There is nothing wrong with the training method of the Justice Messenger

Kasumigaoka clearly knew that Li Nian was working hard and it was impossible for her to not say a word, but she had been walking all the way with Ms. Machida without helping him to clarify things. I guess she knew that Ms. Machida would get angry and she kept silent just to see herself being lectured.

Noticing the look in Li Nian's eyes, knowing that her trick had been seen through, Kasumigaoka blinked twice and stuck out her tongue cutely.

Li Nian also smiled and didn't intend to expose it right away. He pretended to be depressed, looked guilty, his eyes wandered, and he pressed his forehead with a distressed expression.

"What you said makes a lot of sense. What should I do? Ah, I just feel like I have no motivation. If I keep going like this, I won't be able to finish the manuscript in time for the deadline..."

"Has it gotten this bad..." Seeing Li Nian like this, Machida frowned and sighed, "Well, in that case, that's the only trick we can use."

"That move?" Li Nian asked curiously, "Which move?"

Ms. Machida smiled.

"You may not know that our library has prepared a good place for authors who are about to meet their deadlines to finish their manuscripts. Although it is against common sense to provide it to authors who have just published their new books and have not yet made their debut, with my authority, of course I can still borrow it. If you need it, it is not impossible to provide it to you."

"Oh? There are such good places? Are we going to be treated to good food and drinks at public expense in some good place? I did hear that the library will pay special attention to popular writers. When the deadline is approaching and the writer's progress is not going well, they will provide high-end accommodation. Could it be that I will also be treated like this? If possible, I would like to live in a place with a hot spring bath."

"Don't think too much. The only thing prepared for newcomers with no achievements is a completely closed and dark confinement package in a small dark room."

Kasumigaoka ruthlessly shattered Li Nian's fantasy, but attracted a resentful look from Miss Machida.

"Don't tell him, Xiaoshi. I plan to let this guy keep his beautiful fantasy for the time being, and then when we really need to do this, it will be easier to trick him into being locked up."

Kasumigaoka shrugged nonchalantly, thinking that if it were someone else, they might really be tricked by you into going in, and then no one would come to rescue them even if they shouted and knocked on the door and punched. But this guy might not be able to do that. She had seen a glimpse of Li Nian's fighting, and knew that for this humanoid tank that seemed to be able to punch through an 80cm steel plate with one punch, a mere iron door and paper would probably make no difference.

"I think so." As expected, Li Nian laughed out loud, not taking it seriously. "Bad, Miss Machida is really bad. What's waiting for me is not a luxury hotel but a small dark room confinement package, right? But don't worry, I will go with you obediently. When I heard about the legendary small dark room prepared for Gugu, I was quite curious about what it looked like."

"Hey, young man, you still look like a dead pig that is not afraid of boiling water? This is a warning, Mr. Muzi, reminding you not to become an unscrupulous author who breaks the deadline. If you really delay it until then, it will not be a good thing for the library and the author. You should get motivated as soon as possible and finish the manuscript of the first volume quickly to leave enough time for everyone. Do you understand?"

"I know - OK, no more jokes." Li Nian smiled and shook his head, and finally said: "What you said about not writing a single word is not true. It's all your misunderstanding, Ms. Machida. Someone as capable as me will of course work hard, so I have already finished writing it these few days."

“…Ah?” Ms. Machida was stunned.

"Wow?" Kasumigaoka also widened her eyes in surprise.

"Please come in. It's not a good idea to always stand outside and talk."

Ignoring Miss Machida who was standing there in a daze, Li Nian turned around and went back to the house.

"Wait? You finished writing it a long time ago?" Ms. Machida wanted to ask again.

"That's probably what it means literally... I'm a little surprised. It's only been a few days, but he's already finished the manuscript of the first volume and the outline of the whole book. He's really as capable as ever." Kasumigaoka took the lead and said, "Let's go in. I can't wait to see his final results."

Miss Machida came to the dining room with a half-believing and half-doubting attitude. Kasumigaoka asked Miss Machida to sit down at the table. She had been to Sakurasou many times and everyone here was of the same age. They were used to getting along with each other. Kasumigaoka did not feel too unfamiliar and did not need anyone to entertain her. She went to prepare tea by herself as if she was familiar with the place.

During this period, Li Nian returned to the room and took out the printed manuscript. Although he did not expect Kasumigaoka to come, he had already prepared several copies and gave one to each of them.

