The sun is high

A storm has been brewing among the people of Salem City.

Shuge spent some time and quickly flipped through the newspaper in his hand, and soon he found the articles in the newspaper that the Salem Mutual Aid Group thought were problematic.

As Shuge expected, Peace Newspaper and Editor-in-Chief Philip have put a lot of effort into this matter. In today's newspaper, the headlines that should have been reserved for the major kingdoms among Vann were suddenly replaced by several obvious Occupied by weird news that doesn't quite feel right.

“An Ordinary Delander’s Journey to Salem—The Tragic Years of Leaving Home.”

"Hidden hostility or false symbiosis? On the changes in the relationship between Votel and Derain."

"The crystal mines owned by the Kingdom of Votel are suspected of maliciously squeezing crystal miners."

"Who else is looking forward to the Armistice Celebrations?"

"..."

Titles such as these filled up all over the newspaper, and an absurd color that made Shuge couldn't help but frown flowed between the lines. The intention of these articles was too obvious, with deliberately woven special titles and obviously biased text content. , events and cases that are difficult to easily verify, and the appropriate control and incitement of the emotions of the audience of these articles...

Xiuge even read a strong sense of déjà vu in it.

After all, in the past that he misses now, similar articles can always occupy people's attention more quickly, and the people who publish these ambiguous articles often do not delve into the root causes.

In other words, the moment they are written down and issued to the public, the truth is no longer the point.

Emotions are.

Such a newspaper is destined to have difficulty conveying truly useful information. Xiuge rummaged through the entire newspaper and found an article about the recent summit of the kingdoms on the Luowei Plateau in a corner.

The content of this article is short and concise, and its author roughly narrates part of the content of this important summit in concise and easy-to-understand words - just as fellow practitioners have felt before, the steam set off by the Kingdom of Votel Ordnance reform is affecting the entire Vann at an alarming rate. At this summit, the Kingdom of Votel and several surrounding tributary countries issued a joint statement.

They believe that the large-scale development of steam power is destined to have a major impact on Vanen, which is dominated by magic. If the kingdoms and the Legal Council want to minimize the losses caused by this impact, they should act like Wo En. Like the Kingdom of Ter, it focuses on promoting the combined use of two types of steam and magic.

The author who wrote this article with the pseudonym "Meyer" pointed out in the article that making this statement at the summit has shown the Kingdom of Votel's greatest respect for Van En and the Legal Committee. According to valid information, The Kingdom of Votel has actually begun to carry out new ordnance and heavy technology reforms. A large number of new equipment that can combine magic with steam power are being promoted to the factories and the army of the Kingdom of Votel at an alarming rate.

"I am very worried that the stable structure built by the Magic and Law Committee in the past is under attack, and in fact, such an impact has been secretly operating for more than ten years or even decades... Those who are blowing smoke on the Luowei Plateau The giant steel beasts will not stop easily. As they march, once someone tries to stop them, tragedy will inevitably happen."

"Meyer" expressed his concerns at the end of the article: "I am just a scholar, not a prophet who can peer into the future and destiny. I believe that rigorous logic and thinking are the important cornerstones for us to view changes in the world. , and when changes do occur, no organization, group or individual in Van En will be immune to its impact, and we should be prepared."

After reading the article, Shuge silently tore the article from the newspaper, and then stuffed the remaining newspaper into a metal waste paper box next to the street.

If possible, he really wanted to meet this "Meyer" scholar now.

Nowadays, the level of information dissemination in Van En is still limited by the development of the world itself. Although various magical magic and magic supplies can bring the two ends of the world closer, if you want to collect many of the world's information by yourself, Information is still very difficult, and the transmission channels of various news, news and important information are still firmly controlled by the nobles and the Legal Committee.

The vast majority of people are the same as the people in Salem City.

The only choices they can make are "listen" or "not listen."

That's all.

…

Probably because the latest issue of the magazine had been sent out, Xiuge attracted the attention of many passengers on the bus to the Peace Newspaper Office, and they all nodded to this famous "writer" in the city.

Of course, some of them cast disdainful glances. Most of these people are engaged in education, art, and publishing industries in Salem City. They are full of hostility towards Shuge, who uses vulgar words to "please" the public. with contempt.

Regarding the former, Xiuge always smiles. To be honest, although he doesn't like others to discuss and appreciate the things he has written in front of him, he has no ill feelings towards the lower-class residents who like this kind of writing.

Their daily lives are boring and boring. If your writing can add two points of brightness to their leisure time, it will be enough to make people feel happy.

And those latter with contempt on their faces...

Xiuge didn't even bother to expose them. After all, his manuscripts were only published in "unpopular" magazines. If he didn't read these magazines on weekdays, how would he know what he had written recently?

As for some weird people who think that their actions have "insulted" their status as nobles, Xiuge is too lazy to pay attention to it. According to his idea, the title of "illegitimate son" is enough to be blasphemous. On this basis, what should he do? It doesn't matter. The Ernst family doesn't care. Why do you care?

If you are not happy, you can write to the Kingdom of Walter!

In this way, among all kinds of eyes, Shuge once again came to the southern square of Salem City where the Peace Newspaper Office was located.

As soon as he stepped into the southern square, Xiuge's brows furrowed involuntarily, because he couldn't see the door of the Peace News Agency from where he stood - there were densely packed people there, and the voices were restless, and it seemed like something was happening. Something not so good.

Xiuge folded his manuscript paper, put it into his pocket, and then moved towards the crowd.

Before he could get closer, he heard the fierce arguments coming from the crowd.

