The next few days.
Xia Wen's life was orderly.
During the day, he wandered around the set, supervising the filming.
Although version 2.7 had long been prepared, many important scenes for the characters hadn't been filmed during the ongoing broadcast period.
This was undoubtedly a regret in Xia Wen's heart.
For example, a more detailed version of the Luofu arena-defense plot, or the scene showcasing the medical team's swift cooperation.
And things like certain characters' personal companion quests.
All of these were being reshot now.
Previously, in order to quickly seize the global market, Xia Wen had decided on the "one episode per week" cheat-like speed.
If the quality is overwhelming, and even the quantity also overwhelms... Then it's basically a massacre in every market.
The results were indeed excellent.
The various revenue streams, completely different from the traditional film and TV industry, proved the success of this strategy.
But now, it was time to slow down.
With two major version storylines already out, newcomers had plenty of content to watch and enjoy.
After discussions with Jade, Topaz and Aventurine, everyone agreed that they should slow the pace, settle down a bit, and create better content.
But it wouldn't be delayed for too long either. Basically, one episode every 2–3 weeks would do.
Of course, during that time, they would also fill in many things that hadn't been filmed before.
For the fans, this was undoubtedly a good thing.
However, Xia Wen hadn't published this news on the official site yet. He planned to wait until the current part ended.
At the same time, he also maintained contact with the Okhema Theater.
Recently, more and more people had been coming to him for advice.
Castorice especially, she came to chat with him every night.
Xia Wen even began to feel an illusion, as if Castorice had developed some kind of… subtle dependence on him?
Of course, it might just be an illusion.
But Xia Wen didn't think too hard about it.
As long as he maintained contact with the people of Amphoreus and built emotional bonds between them…
Then when the time was right, asking them to join him would be much easier.
...
Noon.
Inside the office.
The consultant was currently rubbing his temples as he looked at Aventurine.
This guy had rushed in just moments ago, and the first thing he said left Xia Wen stunned.
"What do you mean we're losing money every day?"
Facing his employer's question, Aventurine spread his hands:
"Boss, our cash flow is already enormous, we've stockpiled at least tens of billions. If the money can't be spent, can't generate more money, then isn't that basically losing money?"
Xia Wen froze for a moment, then covered his forehead in headache.
Well… that was also true. Even though leaving the money in the bank to collect interest wasn't as exaggerated as "losing money every day,",
But such a massive amount of unused money, sitting idle… from a capitalist perspective, if money can't quickly make more money and create a snowball effect, then it is losing money.
So having too much money… is also a kind of trouble?
Xia Wen couldn't help thinking of his good older sister.
With an idea in mind, he curled his lips slightly and said to Aventurine:"Alright, I'll ask some professionals, see if there are any reliable investments."
"Professionals?" Aventurine chewed on the word, and then, recalling his boss's background, nodded knowingly.
He didn't say more and turned to leave.
Once Aventurine was gone, Xia Wen took out his phone and dialed Ningguang's number.
He chatted with her almost every day, though mostly about trivial things.
Just as he was about to ask his dear sister if she knew any good investments,
A message from the blue jellyfish suddenly popped up.
"Terrible news!!! Boss!!! Help help help help help help!"
A long chain of exclamation marks made Xia Wen's heart lurch.
Did something happen to Furina?
He hurriedly replied "I'm here," then immediately tried calling her.
Moments later, the call ended with a busy tone. Just sent a message but can't answer the phone?
Xia Wen's expression grew even more serious. Without hesitating, he opened his sister's chat window and sent her a message.
"Sis, do you have any connections in Greece?"
Her reply came instantly, as always.
"A few~."
...
On the other side of the world, inside the Okhema Theater, chaos had erupted.
"What are you doing?!"
"The theater undergoes fire safety inspections every single day!"
"How could it possibly fail?!" Furina stomped her foot angrily, glaring at the cold-faced officials before her.
Not long ago, these people had barged in under the pretext of a fire safety inspection.
At first, Furina didn't think much of it, until they claimed the inspection had failed.
