BUFF

Chapter 82 BUFF

Since Steven Spielberg offered to connect Ethan Jones with Ralph Bell, Ethan Jones readily agreed and said he would stay at the Universal Studios hotel to await good news from the other party.

Since they had come together and were both interested in games, Steve Jobs had no intention of leaving. He decided to stay with Ethan Jones to finish everything before going back to manage his personal computer business.

Steven Spielberg was delighted by their conversation; this waiting was the best form of trust he could ask for. So he immediately summoned Universal staff and had them arrange accommodations for Ethan Jones and Steve Jobs. Seeing that it was still early, he even volunteered to be a tour guide, showing Ethan Jones around the Universal Studios.

To be honest, Ethan Jones is an extremely curious person. When he watched *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*, he wondered why the bamboo forest fight between Yu Jiaolong and Li Mu Bai was filmed so beautifully. While watching *Who Am I?*, a leap in the air made him wonder—why hasn't Jackie Chan been blacklisted by insurance companies despite making movies like this?

So when Steven Spielberg said there were no secrets at Universal Studios, Ethan Jones immediately stood up. He wanted to see what the shark props in "Jaws" looked like and why they could give people a fright during the movie.

When he finally saw the three shark models created for the movie, their stiff appearance, dull eyes, and unintelligent demeanor greatly disappointed him. He immediately asked in disbelief, "Steven, are you sure the sharks in the movie are these? How can something so fake be so scary?"

When the conversation turned to his area of ​​expertise, Steven Spielberg immediately became incredibly confident—

"Of course, the sharks in the movie are made from them."

"It's normal that you don't find the model scary as the movie, because the images on the big screen are enhanced by the storytelling techniques."

"We initially wanted to make 'Jaws' a gore movie, but the models were too heavy, making them float and sink normally in the water was too much trouble. So, to save costs, I removed the gore from the script, turning it from a gore movie into a suspense film. It's precisely because we left room for the audience's imagination that you find the great white shark in the movie more terrifying than the real props. When watching a movie, you imagine based on the plot, and the images imagined by the human brain are actually the most terrifying images in the world. Those imagined images are more creepy than any direct shot."

"In art, this is called leaving blank space, right?" Steve Jobs understood and said with a smile.

"Yes, let's call it blank space." Steven Spielberg nodded in agreement.

After hearing what they said, Ethan Jones understood that Jaws was all about creating an atmosphere.

After abandoning the gore and dismemberment common in American B-movies, it creates a terrifying atmosphere through artistic conception.

"If that's the case, isn't it a bit of a shame?" Ethan Jones said, stroking the model of the great white shark. "You spent so much money building it, but you didn't actually make it swim. Isn't that a bit of a regret?"

"Of course!" Steven Spielberg admitted, "It's a bit of a shame."

But the next second, he changed the subject and said, "However, this failure made me realize one thing: when creating prop models in the future, I must consider their autonomy. Also, a friend of mine is currently researching electric models. If nothing unexpected happens, my next movie will be able to use his technology. At that time, I may be able to make up for my regrets."

These words made Ethan Jones, who was stroking a great white shark, blink.

Because he knew that the friend Steven Spielberg was talking about was George Lucas.

And if it's George Lucas, then the movie that the electric model represents is none other than Star Wars, a national IP in America...

"Has filming already started for this movie?"

Ethan Jones, somewhat curious, asked directly, "An electric model? What movie is your friend making? Why would he use these things?"

"Oh, it's a science fiction movie, about outer space," Steven Spielberg said.

"Wow~ outer space? Is that so cool?" Ethan Jones continued to verify.

"Yeah~ I think it's really cool too!" Steven Spielberg's eyes lit up when he talked about it. "Ethan, are you interested? If you are, I can take you there sometime."

"It's not far; his studio is in Van Nus."

"However, filming hasn't started yet; we're only in the modeling stage. The earliest we can start filming is next March."

"Got it! It really is Star Wars."

After confirming this fact, Ethan Jones smiled and agreed, "Okay, I'll come over after I finish what I'm doing."

"Don't worry, you'll definitely get the new game before we go."

