mchenry-crisis.org Chapter 63 of the suspense novel has been published.
Chapter 63 of the suspense novel has been published.
"We always need to break free from the shackles of life and look up at the stars from time to time."
Another science fiction work. The editorial department of "The Great Tang Dynasty Ghost Stories" has been waiting for a long time for a suspense work by a young writer, but they still haven't received one.
"How did it go? Did the call go through?"
"I got through, and he said there were still some things that needed to be taken care of on the other end."
"I'll type it myself; our magazine needs his suspenseful articles."
Luo Jinnian wasn't making excuses; he had been genuinely busy lately preparing a huge stack of legal documents with his lawyer.
"Don't worry, I've never fought such a rich battle before. If I lose this battle, I'll just go home and grow corn."
The lawyer relaxed his young client's mind, and Luo Jinnian was naturally not nervous. He was just quite curious about the work schedule of the legal profession.
"I heard you've published quite a few works; you need to manage the copyrights in this area well."
Knowing that the young man before him was the author of the textbook-worthy science fiction novel "Take Her Eyes," the lawyer was extremely amazed. He had met all sorts of people, but this was the first time he had ever seen such a young genius.
"You manage to manage both your roles as a young author and a child star so well; I'm really getting old."
Goodbye, lawyer. Luo Jinnian's phone rang again, this time from "The Legend of the Tang Dynasty".
"Sure, I'll send it right away. I've been incredibly busy lately."
"The Records of Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty is where I made my fortune, so I'll definitely submit any suspenseful stories I have to you."
Back home, Luo Jinnian copied "The Mist," a classic suspense film adapted from Stephen King's novel.
Painter David Drayton lived with his wife Stephanie and young son Billy in a small lakeside town in Maine. A violent storm destroyed their house and trees overnight. The next morning, David and their neighbor Norton (a lawyer) drove Billy to the town's supermarket to buy supplies.
On the way, they saw an eerie thick fog rising from the lake, and police cars and fire trucks speeding by. Shortly after arriving at the supermarket, the thick fog quickly engulfed the entire town.
Upon reading this, the editorial team felt that the content the young author was about to attempt was completely different from what they had written before.
In the past, the storylines of "Early Spring Tea" all started from the human perspective, but this time it is a natural disaster.
An elderly man covered in blood ran into the supermarket, shouting, "There's something in the fog!" He claimed his friend had been dragged away. The supermarket customers initially didn't believe him. To prove nothing was wrong, lawyer Norton and several volunteers opened the loading dock to investigate. Suddenly, countless tentacles emerged from the thick fog, dragging away a young employee and attacking another. The crowd struggled to close the metal door, but some had already died. Fear spread.
Power does not exist in a vacuum, it only changes.
The supermarket's little society quickly split into two factions.
The group, centered around David (and including the old teacher, the shop assistant, and a group of people willing to rebel), was a rational group. They believed they should find a way to escape and manufacture weapons.
The Terrorists were gradually brought under the control of the devout religious fanatic, Mrs. Carmody. She claimed that this was God's punishment and that human sacrifices were necessary to appease the anger.
The supermarket manager tried to lead people out to seek help, but was killed by the giant flying monster.
The followers of the Fearful Lady Carmody are growing. They have captured a soldier who went out alone and believe he is the culprit (the "Swordfish Project" experiment at a nearby military base opened a dimensional rift).
The soldier tried to explain but was stabbed to death. Then, the congregation demanded the handover of David's son, Billy. To protect the child, David shot and killed Mrs. Carmody, and then, along with three companions (an elderly schoolteacher, a shop assistant, and his son), escaped the supermarket in the chaos by car.
They drove through the fog-shrouded town. Along the way, they saw colossal beasts flying overhead, and the streets were filled with spiderwebs and giant cocoons. The car radio occasionally crackled with intermittent broadcasts mentioning the "City of Hope." Their gas was slowly running out. After driving for a long time, they spotted a landmark they had passed earlier—a fallen giant tree—indicating they had been going in circles.
A sense of powerlessness, an overwhelming sense of powerlessness. The associate editor who read this sighed, feeling utterly hopeless and with no way out.
The gas was completely used up. The car stopped in the middle of the thick fog. In the distance, huge footsteps and the roar of a monster could be heard. Five people were inside the car: David, Billy, the elderly teacher Amanda, the shop assistant Erin, and the older Dan. They waited a long time, but no rescue came from the fog, while the footsteps grew closer.
David checked his pistol: only four bullets left. He figured he'd rather die with dignity than be devoured by the monster. He proposed that he kill everyone, then step out of the car and face the monster. He told his son to close his eyes first, saving the last bullet for himself. One shot… two… three… four… He used the pistol to kill his sleeping son, Amanda, Erin, and Dan.
The deputy editor, who also has a family, could particularly understand David's situation at that moment. He didn't want his loved ones to bear the burden of the unknown.
David stepped out of the car and shouted into the fog, "Come on!" ready to die. However, the fog began to dissipate, and the sound of mechanical tracks came from afar—the sound of army tanks, trucks, and ambulances.
It turns out that the monsters in the mist are incredibly fragile in the face of humans. David looked at his family members lying in pools of blood in despair.
They were just one step away from survival. They were just one step away from it all. It was my fault that they were killed.
"A plot twist, a plot twist unlike any other in the world."
The associate editor was full of praise.
Those who hadn't dared to leave the supermarket survived, sitting on the truck. A woman on the truck (who had previously pleaded with everyone to come out and save her child, to no avail) looked at David with a complicated expression.
David knelt beside the carriage, inside which were four people he had killed with his own hands, including his son.
The story ended in despair.
"Cha Da, our 'Tales of the Tang Dynasty' already has its own publisher. You've collected enough suspense works now, why don't you just compile them into a book?"
"Royalty ratio?"
"12%, that's the highest royalty level for a newcomer in the industry."
"Okay, I'll give you two more suspenseful short stories, let's put them in together and sell them."
Luo Jinnian felt it wasn't enough and suggested stuffing in more.
The magazine publisher would have no problem with that; it would even make it easier for them to sell. All they need to do is put it on the label "A brand new masterpiece with early spring tea" and they won't have to worry about selling it.
This is the period of decline of the book industry. Otherwise, the Tang Dynasty would have definitely started printing books at full speed. But even though they know that the sales will be good, they only dare to print 50 copies.
With the book issue resolved, all that's left for Luo Jinnian is to file a formal lawsuit against his mother.
The media outlets have been sharpening their knives for a while now, and they are very sensitive to the slightest movement.
This matter is certainly not difficult, but it's not easy either. Even an upright official can't settle family disputes, let alone a young child star.
But this is not what the media wants to see.