Chapter 96: You Think You're a Great Master, Don’t You? (Please Vote)

Kyoto.
A high-end office building.

Outside the window, darkness stretched like ink; inside, the bright energy-saving lights cast a white glow, illuminating the room as if it were daylight.

It was already nine o'clock at night, and many office workers were burning the midnight oil.

Yuan Zhuo was one of them.

Having finished his work, Yuan Zhuo rubbed his aching shoulders and stood up, ready to leave for home.

At that moment, Yang Feng, his colleague sitting opposite, stood and asked, "Yuan Zhuo, done with your work?"

"Yeah," Yuan Zhuo replied as he shut down his computer.

"Thanks for the trouble today," Yang Feng said as he approached and patted Yuan Zhuo’s shoulder apologetically. "My car broke down and is still at the repair shop, so I’ll have to ride with you. Hope that’s okay."

"No problem," Yuan Zhuo smiled. "It’ll be good to chat on the way and ease some fatigue."

Their homes were close by, and Yuan Zhuo’s route home conveniently passed through Yang Feng’s residential complex—no detours or special drop-offs needed.

Yang Feng lugged his briefcase and complained, "The project deadlines have been insane lately. At this rate, I’m going to be completely worn out."

Yuan Zhuo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I haven’t been home before nine once lately. My wife’s starting to wonder what I’m up to every day."

It was almost a family crisis from all the overtime, yet Yuan Zhuo was fine, somehow.

The two chatted as they reached the underground parking lot and got into the car. Yang Feng sighed regretfully, "Always working late. I haven’t had time to catch up on any of my shows."

Yang Feng was a fan of dramas, as many in the company knew.

Yuan Zhuo smiled mysteriously. "I’ve got a good recommendation for you."

"What is it?" Yang Feng asked curiously.

"An audiobook app," Yuan Zhuo explained. "It’s a collaboration between BaiDu Literature and YiDian Reading, containing all their works. I listen to it during my commute home."

Since starting overtime, free time had all but disappeared, and even rest felt like a drain; playing games was out of the question.

This app, jointly launched by two giants in online literature, had good intelligence features. The narration adjusted its speed and tone according to context—not quite on par with professional storytellers but quite pleasant to listen to.

Some popular books even had paid narrator versions.

Yang Feng was tempted. "What have you been listening to lately?"

He had tried other audiobook apps before, but either the synthetic voices were grating or the library was incomplete, with many desired titles lacking licenses. Eventually, he gave up.

Yuan Zhuo started the car and said, "The Big Boss’s ‘Martial Universe’."

"I’m following that too," Yang Feng said with interest. "Let’s listen on the way. I haven’t caught up with the latest chapters because of all this overtime."

"Sure!" Yuan Zhuo agreed readily.

When Yang Feng asked for a ride, Yuan Zhuo had felt a bit disappointed—he missed the chance to listen to the Big Boss’s latest update.

Unexpectedly, his colleague was also a fan of the book.

Yuan Zhuo connected his phone to the car’s Bluetooth with practiced ease.

Soon, the voice of the narrator filled the car.

“Xiao Diao stepped into the void, facing six attackers. His handsome face curled into a slight sneer before he waved his sleeve, and purple-black flames spread around him, forming a blazing shield...”

The narrator’s voice was rich with emotion, immersing listeners in the scene.

‘Martial Universe’ was highly popular on BaiDu Literature, and naturally, many narrators had lent their voices to it on the app.

Yuan Zhuo had chosen the one with the most expressive tone.

Yang Feng shivered with excitement. "This narrator is amazing—I’ve got goosebumps."

Yuan Zhuo was a little proud. "Of course. I spent a lot of time finding him. The narration’s great, and the Big Boss’s writing is top-notch!"

“Lin Dong furiously threw punches. Although the confined space compressed his strength, blood began to seep out...”

The passionate voice reverberated through the car, transforming the stirring words into a vivid auditory experience.

Yang Feng’s scalp tingled. "Makes me want to throw a couple of punches myself."

The three Lin brothers gathered in the Eastern Mysterious Domain; Xiao Diao transformed into the Heavenly Demon Ferret, slaughtering countless Yuan Sect disciples, even facing the Yuan Sect’s Grandmaster Yuan Zi head-on.

The Heavenly Demon Ferret, the Black and White Sacred Tiger, Lin Dong’s great wilderness…

Yang Feng’s blood boiled, his spirit restless.

“I think the Big Boss is just as good as the legends,” Yang Feng said in awe.

Yuan Zhuo, equally fired up by the story, unconsciously sped up the car.

