Chapter 54 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 54: Homework and Exams are Absolutely Real! This chapter's manga picks up from where the last one left off, initially depicting the aftermath of An Huyu's attempt to stab Yi Ming. An Huyu's ineptitude at playing the villain was so apparent that many readers posted question marks in the comments. [???] [Little bro, why are you so bad at this?] [I thought this redhead was supposed to be impressive, but really?] Just like Li Li had seen before, the plot developed with the three ending up temporarily gathering together due to their mismatched communication. An amusing part follows after Li Li turns away, showcasing the conversation between the three kids. In the manga, the characters switch to a chibi style, with the artist dedicating a frame for this little exchange. On the far right, a goofy-looking An Huyu proudly says, "Baige really likes me and praises my cleverness!" Chibi Yi Ming looks at him angrily, "Li often praises me and has fought side-by-side with me!" Chibi Tang, on the far left, crosses her arms and turns her head smugly, "Big brother not only praises me but gives me candy, do you guys get that?" A small asterisk is placed by the artist at the bottom right of their dialogue balloon in this panel, with a note: "All lies." [Hahahaha, what are you all doing? Competing for attention?] [Seeing this, Li really had everything back then! This redhead is now clucking like a little chick, teamed with the sunfish, making it a complete air, land, and sea team!] [Are you trying to kill me with laughter so you can inherit my mortgage?] [Official slap in the face, most deadly.] [Give them some face, manga artist!] Li Li couldn't help but laugh. These kids demonstrated perfectly what 'dumb kids have the most fun' means. As the manga's plot continued, it mirrored Li Li's previous deductions—An Huyu wanted to take them home, but as they slowly made their way to the An residence, An Huyu kept calling Yi Ming 'Hei Ge,' a nickname overheard by Yan Changxiao as they passed by. What followed was exactly as Li Li remembered, and they ended up fighting. [Poor Yi Ming, this is my first time seeing the protagonist being mistaken for his most hated enemy, lol.] [Yi Ming: It's just so frustrating!] [This is Hei Ge everywhere.] After Yi Ming was first hit by Yan Changxiao, the focus shifted to the treetops behind them in the manga. Behind dense leaves, a familiar-shaped pendant earring appeared. [It's you, Li Li!] [Aaaah, idol!!!] [Is Li Li protecting the little corgi from the shadows? I believe it!] [This anklet! Idol, you're going to make me lose control!] Li Li smiled slightly, thinking to herself that this was exactly the effect she wanted. As a girl, wouldn't she know what other girls like to see? Gloves, earrings, single-sided masks—sometimes, the more dressed up a character is, the more alluring they become. She felt she had found her niche among the fan creations from numerous fan-fiction trucks. The plot in the manga developed just as she had witnessed in real life, like watching a live performance from the front row and then seeing it again in the manga. Yi Ming's persistence, An Huyu's determination, and Tang's effort—all three showcased their individual traits and strengths when faced with their enemy. Meanwhile, the manga interspersed a description of Yan Changxiao, a renowned tricky opponent among the A-level Mimic-type ability users and bounty hunters in Four-Way City. When Yi Ming leaned against a tree, raising his head to face the seemingly murderous Yan Changxiao, the next panel showed a lightning-like line striking through Yan Changxiao's mind. Li Li recalled that was the moment she unleashed a killing intent towards Yan Changxiao. On the next page, Li Baige finally made his full-frontal debut. In the frame, the foliage magnified in the lower left corner. Atop the tree trunk, a young man with black hair lifted the hem of a black trench coat, revealing a black belt on his right leg. His hand, adorned with fingerless black gloves, rested on the handle of a dagger sheathed without a scabbard, fixed to the belt. The perspective slightly angled from below, making the youth appear as if he's looking up. His eyes, cast downward, seemed to peer beyond the frame, an abyss in the monochrome light where original colors were indistinguishable, yet, like a deep pool, they captivated. Mysterious and enchanting. The blackness spread like smoke or an eerie aura behind him, the young man stood in the center of darkness, with everything seemingly black except for a bright streak reflecting from the earring at his earlobe, illuminating his fragile neck. "Killing intent." Yan Changxiao's inner voice narrated. "Appearing without warning. This is a master!" He felt thrilled. Yet in the next frame, his attack persistently continued until An Huyu intervened. What ensued was just as Li Li had seen before, including Yan Changxiao eventually giving up his pursuit of killing Yi Ming and his friends. Flipping through the pages, Li Li understood what had her roommate so worked up. Her encounter with Yan Changxiao had been illustrated, with the manga artist playfully including Yan Changxiao's inner monologue. Expressions like 'walking into the plight without hesitation' and 'worrying about dragging the young one into the vortex' conveyed how the readers could see Li Baige as a tragic and storied character. Li Li couldn't help but reflect, "How could this person have imagined so much?" She clearly hadn't said anything back then! Yet thanks to Yan Changxiao's overactive imagination, once the artist presented those thoughts, the image of Li Baige in the manga completely shifted. He came across as someone desiring to rebel against oppression but constrained by weakness, forced to leave loved ones behind. And unfortunately for him, in the eyes of the readers, Li Baige's adversary was one person only— Hei Ge. So once again, it was Hei Ge who bore the blame. [Aaaah, I'm sobbing. What have you been through, idol?] [Damn you, Hei Ge. It must be him!] [This earring is so alluringly sad, boo-hoo.] [Li Li, did you hear what Yi Ming said? He just wants you to be okay, so why don't you sit down and talk it out?] [Daily check-in, when will Hei Ge be gone?] Though Hei Ge was falsely accused this time, Li Li noted with pleasure that the controversy was boosting popularity. The more heated the argument, the more attention it would