Steven Spielberg was delighted to hear this assurance. In high spirits, he continued to show the two around Universal Studios until his assistant came over to say that the hotel arrangements were complete and they could check in anytime. He also mentioned that they had booked an entire floor, so there was no need to worry about privacy. Only then did Steven Spielberg accompany them to the hotel to rest, and then drive home to contact his father.

To be honest, the most useful background in the world is your own parents.

When Steven Spielberg called his father to tell him he was in some trouble, the old Spielberg drove to Universal the next morning without saying a word. His decisive manner left Ethan Jones, who had just woken up, completely bewildered.

"This came way too fast!"

Without hesitation, he took a shower, brushed his teeth, and went to Universal Studios to meet with Spielberg. After recounting his experiences and needs, the bespectacled, portly Spielberg immediately shook his head, sighed, and said, "As expected, something still happened."

"When Mirova sued Atari over copyright infringement of 'Pong,' I felt something was off. Mirova was demanding two million dollars in damages from Atari. How could they possibly pay so much for just one game infringement?"

"Now……"

"Ugh!"

"Rudolph's patent truly made capitalists ecstatic while leaving practitioners in tears!"

"Rudolph?" The name puzzled Ethan Jones.

Why did he feel like the person he was talking about wasn't the same person as the one Old Spielberg was talking about?

His confusion made Steven Spielberg laugh, saying, "Oh, Ethan, don't be surprised, here's the thing."

"Professor Ralf Bell's original name was Rudolf Heinrich Bell. He changed his name while fleeing to avoid being captured, so people now call him Ralf, while those of us who know his original name still call him Rudolf."

"Oh! This is even more certain!"

Ethan Jones smiled and nodded, indicating that he understood.

Just as he suddenly realized what was happening, old Spielberg changed the subject, looking at him with curiosity. "Ethan Jones?"

"Yeah?" The call brought Ethan Jones back to his senses.

When he refocused his gaze on old Spielberg, the retired man immediately smiled and said, "Ethan, you may not know, but I heard your name a long time ago, in the Los Angeles Times."

"Snake Game is a fantastic idea. I've played it, and I think it's more fun than any other game on the market."

"Oh, thank you~ thank you for your compliment." These words made Ethan Jones grin from ear to ear.

His answer, however, prompted Old Spielberg to wave his hands repeatedly, saying, "Hey! Ethan, don't be so formal!"

"Although this is indeed our first meeting today, you are, after all, my son's friend, and there is no distance between us."

"Now that we're all sitting together, it's just a pure chat."

"Okay," Ethan Jones replied with a smile, indicating that he understood.

But at the same time, he also said, "Uh... Arnold... may I call you that?"

"Of course!" Old Spielberg nodded affirmatively.

“Okay, Arnold.” Ethan Jones pursed his lips and explained, “Arnold, I’m not being formal, I just wanted to show you some respect. Since you’ve read the Los Angeles Times article, you should know that Snake Game wasn’t my work alone. I only provided the idea, and my sister was responsible for making it happen.”

"My sister is a student at Stanford University, majoring in computer science. Because she often reads relevant books at home and talks about the development of the industry, I also have a certain understanding of the electronics industry. And it is precisely because I understand it that I realize just how amazing an engineer like you, who developed the GE computer, really is."

"My sister always tells me that we must always have a sense of reverence when facing real engineers, because these people are working hard for a better tomorrow for mankind. Materially, we who provide creativity and enjoy technology may be richer, but spiritually, you who lead the way in technology are richer and more fulfilled."

"Oh—hahahaha~~~" Old Spielberg burst into laughter.

He clapped and exclaimed, "Wow, Ethan, your sister and you are so incredibly insightful!"

"Let's not talk about anything else—"

"At least superior to your skills and inspiration—"

At this point, he turned to his son and said, "Steven, you should learn more from Ethan!"

"If you could talk like him, I wouldn't have to worry about you getting into trouble every day!"

Steven Spielberg rolled his eyes at these words.

Ethan Jones smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he was being too kind.

Yes, he admitted that he was just saying it for show.

But so what?

Even if there's a connection, it's still considered a stranger when people meet for the first time.

In this situation, saying something nice will make both parties feel comfortable.