"This is the completed first volume of the revised manuscript. Please read it, editor-in-chief and teacher Kasumi Shiko."

He took the tea prepared by Kasumigaoka and sat aside, sipping it leisurely.

It was not until he saw the thick manuscript paper in front of him that Machida realized that Teacher Muzi had already completed the revision of the manuscript. He widened his eyes in disbelief.

Isn't this too fast?

Chapter 270: Impressions after the Revision

"Oh yeah, the senior said she's here to look for Shiina, do you need me to call her down?"

"No, let me read the manuscript first."

"Didn't you say you had something to do with her?"

"It's just a daily discussion on the comic script. I informed Shiina-san when I came here, but the message is still unread, which means that the kid is either resting or concentrating on work. In any case, it's better not to disturb him."

"...Actually, I've wanted to ask this for a long time." Li Nian asked in confusion, "Hasn't the first chapter of the comic version of "Love Metronome" been completed a long time ago? Why do you still need to come over so often? Is there anything that needs to be revised repeatedly?"

"Not really. The first chapter was already completed, and we were both satisfied with the quality... But during this period, the kid was still tirelessly drawing the sequels, so there was no reason for me not to keep him company."

So she has been drawing all the time without stopping? Li Nian smacked his lips and looked up at the ceiling. In front of him, it seemed that Shiina Mashiro was concentrating on her work. She didn't just stay in her room. She would pick up her drawing board to work anytime and anywhere. So Li Nian had seen that look many times and knew very well that Shiina Mashiro was a girl who looked silly on weekdays, but once she started working, she would be addicted to it and couldn't extricate herself. She was a workaholic who didn't seem to know what it was to take a break. Li Nian admired her very much.

"Speaking of which, the magazine that will serialize "Love Metronome" is about to be released, right? It's time to test the results, but to be honest, I'm not worried at all. As a cartoonist, Shiina-san is the type that is only weak in plot. Now that you have the script from the senior sister to fill this weakness, and she herself works hard and efficiently, for Shiina-san, I think there is no possibility of failure."

"I feel the same way. The longer I work with that kid, the more I understand how strong his inner strength is beneath his seemingly weak appearance. For a person like that, failure is impossible... Li Nian, you are the same in this regard. With both hard work and efficiency, your future is bright."

Kasumigaoka had already opened the manuscript and started reading it. After just a few pages, she could feel that this man's performance was as stable as ever, and the quality was not affected by the fact that he had to complete it quickly in a short period of time.

Li Nian was stunned for a moment, then shook his head: "I am efficient, but I can't compare to you in terms of hard work."

"Really? I think you've been working really hard." Machida was still staring at the thick manuscript in front of him with an expression of disbelief. "Although I talked a lot before and hoped you could finish the manuscript quickly... I didn't expect it to be this fast. I was hoping to make you feel more nervous, so I deliberately moved the deadline forward by more than half a month, thinking you would be pushed to the deadline. I really wanted to let you experience the feeling of being in a small dark room."

"... Could you please tell me why you did this?"

"This is a blow of love. After all, a new author who has never died once will not understand the cruelty of the industry."

"Don't you think about what to do if the deadline is missed? Matters like the deadline should also be reported to the library, right?"

"It doesn't matter. There are actually two so-called deadlines. One is the one that theoretically shouldn't be broken, and the other is the one that absolutely must not be broken in the end. Because there are always idiots who take the latter as a psychological defense. I don't want you to be that kind of person, so I plan to tamper with the first one. I want you to see how the editor will urge you to submit after you break the first deadline... Unfortunately, there is no such opportunity now. If you don't break the first deadline, I won't have an excuse to lock you up in the small dark room."

Miss Machida smacked her lips as if she was quite disappointed that Li Nian finished the work so quickly. It seemed that she had really intended to set a trap for Li Nian and teach her a lesson.

"...Please don't do such stupid things in the future."

"Humph."

Ms. Machida gave a meaningful smile, and it was unclear whether she agreed or not. In any case, she didn't say anything else. Only then did she open the manuscript and read it carefully.

Both Kasumigaoka and Ms. Machida began to read the script seriously and entered a state of concentration.

Li Nian naturally would not disturb him, but he didn't care much either. He quietly took out a book that contained knowledge related to some kind of technique and began to read and study.

On the way, Kanda came back from shopping and saw three people sitting here, all concentrating on reading. He was not surprised that they had been to Kasumigaoka many times, but he had never seen Miss Machida before, so he looked puzzled.

