No strange things are allowed to evolve!

"You can make many more of these kinds of adaptations?"

"easy."

"You even have the ability to write new stories?"

"Even more ferocious and brutal."

"Then there's no problem. You're the leader now. As long as you let us join your great cause, we'll do anything you ask."

"But..." Jiang Shu still hesitated, "What about Doraemon?"

"Doraemon?" the hammer-shaped toy asked, puzzled.

The handsaw doll explained, "It's the professor. The teacher said he once saw a blue fat guy who could pull all sorts of strange gadgets out of his body, just like the professor."

"He? If you think he's our leader, you're wrong."

The scissors doll scoffed:

"He, like us, was just one of the first dolls created by the creative craftsmen. The only difference is that we had different roles. He was in charge of matters inside the castle, while we devoted ourselves to the workshop."

In fact, we don't have a strict subordinate relationship. It's just that he wants to revive the kingdom and needs our strength, while the workshop relies on the castle's supplies to operate. So we reluctantly cooperated with him.

Even though we don't like our current jobs.

Jiang Shu thought for a moment: "Why weren't you this assertive when he made you work eight hours a day?"

The scissor doll pouts.

The spindle doll chimed in: "Because we don't have a leader, we tend to be tolerant unless absolutely necessary. But you need to understand, just like the scissors said, the entire castle is actually serving the workshop. In other words, the workshop is the absolute core of the castle."

"Didn't Doraemon ever try to completely control the workshop?" Jiang Shu asked.

"He wouldn't, and he wouldn't dare."

The scissors doll sneered:

"The reason he said he wouldn't is because he also respects the creative artisans and wouldn't meddle in the workshop without his permission, since the creative artisan once said that he wasn't suited to work in the workshop."

As for why he dares not, it's because if he really did that, he would face opposition from all the craftsmen, and we would go on strike as a result.

We often compromise because of his efforts in restoring the kingdom and supplying the workshops, but this is a matter of principle that we cannot tolerate.

"Is that so?" Jiang Shu said thoughtfully.

In other words, if we consider the castle as a company, then the creative workshop is the core technical department of the company's projects. All other departments revolve around the technical department, and the workshop's craftsmen are the technical workers who control the lifeline of the company. If they go on strike, the company will be paralyzed.

However, Jiang Shu felt that something was not right.

Wasn't he modified by the big-headed doll?

In other words, he also mastered the technique of making dolls, didn't he?

"But Doraemon can do it too, right? If you go on strike, he can teach other people and have them do it, can't he?"

Jiang Shu looked at the handsaw doll with a puzzled expression.

The handsaw doll looked troubled: "I promised him I couldn't tell you about this for now..."

Jiang Shu was somewhat disappointed, but this was within his expectations.

But just as he was trying to figure out how to find out, the handsaw doll suddenly changed the subject: "So you have to ask them."

He pointed to the other supervisors.

Yes, he is indeed an honest person, but he knows how to be flexible.

The scissors doll and the big-headed doll had no agreement. Of course, given his attitude just now, even if the big-headed doll had told him something, he would just ignore it.

"The types of technologies are different."

The scissors doll couldn't wait to be revealed:

"The fairy tale dolls that the creative craftsman later launched for the general public are different from the living dolls he made at the beginning."

Fairy tale dolls are actually a weakened version of dolls like us. I think you can also see that the difference between these dolls on the stage and us is huge. Although they can talk, move, and even think, everything about them is predetermined, and their souls are given to them by us.

But we are different; our souls are human souls.

Jiang Shu frowned, sensing that he had grasped something crucial: "What does this mean?"

"Fairy tale dolls are made by combining the resentment and traits left behind by the dead, while we are achieved by transferring souls."

The spindle doll's answer:

"Flesh and blood are weak and painful, while dolls ascend to heaven. We are different manifestations of the same soul. As for the differences, I will show you now."

As he spoke, he jumped off the observation platform, walked onto the stage, and dragged away the doll that had been attacked and fallen to the ground once again.

Then, she used the scissors from the scissor doll to cut open the part where she was pierced by the fork.

Inside was a bright red, viscous liquid. Although it had been treated and didn't have any strange smell, it still looked somewhat disgusting.

Jiang Shu, who personally filled these things in, naturally knew what was inside, so he wasn't surprised.

"But if you unzip the zipper on the doctor's head, you'll find that the filling inside is black. We are all the same; it's actually red, just so dark it's almost black. That's the color of the soul."

The description of the spindle doll states:

"The black filler, compared to the red one, not only has more soul, but also has many magical effects."

“Yes, I know.” Jiang Shu nodded: “When we first met, he took a mirror out of his pocket and gave it to me.”

"What a show-off," the scissors doll muttered.

The spindle doll continued, "But the revival of the kingdom clearly does not require members like fairy tale dolls; their abilities and instability are insufficient to entrust important tasks to them."

