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    Chapter 189: Hot Search

    Wen Xinxin was taken aback, then she chuckled. "A contract with a demon? You sound like you're talking about something real."

    Wen Ying realized that his tone had been more serious and formal than he intended, accidentally revealing his true thoughts. He scratched his cheek, pretending nothing was amiss.

    He subconsciously reached for the tail at the nape of his neck but remembered he had taken the transformation pill to appear human.

    "I was just dreaming, you know. Dreams are allowed, right?" Wen Ying blinked. "How cool would it be to have a demon contractor? If you contracted a demon at a time like this, nobody would dare to mess with you, don't you think?"

    Ouyang Jinmin turned his head. "No one dares to provoke my sister now anyway. Do you remember her ex-boyfriend, the cheater? After they broke up, that jerk came crawling back to apologize, saying he only loved her."

    "And then?" Wen Ying asked curiously.

    Ouyang Jinmin harrumphed. "My sister has been practicing taekwondo since primary school. I've been on the receiving end of her fists since I was little, so imagine what would happen to an outsider."

    After that, Ouyang Jinmin returned to the main topic. "So she doesn't need a demon; no one dares to provoke her now, and who knows who will dare to marry her in the future."

    Wen Xinxin clenched her fists. "Are you looking for trouble, kid?"

    "On New Year's Day, we shouldn't speak of such ill omens," Aunt Wen Ying snapped, her sharp ears picking up the conversation.

    Wen Xinxin fell silent, and Ouyang Jinmin playfully stuck out his tongue at her.

    "But it's still fun to imagine, isn't it?" Wen Ying softly redirected the topic back. "If you were to show those condescending exorcists a demon, their expressions would be priceless... Oh, do you happen to know their names?"

    "How could I possibly remember all of them?" Wen Xinxin replied. "But that faction is from the Mu family. They're incredibly arrogant. They invited me to join, but didn't even come in person. They just sent some lackeys, acting all high and mighty."

    As Wen Xinxin continued, her anger grew, and her voice unintentionally rose. Recalling her elders, she glanced over to see her father and uncle engaged in a lively game of dice, their voices loud enough to drown out her words. Relieved, Wen Xinxin let out a sigh.

    A cunning glint flickered in Wen Ying's eyes. As a demon and a first-year student at the Lucifer Demon Academy, it wouldn't be out of place for him to mention to his classmates that he had no intention of choosing an exorcist from the Mu family's faction during the bonding process.

    But he needed to confirm their auras first.

    Wen Ying dashed to the bathroom and messaged Ye Wang, who had already returned to their home country. He asked for help obtaining something belonging to a high-ranking member of the Mu family faction currently studying at the academy, something that would carry their aura.

    Seeing the message, Ye Wang, confused about the mirror demon's intentions, simply replied with an agreeable "Okay."

    That very night, numerous final exam papers vanished from the teachers' office filing cabinets at the exorcist academy. The investigators were utterly perplexed. Whoever had broken in seemed to have a peculiar taste, stealing only final exam papers. What use could these items possibly serve?

    This incident also became an unsolved mystery at the Exorcist Academy.

    On the third day, when Wen Ying went to Ye Wang's place to collect something, he spotted a stack of final exam papers, causing the corners of his mouth to twitch. He lifted his gaze to look at Ye Wang.

    Ye Wang said, "You'd better take these."

    "…Indeed." Wen Ying stowed the items away in his spatial bracelet and turned to leave.

    Back home, Wen Qinxue gestured for Wen Ying to join her in her study. He followed her in, puzzled.

    "Mum, what's up?"

    Wen Qinxue switched on her computer and said as she typed, "I think it's best if you know about this beforehand."

    Curious, Wen Ying smiled and walked over to look at the screen. "What has you so secretive?"

    "Read through this script," Wen Qinxue opened a document.

    Sitting down in front of the computer, Wen Ying scanned the pages rapidly. He started off with a chuckle but soon lost his smile, his brows furrowing. He looked at Wen Qinxue, who spoke before he could ask, "This is the final version of the screenplay for the movie adaptation of the Devil mobile game."

    "Although I was the one who initially put pen to paper, the final version differs vastly from my original draft," Wen Qinxue said, highlighting key paragraphs with her mouse. "Look at these parts – they were all additions they requested, altering the story significantly. After I submitted my final version, they still made more changes. What you're reading now is their final edition, which was also modified during filming."

