Chapter 272: Stage Plays and Magical Newspapers.

After listening to Shu Li, everyone was astonished, but his words also opened their eyes.

The world was still predominantly guided by people with a conscience. Kindness, honesty, courage, and justice were upheld as virtues, and peace was something people were determined to protect.

The reverence the continent's various races held for the Light God was proof enough of that.

As for the small minority who willingly sank into depravity and became followers of the Dark God, they were universally despised.

Danton Trik's status as king granted him a noble position and supreme royal authority. Ordinary citizens dared not utter a single word against him, and over time, they had lost their voice altogether.

As the years passed and the events of the past gradually faded from memory, no one would remember that he was a tyrant who had murdered his own brother and usurped the throne. Seriu and Captain Ximu's hatred would simply disappear into the endless river of history.

That was precisely why Shu Li had proposed a publicity campaign: to expose Danton's crimes and encourage every justice-minded person on the continent to criticize, condemn, and denounce him.

A tyrant guilty of countless atrocities deserved universal condemnation. His name should be nailed to the pillar of shame forever, remembered throughout history as a criminal whose infamy would endure for thousands upon thousands of years.

Besides, Danton was only the king of the Kingdom of Cecilia. His own subjects might not dare criticize him, but people from other countries had no such reservations.

No matter how powerful he was, could he really stop foreigners from speaking their minds?

"...I think the troupe should change the way it performs," Shu Li said, rising to pace back and forth across the living room.

"Change it how?" Dixio asked.

Wasn't a song-and-dance troupe supposed to sing and dance? What else could it possibly do?

Shu Li stopped pacing and clapped his hands together. His eyes sparkled as he looked at everyone and presented his idea.

"Although the troupe mainly sings and dances, we could add comedy sketches... Oh, no, I mean stage plays or musicals! Hmm, to put it simply, we take the real events surrounding Danton's coup, his murder of his royal brother, and his seizure of the throne, adapt them into a script, and have the troupe's performers act it out."

"Stage plays? Musicals?" Hector asked in confusion. "What exactly are those? Can you give us an example?"

Everyone else looked equally bewildered.

Shu Li scratched his head and decided to demonstrate on the spot.

"Amanda, come help me out."

Hearing his name, Amanda got up in confusion and walked over to Shu Li.

"Here's what we'll do. We'll reenact what happened in Ilio's office this morning."

Shu Li snapped his fingers.

"I'm going to get some props. Wait here a moment!"

He dashed excitedly into his bedroom, rummaged through his storage ring, and pulled out a magnificent magical robe.

After putting it on, he untied his black ponytail and let his long, straight hair fall down his back. Then he chanted a spell, transforming his little flower crown into a golden circlet identical to the one Ilio wore.

Next, he adopted Ilio's bearing and mannerisms, picked up an ornate pure-white teacup, and emerged elegantly from the bedroom.

The instant he appeared, everyone was stunned.

Budno unconsciously rubbed his eyes, wondering whether he was hallucinating.

But on closer inspection, the person emerging from the bedroom was unmistakably Sperien.

The corners of Shu Li's mouth curved upward, amusement glimmering in his eyes. He strolled leisurely toward the sofa, swept his gaze over the others one by one, and delivered his lines in a perfect imitation of Ilio's voice.

"Well, since you've all put it that way, I suppose... I have no reason to refuse. What about the rest of you?"

He paused, then turned toward Dixio, Angel, Budno, and Kumandi.

"Isn't it about time you advanced your ranks too?"

Dixio's mouth fell open.

Angel and Budno immediately sat bolt upright, while Kumandi's eyes flickered slightly, though he remained silent.

How on earth was Sperien doing that?

That voice, that expression, that smile!

He was exactly like Ilio!

A flash of inspiration struck Amanda. Remembering how timid he'd been that morning, he hesitantly raised his hand.

"Um... I'm a dragon. Could I train with Zephyr instead?"

Shu Li considered the request for a moment.

"Certainly."

Amanda broke into a delighted smile.

The very next second, Shu Li delivered Ilio's devilish response, and Amanda's smile promptly froze.

After finishing his lines, Shu Li set down his teacup and bowed to the others.

