"Heh, I didn't believe it before, but recently, 'this kind of good thing' happened right beside me!"
Xiaoli scoffed at Feng Yi's advice, ready to prove her wrong with facts.
"I know a kid named Bangyan, always up to no good, and in a lot of debt. But what happened? After a few days, he's dressed like a gentleman and eating well in high-class restaurants!
He told me himself that he used this wishing method, and the next day he woke up to find his bed piled high with Mora!"
Xiaoli described it as if she had been there, witnessing the Mora-laden bed with her own eyes.
"My friend, whether you believe it or not, the wishing method isn't complicated. What harm is there in trying your luck?"
Another young villager, Qingren, stepped forward to persuade.
"If you don't believe us, go ask around. There are quite a few living examples like this recently."
With his companion's support, Xiaoli's confidence grew.
Without waiting to see if Feng Yi believed him, he clasped his hands together and began praying to the heavens, offering his respects to the gods in preparation for the evening's wishes.
"Please, my Mora! Mora, Mora, Mora..."
"I'm not that greedy. I just need to get through the beginning smoothly..."
Influenced by him, Qingren also clasped his hands together and prayed.
Seeing their stubborn refusal to learn until they hit a wall, Feng Yi decided not to say anything more. Being possessed by a ghost would, at most, leave one listless for a few days; it wouldn't endanger their lives. It would be good for them to learn a lesson.
Feng Yi shook his head with a sigh and turned to leave.
As he walked through the city, Feng Yi indeed heard many people talking about the matter. Even the topic of the 'Naganohara Fireworks Festival' had lost its heat.
"Chant... unceasingly, like... brightly shining moon, draw near to... you? Hear my... Hear my what? Hear my wish?"
"No, no, it's not 'Hear my wish,' it's 'Heed my summoned wish.' Ah, when will I ever memorize this?"
A plump editor from Yae Publishing House, A Mao, and his delicate young writer, Shunji, stood under a tree, seemingly reciting some secret mantra.
"Hello, A Mao. Has Yae Publishing House released any good new novels? The last one you recommended, 'Reborn as the Geo Archon, Determined to Become a Mountain Bandit King,' was really good, just too short. I finished it before I could even get into it...
If possible, could you recommend two more, and also help me send a box of blades to the author of that book? Charge it to the Pupu Tea shop's account!"
Feng Yi greeted them, and thanks to Yae Miko, Feng Yi had also developed a fondness for novels and become a regular customer of Yae Publishing House.
However, the quality of new novels from Yae Publishing House varied, so to find good ones, Feng Yi sought out A Mao, an in-house editor, to recommend them.
A Mao was honest, and his recommendations were always to Feng Yi's taste. So, when Feng Yi happened to run into him, his eyes lit up, and he went over to ask for more recommendations.
"Oh my goodness, you scared me! Where was I in the incantation..."
Shunji exclaimed, then pretended to pat his chest, conveniently using it as an excuse for not remembering the mantra.
'Thank goodness, Mr. Feng Yi arrived just in time. Otherwise, A Mao would have criticized me for being stupid again...'
This was Shunji's true thought.
"It's Mr. Feng Yi. Long time no see. If you're looking for novel recommendations, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. Yae Publishing House hasn't released any particularly outstanding works recently..."
A Mao spread his hands apologetically. Indeed, few of their recent releases were exceptional.
In such situations, not only readers but also the editors and authors at Yae Publishing House were anxious, racking their brains to create better works.
"You see, Shunji has hit a creative block recently. He hasn't written anything worth reading for almost half a month. I'm helping him overcome this by wishing."
"A Mao, these are just plot devices from novels. Don't tell me you believe this stuff?"
"Of course, I don't believe it. But Shunji never listens to anyone. What can I do? I can only humor him..."
A Mao looked helpless. He knew that authors found inspiration in different ways. What if Shunji actually got an idea after wishing?
Until a better solution presented itself, he could only humor Shunji and try it out.
"Mr. A Mao, please cooperate with me a little. This is really important to me! People who want to be beautiful, become rich, succeed in their studies... all sorts of people have had their wishes granted. I'm just a pathetic writer, only wanting to break through my bottleneck. Is my wish too much to ask?"
Shunji felt extremely humble. Couldn't such a small wish be granted?
"Moreover, my intuition tells me that my method this time will definitely work!"
Shunji's face was filled with conviction, claiming this was the intuition of a great literary master.
"But you... didn't you just draw a fortune stick at the Grand Narukami Shrine, saying, 'My intuition tells me inspiration will strike any moment'?"
A Mao remained skeptical. If Shunji weren't their top writer at Yae Publishing House... ahem, an outstanding writer at Yae Publishing House, he wouldn't be indulging Shunji's foolishness.
"Going to a shrine for charms and good fortune is too slow to take effect! Alright, alright, hurry up and help me recite the mantra. My new work depends entirely on this!"
"Sigh, if you ask me, what you need is to sit down and figure out what story you actually want to write. Weren't you quite arrogant when you first debuted? Now, you even believe methods taught in some random light novel..."
A Mao had tried to reason with him, but the more serious and useful the advice, the less Shunji listened. He always sought out easy gains.
"Mr. A Mao, as an excellent writer, how could I not know if that light novel is proper or not?"
Shunji: No one understands light novels better than I do!
"Mr. Feng Yi, you're a regular reader too. Have you read the light novel 'True Spirit Seeking Notes'? The widely circulated wishing method in Inazuma comes from there..."
Shunji prepared to draw Feng Yi into settling the dispute.
"Although this light novel wasn't published by Yae Publishing House, it suddenly appeared and quickly swept through Inazuma, creating a sales miracle that was truly astonishing!"
"As a colleague, I won't comment on the story itself, but everyone says the wishing mantra written in it is genuine. Hahaha, if such a rare opportunity slips through my fingers, I'll regret it to death!"