Chapter 69 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 69: The Joy of an A-Class Big Boss The manga ended here, with a note marking the conclusion of the "Truth and Falsehood" arc. Li Li studied Hei Ge's profile in the final scene, her expression gradually becoming solemn. This event had never occurred; she had never done such a thing. It wasn't malicious editing; it was concocted from thin air. Yet, this scene fit perfectly into the manga, successfully suggesting a certain possibility to its readers. A possibility that Hei Ge was speaking to the deceased Li. Li Li had initially believed the mangaka could only draw things that had actually happened in the manga's world, hence the instances of malicious editing. But this update showed her that the mangaka could depict events that never took place. This made the entire matter even more enigmatic. However, it wasn't of much concern to Li Li at the moment—she still couldn't grasp the system's flaws. She felt that she might have to wait until she reached a higher level to discern something. After all, last time S-Class Yue Qing's ice bypassed the system immediately and followed her into the real world. Thus, she washed up, got into bed, and began browsing forums. To Li Li, that masterstroke from the mangaka was directed at the Prophet. But to manga readers, it was for 'Li.' As a result, Li fans had to once again come to terms with their idol's death and accept that the antagonist boss Hei Ge was their idol's good friend. The sentiments of Li fans could be summed up in one sentence—Mangaka, damn you! 【???? What was that about in the new chapter? Who is Hei Ge talking to?】 【Whoa, what a plot twist?!】 【So, is the Cowlick Li still dead?】 【Yu Xiao, darling, if you can't speak properly, perhaps don't speak at all?】 【Analysis post: What exactly is the relationship between Hei Ge and Li?】 【I don't believe it! Li and Hei Ge weren't friends! Li didn't die, and they weren't close!】 【Growling Bird's growth made me tear up for some reason.】 【So, Li fans and Hei Ge fans have been arguing this whole time, only to find out Hei Ge and Li were actually close?】 【I feel like I've been kicked out of nowhere while walking down the street—Mangaka, you've stabbed me twice.】 【I suddenly can't hate Hei Ge anymore...】 【Let's say it, today's Hei Ge is as handsome as ever!】 ... 【Analysis post: What exactly is the relationship between Hei Ge and Li?】 1F OP Case cracked, everyone. The mangaka has made it very clear. [Hei Ge taking off his earring.jpg] [Hei Ge talking to the air "Right?".jpg] [Hei Ge in the plaza saying, "If you were alive".jpg] When Yan Changxiao appeared, he mentioned that Li Bai concealed all emotions within the blue pendant, including his concern for the little Corgi. Later in the "Illusory Reality" arc, Hei Ge takes off the pendant and talks to it, equivalent to speaking to the person concerned about the Corgi. This person can only be Li. The blue pendant represents Li, Hei Ge's brother or friend. Their relationship was very close, perhaps even unique. At the end of the "Desolate Dragon" arc, Hei Ge kills Yue Lan and chases Qing Yuchen away from the bronze tower. At first, we all assumed Li died last, leading us to conclude Hei Ge was the killer. But after this scene in the manga was revealed, it changed everything. Based on the information now, Hei Ge showed concern for the already deceased Li, even expressing, "If you were still alive." Thus, he would never have killed Li. The sequence at the end of the "Desolate Dragon" arc should be: After escorting the little Corgi and Tang out of the bronze, Li was killed by Yue Lan due to his weakness, and by the time Hei Ge arrived at the bronze, he was too late. Hei Ge avenged Li, killed Yue Lan, and chased Qing Yuchen. But perhaps Li spoke to Hei Ge about the little Corgi before his death, which is why Hei Ge initially resented the little Corgi, creating Li's body to provoke Yi Ming, making Yi Ming feel pain akin to his own. Later, he spurred Yi Ming on, making Yi Ming realize his own weakness, not unlike the value he placed on Li's death. If you weren't this weak, would he have died for you? 2F Who would've thought, the Hei Ge whom Li fans loathe is actually the person who cared about Li the most. So what was the point of them fighting all this time? 3F Me last chapter: "What a phenomenal twist! Nothing can top this reversal!" Me this chapter: "I was too naive; the mangaka's unparalleled!" Two chapters to redeem one delightful villain, incredible. 