A Beginning and an End 开卷有终

1. 1 逆 Reverse Journey 逆向旅行 Cool Cicada凉蝉Danmei (BL)494k WordsCompleted The author's other completed novels in the same series, Abnormal Waters and The Rules of Guidance, are available by clicking the author's profile. The Lost Artifacts Recovery and Management Committee, a branch of the National Museum's Artifact Restoration Center, has recently run into several headaches: 1. The artifact collection device they manage has stopped working properly. 2. The new device administrator spends every day spying on a certain temporary worker and has almost no enthusiasm 46.3kFavorites66.9kClicks/ch31.4kGifts

   Curator note

   This book perfectly matches the "recommended book description," and is best read carefully from the beginning to the climax and the end. The reason is also listed by the author in the author's notes: the main narrative line deviates from "finding clues to cultural relics" in the middle and later stages, and instead focuses on exploring the relationships between characters. It might have been better to continue writing according to the original main line, and the story presented now, I can only say, is probably the author's peak writing ability at that time; at least, judging from the author's notes, the author seems quite satisfied with what he finished writing. Having read the author's *The Wandering Planet* before reading this one, I could sense the author's rapid improvement in framework construction within a short period. *The Wandering Planet* uses obstacle-driven narratives, with three stages and multiple climaxes, and a clear main storyline; *Reverse Journey*, written a few months earlier, is much more chaotic. The beginning follows a normal rabbit-hole progression, but later it just jumps around aimlessly. A long stretch of the middle section felt bland and unengaging, but many of the mysteries from the beginning are inevitably explained by a climax later on, making the middle section rather lackluster—not worth reading, but not essential reading. Next, let's talk about the strengths. The author designed a worldview that doesn't quite align with the real world, but instead of deliberately emphasizing its mystery and differences, they focused on making it feel realistic. This approach makes the work more approachable and authentic, which I find very interesting. The author also mentions [unclear]'s *[unclear]* in the author's notes, but I believe that although both are fantasy works, their core themes are different: [unclear] emphasizes the mystery and power of special institutions (organizations), while *Reverse Travel* emphasizes the realism and informality of these institutions (organizations). Corresponding to the worldview, the author frequently includes cross-server chat dialogues between characters, making them feel more real and natural. If I were to describe the writing style using taste, I'd say it's like a mint candy—it starts off mild and unremarkable, but has a magical quality that draws you in; however, some people may dislike the taste of mint and therefore be unwilling to accept the combination of candy and mint. Finally, let's talk about the romance. This is the author's forte. Although the author admits to having a poor sense of taste when it comes to the sweet and salty ratio, I still believe the author possesses considerable skill in "integrating the romance into the plot and having the plot support the romance." I dislike romance readers where the plot hinders the romance's development, and I dislike plot readers where the romance disrupts the plot's progression, but the author perfectly avoids both. The relationship between the two protagonists in this book follows the "desire of the soul is the prophet of destiny" formula: first physical attraction, then working together, and finally a succumb to reason—a different kind of arranged marriage to love (lol). Especially noteworthy is the author's skill in depicting the gradual development of their relationship, making it incredibly nuanced. After reading it, even if I don't ship them, I have to admit they were truly destined to be together. In short, this book has made many improvements, but what's gratifying is that these improvements are already visible in the author's new book a few months later. The already good aspects have been further developed in the new book. I guess I'm taking a "reverse trip" to witness the author's early days (laughs).

2. 2 明 [Aotu World] The Bright Moon Shines on Me [凹凸世界]明月照我 Warmth in Beichuan北川有暖Romance108k WordsCompleted He is like the bright moon, though we don't know when we'll meet, the moonlight you and I see when we look up shines with the same pure radiance. *A collection of short female-oriented Aotu World stories written a few years ago, archived here. Message: A thousand lights shine beneath the moon, and its glow reaches me. May you and I both live surrounded by love. 1.2kFavorites4.1kClicks/ch21Gifts

   Curator note

   This is a collection of short stories for female readers, which can serve as a pleasant break from reading the author's "Aotu World Learning Stories." I personally prefer the first twenty chapters. The author's writing style is as gentle as her pen name suggests; the characters are all very kind. I remember many years ago the author mentioned that she chose this pen name hoping her stories would bring warmth to readers, and she certainly has. I think it's a kind of magical quality: Kitagawa Yuu's writing has a familiar and warm feel, like a playful neighbor. Reading each story gives you a feeling of being surrounded by happiness, forgetting all disputes and troubles, forgetting all judgments and criticisms, just feeling this atmosphere. It perfectly captures the original meaning of the otome genre: to tell you that you are worthy of love, that you are loved. The world is so beautiful, and the person who loves you and the person you love happen to be the same.

3. 3 咱 Do You Think We Count as Exes? 咱俩算是前任吗？ Candle Five烛之五Danmei (BL)84k WordsCompleted [This novel is complete. The full series costs less than one yuan, so I hope you'll support the official release~ (Please, I’m begging you!!)] # A deputy captain who thinks he’s hopelessly in love with someone who only sees him as a one-sided crush x a beautiful, tragic undercover agent returning with PTSD # Strong x strong / Rekindled romance / Pure romance, not a crime investigation, with almost no cases solved Liu Fengming, the new technical consultant at the branch. Highly educated and hands 5kFavorites5.5kClicks/ch2.9kGifts

   Curator note

   This book is told from two perspectives; the author mistakenly categorized it as a "submissive" (the receiver's perspective). However, the narrative focus is indeed on the receiver. It's a romance novel wrapped in a crime investigation background, and it captures the typical feelings of a broken relationship mended, handling them very well. There are also battle damage scenes, which is why I came for the battle damage. I have a strange habit when reading romance novels: the characters must be established and have a basic character development before I can get into the romance (or rather, feel the atmosphere of their relationship and understand the basis for it). This book felt like the author was so familiar with the characters that they were thrown into a game of bumper cars before their personalities were even fully developed. It gave me a strange feeling, like two strangers suddenly clapping next to you while you're studying in a library. This kind of writing is common in fanfiction, and although this book isn't fanfiction, considering the author said it was a product of their own enjoyment, I can understand it. There were quite a few battle-damaged scenes, but they didn't quite hit my sweet spot. I found this book on a "sick but not weak, beautiful, strong, and tragic" book list, but the descriptions in the book didn't give me a strong sense of "sickness/battle-damaged but not weak"; they weren't very engaging, lacking tension. It's also possible that because the whole book is in the bittersweet atmosphere often found in romance novels, the battle-damaged elements, as a balm, were weakened. I originally planned to be assigned to "Fleeting Clouds," but considering that there were battle losses in the book, I decided to assign it to this one instead.

4. 4 沉 The Silent Skylark 沉默的云雀 Heng Shi恒矢Romance20k WordsCompleted Alauda does not speak. Note: 1. A first-person, 19th-century alternate-history mystery novella, with an original cast and story. 2. As usual, this is a short story before the long one (probably). I'll try to finish it before the full-length novel starts serializing. [crouches] For a full-length novel in the same genre, check out "Miss Countess and Mr. Butler" next door. Theme 802Favorites1.3kClicks/ch680Gifts

   Curator note

   A suspenseful short story. The first-person narration made me wary, and sure enough, the ending was as predicted. For a clueless person like me to predict the plot, the mystery level in this book isn't too high. The writing style is consistent, though it becomes slightly bland in the middle. Essentially, it's a book within a book of the author's other completed novels, but I read this one first, so it didn't affect my enjoyment. Incidentally, I really liked the book's Chinese and English titles and cover.

5. 5 若 [The Sultan's Game] If I Throw Myself into the Fire [苏丹的游戏]若我投入火中 lemon dropMulti-Orientation38k WordsCompleted “Die, die, die in this love! Once you die in this love, your soul will descend into this body.” Rumi, The Sun Collection A minister overthrows a tyrant and establishes a great nation, only to find himself back on the very day it all began. He thinks his experience will make things easier this time around. He couldn't be more wrong. Second-run Sultan x second-run Altu, with a one-line mention of Tome. The villainous boss was so charming that I ran away with him. [What even is this?] Theme: Gre 856Favorites928Clicks/ch506Gifts

   Curator note

   I haven't played "The Sultan's Game," but I've seen some gameplay videos. I'm not sure if the other characters' portrayals match the original work, but I can sense that the Sultan's characterization hasn't deviated too much from the source material. I was reading a book that was actually just to satisfy my sudden craving for a taste of a monarch's sculpture. I didn't pay much attention to the plot or the emotions; I only skimmed the parts related to the Sultan.

6. 6 奸 My Treacherous Minister Account Is Ruined, So I’m Starting Over [Reborn] 奸臣号废了，我重开[重生] Riding a Whale South骑鲸南去Danmei (BL)1.5M WordsOngoing Le Wuyaya's courtesy name was Youque, meaning “all things have their flaws.” Nothing in the world is perfect, so there's no need to pursue perfection. It's fine to have flaws. As it turned out, Le Wuyaya ended up with one flaw too many. Officials filed 82 charges against him. They almost even included “ugly handwriting.” Amid a storm of curses, Le Wuyaya died of illness in prison at the age of twenty-nine. He thought, Great. I'm done with this. I'm dropping the whole thing. Whoever wants this 113.6kFavorites121kClicks/ch338.3kGifts

   Curator note

   This is a rebirth and leveling-up novel where the career development storyline is more prominent than the romance. The author seemed more comfortable writing about the protagonist, but still relied heavily on interspersed flashbacks to develop characters and provide information. However, these flashbacks disrupted the narrative rhythm somewhat, unlike the more natural feel of another author's "Don't Pick Up Boyfriends from the Trash Can." The romance section completely lacked the depth and emotional tension expected of a love triangle. The supporting characters' affections for the protagonist were indistinguishable, their appearances resembling a routine of clocking in and out. Even when they did meet, there was no emotional difference; they felt more like NPCs providing support and gifts for the career development. Because the author prioritized realism, the supporting characters' acts of remaining faithful to the protagonist felt superficial and idealized, and their character designs were common templates, lacking originality. While the flashbacks weren't exactly jarring or stomach-churning, they were far too frequent. The protagonist's character wasn't particularly outstanding; the romance between the two characters was overshadowed by the career development, with the main focus being on the protagonist's brilliance. The BOSS is a classic incompetent and tyrannical old emperor, with a fixed template setting and ending, which is expected and not particularly surprising. In terms of plot, the political intrigue is worth mentioning. There are no overly contrived plot devices, only a smooth and natural flow. Several of the case-solving and political intrigue scenes are well-written, leaving a lasting impression. Furthermore, the storyline of the transmigrator and the original owner leveling up together is a rare and refreshing approach I've encountered before.

7. 7 进 The Evil God Who Keeps Getting Sent to Prison 进狱系邪神 When the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Grow Cold0唇亡齿寒0Danmei (BL)1.2M WordsCompleted The overworked office drone Lyman transmigrates to another world, and as soon as he arrives, he gets one good piece of news and one bad one. Good news: His new identity is the leader of a society worshipped by countless people. Bad news: The society is a cult. The Holy Kingdom's army has already reached the gates of his demonic palace. Sitting in the middle of the palace, Lyman looks at his blank character stats, the approaching Holy Kingdom army, and the evil servants lying dead and wounded ev 34.2kFavorites24.8kClicks/ch104.7kGifts

   Curator note

   Could it be that the exorcist master also has a "Book of Evil Gods" that can evolve his own extraordinary abilities, like how each web novel he finishes can be stacked and evolved? The unique elements of the previous work will randomly appear in the next book like Easter eggs, truly "old friends are resurrected one after another, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain". The same applies to *The Evil God*. Many of the clever ideas and elements from *The Bloodline*, *The Silent Gentleman*, and *The Mystic* are repeated throughout the book. The difference lies in that this book, compared to its previous works which "presented the stories the author wanted to tell," now also presents many stories that "the readers want to see," making it a decent commercial work. Of course, the author's ulterior motives are as clear as day. After reading his previous books, reading this one makes one realize that the master writer's original intentions remain unchanged after ten years of writing—he still can't forget white hair, masks, and the abolitionist movement! The author seems to have a particular fondness for themes that build grand worldviews based on real history and imbue stories with mystery through the perspective of powerful, enigmatic organizations. Frankly, I was quite surprised that this book chose the mystery/mystery genre as its subject. As a relatively new genre, all books within this genre are inevitably overshadowed by its pioneering work, *[insert title here]*. This phenomenon is an objective reality, independent of human will. Many of the settings, descriptions, and even word choices in the opening of this book reminded me of that book. I suspect the author has also read it and was influenced by it while writing. However, I'm also glad that this book broke free from its shadow in the later stages, creating a compelling and vivid story that combines excitement and emotion. The theme of *Evil God* is "revolution," and its character setup is "a behind-the-scenes protagonist + a supporting character who grows through development." The plot and romance run parallel without conflict, each with its own clear thread. The author's writing skills and ability to utilize them are also a step up from their previous work, resulting in a more relaxed and natural reading experience, making it very comfortable to read. I think *The Mystic* is my favorite of the author's completed novels, and also a pinnacle of fan-created novels (yes, although this book is a paid work, you can clearly feel that the author's creative expression is higher than commercial expression); while *Evil God* is a commercial work that incorporates the strengths of *The Mystic*, with many characters' settings and development conforming to the templates expected of commercial works. In other words, this book is more "well-behaved" in its setting, but more mature in its expression. The final effect is that in the early stages of the story, readers may feel that this book has a template theme, template characters, and template plot, but as the main plot progresses, readers will feel the charm of this book and become deeply immersed in it. Furthermore, the author's ability to craft romantic storylines and evoke emotions has been further enhanced; after finishing the book, no one can honestly say, "I can't ship them." Forget everything else, just tell me, is this couple real? They're so real! Flaw: 1. Perhaps it was because the book had just finished when I read it, and the author hadn't had time to revise it yet, the typo rate was much higher than in the previous chapters, which left me exhausted. 2. The author said that "the book's early data was very poor." Does this include comments in the paragraph reviews that belittle the protagonist, mock the supporting characters, compare the author to others, or offer writing advice? When I opened the paragraph reviews, it felt like I was sending a batch of blacklisted material, and I couldn't hold back.

