Chapter 51 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 51: The Mangaka's Evasion Techniques Answer: "Hmm, maybe." The mangaka's response felt as though it contained no real answer at all. Li Li sighed, "As expected," and then continued scrolling down. It's understood that before the foreshadowing is revealed, the mangaka surely won't offer any spoilers. Further along, there were a few questions Li Li found quite interesting, such as, "If they escape from the bronze, what would Li do?" The mangaka answered: "Li would take the two kids out for bubble tea." "That's impossible!" Li Li contemplated while looking at her phone. If this actually happened, she... She couldn't think of anything because such a premise would never occur. Besides this, there was another hypothetical question about who Li would save if Yi Ming and Tang both fell into a river. The mangaka smoothly responded: Li would cheer them on from the shore. Li Li felt this wasn't right. Was she really so indifferent? This was slander! Alright, perhaps a bit; she believed they could climb out on their own. There were only ten questions regarding the "Li" character as the white moonlight, and Li Li quickly finished going through the related Q&A. Ultimately, she concluded that the mangaka was using the interview to enrich the persona of "Li." For example, Li is 1.75 meters tall, likes furry things, and their favorite drink is bubble tea. Amusingly, some small habits were identical to Li Li's own, such as the impulse to tap on something when thinking, or blinking in surprise. After finishing the questions about "Li," the next character was "Hei Ge." When asked about this apparent villain, the mangaka’s answers were even more intriguing. Question: Why does Hei Ge often cover his left eye when he appears? Answer: Oh, perhaps it's just cooler that way? Question: Does Hei Ge really enjoy playing simulation games? Answer: Maybe? Question: What is the relationship between Hei Ge and Le Shen? Did they know each other beforehand? Answer: Hmm hmm. It was obvious the mangaka was skirting the questions with vague and noncommittal responses. Of the five questions related to Hei Ge, the mangaka glossed over four, but the last question was answered more earnestly. Although, this answer left Li Li feeling quite perplexed. The question was: How do you personally view the character of Hei Ge? The mangaka responded with: Hei Ge seems to have a mind of his own, always surprising me. And Li Li thought: That’s obvious. After all, if someone's a living person, of course they'd have thoughts of their own. However, to the readers, it held a different meaning. Li Li noted how readers, in the bullet comments, joked about Hei Ge seizing the pen—playing upon a new gag. [Pen-snatching Hei Ge, who shall we take down today?] [Hei Ge possesses an unrestrained, free spirit!] [Hei Ge: Not even the mangaka can control my thoughts!] [Hei Ge is arrogant both inside and outside the comics, LOL.] Throughout the entire interview, the mangaka didn’t give any hints about the plot’s future direction, sidestepping whenever possible, rendering no substantial information. Yet for character fans, this interview was delightful, offering deeper insights into their favorites. Li Li went through it from start to finish, then pursed her lips for a while. Just from these hundred Q&As, it seemed the mangaka truly treated "Beyond Black and White" as their crafted manga. Li Li couldn't discern whether the mangaka genuinely didn’t know, pretended not to know, or was feigning ignorance. Asking the system would likely lead to the typical "explore it yourself" remark, so Li Li mused for a moment before abandoning the thought; her current clues still weren’t enough. After reading the mangaka's interview, Li Li navigated to the forum, where numerous participants were still active. [My absolute idol! My idol has returned!] [Don't rush, Li fans! Something's off with the mangaka's interview responses!] [Yu Xiao darling, keep up and save yourself this time.] [Oh little corgi!!! Why are you getting beaten up again?] [Indeed, Li Baige is Li! The one who stabbed the corgi was the person alongside Li Baige at the time!] Scrolling through, readers became even more convinced that Li Baige was Li, even mistaking Hundred Face as Li Baige. Li Li smiled silently. Power scaling fans analyzed the recent chapter’s combat power, listing out various clues supporting Li Baige being Li, while prophets predicted An Huyu stabbing Yi Ming was a search attempt. Characters' fans, especially Li fans and Hei Ge fans, felt it was like celebrating the New Year. [Fandom, pen-snatching Hei Ge refuses to be controlled!] **1L Host Casts a Wink** Laughing, mangaka, even you have your day. [A doodle of a stick figure labeled "Mangaka" holding a pen appears in the image] [On the drawing paper, a doodle of Hei Ge leaps out and snatches the mangaka's pen] [Crying mangaka with a mischievously triumphant Hei Ge laughing hands-on-hips] ... [Consider this if they fell into the water.] **1L Host** Water guest stars: Little Corgi, Tang Tang. Shore guest star: Li. Outcome: Water guest stars successfully rescue