"That concludes the performance. What did everyone think?"

His eyes curved into crescents as he flashed a toothy grin. Ilio's bearing vanished completely, and he returned to his usual adorable self.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

Everyone burst into applause.

"You scared me to death! For a moment, I thought Ilio had possessed Sperien!" Budno exclaimed, patting his chest in lingering fright.

"Sperien, how did you do that?" Angel asked eagerly.

"So that's... a stage play?" Hector looked fascinated.

"Wuuu... Sperien, please don't imitate Ilio again." Amanda rubbed his stiff cheeks.

Reliving that morning's events had given him another fright. Just thinking about how his training workload had doubled made his heart sink.

"Excellent. And very entertaining," Ace said with a smile.

"Clear, direct, and effective." Kumandi promptly took out his notebook and began taking notes.

Seriu was equally impressed, but he couldn't help asking curiously, "How did you come up with this idea?"

Shu Li blinked, looking slightly guilty.

Could he tell them that he came from another modern world filled with all kinds of entertainment programs?

Of course not.

"Well... Misina gave me the inspiration," Shu Li said with a sheepish chuckle.

"Misina?" Seriu looked puzzled.

"He's a Fairy cub!" Dixio explained. "He's from the generation after ours. He's eight years old this year, and he's loved hearing stories about Sperien ever since he was little."

Shu Li cleared his throat.

"Misina and the other cubs love singing poems while acting out the part where I got carried off by that stupid bird."

When the little fellow had been barely three months old, he'd spent every day brandishing a tiny dagger at the various small animals living in the divine tree and shouting, "Back! Back! Back!"

Every time Shu Li witnessed it, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole.

It was so embarrassing!

"Hahaha! I know, I know!" Budno laughed.

He jumped forward, pulled out one of the little daggers they'd all bought together in the past, and pointed it at Amanda.

"Back! Back! Back!"

Amanda raised both hands and retreated several steps.

A vein throbbed at Shu Li's temple.

He marched forward, clamped a hand over Budno's mouth, and growled through gritted teeth, "Shut up."

"Mmph! Mmph!"

Budno's eyes darted around wildly.

"Pfft!"

The others couldn't suppress their laughter, and the atmosphere in the living room grew lively.

Shu Li released Budno and resumed his explanation with a perfectly serious expression.

"Anyway, a stage play is a way of bringing a story vividly to life through acting, dialogue, singing, dancing, and other forms of performance. To make it more effective, you can add music, scenery, costumes, props, lighting, and so on.

"Stage plays demand a great deal from their actors. They have to make the characters they portray convincing. Even if they don't resemble the real people physically, they can imitate their clothing, hairstyles, bearing, and expressions to create the visual illusion that they're watching the actual person.

"Stage plays are also easier for ordinary people to understand. If they're performed well, they'll leave a lasting impression and spread far and wide.

"But we can't use anyone's real name. We'll need to give the characters aliases to avoid drawing unwanted attention, then add some artistic embellishments. The story should resemble the truth without matching it exactly, hinting at real events without stating them outright.

"Meanwhile, we can secretly spread rumors so the audience knows who the actors are portraying and which country the story is about. We'll mix fiction with reality, truth with falsehood, until no one can easily tell where one ends and the other begins. The whole point is to blur the lines and keep people guessing."

Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded.

Sidi and Nasha exclaimed almost simultaneously, "That's incredible!"

Sperien was so clever!

To think he'd come up with such a devious scheme!

If it succeeded, Danton Trik would become famous throughout the continent—as a byword for evil and the very embodiment of cruelty.

Seriu also took out paper and a quill, joining Kumandi in scribbling down notes so he could send a letter to his sister.

Better yet, if his sister could personally bring the troupe to the Central Court and have Sperien teach them on the spot, that would be ideal.

The others were intrigued and began asking questions one after another. Shu Li answered each of them, gradually giving everyone a general understanding of what stage plays were.

"...There are plenty of ways to spread information. Besides stage plays, there are other methods, such as the most famous one of all: poetry," Shu Li continued.

