Professor Chen continued his analysis:
"...The stained-glass window, as a visual medium, with its dynamic depiction of flowing colors, not only meets the need for concrete expression in children's literature but also hints at the mutable nature of the world behind the door. The colors are not just symbolic of qualities; they become an energy-code to unlock that other realm.
Through visual imagery such as the 'thick, inky canvas of the sky,' 'faint, flickering light from the old streetlamps,' and 'tree shadows danced like wraiths,' paired with the auditory stimulus of the 'cold wind howled,' a multi-sensory Gothic atmosphere is constructed.
The synesthetic technique of 'monstrous beasts...盘踞 (pánjù - entrenched/lurking) beneath the leaves, within the walls, and in the crevices of the stones' materializes abstract fear into perceptible visual forms, aligning with the narrative strategy of visualizing fear commonly found in children's literature..."
Professor Chen, with his professional insight and analysis, broke down Leo Maxwell's opening passage with compelling logic.
Live Chat Stream:
[Whoa! That opening was that deep? I just thought it was cool and spooky!]
[Seriously! He made it sound like a university lecture!]
[No way! How could the Dragon Kingdom contestant write something with so many layers?!]
[Exactly! I bet he can't keep it up!]
[The Dragon Kingdom contestant is definitely going to be all sizzle and no steak! Strong start, weak finish!]
[Besides, he doesn't even have an outline! It's bound to fall apart later! Mark my words!]
[Totally!!]
"Alright, allow me to summarize," Professor Tomkins interjected. Though he disliked how this Dragon Kingdom contestant had directly undermined his earlier point, as a judge, he still had a duty to perform.
"This passage, through a combination of spatial symbolism, sensory rhetoric, and dialogue structure, constructs a typical coming-of-age ritual scene. Within the framework of fantasy literature, it both satisfies a child's imagination about mysterious worlds and subtly imparts lessons about courage, wisdom, and curiosity. Its narrative strategy embodies the art of balancing educational content with entertainment value in genre literature."
Professor Tomkins spoke slowly. He had to admit, this Dragon Kingdom contestant's opening was indeed very well-written. One might even say it demonstrated a very polished and experienced children's literature writing technique.
Live Chat Stream:
[Hahaha! Did you see that? Professor Tomkins basically had to pinch his nose and admit it was good! 😂]
[That killed me! He looked so pained! Lol!]
[See! Our Dragon Kingdom contestant is the best after all!]
[Even without an outline, he can casually write something amazing! Take that! 🐲]
[Tch! It's just a strong start. It'll fizzle out, you'll see!]
[Just a flash in the pan! Mark my words!]
[Totally! Don't get your hopes up!]
...
Room 99 Live Stream.
After finishing the prologue, Leo Maxwell immediately began to write the next part:
[One: The Strange Dog, Charlie IX]
Dodo dreamt of his grandpa again. It was clear he really, really liked his grandpa who always wore that big greatcoat.
However, he did not like the dog his grandpa had sent him. Not one bit.
The dog's name was "Charlie IX"—the very same little white rascal of a dog currently sitting by his bed, staring at Dodo with incredibly melancholy eyes.
Look at those deep, dark circles under its eyes. Had it been staring at him all night long?
The thought sent an involuntary shiver down Dodo's spine.
"Mom! Look! Charlie's giving me that weird look again! Normal dogs don't make faces like that!"
Dodo yelled from his room on the second floor, scowling at the new dog with disdain, though he didn't dare get too close.
Dodo's mom handed him a large glass full of milk for breakfast, seemingly oblivious to his complaints, and went off to tidy something else.
What was that called again? Oh, right.
"Selective hearing"!
He'd heard that most parents developed this condition when listening to their children.
Just as Dodo's mom had come over, the little dog named Charlie had, like a master of disguise, instantly changed its expression to that of a normal puppy—mouth open, tongue lolling out, panting lightly.
But the moment his mom turned to do something else, it went right back to staring at Dodo with that same gloomy, intense expression.
It was too suspicious!
Dodo clutched his head in frustration.
