Chapter 001: Zhuang Zhou Dreaming of a Butterfly

As the saying goes, dreams of death lead to life, and dreams of life lead to death. He has been dreaming frequently lately. Today, on his way back to Brooklyn on the subway, he dreamt again, this time of returning to that summer of 2002, the summer when he was about to turn thirty. He found himself sitting in that cramped office space, where the tense atmosphere was almost suffocating. In his agitation, he unbuttoned his shirt, trying to allow his lungs to take in more fresh air

Lifting his head, he could see the glaring incandescent light on the ceiling, its feeble glow cascading down. The pale light made him feel dizzy, and he couldn't help but close his eyes, breathing heavily. Yet even so, he could not quell the anger within him; the incessant chatter in his ears only fanned the flames, causing the surging anger to nearly spiral out of control

Since the establishment of Western Mirror Pictures in 1996, they began with distribution, bringing outstanding overseas works such as "Trainspotting," "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," "Beyond Silence," and "Central Station" to the North American market. They then ventured into production, releasing works such as "The Heist," "Love is a Dog," and "The Green Mile," including the collaboration with Warner Bros. on "Ocean's Eleven"

The significant differences in ideological perspectives led to several arguments among the four individuals

Western Mirror Film Industry has not only established a foothold among the second-tier film companies in Hollywood but has also made a significant name for itself. However, as the company continues to grow better and faster, their differences have also become increasingly pronounced

At that time, Ryan successfully persuaded the other two partners of the company, Tucker Tooley and Jason Burkle. Ultimately, the isolated Lance was convinced and nodded in agreement to collaborate with Warner Bros. on the adaptation and production of the "Harry Potter" series of films

Now, Lance finally understands that the contract he signed indeed contains the first half of the "Elephant" contract, but the latter half is a contract in which he voluntarily relinquished his shares in Western Mirror Film Industry. He has personally signed his own judgment, and from that moment on, he is left with nothing, as six years of hard work have vanished overnight.

Ten years of friendship, six years of hard work... yet after a deception, all that remains is a mess of broken pieces

Under Lance's gaze, Roger felt as if he were a prey caught in a fishing net, unable to escape no matter how hard he struggled, and a sense of dread began to creep into his heart. With all his might, Roger managed to conceal his emotions, maintaining his poker face. He swallowed hard, only to find his throat extremely dry, like a desert. "Lance, this is a contract you signed with your own hand, which means you voluntarily gave up..." With all his might, Roger managed to conceal his emotions, maintaining his poker face. He swallowed hard, only to find his throat extremely dry, like a desert. "Lance, this is a contract you signed with your own hand, which means you voluntarily gave up..."

Not long ago, Lance learned that Disney intended to produce a pirate film—"Pirates of the Caribbean," and disagreements erupted once again

In fact, the signs of this matter have long been present, have they not

Due to his trust in Ryan, Lance, in a hurry, merely skimmed through the contract, roughly confirming that it was the contract for "Elephant," before signing it and promptly leaving Los Angeles. However, upon his return from New York, he was informed by Roger that he was no longer a partner at Western Mirror Productions and had voluntarily relinquished all his shares

Lance's entire body was tense, as this dream felt overwhelmingly real. The pain reached such an extreme that a clear, tingling soreness began to radiate from his right hand. He could even feel the sharp sensation of his nails slowly digging into his palm, along with the cold wind blowing from behind, raising a thin layer of goosebumps.

Roger only saw Lance's deep blue eyes slightly squinting, all emotions hidden beneath a layer of mist. However, the internal danger alert instantly rose to the highest level. He could even feel a tightening sensation around his neck, which made Roger's throat somewhat dry. He had to gently cough twice, striving to maintain his composure and professionalism. "Lance, this is a contract. The content of the contract states that you voluntarily relinquish thirty-five percent of your shares in Western Mirror Film Industry..."

Ryan is relatively conservative, hoping to continue along the path of success while being cautious in his foray into the production field. In contrast, Lance is more inclined to take risks, eager to make a significant impact in production, as he clearly understands that merely focusing on distribution will not lead to further advancement. To elevate the company to the next level, independent production is the way forward. Their in-depth understanding of the European and North American markets can further serve as an advantage in the production field.

This is the first signal

The film "Elephant" is a collaboration between Mirror Films and Gus Van Sant. Although it was produced with a mere investment of 3 million dollars, the film is based on the shocking Columbine High School shooting incident in the United States in 1999. Lance places great importance on this film; he hopes to submit it to the Sundance Film Festival and then see if it can appear on the international film festival stages of Cannes or Venice, elevating the career of Mirror Films to new heights. Lance places great importance on this film; he hopes to submit it to the Sundance Film Festival and then see if it can appear on the international film festival stages of Cannes or Venice, elevating the career of Mirror Films to new heights

Lance suddenly stood up, and the imposing presence of his tall and upright figure startled Roger, who instinctively stood up as well, his hands awkwardly suspended in mid-air, seemingly concerned about Lance's impulsive actions. However, he soon saw Lance turn around directly, decisively push open the glass door, and stride out of the office, heading straight in the direction where Ryan was.

