DKIE CH76: God of Forging

The movie tickets were being scalped on the black market for gold coins just one day before the release. As the most highly discussed film recently, “God of Forging” had invisibly become a fashion item – if you didn’t go see it, you’d have trouble finding common topics with others during casual conversation.

Beyond the movie’s plot itself, most discussions centered on Luka and Nellie. Their completely different character designs attracted different audiences, with no fan conflicts arising. Instead, the entire promotional process was remarkably harmonious.

While Luka was busy with the film’s final promotional push, the Holy Court secretly summoned all trainee priests. A personal audience with the Saint and the High Priest was an ultimate honor. In the past, trainee priests would have been thrilled, but this time they felt inexplicably uneasy – especially Suihan, the team leader.

He was the best performer among the trainees and the favorite youngest son of Duke Ode. After forming the channel, Suihan had begun manipulating other members with a playful attitude, guiding them to engage in outrageous behavior. By day they spoke insincere praise of Luka, by night they dug up dirt on him and posted abusive comments under alternate accounts.

Through these daily investigations, his mindset had somehow begun to change.

“Louis”, a trainee priest behind him whispered, “The Saint is asking you a question.”

Suihan – also known as Louis – snapped to attention and hurried forward to bow, then reported on their recent work.

Inside the temple, the Saint sat in one of the main seats, immaculate as always. Beside her, the most senior High Priest sat with half-closed eyes, his demeanor stern. Official priests stood on both sides, while female attendants brought chairs for the trainees to sit.

“Don’t be nervous. We’ve summoned you for an important mission,” the Saint said gently.

Suihan responded: “We’ll die before failing.”

The Saint was satisfied with his attitude and smiled: “Tomorrow when Iliad’s movie premieres, the Holy Court will directly intervene, forcefully demanding that all opera houses refuse to cooperate with him.”

Suihan was stunned. So many opera houses would never all listen to the Holy Court – why this pointless gesture?

But the Saint then said something bone-chilling in a perfectly casual tone: “When the conflict between the Holy Court and Iliad becomes a hot topic, on premiere day, you must incite Iliad’s supporters to self-detonate in protest outside the Holy Court gates, carrying banners supporting Iliad.”

The Holy Court would naturally make Iliad take the blame for this.

All the trainee priests were shocked into silence.

Suihan stammered for the first time: “But… but they might not listen.”

The hall fell deathly quiet. Suihan could clearly hear his own heartbeat. After a long moment, he raised his head to see the Saint still smiling while the High Priest’s stern gaze pressed down on them like a thousand pounds.

“This is an order that must be completed. Don’t forget the oath you swore when entering the Holy Court,” the High Priest said.

Suihan didn’t know how he left. When he came to his senses, the puddles on the street reflected his ashen face.

The signal was poor near the Tree of Life, so trainees had been living outside recently to use their devices.

“Louis, what should we do?” The other trainees looked equally pale. On their first day, they had sworn never to betray the Holy Court – not a casual oath, but one bound by a magic scroll contract.

Louis himself was panicking and couldn’t answer them.

The first spring rain was falling from the sky, piercing his neck like needles as he walked with unsteady steps. Images from recent days flooded chaotically through his mind – being forced to spend enormous amounts of time in the channel chatting with members, writing songs together. Simple environmental factors had gradually begun to constrain his thoughts.

And for reasons he couldn’t explain, though he’d initially been disgusted by Luka, as his understanding deepened – especially through the ritualistic frequent insults – strange feelings had begun sprouting uncontrollably.

Lost in tangled thoughts, a low, hoarse voice suddenly came from behind: “Feeling lost?”

Suihan whirled around, his hand instinctively going to his sword. A massive gulf of shadow from the overhead clouds stretched between them.

Under the eaves behind him, a man had appeared as silently as a ghost, his pale eyes radiating a damp, eerie dread.

“The Holy Court recently re-established the Outer Court.”

Suihan remained wary. Under the Saint’s pressure, the Holy Court had been forced to compromise and split into Inner and Outer Courts – this was now common knowledge. It was said the Saint had even summoned the great demon from Giant Stone City.

Why was this person suddenly bringing this up?

While he puzzled over this, the newcomer’s next words suddenly stirred something in his heart.

“The Outer Court is also a legitimate Holy Court institution,” Quill Pen said temptingly. “Serving the Outer Court doesn’t count as betraying the Holy Court, does it?”

As the storm clouds retreated, his words were like sudden light breaking through.

The surrounding trainee priests had an epiphany. Then their expressions changed one by one.

Serving the Outer Court meant betraying the Holy Court – no, betraying the current Inner Court. The Holy Court’s punishment for traitors was extremely severe. Before joining, each of them had been pride of their families, raised from childhood to consider entering the Holy Court the highest honor. Now to abandon everything and embrace the Outer Court seemed like seeking death.

Suihan stared hard at Quill Pen: “You’re a lobbyist sent by the Outer Court?”

“You seem to overestimate your own value.”

The trainee priests’ expressions became somewhat awkward – currently the Outer Court’s guest ministers were all at least ninth-tier grand mages.