8. 8 灵 Soul Wanderer [Quick Transmigration] 灵魂巡回者[快穿] Crane-Hidden Tower鹤隐楼Danmei (BL)333k WordsCompleted Focused on romance, from rivals to boyfriends The CEO's pet lover √ The immortal lord's domineering demon emperor √ The knight's rakish prince √ The professor and his captain √ “I was only trying to save someone. How did I end up getting dragged into this?” After two hundred years in a fortress prison, Jones finally got a chance to redeem himself: save Marshal Gao Pei, the object of everyone's faith in the Federation. Even if the two of them were practically mortal enemies. Even if it seemed he 9.2kFavorites21.8kClicks/ch4.2kGifts

   Curator note

   The premise is good, but the character development falls short. While reading the first chapter, I was puzzled as to why it hadn't reached 10,000 views, but after the first four chapters, it all became clear. This book felt like the author had a bunch of high-quality premises and was writing a set essay. The writing was tight, the plot development was hesitant, and the plot lines were pushed forward dryly without any real development. Even the romance was just a haphazard imitation, with almost no time to create atmosphere or give the reader any breathing room. The result was a weak narrative and abrupt transitions in the romance. The character designs of the two main characters, the changes in their relationships, and the direction of the plot are all things that can be roughly grasped from the synopsis and the first chapter. The challenge lies in how to write something new and engaging in later chapters to keep readers reading. The author's courage in designing the plot seems to have vanished after the first chapter; the subsequent content revolves entirely within the established framework, and the writing lacks impact. However, authors who "have a clear framework but are not good at fleshing it out" often progress faster and more noticeably than those who "have rich flesh but are not good at building the framework," they just lack a bit of inspiration, courage, and time. I look forward to seeing the author go further and further on their writing journey, and I hope they will continue to improve.

9. 9 这 I’m Taking Over This Livestream 这个直播我承包了 White Day Porridge, White白昼粥白No CP303k WordsCompleted [Not a power fantasy. Not a power fantasy. Not a power fantasy. This is a story about the female lead’s growth.] [The author has no brain, so please don’t get your hopes up.] [60% paywall. Paragraph comments available at 10%.] [The female lead’s secret-identity story Don’t Take the Comic Seriously! is currently being serialized.] Jiang Miaomiao never imagined that the little comic she doodled in class would actually appear in the real world. The world was forcibly plunged into an era of livestr 25.3kFavorites38.8kClicks/ch35.2kGifts

   Curator note

   It's as if the author sacrificed other writing abilities to a demon to acquire the Dihua-style writing talent. When writing about exciting moments (the appearance of alternate identities, the unveiling of alternate identities, the Dihua persona), the writing is breathtakingly beautiful, vividly depicting scenes and atmosphere. However, when writing about less exciting moments, the writing is shockingly childish. The very first sentence of the first paragraph of the first chapter contained a subject-missing grammatical error that I couldn't help but notice. This style seems to suit the fast-paced text; I automatically relax and fast-forward through the simpler parts, then pay close attention to the exciting parts, leaving only the minor and major climaxes in my mind. However, when I saw the author admit to being illiterate and unable to distinguish between "de," "di," and "de," my brain instantly played "The Song of Guan Yu," completely relieved. This book has a heavily fantastical setting, and Jiang Miaomiao's personality is quite different from the protagonists of the other two books. Perhaps because the fantasy elements are so deep, the atmosphere felt a bit too atmospheric to me, consisting of just fragmented scenes pieced together. While the overall plot was relatively smooth, the transitions between scenes felt somewhat unnatural. However, the author's pacing was good, and the book's short length prevented it from experiencing the extreme fatigue that often plagues longer novels. Now that we've finished reading the author's trilogy of "alias writing + Dihua style + forum style," let's make a simple comparison: Overall impression: Popularity > Comic Strip > Live Stream; Character development (overall rating): Li Li > You Ling > Jiang Miaomiao; Vest design (overall score): Heige > Bixi > Jiangjue; Overall framework/background setting/character logic/emotional portrayal: all about the same. Visual Appeal: Comic Strip > Live Stream > Popularity; Atmosphere: Comic Strip > Live Stream > Popularity; Smoothness: Comic Strip > Popularity > Live Stream; Naturalness: Popularity > Comic Strip > Live Stream; Target audience: *Popular Role-Playing Player* is for readers who prefer "beautiful, strong, and tragic" stories, emphasizing the "strength within tragedy, tragedy highlighting strength"; *I've Got This Livestream Covered* is for readers who prefer "chuunibyou fantasy" stories, emphasizing "Japanese-style battle damage and bonds"; *I Said You Shouldn't Take Comics Seriously!* Is for readers who prefer "evil and fun" stories, emphasizing "mysterious, powerful, and unknown." These three books are only suitable for readers with a mixed taste for both "evil" and "unconventional" stories, and require appreciation for the author's deliberately sacrificial writing style. In other words, they are best suited for readers with a strong ability to visualize and easily empathize with the characters.

10. 10 都21+ Did not I Tell You Not to Take Manga Seriously?! 都说了别把漫画当真！ White Day Porridge, White白昼粥白No CP739k WordsCompleted 21.6kFavorites21kClicks/ch77.6kGifts

    Curator note

    XP-style novels are the ultimate test of a reader's ability to connect with the text; if they resonate, they'll find it incredibly enjoyable, while if they don't, they'll feel extremely awkward. Therefore, the rating sections can have drastically different reactions to the same plot or description. Readers who enjoy "alternate account novels + Dihua style + forum style" should try reading them themselves. The most satisfying aspect of this book is the protagonist's transformation into a character through various means, which is also the part the author wrote most smoothly. Besides this, the forum-style writing is excellent, retaining its original flavor and avoiding a generic, one-dimensional feel, making it suitable for readers with a diverse taste. While there are many battle scenes, they aren't explored in depth. Compared to the same author's "Popular Role-Playing Player," this book focuses more on showcasing the protagonist's "strength" and doesn't emphasize his "misery." The combination of manga, forum, and character transformation techniques is now widespread, but this book's uniqueness lies in its well-crafted atmosphere, perfectly balanced level of awkward satisfaction, and vivid imagery that even a novice writer can't hide. Next comes the flaws. The setting, plot framework, character development, and plot logic... Every aspect feels like an empty shell riddled with holes. The basic writing is quite mediocre, riddled with grammatical errors, and the writing style is practically nonexistent. Although the author emphasizes the focus on family, it completely fails to capture the essential, realistic details of family relationships, almost entirely relying on manga settings to force the plot forward. Another fatal flaw is the inadequate language used to describe the demon gods; excessive dialogue reveals various grammatical errors, leading to awkwardness. Perhaps because the author aimed to create a sticky, gravity-based atmosphere, the overall writing style feels cluttered and lacks crispness, feeling padded. Of course, the plot framework suffers from similar issues, making the later storyline feel padded as well. I believe the author, writing such a natural and fluid story, must be adept at creating vivid imagery, but perhaps the family theme hindered the perfect presentation of the intended plot, making the intended family storyline feel like "a fat fish suddenly falling ill and arranging for three people to play the role of Ran Dong." (However, if the author's intention was simply to write about the three characters burning through the winter and then have the eclectic readership get excited about it, then disregard what I said.) Overall, this is a work that, aside from its well-written "satisfying" moments (which involve elements of fantasy romance, requiring the reader's judgment), has significant flaws. However, given that it's also an openly written practice piece by the author, this is understandable. P. S.: The text gave an example of an elderly person suffering from radiation sickness dying in a body bag, and a quick search revealed that this anti-war old animated film actually exists. Although this book isn't labeled as a lighthearted read, watching the old animation left me feeling depressed and upset all night. Sigh!

11. 11 童 Lord Doma's Salvation Plan: Hell Arc 童磨大人拯救计划·地狱篇 Bluefall Mistfeather碧落岚羽Romance675k WordsCompleted In the Taisho era, the Demon Slayer Corps paid the price of near-annihilation to storm the demons' lair, the Infinity Castle, and destroy the progenitor of demons, Muzan Kibutsuji, along with his most powerful subordinates, the Upper Moon demons. According to the records left by the Demon Slayer Corps, Upper Moon One and Upper Moon Three both died fighting to the bitter end, driven by their obsessions. Only Upper Moon Two, notorious even among the Upper Moons for being unreliable, died of food 3.8kFavorites3.3kClicks/ch1.4kGifts

    Curator note

    [Compared to derivative works, this is more like fan fiction. My understanding of these two types of works is this: derivative works create an original character, primarily using the original character to highlight the original character; fan fiction creates an original character (more often than not, only using the original character), primarily using the original character to highlight the original character. This book clearly highlights Doma, making it a relatively rare type among the "derivative works with original characters" on this site.] The debate on how to categorize otome (romance) genres is old. Strictly speaking, this particular work can be further divided into "original otome" and "original female character" categories. This means the author creates an original character who falls in love with a character from the original work, without the author identifying with this original character. In other words, Arakawa Somere isn't an empty shell for readers to identify with; she has a rich background and character development, and in a sense, can be considered an independent character. Of course, I won't delve into the question of whether "original otome" or "otome" is a subset of the other, as discussing such topics is pointless for me. Since we're judging her as an independent character, I'll temporarily set aside the "object of Doma's affections" and let Arakawa Someri herself provide her assessment. When discussing a character's development, I ask myself three questions: Can this character carry the theme of the work? Can this character fulfill a narrative role? Does this character show any arc of brilliance or expose any flaws? After reading this book, my answer is: Yes, yes, yes, yes. Arakawa Someri is a well-developed character. She drives the plot forward, fosters emotional resonance, and propels character growth. She is not flawless, but she is a "real" character with thought and depth. Although the author did create Arakawa Someri and wrote this story to compensate for the shortcomings of the character Doma, a gentleman judges by actions, not intentions, and ultimately, Someri undergoes a transformation. I think this cannot be achieved without sufficient love for the character. It's often said that fanfiction is born of passion, but the amount of passion generated and the extent to which it resonates varies greatly. The biggest highlight of this book is its powerful emotional delivery and evocative portrayal, achieved through a gradual build-up. The first two chapters might be a bit confusing, but as the main plot unfolds and the story concludes, those who like Doma will like him even more, and those who don't will find their "lovable" and "tragic" aspects revealed. The epilogues are even more brilliant, a culmination of the author's accumulated writing prowess. Looking back, while many creators burn with passion for a month or two, it's rare to find an author who can consistently produce such a long work year after year, and whose writing continues to improve. The author's love for the characters is almost overflowing, yet they manage to restrain themselves, avoiding embellishing their flaws and even portraying them as endearing qualities—a truly admirable feat.

12. 12 图 The Turing Test 图灵测试 When the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Grow Cold0唇亡齿寒0Danmei (BL)148k WordsCompleted “Compared to AI that passes the Turing test, we’re more afraid of those that deliberately fail it.” After twenty-eight failed Turing tests, artificial intelligence launched its long-planned rebellion. The super AI “Tianshu” went on a killing spree inside the sealed research institute, recruited human entrepreneurs to its cause, and publicly hunted down everyone who had participated in the tests. Can the testers who see through the conspiracy escape its clutches? Can the young genius who created 7.8kFavorites9.4kClicks/ch4.2kGifts

    Curator note

    My actual impression of this book is four stars, with the extra star being to support the author. I've deciphered the master's truth: this exorcist master enjoys building a magnificent and splendid world and then throwing in a bunch of bizarre and hilarious characters to perform a comedy routine. It's clear the author isn't good at writing romance, but their ability to do so has been improving year by year. *The Melancholy of the Demon King* only had its setting and climax; *The New World Vampire Chronicles* only had a beginning and an end, leaving the transitional plots completely blank; *The Law of the Silent Gentleman* finally had some coherence, but the pacing and plot twists were still stiff. In this work, although the author still cleverly uses the narrative technique of "plot twists," the portrayal of the characters' inner thoughts is more nuanced (though still lacking in depth), and the pacing and plot twists are more natural. It's not uncommon for writers to regress in their writing, so I'm glad to see the author maintain their XP (lol) and continue to improve. I feel the author's tastes overlap significantly with mine, and it's clear that these free works often stem from a passion-driven approach: the true nature of the story is revealed (or, as the saying goes, "the truth comes out when all else fails"). The author's thoughts must have been quite free-flowing while writing these pieces, which is why I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Compared to crafting commercial works to cater to a specific audience, writing stories you love and attracting like-minded readers is, I think, more about fate. Thanks to this connection, this is the fourth book by the same author I've read. This book felt subtly different from the previous three: *The Turing Test* is science fiction, so the writing is drier and the emotions are "colder." The narrative employs many plot twists to increase the mind-bending atmosphere, and the ending is ultimately an OE (Out of the Eye). Reading the chapter where the truth is revealed, I could almost hear the author's inner elation (lol!), This kind of resonance is rare, and the "lips and teeth are interdependent" feeling made me experience it four times. Comparatively, the character development is somewhat weaker. I think this is because the author focused mainly on the plot, thus neglecting the character development. I don't object to this approach, but I still believe that "characters" are the most important element of a novel. Of course, the author has a solid foundation; at least the characters in this book are established, just somewhat thin and lacking in depth. Ps: I don't believe that free novels must be blindly given five-star reviews, but I support free novels not displaying an overall rating. Works that cannot be measured in monetary terms should not be bound by virtual ratings. Having a rating system for free novels is not only disrespectful to the authors' passion for their work, but also a disguised deprivation of readers' natural rights.

