As a road movie, 3,200 Miles was not a road comedy—in fact, it was quite the opposite: a road action film.

In all the TV dramas and films Rong Xu had acted in so far, only Ambush and Zhuang Hua Luohad featured a few action scenes. Overall, his roles had always been focused on dramatic performance, with very few physical action requirements. For example, in Zhuang Hua Luo, the majority of action scenes were handled by Qin Cheng and the actor playing the second male lead. It wasn’t until the final showdown that Rong Xu needed to shoot a brief fight scene.

When action scenes are simple, the stunt director can coach actors on-site and get the required effect for the shot. But to lead an action film as the main protagonist usually demands prior training.

Before filming Stormbringer, Qin Cheng had gone through an intense twenty-day crash course to build muscle, shape a lean and powerful physique, and master fight choreography.

Now, as soon as Rong Xu arrived in Washington, he was immediately placed into boot camp that very afternoon by director Clemens Holt.

The training area was an enormous soundstage. Upon entering, one could see countless crew members busily working back and forth. Most were from the props department, explosives team, or stunt coordinators—preparing for the film’s many explosive action sequences.

Rong Xu had barely taken a few steps when a cheerful female voice called out behind him,
“Hey, Rong?”

He paused and turned to see a tall, striking blonde woman smiling brightly as she walked toward him. Her skin was bronze, and her features weren’t particularly delicate—but handsome and sharply defined. She wore a white tank top, her toned arms muscular but not bulky—radiating a youthful, energetic charm that could only be described as dashing.

Rong Xu’s lips curved into a slight smile as he greeted,
“Jennifer.”

Indeed, it was none other than Hollywood A-lister Jennifer.

Although this was their first time meeting in person, they had chatted frequently online due to their upcoming film together, quickly building a friendly rapport. After exchanging just a few words face to face, they felt like old friends.

Jennifer laughed and said,
“I joined the crew two days ago. You’d better brace yourself—Cullen’s terrifying.”

Cullen was the stunt coordinator for 3,200 Miles, responsible for designing the action scenes and training the actors.

“I’ve heard,” Rong Xu sighed softly, brows slightly furrowed.
“Jennifer, if Mr. Cullen bullies me, I’ll be counting on you to save me from his clutches.”

He had already shed his jacket and changed into the training tank top prepared by the production team. After all, the next part of his day would be full of stunts—wirework, gun training—far too intense for wearing anything cumbersome.

Jennifer chuckled.
“I heard there’s a Chinese saying—‘hero saves beauty’. Rong, my Chinese is terrible, are you sure you’re using that right? You want me to save you?”

Rong Xu turned, smiling at his assistant.
“What do you think? Is Jennifer a hero?”

From the moment Jennifer appeared, Luo Xi hadn’t taken her eyes off her. Upon hearing Rong Xu’s question, she nodded vigorously,
“Of course! Jennifer is awesome! I love your Virus A series—it’s an absolute classic. So cool!”

Jennifer burst out laughing and happily began chatting with Luo Xi.

Soon a crew member called for Rong Xu to start warm-up runs. The two women stayed behind in the shade of the soundstage, chatting away, while Rong Xu helplessly headed out into the blazing sun to begin his workout.

In 3,200 Miles, Rong Xu played a boy who hadn’t yet come of age. His character, Roy, was young and timid—bullied by his peers since childhood. But when the moment came, he didn’t hesitate to shoot a police officer dead and take a hostage to make his escape.

Once blood was spilled, everything changed.

Over the course of this desperate 3,200-mile flight, Roy rapidly shed his panic. He coldly cuffed the female lead, hijacked a car, and fled. Along the way, he killed an innocent motel owner and a clueless highway patrol officer. His transformation was drastic—a major highlight of the script.

Clearly, this film’s protagonist was an outright criminal and villain. Yet in the first half of the film, after the killings, Roy acted as if nothing mattered anymore—completely fearless, utterly detached. But in the second half, the female lead gradually softened him.

This was no pure love story. Jennifer’s character, Natasha, was twelve years older than Roy—more like an elder sister figure. When Roy was wounded and unconscious, Natasha initially tried to escape. But not long after, she came back, taking the injured youth with her.

Slowly, Roy began to accept her presence as a trusted figure—but he didn’t know that the woman pulling him back from the abyss was actually a police officer. In the final confrontation with the police, he stepped in front of her to shield her—only to be shot in the abdomen from behind.

He was taken to court, tried, and sentenced to over thirty years in prison.

The film’s ending was far from happy. Beyond the rapid plot and dazzling action scenes, Clemens had laced biting satire into the script.

