Ding!
Cassius noticed a new email in his inbox. It was from Rob.
How to Identify and Counter False Information About Cassius
Rob had downloaded it from a fan group.
Cassius clicked it open.
Chapter One: Common Types of Rumors and Their Characteristics
Chapter Two: Fact-Checking Methods
Chapter Three: Polite Comeback Scripts
Chapter Four: Relevant Legal References
Appendix: Cassius's Filmography and Achievements
It was all very professional.
"Who made this?" Cassius asked, curious.
"A fan organization called the Cassius Data Group. They've got lawyers, designers, programmers, and English majors on the team. They run 24-hour shifts monitoring sentiment across every major platform."
"They don't sleep?"
"Time zones. When it's night in China, it's daytime here. Perfect handoff."
Cassius felt a sudden rush of gratitude.
He posted on Weibo: "Thank you to everyone who spoke up for me, especially my friends back in China. I saw all the charts, videos, and guides you made. I'm really touched."
A minute later the comments exploded.
"Not tired at all! Fighting feels great!"
"Cassius replied to me! I'm alive!"
"Time to make ten more anti-hate graphics!"
"Upstairs is grinding too hard!"
Anne messaged him: "Your fans are insane. My agent wants to hire them."
Cassius reached out to his team in China and prepared a batch of signed photos and merch to give away in a raffle.
Then he thought about it and recorded a quick video instead.
"Hey everyone, it's Cassius. I want to sincerely thank everyone who supported me during this time—"
He spoke in for a few minutes, keeping it simple and warm, like he was talking to friends.
"I know a lot of you stayed up all night for me, used VPNs, wrote long posts, made charts, and edited videos. I remember all of it. In return, I'll keep making good work and won't let you down. Also, please take care of yourselves. Don't overdo it. Your health and happiness matter more than anything."
The video hit Weibo and broke a million reposts in minutes.
The comments poured in.
"I'm crying. He actually cares about us!"
"Not tired anymore! Your words give me more energy!"
"Cassius, fly free. If shit hits the fan—okay, we'll make sure it doesn't. We're always here!"
"From now on, I'm a die-hard Cassius fan!"
fans added English subtitles and posted the video on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
The title was simple: "He deserves it."
Under the video, the haters' comments were getting buried. In their place came messages in every language.
"Even though I don't understand , I can feel the sincerity."
"Casual fan to full fan."
"Those people who were hating on him—does their face hurt yet?"
Public opinion flipped completely.
The Hollywood Reporter ran a feature that afternoon: Cassius's Crisis PR Victory: Fan Power and Transparent Strategy.
The article broke down the entire situation and highlighted the organized response from fans, calling it an unprecedented cross-border fan movement.
It ended with: "In this incident, Cassius displayed the qualities expected of a modern artist. He didn't back down from the rumors. He spoke with facts while also cherishing his fans' support. His fans, in turn, demonstrated a new kind of fandom—not just consumption, but participation and even defense. This may reshape Hollywood's fan culture going forward."
Cassius smiled after reading it.
Whether it changed anything or not, he knew one thing for sure.
They had won this round.
Rob called, sounding relieved. "Warner dropped the idea of pausing your scenes. Nolan said filming stays on schedule."
"That fast?"
"Crisis is opportunity. Your heat is still high, and now your image looks even better—talented, responsible, and backed by a loyal fanbase."
"Oh, one more thing."
Rob paused, then continued. "They caught the assistant who leaked the contract. It was one of Kristen's former assistants. She was in debt from gambling, so she sold the information. Kristen already filed a lawsuit."
"Leaking trade secrets? That's an easy win."
After hanging up, Cassius lay on the couch.
He opened his system panel.
[Reputation-Building] had jumped to 60 percent.
His name had been everywhere online these past few days, boosting his [Cultural Influence] and speeding up the progress bar.
This was way faster than just acting.
He might have just found a new leveling path.
Cassius's good mood lasted exactly three days.
On the fourth day, Rob sent him photos.
Then he called.
"Warner's office building is surrounded."
"What?"
"A bunch of white people with signs saying you should get out of Nolan's new movie and out of Hollywood."
Cassius grabbed his jacket. "I'm going over there."
"Don't! They're there because of you!"
"Even more reason to go."
He drove to Burbank. Two blocks away from the Warner Bros. building, he could already see the crowd.
About fifty or sixty people lined the sidewalk in front of the building, holding white signs with black letters.
The signs were blunt:
"Space Has No Yellow People!"
"Keep American Heroes American!"