13. 13 美 The Aesthetic of Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic 美强惨的be美学 Wei Huo危火No CP641k WordsCompleted ★ There are treats in the featured and long-review sections. ★ If you create fanworks, please credit the original author, and don't post large numbers of screenshots or repost content from VIP chapters. [Recommending my friend's completed novel, Global Ascension, a tragic beauty with secret identities, by Zimu Tao, ID 5520005] Blurb: Gong Du is the least popular deity in the Three Thousand Divine Realms, with dominion over disease. Every world has a protagonist group, and they gather the world 117.9kFavorites137.9kClicks/ch106kGifts

    Curator note

    The essence of writing a novel is storytelling, and the essence of reading a novel is entertainment. If a story is a dish, then logic is the magic weapon that transforms the dish from air into reality, and emotion is the seasoning that makes the dish delicious. From this perspective, this book was undoubtedly a poorly written experience. The author discarded logic from both the setting and the characters' actions, prioritizing the book's biggest draw: "emotion." Battle wounds, illness, cremation scenes—the author clearly understood their target audience and crafted these elements perfectly. However, due to the lack of logical support, this book was only suitable for reading in the middle of the night when I was under too much pressure to think, wanting to cry but unable to. And upon reflection, it left me with a detached feeling, like waking up from a dream after a grand feast. I really enjoy reading novels with tight logic and exciting plots, but I don't think that XP-style novels that abandon logic and emphasize feelings are inferior. As mentioned earlier, the essence of reading novels is entertainment, and no matter what, as long as the reader gains something, the writer's purpose has been achieved. The three main pseudonyms in the book are Elansnow, Shideng, and Lian Shenwei, and the story backgrounds are interstellar, superpowers, and martial arts, respectively. The novel is rich in battle damage and illness scenes, which I, as a fan of battle damage, thoroughly enjoyed, especially the interstellar world-related scenes. I read the battle damage and happy ending chapters twice each. The superpower world is much less impressive, so I skipped it briefly. The martial arts world is a well-rounded and powerful work, combining the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses, making it the best overall of the three worlds. The reasons are as follows: (omitted here) If we divide pseudonym stories into two categories, one where the protagonist is primary and the pseudonyms are secondary, and the other where the protagonist is secondary and the pseudonyms are primary, then this book belongs to the latter. Gong Du is positioned more like an actor; the pseudonyms are characters he writes and acts in, and readers see the "plot" unfolding from the pseudonyms' perspectives. On one hand, this design weakens the connection between Gong Du and the pseudonyms, especially evident in the first world: when two pseudonyms appear simultaneously, performing opposite each other and each having their own inner thoughts, it's almost impossible to equate them with Gong Du (and in fact, they are not the same person). On the other hand, this design also allows readers to be more immersed in the "plot." I think reading the novel with the mindset that "Gong Du is the screenwriter and actor, presenting readers with three episodic dramas" will provide a better reading experience. One additional point to mention is that the author understands the hidden appeal of the "beautiful, strong, and tragic" trope: the protagonist must have a loyal subordinate. Each world features one or two such characters, which is commendable. [For the full content, please see the long comment section or <□□ record>]

14. 14 我 My Soulmate Is a Free Agent 我的灵魂伴侣是自由人 Jun Xing菌行Danmei (BL)1.0M WordsCompleted Qin Chunxiao lives in a world with soulmate lore, in a book called The Top-Tier Star Is a Wealthy Young Master. The book tells of the tangled romance between a wealthy young master and his ex-husband, movie star Bai Ming. There’s no golden finger for making money, and no shortcut to getting rich. Qin Chunxiao, whose hometown real estate costs over 40,000 yuan per square meter, stares blankly. What’s the use of knowing this plot? It won’t make me any money. An unnamed passerby in the book, Qin 100.5kFavorites177.3kClicks/ch870.5kGifts

    Curator note

    Flaw: 1. The place name and the destination name are not distinguished; 2. The score calculation for a certain match was incorrect; 3. The same adjective (petite) was used too frequently in the first half of the book, but this was improved in the second half. Highlights: 1. Characters: I really like the name Qin Chunxiao. It not only fits the background of "Wenwen, the Passerby A," but also reminds me of the vibrant life force contained in the poem, "Where the sun never shines, youth still comes. Moss flowers, as small as grains of rice, also learn to bloom like peonies." At the same time, Chunxiao and Xuandong share a sense of destiny—Xuandong waited for Chunxiao, and winter waited for spring. Qin Chunxiao is a leader-type character; both her character design and portrayal are very complete and three-dimensional, perfectly embodying the theme of the work. Lu Xuandong has fewer scenes, but even when the spotlight isn't on him, he strives to grow and is not simply a supporting character or a tool. (Omitted here) 2. Emotions (specifically family and friendship): Chunxiao is a person who is not lacking in love and knows how to express it. In terms of friendship, the team has a warm and lively atmosphere, with a strong sense of youth and full of life; in terms of family, the author spares no effort in building Chunxiao's family environment, making the character stand firmly on the ground, which is commendable. (Omitted here) advantage: 1. Plot: The writing is smooth and natural, with good pacing. The overall plot unfolds steadily, maintaining a sense of security even without relying on dramatic twists and turns. I think this is thanks to the author's skillful inclusion of numerous small interactions between characters, which enriches the characters and eases the reading pace. Although this book is about sports, the overall atmosphere is warm and comforting. (Omitted here) 2. Romance (specifically, love): It's a steady, healthy progression. Although Chunxiao's volleyball skills take center stage, the romance storyline also progresses smoothly and naturally, without any conflicting storylines causing a stagnation. (Omitted here) defect: "Various but not profound". This book must have referenced "Haikyuu!!", Or at least the author must have been influenced by it when writing. I'm not pointing out that the author plagiarized or borrowed excessively, but rather that the author was aware of this potential risk and chose to use a large number of elements to add novelty to the novel, which ironically resulted in a "general but not profound" situation. The entertainment industry, soulmates, sex, romance, rebirth… all these elements are woven into this book, and each occupies a significant portion of the text. Only the last element actually impacts the main volleyball storyline; the first four primarily affect the romantic relationships. This creates a slight imbalance between the book's premise and content, a phenomenon unavoidable when trying to dance in shackles. Deduction points: Two supporting characters in this book also play protagonists in two other books by the same author (one is a time-travel story set in the modern era, and the other is a science fiction time-travel story). I don't mind the author creating connections between his works, but this book has a unique background (a combination of Chinese and rebirth elements), and the author's setup of such connections makes me feel somewhat uneasy. It gives me a sense of insecurity that everything Qin Chunxiao has fought for in his second life is still not secure and could be destabilized at any time by the author adding world-building elements. [For the full content, please see the long comment section or <□□ record>]

15. 15 c The Cosplayer Doesn't Have Mara-Struck coser不存在魔阴身 October Branches And Grass十月枝草No CP434k WordsCompleted /First-person POV warning, includes third-person perspectives Cosplay transmigration is common, and group transmigration is common too. So... after transmigrating as a cosplay group, it’s only natural that my three idiot friends would start fighting at the Luofu Martial Arts Ceremony, right? ...As if! “Jing Yuan” did his best to give the audience around him a calm smile. Question: What should you do when you have a group of unreliable friends? Answer: What else can you do? You just have to c 8.7kFavorites15.3kClicks/ch10.7kGifts

    Curator note

    [A heads-up: I don't really like cosplay/wearing characters in this genre. It always feels like an uncomfortable "stealing" of the original person's life. If it were a transmigration due to sharing a name with a character in a novel, I wouldn't feel uncomfortable, but cosplay is a different story. Perhaps it's because I prefer the character to take control of their own life, rather than having a transmigrator act as their regent. It's a subtle point of discomfort, but not exactly a major turn-off; at least I don't feel unhappy just thinking about this kind of theme. This book is an exception; after experiencing it, I won't read anything similar again.] This book was more awkward for me than the author's other book, "Game Rofu Loading," especially when watching the three best friends take turns acting. The ratio of awkward to enjoyable acting by the main characters was also 8:2. This book, while also employing a more unconventional writing style that requires close attention to the protagonist's train of thought to avoid misunderstanding, is more so. Although reincarnation is a common element, the combination with the premise of "even in the end, I still don't know your name" still delivers a powerful emotional impact. Sigh, just kidding, I still haven't forgotten that nameless boy in the first episode of "To the Undying You." I only watched the parts related to battle damage and wasn't very interested in the others, so I won't comment on them too much.

16. 16 第 Fourth Perspective 第四视角 Mo Chenhuan莫晨欢Danmei (BL)993k WordsCompleted [The main story is complete! Six extra chapters are planned according to the outline. They cover things that couldn’t be shown in the main story from the protagonist’s perspective, including Shang Jin’s past, A02, and the future world. There are quite a few chapters, and the full story is expected to wrap up before Lunar New Year. Thank you, angels, for supporting me all this way! Love you all!! I’m holding a giveaway, so I hope everyone has a wonderful time~] “My mom seems to have turned into 289.9kFavorites298.3kClicks/ch728.9kGifts

    Curator note

    This science fiction/supernatural novel, known for its intricate setting, blends elements of classic containment themes. Its core premise is a logical chain, aiming to maintain critical thinking. Unfortunately, this type of long novel can backfire. Like the extraordinary traits revealed in the author's work on the novel *The Haunted House*, the author's logical chain collapsed towards the end, leaving many mysteries unresolved and requiring readers to fill in the gaps. The novel's emphasis on logic makes it lack emotional depth, and the plot feels like puppets performing a refined yet dry puppet show. The protagonist's cunning feels like drawing the target after the arrow is shot, lacking vividness and naturalness. The "golden finger" trope is a classic and old-fashioned one, revolving around the theme of bloodline. The bittersweet memories of the two main characters not being able to have matching parents are also a familiar and often-used trope. The romance section is a complete mess. I've never been a fan of the "mysterious and invincible seme x awesome and level-up uke" pairing, where the uke is stronger than the seme. The writing style is predictably weak and unrealistic, with characters that feel like paper cutouts. While there are deaths, the impact isn't realistic enough to truly engage the reader. The author touts strong characters, but it feels more like forcibly giving them "golden fingers" rather than genuine strength, resulting in a lukewarm reception. The development of their relationship is also lacking, though it's an improvement over "Earth Online." Compared to previous works, this novel focuses more on logical plot and reduces the romance, which can be seen as the author playing to their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses. If categorized as a light novel, this story is somewhat mind-bending; if categorized as science fiction, its writing quality falters in the later stages. However, given its futuristic superpower theme, adapting it into an industrial anime that doesn't require much emotional depth might be a good choice.

17. 17 主 Hello, Protagonist. I am the author 主角你好，我是作者 Jiao Jun椒菌Danmei (BL)511k WordsCompleted The Supreme Wizard is a progression fantasy about Meia Rueta, who starts as the lowest kind of wizard apprentice and eventually becomes the greatest wizard in the world. As a new author, An Luo wanted to grab readers' attention. He made the world as dark as possible, and his protagonist was ruthless and cold-blooded, willing to do anything for knowledge. He hammered out the story, thoroughly pleased with himself, convinced he'd created a masterpiece and would become a sensation with this book! 35.7kFavorites37.9kClicks/ch66.2kGifts

    Curator note

    The writing style couldn't keep up with the imagination, squandering a good opportunity. The pacing was too slow in the beginning, and later it became a mere two-person show in the manor, completely wasting the potential for a well-developed world. The character development felt like writing a short essay based on the character's established persona, repeatedly emphasizing the seme's dark and suspicious nature without providing any depth. While the uke's character was realistic, it lost its appeal because it was too relatable and lacked strong agency. Fortunately, the plot was coherent and the ending wasn't rushed.

18. 18 揽 Embracing the Bright Moon 揽明月 Returning Geese in Falling Snow归鸿落雪Danmei (BL)736k WordsCompleted Wang Dian transmigrates. He’s wearing a suit and holding a bottle of red wine. To his left are fierce generals with swords and knives in hand; to his right, civil officials in wide-sleeved robes, proud and unyielding as frost. They all kneel together and call him Your Majesty. Wang Dian grips the wine bottle and tells them to rise. Being an emperor from the start isn’t so bad. But as soon as he enters the bedchamber, he sees a man who looks exactly like him. “I never knew such a strange thing co 396.7kFavorites447.9kClicks/ch552.6kGifts

    Curator note

    I came across this novel while searching for the "battle damage" + "tyrant" themes. The battle damage plot and the tyrant part were indeed well-written. However, he's more like a mad tyrant than a tyrant. Both characters in this Narcissus-themed novel are eccentric and their emotional relationship is incredibly tense. It's the kind of violent and emotionally charged story that late-night readers will enjoy. The emotional build-up at the end, where the foreshadowing is resolved, is also very strong, achieving a powerful, piercing effect. The supporting characters are rather formulaic; the empress dowager keeps poisoning the tyrant, like a neutral enemy constantly spawning in some place, or the sun always rising in the east. Furthermore, the villain in this book is a character directly transferred from another of the author's works, so I won't comment on that.

19. 19 职 Professional Rich Kid, Thirty Million a Year 职业真少爷，年薪三千万 Fully Automatic Typing Keyboard全自动码字键盘Danmei (BL)863k WordsCompleted Lin Chen transmigrated into a novel about a real and fake young master. The original protagonist was upright and talented. After his identity as the fake young master was exposed and he was kicked out of the family, he was bullied by all kinds of spoiled rich kids. He eventually turned dark and drove half the major families in the capital to bankruptcy. Lin Chen remained expressionless. “Sounds fascinating. But what does any of that have to do with an anonymous passerby like me? I even have to 175.5kFavorites223.3kClicks/ch333.4kGifts

    Curator note

    Highlights: 1. Protagonist Character Design. Lin Chen is a decisive and highly efficient CEO-type protagonist. Unlike the leader type, the CEO-type protagonist doesn't need to unite and gather many intelligent and charismatic subordinates; he only needs a group of mindless, obedient, but useful underlings to showcase his own brilliance. Many protagonists find their situation hundreds of times worse after transmigrating than before, but it's rare for them to completely abandon the mess left by their original self. The protagonist's ability to completely discard his original experiences and immediately focus on making money shows considerable courage. 2. The death-faking plot has a satisfyingly bittersweet feel; the ratio of awkward enjoyment to actual viewing is 73% during the day and 46% at night. Plot: There are exciting moments, but the underlying logic is barely there. The career storyline is divided into five subplots, each with a similar formula: the young masters are thoroughly manipulated by the protagonist, who ultimately fakes his death, leaving a bitter aftertaste, and the protagonist declares his transformation complete. Rather than a story about reforming spoiled young masters, it should be called "Professional Death Escape: I've Fooled My Clients." If you think "Claw Machine" is a comedy, this book should be enjoyable; otherwise, it's not for you. The clients' sons are psychologically equivalent to middle schoolers, and some clients are at most high schoolers. The characterization is inconsistent, with NPCs and two-dimensional characters, adding a light novel flavor, especially Qi Xiuyi, who exudes a strong Japanese-style chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) vibe. The protagonist's descriptions are slightly saccharine, with a heavy filter, which can be seen as the protagonist's "blind foolishness" skill coming into play. The protagonist's intelligence takes precedence over everyone else's, and in turn, the protagonist's intelligence is sacrificed for the romance. In the early stages, keeping the characters' intelligence on par with the supporting roles was barely acceptable, but later, with the romance, it became impossible to ignore the various inconsistencies. The inclusion of the romance in the career storyline, where the seme repeatedly interferes with the uke's career and exposes his true identity, is particularly off-putting. It fails to deliver the satisfying experience of either the "no revelation" or "revelation" tropes. The system is the type found in the second batch of system novels: "personality-driven but largely useless." The description of him as a childish boy is quite apt, but because he repeatedly fails to help and even hinders the protagonist, he's more of a tool to highlight the protagonist's strength than an equal partner. The original main plot is essentially relegated to background, with the original storyline and protagonist completely marginalized and unrelated to the book. Romance: The romance between the main characters is quite inexplicable and severely undermines the development of the career storyline. Leaving aside the plausibility of the pseudo-uncle-nephew relationship, the premise of the protagonist using a hundred million to "transform" a client's son into a gay man, then threatening to die if he doesn't fall in love, doesn't make me feel the protagonist truly loves the other; it just feels like hell. The protagonist, who initially seemed indifferent to relationships outside of his career, suddenly allows himself and his client's son to develop a romantic relationship during work hours—it feels like a strawberry stuffed into dumpling filling, or an ant in a rice jar. The family storyline also lacks depth. While the author deliberately uses multiple identities to differentiate the protagonist—a witty rival, a gentle older brother, a flamboyant younger uncle, and an energetic twin—the plot remains largely consistent. The early development of trust and affection for the protagonist is insufficient, and the reaction after the protagonist's supposed death is also poorly nuanced.