So since the resurgence, the doctor has been working on how to create life like ours.

But the kingdom had long since fallen, and humanity had long since become extinct. Without new souls, he could only start by improving fairy tale dolls. Therefore, he needed a large number of experimental subjects, and the conditions for mass production of fairy tale dolls were indispensable to him.

He does know how to make dolls, that's true, but given the severe shortage of manpower in the castle, how could he not be afraid of us going on strike? Even if he could teach other doll makers, what would happen to the vacant jobs?

“Speaking of which…” the scissors doll said indignantly, “We sent him so many experimental subjects, and in the end, only these explorers from outside succeeded. They were still using the old methods, and they didn’t even seem to be perfect. Isn’t that a bit of a failure?”

"I understand," Jiang Shu said knowingly.

The big-headed dolls tried to create something out of nothing, but they never succeeded.

However, judging from the artisans' descriptions, it seems that not only are the methods of making fairy tale dolls somewhat evil, but the methods of making citizen dolls also seem to be not very clean.

The soul of the living...

Would a living person be willing to do that?

If they're not willing, why do they respect creative artisans so much?

"So you were actually human beings once?"

The craftsmen nodded.

Jiang Shu cautiously probed, "You all seem to be enjoying this quite a bit."

The craftsmen looked at each other.

“Actually,” the hammer doll thought for a moment, “initially we just wanted to try and see if we could escape our desperate situation for various reasons.”

"A desperate situation is...?"

“Disease, poverty, or all sorts of other reasons that leave us with no way out.”

The hammer doll, recalling that hopeful scene that still occasionally appears in its dreams, wears a happy smile:

"Then, creative artisans emerged."

He said it could bring us joy.

"And immortality."

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Overlord's Guide to Immortality

Immortality is beyond doubt.

As for happiness, it should refer to the creative artisans making them love their work here.

This can be seen from their fervor for dolls and the stories behind them.

In other words, the original group of dolls, who are now the citizen dolls who dominate many affairs of the castle, were originally a group of desperate people who were saved by the creative craftsman. Under this grace, they firmly followed the creative craftsman, even at the cost of sacrificing their souls.

This is understandable. Just as a drowning person will do everything in their power to seize any chance to survive, a terminally ill patient will disregard the risks and voluntarily become a guinea pig to undergo an immature clinical trial.

Everything is for the sake of survival.

[Prerequisite condition met: Discover the doll's secret]

[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Kill the Creative Craftsman]

Jiang Shu raised an eyebrow slightly.

So you're still alive.

He looked around.

It should be inside this castle, right?

Then there's nothing to hesitate about.

"In that case, I shall take over the reins of the creative craftsman and temporarily become the head of the creative workshop."

Jiang Shu said to the supervisors.

Upon hearing this, the managers were stunned for a moment, and then burst into cheers.

"Great! The workshop is saved!"

"We can start doing what we love again."

With a smile, Jiang Shu nodded to each supervisor: "I will continue to work hard with reverence. I assure you all that I will do even better than Creative Craftsman! I hope you will continue to support and trust me in the future!"

Even though I can't find you, you'll come looking for me, right?

Creative artisans, you wouldn't want my mark left everywhere on your painstakingly built workshop, nor would you want me to treat your loyal fans like dogs, would you?

Then hurry up and show yourself, and break it open in front of me.

Jiang Shu thought to herself silently.

Boom boom boom!

The hammer doll banged its hammer against the railing of the observation platform, making a crisp and loud sound.

"Attention everyone, all eyes on me! I have an announcement to make..."

Before he could finish speaking, the hammer head suddenly fell to the ground. Under the watchful eyes of dozens of people, the hammer doll lowered its head and began to crouch down to look for the hammer head among the seats.

Fortunately, the spindle doll took his place.

"Now I have something important to announce."

He spoke in a loud, serious voice:

"Following a decision by the creative workshop's senior management, it will be..."

He thought of something and looked at Jiang Shu. The handsaw doll beside him, who was honest but also flexible and perceptive, whispered a reminder: "Darwin."

"Mr. Darwin, the genius doll maker who just joined the workshop today and created such an exciting new story, will serve as the acting workshop manager."

Mr. Darwin promised that not only will such innovations happen every day in the future, but he will also continue to cultivate originality. What you are seeing now is just a small step for him, but we all believe that it is also a giant leap for the entire creative workshop.

We believe that under his leadership, the creative workshop will regain its former glory and live up to its reputation as a center for creative artisans!

"Whoosh!"

"Great!"

The craftsmen raised their hands and cheered.

They knew what this meant.

From now on, they can once again unleash their passion and sweat without restraint.

No one doubted Jiang Shu's abilities.

Someone capable of producing something like this cannot lack creativity.

“Mr. Darwin, say something.”

Jiang Shu stood up, made a fist with his right hand, covered his mouth, coughed lightly twice, and cleared his throat.