Chapter 126: Chapter 125: Magic Cinema
Matthew, the general manager of the Max Mountain Grand Theater in Valley City, stepped out of the Teleportation Array.
The cold air of the Northern Domain hit him in the face. Even bundled in a thick coat, he couldn’t help but shiver.
Valley City itself was a rather northern city, with winter temperatures dropping to nearly ten degrees below zero.
But compared to the biting winds of the Northern Domain, that was autumn at best.
He had only been here for a few minutes, but he could already feel his lips chapping and a sharp, cold pain in his nostrils.
Tourists who came to ski at Max Mountain outside Valley City during the winter often said the North’s winters were nothing special. Clearly, they hadn’t been far enough north.
One trip here and they’d know what a winter that could freeze a man to death was really like.
It’s hard for people to understand things they haven’t experienced firsthand. Just as the people of Valley City, where the hottest days barely topped thirty degrees, couldn’t comprehend a summer hot enough to make someone pass out from the heat.
He still remembered his first visit to a theater in Twin Tower City. The humid air felt like a thin film covering his entire body, so stuffy it was hard to breathe.
’My hands are starting to feel numb. These gloves aren’t thick enough.’
Matthew flexed his stiff fingers, reached into his pocket, and activated his Thermic Stone. The heating Rune on the stone would only last for ten hours. ’I hope I don’t have to stay in the Northern Domain for too long this time.’
’I really don’t get why anyone would choose to live in a hellhole like this.’ If it weren’t for the Zog Group’s invitation, he would never have come to this poor, broken-down place just to suffer.
But the temptation the Zog Group offered was too great. So far, every merchant group that had partnered with them had made a hefty profit.
It was just that every theater that had dealt with them had been squeezed hard. He had no idea what the Zog Group wanted with the theater industry this time.
’Maybe this is a chance for a comeback.’
When they were first licensing agents for the Magic Vision Devices in various cities, he had wanted to become the agent for Valley City.
But a local newspaper seller beat him to it, and now his theater had to pay for advertising on Demon Vision whenever a new play opened.
Outside the Teleportation Array, a Beastman held up a wooden sign. It read: "Gathering Point for Invited Theater Managers From All Cities."
’Looks like the rumors about the Zog Group’s deep connections are true,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, what respectable business group would use a Beastman as a greeter?’
Matthew had no prejudice against Beastmen. Though no Beastman had ever come to watch a play, you never knew.
He’d heard that Beastmen watched Magic Shadow Dramas, which meant they might be open to plays as well.
’As an ambitious merchant, I must never give up on any potential customer.’
What concerned him more were the words "All Cities" on the sign.
Apparently, he wasn’t the only one invited.
’I hope that annoying fatso didn’t come. Everyone has a few rivals they can’t stand.’
Matthew tightened the drawstring on his hat and walked toward the gathering point.
Just as he approached, he heard the one voice he hated hearing most.
"Well, well, well, look who we have here! Isn’t it Boss Matthew from Valley City? What brings you all the way to the freezing Northern Domain to suffer in the cold?"
The voice was so high-pitched and grating, it made you wonder if the fatso had been a castrato in his youth.
"If Boss Albert from Chenxing Port can come, why can’t I? Or do you own the Northern Domain now?"
Matthew retorted irritably.
Chenxing Port was the closest city to Valley City, less than thirty kilometers away.
Besides each other, the next closest city large enough to support a theater was over one hundred and sixty kilometers away.
So, although Matthew’s theater and the fatso’s were in different cities, they were actually in direct competition.
Traveling theater troupes would perform at both theaters, and whichever one they visited first had a huge impact on the box office.
A distance of thirty kilometers was nothing to the wealthy patrons in the cities. They could get there quickly by carriage or short-range teleportation.
The rich couldn’t stand the thought of seeing a new play later than their wealthy peers in the same city.
For the two theaters, securing a troupe’s first performance meant securing the wealthiest patrons.