However, Ryan and Tucker, who were negotiating on behalf of the Western Mirror Film Company, were persuaded by Barry Meyer to sell the adaptation rights of "Harry Potter" to Warner Bros. at a fixed price, signing the contract on the spot without giving Lance any opportunity to recover. This decision completely ignited Lance's fury, leading to the first irreconcilable conflict among the four individuals.

The deadlock persisted for a time. Lance originally believed that they would ultimately reach an agreement through discussion, that one side would eventually persuade the other. However, it now seems that he was not only naive but could even be considered foolish. The world had changed beyond recognition, yet he still unconditionally trusted Ryan, Tucker, and Jason, which was simply absurd. When he returned from his business trip to New York, what awaited him was: shameless betrayal, being thrown out, and leaving with nothing.

Lance believes that this is not only a great opportunity to collaborate with Disney, but also an excellent challenge; however, Ryan, Tucker, and Jason all think it is far too risky. Firstly, pirate films have completely exited the historical stage, and in the current diverse landscape of genre films, producing a pirate movie is tantamount to suicide. Secondly, independently shouldering a production budget of 150 million dollars brings too much pressure and risk, which is something that the gradually improving Western Mirror Pictures neither needs nor can afford.

"My shares?" Lance directly interrupted Roger's words, a cold smile of disbelief curling at the corners of his mouth, mocking and teasing. Yet, no one knew whether his ridicule was aimed at this contract or at himself. "No, this is not the contract I signed! You must be joking with me, right? Recently, I have only signed one contract, the final contract for 'The Elephant.' Aside from that..."

In 1998, Lance successfully acquired the adaptation rights to the original "Harry Potter" novels, hoping that the company would undertake the production. He firmly believed that this series of novels would achieve tremendous success in the film market, serving as a further development opportunity for Western Mirror Pictures. However, Ryan felt that Lance was being too adventurous and too radical, arguing that they had no experience in film production and should slow down—such as by collaborating with a major production company.

Lance gently shook his head and called out calmly, "Roger." Yet, it was this emotionless call that caused Roger to swallow all his words, falling silent in an instant. "I am asking, 'What is this?'"

This dream is so real that Lance cannot distinguish between the dream and reality. One moment he is sitting in the filthy, dilapidated subway of New York, and the next moment he finds himself in the office of Western Mirror Film Company. The intense and overwhelming emotions strike him fiercely, almost like a meteor colliding with the Earth, shattering all his reason, all his self-esteem, and all his pride into pieces. He is not only foolish but also ridiculous, even pitiful.

It was at this moment that Roger realized he had overreacted, awkwardly retracting his hands. However, his gaze could not help but follow Lance's figure. Not only Roger, but at that moment, the attention of everyone in the office was focused on Lance, except for Ryan

Bang! Lance clenched his right fist and slammed it down on the table. The sound, akin to thunder on a clear day, silenced all other noises, bringing about a moment of tranquility.

Lance caught a glimpse of compassion in Roger's expression, and in a flash, all memories surged to the forefront of his mind, gripping his throat directly, causing all words to vanish completely, while the truth hidden behind surged forth.

"Shut up!" Lance clenched his teeth, trying to stop the endless nagging before him. He even wanted to tear that mouth apart to make all the sounds disappear completely. However, the noisy voice continued unabated, with fragmented words intermittently invading his mind, as if under a spell, eroding his last bit of self-control

Memory is so distant, yet still vivid; Lance certainly remembers him, Roger Davis, the official representative attorney of American Zoetrope. At first, it was he who personally approached Roger, and both parties signed a cooperation agreement. However, it was unexpected that in the end, he became the executioner announcing his own judgment. What a tremendous irony. At first, it was he who personally approached Roger, and both parties signed a cooperation agreement. However, it was unexpected that in the end, he became the executioner announcing his own judgment. What a tremendous irony

Lance felt that his life was about to come to an end

Opening his eyes, a face both strange and familiar came into view. The ordinary visage bore a polite and formulaic smile, while the panic in the depths of the eyes gradually dissipated, evolving into a hint of mockery and pity. However, the expression remained utterly unmoved, clearly indifferent to Lance's earlier reaction.

Two weeks ago, he needed to travel to New York for a business trip. Before the trip, Ryan Kavanaugh specifically brought a contract to him—Ryan is a close friend he has known for over ten years, and the two of them co-founded a company called Magic Lantern Productions. Ryan said that it was the final contract for "The Elephant," which required his signature in order to proceed to the production phase as soon as possible

Even in the midst of a dream, even after more than a decade has passed, Lance's tumultuous emotions in his mind remain difficult to control. He raised the contract in front of him, his eyes fixed intently on Roger, trying to search for any clues in his facial expression. "What is this?"