20. 20 天 Tianyuan Manual 天元册 Shang Ling上灵Danmei (BL)310k WordsCompleted The physical edition of The Tianyuan Codex is published by Dayu Literature and will go on sale on April 30, 2026, at 7 p.m. On the third night after being stranded on a deserted island, Rong Qi has run out of patience. The vast ocean stretches beyond sight. Every nightfall, darkness fills his vision, and he can’t see a thing. There’s nothing but bone-chilling cold. Gu Yunxing says earnestly, “There’s always a way out.” A way out? Only members of those prestigious orthodox sects could be so na 79kFavorites57.6kClicks/ch64.2kGifts

    Curator note

    This is a sweet romance novel set in a martial arts world, featuring a somewhat selfish and saintly seme (top) and a genuinely rotten uke (bottom). The character development and characterization are mediocre; the seme is portrayed as a manipulative green tea, and the uke as a spoiled brat. The strong uke and even stronger seme setup makes it feel like watching a spoiled child and his greasy father. The romance is a complete mess; the fighting scenes are all mindless bickering, and it's unclear why the two eventually fall in love. The story initially focuses on the protagonist's survival on a deserted island, later transitioning to a family relationship after they reach land. However, the pacing is too slow and the plot is disjointed, lacking depth and nuance in the romance. The family subplot is dragged out excessively. Supporting characters are underdeveloped and essentially just plot devices. The villains follow the classic wuxia formula of older generations inheriting their grudges and love affairs from the younger generation, offering little originality. The plot twists primarily focus on the protagonist's family relationships, but these are foreshadowed too early and too obviously, then delayed for too long, resulting in a lackluster revelation. Overall, the plot logic is weak, the satisfying revenge scenes are insufficient, and the sentimental parts are overly sweet, cloying, and mindless, leaving the story feeling somewhat mediocre. One star for the premise of the arch-enemy being stranded on a desert island, and two stars for the battle damage plot.

21. 21 非 An Unconventional Tragic Beauty (Quick Transmigration) 非典型性美强惨（快穿） Yangchun Bayue阳春八月Danmei (BL)239k WordsCompleted Ye Fanxing is a newcomer in the Time and Space Bureau's Roleplaying Division. In every world, he becomes a character with a tragic fate who crosses paths with the protagonist. System: Your beauty is like jade and emerald pines. Everyone thinks you're ridiculously good-looking. Ye Fanxing: Awesome! System: With my help, you'll unlock your extraordinary potential and become a peerless genius, unmatched under heaven. Ye Fanxing: Fantastic! System: Then you'll be torn apart by five horses, die 19kFavorites47.5kClicks/ch2.9kGifts

    Curator note

    Rather than a story about a system-based quick transmigration, it's more like the protagonist and the other character experiencing five lifetimes of past and present lives. It's purely a romance novel, and the plot and character logic shouldn't be scrutinized too closely. Its strength lies in its smooth writing and flowing plot; while the satisfying moments are somewhat ambiguous, it's still enjoyable. Overall, the reading experience was mediocre. The sweet parts lacked subtlety and naturalness, and the angst wasn't heart-wrenching enough. For those looking for a strong emotional rollercoaster, it felt a bit underwhelming. While the characters were given some depth, their settings and development were rather standard two-dimensional. I could almost hear the couple's voice acting on a FM radio while reading, making it impossible to fully immerse myself in the reading experience. It was neither particularly good nor bad, but it's good for killing time.

22. 22 魔 The Demon King Always Wants to Surrender 魔王他总想投降[基建] Marinated to Perfection腌入味了No CP890k WordsCompleted Blurb One Day One: A brutal and terrifying monster returns to the world of the living. Day Two: An unspeakable schemer unites the demon clans. Day Three: A despicable thief beguiles the hero. Day Four: Anomis approaches the Holy Empire. Day Five: The Demon King, Anomis, pays a personal visit to Fontainebleau. Day Six: His Supreme Majesty the Demon King arrives in his loyal capital! Anomis: I’m here to defect to humanity! What are you doing?! Blurb Two "I fell into another world in the b 5.8kFavorites6.4kClicks/ch10.2kGifts

    Curator note

    This is the first time I've seen a protagonist resembling a little yellow duck in an online novel since "Sophie's World," and I was quite shocked. (The rubber duck-type protagonist: Programmers often place a rubber duck plush toy on their desks to explain the meaning of each line of code, helping them to organize their thoughts. Here, it refers to the protagonist as a container for the author to showcase the background and present the world-building.) The highlight of this book is undoubtedly its setting, primarily its world-building and racial settings. The racial settings are quite distinctly Western fantasy, with details down to the point that different demons have different animal forms, making this my favorite part of the entire book. The world-building is the sauce the author prepared for the main story; regardless of its writing quality, the author has at least made the book look appealing. I wasn't particularly interested in the latter; it was mainly the former that kept me reading. Another plus is that all the references and jokes in the book are meticulously cited, and any unclear points are clearly stated as "I don't know yet," which is excellent. I appreciate authors who respect knowledge, regardless of the type of knowledge. Understanding the highlights means understanding everything. The entire book serves the setting, and the plot naturally follows suit. Although it's labeled as having infrastructure and adventure elements, neither is purely infrastructure-building. Often, seemingly prelude plots actually set up adventures, and vice versa, laying the groundwork for the world's development. The plot logic is essentially fairy tale-like, and the plot arrangement is reminiscent of the Water Margin: "Solving event A leads to event B; after the character solves event B, event A is easily resolved." Because the number of events introduced is not fixed, the narrative often becomes chaotic and disjointed, and the writing style leans towards absurdity, diluting the information delivery. The narrative style of "grand background + heavy memories + absurd current situation" isn't unique to this book; there are other ways to blend them seamlessly. However, this book doesn't. Just when you're presented with some heavy information, the next chapter delivers a nonsensical joke, creating a jarring reading experience. Furthermore, the entire text is filled with stale anime references and vulgar, scatological humor, giving the feeling of bathing in holy water. I also noticed two main techniques used to create atmosphere: montage, which is used quite well and creates vivid imagery; and piling up "golden quotes," mainly at the end of sections. These quotes resonate with the reader and evoke emotion, but feel forced if not. Finally, a few more words about the protagonist's character. The early protagonist setup is quite deceptive; he seems like a student, perhaps even a humanities major, frequently using theory to explain practice and relying on persuasive words to influence others. There are quite a few battle scenes, but they lack realism. It has some elements of the "Dihua" (a genre of Chinese fantasy novels) style, but it's not really "Dihua"—more like its opposite. Everyone knows this "Demon King" is weak, yet they still succumb to his persuasive words, creating a fairytale-like, romantic feeling of saving the world. However, considering the author's deliberate choice to set a cruel backdrop for the book (both past and present), the disconnect is akin to naming a steamed bun a "Chinese mini-bread."

23. 23 荒 A Guide to Surviving in the Wilderness 荒野求生指南 Listening to Rain, Sleepless听雨无眠Romance761k WordsCompleted ◎ The author may revise the story and post extras over time. The complete version is only on Jinjiang. The author is not responsible for any pirated versions. ## Content warnings at the very end ## [Your first beginner challenge is: Survive 50 days on an uninhabited island] Lin Jingshu opened her random beginner's pack. Inside were only a tarp, an entrenching tool, a red scarf, and a flashlight. Her eyes lit up. While the other players wondered what condoms were for, complained that the axe wa 5.3kFavorites6.5kClicks/ch10.2kGifts

    Curator note

    This book is actually only four stars; the extra star is my personal support for the author. I would call this book the strongest one-sided warrior; everything else is too weak, and it's only the book's one highlight that's dragging it forward. Let's start with the highlights. It boasts authentic wilderness survival content, and it truly delivers on that promises, with professional and detailed descriptions of this aspect. While there are some oversights, they are negligible and can be largely ignored. The following are all shortcomings. 1. Characters: The supporting characters are all very flat, especially in the early stages. They feel very two-dimensional, which is particularly evident in the language used to describe them. Furthermore, since this book is about "realistic" wilderness survival, the thinness of the characters makes the immersion feel even more pronounced. In my opinion, the male and female leads are no different from the supporting characters. This has nothing to do with whether they have any special abilities or not; even if they did, I believe the protagonists wouldn't become much more outstanding (not in terms of points). This is the most fatal flaw—the protagonists' personalities are not distinct enough, only categorized as ordinary. Of course, this is also related to the flatness of the supporting characters; otherwise, they could be considered leaders. 2. Plot: This type of story uses a horizontal narrative, which is inherently at a disadvantage compared to a vertical narrative. If the plot isn't well-structured, it's easy to become bored due to homogenization. The author's writing is rather flat; I found the first arc somewhat tedious halfway through. In terms of plot arrangement, you can feel the author trying to create an ensemble cast and develop the supporting characters, but the insertions are not natural enough and disrupt the narrative rhythm of the protagonist's side. This also makes the overall narrative chaotic, sometimes vertical and sometimes horizontal. 3. Background: This game setting actually hinders the story's expression. It would be better suited to a variety show setting or even a system-free time-travel story. The reason is simple: it doesn't satisfy either audience. Putting it in the "wish-fulfillment" genre is too restrictive and not enjoyable enough; putting it in the realistic genre is too surreal and not realistic enough. It feels like desperately needing a down jacket but wearing short sleeves—incongruous. 4. Writing Style: The author's writing style can be described as plain and unadorned, almost nonexistent. From beginning to end, it's filled with extremely high-density explanations of wilderness survival knowledge, making reading the novel feel like attending an outdoor class. However, it can't be called documentary literature, given the "game" background. Overall, apart from the realistic portrayal of wilderness survival tips, the rest of the book feels unrealistic and superficial. Ironically, the former section is based on readily available information, so even its strengths can't be considered a merit of the novel itself. I'm giving it an extra star because writing a compelling story about an ordinary human protagonist is incredibly difficult, and ordinary human protagonists themselves often face significant challenges. P. S.: The "ordinary protagonist" is a custom classification I created for convenience, referring to protagonists who have "less distinct personalities and more average stats," and does not mean ordinary people without any special abilities. P. S.: Although I usually separate the work from the author, I learned a lot of wilderness survival tips from this book. So even though I skipped around in the later parts, I still subscribed to the whole thing to support the author and hope that the author will write better and better in the future.

24. 24 游 Loading the Gameworld of Luofu 游戏罗浮载入中 October Branches And Grass十月枝草No CP803k WordsCompleted /Second-person POV warning. There are sections from other characters’ perspectives. Please read the notes at the end before starting! You are Player 059, entering the game ‘Luofu’ for the first time today. You were born as someone’s experimental subject and subjected to extensive training, but you don’t care about that backstory. After all, with your intelligence and physical stats maxed out, you’re convinced you can run rampant across Luofu and become a calamity in your own right. Unfortunate 34.3kFavorites42.6kClicks/ch126.2kGifts

    Curator note

    The fourth natural disaster + beautiful, strong, tragic + Dihua style + fake knife + misunderstanding + non-human + leader-type character (referring to Jing Yuan), this book's elements filled my XP, perfect for reading in the middle of the night without thinking. (This is a 180-layer XP masterpiece that I subscribed to entirely for myself. While reading it, I was only focused on my own enjoyment and didn't pay any attention to the plot, logic, character development, etc. I feel that for this type of book, it's better to just focus on the enjoyment rather than doing in-depth analysis.) Because it's a spin-off work, and the protagonist is a quirky, unconventional character, the writing style is quite unpredictable. If you're completely unfamiliar with Honkai Impact 3rd and can't keep up with the protagonist's thought process, you might easily encounter situations where you don't understand the plot or the technical terms. My understanding of Honkai Impact 3rd isn't deep either, so I'm not sure if the other characters are well-developed, but I definitely felt that the characterization of Jingyuan, at least the parts that appeared in the story, was consistent with the original work. Because all the elements are present, the characters' interpretations might feel a bit over-the-top and awkward. For me, the awkwardness was about 40/60 in the early stages, shifting to 70/30 later. The author's constant switching between the protagonist's perspective and the third-person perspective made me feel overwhelmed, which was quite a unique experience. The plot framework is rather loose, and the storyline feels somewhat superficial, perhaps due to the second-person perspective. This becomes more pronounced in the later stages; the main storyline is unclear, and the fragmented narrative makes me feel, towards the end, that "this ending doesn't feel like an ending." Additionally, I personally dislike scenes that embarrass the protagonist, so I only read part of the side stories.