Li Nian noticed it, stood up and walked over, explained Miss Machida's identity to Kanda, and took the ingredients on his own initiative, saying that he, Li Nian, would cook today. Kanda understood what he meant and left without disturbing her.

After that, Shiina came running down from upstairs. It seemed that this child with irregular work and rest schedule had been drawing all night last night. He didn't know what time he had worked during the day. It seemed that he had just woken up and saw the message from Kasumigaoka. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, walked into the living room with unsteady steps, and saw Kasumigaoka, and staggered over.

"Xiao Shi is here?"

"Be good, sister has something to do, go play aside." Kasumigaoka touched her head with a smile, and took out a souvenir that she had prepared long ago from the bag beside her - a luxurious pineapple bun from a dessert shop. Shiina grabbed it with shining eyes, and without asking anything, squatted aside and started to eat the bread like a squirrel.

Afterwards, almost at the same time, Li Nian finished reading Li Nian's revised manuscript of the first volume. Li Nian, who had a rough grasp of the reading progress of the two, had just finished preparing the ingredients. He washed his hands and came out of the kitchen. He sat at the table and asked.

"What do you think?"

Machida, the editor, did not speak, but smiled and looked at Kasumigaoka: "Xiao Shi, tell me first, which one do you think is better, the one before and the one after the revision?"

Kasumigaoka had a complicated expression, neither agreeing with nor denying Li Nian's revision. She only said, "Overall, the impression is very good, but if I compare it with the first draft before the revision... I don't know whether to say it's better or worse."

She then began to explain the reasons for this view from the perspective of a professional author.

"The original manuscript was a complete story, which showed the strong conflict between the Demon King and the Hero in terms of their positions and views. Each plot had a profound meaning. It was advanced in an orderly but rapid manner for the final outbreak. The rhythm was very tight, and the emotions were pushed to the peak in just one volume, which brought people a very strong shock... The story after the revision was completely changed. The overall emotional fluctuations and the rhythm of the story slowed down a lot. A lot of content was added around the interaction between the male and female protagonists, and some seemingly key characters were naturally introduced. It was a preliminary development of the worldview. The female protagonist suddenly encountered a powerful attack with a purpose and plan, was seriously injured, and was rescued by the male protagonist when she was about to die. As the climax of the ending, it also revealed the signal of the coming crisis, which brought people a strong sense of fear and oppression, leaving a huge suspense, which was a good end to the first volume."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“In terms of the degree of completion of a volume, it is obviously better before the revision, but if it is to be written into a long novel, this volume after the revision also serves as a good introduction. The presentation of the world view and the appearance of each character seem natural and full of characteristics, leaving a deep impression on people. The small interactions are also very interesting, making the overall viewing experience quite comfortable and making people very willing to read on. As the beginning of a long novel, it is very good... The two are completely different styles, it is too difficult to compare.”

Chapter 271: Risks and Opportunities Coexist

Li Nian nodded.

Kasumigaoka is absolutely right.

After rewriting the novel, there are too many characters and settings to be revealed. Given the limited length, it is naturally impossible to present everything vividly in one volume just to write a good story, as before. Instead, the plot must be advanced step by step in stages, volume by volume, to slowly present the whole.

The main content of this first volume is about the previous demon king's first arrival in the human world, his hidden identity, and his transformation into an ordinary person. He intentionally approaches the heroine who is a hero, while observing the detailed appearance of this world from the perspective of an enemy. In general, it is used to show the tip of the iceberg of the entire world view, further showing the opposition between the two worlds in culture and ideology, highlighting the root of the contradiction between the two sides, intensifying the sense of crisis, and paving the way for the subsequent plot that is about to come.

It is difficult to compare it with the content before the revision... Even in Li Nian's opinion, there is no point in comparing the two.

There are fundamental differences between short stories and novels.

Compared with short stories where the outcome is determined in one volume, the construction of a long story should never be rushed, at least the difference between who is good and who is bad will not be determined in the first volume.

But even so, Ms. Machida seemed to want Kasumigaoka to think about it more, so she continued to ask relentlessly.

"Which one do you think will sell better? Before the revision? After the revision?"