attract—an outcome she didn't mind in the least. The manga shifted back to Yi Ming and his friends, who after some playful roughhousing, conceded that An Huyu was too afraid to go home due to his shambled state. So they planned to head to a house rarely visited by An Heyu—the same one where Li Li first approached An Heyu and where An Huyu had been confined. Located closely to Yue Qing’s residence—not the destroyed one but another house where Yue Qing lived with several cousins. The manga provided a bird’s-eye view of the house they planned to visit, with a note highlighting Yue Qing's nearby residence. As Li Li studied this location, she began pondering. Wasn't there another member in the protagonist group? That person should be Yu Xiao, who was taken by Yue Fu? Following the shonen manga trope of coincidences, Yu Xiao was probably being held in the very place they were going! "Are they setting up the rescue of the sunfish?" she absentmindedly tapped her finger on the table, pondering, before leaning back. "Whatever, I'm just his fake brother, not his real dad, why should I worry so much?" She had faith in Yi Ming's ability to handle this himself! "Although if An Huyu gets involved, it might drag in the chicken mommy..." Li Li thought, feeling a headache coming on. She quite appreciated An Heyu; despite his penchant for meddling, he was otherwise the perfect assistant. The kind to clean up after her. Not to mention, he was fun to tease... Li Li fished out a packet of instant milk tea from the pile of snacks, pouring it into her water bottle with hot water from a thermos, then took a sip and stared at the brownish surface, shaking her head lightly. "Too hot." She stuck out her tongue. Her roommate continued pounding away fervently on their keyboard, occasionally shouting, "Idol!" Li Li shrugged, placing the bottle down, and clicked into the forum. [Confirmed, Li Baige is Li Li!] [Listing the heinous acts Hei Ge has committed against humanity.] [What's the relationship between Li Li and Hei Ge? Li was definitely the one who rescued the little corgi at the time in Twin!] [Is An Huyu a personification of tear production? Crying bird?] [Analysis thread, estimating Li's power.] [PBC fan-fic, the competition for affection trio!] [Fandom creation, my alluring idol!] [Li Tao, why did Li leave back then?] Scanning through, Li Li saw how the artist's depiction of her exchange with Yan Changxiao led most to believe Li Baige was indeed Li Li. Reasons speculated for Li's departure varied widely, yet the consensus leaned toward Hei Ge's coercion as the cause. The infamous villain Hei Ge had gained notoriety once more on the forums today. Just as she was about to delve into fan threads, enjoy portraits of her character and fan creative works, a notification abruptly popped up on her phone. The class group chat buzzed with a notification; their advanced algebra teacher had tagged everyone, announcing a pop quiz for tomorrow's morning class. One that would count towards the final grade. Li Li: "..." Why announce an exam only a day in advance?! She quickly shut the forum, pulled out her math book, and immediately began to review and prep for the lesson. "Damn it, this is just too real. Teachers and exams are forever heartbreakingly real!" Her hands trembled slightly as she flipped through the pages. Nothing in the world feels more tangible than exams and deadlines. Nothing! The world of manga with its battles and schemes was like playing a full-immersion game or having a vivid dream. But when the dream ended, she still had to think about class attendance and final exam coverage. Popularity points couldn’t help her solve math problems, nor could they prevent her from failing the class! By the time it was evening and she had to transition to the manga world, math formulas still whirled in her mind. "System, can I take my workbook with me?" Li Li asked sincerely. The system paused for a moment before responding, [No.] It was uncharacteristically firm. With no other option, Li Li closed her eyes, mentally reciting formulas and recalling content from the PowerPoint slides, diving into the sea of learning before entering the manga world. [Preparing for transition.] [Passage is open. Wishing you success as a high-profile character and bringing renewed vigor to the manga.] When she reopened her eyes, she once again became the flamboyant Hei Ge. ... An Huyu didn't return to the An residence that night, leaving An Heyu worried. However, seeing Hei Ge lounging and sipping milk tea in his home curbed his urge to go out searching for his brother. "Huyu is okay, right?" An Heyu couldn't help but ask. Li Li leaned against the sofa, tapping her fingers on the armrest. "Do you want me to tell you how many times you've asked that?" An Heyu lowered his head, then lifted it again, pressing his lips tightly. "It's quite likely beneficial that he's not around, noble sir." Li Li lowered her eyes with indifference. "You're too tense." This time around, Li Li's presence at the An residence was not just to wrap up the events from her last crossover. A night had passed in the manga world, and it was now daylight. The sun hung high in the eastern sky, and Li Li could even hear birds chirping outside An Heyu's villa. An Heyu had received an invite from Yue Qing early in the morning. The meeting place was the 'Heart' Plaza, the one she often visited, known for its many white doves. Li Li intended to accompany An Heyu in her role as an 'insider'. The night before, she had seen no unusual activity during her patrol, leaving her skeptical about what they could accomplish in such a short time. Could it be related to abilities? The notion of supernatural abilities made everything seem plausible. Li Li sighed inwardly and put down her teacup. Rising from her seat, she flipped her hand and snapped her fingers casually. Her sunglasses vanished, the dark blue coat transformed into a black hooded parka, and a blue pendant appeared on her earlobe. Her aura also shifted from unrestrained arrogance to a solid, icy demeanor. Now, she was Li Baige. "Let's go," she commanded. "Let's see what they're planning." She was 99% certain they were coming after Hei Ge. Outside the An residence, Li Li looked up and saw a few clouds drifting to obscure the blinding sunshine. A hint of red streaked across the sky like lightning, appearing and vanishing in a flash. She refocused her gaze. Li Li had vowed she would emerge victorious.