I Am a Male God

Finally, dawn broke. The female protagonist, dressed in a tattered prison uniform, stood before an elaborately crafted guillotine, its massive blade gleaming coldly, like a real murder weapon.

Surrender and live! Reject and die!

The imperial Judging Official ruthlessly issued the final proclamation.

The female protagonist laughed, as if mocking the other party's ignorance, and raised her head, declaring, "Give me liberty or give me death!"

Seeing this scene, tears welled up in the eyes of the audience and silently slid down their cheeks. Compared to the sadness of the previous scene, they felt a more tragic and moving emotion. When they saw Si Huaruo on stage place her head on the severed head, everyone cried out in their hearts, "No!"

The guillotine fell, and the curtain followed suit.

"I'm so moved! This is the best play I've ever seen in my life!"

"The girls in the Emperor Peak Drama Club are amazing! They actually performed a war play quite well. I'll never say again that only men can act in war plays well."

"I actually think the Heavenly Dream Drama Troupe's plays are more delicate, and their acting is more superb. However, their war plays are more rugged, which actually masks the shortcomings of the Emperor Peak Drama Club in acting. Both are possible, it just depends on how the judges decide."

"Watching two tragedies in a row has made me so upset."

While the judges were scoring, Si Ming secretly went backstage to comfort the students who had just finished their performance.

Si Huaruo asked with some concern, "How did my performance go? Did I let everyone down?"

Si Ming, "I'd give you 99 points. I'm deducting one point so you won't get arrogant."

This was the first time Si Huaruo had heard such a joke. After a moment of surprise, she immediately burst out laughing, "You're so cheeky."

Soon, amidst the enthusiastic discussion of the audience, the judges walked onto the stage, and the members of the two drama groups stood in the two corners of the stage respectively.

When the judges raised their hands, the room fell silent. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the final result. Si Huaruo also became nervous, gripping Si Ming's hand tightly, with a grip strong enough to squeeze all the juice out of a cucumber.

"After careful consideration and discussion by our five judges, we believe that while both plays are equally excellent, equally brilliant, and equally moving—but 'The Wind of Freedom' surpasses it in its scope, transcending the petty romance between men and women to rise to the national level, and exposing the darkness of politics and the complexities of human nature..."

Si Huaruo didn't hear what was said next. She excitedly hugged Si Ming and, like the other members, shouted, "We succeeded! We are the leaders!"

Si Ming awkwardly reminded him, "Calm down, there are other people here."

Si Huaruo paused for a moment, then said, "Forget it, let's ignore them!"

Then he continued shouting, like a child who had just won an award, venting his inner excitement.

Chapter 309 I'm a Male God

After much hard work, they finally won the championship, and their previous efforts paid off. To celebrate this victory and release the pressure they had been under, the Emperor Peak Drama Club decided to hold a celebration banquet. However, the school was very wealthy and had already booked the venue, with famous chefs and dishes ready to serve.

Si Ming finally witnessed what a banquet in the Eastern upper class was like. It wasn't a bunch of people crammed into a hall, excitedly spraying champagne, and then, to the sound of music, a group of people with their arms around each other, red-faced and completely unrefined, shouting loudly. That's something only barbarians do.

Of course, even those high-society social parties in the eyes of modern people, with a high-class band playing music on the side, a group of people dressed in formal attire, well-dressed, raising glasses and chatting about politics, economics and art, were considered vulgar, shallow and Dong Shi by the Eastern aristocracy of the Sea Continent —mainly referring to the "food" part.

While Western high society members may not host parties for the sake of eating and enjoying fine food, but rather to expand their networks, in the eyes of Easterners, food is merely the most basic element, as simple as breathing air. It doesn't require special effort; a top-tier party should naturally have top-tier food.

If even the food can't be perfect, then there's no point in discussing anything else. It's like a businessman without integrity; no matter how rich he is, no one will do business with him.

Celebratory banquets are less formal; not everyone needs to sit at a table, and people can still move around and chat.

"May your embroidered robes be piled high with eight kinds of fruit, and may your happiness and longevity be as abundant as a mountain."

Pairs of beautiful palace maids, draped in light gauze, gracefully emerged carrying fruit platters, arranging them with smiles as they softly released their throats.

