Empire of Shadows

Lance is a person with very strong execution ability. Only a person with execution ability can truly turn something from “I have a plan” into reality.

He explained his concept to the director and had the director make a call, summoning the two most famous screenwriters of the company.

He felt that this plan had great feasibility, so he needed a script now.

The two screenwriters looked at the rough outline of the story that the director had simply recorded down, and they read it very seriously and attentively.

When they put down the piece of paper, they all let out a heavy sigh of relief.

“A unique story!” one of the screenwriters, A, couldn’t help but praise. “And a very exciting story!”

Screenwriter B also had the same view. “It conforms to the current mainstream film script narrative structure. The core is revenge.”

“There is a great revengeism in the federal society, so it will have a market, but I’m not sure how big its market will be!”

Screenwriter B appeared a little more cautious. “The narrative perspective is too high. I am very worried about whether people will be able to understand it.”

“The current mainstream movie-watching group is still mainly composed of ordinary people with low education and illiterates. They may not be able to interpret the progression from individuals, families, to the war between countries.”Screenwriter A nodded. “Yes, we might need to make it look a little softer?”

Lance thought for a moment. “Make two preparations. One is to look at the whole story from the perspective of a tough guy, to have that strong taste of iron and blood, to make people feel the cruelty, whether it’s being hurt or hurting others. We need people to have some reflection after watching it.”

“The other perspective, as you said, is to soften it a little, so that more people can understand it, and it’s more about the plot.”

“But no matter which point it is, I need you to focus the core on the strategic position of Yalan!”

“This part of the plot and the plot, the core is not allowed to be changed!”

Screenwriter A asked, “Mr. Lance, I roughly know your idea. May I ask what the budget is for this time?”

He looked down at the paper with the stories recorded on it, and then at the director. “The scenes here are very grand. Even with a studio and models, it will require a lot of investment.”

Lance considered for a moment. “Gentlemen, are you interested in creating the first big-production movie in film history?”

He looked at these people. “Starting at a million, with no upper limit!”

As long as this movie is good enough to persuade Congress, the return it brings will be ten thousand one millions, ten million one millions!

Hearing that Lance was going to spend so much money, the three of them all took a sharp breath, but then they became excited!

They all knew very well that once they participated in the important production of such a movie, they would, along with this movie, become an unavoidable key in the history of film!

Lance glanced at the date on his watch. “Try to get the script out as soon as possible. We are going to release it in the second half of the year, so you will live here during this period.”

“I will have the butler take you to the villa next door. If you need anything, you can ask the butler for it.”

“Cigarettes, wine, including women!”

“But I have one request, and that is, don’t fool me.”

The three of them all promised not to do so. The director also made a small, additional request. “Can I direct?”

Lance considered for a moment and then gave him the title of co-director. He had not filmed such a grand scene with a magnificent narrative, so Lance was not so confident that he could handle it. What they needed was a director who could shoot a magnificent narrative.

It was best if it was someone with results. This matter would need the director to handle.

For the next few days, Lance was thinking deeply about this matter. He was not worried about whether he could persuade the navy, because he had previously discussed the overseas garrison with the navy, the entire military, which had already made them excited.

What he was thinking about was the negative side of Congress. Would some moral saints suddenly stand up and insist on respecting the sovereignty and internal affairs of others? That would be fucking annoying.

But the specific result still depended on the actual result of the script.

The next morning, Barbara ran into the main building of the manor from outside and saw Lance.

Lance was talking to Patricia. Patricia seemed to be a little off recently, and she wasn’t even eating her favorite food much.

Lance had already made an appointment with the family doctor. The other party would only be able to come in the afternoon. He had a premonition that Patricia was pregnant, and had been for some time.

At least a month.

Her period last month was very abnormal, with only a faint color that was almost invisible. At that time, Lance was still in New Golden City, and she herself had not paid much attention.

Now it seems that it was very likely that she had gotten pregnant the month before last, so…

For Patricia, this made her both happy and a little scared. She thought of the painful screams of Emily in the delivery room when she had given birth to Victor!

And after having her suspicions, she had read many books about pregnancy. These damn books always compared a woman’s pregnancy to resting her neck on the scythe of the god of death.

They had exaggerated the terribleness of childbirth, saying that one out of every three pregnant women would have an accident, which was pure nonsense (for details, see the explanation of terms in Blackstone Password).

But a sensitive girl would believe this, happy one moment, sad the next, and then afraid again. Fortunately, Lance was mentally tough, otherwise he would also have been driven to depression by her.

After Barbara came in from outside, she first hugged Patricia, rubbed her face against hers, and then hugged Lance again, and also kissed him twice on the cheek.

Lance rolled his eyes. “I suspect you have impure thoughts about me!”