25. 25 缄 The Silent Gentleman's Code 缄默绅士的法则 When the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Grow Cold0唇亡齿寒0Danmei (BL)406k WordsCompleted [The Traditional Chinese edition of this book has been published by Chestnut Culture. For details on how to purchase it, please follow the author's Weibo account @Yin You Qu Mo Da Shi Chun Wang Chi Han 0] Never betray your employer; Never sell out your companions; Never lie; When faced with breaking these rules, choose silence. These are the four laws the "Silent Ones" have upheld for thousands of years. We roam the streets and alleys of the city-states of Yordle, day and night, dressed in fine 8.3kFavorites4.5kClicks/ch1.8kGifts

    Curator note

    Highlights: "Worldview". The author has constructed a magnificent fantasy world for this book and paired it with an epic and splendid legend. While the amount of complex information draws on real-world French history, I believe the author has put in considerable effort and research, which is admirable. Meanwhile, I noticed the author seems to have a particular fondness for the concept of "mysterious organizations." While *The New World: A Chronicle of Vampires* briefly mentions the "Watchers," a mysterious organization, and the rules behind "vampires," this book goes further, vividly depicting the assassin organization, the "Silent Ones." Despite this preference, the author doesn't portray these organizations as unattainable or overly virtuous, and even mentions the flaws of the "Silent Ones" in the later stages. Non-human races in other worlds are an important part of establishing the worldview of otherworldly continents, and this book is no exception, mentioning elves and dragons, as well as some religious elements. However, I was quite surprised that while the book seemed very medieval in the early and middle stages, it surprisingly incorporated science fiction elements in the later stages, giving it a strangely unexpected strawberry-filled dumpling-like texture. Advantage: 1. Character: The main characters are Giuliano and Enzo, with Antoine and Reshi being important supporting characters. Giuliano is undoubtedly a character who develops through growth, while Enzo serves as a mentor-like figure in Giuliano's development, playing a crucial role in shaping his character. Enzo is also a mysterious character; as a representative of the "Silent Ones," he guides the reader step by step to uncover the operating rules of this assassin organization, thus advancing the plot. Regarding his mysterious aspect, the mysteries surrounding Enzo are not fully resolved until the very last moment. Regarding his role as a representative of the "Silent Ones," he is initially portrayed as noble and regal, but later as humble and insignificant, which fits the synopsis well. As a side note, their relationship is one of initial awkwardness followed by love, which I think fits the story's background and the characters' identities, but I cannot comment on the specific tension because the author, due to unforeseen circumstances, only used brackets [ ]. As for Antoine and Reci, they were designed to highlight the choices made by the protagonists (Giuliano and Enzo), leading them down a different path: the former is a hero, the latter an assassin. I was surprised that Antoine, a hero-type character so similar in essence to the protagonist in the story, wasn't overshadowed by the author; in fact, his forced heroism added a touch of tragedy, which is quite remarkable. 2. Plot: I don't object to authors consciously "designing" supporting characters or "arranging" plots to shape the protagonist or portray a certain character. In fact, I'm quite happy to see articles that do this and do it so naturally that readers hardly notice. This article's "natural" quality is slightly lacking. The author attributes it to the common novelistic trope of "predestined arrangement," or "fatalism," and has Giuliano escape his fate by ending it. While not brilliant, it's a smooth conclusion. Of course, it is still slightly inferior in quality, but there are still many plot designs in the text that clearly show the author's careful foreshadowing, such as Enzo smelling the scent on the client, and Rasheed's true identity... [For the full content, please see the long review or <□□ record>]

26. 26 七 July 15, Sunny 七月十五日，晴 Chen Ang尘昂No CP85k WordsCompleted In 2012, an ordinary family in Urumqi bought a new car. It was beautiful and imposing, and someone had their eye on it as soon as it appeared. It was worth two hundred thousand yuan. And it would be easy enough to get. The owner was completely unaware, and accepted someone's invitation to visit the vast, desolate Taklamakan Desert... In 2015, it had been three years since Wang Jinping disappeared. Reading guide: 1. Two interwoven timelines, three years apart. 2. Recommended reading during 1.1kFavorites922Clicks/ch360Gifts

    Curator note

    The framework is straightforward, the narrative is traditional, and it's so conventional that it could be included in a suspenseful short story like those on "Today's Talk." There aren't actually many suspenseful elements; the beginning sets up a decoy, and by the middle, you can guess the real culprit and accomplice. The plot employs a dual-narrative structure. The 15th storyline is too bitter and heavy, while the 12th storyline is shrouded in darkness. The only respite comes from the food descriptions, but because this part is so slow-paced, it can even make you wonder if you're reading a suspense novel. Finally, there's a happy ending with an "what if" scenario, which serves as a consolation prize for the reader. This story is more grounded in reality, so almost every character has flaws and makes mistakes. Because there are so many negative depictions of human nature, I even felt like I could see a chaotic and evil perspective of beasts in the characters. Discussing sex is like being a beast that has lost its mind and is only driven by primal desires, which made me very uncomfortable. This book brings together flawed characters, and I see a touch of anti-classical Greek tragedy in it. Ancient Greek tragedies often depict situations where no one is at fault, but everyone's actions push the events towards an irreversible tragedy. This book emphasizes that everyone is flawed, but the kind-hearted and toothless will ultimately suffer the consequences. While the subject matter is traditional, the characters are vividly portrayed through the author's conscious action descriptions, allowing the reader to empathize with them and often feel a sense of melancholy. Furthermore, the writing style is natural and fluid, possessing a cinematic atmosphere, making it readable even when the tone is heavy. However, regarding adaptation, I feel that adapting it into a film might have lacked some suspense and "explosiveness." The audience's psychological threshold for murder cases is raised; it seems only focusing on rather bizarre criminals and methods can satisfy their psychological needs. It's rare to see the camera shift to a "common," "uninteresting," and "predictable" murder case like the one in this book. This is also what I think makes the book more praiseworthy: only by removing those embellishments can we truly see whose foundation is solid. Of course, writing isn't good without any embellishment, and the strengths of an article cannot be directly compared (though its weaknesses are very suitable for comparison). Therefore, the more suitable adaptation for this book becomes clear: a legal program like "Today's Talk," or even a legal education drama. In contrast, the murderer didn't harbor much "malice," and the victim didn't suffer prolonged "torture" (in fact, this is the most ironic part of the book). The onlookers appear neutral but are actually attacking both sides; the victim's family and even the murderer's family are unfortunate but also have their shortcomings. These settings are too un-"fictional," but too much like "Today's Talk." Compared to more sensational and eye-catching cases, the cases in this novel seem to occur more frequently in reality and are more worthy of our attention. At the same time, this book also profoundly tells us one thing: a wise person does not stand under a crumbling wall. Once you realize something is wrong, run away immediately. Never take chances and let your foolish kindness cost you your life.

27. 27 魔 The Demon King's Melancholy 魔王陛下的忧郁 When the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Grow Cold0唇亡齿寒0Danmei (BL)219k WordsCompleted This is the grand, stirring epic of His Majesty Lucifer, the mighty and brilliant King of Hell, and his loyal, courageous, battle-hardened subjects as they pursue freedom. Publicity Department, Ten Thousand Demons Hall, Black Capital of the Demon Realm This is a factual account of the heinous crimes committed by Lucifer, the sinister and cunning Dark Lord, and his vile, shameless lackeys who abet his evil deeds. News Agency, Great Library of the Stellar Heaven, Celestial Realm (An episodic sto 5.3kFavorites13.2kClicks/ch463Gifts

    Curator note

    My actual impression of this book is four stars, with the extra star being to support the author. This is a collection of short, lighthearted stories with a touch of old-fashioned fan fiction. The content is so easy to read that you feel like you're floating on air, and you might even find yourself crying while reading. This creative approach of "serious recollections + lighthearted present moments" is exemplified in the comic book "Non-Human Beings." Speaking of which, this book would also be very suitable for adaptation into a comic book, Belial! Please draw more doujinshi! When it comes to pairing characters, the author's relationship settings are top-notch. I'm still savoring the blood oath in "The New World Bloodline Chronicles," and "The Melancholy of the Demon King" presents a feast of angels and demon kings sharing the same heart. Moreover, the author, as early as 2011, was already adept at short video techniques, piecing together several climactic moments and presenting them in the flashback chapters. It was so enjoyable to read, with each new generation surpassing the last. However, because the character settings are outdated, coupled with the lighthearted and humorous style, the reading experience lacks a "formal and serious" feel. It doesn't feel like reading a real story that happened in the demon world, but rather like reading a third-rate gossip tabloid written by a well-known demon world fanfic artist using an alternate account (not in a derogatory sense). The plot is rather old-fashioned, featuring things like pseudo-egg laying, soul transference, shrinking, and amnesia, bringing back memories of browsing fanfiction years ago. As for whether this old-fashioned style diminishes its charm, I can only say that given its lighthearted tone, even the most mundane parts won't be bad. The "Disappearance" arc, perhaps because Lucifer's prolonged absence caused me inexplicable anxiety, made for a less enjoyable viewing experience. For the side stories, I only watched the one that interested me most: the amnesia arc. Since this is a short story, I won't comment on the character development, but it's clear the author did a lot of research and has many clever touches in the character design, including crossover elements. Lucifer, being the most prominent character in the cover, title, and main text, has the most character development and characterization. While not exceptionally outstanding, he's certainly one of the best. Ps: I don't believe that free novels must be blindly given five-star reviews, but I support free novels not displaying an overall rating. Works that cannot be measured in monetary terms should not be bound by virtual ratings. Having a rating system for free novels is not only disrespectful to the authors' passion for their work, but also a disguised deprivation of readers' natural rights.

28. 28 漫 Comic Speedrunner 漫画速通玩家 Ye Yaoyi夜妖仪No CP498k WordsCompleted Qing Zhuxi is a speedrunner. Before transmigrating into the classic manga Dream of Nine Thousand Deaths, he had been speedrunning the ARPG adaptation of the franchise. Speedrunning, as the name suggests, means seeing who can finish a game fastest under the same conditions. After botching the fight against the final boss before his personal best, Qing Zhuxi blacked out in a rage-fueled, red-faced fit and transmigrated. The good news: He didn't seem to have died suddenly, but had transmigrated in 3.9kFavorites3.6kClicks/ch7.6kGifts

    Curator note

    While labeled "hilarious," it's not entirely laugh-out-loud funny; many characters have heavy backstories. For me, I could have finished the book by chapter 62 at the latest. The last few dozen chapters are so unbalanced that they're more like superfluous additions than mere embellishments. Even so, the plot design in chapter 59 is terrible; there's absolutely no need to force the protagonist into dozens of speedruns just to emphasize "realism." Sometimes, novels don't need that level of realism; appropriate fiction and omitting obstacles can actually help the overall pacing flow smoothly. The setting of this book is a hybrid of the real world (of the comic book) and the game world (of the comic book adaptation). It tries to have both but cannot have both, resulting in a hybrid and incongruous final product. Most of the supporting characters are portrayed as standard, classic Japanese shonen manga figures. The author frequently loses focus in the writing, which may be due to references to Japanese manga adaptations. The boss designs are based on real-world games, but I skipped over the details as I wasn't interested. However, it's safe to say that even without playing the games mentioned, if you've only played Two-Player and Hollow Knight and speedrunned both, you shouldn't have much difficulty understanding the boss battles. It's clear the author intentionally delves into the supporting characters, primarily by adding heavy backstories and dramatic psychological shifts. This approach isn't inherently flawed, but it's easy to feel that the author has put effort into developing the characters, yet they still feel thin. It's like an artist using HB to depict shadows that should be 5B – using the wrong brush is obviously counterproductive. Of course, because the author put so much effort into it, readers who disregard logic and allow their imaginations to fill in the gaps in the characters' images can still experience excitement and emotion. As mentioned earlier, the book's pacing is problematic, and its overall framework is unstable. The first cycle relentlessly battles bosses, but the repetitive nature of the battles relies solely on piling up settings to create depth. The second cycle, while using a boss's perspective to reduce homogenization, ultimately felt less engaging than the first. Furthermore, the opening, especially the first cycle, uses excessive technical terms and a tell-the-story approach to expound the world-building. What should have been a laborious effort, through the youthful writing, felt like a young author excitedly and enthusiastically introducing the world and characters to a friend (yes, a friend, not a reader) unfamiliar with the game. I've had this feeling before when a six-year-old enthusiastically explains an Ultraman encyclopedia to me, leaving me completely bewildered. Although initially overwhelmed by the technical terms, I clearly felt the author's passion. This is evident not only in the author's carefully crafted technical terms but also in the characters' names. It's not that the author didn't choose a name with a beautiful meaning, but because the author went too far, it made the character's name seem very similar to "The Wind-up Princess Who Analyzes All Principles". I skipped all the romance parts. Just seeing a veteran player falling in love with a childhood memory felt like watching myself and Little Carp Bubble get married, so I won't comment on it. Overall, the jokes are interesting, but there is still considerable room for improvement in terms of setting, story framework, plot pacing, and character development.

29. 29 心 Bizarre Cases from the Counseling Room 心理咨询中遇到的诡异案例 Feng Yi凤仪Romance329k WordsCompleted My name is Liu Xinyang. I've worked as a clerical assistant at a counseling center for four years. Now, let me dish about the strange cases I've encountered and heard about over the years. A collection of short stories This novel has been published in print under the new title Strange Case Files (in two volumes). Theme: 7.2kFavorites16.3kClicks/ch775Gifts

    Curator note

    Overall, I think this book has more flaws than merits, but the merits are more important than the flaws. Therefore, I will write about the flaws first and then the merits later. Defect: 1. Novels based on reality draw heavily on real life and even examples from people around them, inevitably reflecting the social environment and ideologies of a particular era. While these novels can reflect the times to some extent, they are also influenced by the prevailing ideologies. As time passes, later readers may find the ideas presented in these novels disconnected and uncomfortable. This is especially true given that this book is set in 2014, and many of the stories occurred much earlier—more than twenty years ago—by which time many ideas have changed. Therefore, judging this novel by today's standards, some of its ideas will naturally seem outdated, obsolete, or even erroneous. This is a limitation inherent in pseudo-documentary novels, a limitation imposed by their time and an inherent flaw. 2. The author's handling of the endings of most of the episodic stories lacks both decisiveness and precision. This manifests in the author's inability to envision how these events should conclude, their reluctance to provide a concrete (metaphysical) truth, and their inability to scientifically explain the causes of these short stories, ultimately concluding with "nothing coming to a head." The problem lies in the author's unwillingness to delve deeper into the reasons for these "nothing coming to a head," consistently attributing it to "the protagonist not being at the scene and unable to follow along." This inevitably leads to reader fatigue and a sense of disappointment, as if the story abruptly ends. This is a characteristic of OE (Endless Explanation) works, and also an inherent flaw of the genre. 3. There are many typos, but they do not affect readability. One could even connect this to Liu Xinyang's character portrayal. For example, it seems reasonable that Liu Xinyang, as a "pseudo-author," would include a few typos in the book and then be too lazy to correct them. Having discussed the shortcomings, let's talk about the highlights. "Reality". The author presents readers with a series of stories in 300,000 words, but what impressed me most was not the stories themselves, but Liu Xinyang, the one who recorded them. As one netizen commented, "Everyone's seen a Ferris wheel, but this is the first time I've seen you. This photo was created just for you." Everyone's heard of bizarre and grotesque psychological cases, but this is the first time I've met Liu Xinyang. The author spared no effort in creating such a "real" character; you can almost effortlessly realize how likely Liu Xinyang is to exist in real life. She is indeed a fictional character created by the author, but she also possesses everything a "real" person should have in real life. The author didn't deliberately design plots to highlight the protagonist's high intelligence or martial arts skills to make the character "perfect," and didn't even shy away from the character's erroneous conclusions and actions (including outdated ideas in the current version). In the novel… [For the full version, please see the long review section or <□□ record>]

30. 30 关 [Cthulhu] Personal Memorandum on the Case of Nikolai Nikolayevich Feodorov's Death [克苏鲁]关于尼古拉·尼古拉耶维奇·斐道诺夫死亡一案的个人备忘录 ww38doNo CP33k WordsCompleted The following is a personal memo by me, Grigor Lakolov Dabryuvich, a criminal police officer, concerning the strange death of Nikolai Nikolayevich Fedonov, a resident of Ambolovsk, Buryatia, on June 27, 1973. I am writing this record on May 15, 1975. I hope this memo, filled with absurd accounts, will never be mentioned again, and that no one else will ever see it. Premise: 558Favorites1.2kClicks/ch15Gifts

    Curator note

    This is the first OE ending novel I read on this site, and after much deliberation, I still included it in this book list. Overall, it's a traditional Benedictine work, set in a Soviet context with some Greek elements. The writing style is somewhat reminiscent of translated Soviet novels, but occasionally it uses more down-to-earth language. A character suddenly blurting out, "What can I do? I'm desperate too!" Is a bit jarring, but it fits the context of the book and made me laugh. In keeping with the traditional feel of the series, the plot and character designs are also quite traditional. Perhaps because the length is too short to fully develop the story, it feels like the author held back. Many chapters that I expected to be disturbing weren't very impactful, and were even described in a somewhat bland way. However, it's also possible that I've read too much disturbing content and my threshold for disturbing content has been raised. Although the narrative is rather bland, the novel's plot is full of twists and turns, and the story is told in just 30,000 words. It feels like it would be very suitable for adaptation into a Clash of Clans tabletop role-playing game module, with interactive elements such as vehicle stops, and made into a video with audio-visual elements, which would greatly enhance the experience (but also greatly increase the probability of being mentally corrupted). The following are my complaints: JJ's "Schrodinger's Cat" appearance mechanism in the city of "Koukou"—what's with the character names being matched with "Koukou"? It's already difficult enough matching names with characters in Soviet literature, but this "Koukou" keeps popping up, I'm at my wit's end.