4F Now looking at the title of this arc, "Truth and Falsehood"—the false Li, the false Li Baige, the real Li, the real Hei Ge—what's real and what's not, "Truth and Falsehood" indeed. Li Baige rescued Yi Ming yet refused to see him, mimicking Hei Ge's attitude towards Yi Ming. He pays attention to Yi Ming due to Li, but personally dislikes him. 5F This setup and twist, what a clever play. So the Cowlick Li really is the eternal white moonlight? Both Yi Ming's and Hei Ge's white moonlight. Cowlick Li, forever the god! 6F I don't know who to cry for at the moment: Li, who's dead but still had Hei Ge protect Yi Ming, or Hei Ge, who walks alone after losing Li. Hei Ge, even as a big boss, why must you suffer so? ... 【Who would've thought I'd one day shed tears for Hei Ge.】 1F OP Apologies Li, but Hei Ge saying "If you were still alive" with that expression, it's heart-wrenching. 2F Hug OP, I'm also stunned. Can I take back my words against Hei Ge now? 3F Li's death hit Hei Ge the hardest. 4F Taking back everything I said before, Hei Ge, may you live a long life! 5F I can't accept it; I've hated this person for so long, and now I'm told he harmed no one, all a misunderstanding? 6F Mangaka, you have no heart! A couple of days ago, I broke because Li Baige was Hei Ge's disguise, and today, I broke because Li is Hei Ge's pillar. But each break targets something different! 7F When a fish cries, the sea knows. When I cry, who knows? Suddenly feeling that although Hei Ge is a big boss, he still has things he cannot achieve, and when he calls Yi Ming weak, isn't he also referring to himself? If he were stronger, would he have arrived in time to save Li? 8F Enough, no more stabbing, I won't sleep tonight. ... 【Li Tao, Hei Ge's character positioning.】 1F OP Before these two chapters, Hei Ge was a standard villain big boss, toying with the protagonist and indifferent to life. After these two chapters, Hei Ge's character design flipped instantaneously, from a villain to one with deep-seated struggles, or will he become a protagonist? I suspect the "Truth and Falsehood" arc was designed to redeem Hei Ge; the mangaka planned from the start, telling us Li Baige was a good person, then revealing Li Baige equaled Hei Ge, and finally telling us Hei Ge didn't kill Li. A combo of punches that left me reeling. 2F Of course, it's about redemption; a villain with deep-seated struggles isn't a villain anymore, right? In the end, Hei Ge's only blameworthy act was supposedly killing Li and belittling Yi Ming for being weak. Now the former is debunked; Hei Ge didn't kill Li and even had a close relationship with him. The latter now has a reason; Hei Ge's remark about Yi Ming's weakness was justified. If Yi Ming wasn't weak, would Li have died while holding off alone? He holds all the logic. 3F Honestly, before, I only felt Hei Ge's power, like he was just a symbol of might. Now, I feel this person has become vivid; he has people he cares about and regrets. His strength is truly strong, yet he has a weak side in the face of irretrievable death. However, this "weakness" only makes him more determined to tread his path. Oh my, to speak honestly, I want to be Hei Ge's dog. 4F The person above is so strange. I believe the former Ability Guild storyline will likely begin with Hei Ge, and he'll probably join the main group later on. He's saved the little Corgi countless times, and the little Corgi has said they don't hate Hei Ge because he didn't kill Li—main group practically confirmed. 5F Above, got it wrong—the little Corgi said if Li was fine, they'd not hate Hei Ge. Li still died, so it's uncertain. 6F The problem is, I feel Hei Ge, with his tone and attitude, doesn't seem inclined to join the main group. He seems more willing to resolve these matters himself. 7F To use a Ge-like phrase, the current main group is too weak—if I were Hei Ge, I wouldn't want to babysit either. So weak, little Corgi. ... 【PBC Fanfic: My Eternally Sleeping Beloved Friend】 【Analysis of the Former Ability Guild: The Relationships Among the Three S-Class Nobles】 【Plot Prediction: The Next Arc Will Involve the Former Ability Guild】 【Analysis Post: What is Rao Yue's Motive? Her Identity is Far from Simple】 【I never thought when I became a fan of Hei Ge, I'd find him a walking blade too!】 【There's a reason some people become friends, like those two porcupines full of knives (blood slowly dripping from their mouths).】 【Reading forums filled with lamentations, I thought Hei Ge had some terminal illness. Is it enough to hinder his venue-kicking and enemy-punting?】 