Miss Qili, the female clerk of Heping Newspaper with heavy makeup, is now surrounded by several residents of Salem City in simple clothes at the door of the newspaper. Her beautiful face is full of panic and anger, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't There is no way for the people surrounding him to disperse even half a minute.

"Why do you publish such an article?"

"Madam, please answer me, is there any benefit to the Peace Newspaper Company from doing such a thing?"

"Withdraw newspapers from the market and punish relevant clerks..."

"And apologize! Apologize!"

The excited people pointed at the door of the Peace Newspaper Office and angrily shouted: "Your actions are slander and slander on the reputation of Salem City! It is clear that the armistice celebration is about to begin, but you allow this kind of writing to be published... How bad!"

Xiuge stood among the crowd for a while. He carefully mobilized his magic power. In the slow rotation of the magic disk, he was able to take into his ears the most subtle discussions in the crowd. Soon, he understood of what happened.

These people who blocked the Peace Newspaper Office were the "Salem Mutual Assistance Group" in the city.

Shuge noticed that many of these angry people still held the newspaper issued by Heping Newspaper today in their hands. They pointed at the words that occupied the newspaper page and vented their anger towards Heping Newspaper and its clerks. anger.

"Please disperse, you have affected the normal work of the newspaper office!"

As the secretary of Editor-in-Chief Philip, Miss Qili is still working hard to maintain order at the scene. She did not hesitate to move out of the Salem City Police Station and the Legal Committee as a threat: "We have notified the police and the mages, and soon they will They will come over to maintain order. If you have any dissatisfaction, just tell them!"

Hearing this, Xiuge couldn't help but shook his head.

Qili, a female clerk, comes from a wealthy businessman family. She is naturally separated from the miners, farmers and workers in the workshops, and she never knows how to truly communicate with these people.

Sure enough, the moment these words came out, the members of the Salem Assistance Group who were blocking the door of the Peace Newspaper Office were immediately detonated. They immediately started making noises, and the grumpy ones among them almost stepped forward to take action.

At this time, a leading young man stood up. He had curly brown hair and was wearing a somewhat shabby gray-black windbreaker. His face was calm, and there was a conspicuous black mark on the left side of his face.

"Ma'am, almost every family in Salem City has received kindness and help from the Mutual Aid Group, and we have never wanted to conflict with anyone."

The young man stopped those residents who were trying to shrink the encirclement, and then said in his deep voice: "The purpose of our coming here has been made clear. As long as the editor-in-chief of the Peace Newspaper is willing to listen to our opinions, everyone will disperse now. .”

"You are a threat, sir, you are definitely a threat!"

“The Mutual Aid Group does not want to threaten anyone, we just want to know why newspapers allow such words to be published... The members of the Mutual Aid Group present are from different countries. I am from Votel, and these friends are from Germany. Lan, and there are many people who are free people from the annexed kingdom, we all believe that these words published by the newspaper are slandering and hurting all the people who live together in the city of Salem!"

The young man's behavior and attitude were very polite, but his voice and words were full of power. As a bystander, Xiuge couldn't help but applaud him in his heart after listening to his words - his attitude in handling affairs His abilities even surpass those of many small officials earning salaries from the two kingdoms.

The female clerk was stuck in place by this series of words. Her face turned pale and her lips trembled slightly, but she was unable to speak.

At this moment, a warning signal came from Xiuge's spiritual world, so he decisively retreated from the crowd and stood with the more peripheral onlookers as quickly as possible.

The police officers Miss Qili mentioned finally arrived. Accompanied by the sound of horse hooves, several police officers rode horses to the southern square. These security defenders in dark blue uniforms kept waving their red-painted red uniforms. The stick was painted in black, and at the same time, it used the metal whistle in its mouth to emit bursts of warning sharp whistles.

After all, the members of the Salem Mutual Assistance Group are just ordinary people in the city. Although they gathered here because of their anger and confusion about the Peace Newspaper, they are still timid after all. Facing these aggressive police officers, they instantly In the meantime, the birds and animals dispersed, and only the young man who was obviously a key member of the mutual assistance group remained in place.

Facing the police officer who waved a stick at him to demonstrate, the young man sighed helplessly, and was then roughly taken aside. His hands were also bound by standard magic ropes. Without other magical intervention, this young man could This crude and simple magical restraint tool is enough to bind the "prisoner" tightly.

Among the onlookers, only Shuge noticed that after the police arrived at the scene, a member of the Tricolor Brotherhood who was responsible for guiding the way pressed down his hat, turned around and disappeared from the edge of the square.

"..."

Shuge narrowed his eyes, but in the end he did not risk chasing in the direction of this member of the Three Color Brotherhood. After all, he knew with his knees that this group of young thieves and professional stalkers would most likely also Having already participated in related matters, it is not feasible to obtain key information by tracking down such low-level members.

While the police officers were chasing and expelling the poor members of the mutual assistance group, Xiuge silently came to the alley next to the Peace Newspaper Office. Seeing no one around, he immediately activated his magic, and With the consumption of magic power and the chanting of the spell, the three-tailed mouse appeared next to Xiuge again.

Following its master's instructions, this magical creature quickly came to Shuge's feet, and deftly ran up his thigh, hiding in the shadow of the hem of the long windbreaker.

After completing the preparations, Xiuge immediately adjusted his demeanor and expression, and then walked towards the main entrance of the Peace Newspaper Office with a smile.

Under Miss Qili's angry eyes, under the cautious observation of the police officers, and under the complicated eyes of the members of the mutual aid group, Xiuge took the magical creature he summoned and walked openly into the door of the Peace Newspaper Agency.