    "I only served as the screenwriter. They hired an exorcist as the director, one of their own people, so..."

    Wen Ying mentally cursed, his expression akin to that of a subway passenger observing someone on their phone.

    "Had I not visited the set, I might have actually believed their nonsense."

    In this film's depiction of the demon world, it was primitive and savage, with demons living in tribes and practicing a brutal form of survival of the fittest, where weaker demons could be consumed by stronger ones.

    The romantic and plotlines were equally absurd. The demon world was portrayed as allowing polygamy, resembling ancient practices in Huaxia.

    The female protagonist belonged to a weak demon race, enslaved after her tribe was annihilated. She gained the admiration of the demons by using her unique ability to communicate with human exorcists and gain knowledge, eventually catching the eye of the tribal chief. He emphasized how crude other female demons were, while the protagonist was gentle and empathetic.

    It all seemed familiar. Wen Ying pondered for a moment – wasn't this just a thinly veiled romance novel? A girl travels back in time, uses modern scientific knowledge to create cement and soap, amassing wealth, and even wins the heart of a prince or emperor.

    Other plot elements were equally far-fetched.

    The backwardness, brutality, and violence were all masked within a romantic comedy, subtly shaping the audience's perception of the demon world and its inhabitants.

    "Mom, setting aside everything else, just the emotional trajectory and the female lead's identity in this story..."

    Wen Qinxue's voice was laced with exhaustion: "In my first draft, the female lead was a powerful demon. They've altered her beyond recognition, to the point where now I feel as though I'm merely a nominal author."

    "So you still take on jobs?"

    Wen Qinxue spoke softly, "At first, they offered too much. Later on, I didn't want to continue, but the penalty for breaking the contract was too high."

    "Mainly, I'm curious about what they'll come up with," Wen Qinxue said. "If I know ahead of time, I can inform you beforehand."

    Wen Ying was deeply touched. His mother was actually willing to endure something that could induce high blood pressure with just a glance, all for him.

    "It's premiering on the third day of the lunar new year, which is tomorrow."

    Startled from his emotions, Wen Ying asked, "Mom, why didn't you tell me when I just got back? The time is so tight."

    Wen Qinxue shifted her gaze awkwardly. "I forgot."

    Wen Ying: "..." His sense of touch had vanished.

    For the first time, Wen Ying felt that Wen Dingjue's unreliability might have been genetically inherited by Wen Qinxue, hoping it wasn't too much of a trait passed on.

    Wen Qinxue coughed to cover his awkwardness, "Well, I've told you now. It's up to you what you do with it."

    "Worry not, it's not me who'll be working overtime," grumbled Wen Ying.

    Upon seeing the incoming call from the Devil Mirror on his phone, Ye Wang's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. The ringing tone seemed like a death knell, yet he pretended not to notice or hear it.

    Ye Wang didn't answer, so Wen Ying called Kirishino instead. Kirishino picked up and then called Ye Wang back. Unprepared for Kirishino's call, Ye Wang was caught off guard and informed about the exorcist's actions, causing his anger to skyrocket, especially when he learned that he would have to work overtime.

    The same went for the Demon Tribunal employees downstairs, who were all seething with rage.

    They had never seen such shameless exorcists who twisted facts! Nor had they encountered such an insensitive boss who wouldn't pay for overnight work!

    To prevent the exorcist from suspecting Wen Qinxue as the leak, Wen Ying specifically asked them to wait until the movie was released before posting anything.

    The Church's team was also prepared, with their hired online influencers ready to spring into action. For this operation, they expected resistance mainly from the players of the Devil Mobile Game, as they believed that only they would object to the portrayal of the demonic realm and its inhabitants being tarnished.

    After all, the game had created a beautiful image and worldview for demons, while the movie depicted a much darker side.

    As for any criticism regarding the romantic subplot, that was beyond the purview of the astroturfing studio; the client only instructed them to malign the Demon Realm and demons in conjunction with the movie.

    Upon the premiere's conclusion, the astroturfing studio promptly disseminated narratives about the primitive nature of the Demon Realm and the barbarity of its inhabitants. This provoked the overworked and sleep-deprived demons, who were up all night writing reviews and strategizing, into fiercely rebutting these claims.

    Passersby, confused by the intense debate, observed as one side accused the Demon Realm of being uncivilized and its inhabitants savage, devoid of any moral conduct. They were warned to keep their distance or immediately report any encounters to authorities, as Handsome as they might be, these demons were deemed no good.

