Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 241 - 198 The Demon

Chapter 241: Chapter 198 The Demon

As the movie came to a close, rolling end credits began to appear on the big screen.

The foremost part was the cast list, intended to commend the players for their splendid performances in the instance.

Following the cast list, there was also original historical content, but this time there wasn’t as much supplementary historical material as there had been for the previous two instances; most of it was still content that had already appeared in previous films.

After all, the protagonist this time was Emperor Taizu of Sheng. As an emperor, his various words, deeds, and achievements were surely recorded as meticulously as possible.

Even though the historical materials were not further completed, the audience’s impression of Emperor Taizu of Sheng had greatly changed.

Because historical records only document real events in history, different people can interpret the same event very differently.

Take, for example, Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s execution of Sima Yan.

If one were only to look at the historical records, this would clearly be an underhanded act.

And the historians, who would undoubtedly disapprove of Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s mass slaughtering of officials, would invariably add a hint of their disapproval into the records using tactful expressions.

And this could mislead people who read the historical records later on.

Not everyone is capable of teasing out the truth from the original texts and restoring the true history.

The significance of "Dark Sand" lies in allowing players to enter the specific circumstances, peel away the obscuring mists, and adopt the perspective of historical characters to think about issues, thereby understanding the underlying logic behind such actions.

And then, through the medium of film, allow ordinary viewers to understand, with very concrete imagery, the deep-seated reasons behind each historical figure’s decisions. By comparing this with the historical records, they could develop a more comprehensive view of a character or event.

So, although there wasn’t much addition to the historical materials this time, for many viewers, it provided another perspective on Emperor Taizu of Sheng—one they had never seen before.

Of course, there were also viewers who, even after watching this, still disapproved of Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s actions. That’s fine. What matters is that everyone is able to consider these historical events from some new perspectives.

Finally, the discussion returns to the name of this instance.

"Heroic spirit in the heart, the ambition to test heights with the sky."

The full verse should be "Heroic spirit in the heart, the ambition to test heights with the sky; aspiring to reach as high as the heavens themselves."

Using this line of poetry to comment on the life of Emperor Taizu of Sheng might not be the most comprehensive, but it is indeed the most fitting.

Compared to other illustrious monarchs and founding emperors, Emperor Taizu of Sheng certainly had shared traits, such as distinguished military prowess, exceptionally capable in governance, and superior strategic acumen, with no one able to stir waves under his rule...

But other illustrious monarchs also possessed these attributes.

What made Emperor Taizu of Sheng truly unique was his humble origin, rising to arms with a Rebel Army, and yet managing to transcend the limitations associated with that identity.

He was a hero from humble beginnings, but he didn’t let himself follow the inevitably doomed path of other rebel leaders and heroes; he accomplished great deeds.

And after becoming emperor, he still retained that heroic spirit, unwilling to share power with the scholar-officials, compromising with no one, no force.

Clearly merely flesh and blood, he always knew it was impossible, yet he did it anyway—this is "aspiring to reach as high as the heavens themselves."

Those who wanted to vilify him could certainly find many points to criticize, but no matter what, Emperor Taizu of Sheng was an ancient emperor with immense charisma and could claim his place among the great emperors of all times.

This film, compared to the previous two, also had a change in structure.

The film this time actually resembled more of a talk show with figures from the past.

The entire movie was connected through conversations between Meng Yuan and Emperor Taizu of Sheng, with scenes from the players’ experiences in tackling the instance used as explanations following the discussion of each of Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s achievements.

As a result, viewers would gain a more profound understanding of the difficulties and significance of Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s achievements.

Certainly, the film was just as thrilling.

This demonstrates that no matter the form, as long as the content is compelling, it will always be recognized by the audience.

Online, the film’s popularity quickly soared, with discussions about the character of Emperor Taizu of Sheng also climbing to new heights!

Zhao Haiping scrolled through other viewers’ discussions and found that this instance was rated higher than the previous two.

Of course, this was partly due to the real-life Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s personal charm and partly because, in truth, it was indeed a perfect conclusion.

The previous two major Trial Illusion experiences, while extraordinary, had left some regrets.

"Resolution yet awaits the closing of the coffin," where the main characters nearly all sacrificed themselves for their country;

"In titles not my wish," where Governor Lin died wrongfully in prison and General Deng also perished in despair.

Even though "Dark Sand" gave them just evaluation through its films, it was naturally somewhat unsatisfying.

But the instance "Heroic spirit in the heart, the ambition to test heights with the sky" finally brought most people to a state of enlightened understanding.

Although the real-life Emperor Taizu of Sheng also had many regrets, such as the early deaths of the empress and Crown Prince, overall, his life could be described as vastly fulfilled.

He had achieved the maximum possible for a feudal emperor.

Moreover, "Dark Sand" allowed him, through conversation, to see the Huaxia of hundreds of years later; the final scene at Wulan Tula Mountain, where Emperor Taizu of Sheng ended his appearance as a warrior, could be said to be without any regrets.

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