"Information travels slowly across the continent, and the north, south, east, and west are poorly connected. Many stories and legends from distant countries are spread by wandering bards who turn them into poems and sing them wherever they go.

"But that's slow, and by the time the news reaches people, it's already old. It doesn't have nearly enough impact. If we used a different approach..."

"What approach?" Dixio asked impatiently.

"For this one, we'll need Danlov's help."

Shu Li raised a finger, and a lively little flame sprang to life above its tip.

Under his companions' puzzled gazes, he grinned.

"Magical newspapers!"

"Magical newspapers?"

Everyone exchanged confused looks.

They understood magic, but what on earth was a "newspaper"?

Shu Li found a chair and sat down, then began explaining in detail what a newspaper was.

Compared to the rest of the continent, the Central Court was highly developed. However, its advancements were built upon magic, primarily making everyday life more convenient in matters of food, clothing, housing, and transportation.

When it came to communication and the spread of information, things were still remarkably primitive.

The Entrin Association specialized in selling information, but its services were intended for individual clients rather than the general public. It was essentially an intelligence organization.

Newspapers were different.

A newspaper was a publication issued regularly to the public, primarily reporting current events and allowing people to learn about major developments around the world as quickly as possible.

Its contents could cover an enormous range of subjects, including politics, economics, culture, entertainment, and more.

But the Austin Continent lacked convenient transportation, not to mention the internet or electronic devices.

How could newspapers be published and distributed quickly and efficiently?

Shu Li thought of the Mages' Guild.

Danlov had spent more than two thousand years restoring magic to its former glory. There were now tens of thousands of Mages' Guild branches, large and small, scattered across countries and regions throughout the continent.

They were practically a perfect network of communication nodes!

Mages possessed special techniques for transmitting messages. A Saint Mage's telepathy could even reach across thousands of miles.

Magical artifacts, magical pets, magical formations—the available methods were virtually endless.

With those resources, transmitting news to every corner of the world within a day or two would be easy.

And if circumstances made daily publication impractical, they could always publish weekly instead.

Once newspapers became widespread and people developed the habit of reading them, they could start slipping their own messages into the content, indirectly exposing Danton's crimes through carefully worded reports and insinuations.

The Mages' Guild was administered by the Central Court, and the governments of individual countries had no authority to interfere with its affairs.

Even if newspapers published stories that offended powerful nobles or rulers, there would be nothing to fear.

Unless those powerful figures were willing to give up the protection of mages, they'd simply have to swallow their objections.

After hearing Shu Li's vision for magical newspapers, everyone gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

"That's a brilliant idea!"

"It's unbelievable!"

"Should we go find Danlov right now?"

"It's too late today. Let's visit him at the Magic Tower tomorrow morning."

His companions showered him with praise, their admiration practically overflowing.

Dixio, Angel, and Budno even started calling him "Boss."

Shu Li smiled bashfully and modestly explained that most of it was just something he'd dreamed up. Whether it would actually work remained to be seen. They wouldn't know until they asked Danlov.

Since transmigrating to another world, Shu Li had rarely borrowed ideas from his original world.

He didn't want to stand out or attract too much attention, only to end up being regarded as some kind of freak.

If it hadn't been for the need to deal with Danton, who had sold his soul to the Dark God, and help Seriu reclaim his throne, Shu Li would never have considered introducing stage plays or publishing newspapers.

Some things could only be accomplished when the timing, circumstances, and people involved all came together.

When Danlov finally understood what a "magical newspaper" was, he gazed at the Little Fairy standing before him in astonishment.

The youthful boy wore an innocent smile, his gray-blue eyes clear and unclouded.

He spoke freely and confidently about his ideas, seemingly unaware of the astonishing upheaval that the introduction of magical newspapers might bring to the continent.

"...Danlov, we could also use the newspapers to tell people more about the War of the Gods ten thousand years ago," Shu Li suggested.

"We could publish the stories in installments, describing the greatness of the gods, the wisdom of the Elven King, the bravery of humanity, and the unity of the different races.

"That way, people today will understand that the peace they enjoy was bought with the sacrifices of the heroes of the past. If the Dark God returns, the continent will never know peace again."

To Shu Li, the idea was simple.

