DKIE CH92: New Product

The next day, after a rain shower, the weather brought a rare coolness.

In summary, it was a perfect day for a stroll.

In the new district, the dense flow of customers artificially raised the ambient temperature.

It was the opening day of the cinema and also a rest day, so many adults and children were willing to come out to see something new. No matter which major city district it was, it was incredibly lively at this moment.

The cinemas were all quite large, and the squares were hung with magical promotional banners.

 “Hilarious Attack! The first comedy blockbuster, sweeps away all unhappiness!”, “3D horror movie, do you dare to challenge it?”, “Emotionally shocking, great value tickets!”… All sorts of promotional slogans flickered with magical elements.

The posters for the twenty-odd films each had their own unique features. Cullen had cleverly combined the cinemas with other shops run by the chamber of commerce, so all sorts of goods could be bought nearby.

Not far away was the opera house, where the “Sound of Music” project, a collaboration between Luka and the elves, was in full swing.
Now, the opera house was not only not in decline but had been transformed into a high-end palace of art.
All the shops connected to form a perfect commercial circle.

When the reporter truly saw this scene, the controversial headlines he had originally thought of completely faded away.
He keenly noticed a strange place.

A large shop had celebratory flower baskets placed outside. But the promotional sign on the door read: “Open at 13:00.”

Why not open quickly while the crowd was large? What were they waiting for?
The reporter made a mental note to come back and check later.

Standing at the entrance of the unopened shop, looking back at the entire square was even more shocking. A perfect headline suddenly popped into his mind:
“Setting Sail—A New Era of Civilization.”

The newspaper had done too much gossip and unofficial history. Occasionally changing their approach might even win praise from the outside world.

Nearby, as the reporter’s mind was opening up, Rio and Berlanie happened to be guarding this cinema. A sense of pride, like “my cub has finally grown up,” also welled up in their hearts.
The two had agreed that one would guard inside and the other outside later.

After a game of dragon claw rock-paper-scissors, Rio was victorious and claimed the spot inside.
Berlanie ground his back teeth, watching helplessly as the other walked in.

The second floor of the cinema was still recruiting merchants. The first-floor lobby contained at least a dozen small theaters and had a dedicated massage waiting area.
The front desk sold some high-priced snacks, and there were many customers. Many films were playing at the same time. Rio, without a doubt, chose the one adapted and directed by Luka, his divine sense covering the other theaters in advance.

The poster’s art style was a bit childish, but many people bought tickets because of Luka’s name.
The entire theater was packed.

Rio had seen the beginning of the story before; with the background music, it was even more immersive.
“A monkey! Is the headband the monkey is wearing made of gold!”
There were many children, and seeing the monkey come out, they danced and shouted.
The parent sat calmly to the side, chewing on snacks. “Maybe.”
“That monkey…”

The phantom of a massive dragon head suddenly appeared in front of the father and son.
Both large and small eyes widened in terror.
“No crying, no shouting, no fussing, understand?”
The two demons trembled and nodded at the same time.

Under the silencing spell, the surrounding audience was clueless. Seeing that it had finally quieted down, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Before the phantom disappeared, Rio caught a glimpse of an audience member in the back row constantly kicking the seat in front, trying to attract attention.
With a gentle flick of its dragon tail, a red mark appeared on the face of the seat-kicker.
The magician who was hit was about to flare up, but upon seeing the dragon head, he sat back down in fright.
Smack. He decisively slapped the other half of his face.

Under the good order, the other audience members were able to watch the movie with more focus.

Luka  had adapted one of the most classic stories: Three Attacks on the White Bone Demon.

Compared to text, the short duration of a movie made it difficult to show the individual interesting aspects of the characters. Tang Monk could only make his debut in a stereotyped form.
The audience was furious throughout the entire film!
Tang Monk had wrongly accused Sun Wukong not just once, but a second, and then a third time!

Sun Wukong was no soft pushover of a true young master. He had a rebellious spirit in his bones and was smart and powerful.

His fiery golden eyes could see through all things.

So when the audience, from their god-like perspective, saw him being suppressed, they wished they could jump in and give Tang Monk a couple of good punches.

A monkey, skilled in both literary and martial arts, was on the ground clutching its head and screaming in pain. Who could tolerate that?

“Quick, go save that monkey!”

This time, Rio did not stop the child’s subconscious shout. He was also grinding his claws, wishing he could poke through the screen.

The story’s ending followed the original work.
 

The Great Sage bid farewell to Tang Monk, not forgetting to say, “If a demon captures the master, just say that old Sun is his eldest disciple.”