"Nolan Betrayed Us!"
Some were chanting slogans. Others were giving speeches to the cameras.
Cassius parked across the street, put on a hat and sunglasses, and walked closer.
The guy speaking was a middle-aged white man with a receding hairline and a plaid shirt. He held a megaphone.
"Cooper is a symbol of the American spirit! A father! A pilot! A hero who saves humanity! Casting an Asian is an insult to this character!"
The crowd raised their signs and echoed him. "Insult! Insult!"
A reporter asked, "Who do you think should play Cooper instead?"
"Any white actor would be better than an Asian!"
Cassius listened, feeling heat rise in his chest.
He recognized a few faces in the crowd—people who had protested against him during Green Lantern and The Hunger Games.
Same old haters.
A few were waving American flags and singing the national anthem.
The whole scene was absurd.
But in America, this was almost normal.
Rob called again. "You there?"
"Across the street."
"Don't go over. Warner security is clearing them out, but the media's already gotten their shots."
"When did they start?"
"Seven this morning. Very organized—matching outfits, coordinated chants. Someone's backing them."
"Who?"
"Still checking. Probably another studio or some extremist group."
Warner security started moving in to disperse the crowd.
But the protesters knew the law. They stayed on the public sidewalk and kept chanting.
Security couldn't physically drag them away, so they formed a human wall to block the building entrance.
More media arrived with cameras.
Cassius spotted several familiar reporters—ones who had previously hounded him with race questions.
His phone buzzed. It was Nolan's assistant.
"Cass, Nolan said don't respond. Don't say anything."
"I know."
"Warner's in an emergency meeting. It's not looking good."
"What do you mean?"
"Some higher-ups are wavering."
The call ended.
Cassius stared at the protesters for a few minutes, then got back in his car.
At home, he turned on the TV.
Local news was already covering it.
The signs looked ugly on screen. The chants came through the speakers.
"Controversy over Nolan's new film casting continues. This morning, a group calling themselves defenders of American cinema protested outside Warner Bros., demanding the removal of Asian lead Cassius—"
Scrolling comments flashed at the bottom.
"Support the protest! Hollywood's gone too woke!"
"This is racism!"
"What did Cassius do wrong? Just because he's Asian?"
"Asians shouldn't play American heroes!"
Cassius turned off the TV.
He opened his system panel.
[Reputation-Building] had reached 60 percent.
Another 2 percent jump.
The progress was flying.
Cassius almost wanted the bullets to keep flying a little longer.
As long as it stayed within his control.
If Warner dropped him completely, it would wreck his Hollywood career.
This kind of open racist protest was way more damaging than any cheating scandal.
A scandal could be explained away. Once race got attached to you, it was hard to shake.
Warner would probably cut him loose.
That afternoon, Rob showed up at the Beverly Hills house. The moment he walked in, Cassius could tell from his face that the news wasn't good.
"Warner's meeting is over."
"And?"
"They're pausing your scenes. They want to wait for the situation to cool down."
Cassius stared at him. "What about Nolan?"
"Nolan's against it, but Warner's higher-ups have different opinions."
Rob sat on the couch and rubbed his temples. He looked exhausted from the nonstop bad news.
"One of the VPs said the investment is too big to take this risk. If casting problems tank the box office, the responsibility is too heavy."
"So they want to replace me?"
"Not replace. Just pause."
Rob emphasized the word. "Officially it's to let the controversy die down, but it's basically a soft blacklist."
"Does Nolan agree?"
"He doesn't, but Warner holds the money. They have final say."
In Hollywood, directors had some say in casting, but capital always had the last word.
Even a big name like Nolan couldn't override the studio on something like this.
Cassius was quiet for a few seconds.
"If they pause it, how long?"
"No idea. Could be a few months. Could be until they find a replacement."
"Who's the replacement?"
"Matthew McConaughey."
Of course.
Classic white leading man. And he had been one of the top contenders for the role before Cassius came along.
"Hollywood is always like this."
Rob sighed. He felt just as helpless. "They talk about diversity and inclusion all the time, but when it really matters, it's still white first."
"And the contract has a force majeure clause. If external pressure makes filming impossible, the studio can adjust."
"So what now?" Rob asked.
"Wait."
"Wait for Warner's official notice."
Cassius had expected this. He wasn't surprised.
There wasn't much else he could do but wait.
He felt like he had done everything he could.
The Hunger Games 2 promo had started, but the team hadn't invited him to any events. They were clearly factoring in his current negative press.
