An armistice agreement, Victoria's invitation of goodwill to Chen Qi? / Inviting Terra's most lawless director to serve as a witness

Without any instructions or orders, it was a completely spontaneous action; all the soldiers and civilians in Doren County who were able to move were working to collect the bodies.

Some people dug graves, some searched for bodies, and some carried them away... Several hours later, as dawn broke, the bodies of these brave men were finally laid to rest.

After the Horn buried the last body and used a relatively intact stone as their tombstone, she took a breath and slowly raised her head, only to be met with a figure in the distance.

... He was an Ursus man, no, to be precise, an Ursus officer. Horn from his uniform, this man was certainly of high rank.

On the streets of Doren County, the Viscount of the Ursus Third Army and Commander Horn of Victoria, who had been holding the last line of defense for some time, met each other for the first time in this ordinary manner.

However, none of them picked up a weapon. The Viscount of Ursus simply picked up the body of another Ursus soldier he had found and gazed indifferently at the Horn that was facing him.

They all knew what they were doing, and they knew the day of cessation of hostilities was over, but none of them had any intention of continuing the fight.

The war may not be over, but for anyone whose humanity has been awakened, there is no point in continuing to fight—and the Viscount thought so too.

He knew that if he forced a war, it would only cause a mutiny within the army at this time. The only way he could maintain his authority as a commander was to act like the soldiers and keep them trusting him, unlike General Nivelle in Braveheart.

And... the Viscount himself no longer wanted to fight. Now, he wanted to return home from the front lines to be with his family.

And so, a Viscount of Ursus and a Commander of Victoria, after a chance encounter, exchanged no words, chose not to kill each other, and simply parted ways in silence.

Thus, for several days, no further disturbances occurred at either front.

Chapter 112: Ceasefire Agreement, Victoria's overtures and invitation to Chen Qi?

"For seven consecutive days, the Ursus Third Army has not launched any substantial offensive against the remaining areas of Doren County since the ceasefire. The Third Army's commander, Viscount Dunkel, has been accused of passive resistance and will be replaced by Grand Duke Baikal."

"The Ursus Third Army protested the replacement of Viscount Dunkel, stating that they did not want the viscount to be replaced."

"Braveheart was screened in several countries, including Kazimierz, Leithania, and Victoria, sparking anti-war protests in many countries. Ursus deployed its police force to violently suppress the protests, and the Twin Empresses of Leithania publicly declared their willingness to accept a peace agreement."

A week has passed since Chen Qi and others published "Braveheart". During this time, as instructed by Kal'tsit, Rhodes Island's dispatched operators in various countries across the land have been sending newspapers from their respective countries to Rhodes Island through their own channels.

Judging from today's newspapers, the feedback received by "Braveheart" was undoubtedly extremely strong. This anti-war film can even be said to have stirred up an unprecedented anti-war wave, deeply touching the hearts of everyone who longed for peace during the war.

"... In peacetime, a single excellent film like this wouldn't be enough to cause such a huge uproar," Kal'tsit remarked, looking at the news in the newspaper.

"Even at the very beginning of the war, it would have been impossible to achieve such a response, especially shortly after the release of 'Darkest Hour.' Whether it was Victoria, Ursus, or Leithania... the gears of war wouldn't stop at the early stages; they would only intensify."

"Only at this point... when the war has fully broken out, reached a stalemate, and both sides have had to resort to all means of warfare to achieve victory, and this has continued for some time, will people realize how precious peace truly is."

Those who are tired of tranquility will only realize that their past life was true paradise after witnessing true hell. But the gates of hell are not so easily closed once opened.

Kal'tsit sighed, slowly setting the newspaper aside. This time, looking at Chen Qi before her, she couldn't help but smile and say:

"I should thank you, Director Chen Qi. You could say that you single-handedly closed most of the gates of hell..."

"If this door was indirectly opened because of me, then it's only reasonable for me to close it myself."