On the large jade plate were piled citron, mandarin orange, pomegranate, orange, goose pear, milk pear, hawthorn, and papaya. The eight kinds of fruit were fresh, large, and beautifully colored, and each one was about the same size, which was quite lovely. In particular, the citron in the center was long and thin like a small melon, no more than a foot long, but it had a unique fragrance that was very pleasant. It lay quietly in the jade plate, letting its fragrance waft and soothe the soul, making one feel refreshed.

Something this pretty must taste amazing!

Unfortunately, these are called "ornamental fruits," not for eating but for viewing. Their taste is so-so, and although they are edible, they are mostly used for appreciation.

The phrase "a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate" places color first, as beautiful things naturally stimulate the appetite.

"Wow, it seems the nobles are the ones who really know how to have fun."

As Si Ming watched a group of socialites pick up the fragrant fruit with their fingers, discussing its shape from an artistic perspective and pointing out its advantages and disadvantages, he suddenly felt like a country bumpkin strolling through a grand garden. It was the first time he had ever heard of everyday fruits and vegetables being categorized into those for eating and those for looking at.

This isn't about red tape or empty formalities; it's about a broad range of knowledge. Red tape is something that can be removed without any impact, but if you treat "looking at the fruit" as "eating the fruit," you're undoubtedly wasting it. You neither get to enjoy the delicious fruit nor do you get to appreciate the beauty of the piece.

Of course, in Si Ming's view, these things are just a way to play. There's nothing to be ashamed of if you don't understand them. If you want to join in, you can learn the rules of the game. There are only a few rules, and half an hour is enough to memorize them. It's much easier than doing exam questions.

Alcohol can enhance the atmosphere; a banquet without alcohol often lacks a lively ambiance. Once the atmosphere at a banquet is lively, guests will naturally drink.

In this world where everyone possesses Internal Cultivation, the rules against alcohol are not strict. If you drink to the point of intoxication, your Internal Cultivation can either force out the alcohol or strengthen your internal organs to accelerate its breakdown.

Of course, the average person's internal Internal Cultivation level is no higher than level four. At this level, don't even think about drinking a thousand cups without getting drunk; that's just drinking four or five more bottles of beer.

As a screenwriter, Si Ming participated from a third-party perspective. He was happy to win the award, but he was far from being carried away. He was not quite used to the intense celebratory atmosphere. He had planned to quietly be Gourmet School and savor the Otherworld Domain flavors, but the members of the drama club did not let him off the hook. Every now and then, someone would come up to chat with him.

Zhu Xuanhuai came over carrying a food box and said, "I found out from the club president that you were the one who saved me that night, right? I know all the rules about 'Anomalies.' Without you, I probably would have been treated as a missing person."

Si Ming waved his hand and said, "It was just something I did, don't worry about it."

"How could I not care? This is a life-saving grace! If it weren't for the club president, I would have offered myself to him," Zhu Xuanhuai chuckled, scratching her face as if to hide her embarrassment. "And the last performance, if it weren't for your help, I would have been the sinner of the drama club. I definitely have to repay these two favors. Since I can't offer myself to you, I can only cook something to reward you. I'm quite confident in my cooking skills."

After saying that, she deftly lifted the lid of the food box, and a faint light shone out. It was a luminous dish, which showed that her cooking skills had indeed reached a very high level.

Si Ming looked into the food box and saw three large, hollowed-out oranges filled with a crystal-clear broth that emitted a fresh and delicious aroma that made one's mouth water.

"This is crab-stuffed orange I just made. I used fresh Huangshan oranges, cut off the top and removed the pulp, leaving only a little juice, then filled it with crab roe and meat, put it in a small steamer, and steamed it with wine, vinegar, and water. It didn't reach the glossy level before, but then I took the chef's advice and added bitter wine and salt, and finally it reached the Mid-stage Gloom Realm. They say that eating crab at this time of year is the most elegant."

What the heck is "Mid-stage Gloom Realm"? Does food have different cultivation levels? One bite to Foundation Establishment, two bites to Golden Core Formation, three bites to Nascent Soul, and nine bites to Ascend to Immortality in Broad Daylight?