Author's Note at the End of the Volume
Having finished this volume, tomorrow we march into a new chapter. Looking back at everything since the book went premium, Ximen can proudly say:
Ximen is an author who is constantly improving!
Wouldn't I blush saying something like that?
No, there is solid basis for this statement.
Perhaps the quality hasn't seen a dramatic leap, but the quantity—that is, the word count—has recently entered the stable realm of three thousand words per chapter.
So even if it's still just one chapter a day, this single chapter is larger than normal!
Being bigger than others fills Ximen with confidence!
And starting next month, a wildly ambitious Ximen will challenge himself to write four thousand words a day to earn the full attendance bonus!
By then, even if it's still just one chapter, that single chapter will be equivalent to two normal chapters!
While other authors dropping two chapters is impressive, Ximen's single chapter doesn't seem half bad either!
Let's go for it!
......
Above was a pep talk; below is a bit of venting...
......
Before the internet era, writing was a lonely business because you had no idea what readers were thinking. Even now, writing remains a lonely business if you are a struggling, failed author.
As for why Ximen feels lonely, it's because I clearly feel I'm writing quite well, yet my results are worse than some incomprehensible garbage. As a prime example of looking inward to find the fault, it's not the world that's wrong, but Ximen.
The result of this self-reflection is that Ximen should have written a system novel in the first place. Whether it's setting up conflicts or providing timely positive feedback, a system can solve it all.
When you don't know how to advance the plot, the system issues a quest. When you don't know how to pad the word count, you just chat with the system and talk some nonsense, ensuring you'll never be criticized for being too short.
Readers love to read it, and it's effortless to write. Ximen, you motherfucking idiot, why didn't you write a system novel from the start? I wonder if it's still too late to patch in a system now?
Ding! Your golden finger has arrived!
How delightfully sweet!
Also, in this age of entertaining ourselves to death, you have to be interesting enough, otherwise people won't even click on the title. Should I change the synopsis?
......
Vent over, let's talk turkey. When I originally signed this book, the minimum word count was six hundred thousand words—that's what the author signed for—and it could go up to a maximum of one million six hundred thousand words.
So if the subscription numbers continue to slump, I'll write it shorter and punchier. In our next volume finale, we'll arrange a glamorous appearance for Grandma, which will quickly resolve all issues.
If subscriptions pick up even slightly in the future, I'll write it longer and more detailed. We'll keep Grandma blocked behind the dimensional wall and let Victor continue to struggle and rely on his own efforts.
If you want it both thick and long, that's not impossible—it'll cost extra!
Writing for money is nothing to be ashamed of.
As for those who don't subscribe yet still hurl abuse, hehe! You can choose not to read.
Seriously, if you don't subscribe and still insist on cursing, do yourself a favor and stop reading. Please don't force yourself, and I wish you luck in finding a good book.
Finally, thank you once again to everyone who supports Ximen. Your generous financial contributions are the driving force that keeps Ximen moving forward.
Ximen Taitai. May 30, 2020