He already knew Charlie was capable of this trick; this wasn't their first run-in.
This little dog, Charlie, had arrived last Friday, on Dodo's birthday.
His parents said it was a birthday gift sent by Dodo's globetrotting adventurer grandpa.
Dodo had been thrilled at first.
But very quickly, Dodo discovered that this dog was extremely odd.
No... to be precise, it was too strange. It wasn't like a normal dog at all!
Initially, Dodo had been stunned to see Charlie actually stand up on its hind legs like a person. Then, it had expertly selected a gorgeous, deep-blue little suit from the pile of extravagant pet clothes that had arrived with it, used its front paws to tie its own bow tie, and after meticulously grooming itself, had stood admiring its reflection in the full-length mirror for no less than ten minutes, clearly pleased with its dapper appearance.
Subsequently, Dodo found out that this dog had secretly dumped all its dog food into the trash can, used its front paw to open the refrigerator, taken out some Star-Os cereal and milk, and then sat down in front of the TV like a retired old man, watching soap operas while enjoying its breakfast.
Finally, when Dodo came home from school and opened the bathroom door, he'd stumbled upon the strange dog again...
This time, it was lounging leisurely in the bathtub, lathering up with peach-scented bubble bath, all while humming an off-key pop song—its expression one of utter bliss, exactly like a millionaire vacationing in Hawaii!
Dodo finally couldn't take it anymore!
How could they let such a bizarre dog stay in the house any longer? He had to get his mom to kick it out!
He shot into the kitchen like a rocket, asking fearfully, "Mom, why did Grandpa send me a dog like this? Don't you think it's terrifying?"
Dodo gesticulated wildly, trying to explain what he'd observed to his mom.
But his mom just waved her hand dismissively. "This child, are you dreaming again? Charlie is just a normal little puppy. I haven't seen it do anything strange. Dodo, are you letting your imagination run wild again?"
To prove he wasn't just imagining things, Dodo quickly pulled his mom into the bathroom.
......
Live Chat Stream:
[Whoa! Is that thing even a dog?! That's not a dog! 😲]
[That sounds more like a monster in a dog suit! No joke!]
[Hahaha! This is hilarious! What is that dog?!]
[Hey, where are all the Britannia Empire netizens? You still there?]
[See? You guys were saying earlier that 'Charlie IX' sounded like one of your countrymen!]
[Well, the mystery's solved now, isn't it! It's a DOG! 😂]
[Hahahaha! Got 'em!]
[Hmph! This damned Dragon Kingdomer! How dare he insult our country's good name like this! With such a common name!]
[A contestant like this, I propose he be disqualified immediately! This is an outrage! 🇬🇧]
[LMAO! I'm dying! 🤣]
[Dude, he just picked a name for a dog, and you want the contestant disqualified?! Seriously?]
[Let me guess... your name is Charlie, isn't it? 😏]
[OMG! Everyone, look at his screen name! It actually IS Charlie! It says 'Charlie_UK_Lion'!]
[BWAHAHAHA! That explains everything! 💀]
[This is too funny! I can't breathe! 😂]
[No wonder he's so triggered! What are the odds!]
...
Broadcasting Studio.
"Professors, what are your thoughts on this latest segment from contestant Leo Maxwell?" Bingbing asked, her tone carrying a hint of emphasis, especially as she glanced towards Professor Tomkins. In her opinion, this part was written very well! Even she, an adult, was finding it thoroughly engaging!
"Ahem!" Professor Chen began, "This opening for a piece of children's fantasy literature effectively establishes a narrative tone that blends absurdity with suspense through character interaction and detailed descriptions. Dodo's actions are filled with childlike characteristics: his attachment to his grandfather, his initial resistance to the pet, and his naive attempts to seek help from his parents. These details reinforce his cognitive perspective as an ordinary child.
Furthermore, the portrayal of the parents with 'selective hearing' is both a humorous reflection of parents in real life and a classic narrative device—the 'adult blind spot.' This neglect of unusual phenomena by adults cleverly carves out space for the child protagonist's independent exploration and adventure."