Ten thousand years ago, the Elven King had personally traveled far and wide, humbling himself to visit the various races in an effort to unite them.

He'd endured countless cold receptions before finally assembling an alliance of light capable of resisting the darkness.

But times had changed.

Without the gods to support him, the Elven King would have to struggle almost entirely on his own.

And Shu Li couldn't bear the thought of the Elven King exhausting himself by traveling everywhere and trying to persuade the different races to join forces again.

Rather than pleading earnestly with people who might only reject him, why not use newspapers to plant the seeds of light in their hearts early on?

Over time, those seeds could take root, quietly influencing people until they awakened to the truth of their own accord.

If the dark forces were using the Hodehe Temple to secretly recruit followers, then the forces of light could use newspapers to awaken the consciences of people across the continent.

A single spark could ignite a prairie fire.

Shu Li believed that when the darkness came again, countless brave souls would rise to confront it and fight for the light.

Danlov gazed deeply at the Little Fairy.

"Your idea is excellent. I'll gather people as soon as possible to research how magical newspapers can be produced and distributed."

With the Mage Sovereign's support secured, Shu Li finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Danlov turned his attention to the silent "Elven King" standing nearby, his heart filled with emotion.

Sperien truly was an extraordinary Little Fairy.

Even his teacher accompanied him constantly, watching over him and ensuring his safety throughout his adventures.

Ace noticed the admiration in Danlov's eyes and responded with a faint smile.

With his business concluded, Shu Li cheerfully said goodbye to Danlov and left with his companions.

Seriu looked back at the Magic Tower towering into the clouds, feeling as though he were dreaming.

He had once believed that revenge was beyond his reach.

Yet suddenly, the clouds had parted, and he could finally glimpse a ray of hope.

In the days that followed, the Light Squad began their rigorous training.

While their classmates finished school early, they had to report to a secret training ground provided by Zephyr, where Ilio tormented them until they were practically at death's door.

Ilio was a devil!

He'd even dragged Seriu into the training.

Although Seriu's swordsmanship had advanced to the level of a Sword Saint overnight, he'd only reached that realm in terms of rank. His actual techniques, footwork, and combat awareness were still lacking, and all required intensive improvement.

Furthermore, as a magic swordsman, his magical rank was far too low, earning him a merciless round of ridicule from Ilio.

Seriu humbly accepted every criticism.

Eager to learn, he absorbed everything he was taught and strove to perfect every skill.

The opportunity to receive instruction from an Elf of Mage Sovereign rank was extraordinarily rare.

He threw himself into his studies so wholeheartedly that he neglected both food and sleep, working harder than anyone else.

Ilio had never encountered such a punishment-resistant student before.

He was positively delighted.

He pushed Seriu to the brink again and again, determined to draw out every last bit of his potential.

The other members of the Light Squad watched with their hair standing on end, terrified that Ilio might lose his mind and subject them to the same brutal standards.

Fortunately, Ilio knew exactly what he was doing.

He tailored his teaching to each student's individual limits, alternating intense training with appropriate periods of rest.

Amanda's training, meanwhile, was in a class of its own.

Every day, he was on the verge of tears.

For dragons, the way to become stronger was simple: fight.

And the process was exceptionally brutal.

Fight, fight, and keep fighting.

Even broken bones were no excuse to stop.

Dragons had thick hides, tough bodies, and extraordinary healing abilities. They could be covered in injuries one day and bursting with energy the next.

As a result, Amanda's training was an agonizing mixture of pain and exhilaration.

He spent every day with a bruised, swollen face, earning endless sympathy from Shu Li and the others.

Oddly enough, though, Amanda rather enjoyed this kind of training.

Zephyr had done exceptionally well for himself in the Human World.

He owned a vast estate on the outskirts of Igya City, complete with an enormous training ground.

Once its isolation formation was activated, dragons could return to their true forms and fight so fiercely that the heavens seemed to shake and the earth tremble, without anyone outside knowing a thing.

Amanda hadn't returned to his dragon form in nearly two months.

As soon as he followed Zephyr into the training ground, he happily transformed.

His dragon form was beautiful.

