Zong Yan and Wang KeMing had fun in England for about a week, and then they reluctantly said goodbye to Edward.
For one thing, the black and blue circles under Edward’s eyes were getting more and more intense. For another, Zong Yan had to go to the United States to attend the movie premiere.
Wang KeMing’s reason wasn’t as fun. He’d failed the exams for several electives last semester, one of which was taught by his advisor. Elective classes weren’t required for graduation, but his advisor sent him an email saying he’d better wrap up his vacation and hurry back to school to take the make-up exams for his courses.
So Wang KeMing was forced to wave goodbye to Zong Yan at the London Heathrow airport with tears in his eyes.
This semester, Miskatonic University opened the Gate of Truth in South Africa, which meant Wang KeMing had to board another plane.
“Study hard, or next semester I’ll tell everyone at school we’re not friends. I’ll disown you for being an uneducated xiao di.”
Before Little Fatty Wang boarded the plane, Zong Yan ruthlessly pounded his chubby shoulder.
They’d only been apart a few months, but this guy had already regained all the weight he’d lost. Obviously, the three of them had braved the London Theatre of Death as a team, and they’d survived the ghoul wave in New York. Not much needed to be said about Zong Yan’s situation, and as for Edward, although he’d withdrawn from MU and gone home to become king, he didn’t neglect his studies in the occult world. It was said that the Spire Council assigned several senior investigators to Edward, both for protection and to continue his instruction.
Wang KeMing had also brushed the line between life and death, but after a short period of panic during which he’d lost a lot of weight, he chose to give up on himself and resumed his previous life as a fat, happy otaku.
After finding out his friend failed multiple subjects, Zong Yan was so angry he wanted to expel him from the ranks of his xiao di.
“No, Yan Ge, Yan Ge! I was wrong! I really truly know I was wrong. It won’t happen again!!!”
Wang KeMing looked terrified, and the chubby flesh on his face was trembling.
Zong Yan’s reputation as the tenth Monarch had reached a new peak in the occult world. Not to mention the fact he was this term’s chief at MU, he was also an Internet celebrity and a newly debuted Hollywood star. His fighting strength was renowned—stomping Elder Gods and punching Great Old Ones.
He was already a legend, but now the students of MU had formed a Tenth Monarch Support Society on their own initiative.
Zong Yan had only attended one term at MU. The only genuine relationships he’d formed in school were with the little prince Edward and the little fat man Wang KeMing.
Although Zong Yan hadn’t resumed classes yet, Wang KeMing was known throughout MU as the tenth Monarch’s number one buddy. He lived a carefree life on campus and was well-respected. Everyone he met had to give him face.
If Zong Yan dismissed him as a friend, what would happen to Wang KeMing at school?
“Look at my grades, and now look at yours,” Zong Yan said with a tone of hating iron for not being steel. His fingers poked at Wang KeMing’s spine.
Wang KeMing: “…”
Ge ah, you were the top scorer on the college entrance exam in Jiangzhou this year, and you almost got a perfect score! In the half semester you spent at MU, your grades were always excellent. Why does a big shot like you have to compare yourself to a mere mortal like me ah!!!
Of course, on the surface Wang KeMing didn’t dare say anything, so Zong Yan nagged him until he agreed, and Wang KeMing’s eyes were as lifeless as a dead fish awaiting his own death.
“All right, make sure you study hard.”
Zong Yan advised him with a few more words, then watched the little fat man head to the gate.
It wasn’t until Wang KeMing got on the plane that Zong Yan walked around a corner and randomly tapped the wall.
A moment later, a white-robed evil god with long, silvery gray hair instantaneously appeared at Zong Yan’s side.
The airport was crowded with people, but no one seemed to notice anything strange about such a mysterious occurrence.
“Let’s go.”
Zong Yan took the Lord of the Gate’s hand and gave him a big smile.
Whenever you travel, you should always bring the Lord of the Gate, who neither charges money nor makes you wait.
If this is your boyfriend, you might as well get some benefits out of it, right?
Zong Yan stood still for a moment, and the scene around him transformed into a movie theater in Hollywood. The premiere was about to begin.
Because the film was produced under special circumstances, most of the post-production team had worked overtime, which meant they were able to release the finished product just a few months after the final scenes were shot.