Patricia burst out laughing. Barbara’s eyes were shining. “Are you planning to invest in a super-production?”

Lance supported Patricia and walked to the side to have her sit down, which also aroused Barbara’s curiosity. “What’s wrong with her?”

Then her eyes widened. “You’re pregnant!”

“Oh my God!”

“Patricia’s pregnant!”

“I’m going to tell everyone in the family this good news!”

She seemed even more excited than Patricia, and it was unknown what she was excited about.

Patricia’s face was completely red. “Don’t say it, it makes me very embarrassed!”

“And the doctor hasn’t come yet. We can’t confirm it yet, so you have to wait a little.”

Barbara didn’t care about these. “It must be so. Don’t think of deceiving me. I’m not that easy to deceive!”

“I’m going to call and tell them this good news right now!”

Patricia wanted to stop her, but Lance shook his head. “I think so too. What you need now is quiet.”

Soon everyone in the Lawrence family knew about this. The three old uncles had also called to inquire about this matter. Hubert had also said that if Patricia was really pregnant, then she should go back to the farm to recuperate.

Now many people said that the air in the city was not good, the pollution was serious, and the countryside seemed to be good in every way, and there were enough people to take care of her.

The aunts on the farm, although they seemed to be clumsy, could really be relied on when something happened.

On the contrary, the maids in the manor, maybe when they encountered trouble, besides screaming, they could do nothing else.

Lance did not agree directly. He just said that if Patricia also wanted to go back, he would let her go back.

This also depended on whether Lance himself had specific work arrangements. If he had other things and could not always be with Patricia, he would let Patricia go back.

William and Emily also came with Victor. Emily pulled her daughter aside and asked about her pregnancy.

This child was exceptionally important to the Lawrence family!

Don’t be fooled by the fact that William was now a municipal councilman. Everyone knew very well how this councilman had come to be. Without Lance, he was nothing.

So Lance, and the first child he had with the Lawrence family bloodline, was particularly important!

This established the binding of the core interests of Lance and the Lawrence family, and was also the most solid hub of the two interest groups!

In the future, if this child were to inherit everything from Lance, and he himself was still the grandson of the Lawrence family, it would be impossible for him to abandon the Lawrence family.

This was also the reason why the three old uncles had taken the initiative to inquire about this matter and had also said that they wanted Patricia to go back to recuperate.

William gave Lance a cigarette. The two of them went to the balcony to smoke. He teased, “You’ll soon be deprived of your freedom to smoke at home!”

His face wore the teasing look of an “experienced person” watching a show. Lance, however, said with a laugh, “This building has more than a hundred rooms.”

At first, William didn’t react, but soon the expression on his face froze. “Shit, I forgot about this!”

This was not his large villa. Although it was a large villa, if you smoked indoors, the cigarette ash would still spread to other rooms.

But this was the main building of the manor. Even if Lance washed a hundred cigarettes here, Patricia’s bedroom would not smell a single bit of smoke!

He seemed a little depressed. “I’ll have to buy a manor in the future too!”

Lance shrugged. “With your current job, you probably have no hope in this life. I like to tell the truth, I hope you don’t mind.”

William rolled his eyes. “If you can’t speak, then you don’t have to!”

The two looked at each other for a while and smiled at each other. He sighed. “Are you ready to be a father?”

Lance was a little hesitant. “Actually, if you’re not good at this kind of chat, you don’t have to.”

“My child and I don’t need to be prepared for anything. You should ask the world if it is ready.”

William was a little embarrassed. “Alright, let’s not talk about this. Let’s talk about something else.”

The two began to chat about the international situation. Men are always like this. Even if they are eating a one-dollar meal at a construction site, they still pay attention to the changes in the international situation, and they have a series of their own mature and steady ideas!

After the couple had come, they certainly couldn’t leave in a short time. And there were enough rooms here, and there were even detached small buildings next to them. The two decided to stay for a period of time, which could be considered as accompanying and helping Patricia through the early stages of her pregnancy.

In the afternoon, the doctor also came. After an examination, it was confirmed that Patricia was pregnant.

In order to ensure Patricia’s safety during her pregnancy, Lance directly had the doctor contact the hospital and temporarily formed a private medical team, consisting of four senior doctors, twelve nurses, and six caregivers.

They would be on standby in the manor around the clock, and a mobile small building would also be converted into a private small medical operating room.

If necessary, any problem could be solved here.

As for the money?

A problem that can be solved with money is no longer a problem for Lance.

At dinner, everyone’s mood had stabilized a lot. William looked at Barbara with some curiosity. “We were so preoccupied with Patricia’s matter. Why did you think of coming over?”

Only then did Barbara react. She turned her head sharply and looked at Lance, her eyes starting to sparkle again. “Lance is going to shoot a big production with a starting budget of a million. I’m here to ask for the female lead!”