His entire body was covered in lustrous silver-white scales, gleaming with a brilliant sheen. A row of golden scales ran down his back, following the graceful curve of his spine all the way to his tail, dazzling in the light.

His wings spanned four or five meters when fully extended. A row of backward-pointing spines lined their edges, forming sharp weapons for battle.

His limbs were powerful, his claws wickedly sharp and curved like hooks, and his long, slender tail could twist and coil with the flexibility of a serpent.

Zephyr examined his dragon form and nodded approvingly.

"Not bad. You have the bearing of the old Dragon King."

The old Dragon King he referred to was Amanda's grandfather, Redek.

Amanda proudly lifted his head and puffed out his chest, basking in Zephyr's praise.

Unfortunately, his confidence didn't last long.

When he saw the enormous dragon before him, even larger than his elder brother's true form, Amanda stood frozen in shock.

Zephyr was a blue dragon.

His ears were enormous, and a horn rose from the tip of his snout.

His scales glittered like sapphires, shifting through different shades of blue as the light changed. A mysterious radiance flowed across them, making them shimmer brilliantly.

His pale-blue eyes were as cold and clear as ice. Even a casual glance from him carried a chilling intensity.

From head to tail, the enormous blue dragon measured nearly a hundred meters.

Beside him, Amanda looked like a tiny lamb.

Pitting a little lamb against a fully grown giant dragon was almost too cruel to watch.

Zephyr could flatten Amanda with a single claw.

"Rooooar!"

Brimming with courage, Amanda charged forward without the slightest regard for his own safety.

Thud!

He slammed straight into Zephyr's leg.

Splat!

Then he toppled backward, landing flat on his back with all four legs in the air.

Amusement flickered in Zephyr's eyes.

He extended the tip of his tail and gently poked the little fellow.

Amanda refused to be discouraged.

He struggled to his feet and charged again, determined to pry at least one scale off the blue dragon's body.

Zephyr casually flapped his wings.

A hurricane erupted in an instant.

Amanda was blown this way and that, staggering helplessly until his head spun.

Waaaaah!

The blue dragon is even scarier than my brother!

Whatever the hardships, training continued at full intensity.

After struggling through the week, the Light Squad finally reached Thursday and earned a break.

They had an adventuring assignment in the Magical Beast Forest that weekend, and their request to take Friday off had been approved.

At last, they had a chance to catch their breath.

Under the cover of night, an ordinary-looking long-distance carriage departed Igya City and headed north toward the Kingdom of Keshengdao.

This adventure would take them farther than their previous one.

Every member of the Light Squad had disguised themselves, temporarily putting away their magic staffs and swords and dressing as ordinary travelers.

Their route would take them through the Kingdom of Keshengdao and the Kingdom of Ailansi before they finally reached the Magical Beast Forest.

Inside the carriage, the youngsters were wolfing down their dinner.

They'd left in such a hurry that they'd practically fled Igya City the moment training ended, terrified that Ilio might catch them and drag them back for another session.

With such a rushed departure, dinner had to be eaten on the road.

Amanda's appetite had increased dramatically lately, and ordinary travel rations were no longer enough to satisfy him.

He took out some of the sea beast meat his elder brother had replenished for him during their last meeting, turned his back on his teammates, and began eating it raw.

Curious, Budno lightly patted him on the back.

"Does raw meat taste good?"

Amanda pulled out a handkerchief, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and turned around.

"I think it's delicious."

Budno was eager to try it.

He took out a small dagger and asked, "Could you cut me a little piece to taste?"

Amanda hesitated.

"Are you sure?"

Budno nodded. "Absolutely."

As a Little Fairy who loved food, he wanted to try anything that might be delicious.

Amanda took the dagger, sliced a piece of snow-white flesh from a clean section of the meat, and handed it to Budno.

Budno placed the palm-sized piece of raw fish on a plate, rubbed his hands together, and prepared to dig in.

"Wait a minute," Shu Li interrupted. "Fairies and dragons have different tastes. If you eat it like that, it'll be so fishy you'll want to throw up."

Budno immediately asked, "Then how should I eat it?"