Another important reason for this was the fact Zong Yan’s part didn’t require any special effects. His Night Watchman was a genuine Night Watchman, who really controlled shadows. The entire crew was stunned when they saw it, and the special effects were gorgeous with flowing, natural movement.
Thanks to the Lord of the Gate’s alteration of reality, not a single person thought there was anything unusual about this. Yog even said that if Zong Yan wanted to, he could reveal his identity as a person with superpowers, and it wouldn’t attract any special attention or national investigations or other negative effects.
Strong. Evil gods are strong.
Ladies entered the theater in formal dresses, and men came wearing suits and ties.
The cinema was packed to the rafters with rows of bodyguards standing in the back.
After all, this movie had political implications, and it was said that U.S. leaders sent some people to the premiere to celebrate. The people lined up in back were bodyguards with guns, wearing sunglasses on their faces, dressed all in black.
As the leading actor, Zong Yan was seated in the first row.
The film ran for two hours, which tested the audience’s ability to hold their bladders. The plot didn’t have much substance. In other words, it was the typical American commercial favorite “superhero saves the world” type. This time the protagonist was a little more interesting, wandering the line between villain and hero. It made the movie more intense and heightened the appeal of the main character.
Of course, the most important thing was that the fight scenes were visually stunning, bursting with action.
The Night Watchman’s costume had a retro quality, dark and decadent and beautiful, elegant with a hint of danger.
When film critics in North America got their first glimpse of the movie poster, they weren’t optimistic about this lavishly-funded commercial movie. After all, the lead actor was Asian, which wasn’t in line with the Western aesthetic preference for blond hair, blue eyes, and rugged faces.
Thanks to the fact the lead actor had no previous acting experience, and the investors were mostly known for their successful commercial movies, film critics classified the movie as a brainless popcorn flick.
The lead actor was largely responsible for a movie’s box office results. If the lead actor was unknown, the audience wasn’t likely to show up, even if the director and screenwriter were in the top three worldwide.
However, after watching the premiere, the critics went into shock.
With blood dripping from the corners of his mouth, the Night Watchman toppled from the roof of a building, and the big movie screen plunged into darkness.
Sorrowful theme music played, and the auditorium filled with quiet sobs.
Everyone thought the movie was over, and then a black umbrella quietly opened in the center of the lens.
A violin suddenly played, joined by the rest of the orchestra, and the mournful melody changed into a lively, cheerful theme.
Gasps resounded throughout the theater. After three seconds of uncharacteristic silence, everyone stood up and clapped. The applause thundered for nearly thirty seconds.
When the premiere ended, reporters outside came in one by one with long barreled cameras and microphones, ready to interview the leading actors and critics who’d attended. Usually their questions were more direct, but this movie was special, and the reporters had been instructed by their superiors not to ask weird questions. When the people inside the theater filed out, the reporters came over to interview them.
“Oh God, what a miracle.” A film critic wiped the tears from his eyes. “The moment the Night Watchman fell from the roof—I really thought he was dead. I even cried. Fortunately, the last shot of the movie left us with a lot of possibilities, a truly open-ended story. It’s worthy of being directed by Kankar with a screenplay by Muskie. The lead actor was the best part. He brought the character to life.”
“Right, we all thought it was just another popcorn movie.” Another film critic lamented and shook his head. “I didn’t expect such a big surprise.”
How could the reviews be so good? The reporters were confused. Were all these film critics on the take, just like them?
Aren’t you guys being a little too phony?
However, the reporters interviewed several critics in a row, and all of them said the same thing. Even the reviewer who was recognized as being the harshest critic in the circle said with tears in his eyes that he was going back to write a long review for 《The Night Watchman》.
He was one of the most senior and difficult to please critics. There was essentially no possibility he’d been bribed.
The reporters, feeling a little doubtful, pointed their microphones at Zong Yan, who’d just walked out of the theater.
Zong Yan was dedicated to his role. Instead of putting on a suit for the premiere, he changed into his Night Watchman persona.
Wearing a black trench coat and an elegant Night Watchman top hat, he stood at the entrance with an elegant smile on his face and a harbinger bird perched on his shoulder.
At his side was a gray-haired evil god in a khaki trench coat, but all these people unanimously ignored him under the effect of his psychological suggestion.
The questions the reporters asked weren’t very difficult, so Zong Yan muddled through.