The movie targeted two real-world social issues. First: racial discrimination.

No matter how strong Huaxia became, bigots still hid among the crowd. They looked like normal people—working nine to five—but if you discussed race or skin color, they’d casually say:
“Don’t you think those black-skinned and yellow-skinned monkeys are just God’s joke?”

Roy was an Asian boy from Huazhou. He was bullied by his own peers precisely because of this. The script never spelled it out explicitly, but the underlying satire was undeniable.

The second issue was the widely praised Juvenile Protection Law in the U.S.

Actually, this law wasn’t as extreme in the U.S. as in some other countries. Elsewhere, even if you murdered dozens, tortured and killed an innocent girl in the cruelest ways—if you were underage, the media couldn’t even reveal your name or face. After some education and time, you’d get to change your name, your identity—start fresh.

In the end, Roy received his sentence. Natasha visited him in prison.

She urged him to reform—to look forward to a new life after thirty years. But Roy asked her, “Why didn’t you just kill me when you had the chance?”

Early in the film, Natasha had been bound and helpless—forced to watch as Roy murdered. Later, she’d fully earned his trust and could have shot him any time, as many officers would have.

But this brave policewoman solemnly answered,
“I believe you can start a new life here.”

Yet upon hearing her kindness, the young criminal gave a cold smile:
“In here, the law can’t give me a new life. My life… ended a long time ago.”

The plot of 3,200 Miles was far from being a happy, feel-good comedy—in fact, it leaned more toward somber reflection and melancholy. But this was exactly the kind of bold innovation Clemens wanted to attempt. He could easily earn big box office returns with his explosive, eye-catching action scenes; after securing that, he sought something deeper—something meaningful.

Thus came a film that was deliberately flawed and imperfect.

The male lead wasn’t a good person, and the female lead was far from perfect as well.

None of the characters enjoyed a complete or satisfying story arc; each was heavily flawed in their own way. But that was exactly what made this film an awards contender. Maybe because of its strong commercial nature, the movie wouldn’t win many accolades, but if filmed successfully, it would be a fresh challenge for everyone involved—actors and director alike.

Rong Xu quickly adapted to the week-long special training.

On the very first night, Mr. Cullen commented to him in surprise:
“Unbelievable—you actually made it through? Rong, you’ve performed better than I expected. But I’m sorry to tell you that tomorrow, I’ll have to intensify your training. You see, American audiences don’t really like purely delicate and fragile beauties—they prefer strong men.”

Rong Xu rubbed his sore calf and looked up to ask:
“You mean… like you?”

Mr. Cullen flexed his thick, muscular arm with a grin:
“Exactly. Like me.”

Off to the side, Jennifer sincerely exposed the truth:
“Believe me, Rong, they like you more. Otherwise, how could your Zhuang Hua Luo become the second-highest box office film in the U.S. this week?”

The two exchanged knowing smiles.

Not far away, Director Clemens was furiously scolding a young crew member. His temper was notorious, and he tore into the worker so harshly that the poor man couldn’t even lift his head. Luo Xi frowned and muttered:
“Xiao Xu, why is Director Clemens like this now? I remember him being much calmer last time we worked with him…”

Rong Xu glanced up just in time to hear Jennifer say:
“Rumor has it that old Mr. Holt came to Washington last month and gave his son a good beating.”

 Then she quickly covered her mouth and laughed,
“Rong, you didn’t hear that from me, okay?”

Rong Xu’s delicate features showed a helpless smile as he said,
“Right, I didn’t hear anything.”

Jennifer chuckled, “But I am curious—why did old Mr. Holt suddenly beat up Clemens? Even Clemens himself didn’t seem to understand why. He must be going crazy from it.”

Rong Xu shrugged, “I’m not so sure myself ^_^”

The reason?

Ah… old Mr. Holt was truly loyal—not only did he not reveal Qin Cheng, but he also kept the real reason entirely to himself.

Seven days flew by in a blink, and soon, 3,200 Miles held its opening press conference in Washington. Director Clemens invited media from around the world. Thanks to his prior publicity campaigns, everyone already knew this would be a huge-budget action film—fans worldwide eagerly awaited this latest Clemens-style blockbuster.

3,200 Miles was a hit before it even started filming.

Two months earlier, Clemens had begun leaking information to the press—letting the global audience know he was preparing to shoot a massive production. The film boasted a budget of nearly $60 million, and the team had rented an entire highway, scouting locations across the U.S. for half a year.

