Chapter 263 Ultimately Unable to Keep Up with the Times
William scrolled through his phone again, noticing that things were becoming rather interesting.
This morning, Donald was still being referred to as a third-rate screenwriter and a trashy online novelist. Joseph, on the other hand, was a top-tier celebrity, leading charts in both film and music, and could be considered the most popular figure.
However, in just a short span of time, Joseph became the target of public animosity. Major platforms announced they were pulling Joseph's works and were completely blacklisting him. This was even more severe than what had happened to Mason.
When someone falls from grace, everyone wants to take a few kicks. These platforms were eagerly distancing themselves from Joseph.
Conversely, Donald, who was previously criticized by many, suddenly became a sort of hero. Numerous media outlets praised him for his forthrightness and abundant talent. He was being lauded as a role model in standing up against unscrupulous artists.
Even the online novels he wrote before, which were previously dismissed, were now hailed as masterpieces.
Witnessing all of this, William couldn't help but want to laugh.
Undeniably, he wasn't fond of Joseph, but the change in public sentiment was staggeringly rapid.
As for Donald's earlier works, William had read some of them. They clearly seemed to be written for fleeting pleasure, and elevating them to the status of masterpieces was a bit excessive.
Yet through this, William recognized Evelyn's maneuvers.
From the time he called Evelyn to this moment, it had been no more than twenty minutes. She had managed to make so many people abandon Joseph, who was undeniably a lucrative asset.
William put away his phone and began reading.
It had to be said that contemporary online novels were somewhat more riveting than older works. Yet, in William's view, they offered only momentary delight. If we're talking about profound writing with deeper literary value, the current authors were way off the mark.
As he was engrossed in his reading, Ryan sneaked into the classroom and even sat next to them.
"Ryan, you're here." Daniel greeted Ryan upon seeing him. From the tone of their conversation, they seemed rather familiar with each other.
"Hehe, yeah, I'm here," Ryan nodded with a grin, turning to William, "Hey, sister's husband, where have you been hanging out these days? Haven't seen you in class."
William frowned, replying in a low voice, "I'm not your sister's husband! Watch what you say!"
"Eh, it's only a matter of time," Ryan smirked, sagely remarking, "If you think I've jumped the gun and worry that it might upset my sister, I can just call you William for now."
"Call me whatever you want," William replied, not bothering to argue with Ryan.
Ryan had been reprimanded by him before, and even got a severe scolding from Ryan's grandfather, Anthony Carter. Naturally, he realized that William was no ordinary person.
Even if the members of the Carter family were a bit spoilt, they weren't complete fools.
Ever since the last time he treated William to a meal and tricked his own father in the process, Ryan understood one principle: maintaining a good relationship with William was paramount to a smooth life.
"William, are you free tonight?"
While William was away from New York, Ryan had grown closer to William's dormitory mates. They had become like brothers, spending their days together. Even though Ryan was an Economics and Management major, he often attended classes in their History department, striving hard to foster his relationship with William.
"I'm free," William responded straightforwardly, not wanting to make excuses. If Ryan wanted him to do something, he could simply decline without needing to find an excuse.
"How about we challenge the new Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu dojo that just opened?" Ryan said with some excitement. "Those Brazilians are way too arrogant. While our coach is away,they challenged the Bronx Budo Dojo. I brought several experts, but none could beat them."
"Brazilians?" William slowly raised an eyebrow at Ryan, "Shouldn't there be some experts around your grandfather? They couldn't handle them?"
"Exactly!" Ryan exclaimed, gritting his teeth. "Their dojo has this old coach with really unconventional techniques. I even brought my grandfather's bodyguards, and they couldn't best him either. It's so embarrassing. Several of my senior brothers were seriously injured. I can't let this go without settling the score."
William had initially thought Ryan was inviting him to some nightclub to relax. However, hearing this, his interest was piqued.
The bodyguards around Anthony Carter must be Soulmancers. But if even the Soulmancers couldn't beat these Brazilians...
Although William had lived for many years and traveled around the world, he had a certain understanding of the unique martial arts from various countries.
As for the Brazilians, they have a rich cultural background, blending elements from European, African, and indigenous cultures. They are lively and jovial, known for their distinct Brazilian dances and martial arts, such as Samba and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Amidst this cultural melting pot, the Brazilians exhibit their unique charm and vitality.
The arrival of these Brazilian "masters" in this area could very likely be related to the previous energy resurgence.
"Let's go together." William wasn't particularly interested in fighting the Brazilians, but for Alice, this was an excellent opportunity to train. It would be good for her to experience the martial arts skills of these Brazilians.
The world is improving, exposing people to a diverse range of experiences, which can greatly enhance one's abilities.
"With you stepping in, William, we're sure to defeat their dojo!" Ryan, as the heir to the Carter family, was accustomed to bullying others. Being bullied by William was somewhat understandable, but being oppressed by others would bring great shame to the Carter name.
William didn't reply, engrossed in his online novel. The matter wasn't something worth his attention or concern.
"William, what are you reading? Recommend it," Ryan continued trying to build rapport.
""The Arrogant Prince Falls for Me"."
"..." Ryan's lips twitched as he forced a smile, "Sounds... interesting."
William didn't bother to elaborate. The story was simply... absurd. It revolved around a Prince named Alexander who falls for an ordinary girl named Jenny. With lines like, "I don't mind playing forbidden games with you," and imagery of a pristine bed adorned with a single white rose... A white rose?! What on earth are these authors thinking?
How do young people enjoy such content these days? Compared to this, Donald's online novel seemed exceptionally well-written.
As William continued to read, he realized that these kinds of stories are indeed hard to put down.
Then he came across another story about a student falling for the teacher.
Hmm...
Both the teacher and the student were male.
When he checked the comments on this one, he was surprised to see many readers expressing their enthusiasm and approval.
This caught him off guard. It seemed like it would be quite a challenge to fully integrate into this society.
After reading those stories, William sent a message to Alice, asking her to meet him at the bookstore in the afternoon.
Alice thought William might need something important, so she dressed up carefully and hurried to the bookstore.
By the time she arrived, William was already waiting inside. And surprisingly, there were about twenty Soulmancers in the store, with Lucien and Tristan notably among them.
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