The film was scheduled to be released simultaneously in North America and Asia. Soon it occupied all major theaters.
After it was released, its box office earnings soared to an unbelievable level, and its score on Rotten Tomatoes reached a staggering ninety percent.
Because the first batch of people who saw the movie loved it so much, they went to their relatives and even their grandmothers to praise it, and discussion on the Internet got more and more intense. This created a virtuous circle. Thanks to positive word of mouth, even more people went to the theater to see the movie called 《The Night Watchman》.
All of a sudden, the names “Zong Yan” and “the Night Watchman” were red hot.
And it wasn’t the casual type of popularity like it had been in the past, but popularity on a global level, harvesting a large number of fans. They dug up Zong Yan’s idle Instagram and Weibo accounts, registered in the past when he was bored, and the level of attention rose sharply for a time.
Zong Yan was even recognized when he went to visit his grandmother’s grave. His grandmas and grandpas in the tube building called and told him they saw him on TV. Their kid was really impressive.
Making movies was extremely profitable.
Later, Zong Yan looked at the sum deposited on his bank card. He still intended to donate all of it to charity, but the number made him gulp.
It wasn’t impossible to have a part-time job. Anyway, the person at his side was Yog-Sothoth, the master of time management, which meant Zong Yan had endless time.
—
The author has something to say:
Master of Time Management: Yog-Sothoth—!
TL Notes:
otaku – 宅 – someone who stays at home – house, geek, nerd – From Japanese (おたく – お宅)
awaiting his own death – 视死如归 – take death calmly; defy death; look death calmly in the face; face death unflinchingly
long barreled – This was originally “□□” in the raw, meaning the original words were censored. I filled it in based on past experience. “Long barreled cameras” are the fancy kind used by professional photographers
Transliterated names, titles, and places—new in this chapter:
xiao di – 小弟 – little brother
Little Fatty – 小胖子 – xiao pang zi
Kankar – 坎卡尔 – Kǎnkǎěr – Alternatively: Cancale
Muskie – 马斯基 – Mǎsījī – Alternatively: Maaske, Marski, Maersk
Rotten Tomatoes – 烂番茄
[ Project Page | Ko-Fi ✿ | Other translations by Confectioner ]
Zong Yan and Wang KeMing had fun in England for about a week, and then they reluctantly said goodbye to Edward.
For one thing, the black and blue circles under Edward’s eyes were getting more and more intense. For another, Zong Yan had to go to the United States to attend the movie premiere.
Wang KeMing’s reason wasn’t as fun. He’d failed the exams for several electives last semester, one of which was taught by his advisor. Elective classes weren’t required for graduation, but his advisor sent him an email saying he’d better wrap up his vacation and hurry back to school to take the make-up exams for his courses.
So Wang KeMing was forced to wave goodbye to Zong Yan at the London Heathrow airport with tears in his eyes.
This semester, Miskatonic University opened the Gate of Truth in South Africa, which meant Wang KeMing had to board another plane.
“Study hard, or next semester I’ll tell everyone at school we’re not friends. I’ll disown you for being an uneducated xiao di.”
Before Little Fatty Wang boarded the plane, Zong Yan ruthlessly pounded his chubby shoulder.
They’d only been apart a few months, but this guy had already regained all the weight he’d lost. Obviously, the three of them had braved the London Theatre of Death as a team, and they’d survived the ghoul wave in New York. Not much needed to be said about Zong Yan’s situation, and as for Edward, although he’d withdrawn from MU and gone home to become king, he didn’t neglect his studies in the occult world. It was said that the Spire Council assigned several senior investigators to Edward, both for protection and to continue his instruction.
Wang KeMing had also brushed the line between life and death, but after a short period of panic during which he’d lost a lot of weight, he chose to give up on himself and resumed his previous life as a fat, happy otaku.
After finding out his friend failed multiple subjects, Zong Yan was so angry he wanted to expel him from the ranks of his xiao di.
“No, Yan Ge, Yan Ge! I was wrong! I really truly know I was wrong. It won’t happen again!!!”
Wang KeMing looked terrified, and the chubby flesh on his face was trembling.
Zong Yan’s reputation as the tenth Monarch had reached a new peak in the occult world. Not to mention the fact he was this term’s chief at MU, he was also an Internet celebrity and a newly debuted Hollywood star. His fighting strength was renowned—stomping Elder Gods and punching Great Old Ones.
