Some Clarifications Regarding Reader Reviews

Since the inception of this book, I have been closely monitoring reader feedback.

As I read primarily on a computer, I do not frequent the comment section often (the desktop version no longer has one, and I am not very adept at navigating the mobile app). My focus is mainly on the "chapter comments," so if you have anything to say to me, please leave your notes there.

I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the feedback and questions regarding the "evil path" elements of this book.

1. Regarding "Filler" Content
This is an age-old topic. I addressed it in my previous book, but since this is a game-based story, it must include a significant amount of data descriptions—monsters, equipment, and skill stats.

In truth, writing this is more taxing than writing a normal narrative. It is certainly not a case of the author being lazy; it requires genuine mental effort to craft and design these elements. Sometimes, setting up an interesting piece of equipment takes a long time—time I could have spent writing several hundred words of prose.

Yet, I am constantly accused of "padding." It feels quite unjust, but it is unavoidable. Data descriptions are essential to the game-lit genre, and they will continue to appear—especially whenever the protagonist defeats a major boss and drops a pile of gear. I am offering this as a preemptive warning.

However, for chapters containing heavy data, I always provide a few hundred extra words. For instance, in Chapter 30, "The Peculiar Goats," I listed the stats for five goats, but the chapter reached 3,100 words—a full thousand more than the standard 2,000. This was done specifically to avoid frustrating readers, yet I was still accused of padding. It is truly frustrating; it is not filler.

Furthermore, we are currently in the free-to-read period, so padding the word count serves no purpose. I addressed this in my last book, and I am clarifying it here once more. I will not be explaining this again in the future.

2. Regarding the Protagonist’s Tone
The protagonist adjusts his tone based on the setting and the person he is speaking to. For example, when talking to dogs, his language is simple and straightforward, as if he were speaking to a small child.

This is not a reflection of poor writing, but a deliberate choice. Considering the low intelligence of dogs, it would be impossible to speak to them in sophisticated prose. You can view these scenes as the protagonist trying to coax a five-year-old; the tone naturally needs to be more juvenile.

If he were speaking to an old man or a scholar, he would naturally be more refined.

Take the interaction with the hunter: at first, the protagonist addressed him as "Sir," but when the hunter kept referring to his "old lady" or "wife," the protagonist realized he was dealing with a rough-hewn man and stopped bothering with formal speech, switching to a more casual tone.

I find nothing wrong with this; I am puzzled as to why people complain about it.

The protagonist uses formal language with NPCs primarily to facilitate communication and fit the context. Once a quest is accepted or such formality is no longer necessary, he stops the act. After all, maintaining a formal register is exhausting; plain speech is much more efficient. He cannot be expected to speak eloquently to everyone he encounters.

Similar shifts will occur in the future—one moment he might be asking an elder about their health, and the next he might be telling someone to "hurry up, I'm in a rush." Consider this a formal note on the matter.

3. Regarding the Protagonist’s Choices
These choices are always considered, even if I do not always write out the internal thought process.

For example, why the protagonist chose to seek out Yelu instead of Black Whirlwind to exorcise a ghost:
Imagine if the protagonist used an exorcism spell and the ghost appeared, and Black Whirlwind stood there shouting "Left! Left!" at empty air to help with positioning. Such positioning would never be precise. If I attempted to strike with a sword, I might hit, or I might miss. Even if I were lucky enough to hit, it wouldn't be a fatal blow. The ghost would simply fly away, and the mission would fail.

Seeking out Yelu is clearly the more reliable option.

The protagonist is not stupid; his decisions are calculated. However, writing out every single consideration—"The protagonist thought, if I go to Black Whirlwind, then such-and-such..."—would be far too sluggish.

In fact, I often feel the narrative is already a bit slow because I frequently include the protagonist's thought process just to appease readers who might otherwise complain. I used to write without these explanations, letting the protagonist act on impulse, but after receiving too much criticism, I have been forced to include his internal reasoning for controversial decisions.

Whether it is learning skills or choosing equipment, I usually include some internal monologue to explain why. But I cannot do this for every single action. If the protagonist buys steamed buns instead of wild boar jerky, I could explain: "The buns cost 5 coins and restore 10 stamina, while the jerky costs 25 coins and restores 50. The ratio is the same, but buns can be eaten individually, offering more flexibility for small stamina losses, whereas the jerky must be consumed all at once." But if I wrote out such trivial details every time, the story would drag, and people would complain that I am padding the text.

Therefore, for less important choices, I omit the internal monologue, trusting that the reader can intuit the logic. Please understand that these decisions are always considered.

4. Regarding Self-Centeredness
Self-centeredness is something everyone possesses to some degree. We all have our own ideas and believe them to be correct; this is inevitable. I am such a person myself.

However, some people mistakenly believe that their perspective is the universal consensus—that because they think something is right, it *must* be objectively correct. They conclude that if I do not write according to their specific vision, I am an idiot or disrespectful to the readers. They feel entitled to berate me, and I am not allowed to be angry because they represent "the obvious consensus."

In truth, this is not the case. As an author receiving feedback from a vast number of readers—especially since I hold polls for major choices—I can tell you that readers are always divided into several different groups. There is absolutely no such thing as an "obvious consensus," except perhaps for the rare case that the protagonist must not die.

Most of the time, reader opinions are completely divergent. As an author, I wish to satisfy everyone, but that is impossible.

For instance, the main plot of this book: I originally proposed two paths—a dark one and a lighthearted one—for readers to choose. The dark path involved the protagonist being recruited by Liu Qiang, sent as cannon fodder to the Green Dragon Society's base, and struggling to survive before turning the tables. (Yes, that base from the prologue where so many died.) The lighthearted path is the one you are reading now.

The polls in the group were tied twice, and the final decision was only made based on a poll from the end of my previous book. Had one or two votes gone differently, we would be reading an entirely different story.

You must understand that your preference is just that—your preference. I cannot satisfy everyone; I can only aim to satisfy the majority, and sometimes that "majority" might be as low as 51%. If there are more than three choices, it might not even be 50%.

My personal taste often leans toward the niche—not even 49%, but perhaps 10%. Consequently, poll results often surprise me, with the options I prefer receiving the fewest votes. If I wrote entirely based on my own ideas, many would likely complain, "This is trash, is the author an idiot? Feeding us garbage again."

Ever since I started using polls, the number of complaints has dropped significantly, which is a relief. The only side effect is that I have become a chronic indecisive, sometimes even asking readers to help choose the protagonist's breakfast or the names of his gear (usually in the reader group; see the end of this message for the group ID).

So, when you feel something in this book doesn't align with your vision, please consider that your idea might just be your own, rather than an "obvious consensus."

Of course, some people simply enjoy complaining. No matter what I do, they will find fault. If I have the protagonist use a sword, someone will say, "Ugh, swords again? How cliché." If I choose a spear, someone will complain, "Why a spear? Swords are so much cooler." If I choose nunchucks, someone will say, "Is the author an idiot?" Even by posting this explanation, I am sure someone will say, "Why are you bothering to explain? Use that time to write two more chapters!"

The reader is god, and as an author, I must accept whatever comes my way. From now on, I will not be explaining myself further.

Reader Group: Baoyueliuguang’s Request Group
Group ID: 625250667