Chapter 489: The Final Curtain
Chapter 489: The Final Curtain
Chen Bitong spoke, "Captain Chen, regarding this play, which ending do you wish to see?"
Without hesitation, Chen Chuan replied, "The regicide ending."
"But many people don't want to see that ending. They want to see the other one," Chen Bitong said.
"What's the difference?"
"When you watch this play, you should have heard that the songs of the Wasteland Divine Song contain ancient hero combat techniques," Chen Bitong explained. "Since the songs spread worldwide, after a long period of exploration and listening, the ancient heroes' techniques have remained largely undiscovered."
"But the upper echelons of various countries gradually realized that by following a specific rhythm, using exquisite props and stage settings, selecting suitable actors, and through rigorous rehearsals and arrangements, the music itself can bring about various 'positive' effects."
"That sounds like a ritual," Chen Chuan commented.
"Indeed, the music itself is more like a ritual," Chen Bitong confirmed. "And depending on the direction of the ending, different characters will benefit differently."
"If you understand this play more thoroughly, you'll know that many rulers in the past were enthusiastic about it. But the endings they presented were often the opposite."
"Just like those rulers, Speaker Quan, and some of the people in the boxes, they all wanted to see the other ending because it benefited them more."
"And only in places where the music has never been performed before, when it's played for the first time, can such an effect be achieved."
"The ending seems like a binary choice, but the actual outcome may not always align with people's wishes. Sometimes, when the actual ending contradicts the planned arrangement, there's a possibility of uncertainty."
He turned to Chen Chuan and said, "That's why I'm here—to eliminate that uncertainty."
Chen Chuan now understood. Since the upper echelons could benefit from the musical, it was natural for them to prefer the ending where the king judged everything, rather than the regicide ending.
Of course, if the regicide ending benefited them, they would probably keep killing the king repeatedly.
He pondered for a moment. Since there was an anomaly, it needed to be countered with another anomaly. This was inevitable. Perhaps the true ending of this story would be the killing of the king.
The appearance of the anomalous ancient armor was likely to correct this ending and kill the king.
And the king wasn't just the one on stage; he was the person in the audience who represented the "king," the one who would benefit the most.
Similar issues had likely occurred in the past, and Speaker Quan had anticipated this, which was why he had kept Chen Bitong by his side from the start.
Chen Chuan asked, "Then, what are these so-called positive benefits?"
Chen Bitong shook his head. "I don't know, but they're probably those."
"Is there no cost?" Chen Chuan inquired.
"It may have a negative impact on the actors, but they were selected by the Porelon Company. It's not our concern. They had already reached a secure agreement beforehand," Chen Bitong assured him.
Chen Chuan understood that this was an exchange of interests. Speaker Quan had the opportunity to gain some benefit, and the Porelon Company might also achieve something through this arrangement.
After learning all this, he saw the audience below preparing to leave, and he didn't want to stay any longer.
"Mr. Chen, since this act has ended, I'll take my leave," he said.
Chen Bitong spoke slowly, "Captain Chen, you're still young. There's no need to rush. Take your time, listen, and watch. There's a chance to correct and change things."
Chen Chuan glanced at him, nodded, and left, returning to his original box.
There was supposed to be another act and a final curtain call, but since both lead actors were taken away for medical attention, the show ended abruptly.
After meeting up with Tan Zhi and the others outside, they walked out together. Pan Xiaode finally couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked, "Chen, that just now... was it planned beforehand?"
Chen Chuan shook his head. "That was just an accident."
Tan Zhi patted Pan Xiaode's shoulder. "Now you know how capable Chen is, right?"
Pan Xiaode's eyes lit up at the mention of this. "Yes, I couldn't even see Chen's movements just now. If he fought us with such skill, we wouldn't stand a chance."
He muttered to himself, "Strength is everything..."
"The fight on stage was quite intense," Tan Zhi said. "I thought those two leads were really good, but I never expected Chen to go up and resolve it so quickly."
Pan Xiaode's curiosity got the better of him again. "By the way, about those two endings... which is the true ending of the Divine Song? Did the shepherdess defeat the noble lady, or did the noble lady defeat the shepherdess?"
Tan Zhi shrugged. "Who knows? There used to be a site there, and people who visited said the old palace had collapsed, and nothing was left. No one knows the real ending."
"What about the fallen knight?"
