Chapter 156: A Cinematic Spectacle
Thirty seconds was enough time to change a lot of things. For a movie, thirty seconds was far too brief, but the thirty-second commercial for Saving Private Ryan that aired during the Super Bowl halftime show displayed only the most authentic reality of war and the battlefield.
The Super Bowl was an annual carnival in North America. Even those with no interest in American football would sit in front of their televisions just to watch the halftime commercials and performances. Much like how people on the other side of the Pacific Ocean tuned in to a certain broadcast on a specific night every year, this wasn't just driven by interest—it had become a habit.
In a luxury mansion on the Upper East Side of New York, Aerin Lauder sat with her younger sister. Estimating that the first half of the Super Bowl was over, they immediately switched the channel to ABC Television. They had absolutely no interest in the game itself; the channel change was purely to catch the halftime commercials. Not only would the Lauder Group's latest ad campaign air, but there would also be a commercial for a new movie by Aerin's favorite director.
"Aerin, you seem a little too obsessed with that director's work."
Hearing her sister, Aerin Lauder shushed her with a gesture. "Jane, it's starting!"
Placed at the very front of all the movie commercials was the spot for Saving Private Ryan. Aerin's eyes went wide, staring straight at the television. Jane seemed influenced by her older sister and watched the screen with unusual intensity as well.
Landing craft surged toward the coast. Aboard the boats, officers barked instructions at the soldiers. Men kissed their crosses. Then the ramps dropped, bullets swept in, and the beach turned into a living hell—a gruesome scene awash in blood red.
Jane subconsciously covered her mouth. Aerin pressed her lips tightly together...
A man carrying his own severed arm searched for a medic. Another clutched his stomach, trying to hold in his spilling intestines. One soldier took off his helmet, staring in disbelief after it had just saved his life, only for a second shot to finish him off. One by one, soldiers collapsed in pools of blood.