"Ms. Machida, you asked a very direct question... This question is quite difficult to answer. Please don't embarrass me, a failed author, okay? After all, I once naively thought that I, who won a big award, would have a future of easy sales... But in the end, I only got a half-dead popularity, and it's only gradually getting better now. It's really difficult for me to answer the question about whether it will be a hit or not. After all, it has never been a hit, only the experience of failure - what about you, Ms. Machida? From the perspective of an editor, the most important thing is whether the work sells well. For this reason, I asked Li Nian to rewrite a long novel. So are you satisfied with the result he has now? Do you think it will sell better than the original manuscript before the revision?"

Throwing the question back with sarcasm, Kasumigaoka felt that this would be a difficult question for the editor to answer. In fact, if she had to say which side she preferred in her heart, it would of course be the original manuscript before the revision. She was even more impressed by the story that moved her so deeply that she shed tears.

Therefore, she did not agree with Ms. Machida's decision to abandon the highly completed manuscript and ask Li Nian to rewrite a long novel for the sake of future sales that might be better.

Ms. Machida answered without hesitation.

"Of course the revised version will sell better now."

"Based on what?"

"There is no reason why a well-written novel cannot sell well. I have always believed that Mr. Muzi's novel will sell better than before the revision, because he seems to be the type of person who is suitable for writing novels. Now that I have seen the first volume of his revised manuscript, I am even more convinced of this."

Ms. Machida smiled and looked at Li Nian, who said nothing and listened silently to the two people's exchange of views.

"I'm actually very afraid that after you switch to writing a long novel, Mr. Muzi, there will be two situations in the revision of the first volume. One is that you feel at a loss about writing a long novel, and write boring and unremarkable text with improper arrangement. The other is that when writing a long novel, you still retain the habit of writing short stories, and advance the plot too hastily, expand the world view, and add characters. So many elements cannot be fully displayed in a short space. Even if the plot is well written in the short term, it will still be more trouble than gain in the long run. If the whole work loses the rhythm of advancing and retreating in moderation, it will show a sense of impatience, which greatly reduces the viewing experience... But now it seems that not only do you usually behave like a leisurely uncle, but you are still calm and relaxed when writing a long story, and you advance and retreat in moderation and handle it with ease. When you decided to write such a first volume, you were ready for a long-term battle, right?"

Li Nian shrugged.

“I’m just used to it.”

Long-form writing is his forte. When he was writing online articles in the past, he had never seen a book in the industry with more than 100,000 words that could make sense. To write a complete story, it would take at least a million words. Li Nian has long been accustomed to this rhythm.

he sighed.

"From the reader's perspective, it is nothing more than following the author's words to gradually understand the world he presents, like a journey. In the short term, taking them on a roller coaster, experiencing a rapid ups and downs, and seeing the scenery of the entire amusement park in a blink of an eye can indeed give them an extremely refreshing experience, but no matter how strong this stimulation is, it will easily fade. It is better to lead them on a long journey, slowly walk through every corner of the world, see the joys and sorrows of the people they see on the journey, gradually immerse themselves in it, empathize with the characters in the book, and leave enough time to think, think about a lot of things about themselves, so that they can accumulate a heavier image in their hearts, and the memory will be long and lasting."

After a pause, Li Nian continued, "Of course, accumulation leads to prosperity. The journey is full of dangers, and there will still be ups and downs waiting for them. But at that time, it will not be just a roller coaster in an amusement park, but a sudden abyss or a mountain that reaches the clouds. But no matter what, they have to go through it. Whether their emotions fall or climb up at that time is all arranged by me, clearly."

"See?" Ms. Machida pointed at Li Nian and joked, "What is the boss style? This is the boss style. He is confident that he can firmly control the readers between the lines and arrange everything clearly for them."

Xia Zhiqiu thought about Li Nian's words and nodded silently: "...I've learned your lesson."

"That being said, I also understand that my plot arrangement is a so-called slow-burn approach. For today's fast-paced era and the current light novel industry, it may not be better than writing every volume full of contradictions and emotional ups and downs." Li Nian said calmly: "Maybe my future is the same as yours, Senior Sister Kasumigaoka. I have thought about the process, but the first volume did not achieve good sales, which led to the library judging that it could not be supported. As a result, there were no resources allocated to it afterwards, and its popularity became increasingly sluggish. As a result, it was cut short before word of mouth fermented and the performance improved before a few volumes were written."

Because she felt the same way, Kasumigaoka shuddered immediately, imagining the scene, and covered her face with an expression that she couldn't bear to look at it.

"Stop talking, it's too real."

