Chapter 445: Chapter 423: Fairytale Town_1
“Hello, please sign for your package.”
The doorbell rings within Yan Province’s Four Seasons Community, at one of the residences.
A man with huge dark circles under his eyes, yawning, opens up his front door.
After signing for the package, the young delivery boy doesn’t immediately leave, but rather stares curiously at the man.
“Can I help you?”
“May I ask, are you the famous Fairytale writer Sky White? I’ve seen your picture online…”
“That’s me.”
The man answers with a smile.
He is Sky White, one of the Yan People writers challenging Chu Kuang to a literary duel.
After rallying Chu Kuang last night, Sky White, excited, didn’t sleep all night. The scene of brutally defeating Chu Kuang filled his mind to the point of causing dark circles.
“I can’t believe it’s really you! Could you please give me an autograph? Just sign it on my bag!” The delivery boy asked excitedly.
Sky White smiled and indulged him.
As he was about to leave, the delivery boy suddenly clenched his fist and said, “Good luck in the Literary Duel, Sky White. You must overthrow Chu Kuang, all of us Yan People will support you!”
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Sky White was speechless.
It seemed that the duel between Chu Kuang and the Nine Great Houses was already well known.
“I promise!”
He nodded confidently, “At least when it comes to the Great Houses of Yan Province, Chu Kuang stands no chance!”
“Absolutely!”
The delivery boy cheered him on as he walked away.
Sky White’s lips curved up slightly as he opened the package.
Today was the day his and Chu Kuang’s new books were released. The package contained Chu Kuang’s new book and the second issue of “Fairy Tale King” from Silver Blue Books, which was specifically released ahead of schedule. Thanks to his good relationship with the bookstore owner, he was probably the first among the fairytale writers to get Chu Kuang’s new book today.
He understood his own work best. Now, it was time to see what story Chu Kuang had written.
Sky White pulled out a book with a black cover. Amid the fresh scent of ink, three large characters were boldly inscribed on the cover:
Fairytale Town.
Below and to the right of these three characters, there was an added footnote: This book is also known as “Chu Kuang’s Fairy Tales”.
So, the real book title was “Fairytale Town”.
Sky White sneered, Chu Kuang was fond of flashy tricks; like these illustrations and revised book title, but he forgot the most important part of writing a book is its content.
“Maybe this is why bad movies have great soundtracks?”
If the theory that bad movies produce great soundtracks hold true, then Chu Kuang’s fairy tales are probably second-rate content paired with first-rate illustrations?
It would be nice if I could collaborate with that illustrator.
With this thought in mind, Sky White opened the book formally titled “Fairytale Town”, Chu Kuang’s new book.
The first story was the already published “Snow White”.
“I have to admit ‘Snow White’ is pretty good.”
Sky White mumbled to himself, “But I guess ‘Snow White’ is the only standout short fable story in this collection.”
If Chu Kuang was facing him one-on-one in the literary duel and pulled out a work of the caliber of ‘Snow White’, it wouldn’t be easy for him to win, but Chu Kuang was taking on nine people at once —
Can he actually write nine stories that are on the level of ‘Snow White’?
That’s impossible. Managing the creation of nine works is bound to completely drain Chu Kuang’s energy.
Thinking this,
Sky White turned to the second fairy tale.
This fairy tale was titled “Cinderella”.
Seeing the title, Sky White couldn’t help but scoff:
“He started with Snow White, and now it’s Cinderella. Is Chu Kuang just trying to feed off his own success? Why not just call it Black Princess?”
It’s not that Sky White was overly hostile.
Normally, he wouldn’t hold this much animosity towards another author. He wasn’t the narrow-minded type, after all.
The principle of the Yan People was:
Even if the other person is your competitor, literary duels should be conducted in a friendly and academic atmosphere. This is what is meant by befriending through literature.
But Chu Kuang was just too arrogant!
He actually dared to challenge nine competitors at once in a literary duel!
For any one of the nine renowned fairy tale masters, this was unacceptable. To put it in a fashionable phrase:
They felt insulted.
As some netizens joked, wasn’t Chu Kuang essentially telling the nine masters to “bring it on” all at once?
Who could swallow that?
What made these masters even more enraged was that Chu Kuang was not content with challenging nine at once; he audaciously provoked on the Tribe forum:
“Who else?”
As if they nine of them weren’t enough for him to take on?
This phrase became the last straw that ignited the fury of the Yan People. It could be believed that not only the Yan People, but also Jin Shan and Qiqi, who had previously lost to Chu Kuang, would understand Sky White’s current state of mind.
Without these reasons, how could Sky White have spent a whole sleepless and agitated night?
“It’s time for you to pay for your arrogance.”
Suppressing his personal anger towards Chu Kuang, Sky White began to read this story called “Cinderella,” but there was still a trace of contempt lingering on his face.
Five minutes later.
When Sky White finished reading “Cinderella,” the contempt on his face had completely disappeared.
Now, it was all seriousness and contemplation.
“Hmm…”
Not rushing to any conclusions, Sky White began reading the second story, this fairy tale called “Little Red Riding Hood”.
“This is…”
When the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf also ended, Sky White’s serious face was now reflecting a hint of gravity in his eyes.
He pursed his lips.
Sky White flipped to the third story, this one called “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. This story unfolded under his serious gaze.
“Sis…”
After finishing the third story, Sky White suddenly took a deep breath but continued silently, opening the next story.
“The Ugly Duckling…”
The fourth story was also over, but when he saw the Ugly Duckling finally transformed into a beautiful swan, he exhaled a deep breath.
As if sighing.
His mind was in turmoil, and this rising emotion continued to escalate as he opened the fifth story.
“Sleeping Beauty…”
By the time he reached the end of the story, Sky White’s right hand, flipping the page, seemed to be playing in slow motion, like in a movie. His back was already breaking out in cold sweat.
Sleeping Beauty awoke.
But a strong sense of unwillingness surged in Sky White’s heart. It was under this sentiment that he opened the sixth story.
It was called “The Frog Prince.”
A clichéd title, yet Sky White didn’t dare make a sarcastic comment about it. Especially after finishing this story, his palms began to sweat, and while flipping to the next story, he was so tense that he left a deep mark on the lower right corner of the page.
The seventh story.
This time the story was called “The Little Mermaid.” The male protagonist was the familiar prince. However, when Sky White reached the ending, he felt a sudden sense of devastation. He didn’t know if he was moved by the mermaid’s sacrifice or for some other reason.
tear!
The force of flipping the page finally exceeded the paper’s limit, and with a crisp sound, a tiny portion of the bottom left corner of the page was torn.
His eyes were slightly red.
Sky White nearly forced himself to read the eighth story. As the story unfolded, he felt as if he were in the cold of night, a bone-chilling coldness enveloping his body. In front of him was The Little Match Girl, slowly lighting a matchstick.
“The Little Match Girl…”
The book suddenly got a little wet. When Sky White realized, a small portion of the book had already been dampened by his tears, and in his ear it seemed like a childish voice was echoing: “Would you like to buy a match?”
“Sure.”
Sky White said in a whisper, unaware of how gentle his tone was, as if he were smoothing out the creases on the book page, his actions careful and cautious.
Finally…
The last story was also finished. Suddenly closing the book, Sky White stared intently at the three bold and vigorous characters on the cover:
“Fairytale Town!”
In the end, his eyes locked on the character for “Town”. Suddenly, an inexplicable thought popped into his mind, the so-called “Town” of Fairytale Town – was it “Town” as in a small town, or…
“Town” as in to suppress?