themselves. **2L Host** Water guest stars: Little Corgi, Li. Shore guest star: Tang. Outcome: Little Corgi rescues Li successfully. **3L Host** Water guest stars: Little Corgi, Li. Shore guest star: Hei Ge. Outcome: Hei Ge rescues Li, stepping on the little Corgi's head to reach the shore, knocking the self-rescuing little Corgi back into the water. **4L** Ha ha ha ha ha, the host surely is talented! ... The quirky online banter entertained Li Li, making her laugh uncontrollably late into the night. After gauging the time, she closed her phone, shut her eyes, ready to sleep, but her mind kept replaying the image of the corgi being pushed back into the water over and over. Apologies, but it's just too amusing. Li Li's cheerful mood followed her as she re-entered the manga world. Accompanied by the system's notification tone, she transferred her consciousness to the Illusory position. She wasn't actually worried about them, knowing Yi Ming wouldn't kill, and An Huyu lacked the capability to. She merely planned to observe for three days to see where the story would lead after these two met. Additionally, she intended to stop An Huyu's larger family from getting angry. By the time the sun was setting, she was perched atop a large tree at the alley's entrance. In the spring-summer season, the thick foliage on the branches, combined with her ability, made her invisible to anyone. At this moment, a sharp metallic sound emanated from within the alley. An Huyu's dagger clashed against metal. Yi Ming had, at the last moment before getting stabbed, turned his abdomen to metal, blocking the knife. Compared to Yi Ming, seasoned by countless battles, An Huyu's attack was child's play, incapable of inflicting true harm on Yi Ming. “Huh?” An Huyu displayed a puzzled expression. Meanwhile, Yi Ming realized what had happened, and throwing a punch with his concealed left hand, struck An Huyu's right cheek. An Huyu was sent flying, his left shoulder grazing the ground causing his clothes to tear, and a scratch appeared on his shoulder. “So painful!” he couldn't help but exclaim, tears flowed as he raised his head. Yi Ming's reflexive attack made him pause, never expecting his assailant to be so weak and ordinary. And upon realizing this, his defensive instinct turned into anxiety over injuring others. Unseen to Yi Ming, a golden halo began spreading across the miles. This was An Heyu's ability, a domain-type requiem. Standing on a sturdy tree branch, Li Li coolly gazed at the mobile screen, her fingertip tapping "send." [Do not intervene. Ge] As the delivery status confirmed success, the golden halo's spread ceased, then vanished into the sky. What a hen mother, Li Li thought with an impassive face. “Yi Ming! Who did you see?” Tang caught up, her inquiry snapping Yi Ming out of his thoughts. Yi Ming turned to Tang, saying, “I saw Li.” He then craned his neck to peer at the alley's exit, but the familiar silhouette was gone. Slightly dejected yet quickly composing himself, he squatted beside An Huyu to ask, “Are you alright?” “No, I'm not!” An Huyu flinched but, seeing Yi Ming’s sincere apology, began speaking through tears, “Why are you so fierce!” Yi Ming apologized and remarked, “You must be looking for someone, but it's not me. I'm not who you’re after.” He still remembered An Huyu's initial outcry of having caught him. Tang approached and glanced over the tear in Yi Ming's clothing, evidently piecing together what transpired. Thus, she had no intention of healing An Huyu; instead, she waited by, watching their exchange and occasionally peering at the alley's end. “No, it has to be you.” An Huyu clutched his scratched arm, sniffling, “You’re so strong; you must be Hei Ge!” “Me? Hei Ge?” Yi Ming’s eyes widened in shock as he shot to his feet, “Don’t be ridiculous!” "You could say I resemble a fool, but how could you ever liken me to Hei Ge!" Yi Ming was truly angered, having never been insulted like this before. "No, you are!" An Huyu insisted, following his own twisted logic. "Ha! Now that I've caught you, you want to deceive me? No way!" Finding it impossible to communicate, Yi Ming stood up. "Let's go, Tang. We need to find Li." At that moment, An Huyu, with eyes brimming with tears, said, "Are you looking for Baige?" He seemed to stumble upon a new idea. "He’s not here right now, but if you come with me to meet my brother, I'll take you to him. Baige likes me a lot; he even praises me for being smart!" Standing nearby, Li Li thought: No, I do not. Please don't mistake 'speechlessness' or 'ignoring you' for a compliment, thank you. