Finally, I've finished writing... uh, the second volume! Congratulations!
Overall, I still managed to write down most of what I wanted to say.
The initial title I decided on was "So-Called Depravity," but I now find "Depravity and Judgment" to be more fitting, so I've changed it. (Yay!)
Or, to take it a step further and be more artistic, consider "Crime and Punishment."
Volume Two unfolds along two parallel storylines: one explicit and one implicit.
[The main theme – the trial]:
It is not only the trial of Li Tianming, but also the trial of Ning Feng, and is also related to the trial court.
This is the unfolding of Ning Feng's journey into the courtroom after resolving the turmoil caused by Li Tiandu.
First, it was watched by those being observed, then questioned by crows, and finally summoned to the court by the stargazers.
In the process, while clearing himself of suspicion, Ning Feng also gained a new identity—a member of the trial court.
It was at this time that he encountered the remnant soul of the angel of Judgment, which led to Cecilia and allowed him to obtain the weakened legendary longsword, Judgment.
Then, at this moment, Ariana temporarily leaves the stage, and Cecilia enters.
Then, Ning Feng confirmed his identity as the legendary adjudicator "Sword Bearer" with the "Words of Judgment," a pseudonym that was separate from his current identity and made it easier to do certain things in the future.
Finally, he returned to Bincheng to help Margaret restore her bloodline.
[Hidden Theme - Corruption]:
The entire second volume revolves around the discussion and reflection on the topic of "degeneration".
In my understanding, degeneration, from a certain perspective, can be seen as a form of change.
It can be a forced change or a voluntary change.
There are several layers of corruption within the entire underlying narrative.
First level of depravity:
The adoptive father Li Tiandu's betrayal, his compromise with the gods, and his undeniable depravity.
The second level of depravity:
Ning Feng began to confront his own desires, launched an attack on Xilin, and also took the initiative to accept the dark side of his heart.
The third level of depravity:
His relationship with Jiang Wan took a step further, which can be described as physical depravity.
The fourth level of depravity:
Margaret's red dragon bloodline, "tainted" by Ning Feng's blood, began to succumb to desire.
The Fifth Layer of Depravity:
[Words of Judgment] The angel was corrupted by his enemies, but his fall was not complete.
He was also the first person to resist the temptation of depravity. His appearance made Ning Feng truly begin to think about the meaning of depravity.
The Sixth Layer of Depravity:
In the cycle of depravity within the dream world, Ning Feng unconsciously tempts Margaret to fall into depravity, but she refuses the future of being "saved".
Her choice deepened Ning Feng's confusion.
The Seventh Layer of Depravity:
Shirin accepted her love and became the kind of person she used to dislike, which she considered a form of moral decay.
Her confession made Ning Feng truly understand that falling into depravity wasn't actually that terrible.
The Eighth Layer of Depravity:
This is actually a subtle transformation in Cecilia.
Her attitude towards Ning Feng changed from "hostility" to "indifference", then to "examination", and finally to "acceptance".
The Ninth Level of Depravity:
In fact, it was the final step: Ning Feng accepted his own special nature and began to contact Cecilia using that unknown identity.
He firmly believes that he will always be himself and will not change.
In summary:
In terms of relationships, he successfully became a couple with Jiang Wan and broke through that barrier (mentally) with Xi Lin.
In terms of strength, he successfully advanced to the second tier in both the angel and demon lineages.
On the vest, there are two additional identities: [Sword Bearer] and [Inquisition Member].
In terms of relationships, Ariana is dormant, while he and Cecilia have reached a preliminary respectful relationship.
Throughout this entire volume, I used the concept of "dream world" several times.
There are actually several advantages to the dream world.
It allows multiple people to connect directly (in the Judge's Hall), eliminating the need for repetitive and meaningless daily routines.
On the other hand, Ning Feng, who is not strong enough in the real world, can also show himself in the dream world and achieve his goal.
However, there are also downsides.
As is often said, my writing skills are lacking, resulting in a somewhat chaotic depiction of the dream world.
In particular, some people didn't understand the part about Margaret, which was my mistake, and I've gone back and revised some of it.
After deletions, modifications, and additions, approximately 600 more words were added.
"Listen to advice and you'll have a full stomach"—I personally agree with this principle. If I think someone's opinion makes sense, I will generally listen to it.
But even setting aside the content, there are still many problems in daily life.
To reiterate, I write part-time, and I'm based abroad, so my work schedule is very different from what I would have done in China.
In addition, some minor problems arose while writing the second volume...
A persistent low-grade fever for a month almost drove me to the brink of collapse.
Later, my colleagues discovered it and, thinking it was malaria, forcibly took me to the hospital for a blood test...
Then, luckily, it turned out to be COVID-19, not malaria.
A truly speechless incident.
Moreover, these are recovered COVID-19 patients with many antibodies in their bodies.
It has been nine months since I last received a vaccine.
After that, I was called away several times while I was writing, and I went to the hospital to have my blood drawn three times and had a chest CT scan. In total, it cost me almost three thousand RMB.
Fortunately, there was nothing seriously wrong, and no lasting effects were observed.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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