How to Be a Competent Tavern NPC

Passing by, I burned paper money, lit candles, offered incense—no response. I poured wine, offered sacrifices, set off firecrackers, smashed the tombstone—no reaction. I dug up the grave, exhumed the coffin, whipped the spirit—no temper. I set fire to the grave, burned the spirit, crushed the bones, scattered the ashes—let's try again. I set up an altar, drew talismans, channeled my energy, summoned lightning—nothing. I used magic, a wooden sword, a effigy, chanted incantations, and tried to summon the spirit again. Tears flowed, I wept, wailed, and pounded the ground. The author is dead, and I, this humble Taoist, am powerless to bring him back to life! (๑°3°๑)

This book was my gateway into the world of fantasy novels. I remember it was around the second half of 2020 when I searched for gender-swapped isekai (otherworld) stories on Baidu and a bunch of doujinshi (fan-made comics) came up. I found this one among them and immediately downloaded the "Loli Pack" (a popular Chinese fanfic) just for it. Now it's been almost 1,500 days! By the way, is the author really dead?

The only book I could read three times without getting tired of it, and it ended up with my death.

This book has a well-developed world-building and a great start, but the plot progression feels a bit stiff. Overall, it's okay, but the forced development and the strange interventions of gods and the system are a bit confusing (if that's just how gods are, I have nothing to say). I feel it might fall apart later on because the protagonist is made too invincible early on, and the character development for the players entering the game is insufficient and stiff. However, the overall plot is decent, but the dual-world setting feels rushed (it seems like an invincible novel). I used to be a reader on a certain online platform, and I've seen this kind of plot too many times; either the protagonist becomes a god with a single strike, or...

Judging from the events described, the author likely did indeed pass away during the pandemic. (Sigh, time to visit the grave)

This book was the first book I read by Pineapple Bun. Seeing it again now evokes a mix of emotions, and I don't know what to say. Today is May 27, 2022. I'm visiting a grave, and I also wish the author well in his life.

If you're looking for a book with a good pace that won't be too tiring to read, this is it. The book's strength lies in its excellent storytelling, but it doesn't follow the fast-paced rhythm of some tightly plotted novels, making it less tiring to read. This book doesn't offer much moralizing or wish-fulfillment; it simply tells a pure love story between two people. The only flaw (not really a major one) is that both the male and female leads are gender-swapped, which might seem strange to some. However, you can completely forget this setting and treat it as a normal pure romance novel with a female protagonist. You can even forget that this world is a game, forget that the male lead is...

The opening scene where the male transforms into a silver dragon could be completely omitted; the time-travel plot would still flow smoothly without it, but adding it makes it feel stiff. The main reason is the lack of focus on the psychological changes. It's just glossed over. (The transformation should emphasize the psychological changes during the transformation) -0.5 Game players don't treat NPCs as NPCs at all, but as real people. Hmm... The more I read, the more I feel the author forgot the earlier setup; this game setting feels superfluous and unnecessary -0.5 Of course, the most important part of the transformation is the psychological description! From a boy becoming a girl, to accepting being a girl, then overcoming psychological barriers to liking boys. (Only...)

Oh my god, I suddenly found a great book that was totally my cup of tea, the subject matter of which is exactly what I've been wanting to read. I finished it despite the risk of dying in class today, only to find it was unfinished. Oh no, now I can't sleep at all.

Could the guys in the author group please share information about the current status of the authors?