Chapter 30: The Humble Reader (Bonus Chapter One, Please Support)

Just as one storm subsides, another swiftly follows. The affair with the Xiao brothers had barely faded when the prolific author rolled out new chapters at a breakneck pace, never once dragging his feet or resorting to unnecessary padding. The readers were still embroiled in debates about the Xiao brothers in the review section when, without warning, Yun Yun made her entrance—bringing with her the little one, Qinglin.

The readers could not bear it any longer.

First, it was Little Doctor Immortal, then the Xiao brothers, and now, the Dou Emperor Yun Yun. Were they simply fodder to be harvested again and again?

According to the author’s own worldbuilding, Xiao Yan had only just left the beginner’s village, yet the plot already brimmed with so many gut-wrenching twists. Who knew what lay ahead? What was originally anticipated to be an explosive, exhilarating, and cathartic “Three-Year Promise” now seemed perilous—there was every chance the protagonist would meet his end at the Yunlan Sect. And it wasn’t as if such outcomes were unheard of; the author had a long list of prior “offenses,” his hands stained long ago.

To shield their beloved protagonist from the author’s merciless pen, readers took matters into their own hands. In the “Favorite Characters” poll, they deliberately voted Xiao Yan to the bottom, with Xun’er trailing just above him. In a twist of fate, the much-maligned Nalan Yanran soared to the top spot in a single day.

Such a phenomenon was unprecedented in the world of web fiction.

It was no longer a matter of the author catering to readers’ whims; instead, readers were treating the author like a capricious deity, praying that he would show mercy and spare their favorite characters. If tragedy was inevitable, they begged that it be swift and clean—anything but a protracted, torturous demise.

The author’s readers had become the most humble and desperate, their sole plea now that, if a character must be killed, let it be quick—just don’t drag it out like slicing meat with a dull knife.

Reading these comments, Li He couldn’t help but laugh. Why did everyone paint him as the great villain? He quickly suppressed this notion—it was all the dog system’s fault, nothing to do with him. To prove his innocence, he refrained from altering the plot for over a dozen chapters.

Li He left the story untouched.

But the readers would not have it.

“Relentless Forward”: “Author, I was wrong. Just kill someone off already!”

“Caught in Dilemma”: “How are we supposed to choose between the adorable, obedient Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python and the cold, regal Queen Medusa? Author, please teach me!”

“Anxious Heart”: “According to your settings, only one of the two snakes’ wills will remain in the end—the other will be devoured. I have a feeling, the more popular one is, the more likely she’ll disappear.”

This wasn’t idle speculation. Previous bloodbaths had unfolded just so.

“Idle Hands”: “Cuteness is nothing compared to sexy coolness. My vote goes to the Queen.”

“Wholehearted Oh My”: “Are you blind? Petite and cute is king—any other type is just a sidekick.”

Thus erupted the “Cute vs. Cool” war.

To protect their favorites, both sides began voting for the opposing character. If the other side’s popularity rose, their own would be safe. Once more, “Battle Through the Heavens” set a curious precedent in the web fiction world: the lower a character’s popularity ranking, the more beloved she actually was.

In the heat of this battle, one comment soared to the top:

“Lawless”: “I predict neither the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python nor Queen Medusa will disappear. Little Doctor Immortal, the Xiao brothers, and Yun Yun suffered not just because they were popular, but because tormenting them brings the author joy through our pain. But this time is different—he doesn’t need to kill either snake. Our suffering is already enough. If he kills one, we’ll actually feel relief, and that would rob the author of his fun.”

Many readers found this theory convincing; it also explained the author’s obsession with tormenting his most beloved characters.

“Volcano Eruption”: “I’m terrified out of my mind.”

“I Am A Dove”: “The author writes prolifically, the plot is tight, and there’s plenty of excitement—but he’s truly asking for a beating.”

“Little Crack”: “Reporter: How do you relieve stress? Some authors: hiking, music, working out, baking… This author: just torment the readers.”

“The Great Prophet”: “I have a feeling the Three-Year Promise will be epic, but afterward, we’ll all want to smash our phones.”

“Little Red Riding Hood”: “I want to drop the book, but I can’t bear to. If I don’t, it’ll drive me mad. Is it so hard to just enjoy a novel?”

To protect their favorite characters, readers resorted to every trick in the book, dazzling other fandoms with their ingenuity while outsiders looked on, bewildered.

Little did they know, Li He had already finished revising the upcoming plot.

All their efforts were in vain… Li He happily collected a mountain of negative emotion points.

While the debate raged around “Battle Through the Heavens,” other top-tier authors could not sit still. The author’s tactics were audacious and tempting—many wanted to emulate him, but dared not.

Just days before, a certain level-three author had tried and failed, nearly destroying his own story by imitating the author’s “slaughter the popular” approach.

Thus, the top authors held back, fearing they’d scare away loyal fans before attracting new ones—a loss on all fronts.

Yet the temptation gnawed at them. The prize was right in front of them, but they could only watch as someone else feasted, unable to partake themselves. The frustration was palpable.

Finally, one author couldn’t resist. He subtly and cleverly tormented a popular female character—like Little Doctor Immortal and Yun Yun, her fate was left uncertain but the narrative strongly suggested her demise. His technique was deft, perhaps even surpassing Li He’s.

After all, top authors are skilled wordsmiths; Li He, in comparison, was just a copyist—how polished could his writing be?

Even so, this author’s readers revolted immediately. With “Battle Through the Heavens” as precedent, they would not stand by and watch their own favorite author jump into the fire.

The original author could get away with it because no one had tried it before, and because his updates came so fast that readers had no time to react—five popular characters had already fallen before they could protest. What could readers do? Delete the book? They had no choice but to accept.

But this author’s readers were wiser. They knew exactly what was happening, and how “Battle Through the Heavens” readers had been humbled. Those fans were caught off guard; these ones were prepared.

Not just this author’s fans, but all readers across the web were now on guard.

One such author was enough.

What, did they want every top author to become a copycat?

After a day of trying, the author failed. In the end, he was forced to restore the plot and characters to their original path—the bold maneuver fell flat.

Just as one author was forced to retreat in defeat, our protagonist surged ahead.

With relentless updates, the long-awaited “Three-Year Promise” arrived right on schedule.

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(Post first, revise later ٩(๑ᵒ̴̶̷͈᷄ᗨᵒ̴̶̷͈᷅)و)