Empire of Shadows

The rewards for July until August 4th totaled over 700 yuan, so there will be an extra chapter released as a bonus.

Taiwan Novel Network → 𝕥 𝕨 𝕜 𝕒 𝕟 . 𝕔 𝕠 𝕞

First, let's talk about the recent hot topic of discussion, which is about the different viewpoints and discussions regarding the protagonist passively responding to events versus actively dealing with them.

Some readers feel that the protagonist is too passive in the development of the plot. I've seriously considered this, and it's true to some extent.

But does being passive necessarily mean it's unrealistic or unreasonable?

I don't think so.

The protagonist just took down Will and is already under the surveillance of law enforcement agencies. Would it be reasonable to actively clamor to resolve the rival gang at this time?

This isn't a world of cultivation where anything goes. Although it's also a world of the survival of the fittest, at least there are basic social rules to maintain order.

I wrote in the story that the head of the Camilla gang didn't immediately resort to gang warfare to deal with Lance, but instead chose kidnapping, which has less impact on social stability and destruction. This was actually combined with the background of the police keeping a close watch.

I also wrote that when being followed, it was believed to be the police.

In this tense environment, while leading a group of people with illegal identities, would it be reasonable to continue doing things that would attract the attention of society and law enforcement?

I think it might cater to the needs of some readers, but it's not reasonable.

Many people like emotionally driven power fantasies, stories with a conflict every three chapters, wiping out a clan in ten chapters, and destroying a sect in twenty chapters. For those who are used to reading such fast-paced stories, they will definitely feel that my protagonist is too passive and the story's pace is too slow.

Fast-paced emotional stories require a constant stream of actively created content. The protagonist is made difficult by a bank teller when withdrawing money in the morning and immediately retaliates on the spot, with the bank president kneeling and begging for forgiveness. Does this kind of thing really happen?

I don't reject reading such content, but I won't actively create it.

It's even more impossible for me to have the protagonist disregard the social environment, background, and specific situations, and advance triumphantly all the way.

This is actually the biggest problem with some similar novels. Of course, I'm not saying they're not well-written, but it means that all law enforcement agencies are always just decorations.

For example, in a certain modern urban novel, the protagonist leads more than a thousand people in broad daylight, holding cold and hot weapons, occupying the main traffic roads and walking to a showdown with the enemy.

Don't the police care?

Don't the city managers care?

Don't the soldiers care?

If they really don't care, why does social order still exist?

I hope my book is a relatively more realistic world, where everything has its own operating rules, possibly even similar to what we are experiencing.

Then some people will say, 'No, this is not what I like. I just like to read books that don't need too much foreshadowing, don't care about what's reasonable or unreasonable, and are just enjoyable from beginning to end.'

Then I can only say, I'm sorry, I can't do it. Maybe it's time for our relationship to end here.

Regarding the story's structure, including the main plot, it has actually begun to slowly unfold, but for impatient friends, it may still be too slow.

However, I personally feel that the pace of the story is just right.

My goal is to make the characters full and the story full.

Then let's answer the questions summarized from last month. Because there are so many questions, I can't answer everyone, but I guarantee that I've read every message.

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Just like more than one person hopes to see more of my artwork.

First of all, old readers are asking if I will write more 90s content later.

I recently had an idea to write 90s as the next book. Of course, because some of the original content is not suitable for the platform, Ding Mingyi will appear with a new identity and attitude.

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Some readers have pointed out that the price issue is a bit confusing. This is indeed the case, and it will be gradually adjusted later.

Some readers believe that Alberto's plot of asking Lance to collect debts is a bit far-fetched. The second one is normal, the first one is not normal. That's what I think.

The first one is not because the 'difficulty' was assigned to Lance, but because it was a bad person and a bad debt.

Why ask Lance and them to collect debts? Because Alberto didn't actually pay Lance any money. He just thought it was fun and interesting.

If they succeed, there is no loss, and they can also discover a talent.

If they fail, there is also no loss, and it won't cause much disappointment.

How to describe this feeling? It's like for rich people, they are willing to spend a few hundred yuan to watch someone kowtow and call them daddy.

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How many hours for Stellaris?

What Stellaris? I don't know.

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Will Lance break out of the planet? Will there be aliens?

Not this time. Moreover, this book may not be as long as Black Stone, and I won't force myself to drag it out to 10 million words.

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Some readers asked if I have considered writing a capital story with an ancient Eastern background. In fact, this idea is still too fantastical, because Shen Wansan and many similar people have proven that this path is impossible.

In the end, what is said to be capital has essentially become a military-political combination.

As for whether I will write it, my history is too bad, and it's impossible to write a fictional one. I'm not sure about an original one.

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Some readers believe that there are too many shadows of movies, TV series, and other literary creations in the book. I don't think this issue should be viewed this way. You should think that we are all narrating and presenting a very real era.

Because these are the things that happened at those times, it's just that some people turned them into works earlier, and I'm relatively late. If I had been earlier, people would say, 'You all look like...'

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Some readers are discussing the cover of this book. Actually, I think it's pretty good. You should be able to feel its unique artistic conception. I myself am also very satisfied.

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Some readers asked when immortal cultivation will be arranged. I really want to write this, but I need to consider and plan well, because everyone is tired of seeing immortal cultivation, and it's not easy to write something new.

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Some readers asked if I plan to write extraordinary fantasy. I have considered this, because this book of mine with this theme, mainly based on Western modern and contemporary society, is the last one.

The next book will be selected from several themes, and extraordinary fantasy is one of them.

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Some readers asked if a reward of 333 starting coins will add an extra chapter. To be precise, our reward rules have always been relatively stable. Every time the reward amount reaches 333 yuan each month, an extra chapter will be added the following month, not 333 starting coins.

But you shouldn't feel that your 333 starting coins have been cheated, because this amount is cumulative. In a way, I definitely won't be like other authors who stipulate one or two hundred yuan for a chapter, but I guarantee that whether you reward 1 cent or 1 yuan, it will eventually play a role!

Rewards are cumulative. If this month, for example, there is still 300 yuan left, but the time is up, then this 300 yuan will be extended to the next month and continue to accumulate. I will never disappoint any amount of money or the emotional value behind it. That is my extra chapter rule.

For monthly tickets, an extra chapter will be added for every 666 tickets, but if there are extra monthly tickets at the end of the month, they will not be accumulated to the next month.

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Some readers believe that some plots will repeat the previous book. I think the core story is different, and the others are just minor details.

There are only so many things in this society. If Dulin did it, can't Lin Qi do it?

If Lin Qi did it, can't Lance do it?

Everyone can do it, it's just that the focus is different. This is not a problem, I think.

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Some readers asked about the naming issue. Actually, I'm also annoyed, but using Western names to write this story allows me to write more explicitly.

But if I change to Eastern names, the review team will come looking for me. Sometimes I'm also very helpless.

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That's about it. If you have anything to leave a message, long press → ①