Chapter 239: Directly Wrapping Up Filming

Chapter 239: A Sudden Wrap

Meng Fan’s efficiency in dubbing was extraordinary; he could transition between various vocal timbres with effortless grace, let alone when focusing on a single character. During the first ten lines after the session officially began, he might have been slightly restrained, but he soon let go completely—to the point where he was practically unstoppable.

It did not start with the subtle, frozen notes of a lute, but it certainly ended with the explosive, clashing sounds of silver vessels shattering and iron cavalry charging. Lou Lan, Charlie, and the others in the studio felt as if they were listening to the endless cries of monkeys on the riverbanks, only to look up and realize they had already crossed ten thousand mountains in a light boat.

The efficiency was startling, and the results were astonishing!

Meng Fan’s standards were far higher than when he had voiced minor roles. Even when he felt he hadn't fully opened up, he insisted on retakes, even when Lou Lan, Charlie, and the voice director were already satisfied. Meng Fan persisted until he was personally content.

Once satisfied, Meng Fan entered a state of total immersion, his vocal range and timbre remaining remarkably stable.

Everyone present knew he possessed a highly versatile voice, which initially caused some concern about his stability—fearing he might inadvertently shift timbres or show signs of vocal fatigue.

As it turned out, not only did Meng Fan possess a versatile voice, but he could also maintain a state of vocal consistency for an incredibly long time.

Lou Lan, the person in the chocolate factory who knew Meng Fan best, had spent over thirty hours in the recording booth with him and understood just how terrifying his efficiency was. When a voice actor’s efficiency skyrockets, the workload and pressure on the rest of the crew inevitably increase. Knowing he had surrendered his time to Meng Fan, Lou Lan had prepared himself well and followed Meng Fan’s advice to get plenty of rest.

Yet, while he had anticipated Meng Fan’s efficiency, he had not expected his stamina or his sheer madness.

The morning went well; they recorded for three hours before breaking for lunch, allowing for a brief respite. By the afternoon, however, things became difficult. After three hours of high-intensity work in the morning, another three in the afternoon left him drained—not to mention that Meng Fan pushed through until past five o'clock in one go.

Concentrated energy drinks couldn't save Lou Lan, nor could Red Bull or betel nuts.

Struggling until after five, Lou Lan didn't even have the strength to eat; he simply collapsed and fell asleep.

Seven or eight hours with Meng Fan was more exhausting than pulling two all-nighters.

"Are we continuing tonight?"

Director Charlie and the voice director were doing fine; because Meng Fan had such a deep understanding of the character and such vocal stability, they were actually more relaxed than usual—though only physically, as their minds remained fully engaged.

Of course, given Meng Fan’s capabilities, they wouldn't have been strictly necessary, but the weight of the role demanded their presence.

Seeing Meng Fan shovel down a few bites of food and prepare to dive back in, they were genuinely intimidated.

Truth be told, there were plenty of voice actors who could grind for ten or twenty hours straight, but Charlie and the voice director had never seen such efficiency, nor such a high workload sustained for so long.

An Iron God?

He must truly be made of steel!

"There isn't much left."

High intensity and high efficiency naturally led to rapid progress. Meng Fan looked at the remaining script and figured another three hours would suffice.

Seeing Lou Lan’s state, he didn't want to force the issue, so he told Director Charlie and the voice director, "You two should rest for a while, too. I’ll ruminate on the character a bit more and wait for Lou Lan to wake up."

Director Charlie and the voice director nodded and left immediately. Once they were gone, Meng Fan didn't leave the booth; he simply leaned back and fell asleep.

He dozed for an hour, checked his "Booth Bug" experience, and saw it had indeed increased by an hour, which gave him peace of mind to continue sleeping.

He no longer lacked roles; he only lacked time spent in the recording booth.

Staying in the booth earned experience—was this experience really that easy to farm?

In truth, it wasn't.

Because the studio was airtight, most people could only nap for a short while before the lack of air became unbearable; no one dared to sleep in there for long.

Voice actors usually stepped out for fresh air frequently.

During the dubbing process, there was constant back-and-forth with directors and voice coaches regarding character and plot; whenever there was a lull, actors would step out, as no one wanted to stay cooped up in that stifling space.

Meng Fan was able to maintain such long hours and sleep soundly in the booth only because of the temperature-regulating functions of his high-tech sportswear and sweat-wicking gear.

After another hour of sleep, his energy was fully restored. He stepped out to use the restroom and had Chen Daqiang, who was busy finishing his own manga at the Damei Studio, order some takeout to be delivered.

"Hmm?"

Lou Lan, sleeping soundly, woke up to the aroma, squinting and drooling. "What smells so good?"

"Rice with bald butter."

Meng Fan was eating with gusto and pointed to a container in the warmer. "I saved a portion for you."

"The legendary crab butter rice?" Lou Lan’s eyes snapped open, and he wiped away his drool. "When *Flavorful World* aired last year, I dreamed of eating this! Damn it, just looking at it is enough to drive a person mad! It’s just so damn expensive—I couldn't even afford the hairy crabs full of roe and paste!"

"Mmm—it’s so fragrant! There’s so much here; how many crabs went into this? It’s so extravagant!"

Lou Lan opened the box, the color alone was exquisite, and he had already swallowed several times, his mouth fully prepared for the feast.

"Mix it first," Meng Fan gestured to the side. "There’s ginger strips and vinegar there; add them to your liking."

Lou Lan couldn't wait after only a few stirs; he took a heaping spoonful and shoved it into his mouth. His eyes narrowed instantly, his face full of bliss, stunned by the richness and delicacy!

Then, he buried his head and ate with total focus.

Meng Fan finished two portions himself; usually, the simple meals Chen Daqiang found were delicious enough, let alone this bowl of bald butter rice that cost several hundred yuan.

After finishing, he picked up a large cup of strong tea and pushed another toward Lou Lan. "Cut the grease and refresh your mind."

With two hours of sleep and the boost from the crab butter rice and strong tea, Lou Lan was brought back to life; getting through the next three hours wouldn't be a problem.

As it turned out, it took less than two and a half hours for Meng Fan to finish everything.

"Does this mean I've wrapped up?"

After finishing, Meng Fan still felt a lingering sense of wanting more.

Voice actors use their voices to shape characters, and those characters, in turn, bring a life to the actor; it was no different from acting.

The plot of the *Nine Heavens* novel was excellent, and the animation production, in Meng Fan’s view, was top-tier—a testament to the great strides Chinese animation had made in recent years.

As long as they avoided superficial gimmicks and didn't focus solely on IP while ignoring content, Chinese animation could produce great things.

"It’s a wrap!"

Lou Lan leaned back and gave Meng Fan a thumbs-up. To grind through the lines of a protagonist for a twelve-episode season in one go, and with such startling quality—what else could he do but give a thumbs-up?

If he had to say something else, it would be—

"I really want another bowl of bald butter rice!"

—And perhaps a few more monthly votes and recommendations.