Chapter 973: Our Own Must Learn
The night was deep. Li Daoxuan opened QQ and, one by one, sent the videos Old Nanfeng had filmed to Qianyan Queen M. “Here, brother, the raw footage for the new short series is in. Now it’s all up to your special effects skills.”
Qianyan Queen M opened the videos, laughing. “You even took care of the green screen for me? That makes the special effects incredibly easy then.”
One-click background removal!
Then replacing the background with the ocean. Done. It was so simple, he felt almost embarrassed to call it special effects.
He casually sent the video he had just made back to Li Daoxuan. “Here, take a look.”
Li Daoxuan glanced at it, chuckling. “Make it more realistic. Yours looks way too fake. Be careful, if the box office isn't high, you’ll lose out on your own commission.”
Qianyan Queen M replied with a laugh. “Don't worry, that was just the comedy version. I'll get serious now and make a realistic one for you to see. However, the high-end version will take a bit more time.”
“Alright, take your time. The main thing is to do it well.”
Li Daoxuan closed QQ, uploaded the hastily made, one-click background-removed version to his tablet, and then placed it into the diorama box.
The tablet began playing the video that had just been made with one-click background removal.
What seemed like a crudely made image to modern eyes astonished Old Nanfeng and the others. “What? Our green screen is gone, and it’s turned into the sea!”
Putmans exaggeratedly clutched his head. “My God, how is this possible? Seeing this, I’d believe I was truly out on the ocean!”
“The celestial arts are truly miraculous.”
“With this method, couldn’t you change the scene however you like? Turn it into anywhere you wish?”
“Unbelievable!”
***
Several days later...
A 60-meter-class river-sea vessel slowly sailed into Anqing Port.
Aside from a "Divine Mirror," the cargo ship carried no other goods.
After mooring the ship at the dock, the sailors aimed the tablet computer at an empty space nearby, then dropped anchor. A sailor popped his head out from the ship and loudly called out to a patrolling sailor on the dock: “Go quickly and inform everyone! By Heavenly Lord’s decree, all our people must come and study this film!”
Naturally, the Heavenly Lord’s decree had to be carried out meticulously.
The sailor immediately went to relay the command. Soon after, all the naval and ground forces stationed in Anqing were summoned to the dock. Shi Kefa also arrived, leading the newly recruited militia.
Since the Heavenly Lord’s order specified "our own people," the interpretation of those three words was quite broad. Thus, even Xue’er and the ten young women managing the cooperative were invited.
Indeed, even the labor reform prisoners were considered "our own people," because they were "our own labor reform prisoners." Naturally, they too had to be summoned. So, the forty-three pirates still undergoing labor reform were also called over.
A large open space was cleared on the dock, and hundreds of people sat in a wide fan shape, facing the giant ship.
Xue’er looked utterly bewildered: “What exactly are we here to learn?”
Shi Lang was equally perplexed: “I don’t understand, what is this big black square? Why put such a large square on the ship?”
Shi Kefa turned his head: “That object is called a ‘Divine Mirror.’ It can play back events that have happened in the past, or that will happen in the future.”
Xue’er and Shi Lang were startled: “Really?”
Shi Kefa: “Why would this official lie to you? Be quiet and watch carefully! If the Heavenly Lord tells us to learn, then there must be something worth learning.”
Just then, the screen of the tablet film suddenly lit up.
The people from Gao Family Village were used to it, but Shi Lang and Xue’er jumped in surprise: “Oh!”
This time, the movie didn’t start with subtitles. Qianyan Queen M had adopted a technique from future films: the visuals came first.
A small seaside fishing village appeared on screen.
A young boy was collecting seashells and crabs by the sea when, suddenly, a Western three-masted sailing ship appeared on the horizon.
Shi Lang exclaimed: “Ah! A Western pirate ship!”
The three-masted sailing ship swiftly swept towards the fishing village. A swarm of Western pirates quickly leaped from the ship, muskets in their left hands and swords in their right, and charged into the small village.
The boy collecting seashells fled in terror. But as the Western pirates entered the village, they embarked on a rampage of burning, killing, and looting. Men, women, elderly, and children, all were massacred...
A Westerner stood at the bow of the ship and spoke in broken Chinese: “This is a good place to build a city. We will construct a fortress here and occupy this island.”
The scene shifted. Several months later, large groups of workers were constructing the fortress there...
The scene shifted again. Many months later, a rudimentary fortress had been built...
The scene shifted once more. The Westerners were massacring the "compatriots of Treasure Island" in the surrounding area...
The scene shifted again. In the mansion of Zheng Zhilong, a Ming naval guerrilla general, a soldier reported with a grim expression: “General, the Red-Haired Barbarians have built a fortress on Yizhou Island. They are also eyeing the mainland, preparing to attack us.”
Zheng Zhilong slammed his palm on the table with a resounding "thwack" and roared in fury: “Do they think the Great Ming has no men? Order the entire army to prepare for battle!”
It was only then that a large title slowly emerged on screen.
"The Bloody Battle of Liaoluo Bay"
Most of the soldiers present were unfamiliar with this battle.
But Shi Lang suddenly leaped to his feet, pointing at the screen and exclaiming: “Ah, is it the Battle of Liaoluo Bay? This... this Divine Mirror, it’s showing the story of the Battle of Liaoluo Bay? My heavens! My heavens! I’ve heard of this naval battle, but I’ve never witnessed it myself. I can’t believe I’m seeing it here!”
A large group of sailors roared at him: “Don’t make a racket during the movie; you’re disturbing others from hearing the dialogue!”
Shi Lang: “Huh? Oh, I’m sorry, my apologies.”
He quickly sat back down.
Next, the main feature of the film began...
The Dutch sailing ships in the film were massive and towering, far superior to the vessels of the Ming navy. In smaller skirmishes, the Ming navy suffered greatly, retreating step by painful step.
When the final decisive battle commenced, the Dutch sent eleven three-masted sailing ships.
On Zheng Zhilong’s side, he had organized over 150 warships, including 50 gunboats, with a total force of tens of thousands of men.
The Great Ming, with 150 ships against 11, fought an exceedingly arduous naval battle, despite such an overwhelming numerical advantage.
Zheng Zhilong could only concentrate his superior forces, ordering the 50 gunboats to unleash a fierce barrage of Western-style cannons upon the enemy ships.
After a brutal engagement, victory was finally, painstakingly achieved.
Ultimately, the protagonist couldn't kill the Westerners who had massacred his village. He could only watch as his father's murderers' warships escaped. Clenching his fists, he furiously cried out to the ocean: “Western bandits, just you wait! One day, I will sail to the West and avenge my parents' blood!”
As the movie ended, silence descended upon everyone, remaining unbroken for a long time...
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