 Tang Monk said, “I am a good monk and will not mention the name of a villain like you. You should go back.”

 The Great Sage somersaulted on a cloud, crossing mountains and seas to leave.

Amidst the misunderstanding and conflict, the audience’s hearts were in suspense, both angry and wanting to see Tang Monk’s regret.

 However, what they were left with was the image of Monkey Bro traveling far away on the screen.

A child had sharp eyes. “Look, there are words!”
A few lines of scrolling text appeared at the end of the film:
—Adapted from Wu Cheng’en’s Journey to the West.
—The series will begin broadcasting soon.
—On June 24th, by the television, let’s face the eighty-one tribulations together!

The lights came on, and in the brightly lit theater, the audience, who had felt frustrated after watching, now looked at each other, their attention somewhat diverted.

 “What’s a television series? Is it another name for a movie?”

 “I don’t know. And what’s a television?”

 The only thing that was relatively clear was the eighty-one tribulations. The smarter audience members immediately realized that Three Attacks on the White Bone Demon was probably just one of those tribulations.

Doesn’t that mean there’s a lot more to watch? So will the Great Sage come back in the end!
Even after leaving the cinema, the related discussions had not stopped.

A burst of firecracker sounds suddenly came from the distance, startling them.
The shop that had been closed earlier was now using firecrackers to attract people’s attention.

 A loudspeaker repeated in a loop: “New store opening, accepting pre-orders. The latest televisions, for your ultimate viewing experience!”

Televisions? They were sure they hadn’t misheard. Children were the most curious. They ran over, calling for their parents as they ran.

 “Come quick!”

 With the first one leading the way, more and more curious onlookers approached in that direction, eventually turning into a swarm.

A long line quickly formed outside the cinema, and inside, people were also queuing to watch movies.

 It was the first time for many to make a film, so the capitalists hadn’t learned to cut corners yet. They were full of sincerity, and there were many high-quality works this time.

Everyone who came out would be attracted by the long, lingering line outside and would follow to queue up.

 The stock was quickly sold out. While waiting for pre-order registration, the novel term “television” spread with public discussion.
…

Some joined the fun, some did not.
On a rare rest day, Cullen’s mother, Mrs. Beryl, was lying in bed preparing to enjoy life.

 Elegant and proper, she actually disliked socializing.

 Lying in bed reading a book, scrolling through her terminal—how wonderful.

 Why must people go out?

Her freshly manicured nails gently swiped across the screen. After opening the community, Mrs. Beryl was quickly attracted by a term that was red to the point of being purple.

 Terms with excessively high popularity would display a different color. Those who could resist clicking on them were saints.

 “Television?”

After coming into contact with the terminal, it was actually easy to understand what a television was.

 To put it bluntly, it took one function of the terminal; it could only be used to watch things.

 But televisions were much cheaper than terminals and used very few magic stones. Mrs. Beryl was instantly tempted!

 She wasn’t short of money; she only cared about the experience.

 Every time she used her terminal to watch movies online, the screen was too small, and she had to hold it.

 Wouldn’t it be perfect if a television could be hung on the wall opposite her bed?

It wasn’t just her. The public’s expectations for televisions were also very high:

 [A gospel for the common people! Heavens know how troublesome it is to have to queue up every time I go to an internet cafe.]

 [I saw in the advertisement that news broadcasts and such can be watched on television in the future. Is that true?]

 [Inscriptions researched by His Excellency Luka, manufactured by the dwarves, with the elves joining in… How can this be fake? (continues to push up 3D glasses)]
[I can’t take it anymore, I’m so excited! Already snatched a unit from stock, waiting for Journey to the West to premiere on the 24th. I’m so tired of chasing films.]

 [Chasing series, chasing films every day, I’m tired of it too. Wait, televisions don’t require chasing for updates, right?]

For a whole day, almost all the hot topics were dominated by televisions.

 The price of a television was not high, though of course, it was a different matter if one pursued a high-end appearance. In addition, the price would be adjusted according to the resolution.

 If the resolution was average, the material cost would naturally be low. The cheapest ones could be bought for only three silver coins.

 It could be said that it truly benefited every household.

On the other hand, Luka’s reputation was still rising.

 To encourage the new industry, he didn’t let Cullen give him too many screenings. The first-day box office was good, but it didn’t top the charts.

 However, no one cared about the box office. While other films faced nitpicking judgment, Three Attacks on the White Bone Demon had a very good fate.

 The general audience believed that films with a box office higher than the Journey to the West animation were worth considering. Those below it weren’t worth watching.

