Months of filming flew by in a blink of an eye.
The most important day for people across the country—the National College Entrance Examination—was also approaching.
Coincidentally, during this period leading up to the exam, news broke in the entertainment industry.
Tang Ren's latest work, The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3, and Su Yi Huan's first self-written, directed, and acted film, Pokémon: Kanto Saga, were both set for this summer's release!
…
【Exam takers are saying they'll have something to watch this summer, but it's a pity that Brother Xiaoyao and Sister Ling'er aren't in it】
【Do you think Su Yi Huan's film can compete with Sword and Fairy?】
【I think it's unlikely. Sword and Fairy has the fanbase from the game, not to mention the existing fan base from the first series.】
【Don't even mention the original work to me, it makes me angry. Liu Yi Fei played my wife Ling'er like a tea-sipping weakling, man!】
【How could Anu like Tang Yu? He's just a background character!】
【I still have my hopes on Sword and Fairy 3. What's this Pokémon thing anyway? I can't imagine what kind of drama it is from the title.】
【I checked the cast list, it's a bunch of 00-born elementary school kids. Is it a children's play? Are they airing it on a children's channel?】
Although smartphones weren't yet ubiquitous, the online discussion was already fervent.
On the eve of the College Entrance Examination, Tang Ren released a nearly ten-minute-long trailer.
It was substantial and satisfying, making viewers exclaim in delight.
However, after watching it… the others I can't say, but the original work fans all had a complex expression.
The more fiery personalities among them directly started cursing.
The first three minutes were pretty good.
Hu Di, playing the role of Fei Peng in a silver armor, was battling with Zhonghou.
It was clearly a 3D version of the beginning of the original game.
While many original work fans thought it wasn't as handsome as the game, the level of adaptation was pretty good.
But the following seven minutes, the style went a bit off.
First of all, what's with this zombie poison man thing?
Why don't we remember having seen this in the original work?
You freaking screenwriter, did you just take the plot from the first series and paste it here?!
Also, why are Zhonghou, Zi Xuan, and Xu Chang Qing seemingly involved in a love triangle?
And it looks like Zi Xuan is deliberately seducing Zhonghou?
Is that how it was in the original work?!
Anyway, just looking at these ten minutes of the trailer, you can tell that this series, just like the first one, has been heavily adapted.
It's even worse than the first series.
For a moment, original work fans couldn't accept it.
But after all, only a small minority had played the game. The majority of casual fans thought it was pretty good.
Moreover, Hu Di at the peak of his handsomeness, Huo Jianhua, and Da Mi Mi and the other 85-born actresses, their looks were indeed very powerful.
It's not a loss to just watch the beautiful men and women, right?
Most people could give this trailer an 8.5 or above.
Next, we'll wait for the trailer for Su Yi Huan's film.
…
Although both dramas were set for a summer release, there was no need for the trailers to clash.
Su Yi Huan waited until the hype for Sword and Fairy 3 had died down a bit before uploading his trailer.
This time, it wasn't just the curious onlookers waiting to see the drama unfold.
Even Su Yi Huan's many acquaintances in the industry also clicked on it.
They all wanted to see what kind of mess Su Yi Huan had concocted by turning down a popular drama like Sword and Fairy and choosing to direct and star in his own film.
"I want to see what's in your bag of tricks."
In Tang Ren's film company, Da Mi Mi, Liu Shi Shi, whose relationship hadn't soured yet, and Tang Yan gathered together and clicked on the trailer.
Hu Di, Yuan Hong, and others, out of curiosity, also crowded around.
"Roar!"
As soon as the video started, what first reached their ears was a thunderous roar of cheers. Then, a stadium resembling an ancient Roman Coliseum appeared.
The camera zoomed in, split into left and right.
Standing on the left was Su Yi Huan, with a confident and sunny smile on his face.
And on the right was a goddess of her generation, Jia Jingwen, who had played Zhao Min in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber.
However, compared to Su Yi Huan's radiant smile, the character Jia Jingwen was playing had a noticeably darker aura.
"Are they playing a game?"
Hu Di, being a football fan, speculated.
However, as soon as he said that, Su Yi Huan and Jia Jingwen in the trailer both took out a red and white sphere, about the size of a ping pong ball.
The next second, a button on the small dot in the middle of the ball was pressed, and the ping pong ball-sized sphere instantly expanded to the size of a tennis ball.
"What?"
Everyone was taken aback.
But that wasn't the end.
They both threw the balls out.
The red and white spheres opened in mid-air, accompanied by two flashes of white light.
A monster resembling a dinosaur and a sinister dark purple python landed on the field, facing each other.
Under the astonished gaze of countless viewers in front of their computers and televisions.
Jia Jingwen raised her hand, her voice cold as she commanded:
"Wrap around! Arbok!"
"Hiss!"
With a ghostly speed, the purple python tightly wrapped around the dinosaur opposite it.
Like a golden rope!
"Bite!"
Jia Jingwen gave another order.
The python, named "Arbok", opened its gaping maw filled with fangs, looking like it was about to bite off the dinosaur's head.
Some of the younger viewers were scared and covered their eyes.
Faced with this situation, the character played by Su Yi Huan smiled slightly and commanded:
"Tackle!"