"There are too many records, and it's hard to distinguish. It's said that only the set of armor was passed down."
By this time, they had exited the box's corridor. Chen Chuan stopped and said, "You guys go back first. I might have some more matters to attend to."
"Tan Zhi, along with two others, was aware of Chen Chuan's affiliation with the Processing Bureau and suspected that the recent incident might require further attention. So, they bid him farewell and returned to the theater.
Chen Chuan, on the other hand, went back to the scene of the earlier fight. After a quick glance around, he made his way to the stage and entered the backstage area through a passage. A crew member, busy packing up, approached him, curious about his presence.
Chen Chuan presented his ID and explained, "I'm interested in purchasing some of the props used in the performance."
The crew member replied, "Sir, we'll be auctioning the props publicly after the show. We can't sell them before then, please understand."
"Wait a moment," Chen Chuan interjected.
A blonde, heavyset Norlundian, who spoke fluent Dushun, introduced himself as Gao Hong, the production manager. He brushed past the crew and enthusiastically shook Chen Chuan's hand, "Captain Chen, it's an honor. Which prop has caught your eye?"
Chen Chuan got straight to the point, "The knight's armor from the performance."
"That set of armor holds great sentimental value..." Gao Hong smiled ingratiatingly, "Although we have more performances ahead, we do have spares. We can certainly sell this set to you, Captain Chen. But the one you're interested in is damaged and hasn't been repaired yet..."
"That's fine," Chen Chuan assured him.
"Of course, it's our pleasure."
Gao Hong called over two crew members to bring out the recently cleaned armor set, including the rusted sword Chen Chuan had broken, all packaged securely.
Chen Chuan examined the armor, knowing that items related to anomalies often transformed into something else after processing. But this set seemed unchanged. Perhaps it had unique properties, or the heart of the strange tale lay elsewhere, possibly in the song itself, he surmised.
The armor now appeared to be an ordinary prop.
Chen Chuan inquired about the price, and Gao Hong accepted a token payment, offering a sturdy package for Chen Chuan to carry it in.
Chen Chuan thanked him and, with the package in hand, exited the theater.
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Teacher Wei, Tan Zhi's instructor, was walking with a friendly member of parliament towards the parking plaza. They entered an armored limousine.
The parliament member asked, "Is that Captain Chen, the one Xiao Ying mentioned before?"
"Yes," Teacher Wei confirmed.
"He's close with my student."
"If the opportunity arises, try to build a good relationship with him."
"I know, I've been working on it."
"That's not what I'm referring to."
The parliament member explained, "It seems he's caught the Speaker's eye, and his future looks bright." He waved his hand, signaling the driver to start the vehicle.
As the armored limousine pulled away, Teacher Wei watched the light curtain of neon signs blur and fade into the distance, feeling a sense of awe.
A mere fighter, no matter their social status or wealth, could never match the power of those who held authority.
She felt a twinge of regret about the tickets for Tan Zhi. Although not in the upper boxes, they were still excellent seats, separated from the surrounding ones.
She had planned to use the intermission as an opportunity to speak with Tan Zhi and, in turn, foster a closer relationship with Chen Chuan, perhaps even bringing up the past incident. But to her surprise, Chen Chuan hadn't chosen those seats at all; instead, he had opted for a different box.
Oh well, there would be other chances.
After leaving the theater, Chen Chuan drove back to his dormitory. Following a quick wash, he placed the package containing the armor in the training room, intending to ask the Processing Bureau's logistics team to repair it later.
He believed that this strange remnant should be stored separately from the weapon collection to prevent any unforeseen issues, as remnants could sometimes be unpredictable.
Chen Chuan then went to the window and used the interdimensional link to contact Advisor Pei. After connecting, he briefed him on the day's events and his conversation with Chen Bitong.
Advisor Pei responded, "It's not surprising that Chen Bitong wants to give you a chance. He's always been generous in providing opportunities to those he favors, which is why so many admire him.
This shows that you've caught his attention, Captain Chen. Remember to attend the training class, and if Chen Bitong is reassigned to the Fusion Territory, we'll try to get you assigned to his team."
Chen Chuan asked, "What are the chances of his reassignment?"
Advisor Pei replied, "Quite high. But it depends on the decision from above. There's a factor that might influence it, which we can't confirm yet. Perhaps we'll know soon. I'll update you when we have more information."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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