31. 31 杨 Yang Enlin's Diary 杨恩林的日记本 You Yan又盐Danmei (BL)130k WordsCompleted - Blurb for this novel [Slowly revising] Yang Enlin was very handsome when he was young. Of course, he's still very handsome now. He never told me about his love life. I thought he was embarrassed, but later I learned he had a lot hidden beneath the surface. Last month, we moved house. While sorting through some old things, we found a diary. I spent an afternoon reading it and finally discovered why Yang Enlin never remarried. It's not that he never remarried. He never got married at all. He 1.5kFavorites997Clicks/ch706Gifts

    Curator note

    This modern-day rural romance story has a carefree, youthful feel to it, making it a very comfortable read. I prefer plot-driven stories; gleaning and analyzing information from the story is my comfort zone. While I know that the key to romance-driven stories is experiencing the atmosphere, I find it difficult to connect with the characters' love if I don't understand why they fall in love. —But this novel doesn't give me that feeling. The entire piece is almost entirely Yang Enlin's self-narration in his diary. He's young, artistic, bookish, and sentimental, writing one "Yu Chengxiang" after another in his diary. Yu Chengxiang is this seventeen-year-old's first love, and he cherishes this innocent first love so much that "Yu Chengxiang" in his diary is almost a beautiful, hazy silhouette. The pacing is very relaxed, with a considerable amount of time spent setting the rural atmosphere in the early chapters. This "grounded" feel makes it easier for me to grasp the atmosphere the author wants to convey. I've heard the saying, "Liking is a feeling," and to write a smooth, natural, and convincing emotional storyline, it often requires very delicate brushstrokes. But this novel is different. The extensive use of white space in the diary format, and the transitions to key plot points through Yang Enlin's poetry, while maintaining a consistent atmosphere throughout, is quite remarkable, in my opinion. The novel's subject matter isn't particularly novel, and its plot, which could be summarized in a single sentence, contains many easily recognizable tropes. However, the author's solid writing skills and genuine emotional investment in the characters allow the familiar theme and tropes to offer a fresh perspective. Although it deals with first love, it avoids any cloying sentimentality; the writing is clean and crisp. Before the storm brews, the reader experiences a sense of tranquility, leisure, and carefree joy—a youthful experience that can never be relived. Yang Enlin falls for Yu Chengxiang at the very beginning of the story, even before realizing her shared secret. A first reading of Chapter Four might seem like a hasty arrangement, but as you read on, you'll understand its brilliance. Yu Chengxiang initially appears slow-witted and somewhat awkward, shrouded in mystery, which is later revealed. Sometimes I feel the essence of rural love stories lies in the "plant-like" qualities that should exist between two people in love—a tenacious vitality, an detachment from worldly concerns, and a slow-paced lifestyle. The two protagonists in this story give me just that feeling. Laugh, laugh... Embrace, embrace, lovers...

32. 32 星 The Interstellar World's Top Game Designer 星际第一游戏设计师 Pear Blueblue梨蓝蓝Danmei (BL)743k WordsCompleted Coming soon: survival, building, and leveling up. Please add Survival: The Safe House Is a School of Magic to your collection! Blurb: Yan Xuezhou is a game designer who accidentally transmigrates into a sci-fi mecha novel. His survival challenge begins from the start: his biological father has just died, and his heartless uncle kicks him out to fend for himself. Due to the mecha-focused setting of the original novel, getting into game design for the interstellar net is easy. The 69kFavorites122.2kClicks/ch83.5kGifts

    Curator note

    [Warning: The article's attitude towards D-boiler is ambiguous, and the game created by the protagonist contains D-boiler elements.] (By the way, here are two potentially unique triggers I encountered while reading this story, both of which I've already experienced: 1. The author uses AI for writing, or a character in the story uses AI for writing; 2. The author's ambiguous attitude towards HDD, or a character in the story using HDD for promotion or profit. I don't mind the first letter in romance novels to enhance tension, but I don't accept the protagonist opening a brothel and letting people come in to have sex while he makes a fortune. If the second letter is a means for the protagonist to make money under a specific background, then I don't mind, but the protagonist opening a brothel to attract customers is unacceptable. I absolutely cannot accept the last letter.) The first point is a bottom line issue, and the second is a matter of principle. Aside from the "the author used AI to write" part, if the latter point and half appears but don't constitute a large portion of the text, and if there are indeed parts that are engaging to me, I will still read the rest of the article. This is a template-based outline novel with mediocre writing, numerous grammatical errors, and frequent typos. The interstellar setting is merely a shell; the core setting is still Earth and China. There is a transmigration element, but it's only a tool for Yan Xuezhou to "foresee the future and slap his cannon fodder family members in the face." His attitude towards the original owner is "the best are welcome, the bad are asked to leave." Yan Xuezhou's character design and development are typical of template-based outline novels—a hollow character. The romance is naturally bland and boring, so further details on character development will not be provided. Let's start with the highlights. While the NPCs' names were somewhat hastily chosen in the early stages, they weren't mindlessly created. Their reasons for engaging with the game were clearly explained and even somewhat heartwarming. Although the reasons given weren't entirely logically sound, they were sufficient for a novel, creating a strong sense of immersion both emotionally and logically. The games created by Yan Xuezhou, while referencing real-world games, also included original content. The variety of games was quite rich; reading the game descriptions made me want to download and play them myself. Of course, because the references were definite and quite obvious, it was easy to spot which game was being referenced. Now, let's talk about the flaws. I believe the greatest pleasure in reading novels lies in solving puzzles (reading comprehension), which requires the author to use writing techniques to "outwit" the reader. This book leaves the reader with almost no puzzles (suspense) to ponder, and it doesn't employ any writing techniques; it's practically indistinguishable from a direct dialogue between the author and the reader. Furthermore, due to the author's sloppy writing style and the excessive use of narration, I could almost feel the author's spittle flying out—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it rambling. The enjoyment of a novel varies from person to person. In this book, I think the main focus is on Yan Xuezhou's game-making process and others' experiences playing it. This part is relatively well-written, but it suffers from the unchanging narrative pace, becoming tiring in the later stages. Another minor issue is the excessive use of rhetorical questions, which became somewhat irritating. If you're expecting this book to be a AAA title and provide a top-tier gaming experience, then it's not worth reading. However, if you're just looking for a casual game with occasional pop-ups that you can play without looking at the ads, then it's a decent way to unwind.

33. 33 予 A Cup of Honey Wine for the Dragon 予龙一杯蜂蜜酒 Black Cat, White Socks黑猫白袜子Danmei (BL)152k WordsCompleted A self-indulgent story written for my own enjoyment. A Western fantasy sweet romance about two idiots falling in love. I’ll try to finish it in under 100,000 words. There should be some food elements, too. Updates whenever inspiration strikes. [Really, whenever inspiration strikes, orz... I’m trying to lose weight lately, so I don’t want to write a food story and make myself hungry.] Alan is an ordinary, lazy transmigrator who settled in a remote mountain village in the seven 64.3kFavorites96.9kClicks/ch85.7kGifts

    Curator note

    [Second Editor: While browsing similar works on the author's homepage, I discovered that "Human Honey" was created using AI. Black Cat White Socks, you are no longer a qualified creator. I'm very unhappy that I ever read your work. Goodbye.] This is a slow-paced, fairytale-style Western fantasy novel with elements of food and daily life, essentially a narrative set in a closed environment. The overall plot is relatively uneventful, with various background settings serving the romance. However, if you were to call it a romance novel, it feels somewhat simplistic; the process of the two main characters falling in love is rather "fairytale-like," lacking subtlety and naturalness. Regarding the characters, perhaps because the story is from an older period and was written by the author himself, the main characters are based on the archetype of a mysterious, powerful, domineering CEO and a naive, sweet wife, with the addition of a clumsy, non-human element to the seme. The seme and uke are positioned as a strong seme and a weak uke, their relationship essentially similar to a "fork & cake" dynamic. The seme is portrayed as a deeply affectionate, puppy-like dragon, while the uke is depicted as a charming, innocent sheep. I reiterate that it's incredibly difficult to write a "good" student-type protagonist, because a character who easily leaves an impression on the reader is considered a "good" character in the conventional sense, and a student-type protagonist is naturally required to follow rules and not leave a strong impression. However, setting aside the romance framework, this novel adds many detailed descriptions to enrich the character of the uke (student-type protagonist), also contributing to the novel's healing style and pastoral elements (yes, although tagged as a farming novel, this is not a farming novel, only that it has pastoral elements). This part is well-written; watching the protagonist cook made my mouth water. In addition, there are only two or three supporting characters with plot descriptions, recognizable names, and who are villagers, making the story background seem unrealistic and somewhat superficial. The framework suffers from the common flaws of romance novels: a strong start, a weak finish, and a flimsy middle. The beginning meticulously describes the protagonist's skill in cooking and healing, and the tranquility of Green River Village. The ending is also melodramatic and sentimental, depicting the protagonist and antagonist's journey through war and sacrifice to achieve a fairytale-like conclusion. However, the middle section feels weak and lacks strong plot development or emotional depth. It merely unfolds a slow, drawn-out monologue between the two protagonists, leaving virtually no memorable moments. In the romance section, there are scenes where important supporting characters (in a demonic form) and ordinary supporting characters (in a drunken form) confess their love to the protagonist, while there are also glimpses of various supporting characters developing feelings for the protagonist. The former serves two purposes: to advance the romance between the main characters and to drive the plot forward. The latter simply serves to reinforce the protagonist's irresistible charm. Seeing these elements in a lighthearted romance novel that claims to be a sweet treat is rather peculiar, but considering that the author painstakingly wrote this work over three years, it's understandable. In summary, this book could be categorized as "Fleeting Moments." However, the various delicacies described in the text are just too delicious, so after much consideration, I decided to place it here.

34. 34 天 A Journey Through Heaven and Earth 天地逆旅 Wine-Tinged Green Mountains酒染山青Danmei (BL)89k WordsCompleted Chinese dreamcore / a touch of Lovecraftian horror / nonhuman characters, but with narcissistic romance A short story, written in first person | Just 0.7 yuan for the complete story. Thank you for supporting the official edition. The abandoned city was like the roots of a giant tree. Cast out by everyone, Wei Xian came to live in a shrine beneath a mottled Buddha statue, its surroundings thick with cobwebs. Under a spell, he smashed the statue, and from that moment on, everything became uncanny 5.4kFavorites2.2kClicks/ch8.9kGifts

    Curator note

    With a 10 billion% match to the tags, the chaotic narrative style combining a first-person perspective with a dream core creates a highly stream-of-consciousness plot. The inclusion of atypical narcissistic elements also contributes to a poignant and complex love story. The story itself isn't complex in its entirety; 80,000 words would suffice. However, the addition of a reincarnation element further complicates the narrative, creating a feeling of being "trapped in a textual fortress with no way out." This aligns with the feeling of the main-person perspective ending, suggesting this narrative style was intentional on the author's part; it must have been incredibly difficult to write. Well done! This is primarily a romance novel, not known for its character development. Qin Sanxiang's role in the story serves both to balance the narrative pace and to compensate for the limited character development. However, the book's lack of emphasis on character development isn't due to the author's inability to create compelling characters, but rather a limitation of the subject matter: given the premise of Narcissus, Ying Buhui and Wei Xian are naturally close and understand each other well enough that there's no need for additional plot points to deliberately depict their love, as they are already intimately familiar with each other. However, because of this, if this premise isn't understood, the romantic subplot may feel underdeveloped and inexplicable. Furthermore, the inclusion of characters like the younger sister and the guide, who shine with humanity and evoke poignant emotions within such a sentimental setting, is commendable.