However, Chen Qi seemed much more relaxed now. Beside Chen Qi were Vina, Talulah, Młynar, and Nian, all discussing the upcoming changes in Victoria. Judging from the much more relaxed atmosphere, the situation could be said to be completely under control.

Although the war did not end because of this movie, the statements made by the Twin Empresses of Leithania clearly indicate that Leithania is not far from withdrawing from the war.

After all... the fighting strength of the Leithania army has always been unsatisfactory, whether it was against Gaul in the past or against Victoria now. Although it has the "Golden Law Guard" and the Leithania Corps, it is clear that due to the long-term problem of "drinking" within the army, its fighting strength is already quite poor.

It could be said that the strongest being in Leithania was once the Witch King, who single-handedly tore apart the Gaul Imperial Guard; but now, the only beings in Leithania capable of changing the course of the war are the Twin Empresses.

The Twin Empresses are unlikely to participate. On one hand, it is rumored that the "Black-Haired Queen" is currently experiencing a vocal cord injury that sometimes prevents her from singing. However, for the Leithania, music is an expression of their Originium Arts, so without music, the Leithania's spellcasting would be reduced by more than just one level.

On the other hand... the fate of the Twin Empresses truly signifies that Leithania is going to launch a full-scale attack on Victoria. However, even a weakened Victoria is still formidable. If the war goes to the end, it's uncertain whether Victoria will be destroyed, but Leithania will definitely suffer a severe blow.

If one of the Twin Empresses is not careful, one of them might perish on the battlefield, and what if the remnants of the Witch King's faction in Leithania seize the opportunity to rebel? Therefore, considering all factors, Leithania, which has been unable to conquer for a long time and whose army's morale has been repeatedly dampened, seems to have the best option of withdrawing its troops and promoting peace negotiations.

As for Ursus, they have lost even their last ally, and it is impossible for them to conquer Victoria on their own. Even if they do manage to take it, they will find themselves in the same predicament as Leithania, and it will be a question whether they can hold their northern border.

It can be said that the current situation is that, apart from Kazimierz, which achieved corresponding results at the beginning of the full-scale outbreak of the war with minimal cost, Ursus and Leithania, the two countries that took advantage of the chaos, failed to gain anything and were left battered and bruised, only managing to get a mouthful of meat.

"Should I say congratulations, Director Chen Qi?" Kal'tsit smiled at Chen Qi, but her eyes concealed a deep sense of apprehension as she spoke.

"With these two films, you have proven that you can single-handedly change the existence of this land."

"From this day forward, the highest leader of any nation or power will be terrified at the mere mention of your arrival. Now, all of Terra is certain that if your work is purposeful, it will inevitably cause great turmoil on this land."

"--Well, if it's so that we won't be bullied by other countries or forces from now on, then I'll accept this as a compliment."

Chen Qi was also slightly taken aback. He felt that Kal'tsit seemed to be a little wary of him... But after thinking about it, Chen Qi could understand why Kal'tsit would be so wary.

After all, in the eyes of her and the leaders of other countries, she was now someone who could truly shake the world with her talent, and someone who could turn the world upside down in the blink of an eye was indeed someone that Kal'tsit, the "Protection of the Earth," should be wary of.

After all, wasn't the situation similar in Yan? Everyone was worried that Chen Qi would abuse his talents and cause trouble everywhere, but in reality, Chen Qi only wanted to gain more prestige until one day he was strong enough to protect everyone he cared about...

Although his reputation points are already quite high, "Darkest Hour" and "Braveheart" have brought Chen Qi's reputation points to an astonishing 700,000. As a hoarder, Chen Qi has not redeemed any rewards unless he needs them, which means he is ready to use his reputation points to boost his combat power at any time.

[If the host uses all their reputation points to improve combat power, combined with their current physical condition, calculations show that the host's strength can roughly reach half of 'Sui's'.]