【Irresponsible Speculation: Hei Ge and Li's Past】 "The Little Corgi, Hurry and Get Stronger!" Currently, the forum unanimously believes Li Baige equals Hei Ge and that Li is dead. The role of the white moonlight still belongs to Li, and his popularity hasn't waned. Simultaneously, Hei Ge has gained substantial popularity, with his popularity points skyrocketing in the background. Li Li's plan was a complete success! The next move—whether the mangaka will drag it out, waiting until the very end to reveal Hei Ge's true identity as Li, or whether they'll set it up soon—depends on her popularity. Will he become a deeply complex villain revealed at the end, or will he become a hidden protagonist whose status in the manga rivals that of the main character? Honestly speaking, Li Li hopes for the latter. "A frequently appearing main character group, or a peripheral villain who might be replaced once they're out of the picture—need I say which one is more appealing?" She exited the forum, tapping the mangaka's pen name on the manga's title page. "But if I'm not mistaken, you think the same way, don't you?" she whispered. Otherwise, her identity wouldn't be so coincidentally perfect. As the clock struck midnight and she entered the manga world once again. [Updating data, total popularity value: 82381.] [Preparing to traverse.] [The passage is open. Wishing you success as a high-popularity character and for bringing fresh air to the manga.] With the system's announcement ringing in her ears, Li Li opened her eyes to the morning sky of Desolate Dragon. Next stop, Dyed-eye City. Let her see what other surprises the Prophet has in store for her. If her initial trip to Dyed-eye City was a choice made by going with the persona's flow, now it was driven by Li Li's strong personal desire. She was extremely curious about the Prophet's identity, the system's origin, and the reason for her crossing over. Of course, she hadn't forgotten her goal. She aspired to be the manga's number one in popularity, and she was still advancing towards that goal. ... Dyed-eye City was unlike Four-Way City, which Qu Yan dubbed the countryside. Vehicles powered by ability energy sped along streets, white airships made their way through the skies, and it wasn't uncommon to see ability users flying by. The tall buildings, clean and tidy streets, and high-tech infrastructure—a city four times the size of Four-Way City, truly befitting its status as an old nobility's fiefdom. Before entering Dyed-eye City, An Heyu commented, "I've heard a version of Lin Ran's clan leader's ability; she can detect ability fluctuations within her range. Using an ability in Dyed-eye City could conditionally lead to being executed by her from a thousand miles away." "Her eyes are all over the city; nothing escapes her attention unless she chooses not to see it." "Ability users causing chaos in her city are immediately sanctioned," An Heyu said, glancing at Li Li. "So try to use your abilities sparingly and stay out of trouble when we get to Dyed-eye City." Li Li pondered this for a moment. To her, it seemed too troublesome. If she didn't use her ability, she couldn't even change her appearance. Yet, visiting a city guarded by an SS-Class ability user was an inevitable part of the journey, a balance of risks and rewards. To know that an SS-Class being is rumored to possess the power to destroy an empire single-handedly. However, Dyed-eye City wasn't invincible. "But Lin Ran is very punctual in her routine; she sleeps from 10 PM to 5 AM." An Heyu continued, gazing at the approaching city, with massive screens mounted on its buildings. In the ad, an orange-haired, handsome young man seemed to look beyond the screen. "Those hours are called 'Eternal Night' in Shadow City," he remarked. The ability users, repressed all day, created chaos freely at night. It was a tumultuous time, a long, disordered stretch that seemed never-ending, never welcoming the dawn. "I see," Li Li said softly, looking in the same direction. "That indeed sounds intriguing." And so, on the first night in Dyed-eye City, she told An Heyu she was going to sleep, but instead, she jumped out the window, landing on the streets of Dyed-eye City with her boots. The instant her toes touched the ground, her appearance changed. Unable to use abilities during the day, she wore Li's face. Now, with her ability activated, her features shifted to something bolder and more unrestrained. Standing on the streets of Dyed-eye City, she eagerly awaited the city's dark side to reveal itself. Indeed, she didn't have to wait long. "New face, huh? You're not from Dyed-eye City, correct?" In the alley's entrance, five men in varied, printed shirts blocked the dead end. "Lost? Need help finding your way?" It was clear their version of finding the way wasn't genuine. In the shadows, the youth's lips slowly curled as if she hadn't heard the threat. "Sure," she replied, her tone light, "I'm quite curious to see what this city's night is like." However, from her current observations, an A-Class seemed to be able to run amok in Dyed-eye City.