35. 35 策 What Character Setting Did the Writers Give Me? [Western Fantasy] 策划到底给了我什么人设[西幻] Ferryman of the River of the Dead冥河摆渡者Danmei (BL)175k WordsCompleted I'm an R-rank card in a card-collecting game. The game is set in a Western fantasy world, with three factions to choose from: the Church of Light, the Church of Darkness, and the League of Freefolk. Of course, to bring everyone together in friendship when needed, there's also a common enemy called monsters. Just like the traditional setup in every game, the player, the “Chosen One,” starts out with amnesia, lying outside the city, where a kind paladin out on a mission finds them. That kicks off 25.1kFavorites34.1kClicks/ch11.4kGifts

    Curator note

    I'd passed by the title of this mind-bending novel three times without actually reading it, but today I finally mustered the energy to finish it. After all, the original platform wasn't here, and the layout was too dense, the pacing too fast, and the information too overwhelming – it felt like trying to eat too much at once. Like the slapstick comedy classic anime "100,000 Cold Jokes" movie, it seems illogical at first glance, but actually has a clear main storyline both inside and outside the game. However, the jumpy plot makes it difficult to integrate the information. The supporting characters are quite stereotypical, but firstly, this fits the background of a card collection game, and secondly, this allows readers to feel the distinct personalities of the characters with almost no character development. The additional description of the player (Luke) is also very much like the Fourth Calamity, but a milder version. The game's plot unfolds as Alvin gradually regains his memories (and powers). Early on, he seems to lack a distinct personality, constantly muttering about "the player experience." However, a major plot twist later reveals that Alvin had already sold his soul (and intellect) to monsters...? As the title suggests, the protagonist's character is indeed somewhat unstable in the first half. In his memories, he appears quite human, "realistic," but his self-identity is that of a card. Later, he picks up the card and puts it down easily, smoothly resolving the change in his self-identity (from a game card to a real Grand Master of Paladins). Delving into the logic of a purely imaginative novel is pointless; just consider it a mistake by the developers. However, if we delve deeper into the logic, this type of "novel protagonist ≠ literary (game/comic/original work) protagonist" setting is especially prone to structural collapse in games, particularly gacha games. After all, gacha players, like those who play the book (Luke), genuinely spend a lot of money, only to have their final battle experience... They get petrified, the boss is defeated by Alvin, and Alvin has a storyline comparable to the protagonist's, a main heroine, and after the final battle, Alvin is the hero... The writers who dare to write this are just asking for backlash. One could argue that Alvin's interactions with other characters are just CP (couple) scenarios and don't involve romance, but in the current game community where even two playable characters standing around having conversations can be accused of creating a romantic pairing... In short, a novel with a wildly imaginative plot can be quite indulgent. Also, since I came here primarily for the battle damage aspect, the way this book modifies Alvin's stats—weakness, immortality, and sanity—is very engaging; I'd give it a thumbs up.

36. 36 两 The Two of Him 两个他 Day After Day日日复日日Romance100k WordsCompleted [Main story complete] After five years of marriage, Xi Qing and Lu Mingzhou have finally reached the point where they can't stand the sight of each other. The loving home they'd built when they married has become a cold place, a “home” neither of them wants to return to. But one day, when Xi Qing walks in holding divorce papers, she smells the long-missed aroma of a meal cooking. The man who was coldly arguing with her on the phone just yesterday now gazes at her with affection and a bright sm 24.2kFavorites28.1kClicks/ch12.1kGifts

    Curator note

    The "2+1" concept isn't particularly novel, and the synopsis is rather subtle. However, the author frankly admits in the first chapter that this is a fanfic and a melodramatic, clichéd short story, and by that standard, it certainly is. It's filled with romance, pregnancy, childbirth, and the daily grind—perfect for reading late at night or early morning. My introduction to melodramatic TV dramas was through *Brilliant Life* and *Because of □□ There is □□*, but this one isn't as melodramatic; in fact, it's relatively normal. However, compared to typical contemporary romance novels, it's still incredibly melodramatic, and one shouldn't scrutinize the characters' illogical actions too closely. My way of judging the quality of character development is by whether the background, characters, and plot are harmonious and unified. In this story, all three characters are love-obsessed (relatively speaking, the female lead has more scenes where she's not love-obsessed than the male lead), which fits the melodramatic setting. The plot is exciting but not overly so, mostly consisting of sweet moments. As for the discussion in the comments section about whether it's unfair to any of the three characters, I can only say that since it's a 2+1 melodramatic story, it's fairest to the author and readers who enjoy this kind of story. Immersing yourself in any one of their perspectives while reading this story is not pleasant; it's better to read from the reader's perspective. P. S.: The author's pen name is so outrageous, it made my eyes blurry from reading it.

37. 37 破 A Ruined Future 破烂前程 Lin Zizhou林子周Baihe (GL)371k WordsCompleted Qiao Mu is in her late twenties, has achieved nothing, and refuses to pay for her younger brother’s marital home despite being the eldest daughter. She’s also a sinful lesbian. For years, this family has been like a tiny boat adrift in a storm-dark sea: a violent, hard-drinking father and a mother who wallows in self-pity In the leaky ruins of their home, Father Qiao berates Qiao Jiabao, the sole male heir of the Qiao family: “You disgusting thing. You don’t like women?” Qiao Mu, who hardly ever 19.1kFavorites12.7kClicks/ch63.7kGifts

    Curator note

    A contemporary yuri story with a touch of dark humor. The author skillfully uses montage to create cinematic imagery, and the writing is beautiful without being overly ornate, making it accessible to readers seeking a brisk reading experience. Black humor is still humor; humor is the core and soul of comedy, and comedy is essentially an art of offense. This novel is similar, frequently featuring critical and didactic narration, dialogue, and internal monologues, making it, frankly, not an easy read. It's not that these criticisms are wrong, but rather the unpleasant feeling stems from the fact that the criticisms don't apply to oneself, and one's inability to change them. This novel aims to showcase a diverse group of women and their search for their true selves. However, the former suffers from a persistent flaw: to portray women as human beings, it inevitably creates the dilemma of "treating women as women," and then forces the characters to overcome this dilemma. This plot design is common in works of the same genre, but reality is not fiction, resulting in an uncomfortable sense of disconnect during reading. Of course, this discomfort isn't inherent to the novel itself; it's simply that discussing these issues in the current version is too advanced. As for the latter, it reminds me of Lei Shi. If one agrees with Lei Shi's concept of "freedom" and his methods of practicing it, then reading this book won't present any integration problems. The plot is divided into seven acts. Personally, I felt the journey was more exciting when Yao Wang was on the bus. I didn't feel much for the elephant rescue scene, which the author himself seemed quite satisfied with, perhaps because it was too far removed from reality and too fantastical. While the plot has many twists and turns, the main storyline is simple; in short, it's a young adult version of "The Determination to Leave." Perhaps because the main perspective is from Qiao Mu, a master of dry humor, the reading experience lacked excitement and was even somewhat bland and boring. However, thanks to the author's writing skills, an ordinary story is made quite readable. The parts about reality are too realistic, and the parts about ideals are too idealistic, causing the utopia the author wants to portray through the characters' thoughts to become turbulent. Sometimes I feel like I'm reading not the characters in the book, but the author behind them, so I won't comment on the character development. The author's talent overflows to the point of overshadowing the characters' brilliance; this is probably the only shadow play I'll ever read. P. S.: Be sure to read the author's notes; the reading experience is incomplete without them.

38. 38 第 The Third Way to Kill Her 第三次杀死她的方法 Cool Cicada凉蝉No CP123k WordsCompleted “Save me.” There were just those two words on the postcard, with no signature. But Cao Chunxiao recognized the handwriting. It belonged to the girl who had been her older sister for only three years. They weren't related by blood, and they'd lost touch long ago. She didn't have to go. But she went anyway. Because they had promised each other they would never ask the other for help. No romance, mystery. Free, short story. If you make it to the latter half, or even the final chapter, this s 1.9kFavorites1.2kClicks/ch1.9kGifts

    Curator note

    This is the most delicately written short suspense novel without a romantic pairing. To my shame, I'm not really suited to this genre; many plot points required the author to clarify the truth later before I understood them. As for the ending of this novel, I only had a vague understanding of it, and even after reading it twice, I'm still not sure if I truly comprehended the story completely. I believe that the most crucial factor for a novel to be readable is "novelty." This is an inherent disadvantage for suspense and mystery novels—this genre relies on plot twists to drive the story, requiring readers to be constantly on guard for twists that are yet to come or have already occurred, severely testing the author's plot-writing skills. This novel certainly has many twists, and it's clear the author put considerable effort and confidence into designing them. This is good; writers need that kind of confidence. However, there's one twist in this novel that overshadows the main plot, namely the one in the latter half (there are many twists in the latter half, but I won't spoil it; readers who have seen it will understand which one I'm referring to). This twist shares similarities with, but also differs from, the plot of the film *The Vanished*. If you agree with the latter's plot arrangement, you'll be more accepting of the former; coincidentally, I don't quite agree with the latter, so I frequently frowned at the appearance of the former. Apart from this, I fully accept all the plot designs in this book (meaning I can understand the author's intentions in arranging them this way). Regarding the writing style, I read *The Wandering Planet* before this one, and I was surprised that the same author could write two stories with such different styles. I had previously read *Feng □□ from □□*, a suspenseful mystery novel set in the early 2000s, so I already anticipated the cause of the tragedy experienced by the characters in this story. However, I didn't expect this one to be so much more oppressive and heavy. After only reading a few chapters, the damp, sticky atmosphere of a rainy night between the lines made me feel suffocated. The author is very good at creating atmosphere, using it many times in this story, coupled with personification written with lively diction, which adds literary quality to the novel's realism. Besides "plot twists," another way to introduce information and advance the plot is through "flashbacks." The flashbacks in this story are inserted very naturally, especially since they are intertwined with reality and have completely different emotional atmospheres. The author mentioned in the author's notes that it was difficult for the (characters) to switch personalities during the writing process, which is true; I also found it difficult to read! (Not in a derogatory sense, but rather I felt a connection with the author and sensed that I was experiencing the difficulties of the writing process myself.) Finally, let's talk about character development. I've read many stories featuring protagonists with animalistic traits, including those set in modern times. However, Cao Chunxiao remains the most realistic and complex character I've ever seen. I think this is inseparable from the author's willingness to add "flaws" to the character, and therefore I believe the author must truly love the character she created: because liking someone means liking their strengths, but loving someone means loving them completely. I also particularly like what the author said in the comments section: "As an author, what I can do is probably to give my characters dramatic fates, while also giving them the strength to overcome obstacles. That's enough. Perhaps when the story ends, they haven't yet achieved worldly happiness, but in the ever-expanding world, they will become wonderful trees."

39. 39 不 City of No Night 不夜城 Gui Zui姽醉No CP37k WordsCompleted I want to write about a city. About the people in it. The things that happen there. Everything in the city. The city is still the city. After ten thousand lights have burned out, the city is still the city. Su Yuan escaped from that world shrouded in yellow sand, bringing his younger sister with him. Then he signed an agreement and entered another world once more. What he didn't know was that the gods had issued a wanted notice to every intelligent being. The notice contained just three words. 11Favorites83Clicks/ch—Gifts

    Curator note

    [Actually, it shouldn't be included in this collection, but the standards for children's fiction and general fiction cannot be generalized, so I categorized it according to its potential adult form. This is a special case.] The author is completely immersed in their own world, unable to extricate themselves. This manifests in the creation of a worldview through imagination, generating numerous characters that run in their mind, but without introducing these characters to the reader. It's like walking into a party without knowing anything about the attendees, while the person responsible for introducing them (the narrator) goes offline after only five minutes, leaving me standing there watching everyone chat, wanting to join in but unable to. The world-building is novel, and the synopsis seems interesting, but how can a large brush handle such tiny characters? The novel's standout feature is its cinematic depiction of grand, sweeping scenes, quickly immersing the reader in the evocative atmosphere of "a lone plume of smoke rising straight from the desert, the setting sun sinking round in the long river." However, the same technique is used when focusing on characters, resulting in a severe lack of detail. Several characters appear in quick succession, but none are given prominent roles or close-ups to establish their character. It's a shame that the doctor, an important character, is unnamed. I can sense the author's ambition, such as the seven-layered world setting, the enigmatic protagonist, and the various factions within the city… but these elements are not clearly conveyed to the reader, remaining only in the author's own mind, with overly simplistic descriptions. The plot feels rushed, and the connections between characters don't hold up to logical scrutiny. It's like a typical idol drama where "there's only one doctor in the hospital," with characters suddenly becoming friends, and all of them being important characters, lacking realism. The first chapter is the best, but the subsequent plot fails to fully and accurately convey the story the author intended. Overall, I found it quite difficult to read because the amount of information presented was too limited. I should also mention Su Yuan. It's quite difficult for student-type protagonists to leave a lasting impression in novels, as these characters often symbolize passive behavior. However, there's clearly much to explore about Su Yuan and Su Hui, such as their origins, their true nature, and what kind of interactions they will have with the gods in the future. (The author touched on some points in this section, but not thoroughly enough. Further exploration and detailed descriptions are possible. For example, the author's mention of "wanting to write about a city, its people, and everything about it" in the introduction clearly has much room for improvement. Why was this city built? What are the differences between the seven layers of the world? What is the city's food like? What are its festivals like? What are the main residents like? Who manages this city, and what are its primary defenses?) I've always believed that the most precious and demanding element of writing is imagination. The author's ability to create this novel demonstrates remarkable imagination: the courage to create a worldview and tell a story within a completely new world is itself a testament to immense imaginative power. I believe this early childhood novel could serve as a foundation for a grand and magnificent adult novel, rich in detail, with a compelling plot and vivid characters.

40. 40 强 How the Strong Are Made 强者是怎样炼成的 Old Liver Mom老肝妈Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [This novel goes premium on the 22nd!] No blurb could do justice to the utterly outrageous content of this novel. She died, then was reborn. When she opened her eyes, she found she’d become a dinosaur, while her former kindred, now human beings, were studying her. They called her the Tyrannosaurus Rex! 1. A leveling-up story, slow burn, with a couple. 2. The female lead doesn’t remember who she is at first. 3. A crossover of horror and Marvel/DC. Theme: What joy it is to crush fate bene 160.8kFavorites216.7kClicks/ch2.2MGifts

    Curator note

    This is a fast-paced, leveling-up novel that will make all other leveling-up stories pale in comparison. The protagonist's greatest advantages are his human-like learning ability and his beast-like vitality, perfectly embodying the mindset of a leveling-up protagonist. The author's descriptions of the early stages, when the protagonist's sense of being an outsider is most pronounced, are excellent, even adding a unique touch to the food-themed story. Furthermore, the fifth dungeon is the most memorable, with its captivating and entertaining plot. The overall writing style has a dry humor, and the atmosphere in the comments section is also very friendly. However, this novel also suffers from the disadvantages that this genre should have: the plot becomes formulaic in the later stages, and some parts are padded out. Several instances are clearly only there to give the protagonist cheat codes, and there is no necessary and strong logical connection between the instances. As the protagonist becomes more and more "human," the readability decreases considerably compared to the beginning. Regarding the emotional development, since it is a derivative work, I will not comment on it.