“Someone took pity on your youth and wanted to give you another chance.”

Quill Pen vanished eerily into the misty dampness, leaving only words that hadn’t yet dissipated: “The Holy Court constantly says it listens to the voice of God through the Tree of Life, but shouldn’t gods listen to the voices of their people?”

The trainee priests stood frozen in place.

Unlike “True and False Young Master”, “God of Forging” premiered across all races within two days of each other.

The night before the premiere, everyone was busy. The Holy Court was busy openly interfering with the film’s distribution, displaying their conflict with Luka publicly for the first time.

The passive-aggressive sparring between both sides attracted many online spectators. The increased discussion boosted exposure, and the next day, major opera houses were besieged by crowds. Some wealthy people who hadn’t gotten tickets bought them at inflated prices on-site, requiring guards to maintain order.

“Alan,” an old professor suddenly recognized his student in the crowd. “You got tickets?”

Many teacher-student groups had come to watch. “True and False Young Master” had featured extensive ancient runes, and they wanted to see if this film would too.

Alan was a preparatory student in the newly added Magical Runes major. Since Luka proposed establishing theoretical specialties, some larger institutions had begun preparing students in advance.

The teacher-student groups had privately bought back tickets at high prices, so the professor was curious how the poor student had managed it.

Alan: “I work as security at the opera house.”

That one sentence brought momentary silence to the chaotic atmosphere. Damn it, why hadn’t they thought of such a good idea!

The amplification equipment suddenly announced: “Audience for the twelve o’clock showing, please enter now.”

The crowd resumed its clamor, surging forward again as some tried to sneak in. Security kept pulling out those trying to slip through. Amid the marketplace-like atmosphere, the interior hall quickly filled.

As the heavy doors closed, all outside noise was cut off. The lights dimmed and the movie officially began.

Due to the trailer, audiences just wanted to quickly reach the battlefield scene. But before they’d even warmed their seats, they were drawn in by the opening.

The actual film didn’t focus on the dwarf race initially – it opened with scenes of foreign gods slaughtering slaves, with narration introducing the foreign gods and the continent’s survival system, the former being overall superior in power to other races.

Audiences naturally took the continental perspective, and seeing native races sold and murdered as slaves made them frown.

Just as they were feeling upset, the turning point came. In the vast starry sky, an old woman born without eyes stood before the stars and prophesied to the foreign gods:

“Divine beings from beyond shall perish at the hands of a diminutive race.”

“From the distant north, a forged divine weapon shall one day be raised above the gods’ heads—”

Prophecies are often the beginning of seas of blood. As her words fell, the old woman shattered into stardust. High above, the foreign god heard the prophecy and angrily looked down, finally gazing toward the distant north.

Meanwhile, in the northern dwarf territory, laughter and joy rang out – the first scene from the trailer, with a woman smiling brightly and looking up at the blue sky.

One looking down, one looking up. Fate began to intertwine at this moment.

“Whoa…” This shot was perfectly executed – the audience watched without even blinking.

With fate as the catalyst, anticipation reached its peak. They couldn’t help but ponder: if they were prophesied to die at someone’s hands, what would they choose?

The film had no unnecessary buildup. The foreign god convinced and colluded with several forces to launch a genocidal war against the dwarf race, attempting to eliminate the source of the prophecy.

To tragic, heroic music, an epic war for survival erupted. Giants ruthlessly slaughtered while the entire dwarf race went to war. The images on the big screen were even more spectacular than the trailer.

To create the most perfect work, light elves and dark elves cooperated for the first time, barely delivering before the premiere. This piece crystallizing both races’ efforts immersed the audience from the moment its prelude began.

“Kill—”

Cold weapons burst with the most primitive savage light, and audiences felt as if they too were fighting on the battlefield.

A stone club was raised high above the princess’s head, and the background music was about to reach its climax. At that very moment, all other sounds quieted, leaving only the rushing wind as the club fell.

The terrifying stone club was mere centimeters from the beautiful woman’s head. At this life-or-death moment, space was torn open and light flashed.

The climactic background music seamlessly kicked in!

The instant the Void Clan appeared, the entire theater erupted in sharp cheers.

The foreign gods and Void Clan clashed across space – wind gathered, clouds changed, and the entire magical special effects were so realistic it was like the end of the world.

The Void Clan’s rescue of the dwarf race also stemmed from prophecy – they wanted to completely eliminate all foreign gods.

The first-person growth storyline was like a powerful magnetic pull, immersing audiences as they followed the princess’s experiences and trials. Unknowingly, they even began identifying with the protagonist.

After the dwarves, foreign gods launched invasions against more races. They established even more magnificent civilizations in conquered lands, and as generations of resisters died, more and more voices advocated no longer resisting the foreign gods.

“Can’t you see how well the new city has developed?” When the protagonist’s childhood friend said this, even the audience’s hearts wavered slightly.

Outside was a meat-grinder war zone, but the confined areas saw civilization gradually flourish. Perhaps retreating one step to embrace a higher-level civilization wasn’t wrong?