Just the fact that they’d rented an entire highway gave 3,200 Miles tremendous exposure. Now that the crew was officially launching production, fans finally got to see the film’s star-studded lineup.

Director Clemens Holt—America’s hottest young filmmaker—famous for grand action sequences, especially explosions, car chases, and gunfights. His commercial films were beloved by young audiences worldwide.

Lead actress Jennifer Strong—a Hollywood A-lister, known for her bold, powerful action-heroine roles.

Then there was Oscar-winning cinematographer Mancado Fran, and a renowned post-production team from Huaxia that had won the Golden Phoenix Award…

And finally, Rong Xu.

When this handsome, refined young man appeared on the live broadcast, many American viewers were baffled—unsure who this unfamiliar Asian actor was. But after watching the conference closely, a large number of fans suddenly realized:
“Wait—he’s the prince from Zhuang Hua Luo!”

That’s right—even if they didn’t know Rong Xu by name, American moviegoers definitely knew about the smash hit Zhuang Hua Luo. Some had probably even gone to theaters to watch it.

Silent had only received a limited release in the U.S., but Zhuang Hua Luoand Dark Clouds had been box office successes.

At the press event, reporters bombarded the crew with sharp, invasive questions—pushing for gossip and behind-the-scenes drama.

Finally, they turned to ask about the film itself—the first question for Clemens was:
“Mr. Clemens, why did you choose Rong to play the male lead in such an intense action film? Was it because of his skill in Chinese martial arts?”

Neither Rong Xu nor Clemens was caught off guard—they had prepared for this.

Clemens smiled at Rong Xu and responded with ease:
“Rong may be young, but he’s one of the most naturally gifted actors I’ve ever met. His acting is superb—and yes, his Chinese martial arts are excellent as well. I’m sure when you see him on screen, you’ll be as captivated by his charm as I was.”

Rong Xu smiled politely and said,
“I’m very honored to have this opportunity to join 3,200 Miles.”

His fluent, elegant English—carrying a faint British accent—flowed smoothly from his lips. His pronunciation was clear and perfect, as polished as the finest gentleman.

He continued,
“In this film, I play a boy with a very complex personality—both bold and decisive, yet timid and hesitant. Such a role is full of contradictions and brilliance, and I’m grateful to Clemens for giving me this chance.”

Clemens laughed heartily,
“Rong, you’re so good it’s almost irresistible.”

The two exchanged compliments before reporters moved on to other questions.

Long before the conference, the crew had confirmed what could be disclosed to the media—assistant directors had prepared detailed Q&A notes for Rong Xu and Jennifer, including the information they were allowed to share.

But in truth, Clemens didn’t need to say much—Rong Xu was no rookie. Everyone knew that in events like this, the cast and crew must appear harmonious, united, and cooperative.

That was the best way to ensure the film’s success and maximize exposure.

And in this production, Rong Xu was actually the least famous name.

Clemens had been famous for years—with more than ten films grossing over $500 million, nearly one blockbuster per year. Jennifer was also a famous Hollywood action star—with cumulative box office earnings exceeding $7 billion.

Two hours later, the 3,200 Miles press conference officially ended.

The next day, all the major American newspapers and magazines reported on the film. Online, the crew’s marketing team seized the opportunity to flood the internet with promotions—blanketing every platform to ensure that 3,200 Miles was burned into every netizen’s mind.

[I heard this movie won’t be out until summer—I can’t wait! Clemens and Jennifer together, plus that gorgeous Chinese actor—it’s going to be amazing!]

Yes, in the promotional campaign for this film, Clemens deliberately packaged Rong Xu as a mere “pretty face.”

The audience all knew Jennifer as a famous action star, but they barely knew Rong Xu—perhaps only recognizing him from Dark Clouds or Zhuang Hua Luo. Before the movie’s release, Clemens didn’t mind letting viewers wrongly assume the plot—that even though Rong Xu was the real action lead of this film and Jennifer only had fight scenes toward the end, he wanted all the audience’s attention focused on Rong Xu’s looks.

“This young Chinese actor is so good-looking!”

Many netizens sighed with admiration.

It was far easier to make them accept “Rong Xu is handsome” than to convince them “Rong Xu is skilled at action and martial arts.”

But after filming began, reality was very different from what the public imagined. Their so-called delicate, beautiful Chinese porcelain doll was undergoing intense, high-intensity action shoots every day—while Hollywood action star Jennifer spent her time wearing elegant long dresses, leisurely sitting in the back seat of a luxury car, playing the true “vase” role.