Unfortunately, Matthew was always on the losing end.
That fatso from Chenxing Port had a real knack for rolling out the red carpet, always arranging some flashy entertainment that the troupes couldn’t refuse.
"Representatives from theaters across the land, welcome to the Northern Domain." A Zor, driving a carriage pulled by several Los Beasts, arrived at the gathering point.
"I have been sent to escort you to the Northern Domain Magic Cinema. Please, get in." The Zor seemed very polite.
The crowd of theater representatives boarded the carriage. The Los Beasts let out a low growl or two and began to slowly pull the vehicle forward.
The carriage was equipped with a heating Magic Array, which made Matthew feel much more comfortable.
He found himself wondering what a "Magic Cinema" was. ’A place built specifically for showing Magic Shadows?’
Previously, Magic Shadows had always been screened directly in theaters or in open-air squares.
Everyone was used to it. After all, you could watch one just by setting up a screen—or even projecting it onto a wall if you didn’t have one. He really couldn’t see the need to build a dedicated Magic Cinema.
But if they were building them, it was clearly another challenge to traditional theaters.
’So, did they gather a group of us theater folk to get us to sell our theaters, or to convert them into Magic Cinemas?’
Matthew had a rough idea of the Zog Group’s purpose for inviting them.
"Whoa!"
A collective gasp came from the carriage. Hearing it, Matthew also looked out.
In the distance, bathed in sunlight, a castle made of ice crystals reflected a brilliant light.
It was absolutely magnificent.
As a castle, it was surely impractical, but as a spectacle, it would undoubtedly capture everyone’s attention.
But spectacles like that always came with an astronomical cost.
He clearly remembered the heavy debt he’d taken on just to give his own theater a nice facade and entrance.
A theater had to be eye-catching to survive, but why would the Northern Domain need to attract people?
He’d never heard of anyone treating this place as a travel destination.
A few people with cameras quickly took them out and began snapping away, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK.
In the past, taking pictures was mostly for keepsakes. Now, it was also for sharing, or showing off.
Ever since the Deer Spirit Social Circle appeared, people who could afford cameras loved to take pictures wherever they went and post them on their homepages.
Then they’d wait excitedly for people to "like" their posts or leave a few words of praise.
Unfortunately, for now, ordinary people could only access the social circle through special devices in game shops in each city.
The lines there were already longer than the ones for auto-chess.
Fortunately, the Zog Group was already advertising personal devices for the Deer Spirit Social Circle and was accepting pre-orders.
Matthew had pre-ordered one immediately. He had no interest in sharing his own life, but that fatso loved to show off. He planned to register an anonymous account to keep a close eye on his rival.
"We’ve arrived at the Magic Cinema."
As the Zor spoke, the Los Beast Carriage slowly came to a stop in front of a Magic Cinema.
From the outside, it looked no different from a theater.
There were several other carriages parked nearby. ’Looks like more people were invited than I thought.’
The cinema’s exterior walls were even still under construction. ’Can an unfinished cinema really host guests?’
’Maybe this is just the Zog Group’s laid-back style.’
The Zor led them inside.
The interior was different from a theater. A typical theater only had one stage; even the largest ones were divided into just three or four halls.
Matthew did a quick count—this Magic Cinema was divided into at least a dozen halls.
’What a strange layout.’
The group was led into one of the halls. Even with the lights on, the place seemed pitch-black.
They must have been the last group to arrive, as their arrival nearly filled up the remaining seats.
There was no stage, only a screen. The walls were covered in a material that looked like cotton cloth, and a circle of Magical Devices was installed on the ceiling, apparently for sound.
Not long after Matthew took his seat, he saw a Red Dragon walk to the front of the room.
The Red Dragon clapped its claws, and a subtle but powerful pressure silenced the entire hall.
"Welcome, everyone. I am here to invite you all to join the Zog Group’s plan to build a pan-Continental Magic Cinema chain."