Having lived in the theater for so long, Furina knew very well that every other week, Tribios organized staff to carry out fire safety inspections.
Not only that, the theater's structural safety was also inspected at the same time.
How could it fail? Of course she couldn't accept it, and immediately got into an argument with them.
It was then that Aglaea arrived.
However, Aglaea's face was unusually cold.
"Sorry, but according to our inspection, the theater truly does not meet regulations."
The hook-nosed man leading the group spoke coldly.
"Can you at least tell me exactly which part doesn't meet the regulations?" Aglaea suppressed her anger and asked politely.
"Regulations are regulations. If you want details, you can request the official inspection report from the relevant agency."
"But as of now, we have no comment."
The hook-nosed man seemed to have anticipated such questions.
Before Aglaea could speak further, he continued: "According to regulations, until we confirm the fire safety compliance, the theater may not hold any performances."
Aglaea took a deep breath.
In that instant, she realized that there were some things, no matter how far she hid in a small place, were still chasing after her.
"You scoundrels!" Furina was clearly unable to accept it and wanted to argue further with these unreasonable people.
But Aglaea stopped her.
"No need, Furina."
She turned her head to the hook-nosed man and said calmly, "We understand. But we will report all related matters to the theater board and the arts council."
"Go ahead."
The group left.
Before leaving, they even pinned a large "Fire Hazard / Safety Violation" notice on the theater's main entrance.
"Aglaea, why didn't you let me argue with them? It's infuriating, they're clearly lying!"
Furina had never been treated like this before. She clenched her tiny fists, puffed up with anger.
"That was just an excuse."
"Their real target is Okhema Theatre… or rather, us."
Aglaea was very familiar with such tactics. When she was young and had just started out, various official agencies would barge in with flimsy excuses, using authority to commit harassment.
Aglaea took a breath and said, calm but heavy: "But I don't understand why they're targeting Okhema. Even if it were my old enemies… they wouldn't go this far."
One face after another surfaced in her mind.
Before her family fell from grace, she knew they had many enemies.
Those people, however, still had some sense of dignity.
After she withdrew to this small place and struggled to keep the Okhema Theater alive, they had all but stopped appearing.
She couldn't figure it out.
At a time when Okhema was thriving and their two new plays were achieving great success, why would such an obvious act of targeting suddenly appear?
Was it those people?
But that shouldn't be the case.
Even if Okhema really became a top-tier theatre, famous throughout Greece... Those people wouldn't care about that either.
Just as Aglaea was deep in thought… The others also came over.
She had just ordered them to stay in their rooms, and now that those people had left, they immediately hurried over.
"Aglaea… Wh-what happened?"
Hyacine asked cautiously.
Furina, still angry, immediately told everyone what had happened.
After hearing it… Everyone wore an expression of disbelief.
"Why?"
"I always check everything so carefully."
Phainon said in shock and guilt: "Could it be… that I didn't check carefully enough?"
"Don't overthink it, Phainon."
Anaxagoras frowned. "This habit of yours needs to change. Don't blame everything on yourself. This has nothing to do with you. It's obvious someone is deliberately targeting Okhema."
'Targeting?' Phainon was utterly stunned.
With his kind nature, he couldn't imagine why anyone would want to target Okhema.
But no matter what, everyone understood,
In the coming days, no, perhaps even for the foreseeable future, Okhema's performances wouldn't be able to continue normally.
Bang!
A loud, heavy sound.
Phainon's fist slammed against the wall. He gritted his teeth, eyes full of unwillingness.
"Damn it!"
"Clearly… clearly the theatre had finally gotten on the right track."
"Each play was being loved by more and more people."
"Why… why did this have to happen!"
They had finally begun to see hope.
Saw the smiles on everyone's faces growing day by day. Saw everyone's wishes gradually being realized.
Phainon sincerely felt happy from the bottom of his heart.
And yet, inexplicable malice suddenly appeared.