He was already a legend, but now the students of MU had formed a Tenth Monarch Support Society on their own initiative.
Zong Yan had only attended one term at MU. The only genuine relationships he’d formed in school were with the little prince Edward and the little fat man Wang KeMing.
Although Zong Yan hadn’t resumed classes yet, Wang KeMing was known throughout MU as the tenth Monarch’s number one buddy. He lived a carefree life on campus and was well-respected. Everyone he met had to give him face.
If Zong Yan dismissed him as a friend, what would happen to Wang KeMing at school?
“Look at my grades, and now look at yours,” Zong Yan said with a tone of hating iron for not being steel. His fingers poked at Wang KeMing’s spine.
Wang KeMing: “…”
Ge ah, you were the top scorer on the college entrance exam in Jiangzhou this year, and you almost got a perfect score! In the half semester you spent at MU, your grades were always excellent. Why does a big shot like you have to compare yourself to a mere mortal like me ah!!!
Of course, on the surface Wang KeMing didn’t dare say anything, so Zong Yan nagged him until he agreed, and Wang KeMing’s eyes were as lifeless as a dead fish awaiting his own death.
“All right, make sure you study hard.”
Zong Yan advised him with a few more words, then watched the little fat man head to the gate.
It wasn’t until Wang KeMing got on the plane that Zong Yan walked around a corner and randomly tapped the wall.
A moment later, a white-robed evil god with long, silvery gray hair instantaneously appeared at Zong Yan’s side.
The airport was crowded with people, but no one seemed to notice anything strange about such a mysterious occurrence.
“Let’s go.”
Zong Yan took the Lord of the Gate’s hand and gave him a big smile.
Whenever you travel, you should always bring the Lord of the Gate, who neither charges money nor makes you wait.
If this is your boyfriend, you might as well get some benefits out of it, right?
Zong Yan stood still for a moment, and the scene around him transformed into a movie theater in Hollywood. The premiere was about to begin.
Because the film was produced under special circumstances, most of the post-production team had worked overtime, which meant they were able to release the finished product just a few months after the final scenes were shot.
Another important reason for this was the fact Zong Yan’s part didn’t require any special effects. His Night Watchman was a genuine Night Watchman, who really controlled shadows. The entire crew was stunned when they saw it, and the special effects were gorgeous with flowing, natural movement.
Thanks to the Lord of the Gate’s alteration of reality, not a single person thought there was anything unusual about this. Yog even said that if Zong Yan wanted to, he could reveal his identity as a person with superpowers, and it wouldn’t attract any special attention or national investigations or other negative effects.
Strong. Evil gods are strong.
Ladies entered the theater in formal dresses, and men came wearing suits and ties.
The cinema was packed to the rafters with rows of bodyguards standing in the back.
After all, this movie had political implications, and it was said that U.S. leaders sent some people to the premiere to celebrate. The people lined up in back were bodyguards with guns, wearing sunglasses on their faces, dressed all in black.
As the leading actor, Zong Yan was seated in the first row.
The film ran for two hours, which tested the audience’s ability to hold their bladders. The plot didn’t have much substance. In other words, it was the typical American commercial favorite “superhero saves the world” type. This time the protagonist was a little more interesting, wandering the line between villain and hero. It made the movie more intense and heightened the appeal of the main character.
Of course, the most important thing was that the fight scenes were visually stunning, bursting with action.
The Night Watchman’s costume had a retro quality, dark and decadent and beautiful, elegant with a hint of danger.
When film critics in North America got their first glimpse of the movie poster, they weren’t optimistic about this lavishly-funded commercial movie. After all, the lead actor was Asian, which wasn’t in line with the Western aesthetic preference for blond hair, blue eyes, and rugged faces.
Thanks to the fact the lead actor had no previous acting experience, and the investors were mostly known for their successful commercial movies, film critics classified the movie as a brainless popcorn flick.
The lead actor was largely responsible for a movie’s box office results. If the lead actor was unknown, the audience wasn’t likely to show up, even if the director and screenwriter were in the top three worldwide.
However, after watching the premiere, the critics went into shock.
With blood dripping from the corners of his mouth, the Night Watchman toppled from the roof of a building, and the big movie screen plunged into darkness.
Sorrowful theme music played, and the auditorium filled with quiet sobs.
