Day by day, time passed.
No one knew that inside a private booth at an internet café, there was a young man fighting on without rest, day and night.
When he was tired, Huang Yifan would sit in front of the computer and doze for a bit. When he was hungry, he would eat instant noodles at the internet café.
At this very moment, Huang Yifan felt as if his hands had become machines, endlessly maintaining the posture of striking the keyboard.
There were many times when Huang Yifan felt he could no longer hold on. But as he watched the world he was creating take shape little by little, he kept telling himself. Almost there. Just endure a little longer. Just a little longer, and the readers would be able to see the ending. Just a little longer, and he would truly become a creator, a god with omnipotent power.
Using this kind of self-hypnosis, Huang Yifan stayed in the internet café for ten days and ten nights.
When a new day arrived, as a ray of morning sunlight poured in, Huang Yifan's hands trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes.
After writing the three words "The End," Huang Yifan let out a heavy breath.
But as he exhaled, he was shocked to discover a streak of bright red at the corner of his mouth.
He hadn't expected that these ten days and ten nights would completely wreck his body.
Even so, Huang Yifan was smiling brightly.
He felt that he had accomplished something he could be immensely proud of.
Although if he told others about it, they would only sneer and say that Huang Yifan was nothing more than someone copying a book.
But even so, Huang Yifan was still incomparably satisfied.
The pit he had dug for himself was finally filled.
Taking advantage of the last bit of time, Huang Yifan wrote a completion note.
"Dear friends, 'Bad Guy' is finally finished! For me, it truly wasn't easy. Fortunately, I'm not dead yet. Though I'm not far from it. Writing for ten days straight was far too intense, so I will probably need to rest and recuperate for a while. As for this book, I don't know whether it will be deleted shortly after this, but I suspect the chances are very high. Still, the book is finally complete, and that counts as fulfilling my dream. Forget it. Deleted or not, let it be! I feel light all over now. Though my body feels a bit uncomfortable, my spirit is indescribably relaxed. Everyone, congratulate me, I feel like I'm about to break through. The next book is scheduled for September 8. I'll give everyone a few words of nonsense: When September 8 arrives this year, when my flowers bloom, all others shall wither. That's all for now. Goodbye, brothers! Goodbye, readers!
The Number One White Under Heaven, May 15, 2015."
After writing the final sentence, Huang Yifan dragged his body, on the verge of falling apart, and walked out of the internet café step by step.
"Teacher Lin, I'm sorry. I'm back."
When Huang Yifan returned to school and spoke his first sentence, he could no longer hold on. With a thud, he collapsed.
…
On the other side, when 'Bad Guy' was fully completed, the 'Bad Guy' review section once again became the focal point of Lingdian.
Still updating during the review period.
Writing non-stop for 24 hours, updating 30 chapters a day, 100,000 words daily.
The existence of The Number One White Under Heaven, like a freak of nature, assaulted everyone's senses.
Until today, 'Bad Guy' has finally come to an end.
One heaven-defying feat after another left countless Lingdian authors prostrating themselves in admiration.
Whether risking one's life or working oneself to death, they all admitted that none of them could compare to The Number One White Under Heaven.
Even Wuhen, the super platinum author of Lingdian's 'Asking the Dao Supreme,' praised The Number One White Under Heaven with a word of admiration.
Yet today, the readers of 'Bad Guy' simply couldn't feel happy.
In fact, countless 'Bad Guy' fans were already crying loudly in the review section.
"White Boss, are you okay?"
"To be honest, I didn't read a single chapter of your 'Bad Guy' during these ten days. It's not that I don't like it, but that I was afraid to read it. Every time I wanted to, an image would appear in my mind: a proud, unyielding author writing in tears of blood before his computer. Ten days, one million words. One hundred thousand words a day. That's 24 hours of nonstop typing. What makes us happy is that 'Bad Guy' is finished. But what makes my heart ache unbearably is that I don't know how your body is holding up, White Boss."
"You said at the end of the last few chapters that your vision had blurred and that you might even be hallucinating. When I read that, I truly cried. White Boss, do you know you're killing yourself? Do you think that by doing this, you've fulfilled your wish? But for us, White Boss, you are our greatest treasure."
"White Boss, I don't know how your body is right now. But I hope you can rest well for a while and take good care of yourself."
What kind of author do readers like the most?
Some say the author who writes the best novels is the most beloved.
Others say the author who writes the most exhilarating plots is the most beloved.
Still others say the author who writes the feelings in people's hearts is the most beloved.
No, none of that is right.
The readers of The Number One White Under Heaven will tell you that those are not what they love most.
What they love most is an author who moves their hearts and touches their souls.
This kind of emotion doesn't necessarily come from words.
Sometimes, it comes simply from the author's actions. Like The Number One White Under Heaven, who risked his life just to let readers see the ending of this book, showing unbending pride. Even though some readers rated the ending of 'Bad Guy' as just average, even so, when they reached the end, they still found themselves crying as they read.
"White Boss, please don't do this again, okay?"
"White Boss, please don't be this willful again, okay?"
"White Boss, please don't be this foolish again, okay?"
"White Boss, please remember, no matter what, take good care of your body."
"White Boss, September 8. We remember this date. It's our promise with you, and we'll keep waiting. We don't need you to return like a king descending upon the world. We just hope that when the time comes, we can still see you, see you safe and sound, see you free of disaster and misfortune. That will be enough."
"White Boss, go. Go and rest well."
Your loving fans.
…
'The Song of a Man.'
In the office of the Deputy Director of the General Administration of Press and Publications, Li Rong and Ji Chun were reviewing the list of novels being removed from Lingdian this time.
At this moment, when Li Rong flipped to the work 'Bad Guy,' a poem titled 'The Song of a Man' caught his attention.
'The western barbarians' fate is spent, the Great Han stands like the midday sun.
With ten thousand heroes' courage, I vow to paint the world in Huaguo's colors.
When that day comes, we'll drink together in Luoyang, Drunk beneath the bright moon.'
"Old Ji, I originally thought 'Bad Guy' was a work with extremely distorted values. But I didn't expect this author to write such a stirring patriotic poem. Remarkable, truly remarkable."
"Old Li, I didn't expect you to praise someone either."
Ji Chun turned his head and, seeing the poem 'The Song of a Man,' also sighed. "To be honest, what I admire even more is that this author clearly knew the book was under review, yet continued updating on Lingdian, all for one thing: to give his readers a complete ending. That kind of courage, I even admire it. It's just a pity that, acting so blatantly against the wind, his pen name will probably never be usable again."
"Oh? Ji Chun, is that so? He actually updated the novel during the review period? That's pretty bold. But how come I didn't notice?"
"You didn't notice?"
Ji Chun was a little confused. But when he saw Li Rong blink, he suddenly understood. "Oh, I didn't notice either. Must've been mistaken just now."
"That's what I thought. Old Ji, are you planning to retire early or what? Alright then, let's call it a day. Let Lingdian know that we're satisfied with their performance during this period. Next, we'll list Lingdian as a key literary website to support. Oh, right, also tell them to cherish authors like the one who wrote 'The Song of a Man.'"
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