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t step out to contradict him, so An Huyu’s statement effectively captured Yi Ming and Tang's attention. Both turned around. Yi Ming’s expression resembled someone who bit into a lemon, while Tang’s gaze grew sharper. Li Li felt there was no need to watch any longer. These three were like chickens talking to ducks, yet strangely managed to communicate, bound by some bizarre competitive spirit. Reflecting on how everyone seemed to love her, she activated her ability, transforming her form into that of a red-eyed crow. Then, she flew out from the canopy. The ensuing plot would most likely see Yi Ming following An Huyu to meet An Heyu, while An Huyu believed he'd caught someone significant and planned to show off to his brother. However, Li Li didn’t have time to escort them to meet An Heyu. The crow circled in the air, its jeweled red eyes reflecting the city below. She still recalled her questions while watching the updates—what exactly was Yue Qing planning to do yesterday? As the sun gradually set in the west, the twilight orange-red shifted into a deep blue, and the moon rose. Li Li then spotted the pegasus carriage that had appeared in the manga, carrying Yue Qing and an unfamiliar person along the road. The stranger didn’t have blue hair but rather purple-red. A member of the Qu Clan nobility? Identifying relatives by hair color seemed a viable method in the anime realm. The crow perched atop a streetlight, tilting its head in curiosity. Yue Qing had hidden the visit from An Heyu. While An Heyu believed Yue Qing was still negotiating with the Qu Clan nobility, Yue Qing had already brought someone to Four-Way City. Was this an attempt to catch Hei Ge unawares, or was he aiming to challenge both An Heyu and Hei Ge? Poor hen mother, Yue Qing no longer trusts you, Li Li mused. The crow took flight again, circling away from the pegasus carriage. Both of them were high-ranks, and she had no suicidal intentions for the time being. An Heyu wasn’t aware of the Qu Clan’s hereditary abilities. She felt she had to tread cautiously. Yue Qing’s willingness to invite that person implied trust that they could kill Hei Ge. What if their ability countered hers? Although she often acted on impulse, seemingly reckless and mad, she would never engage in truly fatal actions. She first needed to seize an opportunity to acquire information about the Qu Clan’s abilities. As she contemplated this, the crow in the sky detected a scream. Activating her ability, the phantom shifted to the source of the sound, turning into a crow perched on a treetop. This was the residential area of Four-Way City. Through the eyes of the phantom, Li Li witnessed a scene drenched in blood. People ran and screamed in the night, while some drew their curtains to evade the catastrophe. Blood splattered on the walls, and a flash of purple hair flickered in her line of sight. In the serene night, these scattered noises seemed to weave a chilling symphony. The person seated alongside Yue Qing in the pegasus carriage was undoubtedly a high-ranking Qu Clan noble, and if they weren’t traveling alone, could it be that the one recklessly slaughtering in this civilian area was also a Qu? The bloodline inheritance required no loss but had one prerequisite: the recipient must be without any abilities. An ability would prevent the ritual from succeeding. Because of this, if nothing had happened to the An family, An Huyu couldn’t have remained without any powers; he should have inherited a senior’s ability, becoming a powerful user. Barring the bloodline inheritance method, abilities naturally understood by members of the same family often resembled each other. Like how both Yue Qing and Yue Lan were of the ice attribute, but Yue Lan’s additional ability could freeze space, while Yue Qing’s remained unclear. If this purple-haired person in the civilian area was a Qu, then his ability might give Li Li insight into what the high-ranking Qu Clan noble could do. Her true body swapped places with the phantom, as the blackbird atop the tree transformed into a human form. The dark blue hem of her garment billowed in the night breeze. With a smile on her lips, she adjusted her large sunglasses, which hid most of her face. In the next instant, her silhouette vanished from sight. ... "Help, help me!" He Shasha had encountered a demon! There was no other way she could describe him. This evening was supposed to be just another ordinary night. She returned home from work and prepared to have dinner. Compared to the troublesome lives of those with abilities, ordinary lives were simpler. After all, without abilities, ordinary people wouldn’t become targets of plunder. However, likewise, they lacked money and power—assets held tightly by those with abilities. A mundane day for a regular person seemed far removed from those with powers, but once affected, they were defenseless against death. Like tonight. Someone had knocked on He Shasha’s door, and she opened it. It was the gravest mistake of her life. It was the neighbor's child from across the hall, fifteen years old, face awash with tears, clinging to her the moment she opened the door. He Shasha was too busy comforting the child, not noticing the opened door across the hall, revealing walls splattered with red and a crimson floor. “Escaped?” A strange voice called from the neighbor’s door, snapping her out of her oblivious state. Seeing the grotesque sight beyond the door caused her eyes to widen in horror. A long-haired man, purple strands tied with a blue ribbon, clad in flamboyant black clothing, emerged from the bloody backdrop. "Why didn’t you run far enough?" the man taunted. The next second, the