He'd seen Amanda enjoying the meat so much that his mouth had watered, and he hadn't been able to resist asking for a piece.

Shu Li rummaged through his storage pouch and took out a rectangular box.

"What's that?" the others asked curiously.

"A spice box."

Shu Li opened the lid, revealing more than a dozen small compartments, each containing a different seasoning or spice.

Then he took out several bottles and jars and arranged them on the table.

The Central Court was effectively the heart of the continent, attracting merchants from every country. All kinds of seasonings from the East could be found there.

Naturally, Shu Li had prepared thoroughly for this adventure, buying plenty of spices and seasonings to improve their meals.

Eating nothing but dry rations would get boring.

Every now and then, they could hunt some wild game and have a barbecue instead.

Shu Li worked quickly.

First, he sliced the raw fish into thin pieces. Then he used water magic to create some ice and arranged the fish slices on top to keep them chilled.

Next came the dipping sauce.

He picked up one bottle and poured in a little of its contents, then another, adding a dash of this and a splash of that.

Anyone who didn't know better might have thought he was brewing a potion.

"All done! You can eat now!"

Shu Li put away the spice box, bottles, and jars, then pushed the dish of dipping sauce toward Budno.

"Go on, try it. I guarantee it'll be delicious!"

Budno picked up a fork, speared a slice of raw fish from the ice, dipped it into the sauce, and put it in his mouth.

"Mm? Mmm!"

His eyes widened.

He nodded repeatedly, mumbling around his mouthful.

"Delicious! It's so delicious!"

"Whoa, really? I want to try some too!" Dixio exclaimed eagerly.

After getting Budno's permission, he speared a slice of fish with his fork.

Once he'd swallowed it, he licked his lips, still craving more.

"Oh my gosh, that's amazing! Sperien, make some more!"

One tiny piece of fish was nowhere near enough to share.

Amanda turned around and produced another enormous slab of raw fish, which took up half the table.

"I've got loads of fish. There's enough for everyone!"

The corners of Shu Li's mouth twitched.

Looking at his companions, who were practically waiting with their mouths open to be fed, he resigned himself to slicing more fish and mixing more sauce.

And where there was delicious food, how could Falm possibly be absent?

The little fellow sprang out of the Fire God's Mark, landed on the table, and stared expectantly as Shu Li sliced the fish.

"Hurry up! Hurry up!"

Slurp!

It sucked back its drool.

Shu Li picked it up and moved it aside to prevent it from stealing any food.

Falm snorted twice, then hopped over to Budno and fixed its gaze on the raw fish slices on his plate.

Unable to withstand that stare, Budno gave it a little piece to try.

The moment Falm tasted the fish dipped in sauce, it began urging Shu Li on impatiently.

"Isn't it ready yet? Cut faster!"

Shu Li was helpless.

How was he supposed to slice such an enormous piece of fish all by himself?

"I'll help."

Dixio pulled out his dagger and joined the fish-slicing effort.

Before long, the others followed suit.

With everyone lending a hand, the work went much faster.

At last, all the fish had been sliced, and they turned their attention to preparing the seasonings.

Half an hour later, everyone was contentedly rubbing their round, full bellies.

Seriu set aside a plate of fish slices.

"I'll switch places with Halis."

Halis had been driving the carriage for more than two hours. It was time for him to rest. Driving while exhausted would do his health no good.

Shu Li nodded and watched Seriu knock on the small door connecting the passenger compartment to the driver's seat.

A moment later, the carriage came to a stop.

The little door opened, revealing Halis, who was disguised as the coachman.

Seriu spoke a few words to Halis in a tone even gentler than usual.

Halis looked both surprised and flattered by the attention.

He tried to decline several times, but Seriu insisted. In the end, Halis could only accept the plate of raw fish with a smile and exchange places with him.

Seriu went to the front to drive the carriage, while Halis sat inside and ate his fish slices with refined, unhurried manners.

Halfway through his meal, he suddenly stopped eating and looked up, meeting Shu Li's curious gaze.

Caught red-handed sneaking glances at him, Shu Li awkwardly rubbed his nose and looked away.

Privately, he couldn't help thinking:

Seriu and Halis really are close!