After laughing, Spielberg steered the conversation to what he cared about most.

"Ethan, I heard... your father was a soldier?"

Ethan Jones was taken aback by the question, because he didn't know why the other person would suddenly ask about it.

However, Ethan Jones felt there was no problem with his family background, so he nodded and said, "Yes, Arnold, my father was a soldier. If I remember correctly, he enlisted in 1948, after WWII, right?"

At this point, he suddenly laughed and said with emotion, "In my memory, his purpose for joining the army was very simple: he wanted to get a stable job with a good income. So, he joined the army when he was twenty years old."

"Unfortunately, he was not lucky. According to his plan, he would choose to retire after serving for twenty years, which was in 1968. But no one expected that in 1965, he would be sent to Cochinchina and then stay there forever."

To be honest, Ethan Jones didn't really connect with the story when he told it.

He only received the original owner's memories, but did not personally experience those facts.

But he still sounded helpless as he recounted the story.

In his view, the original owner of this body's father was truly unlucky.

In just three years, I'll be able to return to my family and enjoy the joys of family life at the age of forty.

result……

A war wiped it all out.

This is really...

Ugh!

Just as he shook his head helplessly, old Spielberg pursed his lips and nodded repeatedly.

He slightly rose, moved to Ethan Jones' side, and patted him on the shoulder.

Then, the portly-looking man said with a sigh, "My child, your father loves you very much."

"Because they serve for twenty years before being discharged, they can enjoy the highest level of treatment."

"If your father is discharged from the military successfully, he will not only be able to get priority job placement by the government, but you and your mother will also enjoy a more convenient educational environment, employment benefits, and government-funded medical insurance."

"And as far as I know, this family benefit will continue as long as the veteran is alive."

"So, your father wasn't serving for himself, but for the whole family."

"? 』

These words surprised Ethan.

In fact, after transmigrating, he was quite confused when he learned that the original owner of the body's father had been serving in the military until his death. He didn't understand why the original owner's father would continue to serve even when he had a family, instead of choosing to retire.

It wasn't until Thomas told him that the man who stayed in Cochinchina just wanted to serve the maximum number of years to get state subsidies for his family that he realized just how great the original owner of the body's father truly was.

But these must be special regulations within the military, right?

How did Steven Spielberg's father know this in an era when information was scarce?

While he was confused, old Spielberg patted him on the shoulder and then stood up.

After smiling and nodding goodbye to the three people present, he pushed open the door and left.

More importantly, when old Spielberg first arrived, he walked with a brisk pace, but now he walks with a somewhat unsteady gait.

This situation surprised Ethan Jones, but with old Spielberg's disappearance, his son, Steven Spielberg, cleared things up for Ethan Jones: "Ethan, your father was a soldier? Why didn't you say so sooner?"

"Huh? Is there a problem?" Ethan Jones didn't understand.

“Of course there’s a problem,” Steven Spielberg said, taking a deep breath. “Because my dad can’t listen to these things.”

"What?" Ethan Jones still didn't understand.

"Because my father also served in the army," Steven Spielberg said. "That was in 1941."

"He personally experienced WWII and saw many of his comrades die."

"The Professor Bell you're looking for is the same; he joined the army in 1943 and also participated in WWII."

"Perhaps the war in Vietnam is very dishonorable to American society today, but to them, war is war. Whether they win or lose, the nature of the war is the same. The so-called battlefield is a huge slaughterhouse. The soldiers involved have no right to choose their own life or death and can only obey orders."

"If you're lucky, you'll win and survive, then you can enjoy the glory."

"If you're unlucky and lose the fight, and someone dies, then your descendants will have to bear the infamy."

"They hate this kind of thing, and they especially don't want to hear about any soldier's child becoming an orphan because of the war..."

"Because they came back from the battlefield alive, they had seen many comrades-in-arms pass away and witnessed too many widows."

At this point, Steven Spielberg let out a heavy sigh.

As the sound of dejection appeared, disbelief filled Ethan Jones' eyes.

Steven Spielberg’s father and Ralph Bell both served in the military.

What the hell!

What kind of weird buffs does he have?!

(End of this chapter)