"That's not enough... Those people from the Great Yan split 'Sui' into twelve pieces and openly murdered a god. Although I have no need to threaten the Yan, what if I suddenly become too strong and become a threat that other countries have no choice but to eliminate?"

Chen Qi remained rational. The reason the production crew could still act with impunity and move freely in Terra was not only due to the support of the Sarkaz and Sarkaz, and Chen Qi's "pen skills," but more importantly, because the combat strength of the Art Troupe had always been kept at a level where it was "worth winning over" rather than "must be eliminated."

The attitude of various countries towards Chen Qi's Art Troupe is one of not wanting to provoke them and trying to be as friendly as possible. This is because the Art Troupe has not yet posed a huge threat to them, but a direct confrontation would be too costly and unnecessary.

However, if Chen Qi's combat power is stacked too high, but not quite high enough... have you seen Kazdel be destroyed three times? That's Chen Qi's fate.

"Hmph, it's alright. Now my silly little sister and I are on Director Chen Qi's side. From now on, no country on this continent will be able to threaten you!"

Nian seemed oblivious to Kal'tsit's deeper meaning, confidently planning to follow Chen Qi and travel all over Terra from now on—she had no particular intentions, only a fear of loneliness. But Nian felt that if she followed Chen Qi, she would definitely not be lonely in the future.

Who knows, maybe she can even slap Yan a couple of times in the face in the future... Of course, Nian can only think about such things in her heart. She won't have any excessive expectations of Chen Qi like Xi does.

She didn't want Chen Qi to get into trouble, and she didn't want him to be seen as a threat by the Yan. As a "year" with such a long lifespan, only this hundred years was something she could live a somewhat interesting life. She wouldn't let Chen Qi risk his life.

"Then, the crew can finally settle down."

Chen Qi nodded as well. He turned his gaze to Talulah beside him. After noticing that Talulah also breathed a sigh of relief, the two, who were most concerned about the current situation of the crew, tacitly intertwined their fingers to express their success.

"--Don't be careless." At this moment, Młynar, who was reading the newspaper, suddenly said, "Although the international situation has eased, Director Chen Qi, your threat has not been eliminated."

"Ursus's offensive failed twice this time because of your film. They will definitely not give up easily. My suggestion is that the crew should continue to travel to multiple countries to try and gain more support."

"That's right, Director Chen Qi. Nowadays, it's hard to say that all the dukes of Victoria will support you. You must also be careful about the situation in Victoria."

This time, even Vina gave Chen Qi the same advice. She no longer expected to return to Victoria. Once Victoria overcomes its current difficulties, it will reunite. As long as that happens, Vina felt there was no need for her to risk her life to return to Victoria.

After all, she wasn't sure if she was a wise ruler... Rather than causing turmoil for Victoria again, she should take this opportunity to become a new version of herself, the real Vina, not just Crown Princess "Alexandrina Vina"Victoria.

Being a gang leader wasn't so bad, at least that's what Vina thought. After experiencing "Yes, Prime Minister," "Darkest Hour," and "Braveheart," she had already gone through several trials and tribulations and knew very well that governing a country, especially a country like Victoria, required a leader with exceptionally strong abilities.

She wasn't Frederick III, who could shoulder the burden in times of crisis, nor was Jim Hacker. She should learn more and wait until Victoria needed her in the future.

Just then, the office door suddenly opened, and Amiya walked into the office. After a week of rest, Amiya seemed to have recovered from the sadness of "Braveheart" and looked much better.

"Oh, everyone's here. Perfect, I just got some news."

"What news, Amiya?" Kal'tsit asked.

"It's news about Victoria, Dr. Kal'tsit. I've received official intelligence from Victoria that they expect to announce a ceasefire agreement with Leithania Victoria week, along with policy measures regarding the current situation in Victoria."

Amiya recounted the official information she had received, but Kal'tsit found it increasingly suspicious and immediately asked:

"... Victoria and Rhodes Island shouldn't have such a close relationship, right? Victoria has no reason to invite Rhodes Island to the armistice ceremony, should she?"

