaf opened a bottle of local Icelandic liquor and poured a small glass for everyone.
"Salute to the icy plains, salute to the training, salute to us who almost froze to death before even filming began."
Everyone laughed and clinked glasses.
Chen Xun took a sip and frowned from the spiciness.
The taste is almost indistinguishable from pure alcohol.
Compared to the liquor from my own country, the taste is far inferior!
"What's the alcohol content of this liquor?"
"65 degrees Celsius, specially for treating colds caused by wind."
Olaf laughed: "Icelandians rely on this to keep warm in winter."
Chen Xun thought that buying Chinese liquor in Iceland would definitely be a good business.
Annie only took a small sip, and her face turned red.
Matt, on the other hand, was a heavy drinker, and he chatted with several guides about the differences between Alaska and Iceland.
"Alaskan cold is a dry cold, like a physical attack; Icelandic cold is a damp cold, more like a magical attack!"
Chen Xun laughed when he heard this.
This is similar to the views of netizens in both northern and southern China.
As the conversation continued late into the night, the crowd gradually dispersed.
Chen Xun returned to the tent and began packing his luggage.
He didn't bring much with him during his three-week training in Iceland, but he gained a lot.
The progress bar for "Highly Rated" has reached 42%.
We're almost halfway there!
Since the progress bar was changed to a total progress bar, his upgrade progress has become extremely slow.
But each upgrade brings about huge changes.
This time, he improved a lot just by using the dungeon space.
It allows you to directly experience the movie's plot, which is an absolutely incredible feature.
Moreover, his tolerance to low temperatures and his ability to walk with weight have been greatly enhanced after this training in Iceland.
Now, if you ask him to walk five kilometers in minus twenty degrees Celsius wearing forty kilograms of gear, he can do it with ease.
After packing his luggage, Chen Xun stepped out of the tent.
The Icelandic night sky is clear, and the aurora borealis has begun to twinkle again.
The green light bands fluttered like a veil, occasionally flashing with purple and red light.
Annie also came out and stood not far away, looking at the sky.
"So beautiful!"
"I probably won't be in the mood to watch it when I'm filming in the future!"
Anne suddenly blurted out these words.
Why?
Chen Xun sensed that Annie had suddenly become a bit neurotic.
"Because once you get into character, you get so caught up in the story that you don't have the energy to pay attention to anything else."
Annie was a little sad.
Chen Xun laughed: "It's an actor's occupational hazard; you think about the play no matter what you see."
Annie turned to look at him: "Do you ever have moments like this? Can't tell if you're Chen Xun or Cooper?"
"Occasionally!"
Chen Xun thought to himself that he had actually been Cooper for many years, which was much more immersive than playing Cooper.
As soon as the plane landed in Los Angeles, Chen Xun's phone started vibrating non-stop.
Unread messages: 47.
Missed calls: 12.
Turn on your phone.
The last message Rob sent was: "Go through the VIP lane after you get off the plane, there are media waiting for you."
late.
As soon as Chen Xun and Annie reached the baggage carousel area, they saw a flurry of flashing lights and cameras.
At least thirty reporters crowded at the exit, their cameras and microphones pointed at them.
"This is quite a spectacle—"
Anne lowered her voice: "I thought we were walking the red carpet."
"It's more exciting than the red carpet; at least you know the problem beforehand on the red carpet."
The two exchanged a glance and tacitly adjusted their expressions.
smile.
The first to rush over was a reporter from The Hollywood Reporter, who shoved the microphone right in front of Annie.
"Annie! How was it working with Chen Xun in a Nolan film for the first time?"
"great."
Anne maintained her standard smile: "Chen is a very professional actor, and our training in Iceland went very smoothly."
"What exactly did the training in Iceland entail? Can you reveal that?"
"Sorry, Director Nolan requested confidentiality."
Anne skillfully deflected, "But what I can say is that we are fully prepared for the role."
The microphone was turned towards Chen Xun.
"Chen, this is your first time working with an Oscar winner. Are you feeling any pressure?"
"There's definitely pressure."
Chen Xun shrugged: "But pressure can also be a driving force, and Annie took good care of me on set, often treating me to coffee."
A few soft laughs came from the side. This answer both flattered Anne and sounded relaxed.
"Is it true that you went to a farm three months in advance to learn how to drive a tractor in order to prepare for the role of Cooper?"
"It's true."
Chen Xun nodded: "I also learned how to repair irrigation systems. Now, if I can't make a living as an actor, I can become a farmer."
More laughter.
[Character credibility +5]
[Highly praised +1%, current progress 43%]
I didn't expect that answering a question would increase my progress by 1%.
Chen Xun guessed that the progress bar was stuck at the point where it was about to level up.
Otherwise, just by answering questions, he could grow to the level of a movie star in the shortest time.
Even so, it was enough to make Chen Xun happy.
This is so much better than freezing in Iceland!
At that moment, a male reporter wearing glasses squeezed to the front.
"Annie, you mentioned before that you wanted to challenge yourself with different types of roles. How is Dr. Emilia Brand different from your previous roles?"
"She's a scientist, and reason reigns supreme."