“A drop of blood fell from Lin Dong, seeping into the ground, and the barren land suddenly expanded again...”

Yang Feng felt uneasy all over.

Yuan Zhuo also had goosebumps, gripping the wheel tighter and accelerating further.

A BMW that they had overtaken suddenly roared ahead, clearly angered at being passed by a dozen or so thousand-dollar Dazhong.

The BMW driver slammed the accelerator and quickly closed the gap.

“The girl floated in midair, her ice-blue hair cascading like a waterfall. Her beautiful eyes were now suffused with ice-blue light, and on her forehead, an ice-blue rune—the Reincarnation Mark—glimmered...”

Yang Feng chuckled lightly. "Ying Huanhuan’s my favorite character. Didn’t expect her to be this powerful!"

Who could resist such a cute, lively girl?

Ahead, the traffic light turned red, but neither of them cared. They were too engrossed in the story.

Xiao Diao’s transformation into the Heavenly Demon Ferret and Ying Huanhuan’s awakening as a reincarnator were only the beginning.

They both had great faith in the Big Boss, who never disappointed readers.

Dao Sect’s Grandmaster Ying Xuanzhi and the hidden strong elder in blue robes made their moves.

The three Grandmasters of the Yuan Sect appeared, shaking the Eastern Mysterious Domain.

Until Lin Dong resigned from the Dao Sect.

“Thank you, Grandmaster, for your year-long guidance. From today onward, I, Lin Dong, voluntarily sever all ties with the Dao Sect; my actions shall bear no relation to it...”

These words struck like a match, igniting the passion and fervor of every reader.

The narrator’s emotional delivery captured Lin Dong’s helplessness and unwillingness, the complex feelings spilling from that sentence.

The girl’s reluctance, Ying Xuanzhi’s powerlessness, the three brothers’ anger, and the Yuan Sect’s murderous intent—all woven together.

Yang Feng exhaled. "This is intense."

The Big Boss knew exactly what readers wanted.

Yuan Zhuo remained silent but increased the speed noticeably.

The BMW driver behind them cursed and swerved away, distracted by chasing the car ahead.

Damn!

Feeling a surge of energy but with nowhere to vent it, both men were electrified.

After days of relentless overtime, trapped in the steel forests of skyscrapers, the oppression weighed heavily on every worker’s shoulders.

The passion and brotherhood in the story felt as if they were living it themselves.

“Bloodline sacrifice! Heavenly Demon Ancestor soul!”

When the three brothers were helpless under the Yuan Sect Grandmasters’ assault,

Yuan Zhuo and Yang Feng shared that powerless feeling—just like being forced to work overtime with no way out.

Lin Dong and his brothers dared to resist, to fight back, but they could only endure endless overtime, drained in body and spirit, as family conflicts multiplied.

There were many times when Yuan Zhuo wished he could be like Lin Dong—not submit under pressure but rise against the wind.

When the boss criticized a plan and demanded a rewrite, he wanted to slap the table and say, “Do it or don’t.”

Just the thought made his blood boil.

But he couldn’t.

With elders to care for and children at home, he had to endure.

That was why he liked the Big Boss so much.

To others, ‘Martial Universe’ was just a thrilling fantasy; to Yuan Zhuo, it was a stress-relief miracle.

He naturally saw himself in Lin Dong, and all the villains trampled underfoot were his oppressive bosses.

Instantly, it became even more satisfying.

Stepping on the chairman, punching the general manager, kicking the supervisors...

Sss!

The speed climbed again.

Yang Feng grew anxious. "Yuan Zhuo, aren’t we going a bit fast? There’s no rush."

He had just seen several luxury cars worth over a million yuan fall behind. Many times, they passed just a second before the light turned red.

He glanced at his colleague and saw sheer excitement burning in Yuan Zhuo’s eyes.

Listening to the audiobook was thrilling, but driving?

Yang Feng was genuinely scared.

Because as he spoke, the speed increased once more.

“Yuan Sect dogs! Today you’ve shamed my three brothers, and I, Lin Dong, will remember this forever. But just wait—when we return to the Eastern Mysterious Domain, it will be the end of your Yuan Sect...”

That line pushed the story to its peak.

As the narration ended, Yuan Zhuo brought the car to a stop.

They had arrived at Yang Feng’s residential complex.

Yang Feng still felt reluctant. "Why stop now?"

Though Yuan Zhuo’s driving while listening was terrifying, it was exhilarating, letting him momentarily cast off fatigue and pressure.