"--No, it wasn't an invitation for us, Dr. Kal'tsit."

However, Amiya looked somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this. After waving her hand, she turned her gaze to Chen Qi beside her and said with a smile:

"Victoria has sent diplomats here specifically to invite you to attend the armistice agreement ceremony, Director Chen Qi."

"... I?"

However, Chen Qi was also slightly taken aback, but quickly received a nod of approval from Amiya:

"Yes, that's not all. Victoria has also invited you and the entire crew to attend the annual Victoria Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards ceremony, and they have shortlisted your film for the grand prize."

"We at Rhodes Island... were only 'incidentally' invited, simply because you and your crew are in Rhodes Island."

Amiya's words, accompanied by a wry smile, made the office atmosphere a little awkward, especially for Kal'tsit, who pretended to read the newspaper nonchalantly, but was actually so embarrassed that she almost dug a hole and buried herself in it.

Amiya herself was also in an awkward position. As the leader of Rhodes Island, Amiya never expected that Rhodes Island would rise in status because of Chen Qi, her "partner." Many outsiders probably already believed that Rhodes Island and Chen Qi's Art Troupe had a close relationship, and that in order to curry favor with Chen Qi, they indirectly needed to curry favor with Rhodes Island.

It even added a lot of revenue to Rhodes Island... Amiya suddenly felt a strong urge not to let Chen Qi leave... Mr. Chen Qi, even if he just sits still, he's a money tree.

Chapter 113: Invite the most lawless director in all of Terra to be the notary.

"Chongyue! Chongyue!"

A week later in Jade Gate, Chongyue, after his morning exercise, remained in his room cultivating himself, as there was no danger threatening Jade Gate, until a voice came from Jade Gate.

"Chongyue, a letter has arrived from beyond the Great Wall. It says it was sent by your sister."

"Oh? My sister brought this?"

Chongyue was also surprised that his sister would send him a gift. After receiving the email from the Yan soldiers at Jade Gate Pass, Chongyue opened the package and quickly saw some gifts inside, most of which were specialties from various countries. Chongyue found some gifts in the style of Kazimierz and Victoria.

Of course, these were all illusions. Chongyue quickly turned his gaze to a painting that was casually placed aside. After he opened it, he was almost immediately sucked into the painting.

When Chongyue opened his eyes, he saw that the surrounding scenery had transformed into a small town in the Jiangnan water region. Before him, Xi, unusually, made no attempt to conceal herself, gazing at him with a cool expression and offering a brief greeting:

"... Big brother."

"Xi-mei, it's been a long time." Chongyue was overjoyed to see his sister again after so long, and he didn't mind at all that his sister had pulled him into the world of the painting without explanation—after all, if he didn't want to come in, Xi- Chongyue wouldn't have been able to force him in.

Chongyue was even surprised that his shy younger sister, who was often somewhat afraid of strangers, even her family, was willing to take the initiative to see him.

"I heard, Xi-mei, that you're currently filming a movie with Nian and a director named Chen Qi? I'm so happy to hear this. You and Nian are the two sisters I worried about the most. Now that you've put aside your past grievances and found careers you love, I'm truly delighted."

Chongyue glanced around but didn't see many figures that interested him. He then asked, "Xi-mei, why haven't I seen Director Chen Qi and Nian? If it's convenient, could I also meet this benefactor?"

"... It's too early to see my elder brother."

When Xi heard that Chongyue wanted to see Chen Qi, she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed and declined, saying, "I'm afraid I'll spoil my brother's fun. He's not a man with lofty ambitions."

"To be honest... he's actually incredibly narrow-minded. He only cares about his own little corner of the world. He'd probably be terrified to see his elder brother and end up making a fool of himself."