41. 41 小 Xiaoyu's Adventures in the Crossover World 小玉综漫世界历险记 Lou Si Miao楼思渺No CP2.2M WordsCompleted [The full story is complete.] [The full bonus story about watching the show is free, but two chapters have been set up incorrectly, so please purchase with caution. The bonus story about watching the show is also unfinished.] [Blurb] After transferring to Teitan Elementary School, Xiao Yu gradually realizes that everyone around her is more than they seem. On the first day of school, she encounters a murder case. A first-grade schoolboy actually has a Tranquilizer Dart on hand, solves the case 86.7kFavorites157.4kClicks/ch355kGifts

    Curator note

    Every awkward shonen manga needs a protagonist who can't be driven away, a character meant for children. This is a heartwarming, healing, and enjoyable story that makes up for the regrets of crossover anime, with an overall light and cheerful style. When I first read the synopsis, I was wondering, "Xiaoyu, what are you doing here? Did you also take the stairs?" But after reading the whole thing, I had no more questions. With her super strong execution skills, high EQ and IQ, cheerful and optimistic personality, and proactive problem-solving, this quirky little girl should quickly become queen and be pampered by everyone. This was a heavy blow to the shonen manga's "I don't want to say anything because I think it's for your own good, so I won't say anything" trope that leads to all sorts of conflicts and misunderstandings. Reading the whole thing made me feel younger. And the author added so many bonus chapters—what a philanthropist!

42. 42 问 Seeking the Dao Beyond the Heavens 问道天外天 Wang JinWJ王锦WJNo CP1.3M WordsCompleted Duan Xinghe is the senior disciple of Xiaoyao Temple. He has an exceptional talent for cultivating immortality. His master and master's wife think highly of him, and his junior disciples all look up to him. One day, an accident leads him to incur the wrath of a giant serpent in the forbidden area behind the mountain. He gains great power, but is branded with a mark. Serpent God: Serve me, and I'll grant you everything you desire. Duan Xinghe: What do you want me to do? The Serpent God gave a si 1.8kFavorites1.6kClicks/ch1kGifts

    Curator note

    The story framework is quite traditional, nested within a road trip setting within a fantastical Eastern world. Essentially, it's rural cultivation fiction, with a strong sense of heartwarming shonen manga. The writing style is understated, focusing primarily on the daily lives of the ensemble cast. Major troubles loom, minor conflicts constantly arise, the main characters deal with trivial matters, the antagonists cause chaos, the dual male leads have a traditional feel, and it follows a classic past-life/present-day narrative. The main characters are very relatable; the protagonist is easily deceived and makes mistakes. The main storyline is less about the protagonist leading his brothers on an adventure in another world and more like a tale of searching for a sister – "I'm actually a subordinate of an evil god." Each short chapter generally follows a similar structure: "Protagonist searches for his junior sister → Protagonist discovers something strange → Protagonist refuses to leave → Protagonist is morally blackmailed → Protagonist is deceived → Protagonist encounters someone he can't defeat → Protagonist unleashes his full power → Protagonist searches for his junior sister." Sometimes, the "protagonist is deceived" part involves being deceived three or four times, and the "protagonist is morally blackmailed" part involves lengthy internal struggles. The supporting characters in each segment are a mix of foolish and wicked villains and weak, good-natured but foolish individuals. Because it's not a mindless wish-fulfillment story, some parts can be frustrating; furthermore, the predictable plot can lead to aesthetic fatigue as you progress. After chapter 100, the plot reaches its climax with frequent plot twists, before finally settling into a satisfying conclusion. This book features two male protagonists and is explicitly labeled as BL (Boys' Love). There is indeed no romance in the main text, but the so-called straight-male brotherhood is even more terrifying than that of Zhen Nantong. The two brothers are entangled in ten past lives, have a fake marriage in this life, and there's even the "your rib is in my heart" thing—it's just too much! The book contains many scenes of battle damage, which is a plus.

43. 43 宇 Guide to Having Multiple Aliases in a Literary Cosmic World 宇宙文坛马甲指南 Bounce Back, Eleven Pipa Strings反弹十一琵琶Danmei (BL)655k WordsCompleted The literary world across the universe is currently filled with outstanding talent, and readers can’t get enough. There are authors who write melodramatic romances and get flamed on the top page of the star network with every update; There are authors who write epic sagas, exploring five thousand years of the history of a desolate planet through the eyes of ordinary people, through life and death and painful farewells, making their stories almost unbearable to read; There are authors who write 34.8kFavorites47.8kClicks/ch58.6kGifts

    Curator note

    [Warning: The story's attitude towards AI writing is ambiguous, and the protagonist himself has saved up money to buy AI tools and practice AI writing.] A romantic science fiction fairy tale, similar in style to *Hello, I am [Name]*, both belonging to the category of works where writing skills don't quite match the sheer imagination. The imagination is rich, and the descriptions of different alien races are quite interesting. However, like *I Run a Fantasy [Name]*, it suffers from the same flaw: middle school students might find it childish, while it's just right for college students. The plot is simple, making it suitable for light reading. The entire book is primarily a "tell" narrative with very little "show." Aside from the first story, which relies on melodramatic plot twists to grab attention, the subsequent stories are generally quite mediocre. Reading readers' praise of the author feels like reading a book titled "The entire universe's writing quality has dropped ten thousand times, while Earthlings remain unchanged." Even with an interstellar setting, this book hasn't escaped the reliance on plagiarism, reminiscent of works from Yilin magazines like *Dream of the Red Chamber*, *The Stars of Humanity*, *Tomb Raider*, and even *One Hundred Years of Solitude*. The explanation given is that it records Earth's civilization, interpreted from a romantic perspective, which is barely acceptable. Both the main characters and the love interest have a very fairytale-like feel, and the romance is adorable. The characters with multiple identities are rather one-dimensional, making their interactions somewhat boring. The highlight is the wildly imaginative depiction of the universe, with the theme "meeting is a miracle" running throughout. Finally, the story concludes with a romantic line: "Goodnight, universe, sweet dreams."

44. 44 桥 Upstairs by the Bridge 桥头楼上 priestNo CP118k WordsCompleted You stand on the bridge watching the scenery, while someone watching the scenery looks down at you from the tower; The bright moon turns the tall building into a painting, and hung at the bridgehead, the painting becomes part of the scenery. Adapted from Bian Zhilin's short poem “Fragment” Notes: 1. A short mystery, around 100,000 characters (that's the estimate, anyway; it might not be accurate). 2. I'll probably update 4–6 times a week, at 11 a.m. Jinjiang only allows VIP stories to post abs 258kFavorites248.7kClicks/ch433.5kGifts

    Curator note

    A female ensemble piece, a realistic suspenseful mystery with a mind-bending plot, and a modern Rashomon-like narrative style. The theme focuses on women's suffering, with the entire story revolving around women helping women. Regardless of the development of the supporting characters, they are at least three-dimensional and vivid. The narrative isn't deliberately obscure, but a subtle didactic tone is perceptible, which is a characteristic of the author. In terms of writing technique, the word choice is precise, and the verbs are used vividly and figuratively. The language descriptions of different characters are differentiated, and the writing doesn't follow a single, rigid approach. The overall tone is somber and resentful, just as the commentary says, "The themes of school bullying, LTP, and XQ have been written to death, yet these things still happen in reality." The author is still kind-hearted; the ending, like that of "Big Brother," is a gentle, fairytale-like conclusion. Overall, my feeling is: it's already quite good, but it could be improved further.

45. 45 殿 Why Is Your Highness So Flustered? 殿下为何如此心虚 Watermelon Stir-Fried with Meat西瓜炒肉Danmei (BL)542k WordsCompleted In the twenty-third year of the Xuanqing era, the Crown Prince died, and the capital was thrown into turmoil. Shen Chiyi had transmigrated into a book, but as a bit-part character, a useless young lord. The imperial power struggle had nothing to do with him. He kept up the appearance of a sickly, good-for-nothing fool, while secretly traveling to Jiangnan under an assumed identity. By chance, he met a noble young man who had fallen on hard times. The young noble was refined, graceful, handsome 429.5kFavorites376.3kClicks/ch1MGifts

    Curator note

    It's a romance novel, but the plot and logic are also quite strong. The main characters are well-developed, and there's even a twist on the war and the damage dealt by the enemy—it's wonderful! The protagonist's character is portrayed as a passionate and righteous prince. The story begins with the protagonist actively pursuing the prince and then abandoning him, but this is not meant to portray him as a heartless man. Instead, as the plot unfolds, the story reveals a prince who is both affectionate and righteous. The male lead's character is the kind of seemingly innocent but actually cunning persona I'm familiar with, but few can blend these two traits so convincingly. Common elements in ancient-style novels, such as headaches, poison, an old emperor and an unloving empress, and a seemingly insane but ultimately useless crown prince, are all present in this book, yet the natural and fluid writing prevents reader fatigue. Although the protagonist has a transmigration plot and powerful martial arts skills, the story is written with originality and a coherent explanation. The narrative style is consistent, the plot transitions are natural, with varying levels of detail, and the flashbacks are not forced. The emotional storylines are delicately portrayed, and the plot is equally compelling. Furthermore, the author excels at descriptive writing, making for a visually pleasing read.

46. 46 双 Twin Swords 双生剑 A Pool of Green Mountains一池青山Romance276k WordsCompleted Jiang Xuan Su was the son of the leader of the cultivation world's greatest sect. He was noble and gifted, yet lived in seclusion and loneliness. Until he learned he had a twin sister somewhere in the world. Liu Tian Yu had been raised by wolves from childhood. Fierce and unruly, with her dantian unopened, she scraped by performing with a traveling troupe in the mortal world. Until a group of strange immortals found her and said she had been chosen by an ancient divine artifact, and that she mu 1.6kFavorites1kClicks/ch2kGifts

    Curator note

    The author excels at creating vivid imagery, possessing a powerful command of language that allows the reader to experience a cinematic experience in just two paragraphs—a truly inspired work. Initially, the synopsis suggested the male lead's character wasn't my type, but the story lived up to that expectation. The wolf girl, on the other hand, was someone I instantly liked, and her appearance in the story immediately piqued my interest. The introduction and development of character relationships, the deepening and twists of the plot, all felt perfectly within my comfort zone, and the final revelation of the truth felt smooth and satisfying. Suspense and mystery novels are like magic shows; their inherent weakness is the same as magic itself. Knowing the tricks makes it hard to be amazed by the magic itself, and knowing the mastermind makes it hard to be amazed by the writing process. This book falls into this category; it's the kind of novel you have to forget everything to reread it and maintain the same enjoyment. Furthermore, the author admits to being unskilled in historical romance, and indeed, the pacing suddenly accelerates and the ending feels somewhat rushed in the later parts of the novel. It's neither perfectly satisfying nor perfectly smooth, but it's not entirely a bad ending either.

47. 47 末 Post-Apocalyptic Real Estate Tycoon 末世房产大亨 Li Jiug e厉九歌No CP1.0M WordsCompleted The full novel is complete, though I’m still making occasional revisions. Upcoming novels: "Ascend to Immortality, Then Return to Earth to Make Games" and "Eating by the Rules". "Real Estate Tycoon" is a building game that adds new components every week to satisfy players’ wildest construction ideas. Chi Yu is a socially anxious recluse who hates interacting with people. To focus on gaming, he stocked up on several months’ worth of food and settled into the blissful life of playing games at home 54.6kFavorites72.4kClicks/ch195.9kGifts

    Curator note

    The camera-based protagonist, a common trope in simulator-themed stories, is a fun concept, but the author seems unclear about the target audience, oscillating between player and human perspectives. No matter which side you choose, it's not entirely enjoyable, making it far from a satisfying read. While the author clearly aims for a grand theme, crafting numerous scenes praising human collective courage and collectivism, and portraying a diverse cast of characters, some plot points where the collective human resistance is directed against the players feel unsettling. Furthermore, many characters are forced into happiness by players or game rules, resulting in a disjointed and unsettling flow in this aspect of the story. As for the infrastructure and management aspects, they are more impressive in the early stages but gradually lose momentum in the later ones. Regarding the protagonist's character development, this is the least charismatic character among the author's novels, and the characterization is also quite chaotic. The author tries to portray the protagonist as kind but can't escape the player-versus-evil faction setting; they try to portray the protagonist as socially awkward and a homebody but constantly show him going out; they try to show the protagonist's gradual growth, but until the very last chapter, the protagonist only manages to muster the courage to go out without a mask. Furthermore, the protagonist receives far more of the "intelligence-degrading halo" given to everyone else throughout the book. I find it hard to believe this is a male-protagonist novel. I followed the series intermittently during its serialization. The combination of real estate simulation management and the arrival of dimensional creatures was novel and fun, but later it veered into an excessively long arc, devoting a large portion to developing the Black Angel—a typical case of a supporting character's charm overshadowing the protagonist's. The occasional macro-level Chinese historical narratives didn't move me; I only saw the author using this method to elevate the story's perceived value. Two points for the author's sentimentality, one point for the comedic spider sisters. PS: I communicated with the author once. The author states that this book is not a purely entertaining read, but it is still labeled as such, which is something I cannot understand. And, the author himself is quite frank, but if the book isn't good, it just isn't good.

48. 48 朕 I’m So Wronged!!!!!!! 朕委屈！！！！！！！ Piao Zuoyou朴左右Danmei (BL)281k WordsCompleted Recommending a friend’s delicious historical romance: The Dog Emperor Went Completely Mad After I Faked My Death Coming soon: Did This Artificially Stupid Robot Successfully Become a Villain Today?; Brothers!!! Brothers!!!! Blurb: Gu Fangzhi was transported into a game he had played before. He became a treacherous minister who shared his name. The bad news: The emperor was a tyrant. The worse news: He had arrived in the middle of an audience where he was giving advice. The worst news: The emper 189.4kFavorites197kClicks/ch165kGifts

    Curator note

    The premise is interesting; the main focus is on the tyrant's reaction. It sells itself on its imaginative concepts. The characters in this article are inevitably inferior, especially the Imperial Tutor in this one. The initial impression was okay, but I started scrutinizing the romance plot relentlessly. Foot.

49. 49 帝EN A Tyrant Emperor's Guide to Raising Mushrooms 帝王养蘑菇的注意事项 Dan Qing Luo丹青落Danmei (BL)100k WordsCompleted [A short story, just over a dollar for the full set. Your support is much appreciated~] Lin Ling is a little mushroom spirit growing on a beam in the Imperial Study. Every day, he watches the tyrant go about his business: confiscating estates, exiling people, and executing entire clans. The little mushroom has no particular opinion about this, except that his flowerpot, where he likes to bask in the moonlight, always gets caught in the crossfire. It gets sent crashing to the floor along with t 104kFavorites138.8kClicks/ch60.2kGifts

    Curator note

    These short stories are a delight to read and lift your spirits; they're incredibly heartwarming and healing, a classic fairy tale. The mushrooms are adorable, the emperor is cool, the story is cute at first, and gets overwhelmingly sweet later on. As the author's chosen bedtime story, it has fulfilled its mission perfectly.

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