Rong Xu’s character Roy had once been just a petty delinquent—the worst crimes he’d ever committed were extortion and, at most, helping sell some marijuana. But after that bank robbery, he suddenly began to mature fast.

Clemens didn’t care how unrealistic this character arc was; all he wanted were exciting shots. So after Roy escaped the bank, his fighting ability visibly skyrocketed—much to Rong Xu’s suffering, as he constantly had to film action scenes.

Here was yet another grueling sequence: the handsome, delicate-looking Asian boy, covered in dust, sprinting fast from a gas station.

Rong Xu ran at top speed toward a short wall outside the station—barely 1.2 meters high. Behind him, three brawny security guard types chased, shouting loudly.

“Stop! It’s you—we know it’s you!”

“John, quick—grab him! That bounty’s ours!”

Under the blazing sun, the youth leapt—one hand pressed against the wall as his wiry body soared through the air like a sharp blade, tracing a clean, graceful arc. Landing lightly, Rong Xu bolted away, leaving the three men struggling to scramble over the wall after him.

He filmed this scene eleven times before Clemens was finally satisfied. It wasn’t because Rong Xu acted badly—Clemens was simply too much of a perfectionist. The first three times, Rong Xu couldn’t make it over the wall cleanly; when he finally managed to vault it, Clemens complained that the movement wasn’t “cool” enough—lacking explosive visual impact.

“Rong—you have to look awesome. Powerfully awesome!”

But what did “awesome” even mean?

Crisp, clean movements. A cold, sharp gaze.

A camera zoomed in on Rong Xu’s face. After flipping over the wall and rolling smoothly onto the ground, he suddenly lifted his head—dark hair whipping back to reveal fierce, chilling black eyes. These were a child’s eyes—but after everything he’d experienced, after taking lives, they now burned with danger.

Clemens cheered endlessly at this shot, while Rong Xu could only smile helplessly, stretching out his hand for Luo Xi to disinfect his wounds.

Eleven takes in a row had inevitably left him scratched and bruised. His knees were banged up, his skin scraped raw—inevitable for an actor doing real stunts. Meanwhile, the supposedly “action-heavy” Jennifer strolled over, handing him a tube of ointment with a smile.

“I used to use this all the time when filming—it works great. You should try it. Oh, and Rong—you really looked amazing just now. I bet when this film releases, every woman in America is going to fall for you.”

Rong Xu accepted the ointment and handed it to Luo Xi. Luo Xi pouted in worry, carefully applying it as she muttered softly,
“Your elbow’s scraped again, Xiao Xu… Does it hurt? The director keeps making you do retakes—you’re getting hurt too much.”

Only three days into shooting, and Rong Xu was covered in small injuries—no major wounds, but plenty of minor ones. Just yesterday, a broken glass shard cut his finger badly during a scene, bleeding so much Luo Xi almost cried.

She mumbled in Chinese—too quietly and quickly for Jennifer to catch—but Rong Xu smiled wryly and said,
“Sister Xiao Xi, you’re making me sound like I’m terribly wounded right in front of Jennifer. I’m really not that bad.”

Jennifer finally understood and laughed.

For actors, getting hurt was inevitable. In Rong Xu’s previous life, he had a close actress friend who had once fallen from a wire during filming—breaking her spine and spending a whole year in a wheelchair.

In this life, Jennifer herself was a perfect example. Four years ago, while shooting an action movie, she had fallen from a building—she still bore a scar on the back of her head. Though most of it was hidden by hair, there was a bald patch where nothing grew.

Of course Luo Xi knew this—
“But I can’t help feeling worried…”

If these little cuts made her so anxious, she couldn’t even imagine what she’d do if Rong Xu ever suffered a serious fall—unconscious, blood streaming from his head—she’d probably break down in tears.

Rong Xu just smiled gently, saying nothing more.

But in truth, the one who worried most for Rong Xu wasn’t Luo Xi—it was someone else.

On the very first day of filming, Rong Xu got a scrape on his chin—not bleeding, just a bit of broken skin. Normally, a little foundation would hide it perfectly. But after showering that night with no makeup, the mark was plainly visible.

He started a video call, smiling as he said,
“First day of filming was tough—but Jennifer taught me a lot. I haven’t done much action before, but she’s really been a great guide.”
In both lifetimes combined, Rong Xu had rarely shot action scenes.

But after this comment—silence.

Rong Xu:
“…?”

He lifted his head, puzzled—only to find the man on his screen staring intently. Qin Cheng’s brows were drawn tight, his dark eyes fixed sharply on Rong Xu’s face.

“You’re hurt?”