Anne became serious: "But at the same time, there is also a human struggle. This role made me think about a lot of questions about humanity, the universe, and time—of course, you'll know the specifics when the movie is released."
"Chen, you incorporated a lot of Eastern elements into 'Green Lantern,' and this time in 'Interstellar'..."
Will similar personal styles be incorporated into the design?
"Cooper is a former NASA pilot from the United States. Although he is an Asian character, I have to respect the character's background."
Chen Xun cautiously replied, "However, my acting style definitely carries my personal characteristics, which is unavoidable, and that's also why director Nolan chose me."
The questions came one after another, mostly about movies, training, and understanding of characters.
Chen Xun and Annie worked together seamlessly, with one answering and the other providing supplementary information.
The time they spent together during training allowed them to get to know each other well.
Just then, a female reporter in a gray suit raised her hand. Chen Xun didn't recognize the logo on her microphone; it looked like it belonged to some online media outlet.
"I'm a reporter from Cultural Observer, and I'd like to ask Chen Xun a question."
"Please speak."
"Recently, there have been some comments targeting you on social media, arguing that Asian actors shouldn't play core American hero roles like in 'Interstellar,' and that there are organized boycotts calling it cultural invasion. What are your thoughts on this?"
The scene fell silent instantly.
All the other reporters turned their heads, and all their cameras were pointed at Chen Xun.
Annie gently touched his arm, her eyes filled with concern.
Chen Xun took a deep breath.
It's that kind of problem again.
He has been facing this problem ever since he took on the role of Green Lantern.
I thought that after starring in a few blockbuster commercial films, the audience's impression of me would change.
Unexpectedly, as his fame grew, so did the opposition to him.
It seems that it will be a long road for a Chinese actor to truly establish himself in Hollywood.
"First, I need to clarify one point."
Chen Xun said calmly, "Because I've been in closed training recently, I haven't seen the comments you made, so I can't comment directly."
"It definitely exists!"
The female reporter persisted: "There are already more than 20,000 tweets opposing you on Twitter. Many netizens believe that the roles you play in Hollywood are a form of cultural invasion and that you should be boycotted from entering Hollywood again."
Chen Xun raised an eyebrow; he hadn't expected this to cause such a huge uproar.
While these netizens are right, his actions are indeed a form of cultural invasion.
But he wouldn't admit it now: "Film is a popular art form, not belonging to any particular race, country, or culture. Cooper's character is a father, but also someone trying to save humanity. Any qualified actor should have the opportunity to portray him."
"But many people believe that American heroes should be played by their own people."
"I think the definition of an American hero is changing. America is a country of immigrants, and its heroes can be of any skin color or background. If movies are still stuck in the stage where only people with a certain appearance can play heroes, that is a real step backward."
[Character credibility +10]
Scattered applause broke out in the room.
The female reporter wanted to ask more questions, but was pushed aside by other reporters.
"Annie, what are your thoughts on the racist remarks your partner received?"
Annie took the microphone, her expression serious.
"Chen is one of the most professional actors I've ever worked with. Casting should be based on ability, not skin color. Director Nolan chose him because he was the most suitable candidate for Cooper, nothing more."
The interview lasted another ten minutes before the two were finally able to escape with the help of security personnel.
After getting into the van, Chen Xun let out a long sigh of relief.
"That reporter asked some pretty pointed questions."
Annie was a little worried.
"As expected."
Chen Xun rubbed his temples: "Ever since I acted in 'Green Lantern,' these kinds of comments have never stopped."
"You handled it very well."
"It's something you get through practice."
Chen Xun smiled wryly: "In Hollywood, if Chinese actors were too sensitive, they would have left the industry long ago."
The car took Annie home first.
Before getting off the bus, she turned back and said, "Let me know anytime if you need me to tweet in support of you."
After Annie got out of the car, Chen Xun turned on his phone.
Rob's message popped up: "The airport interview video is trending, and your response has been edited into a short video, which has been shared a lot."
Chen Xun clicked on the link.
Video title: "Chen Xun responds to racist accusations: Film belongs to all mankind."
The top comments section is full of support: "Well said! Movies shouldn't have racial boundaries!"
"Those who boycott the film simply don't understand movies."
"Just based on this attitude, I will definitely watch the movie when it is released."
Opposition to Chen Xun was equally prevalent: "Anyone can say polite words."
"It's weird that an Asian actor is playing an American hero."
"Waiting for the movie to flop."
Chen Xun swiped it directly.
I've experienced quite a few ups and downs in Hollywood these past few years.
Chen Xun also learned a lesson.
Don't argue with online trolls; they don't really want to discuss the issue, they just want to vent their emotions.
That night, Chen Xun lay on his own bed.
He opened Twitter.
The latest trending comment: "An Asian actor playing an astronaut? Is he going to play the US president next?"
Someone replied below: "Why not? The constitution doesn't stipulate that the president must be a certain skin color."
They were arguing fiercely.
These netizens are really energetic; they haven't stopped all day.
Chen Xun turned off his phone.
He recalled a saying he heard on a farm in Canada: "Corn can grow anywhere as long as it gets enough sunlight and water. So can people, as long as they are resilient enough, they can survive anywhere."