Chapter 294: A New Bet

During the filming, everyone was amazed by Chongqing's extreme elevation differences.

"Ethan, are you sure we're on the first floor?" Standing in a plaza between buildings, Will Smith glanced over the railing at the buildings below. "Because I feel like I'm on the 18th floor."

"That's right, this is Chongqing, a true 3D city," Ethan shrugged. "You can't even trust maps here."

He still remembered visiting this place in his past life, long after 2020, when online navigation was already highly advanced. But in Chongqing, even the best maps were useless. Once, he had tried to find a massage parlor, only to follow the GPS for dozens of kilometers without ever reaching his destination.

The roads here were also peculiar. It was the only place where he had seen a single intersection with three traffic lights stacked on top of each other. Many overconfident drivers who came to Chongqing quickly learned humility, realizing that driving here was an entirely different level of challenge compared to their hometowns.

Even without a car, just walking around in Chongqing could lead to getting lost.

Many times, people would follow navigation directions only to discover that their destination was either directly below or far above them—completely out of sight. It was bizarre.

That's why Chongqing was often called the most cyberpunk-like city in China, with Hong Kong's Kowloon Walled City being its only rival in atmosphere.

But Kowloon Walled City had been demolished long ago, leaving Chongqing as the perfect location for filming Lucy.

Filming in Chongqing went smoothly, mainly because the government had only granted them a limited shooting schedule. Ethan and his crew had to wake up at six in the morning and wrap up at eleven at night, giving the American film crew a taste of the grueling work culture of Chinese laborers.

Fortunately, everyone in the crew had been carefully selected and were seasoned professionals. No one complained about the long hours—especially since they knew they would receive generous bonuses and several months of rest after filming wrapped up.

A week passed in the blink of an eye. The Lucy crew completed the plaza scenes and moved on to one of Chongqing's most famous landmarks: Hongya Cave, where they would shoot the final scene.

"This place looks incredible! The buildings are stacked like giant toy blocks," Scarlett was in awe when she saw Hongya Cave. To foreigners, the densely packed, layered stilt houses were like something out of a fantasy world.

Rob Sari tilted his head up, staring at the neon-lit signs hanging from the stilt houses. He eagerly lifted his camera, snapping pictures nonstop.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Ethan grinned, looking at the now-closed-off Hongya Cave. "But normally, this place is packed with people. I wouldn't recommend coming here alone."

"Let's go inside and check it out," Scarlett's curiosity was piqued. She had a strong urge to explore the unknown.

"Alright, no problem." Since the crew was still setting up props and harnesses, Ethan led Scarlett into the commercial street inside the stilt houses. Since the area had been temporarily closed off, most of the street vendors were gone, leaving only a few jewelry stalls open.

Scarlett wandered from stall to stall, fascinated by the trinkets, eventually picking out a few colorful shell bracelets.

In his past life, Ethan wouldn't have bought anything from these tourist traps—he knew they were just cheap wholesale goods meant to scam outsiders.

But now, he bought several, along with a few panda-themed souvenirs. He planned to bring gifts back for Jessica and the others—it would be rude to return from China empty-handed.

Especially for little Elena—Ethan figured she would love a panda plushie.

Once the crew had finished preparations, Ethan and Scarlett returned to the set for filming.

This scene depicted Adam Hammer descending from the sky to chase Lucy and her allies, resulting in an intense battle. In the end, Lucy and her team managed to defeat Adam Hammer once again and escaped the heavy siege of Arasaka Corporation.

Due to Hongya Cave's unique terrain, Ethan had planned a stunt sequence where Scarlett and the others would leap from the top of Hongya Cave down to the plaza, culminating in a chase scene on a nearby railway bridge.

This railway bridge connected the two sides of the city and was one of Chongqing's most famous landmarks. Tourists often rode the subway across it, enjoying stunning views of Hongya Cave. During holidays, it was always packed with visitors.

As Ethan gave the command, Scarlett and the others, suspended by harnesses, leaped from the top of Hongya Cave. Meanwhile, Rob Sari, dressed as Adam Smasher, followed closely behind. With every jump, debris and smoke erupted around him, creating a dramatic effect.

The crowd watching from a distance was stunned. Many had never seen such a high-budget Hollywood production in person.

Some even pulled out their cameras, using zoom lenses to capture the moment.

"What movie are they filming?" An elderly woman passing by asked.

A young man nearby immediately explained, "This is Lucy."

"Lucy? What's that?" The elderly woman looked puzzled. "Is it Zhang Yimou or Feng Xiaogang?"

"Neither. It's Ethan's film—it's a Hollywood blockbuster!"

"A Hollywood blockbuster? So it's American?"

"That's right, Auntie. Have you seen it before?"

"Never. Those movies give me a headache. I can't understand them. You young people seem to love them, though."

The young man chuckled and didn't press the issue. He turned back to his girlfriend, discussing the film. "How much screen time do you think China will get in Lucy?"

His girlfriend shrugged. "Probably just a few seconds, maybe a couple of quick establishing shots."

"I wonder if there are any Chinese actors in it."

"I heard there's a character with Chinese heritage, played by a Chinese actor."

"Then I'll definitely watch it! If the set looks this intense in real life, the movie will be even crazier!" The young man's adrenaline surged as he watched Adam Hammer plummet down the set. The sheer scale of the cybernetic enhancements on Hammer's body was already thrilling.

The final scene required three takes before Ethan was satisfied. By the time filming wrapped, it was already 3 AM.

Back at the hotel, Ethan and Scarlett were so exhausted that, for once, they didn't "spend extra time together"—they simply showered and collapsed into bed.

The next day, Ethan gave the crew a day off so they could explore the city and buy souvenirs.

Meanwhile, he took Scarlett in a taxi to a panda-themed souvenir shop, where they bought a huge collection of panda plushies.

"They're adorable! Elena is going to love this," Scarlett said, hugging one of the fluffy toys. She smirked at Ethan. "You really are a great dad."

Ethan raised an eyebrow at her teasing tone. "So when are we having a kid?"

Scarlett froze for a second, then pursed her lips. "Forget it. I'm not ready for that. My career comes first."

"Scarlett the career woman—so ambitious. I like it," Ethan grinned.

"If I win an Oscar, I'll have a kid," Scarlett said suddenly.

"Oh?" Ethan arched a brow. "Is that a bet?"

"What do you think?"

"I accept the challenge," Ethan said with a smirk. "Just wait."

"Wait for what?"

"For me to write a script that will win you that Oscar."

....

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