child clutching He Shasha exploded. “Ahhhhh!” Run far away. He Shasha sprinted for her life, half her vision soaked in red. She was racing through the neighborhood streets, yet no one responded to her cries for help. Breathless, she raised her head to see familiar neighbors behind a second-floor window. They had just talked earlier that afternoon about the rising prices in Four-Way City. Instinctively, she broke into a smile of hope. But then, with terror reflected in their eyes, they drew the curtains, severing her view. And behind her, the footsteps of the devil drew closer. Run far away. Stumbling, she dared not stop, mustering all her strength toward the guardhouse at the neighborhood entrance. Typically, safe ordinary neighborhoods hired security with abilities. She didn’t look back, but she could hear the shattering glass above. The neighbor she glimpsed was ensnared with a black thread around the neck, slammed against the wall, sliding down like a boneless puppet. In utter terror, He Shasha couldn’t even cry anymore. Suddenly, a figure appeared ahead. Adorned in a dark blue, student-like hoodie, wearing oversized sunglasses, their hands casually tucked into pockets, they sauntered leisurely. Appearing so young, like one taking a nocturnal walk by chance. “Run, run!” He Shasha shouted with every ounce of strength, but the youth walked on nonchalantly, as if oblivious. Fearing to stop, she grabbed the youth’s arm, intending to pull them along. But her wrist was seized instead. “...Tsk.” The youth gently pushed her hand away. Turning back, she saw the purple-haired man already at the road’s end. “Run!” Her voice trembled with despair. Run far, far away! But it was too late. The purple-haired man had spotted the youth. “Well, another one,” said the maniac. In the night, black threads extended through the air, while the black-haired youth seemed oblivious, casually greeting, “Good evening. May I ask your surname?” “No honorifics, my surname is Qu,” the purple-haired man dismissed carelessly. All the while, the black threads drew near the youth! There’s no getting away! He Shasha almost screamed aloud. And at that moment “I don’t like your name.” That silhouette vanished. A gust arose. Under the night’s veil, a dagger whirled, slicing a crimson line across the purple-haired man’s neck. Then the wind ceased. The purple-haired man toppled, revealing the youth standing leisurely behind. Their expression obscured by sunglasses, yet a lingering smile adorned their lips. As the wrist turned, the wind lifted the youth's dark blue coat, revealing a belt strapped to their thigh. That wasn't a sheath; this person hadn't prepared a sheath for the dagger. The dagger was slipped into the black belt, and the trench coat naturally fell back down, concealing the silver gleam. At that moment, He Shasha had only taken a single step forward. ... It was far too easy. Li Li's lips curled into a smile, though her thoughts raced. Illusory Reality could be activated, but that previous encounter didn't confirm whether this person's level triggered the probability. Most importantly, she didn't believe a Qu Clan noble would be dispatched so effortlessly. In Yue Qing's eyes, a noble capable of dealing with an illusionist likely had an ability that countered Li Li's, yet she hadn't sensed that at all. Li Li took a step back, nudging her sunglasses, eyeing the purple-haired man lying facedown on the ground. What was that black substance earlier? She pondered. And soon, she understood. Black lines slid across the ground, as though stitching together the wound on the purple-haired man's neck. The red blood streaks turned black in the night, as if reconnecting the severed blood vessels. It was blood, Li Li realized. The blackness was blood oxidized in the air. In the next instant, black lines materialized before the purple-haired man, elevating his body vertically until he stood. Turning his back to Li Li, the purple-haired man twisted his neck, a crisp cracking sound echoing. "Killing just a few people—is that what you stand up for, some kind of do-gooder?" The man's voice was thick, with a gurgling rasp. He turned around, the wound on his neck now neatly sewn up with the black threads. "A scarce specimen, but one I fancy," he stated, his eyes and mouth curling into crescent moons, "The final wails of a do-gooder dying for strangers are the sweetest music." Li Li mirrored his smile, her husky voice rising with an edge, "You've misunderstood me. I'm no saint." She didn't bother with He Shasha, who had suddenly halted, her legs giving way. Beneath her sunglasses, Li Li's crimson eyes met the gaze of the purple-haired man. Here was a thoroughbred maniac, whose targets extended beyond ability-users to include ordinary folk. An indiscriminate killer, part of the chaotic world of "Beyond Black and White." And then, with a soft chuckle, Li Li uttered what was likely the rare truth in a lively tone. "Moreover, I really hate you." She had a lead on the Qu Clan’s ability. As soon as those words left her lips, her phantom vanished, leaving black threads thrashing in the air, lunging into the darkness beyond!