"To use the pen as a weapon to do what one thinks but dares not do, and to shake the court and the public, such a great talent has such a firm sense of rules and morality. It is truly rare." Chongyue did not feel any regret because of Xi's words. On the contrary, he felt that Chen Qi had such great talent, yet he could still abide by the rules and know how to restrain himself, which was already quite remarkable.

Even most of the so-called "gods," if they possessed such great abilities, would have long ago regarded all things as worthless and placed themselves above all living beings.

"I had heard about Director Chen Qi's work at Victoria before, and I have to admire his artistic talent."

"I wrote to you guys before, I wonder if you received it, Xi-mei?"

"I'm here to answer this question." Xi nodded and handed a videotape to Chongyue. Upon seeing the videotape, Chongyue's attitude immediately became more serious, and he even took it with both hands.

"... Was it really necessary to go to such lengths?"

"This is a masterpiece by someone who has reached the pinnacle of art; it deserves our utmost respect." After accepting the videotape, Chongyue asked Xi curiously, "Is this a new movie? Was it filmed so quickly?"

"It was filmed within the context of my painting... Actually, before your letter arrived, Director Chen Qi had already begun filming this anti-war movie, attempting to use his expertise to end the conflict."

"... But I never expected that he would actually succeed."

"Oh?" Chongyue was also somewhat surprised, but Xi didn't really have anything to say about it. Instead, she left it as a mystery, and couldn't help but smile as she said to Chongyue:

"If you want to know, brother, why don't you watch this movie today, have someone send the videotape to the capital, and then pay close attention to international news—today is the day for negotiations on the ceasefire agreement between Victoria and Leithania, and if I remember correctly, it's public knowledge throughout Terra."

"At that time, my brother will see Chen Qi and Nian. They are still waiting for me to draw suitable clothes for them. I believe that when my brother sees the two of them in the movie, he will be a little less disappointed."

"Furthermore, this film can also be considered your way of giving an explanation to that emperor. Please convey to the emperor that this is our response."

"Brother, please rest assured, Nian and I... we don't have the kind of thoughts you're worried about. We'll behave ourselves a bit more from now on, so please don't worry."

"With Xi-mei's words, I can rest assured, brother."

Hearing Xi admit that her and Nian's current association with Chen Qi wasn't a prelude to a rebellion, Chongyue felt a sense of relief. Although he didn't think Xi and Nian had such intentions, this hint still made him somewhat uneasy.

"After you leave, remember to burn the painting. Don't let the Imperial Calendar Bureau see it again, or they'll pin another trumped-up charge on you." Xi Chongyue felt relieved and prepared to leave. However, before leaving, Chongyue didn't forget to ask Xi:

"By the way, Xi-mei, what's the name of this movie?"

"Braveheart... a movie that's somewhat entertaining and sure to bring you to tears."

Xi left behind these few words, completely forgetting her initial disdain for "Braveheart." She was one of the first people to immediately guess, after watching the film's anti-war theme, that it would end with people dying to elicit tears.

However, now that "Braveheart" has been successfully released, she has never mentioned the film's "formula" again, because classic formulas are unchanging, and what art expresses is always what content is added on top of this framework.

As long as the content is well-crafted, even an obvious formula can move everyone, which is why classics remain classics forever.

Chongyue, who had exited the world of Xi's painting, woke up again in his room in Jade Gate. Staring at the videotape in his hand and the scroll, now useless and reduced to an ordinary painting, he couldn't help but chuckle and mutter to himself:

"Xi treasures every painting she makes, yet now she's asking me to burn them... This isn't like the Xi of the past."

"And they wouldn't let me see Director Chen Qi, but instead made me watch him on TV..."

Chongyue understood Xi's little thoughts, which were nothing more than a small boast in her heart. She had undoubtedly put in a lot of Kung Fu Hustle in filming both movies. In the past, she had been criticized and complained about by her older brothers and sisters because of her gloomy and reclusive nature, and her paintings had also been ridiculed by many of them. Of course, she felt a little angry and a little inferior at the same time.