    These remarks infuriated the demons, particularly those from the Judgment Bureau, who were already monitoring the situation. They swiftly responded, pounding away at their keyboards with gusto.

    "You're the ones who aren't good! The Demon Realm is modern now!"

    Many demons born in the human realm have never ventured to the Demon Realm, yet they are well-versed in its lore through common knowledge. A significant number of these demons harbor dreams of one day journeying to that realm saturated with demonic aura, shattering their own limitations, and ascending to become an Upper-ranked Demon, ultimately attaining the esteemed status of Demon Overlord.

    What nonsense is in those movies? Slavery? That's long gone, centuries ago.

    Polygamy? Oh, that depends on the species. We respect the customs of each race.

    Feasting on raw flesh? In human homes, you'd find the essentials, and the same generally applies in the Realm of Devils - refrigerators, televisions, rice cookers, they're all standard fixtures.

    Cannibalism? It's akin to the concept of humans consuming other humans in your world.

    Female demons are vulgar? If they were, the creator would have been long dead by now, but since they're not, it's a testament to their commendable self-restraint.

    Players of the Demon Slaying mobile game, upon hearing the news, angrily took to the internet, planning to confront the officials, only to find that a group had already initiated the charge.

    To prevent IP exposure and potential visits from adversaries, the Demon Judgment Bureaus across regions enlisted hackers for interception, encrypting the IPs. Anyone attempting to trace these IPs would only reach foreign domains.

    The online debate raged on for days, with both sides engaged in a fierce battle that captivated onlookers.

    It was already uncovered that the movie's production company was affiliated with exorcists. It was clear that the persistent efforts to "promote" the demonic image in tandem with the film were orchestrated by exorcist-paid trolls. On the other side, apart from some demon game players, the more astute believed it to be the work of demons themselves. After all, only the demons could refute the accusations with such righteous indignation and logical coherence.

    Ordinary people were unaware that demons even had refrigerators at home. The mundane domesticity clashed starkly with the concept of "demon."

    Despite the days of online bickering and the movie's high box office, everyone was curious about how the film managed to provoke such a reaction from the demons themselves, compelling them to lash out online.

    Upon watching it, they fell silent. The thinly veiled literary intentions were too obvious, and some who went for the spectacle were nearly repelled by the romantic subplot, leading them to write negative reviews.

    "Absolutely do not go to the cinema out of curiosity or for the excitement! I feel like my eyes have been blinded!"

    "While I respect certain exorcist heroes who protect us, some exorcists must not take ordinary people for fools."

    "I feel nauseous."

    "Who wrote the script?"

    Wen Qinxue promptly posted her initial draft on her account without any comment. The online community, upon seeing it, turned their criticism towards the director responsible for the adaptation.

    Inside the church, the project leader and team were flabbergasted. This wasn't what they had anticipated.

    "What do we do? The public opinion online is turning against us."

    "Darn it, the Association is taking advantage of this situation to claim that the movie has nothing to do with their exorcists!"

    "Let's not bother with those lowborns. What about that studio? Increase the payment and get them to manage the public opinion for us."

    "They say the other side is too strong, and they do have a point..."

    The leader of the exorcists slammed his palm on the table. "Tell them there'll be consequences if they can't handle this!"

    "Oh no, oh no!"

    A demon exorcist burst through the door, panic-stricken, only to be frozen in place by a steely glare from the exorcist leader. "I hope you have a damn good reason for this."

    The exorcist shrank back. "…The Demon Judgment Bureau has publicly disclosed online that our exorcist organization deliberately concealed the fact that demons were allowed to exchange and study at the Exorcist Academy."

    "What?!" The leader slammed his palm, shattering the long table.

    A whispering exorcist said, "We agreed with the Calamity Department not to disclose it. As long as the official stance remains unchanged, those online comments can be dismissed as rumors. We can just get in touch with the moderators to delete them."

    "It's terrible, terrible—"

    Another exorcist rushed in, aghast.

    The exorcist leader in the meeting room threw his water glass. "What now?!"

    "…So many accounts are posting about what we tried to hide – that we consented to letting demons study at the Exorcist Academy," stammered the incoming exorcist, startled by the flying cup. "Now it's trending."

    Upon hearing this, a powerful vortex of magic swirled around the exorcist leader, sending everything in the conference room aloft, only to crash down with a clatter. The room was left in disarray, with silence prevailing except for the sound of objects falling. The atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

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