Everyone thought the movie was over, and then a black umbrella quietly opened in the center of the lens.
A violin suddenly played, joined by the rest of the orchestra, and the mournful melody changed into a lively, cheerful theme.
Gasps resounded throughout the theater. After three seconds of uncharacteristic silence, everyone stood up and clapped. The applause thundered for nearly thirty seconds.
When the premiere ended, reporters outside came in one by one with long barreled cameras and microphones, ready to interview the leading actors and critics who’d attended. Usually their questions were more direct, but this movie was special, and the reporters had been instructed by their superiors not to ask weird questions. When the people inside the theater filed out, the reporters came over to interview them.
“Oh God, what a miracle.” A film critic wiped the tears from his eyes. “The moment the Night Watchman fell from the roof—I really thought he was dead. I even cried. Fortunately, the last shot of the movie left us with a lot of possibilities, a truly open-ended story. It’s worthy of being directed by Kankar with a screenplay by Muskie. The lead actor was the best part. He brought the character to life.”
“Right, we all thought it was just another popcorn movie.” Another film critic lamented and shook his head. “I didn’t expect such a big surprise.”
How could the reviews be so good? The reporters were confused. Were all these film critics on the take, just like them?
Aren’t you guys being a little too phony?
However, the reporters interviewed several critics in a row, and all of them said the same thing. Even the reviewer who was recognized as being the harshest critic in the circle said with tears in his eyes that he was going back to write a long review for 《The Night Watchman》.
He was one of the most senior and difficult to please critics. There was essentially no possibility he’d been bribed.
The reporters, feeling a little doubtful, pointed their microphones at Zong Yan, who’d just walked out of the theater.
Zong Yan was dedicated to his role. Instead of putting on a suit for the premiere, he changed into his Night Watchman persona.
Wearing a black trench coat and an elegant Night Watchman top hat, he stood at the entrance with an elegant smile on his face and a harbinger bird perched on his shoulder.
At his side was a gray-haired evil god in a khaki trench coat, but all these people unanimously ignored him under the effect of his psychological suggestion.
The questions the reporters asked weren’t very difficult, so Zong Yan muddled through.
The film was scheduled to be released simultaneously in North America and Asia. Soon it occupied all major theaters.
After it was released, its box office earnings soared to an unbelievable level, and its score on Rotten Tomatoes reached a staggering ninety percent.
Because the first batch of people who saw the movie loved it so much, they went to their relatives and even their grandmothers to praise it, and discussion on the Internet got more and more intense. This created a virtuous circle. Thanks to positive word of mouth, even more people went to the theater to see the movie called 《The Night Watchman》.
All of a sudden, the names “Zong Yan” and “the Night Watchman” were red hot.
And it wasn’t the casual type of popularity like it had been in the past, but popularity on a global level, harvesting a large number of fans. They dug up Zong Yan’s idle Instagram and Weibo accounts, registered in the past when he was bored, and the level of attention rose sharply for a time.
Zong Yan was even recognized when he went to visit his grandmother’s grave. His grandmas and grandpas in the tube building called and told him they saw him on TV. Their kid was really impressive.
Making movies was extremely profitable.
Later, Zong Yan looked at the sum deposited on his bank card. He still intended to donate all of it to charity, but the number made him gulp.
It wasn’t impossible to have a part-time job. Anyway, the person at his side was Yog-Sothoth, the master of time management, which meant Zong Yan had endless time.
—
The author has something to say:
Master of Time Management: Yog-Sothoth—!
TL Notes:
otaku – 宅 – someone who stays at home – house, geek, nerd – From Japanese (おたく – お宅)
awaiting his own death – 视死如归 – take death calmly; defy death; look death calmly in the face; face death unflinchingly
long barreled – This was originally “□□” in the raw, meaning the original words were censored. I filled it in based on past experience. “Long barreled cameras” are the fancy kind used by professional photographers
Transliterated names, titles, and places—new in this chapter:
xiao di – 小弟 – little brother
Little Fatty – 小胖子 – xiao pang zi
Kankar – 坎卡尔 – Kǎnkǎěr – Alternatively: Cancale
Muskie – 马斯基 – Mǎsījī – Alternatively: Maaske, Marski, Maersk
Rotten Tomatoes – 烂番茄
[ Project Page | Ko-Fi ✿ | Other translations by Confectioner ]