Yuan Zhuo was a bit surprised himself. He checked his phone. "The Big Boss’s latest chapter is done."

"So fast?" Yang Feng was amazed.

In just a few minutes, over twenty thousand words had been consumed—the time had flown by.

“Wait!” Yuan Zhuo was about to turn off his phone but noticed a new unread chapter.

He opened it, and his face instantly fell.

"What’s wrong?" Yang Feng asked, sensing something amiss.

Yuan Zhuo said nothing and handed the phone over.

Yang Feng glanced at the screen, then frowned deeply.

"What’s the Big Boss’s deal?" he asked incredulously.

Taking leave now? That can’t be real!

What happened to the three brothers? What about Ying Huanhuan? How will the Dao Sect and Yuan Sect proceed? What will Qing Tan do next?

So many questions remained unanswered.

Yuan Zhuo’s expression grew strange. "It must be true."

He didn’t understand either. Authors often take breaks, but never at such a crucial plot point.

Because that only provokes readers’ anger and harsh criticism.

He enjoyed listening to the book while driving, but the storyline wasn’t finished yet. The climax had just been reached, only to be abruptly paused with a promise to resume three days later.

At the same time, he was grateful he listened rather than read. If he had been reading, he probably would have tipped the author for the thrilling experience.

Would he?

Most likely.

Yang Feng frowned. "Why does this feeling seem so familiar?"

Like he’d seen it somewhere but couldn’t quite place it.

Suddenly, Yuan Zhuo recalled, "‘Battle Through the Heavens’."

His current emotions mirrored those he had when the Big Boss there teased readers about Xiao Yixian’s fate—exciting scenes ruined by the author’s manipulations, leaving readers frustrated.

You want to vent but have no outlet—you can’t really slap the editor-in-chief, after all.

Yang Feng spoke hesitantly, "Is the Big Boss learning from the Big Legends?"

The consequences were terrifying enough that neither dared to speculate further.

Meanwhile, when the Big Boss announced a three-day leave, the entire review section exploded.

Readers lost their composure—they wouldn’t wait a day, much less three.

“Big Boss, please finish this arc before taking a break. This cliffhanger is unbearable.”

“Don’t imitate the Big Legends with their shady moves. Taking leave at this point is just mean.”

“I don’t even dare to complain.”

“Big Boss, take my advice—don’t leave at a cliffhanger. Update first, then rest.”

“What am I going to do? My thirty-meter broadsword is about to fall.”

“Even though we know the three brothers will escape, I just want the Big Boss to say it outright. Otherwise, I can’t calm down!”

“My wife asked what I’m thinking. I said I’m worried Ying Huanhuan won’t return to her lively self, and now I’m kneeling on a washboard.”

“Knowing Qing Tan’s personality, she’ll definitely rush forward. I wonder how it will be written next. What to do? I feel like cursing!”

“Big Boss, why not change your leave reason to ‘Feeling down, taking three days off’? Then I’d have no guilt when I complain.”

“You upstairs are a genius.”

“You have one minute to delete your comment; I’ll post it instead.”

Readers were in an uproar.

Given the Big Boss’s character, this arc would have been finished straight through, with the climax not delayed a single day.

Readers trusted him, and many had already tipped him halfway through.

No need to worry.

He wasn’t like the Big Legends, notorious for frustrating readers.

The Big Legends deliberately antagonized fans; the Big Boss was a conscientious author of the new era.

But when the three-day leave announcement came, doubts crept in.

Was the Big Boss doing this on purpose?

Probably not.

But why take leave at such a critical plot point?

Worse, there was no reader group to ask for explanations.

“I can’t hold back; I have to complain first.”

“Is the Big Boss starting to think he’s one of the Big Legends?”

The ‘Martial Universe’ review section had erupted.

This was the third book to blow up its comment section after ‘Battle Through the Heavens’ and ‘Zhu Xian.’

BaiDu Literature.

Fantasy Editorial Department.

"What’s going on with the Big Boss? What’s the reason for the leave?" The fantasy editor-in-chief was nearly losing his mind.

Having just experienced the brutal torment from the Big Legends, he hadn’t recovered.

He could accept the Big Legends provoking readers—their audience was massive.

But why was the Big Boss stirring up trouble too? Did he think he was a Big Legend?

Wang Ke trembled as he replied, "The Big Boss has some family matters."

He dared not reveal the real reason; the editor-in-chief would have been furious.

The editor-in-chief sighed and waved Wang Ke out.

The reason for the leave was inexplicable.

—

P.S. Posting first, editing later. Please point out any errors.

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