The Fast & Furious team, on the other hand, was business as usual.
Director Justin Lin had even sent him the updated shooting schedule and told him to wrap up his current commitments and get on set as soon as possible.
The Fast & Furious crew had strong voices—Vin Diesel had some producing power—and they cared about the market.
"You've changed."
Rob looked at Cassius sitting calmly on the couch. He wasn't pacing or looking worried like Rob had expected.
"What do you mean?"
"Old you might have just taken it quietly. Now you're tougher."
"I have leverage now."
Cassius smiled. "I've got the work. I've got the fans. Even if they kick me off this one, I'll still be fine."
"But Nolan's movie was a huge opportunity."
Rob wasn't ready to give up yet.
"Opportunities come around. Pride doesn't."
Rob nodded. "Yeah."
It was rare for Rob to sound this firm.
Thinking back, just a couple of years ago he was still working as an assistant director on sets. Now he was a hotshot agent in the industry. What was there to complain about?
After Rob left, Cassius sat alone in the living room.
At nine that night, the official notice from Warner came through.
Not an email. A phone call.
One of the VPs called personally, voice very official.
"Mr. Cassius, given the current external media environment, the company has decided to temporarily pause filming on Future World. Your scenes will be delayed. We'll notify you of the new schedule later. During this period, the exclusivity clause in your contract is suspended, so you're free to take other work."
It was phrased politely, but the meaning was clear.
You're out.
Cassius stayed calm. "Is this final?"
"Yes."
"What does Director Nolan say?"
"Nolan understands the company's decision. He's currently focused on the artistic side of the film."
"So he agreed?"
"The director and the company have always maintained good communication."
"Understood."
"Additionally, the company will pay the first-phase compensation as per the contract. We won't activate the breach clause. We hope there will be future opportunities to work together."
Future opportunities?
Cassius smiled coldly inside.
Capital showed its true face in moments like this.
Cassius had seen this coming. He just hadn't expected it to happen so fast.
He hung up and sat in the dark for a long time.
His phone kept buzzing with messages, but he didn't check them.
He was thinking about one thing.
If this really was the end, what would he do?
Go back to China and start over?
Stay in Hollywood and keep fighting?
For the first time, he felt like the system's gifts weren't as powerful as they seemed in real life.
It could improve his acting, absorb attributes, and raise favorability.
But it couldn't change people's prejudices. It couldn't change capital's choices. It couldn't change the unwritten rules of this industry.
Warner's stock price ticked up 0.3 percent after the announcement.
Kicking him off actually made the stock rise.
Rob called. "Fast & Furious just said they can move up your schedule. Justin Lin told you to get on set as soon as possible. There are also a few indie scripts, but they're small."
"Let's go with Fast & Furious."
Cassius made the decision quickly.
There were plenty of movies. One more or less didn't matter.
After hanging up, Cassius opened Twitter.
#CassiusPaused was already trending at number one.
Right below it were:
#WarnerBowsToRacism
#BoycottNolansNewMovie
He clicked into the tag. It was lively.
American users were celebrating. "Finally got what we wanted!"
"Yellow people shouldn't play American heroes!"
"Hope he never comes back!"
Plenty of others were angry. "This is blatant racism!"
"Warner caved to extremists. Disgusting!"
"The movie hasn't even started shooting and they're already boycotting? Are you sick?"
But a third voice appeared too. "With that much money on the line, they can't afford the risk."
"Cassius is unlucky, but business is business."
"Hope he gets another chance."
This was reality.
When something went wrong, a lot of people wouldn't pick a side. They'd just understand the studio's choice.
Cassius checked the stock app.
Warner Bros.' stock had gone up 0.3 percent after the announcement.
Kicking him off made the stock rise.
Rob called again. "Check the news. CNN is live at Warner's press conference."
Cassius turned on the TV.
On the live feed, Warner's VP and the Future World producer sat at a table taking questions.
A reporter stood up. "Does pausing Cassius's scenes mean he'll eventually be replaced?"
The VP answered, "Right now it's just a scheduling adjustment. Whether we recast hasn't been decided yet."
"When will you decide?"
"We need to evaluate how the media environment changes."
"Is this decision influenced by the protests outside?"
The VP paused. "We considered multiple factors, including but not limited to the media climate, project risk, and production timeline."
Another reporter asked, "What's Director Nolan's stance?"
The producer took the mic. "Nolan understands the company's decision. He's currently focused on the creative side of the film."
"So he agreed?"
"The director and the company have always maintained good communication."