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sid_guardian2024-11-29 01:39 pm
jayfire) wrote in sid_guardian2024-11-29 01:39 pm
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Guardian Readalong: Chapters 7 & 8
Hello hello~ and welcome back/welcome to this next instalment of our weekly Guardian readalong!
Previously, on Guardian:
This time, we're on chapters 7 and 8 of the official English translation, which correspond to chapters 12 to 14 in the most widely available fan-translation and the current Simplified Chinese version on JJWXC.
Chapter 7: Investigator Zhu Hong figures out part of what's going on with Li Qian; Zhao Yunlan finally reads the letter from "him"; and Shen Wei finds an innovative use for a chair
Chapter 8: Guo Changcheng is a police officer; everyone runs in a circle; and storage rooms are good for emergency team-building
Excerpts
1) We officially meet Zhu Hong:
By daylight, the office looked far bleaker. The only person on duty in the criminal investigation unit was a female officer who might have been in her twenties. A simple ponytail highlighted her pretty forehead and a clear complexion that was accentuated with light makeup. She was in uniform --- at least from the waist up. Her lower body was covered by a blanket, and she sat very still in her seat. All that kept her from looking like she was convalescing was the rosiness in her face.
Half-closed eyes and a lazy expression made it seem like she might drift off at any moment, but her hands were working busily. The blanket on her lap was large enough that one edge reached the floor. When Zhao Yunlan accidentally stepped on the trailing edge, the other side of the blanket slid up. For a moment, it revealed the tip of a python tail, which quickly withdrew. The woman's attention remained fixed on the security footage. Without looking, she reached down absentmindedly to adjust the blanket.
The nameplate on the corner of her desk read "Zhu Hong."
2) Zhao Yunlan's perception of the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary:
From the official translation:
The Soul-Executing Emissary had come into existence in the depths of the Netherworld, but he was not a ghost immortal, nor was he subject to the Ten Yanluo Courts. Legend said he had originally been a mere wisp of fiendish energy from the darkest bowels of the Nine Hells. But from this inauspicious beginning, in a rare stroke of serendipity, he evolved to attain a physical form.
He wielded the Soul-Executing Blade, and gods, humans, or any other being, whether from the thirty-three levels of Heaven above or the eighteen levels of Hell below, could be executed by that blade if found guilty. Deities and demons alike bowed their heads to him, and all beings feared him...all but Zhao Yunlan.
Whether he was thick-skinned or boneheaded or just missing reflex tendons others had, Zhao Yunlan not only failed to fear the Emissary but found him gentle and refined with a good personality. His only shortcoming was that, whether speaking or writing, the Emissary's language was just a bit archaic --- too refined and flowery.
From the fan-translation:
The Ghost Slayer is a god but not a god, a ghost but not a ghost, and calling him an immortal ghost also wouldn't be correct. Legend says that he was born in the depths of Difu, and he has a mighty blade that knows good from evil, loyalty from treachery. It can slay anything, which is how he earned his name.
From the highest heavens to the deepest levels of Difu, no one in heaven or earth, whether human or god, spirit or ghost, can survive this weapon.
Because of this, everyone is terrified of him; Zhao Yunlan is the sole, foolishly thick-skinned exception. Not only does he fail to be appalled by the ghost slaying, he seems to think that the Ghost Slayer is a rather nice, kind person. The only bad thing about him is the way he talks: too old-fashioned and too long-winded.
3) Xiao Guo is, once again, more perceptive than most people realize:
Guo Changcheng had never been a confrontational person. For him, running away was as natural as a cat eating fish or a dog eating meat. It was practically part of his genetic makeup, and right now, his genes were telling him that the safest place was between Shen Wei and the black cat.
4) Shen Wei's unfulfilled wish:
Guo Changcheng kept sobbing. "Shen-laoshi, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
Perhaps hoping to ease Guo Changcheng's terror, Shen Wei gave the question careful consideration before nodding. "I do."
Through tears, Guo Changcheng choked out, "Like what?"
"There is someone I met only by chance. There are no connections between us; to him, I must only be a stranger with whom he's exchanged a few words." Shen Wei spoke gently against the background noise of scratching nails. "But I very much want to see him one more time."
