Release That Witch — Er Mu's novel
At a glance1,498 chapters · completed
Release That Witch adapts Fang Kai Na Ge Nü Wu (放开那个女巫), Er Mu's (二目) novel serialized on Qidian from 29 March 2016 to 4 June 2019. Cheng Yan, a present-day engineer, wakes up as Prince Roland, fourth heir of a kingdom resembling medieval Europe. He discovers that witches really exist, that the Church persecutes them, and that with their magic he can launch an industrial revolution.
Origins and publication
The novel belongs to the genre Chinese readers call "zhongtian" (种田), literally "farming": stories of patient development in which the hero builds a town, an economy and technology step by step. Er Mu adds a strong idea, summed up in the fans' motto: "magic is productive force". Each witch's power becomes a tool for mining ore, producing steel and then electricity.
The novel was translated into English on Webnovel and into Thai by Jamsai, making it one of the best-known Chinese web novels of its genre internationally.
How it differs from the donghua
Thundray's donghua, launched in March 2026, adapts Roland's beginnings in Border Town and the rescue of the first witches. It foregrounds the characters, the humour and the magic. The novel is much more technical: it details the stages of the industrial revolution, from steam engines to firearms and then aviation. The war against the Church and the demons also reaches a scale the donghua has not yet covered.
Reception and success
Release That Witch is one of the most liked novels in its genre, with a 7 rating on Bangumi. Fans love its logic, its humour and its many witches, each with an original power. Some readers regret a slower second half and an ending they found rushed.
Trivia
- The hero, Cheng Yan, was an engineer in his previous life, which explains his passion for industry.
- Prince Roland is sent to Border Town, a post considered dead-end, which leaves him free to act.
- The novel's witches form a real team, each with a power useful for industry or war.
- The novel was published in Thailand by Jamsai under its Enter Books imprint.
My take
Release That Witch is one of my favourite "building" novels. Watching Roland build a civilisation with the witches' help is very satisfying, and the humour often lands. You need to enjoy technical detail, and the second half drags a little. But the premise is so good that you forgive a lot.
Who is it for?Fans of science, engineering and strategy, and anyone who likes seeing a hero build rather than fight.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan
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