 The animated film’s box office was the yardstick.

According to the dragons, while other investors were busy stepping on each other to compete, Luka  stood there, acting as a ruler for them.

 How considerate.

At this moment, the ‘slightly humane’ Luka  was checking the recording stones outside the cinemas in various locations.
He confirmed that there was no trace of the Demon King.

 “Strange.” The Demon King was being quiet, which definitely meant he was up to something.

 Luka closed his eyes and circulated his faith power. It was easier to focus on himself. It wouldn’t be long before he broke through to become a Legendary Grand Magus.
“Now it’s a matter of who is faster.”

Luka stopped thinking. He didn’t see Quill anywhere. As his gaze searched, the other just happened to enter the door.

 The summer weather was hot and dry. Quill brought him a cool glass of fruit juice.

 It was grape-flavored. As the juice flowed down his throat, Luka  couldn’t help but think of the kiss that night. After finishing it, his body temperature even rose a little.

Before his abnormality could be discovered, he asked first, “Where did you go this morning?”

“To pressure some nobles.” There were many demons dissatisfied with the abolition of the nobility system. In the process, he also checked for any traces of the Demon King.

Luka became interested upon hearing this. “You beat them into submission.”

Quill shook his head. “I learned from you.”

Luka was confused.

Quill: “I just stood in front of them like this and said, ‘Look at me.'”
As it turned out, generally no one dared to look directly at a necromancer.
“…”

After sitting down, Quill finished the remaining half a glass of juice and brought up another matter. “Lately, your admirers are everywhere. There are many edits on the internet.”

Luka’s fan base was already huge, so he didn’t pay much attention to it after hearing this.
He had been busy checking the recording stones recently. When he entered the community, he was surprised to find that seven out of ten recommended videos were of himself.

 There was no big data yet; it was purely based on popularity.

“Flowers bloom in the wasteland, the Demon King grows in the storm…”

 A light, passionate music style, paired with some edited clips of him on various occasions, had high likes at the bottom.

 The comments made Luka’s pupils tremble:

 [Under the pilgrimage, the bloody sky. The young man doesn’t yet know that his future has just begun.]

 [On this day, a young man walked into the Boulder City.]
…

He scrolled through a few more, and they were all similar background music.

 Unknowingly, he had acquired his own exclusive BGM.

The characteristic of short video celebrity edits is that they are very inspiring. When Luka watched them himself, however, he felt as if someone was reading his personal signature next to his ear, making his toes curl with cringe.

Quill handed him another newspaper.

 The headline on the page was largely written: Setting Sail for an Era.

“The demon script major, the internet, and so on are actively changing this era. It can be foreseen that the nobility system is a glory of the past, and measures to protect commoners are being introduced everywhere…

 Many experts believe that once His Excellency Luka  becomes the Demon King, the demon and human races will usher in an unprecedented era of peace…”

“One of your fans wrote it,” Quill said.

 Only a fan would use the name “Luka ” in a professional report.
In fact, this reporter was not only a fan but a recent convert.

Quill helped him turn the newspaper over.
Luka looked closely. What was this?
“Your ‘roadie’ fans are marching.”
“…”

The terminal had more specific videos.
An old man with a white beard said excitedly to the camera, “I support His Excellency Luka ! I heard the demon realm gives out free ‘gugu’ eggs to the elderly, and there are even subsidies for the aged!”

A freshman representative from the First Magic Academy was speaking on stage:

 “We have clearly seen His Excellency Luka’s efforts in education. I want to say to all the exchange students from the demon realm, you should make the right choice…”

Luka : “???”

Quill: “There are two royal heirs who are still not giving up. They are secretly trying to find a legendary magician for protection, win over down-and-out nobles, and covet the throne of the Demon King.”

 That’s why he took the time to go and intimidate those nobles.
In fact, Luka’s rise was already a foregone conclusion, but he had risen too quickly, and some were still unwilling to accept reality.

 Many reporters exaggerated the facts and wrote some sensational headlines.

 Things like “Internal Strife in the Demon Realm? Can Iliad Really Successfully Ascend the Throne?”, “The Demon Faction Dispute Erupts Again”, and so on. This led to extreme dissatisfaction among Luka’s fans.

“Supporters from different races are marching in various places, advocating for you to become the Demon King.”
Trying to interfere in his country’s internal affairs through protests.

 The number of short essays online about the benefits of Luka  becoming the Demon King surged by hundreds of thousands in a short period.