Questions:
What colour do you think Zhu Hong's snake tail is? (i think we might find out at some point later on but i can't remember so. what are you all picturing?) Why do you think Li Qian wouldn't tell Zhao Yunlan about using the sundial and sharing half her life with her grandma? How do you feel about the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary based on what we know about him so far? If you were up against a hungry ghost, would you choose the mop or the hospital chair?
Our schedule (and you can also sign up here to host a post!)
Previously, on Guardian:
This time, we're on chapters 7 and 8 of the official English translation, which correspond to chapters 12 to 14 in the most widely available fan-translation and the current Simplified Chinese version on JJWXC.
Chapter 7: Investigator Zhu Hong figures out part of what's going on with Li Qian; Zhao Yunlan finally reads the letter from "him"; and Shen Wei finds an innovative use for a chair
Chapter 8: Guo Changcheng is a police officer; everyone runs in a circle; and storage rooms are good for emergency team-building
Excerpts
1) We officially meet Zhu Hong:
By daylight, the office looked far bleaker. The only person on duty in the criminal investigation unit was a female officer who might have been in her twenties. A simple ponytail highlighted her pretty forehead and a clear complexion that was accentuated with light makeup. She was in uniform --- at least from the waist up. Her lower body was covered by a blanket, and she sat very still in her seat. All that kept her from looking like she was convalescing was the rosiness in her face.
Half-closed eyes and a lazy expression made it seem like she might drift off at any moment, but her hands were working busily. The blanket on her lap was large enough that one edge reached the floor. When Zhao Yunlan accidentally stepped on the trailing edge, the other side of the blanket slid up. For a moment, it revealed the tip of a python tail, which quickly withdrew. The woman's attention remained fixed on the security footage. Without looking, she reached down absentmindedly to adjust the blanket.
The nameplate on the corner of her desk read "Zhu Hong."
2) Zhao Yunlan's perception of the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary:
From the official translation:
The Soul-Executing Emissary had come into existence in the depths of the Netherworld, but he was not a ghost immortal, nor was he subject to the Ten Yanluo Courts. Legend said he had originally been a mere wisp of fiendish energy from the darkest bowels of the Nine Hells. But from this inauspicious beginning, in a rare stroke of serendipity, he evolved to attain a physical form.
He wielded the Soul-Executing Blade, and gods, humans, or any other being, whether from the thirty-three levels of Heaven above or the eighteen levels of Hell below, could be executed by that blade if found guilty. Deities and demons alike bowed their heads to him, and all beings feared him...all but Zhao Yunlan.
Whether he was thick-skinned or boneheaded or just missing reflex tendons others had, Zhao Yunlan not only failed to fear the Emissary but found him gentle and refined with a good personality. His only shortcoming was that, whether speaking or writing, the Emissary's language was just a bit archaic --- too refined and flowery.
From the fan-translation:
The Ghost Slayer is a god but not a god, a ghost but not a ghost, and calling him an immortal ghost also wouldn't be correct. Legend says that he was born in the depths of Difu, and he has a mighty blade that knows good from evil, loyalty from treachery. It can slay anything, which is how he earned his name.
From the highest heavens to the deepest levels of Difu, no one in heaven or earth, whether human or god, spirit or ghost, can survive this weapon.
Because of this, everyone is terrified of him; Zhao Yunlan is the sole, foolishly thick-skinned exception. Not only does he fail to be appalled by the ghost slaying, he seems to think that the Ghost Slayer is a rather nice, kind person. The only bad thing about him is the way he talks: too old-fashioned and too long-winded.
3) Xiao Guo is, once again, more perceptive than most people realize:
Guo Changcheng had never been a confrontational person. For him, running away was as natural as a cat eating fish or a dog eating meat. It was practically part of his genetic makeup, and right now, his genes were telling him that the safest place was between Shen Wei and the black cat.
4) Shen Wei's unfulfilled wish:
Guo Changcheng kept sobbing. "Shen-laoshi, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
Perhaps hoping to ease Guo Changcheng's terror, Shen Wei gave the question careful consideration before nodding. "I do."