“That’s not a new city, it’s a sheep pen.”

“It’s the pressure from us outside resisters that makes the feed in the sheep pen more abundant.”

The princess’s gaze was like a calm lake. Her friend said: “But as long as we worship the foreign gods, there will be no more war and needless casualties.”

“If I’m to worship, I’ll worship a god who teaches me how to become a god.”

The princess looked at her friend: “When I become a god, I’ll stand outside the gates of truth and check whether your answer is correct.”

As their eyes met, the friend actually staggered back a step. Simultaneously, the audience seemed to hear heart-pounding drumbeats, instinctively leaning back as well.

Parting ways with her childhood friend, the princess returned to the battlefield. Each time she rose a level, she faced enemies of higher realms. The War Hammer, as a growth-type weapon, evolved quickly but remained relatively slow against increasingly powerful foes.

Standard leveling-up formula. Each critical upgrade point was consistent – through life-or-death battles with guardian foreign gods while reclaiming invaded lands.

The audience felt an unprecedented ideological impact. Someone murmured: “How strange.”

Though the movie was called “God of Forging,” the director seemed to be teaching them how to destroy gods throughout.

This strange feeling reached its climax as the movie neared its end. The protagonist’s comrades fell one by one. One of her arms was nearly shattered, the other already severed. The foreign god leader’s curse prevented her from even speaking.

The audience’s hearts rose to their throats. Unable to raise weapons or recite spells – how could she fight?

“There’s no way to win.”

Just as audiences thought it impossible, the woman on screen suddenly picked up her shattered arm bone. The pale, bloodied bone struck the War Hammer! Using the smithing sound as rhythm to replace spells, and using flesh and blood as sacrifice and material.

By the time the foreign god leader tried to stop her, it was too late. In dull yet crisp sounds, the princess’s body gradually became transparent as the War Hammer completed its final evolution.

To tragic yet heroic music, person and hammer became one. Smashing toward the immeasurably powerful sky—

Nearly all the audience stood up. The interlocking yet unexpected ending reached its peak in that earth-shattering hammer blow.

At the movie’s end, the princess’s childhood friend stood beside ruins, holding a letter:

“The foreign gods say that new gods will eventually become new foreign gods.”

“I don’t believe it. Gods are recognized as gods because they protect and do things for their people, not because they tell others, ‘I am a god.'”

The movie ended there abruptly.

Audiences had come attracted by the trailer. With “True and False Young Master” having set precedents, aside from special effects and actor fans, the general public’s expectations weren’t particularly high.

The director suddenly delivered tremendous value with excellent results. The final ending left the public both grief-stricken and fired up. On social media, various terms related to “God of Forging” had long been trending.

[Breaking gods, becoming gods, destroying gods… Who understands? I almost got so excited I punched through the opera house wall.]

[I understand! I paid three thousand gold in damages.]

[Hard to imagine this and “True and False Young Master” had the same screenwriter.]

[Haven’t gotten tickets yet. Is it true the female lead only gains the Forging God’s power at the very end? [shocked][shocked][shocked]]

[Just finished watching, highly recommend. The movie is extremely well-made! I thought it would be a simple revenge film, but the spiritual core it conveys is really powerful.]

Interpretations about gods sparked astonishing discussion online. Early selling points had been the protagonist and supporting characters’ looks, but after the film’s release, public discussion focused not on appearance but on the protagonist’s character and the director’s expressed philosophy.

Another unexpected discussion point… was the Holy Court.

The human teacher-student groups who went first looked at each other after emerging. In fairness, they very much agreed with the film protagonist’s philosophy, especially the final letter’s text, which was quite moving.

“Am I overthinking this?” a student asked quietly. He couldn’t help connecting it to the Holy Court – a living example of telling others [I am God].

Positions like Priest and Divine Envoy… thinking about it now felt oddly uncomfortable.

This time even the professor didn’t scold him, falling into contemplation. The entire film never mentioned the Holy Court once, yet was filled with implications. Those with similar thoughts weren’t just them – other races mocked the Holy Court without any reservations.

All races had individual worship of their ancestors, but more was respect and affection. Only one force constantly claimed to walk with God, proclaiming divine will.

A demon prince even directly posted under his real name: [The Holy Court claiming to hear divine will, and the Tree of Life providing poisonous life liquid – truly a match made in heaven.]

Within less than a minute of posting, it received massive supportive comments.

Meanwhile, the long-prepared Holy Court didn’t receive news of fans self-harming in resistance, but instead news of the movie’s huge success.

Related discussions on social media had broken a hundred million. All postcards with autographs from film participants sold out instantly upon release.

Moke City, as the filming location, became popular alongside the movie, attracting many fans for sightseeing and photo ops.

“God of Forging” received rave reviews and achieved tremendous success!

Excerpt from Luka’s Diary:

When worried about being criticized, raise the stakes. Within that framework, imply certain things, directing the source of conflict toward the implied force.

Holy Court: Go to hell!

Support me on Ko-fi