Chapter 371
Her parents were murdered, her lover was murdered, her villagers were murdered... The beautiful paradise that began was destroyed in the blink of an eye, with only the female protagonist escaping by sheer luck.
The empire invaded, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities. The government army was incompetent, retreating thousands of miles and turning back like the wind, losing most of the country in the blink of an eye.
"Wow, this plot twist is too much! It suddenly went from a rural paradise to a war-torn world, expanding so much in both scope and scale!"
"Are there really people saying that the Emperor Peak Drama Club performs love stories, and that there are love stories where the male lead only appears in one scene and then gets beheaded?"
"Are they planning to act in a war drama? That's notoriously difficult to act in. Can a group of female students with no life experience really handle it?"
The female protagonist, starving and freezing, wanders the land occupied by the empire, constantly fleeing and living in fear. She encounters all sorts of people: some commit suicide in despair, some beg for survival, some grovel before the imperial army, and some sell their bodies to survive...
To highlight the cruelty of the invading army, Si Huaruo once again summoned a deity to cooperate in the performance. This deity, who was exclusive to the Si Clan, seemed to have become obsessed with theatrical performances after participating once, and enjoyed it immensely. This time, he played an innocent child who was stabbed through the body by an imperial soldier.
"Ah--"
"Murder! Someone is dead at the scene!"
"Idiot, there's no blood, it's fake!"
This scene was so "realistic" that many viewers screamed, too scared to watch.
Meanwhile, on stage, the Imperial Army hung the little girl's body on the head of a gun, swinging it around and laughing triumphantly. This scene immediately drew a lot of hatred from the audience, many of whom crushed the armrests of their seats in their anger.
The female protagonist could no longer bear it and stepped forward to kill the imperial soldier, thus becoming a wanted criminal and being hunted by a group of guards. Just when she was at her wit's end, a young and handsome knight came to her rescue and led a group of his men to defeat the guards.
It turns out that this knight was the leader of the rebels. To avenge his country and family, and to protect his people, he gathered those who could not survive and formed a righteous army to fight against the invaders.
The female protagonist joins the rebel army and displays amazing talent. She improves rapidly in both martial arts and command, and soon becomes the right-hand woman of the rebel leader.
As the handsome young man and beautiful young woman overcome one challenge after another, their hearts slowly draw closer, and the sparks of love gradually ignite. This adds a touch of warmth to the originally tense and exciting atmosphere of the second act, giving the audience a sense of motivation and support, and inspiring them to look forward to a bright future.
In the third act, the young and handsome rebel leader dies.
He fell into the Imperial Army's trap while trying to save a group of villagers. Although he managed to break through with his powerful martial arts skills, he was seriously injured. He barely managed to get back to the camp, just to see the female protagonist one last time. The moment they met, he smiled and stopped breathing.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!"
"This plot is ridiculous!"
"What was the point of the sweet scene in the previous episode? How much does the screenwriter hate couples?!"
No matter how many people in the audience were cursing her in their hearts, the female protagonist on stage, after grieving, wiped away her tears, took off her lover's helmet, put it on her own head, and took the sword from her lover's hand, raising it high, representing inheriting his will.
The stirring music, full of passion and fighting spirit, makes people's blood boil and it feels like every pore on their body is exploding.
Then the female protagonist began to sing. "Arise, ye prisoners of starvation and cold! Arise, ye oppressed slaves of a conquered nation! Our blood is boiling, we must fight for freedom!"
There has never been a savior, nor do we rely on gods or emperors! To gain dignity and freedom, we must rely entirely on ourselves! Let's heat the furnace until it's red-hot, and strike while the iron is hot to succeed!
This is our land, how can it tolerate parasites? Those venomous snakes and ferocious beasts are the most hateful, they've devoured our flesh and blood! Once they're wiped out, the Wind of Freedom across the land!
"The Internationale" truly lives up to its reputation as a globally popular and beloved revolutionary song among the world's proletariat. Even after being adapted by Si Ming with the theme of "freedom and liberation," it remains deeply moving. Without flowery language, it simply tells everyone what to do. This rugged style of lyrics contrasts sharply with the delicate love story in the previous scene.
Si Ming referenced the story of Saint Joan of Arc in this play, but he changed it beyond recognition. In that era, if Joan of Arc had dared to say "I don't rely on gods or emperors," the church would never have recognized her and would have declared her a witch—although "witch Joan of Arc" actually sounds quite appealing.
As the song played, more and more people surrounded the heroine, raising their swords and crossing them symmetrically on either side of the sword in her hand.
The rebels launched a counterattack, with the heroine waving a flag and charging ahead. Under her leadership, the army grew stronger and larger, defeating the imperial army in succession. The bugle call sounded, and the melody suddenly became urgent, making everyone feel the bravery, determination, and surging passion of the war charge.
Apart from the initial sorrow, the third act is generally filled with a stirring and heroic atmosphere, brimming with hope and passion, and is characterized by warm colors and an uplifting force.
However, having learned from previous lessons, apart from a small number of viewers who never learn from their mistakes, everyone else is ready for the upcoming fourth act.
"Come on, guess who's going to die this time?"
"The female lead doesn't have a new lover anymore; her closest person is that assistant who always pesters her and calls her 'Young Miss.' Are they going to make sure he leaves the show?"
"Everyone who gets close to the female lead dies; is she a jinx?"
Si Ming could clearly feel the questioning gazes coming from the side, and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty, because this character was indeed based on the image of Si Shuiyun. He originally thought that she would be with Si Jingyu and wouldn't come to the scene, but he didn't expect to be caught cheating on the spot.
Fortunately, after the fourth act began, Si Shuiyun turned her attention back to the stage, which relieved Si Ming a little.
The female lead was not on stage; instead, two groups of people appeared: one the Imperial Army and the other the Government Army. The representatives of the two sides met and shook hands. There was no tension; instead, there was an atmosphere of friends meeting, with smiles on their faces, as if they were discussing something.
The judges immediately had a guess in their minds, and the increasingly gloomy melody, like dark clouds obscuring the sun, and the gradually dimming lights, proved it.
The government forces, wary of the insurgents' achievements and fearing that their "merits overshadowed the emperor," secretly reached an agreement with the imperial army to betray the insurgents.
In a battle whose outcome was already predetermined, the female protagonist fought valiantly, eliminating one enemy after another, but in the end she was captured, along with her companions—this time, the entire group was wiped out.
The stage suddenly went completely dark, and then a dim moon rose, revealing the silhouettes of the female protagonist and several comrades in its faint light.
"O song of the free wind! I invite you to dance beyond the night, your hair fluttering in the wind... The star sinking to the edge of the sky wants to convey, to maintain those words."
Fantasy beneath fangs, a tragic fate—take up the sword to change it, and with surging blood, sing the hymn of revolution!
For the sake of precious freedom, wipe away the fragments of tears, for the flowing blood is filled with light, and will eventually sweep away all darkness!
Freedom, or death?
I wish to be the free wind, soaring through the sky, even if I am not remembered by the world.
This time it was a chorus, the melody carrying a touch of sadness, but full of determination and unwavering resolve, a kind of will to die for the cause.
The melody itself is inspiring and uplifting, but as the figures of the comrades disappear one by one, the number of people in the chorus decreases until only the female lead is left standing alone. The audience naturally feels a tragic atmosphere.