Through tears, Guo Changcheng choked out, "Like what?"
"There is someone I met only by chance. There are no connections between us; to him, I must only be a stranger with whom he's exchanged a few words." Shen Wei spoke gently against the background noise of scratching nails. "But I very much want to see him one more time."
Questions:
What colour do you think Zhu Hong's snake tail is? (i think we might find out at some point later on but i can't remember so. what are you all picturing?) Why do you think Li Qian wouldn't tell Zhao Yunlan about using the sundial and sharing half her life with her grandma? How do you feel about the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary based on what we know about him so far? If you were up against a hungry ghost, would you choose the mop or the hospital chair?
Our schedule (and you can also sign up here to host a post!)
no subject
100% agreed. :D
Wow, that's blatant. And bold. And I don't envy ZYL for having to deal with that; it makes me feel a lot more for him than for her. Not fond of that.
I felt like they were playing a game of chicken there, with Zhu Hong trying to out-sophisticate Zhao Yunlan. He started it by casually suggesting she pretend her monthly tail issues were menstruation, she upped the ante with the proposition, and he won by pretending to take her suggestion literally. But maybe that's just me (and I could be misinterpreting how inappropriate it is for a male boss to talk to a female employee about periods ;-p).
And his first instinct - to think Li Qian stole her grandmother's life - is wrong. (In the drama, he thinks for a while that she murdered her grandma. I love that in both versions, he can get things wrong, no matter how smart he is!)
Yes, it's so good to see both versions as fallible. :D
All the lore about the Sundial, and how it only works in one way, is fascinating, btw!
I love how concrete the rules are! In the drama, they keep it very vague. (So wait, does that mean that drama!Shen Wei gave Zhao Yunlan half his lifespan?!)
Okay, before I go on, argh, "Soul-Executing Emissary" is not an elegant expression, I don't want to call him that!
It's so unwieldy!! Even reading it in my head makes my brain trip up.
And I'm fascinated with how afraid Zhu Hong is not just of potentially meeting the Envoy, but even of the note he sent! Wow.
Presumably this is a fear she was brought up with? Like, I can imagine all the Yashou are just like "avoid avoid avoid" about him. Interesting that none of her interactions with him at the SID have changed that, though.
And in the drama, Xiao-Guo puts himself between the attacker and Shen Wei in Li Qian's hospital room
Yeah, I adore that in the drama, and I do miss it in the novel. Ah well...
Anyway, given this, I assume back in chapter 5 when Zhao Yunlan complains about "mortals", presumably that was just meant to be "ordinary people", and not say anything about ZYL's mortality.
Oh, that makes sense. Thanks for that!! <3
Awww, Shen Wei! Does he really believe that? Ouch!
Do you think he's including both their relationships in that assessment, or just Shen Wei's new connection with Zhao Yunlan?
no subject
Yeah, I think that's how it's intended, but I feel like she crosses a line while he doesn't. Idk, maybe that's just me! :p
(So wait, does that mean that drama!Shen Wei gave Zhao Yunlan half his lifespan?!)
I don't think it works that way in the drama, though it could for fanfic purposes! *g*
It's so unwieldy!! Even reading it in my head makes my brain trip up.
LOL, right?? I really want an elegant title for him!
Presumably this is a fear she was brought up with? Like, I can imagine all the Yashou are just like "avoid avoid avoid" about him. Interesting that none of her interactions with him at the SID have changed that, though.
Should be Yao, not Yashou, right? But yeah, that's a good point. I do wonder just how much interaction the team has had with the Envoy ...
Do you think he's including both their relationships in that assessment, or just Shen Wei's new connection with Zhao Yunlan?
Now that you say it, it's probably just ZYL who he just met, but my initial reaction was as if he meant more than that. Idk, overreaction on my part?
no subject
>
> Now that you say it, it's probably just ZYL who he just met, but my initial reaction was as if he meant more than that. Idk, overreaction on my part?
I meant, do you think he's including the Envoy's relationship with the SID chief in that assessment? Like, it's very different from the drama, in that here, Shen Wei already knows that ZYL is the chief of the SID, right? They have a pre-existing working relationship...
no subject