She was now obsessed with acting. Lance had even signed her up for classes to study acting. After all, although she had talent, she still needed to study systematically since she had come into it halfway.

Sometimes Lance wondered if those vain girls who liked to show off all had a talent for acting.

Hearing her words, William was also surprised. “A million?”

“What movie requires such a large production?”

Lance briefly explained the before and after of the matter. The ladies were not interested in political matters. William, on the other hand, had heard some meaning.

“You mean, you want to occupy Yalan?”

“What’s the reason?”

Lance, while using his knife and fork to cut a piece of beef with a little tendon, the beef was cooked very soft and tender, and the beef tendon was trembling, looking very tempting.

In fact, in formal cooking, the beef tendon would not be kept, because in the Federation, and even in the whole world, the cooking of beef is mainly based on frying.

In the process of frying, the beef tendon will shrink, making the shape of the beef look not so normal, and a little strange, so they will remove these beef tendons before cooking.

Lance had someone keep some, and cooked them by stewing. He liked this.

He put the fattest and most chewy piece in his mouth. While chewing, he picked up a napkin and wiped the gravy on his lips. After he had swallowed, he placed the napkin on his right hand side. “National security, is that enough?”

Lance made a simple gesture with his hand. “Yalan’s position on the East Ocean is very special. It is located in the very middle of the Federation and the Dantra Republic. Whether it’s for offense or defense, it plays a crucial role in the security of the Federation’s homeland.”

“I don’t know much about military matters, but I know that if they have to go around Yalan to attack us, they will need to take more sea routes, and will have more of a chance of being discovered by us.”

When William heard this, he nodded. “But what’s in it for you?”

Lance picked up his knife and fork again. “The federal government may not be very happy to occupy that place as an aggressor. I will help them with this.”

As he spoke, he got some more food for himself and began to eat.

These words gave William an unimaginable weight, like a thunderbolt exploding beside him, and his whole person was dizzy!

He looked at Lance and was speechless for a long time. He could only silently light a cigarette, and then was driven outside by Emily.

He suddenly remembered the words Lance had said in the afternoon.

When his child is born, it’s not that he has to be prepared, but that the world has to be prepared!

How big must a person’s ambition, a person’s state of mind, be to have such an idea!

So fucking crazy!

Barbara didn’t know what Lance was talking about. She just begged, “I want to be the female lead!”

A movie with a million in investment. As long as it’s not too bad, her fame and status in this industry will be raised by a large margin.

Lance looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze. She also noticed this, and then quickly left the side of the dinner table and stood in a place where Lance could see her whole body, and turned two circles.

The flying skirt made her look full of vitality, and her criminal figure could indeed attract many fans.

She clasped her hands in front of her chest, with a look of pleading. “Please!”

Patricia couldn’t help but say, “If it’s not so… important, then give it to her.”

Her relationship with Barbara had actually always been quite good. Although Barbara was a little vain, Patricia did not feel that she had been hurt.

And with Lance’s appearance, Barbara had also subtly become better to her, and with Patricia as the center, it was normal for her to like this older cousin.

Lance nodded. “Alright, but you have to do it seriously. This movie is of great importance to me. If you mess it up…”

She immediately raised her hand. “You can spank me. I’m most afraid of being spanked!”

Lance glared at her. “Just eat your meal!”

She returned to the dinner table with a playful smile and began to eat happily.

In the evening, Lance was refused to sleep with Patricia by Emily, on the grounds that she had to protect the still very fragile baby.

Lance had no objection to this.

After Emily had returned to her room, she first glanced at Victor, and then lay down on the bed. She nudged William with her elbow. William, who was reading the newspaper, frowned and looked at her. “Don’t tell me you want a drink of water.”

She was sometimes like this. She would lie in bed and have William do the things she could clearly do herself.

Emily shook her head. “Do you think… our daughter can hold on to Lance?”

William put down his newspaper. “What do you mean?”

Emily sighed. “Women will flock to him like moths to a flame. That’s what I’m worried about.”

William had originally wanted to say “no,” but when he thought of the things he had done, he was a little uncertain, and became hesitant.

The couple fell into a deep sleep in their anxiety. The only one who was carefree was Patricia.

Without sleeping with Lance, she had to find a large pillow and hold it with her legs to be able to fall asleep.

Under the effect of a series of external forces, the screenwriters had written the script in a week. Lance picked up the more hard-boiled of the scripts and, after reading it for a while and proposing some changes, he had already decided to shoot according to this script.

Of course, he also mentioned that screenwriter B could be a co-writer, which made screenwriter B also breathe a sigh of relief.

After another two days of changes, on the second day of May, Lance took the script to find Admiral Miles.

This matter, he, and the navy, and the military, also had to contribute!

(End of a Chapter)