As Luka read, Quill said with a deadpan expression, “There are also some radicals who say that if you withdraw from the race for the Demon King’s throne, they will never love again.”
There were indeed precedents in history of someone giving up the throne of the Demon King.

Luka looked up in disbelief. What kind of over-the-top career fans are these?

Quill suddenly said, “I think they are right.”
Wealth, status—all of it was what Luka deserved.

Luka : “…”
“What can I do to save you, my love?”
Wake up!

Quill didn’t know that this was once a very famous TV series, and Luka had even auditioned for the new short drama version.
He only heard “my love.”
 

The keyword lingered, and the skin under his palm broke through the necromancer’s normal low temperature and actually became hot.
Hopeless.
Luka shook his head. Brain-dead fans should be covered by medical insurance.

Just as he was about to make a couple of jokes, he suddenly felt dizzy, almost to the point of blacking out.

 Quill caught Luka in time, checking if his magic was in disorder.
Airplanes, high-speed rail, medical insurance cards… the entire scene flashed by. The dizziness quickly disappeared, and Luka  stood firm again, breathing heavily.

Was it because I was missing the modern world that I had a hallucination?
Of course, he wasn’t that naive. After the brief dizziness had dissipated, Luka immediately thought about the reason behind it.
After finding no results, he went to see a pharmacist again and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his body.
In the end, it could only be attributed to the excessive consumption of magic power and lack of rest recently.

Luka had no choice but to calmly sort out the faith power in his body.

 While he was cultivating, Quill stood guard by his side.
As the mechanical clock ticked past a square, Quill’s gaze, which was looking out the window opposite, gradually focused.

 High above, the rules that spread across the starry sky seemed to have loosened a bit, with some black energy faintly mixed in.
Cold, dark, similar to the aura of the undead. He frowned slightly:
“Not a good omen.”

At the same time, many people in different places were looking up at the sky.

 The white-bearded diviner in the high tower squinted. The light spots on the star chart below were moving chaotically, and his connection with the world had weakened invisibly.

 The sirens in the deep sea, the orcs on the plains, and the griffins that flew daily would occasionally lose their sense of direction. Even magicians felt a slight sluggishness when mobilizing elemental power, but the ones who felt it most strongly were the elves.

 The elves, who were naturally most sensitive to nature, had occasionally been feeling uncomfortable recently. It was a purely physiological nausea.

 The Wisdom Tree was still absolving the souls within the Tree of Life and temporarily couldn’t spare the concentration to soothe these little elves.

 The Elven King and the Dark Elf Chieftain were rarely sitting at the same table.

 On the dark elf chieftain’s harsh, beautiful face, a flash of displeasure appeared. “Two days ago, I felt something was wrong.”

 Two days ago?

 The Elven King frowned. His reaction had been forty-eight beats too slow.

 The dark elf chieftain reminded him with a cold sneer, “At that time, you were all ‘Monkey Bro, Monkey Bro’.”

 “…”

The Elven King didn’t engage in a war of words and picked up his terminal.

 Just a minute ago, the Saint had sent a message. He only glanced at it, and his emerald eyes darkened. He said in a deep voice, “I’m afraid it’s related to the Demon King. The Saint has already gone to find Luka .”

 He had to make some arrangements himself.

Luka’s cultivation was proceeding as usual, with no obstacles in sensing the elements.

 The faith method was less affected by the simple environment and more by the collective.

 After sorting out his magic power for a full hour, when he opened his eyes again, a dazzling light suddenly appeared at the door.

 “My eyes.” Even if I’m a gorgeous cliffhanger-author, my eyes shouldn’t be blinded.

 Not far away, silver threads seemed to spread across the floor but were some distance away. The ferret was chirping on the man’s shoulder. The Saint stood outside with a gentle smile and knocked on the door twice with his finger.

Quill was not surprised by the Saint’s arrival, expecting it was related to the recent anomalies.
Luka  took the initiative to move a few small stools outside, just in time to get some fresh air.
The ferret also got its own little stool.

After everyone sat in a row, Luka  remarked, “I feel like we’re villagers at the village entrance gossiping about others.”
The Saint, who was just about to gossip about the Demon King, had his smile freeze slightly.

Excerpt from Luka’s Diary:
Come on, good friends should gossip about the Demon King behind his back together [eating melon]
The Saint: Civilized language, please. We are contemplating the worries of all races and the affairs of the world.

This probably doesn’t count as a spoiler. To protect everyone’s beautiful weekend mood, I’ll say in advance that 6+’s physical discomfort has another reason. It’s nothing major and won’t cause any impact.

Support me on Ko-fi