Chapter 272 Geniuses with or without Self-awareness

"Hey, don't be so pessimistic. Have you forgotten that your great editor is here? I am the one who thinks highly of you, Mr. Muzi, and I took the initiative to ask you to transcribe the long article. Of course, I will also take the responsibility to protect you."

With an expression that said, "What you said is too exaggerated," and as if she didn't care about that kind of future at all, Ms. Machida waved her hands and said, "Don't worry, just put your mind at ease and write well."

Anyone can write a bad check. Li Nian shrugged nonchalantly, "Well, if that time comes, I won't continue to do it. I will simply cut it off and not cause trouble for the library."

"You really don't believe me at all..." Machida puffed up his cheeks in dissatisfaction: "There's a ready-made example right next to you. I've been protecting Xiao Shi very well. Look, she's been serializing well until now."

Kasumigaoka tilted her head and said, "Yes, after all, I am such a cute girl that I can arouse your desire to protect me, Ms. Machida. It may be a different story for a big and strong man like Li Nian."

"Look at what you are saying, Xiaoshi. You can't say that. Although I do like cute girls like you, I take care of you a little more out of selfishness..."

"Is it true?" Li Nian glanced sideways.

"But." With a righteous expression on her face, Ms. Machida forced the topic back: "Of course, these considerations are more out of the editor's sense of responsibility to the author!"

"It feels totally unconvincing." Li Nian raised his eyebrows.

"No kidding...Ms. Machida is indeed a very responsible person. She has taken great care of me over the years. I think she will also take good care of you, Li Nian. She said she would protect you until the end, and she will definitely do so."

After eating the luxurious pineapple bun, Shiina lay down next to Kasumigaoka and listened to them carefully at first. However, the content of the conversation between the three people was not easy to understand for an outsider. Various rhetoric and terms were even more difficult for Shiina to understand. If he couldn't understand it, it was better not to understand it. Shiina, who was not fully asleep, yawned and leaned against Kasumigaoka. He hugged her waist and buried his head in the softness of her chest, and fell asleep again comfortably.

Kasumigaoka seemed helpless, but she didn't resist much. She smiled gently and hugged the child. She caressed Shiina's soft hair almost dotingly. Shiina squinted her eyes comfortably. In order not to disturb Shiina, she lowered her voice and continued to speak to Li Nian.

"So, Li Nian, you can completely trust Ms. Machida."

Li Nian had the illusion as if she saw lilies blooming. She stared at the scene in a daze for a moment. She was surprised by Kasumigaoka's gentle behavior. It felt like they were just like a mother and child.

It can be seen that Kasumigaoka has become very close to Shiina in recent days, and it seems that he is often stuck to her like this on weekdays.

But he quickly came to his senses and replied, "I was just saying that. Of course I believe Ms. Machida."

"Are you relieved? So I won't kill you so easily. Besides, speaking objectively, I don't think there will be such a future waiting for you, Mr. Muzi."

Ms. Machida continued speaking seriously.

"Although it is a bit slow to start, the quality of your first volume is still very high. The ending with the heroine being suddenly attacked and seriously injured and dying, and the hero helping her, is eye-catching enough. As an independent volume of the story, the stage-by-stage transition is well done, and it is very complete as a whole. More importantly, the profound skills shown between the lines of the book make each paragraph of the text feel very comfortable. As the plot progresses, the appearance of each character is natural, and in a limited space, each character is vividly presented with vivid and interesting interactions, and their respective positions, identities and personality characteristics are clearly shown, further showing a very realistic post-war world, including the foreshadowing of the key setting of the [World Parliament], which makes people feel that there will be more interesting characters to appear later, and a more grand plot will unfold. Everything adds up to a clear feeling that the story is gradually unfolding when people finish reading it, making readers full of expectations for the follow-up. Such a first volume is undoubtedly excellent enough."

"It's not that I don't have confidence, but I feel it's not that easy to achieve results in a short period of time."

"You and Xiaoshi are too pessimistic about the market and the library. Readers are not fools. They will naturally pursue interesting content. We editors are not pure businessmen. We have enough experience and will not only look at the short-term performance of a work. After working for so many years, I have seen many excellent and failed works. Some of them sparked topics at the beginning, but later became mediocre. Some were unknown at the beginning but became a blockbuster later. Most of them did not perform so extreme. They accumulated popularity slowly and got better little by little... In general, it is still the old saying that gold will always shine."