Under circumstances where there shouldn't have been any issues at all, Okhema was labeled as failing the fire inspection,
And there wasn't even… even a detailed explanation.
"Little Phainon…"
Tribios looked at Phainon with a heartbroken expression.
It was the first time she had ever seen the kind, warm Phainon show such anger.
"I'll get to the bottom of this."
"Before that… the theatre… will have to close temporarily."
Aglaea said calmly, "Everyone, rest for now."
Though her voice was calm, her heart certainly wasn't.
But as the leader of the theatre, she couldn't show her emotions at a time like this.
Doing so would only cause more panic.
She had to remain steadier, calmer, She had to be everyone's pillar.
After that, Aglaea took a breath and walked toward her small office.
She needed to make some calls.
And after Aglaea left, Phainon lowered his head, his voice suppressed, as he prepared to head into the depths of the theatre.
But just as he moved, Mydeimos caught up from behind.
"You're going to check the fire equipment, right?" Mydeimos asked quietly.
"Mm. Maybe… maybe this is all just a misunderstanding. If we check everything again and write a detailed report… maybe…"
Phainon lifted his head, his expression full of desperate hope. "Maybe it'll pass?"
"Their inspection is a hundred times stricter than ours. In my opinion, they're deliberately trying to get us with such despicable methods."
Mydeimos said in a low voice.
"But it's better than doing nothing. Just in case…"
"…Fine. I'll go with you." The two of them left together.
As for the others, they dispersed, some planning to search online, others planning to post angry complaints.
Meanwhile, Castorice leaned alone in a corner, head lowered, tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.
If anyone saw her eyes now, they would see that those beautiful eyes were filled with pain and self-blame.
These past few days… Through her conversations with Xia Wen, she had felt herself becoming a little more positive than before.
At the very least, she wasn't constantly thinking about the misfortune she believed followed her.
Just as she was planning to find an opportunity to completely open up to Xia Wen about her situation…
The theatre was hit with such baseless trouble.
No reason. Not even a clear motive.
In Castorice's eyes, such an event only further confirmed the "misfortune" attached to her.
Unreasonable, without rules, impossible to predict.
The mindset the Consultant had worked so hard to pull her out of… began creeping back into her heart.
...
Inside the office.
Aglaea took out her phone, planning to call the Arts Committee.
This was an official organization in Greece, overseeing all artistic traditions passed down from ancient times to the present,
Stone carving, craftsmanship, theatre, poetry, oil painting, and so on.
In Greece, this was a powerful organization, its influence extremely deep.
Just as she was about to make the call, she suddenly froze.
Her mind cleared, and she saw the malice behind this undeserved attack on Okhema.
Did a rising Okhema have enemies?
Yes…
She had almost forgotten,
Her and her companions' understanding of theatre and philosophy was seen by some as heretical.
The most notable example was Anaxagoras.
And the plays Heart of the Spring and I was once in Arcadia, which revived the theatre, from a more rigid perspective, they weren't "serious" enough, too shallow, too easy for audiences to understand, and lacked the "epic" grand themes other plays pursued.
Those people liked obscure, convoluted theatre, scripts where every word and line was rigid, formal.
Only then could they interpret, publish, and display their intellectual superiority.
The harder the story was for ordinary people to understand, the more they worshipped it.
That was why theatre, this ancient art, had gradually declined. Because no one could understand it anymore.
But those people still refused to let go, as though determined to drag theatre down with them.
This was exactly why they wanted to create new plays that suited modern tastes while preserving the core of theatre.
Thinking of this, Aglaea remembered something else,
After the first premiere, someone from the Arts Committee had hinted to her that the scripts of their two plays should include the names of certain "big figures", with "many benefits" in return.
Like adding senior scholars as co-authors on a paper.
Of course, she had refused.
You can't cling to outdated traditions, fail to keep up with the times, and then still demand to take credit for new theatre in order to maintain authority.
A wave of disgust rose in Aglaea's chest. Her finger slowly moved away from the call button.
At that moment, her phone rang.
The caller was:
Arts Committee Commissioner Cinnati.