RPDH Chapter 9

[Analysis: Beyond Black’s current power scaling] hot

1st comment (Original Poster)

We know about three main powered forces in Beyond Black at this point.

The aristocrats, the Ability User Association, and the former Ability User Association.

The royal family isn’t included because they don’t interfere in powered conflicts most of the time.

The aristocrats stand strong due to the principle of bloodline ability inheritance. The current Association is on the payroll of the aristocrats while the former Association rarely strays from the shadows.

The Academy belongs to the current Association and is also being controlled by aristocrats.

…

2912nd comment (Original Poster)

Update: there are two main forces in Desolate Dragon City.

The local gang of criminals, Tarnished Bronze, which may have ties to the aristocracy.

And a mysterious underground organization that we only know to have a Rank C leader.

…

Power scaling posts were common for shounen manhua like this. They were of great help to Li Li. The readers could see things more objectively through the screen at times. They also weren’t shy about openly discussing this manhua because it was just fiction to them.

[Why do I feel like there’s some tension between Little Corgi and Li] hot

1st comment (Original Poster)

Little Corgi is reminded of his dad when he sees Li…does that mean he thinks of Li as a dad?

2nd comment

Very perceptive, Watson.

3rd comment

Very Watson, perceptive.

4th comment

Before clicking on this post: another damn shipper.

After: LoL (League of Legends)

5th comment

Curse you, OP! I can’t unsee it anymore!

…

132nd comment

I mean it’s not out of the question. Li is basically there to provide exposition for Little Corgi, who only has a low-rank ability. What if he knows Little Corgi’s dad?

133rd comment

LoL (League of Legends)

…

Li Li read the analysis posts before checking the popular general posts. After reading, she too wanted to play some League.

It might sound and look cool to be the protagonist’s dad…

But didn’t that title sound old? She was only two years older than Yi Ming.

She scrolled a while longer.

[Fanart: Another Cowlick Li screensaver]

1st comment (Original Poster)

Mom, I’m in love! He’s my new wife from now on!

Going to make out with my phone everyday!

2nd comment

You mean our wife, right? What are the chances?

3rd comment

Thanks OP! Making out with my new wallpaper right now! I love our always injured boi!

…

[Recruiting cosplayers for Desolate Dragon arc stage drama at AP39 Manhua Expo]

[The Rank A bigshot is the strongest in this arc, right?]

[Spoiler: fanfic about the new character, Li]

The last post caught Li Li’s eye. It took quite a while to load. By the time it did, the page showed ‘the post has been deleted’.

Just what kind of fanfic would inspire such swift action from the moderators?

Li Li was even more curious now, but the original poster didn’t reupload no longer how long she waited. Their account was probably banned too.

She scrolled one last time before heading back to the dorms.

Her roommate was still in bed when Li Li swiped her card and entered the room. Her roommate pulled her bedcurtains back and poked her head out. “You’re back, Lily.”

Li Li set her canvas bag down on her desk.

“Want to watch a horror movie?” Her roommate proceeded to ask.

“No thanks.” Li Li decisively rejected before cutting off her roommate’s lifeline, “Remember to wear headphones. I believe in you, my dear.”

To Li Li, everything in the world could be classified into three categories: things she was not afraid of, things she was afraid of but would still face, and things she was afraid of and didn’t dare to face either.

Ghosts fell squarely into the third category.

However, because her face wasn’t that expressive, the people around her mistakenly thought she wasn’t afraid of anything.

One memorable example was the time she didn’t find out the student-led outing was taking place at a haunted house until she got there. The other students screamed their heads off that day, but not Li Li. She speedwalked pale-faced through the house, staring straight ahead as she squeezed past the staff members dressed up as monsters.

That was how the rumour of her walking through haunted houses with a mocking sneer like she was strolling around campus started. The other participants thought she was a badass, but only Li Li knew she had been so scared her expression froze in place.

Her roommate had probably been too excited to get two days off after finishing her essay and watched a horror movie alone while Li Li was away. She most likely wanted to watch it again with Li Li to make it less scary.

Li Li would have to decline. She would rather continue acting her ass off in front of Qing Yuchen than watch a single horror movie.

She couldn’t help but wonder at this point if ghosts existed in the manhua world. If ghosts did exist, would they be considered mimic-type or spell-type? Were ghosts organic or inorganic lifeforms?

In the end, she shook her head and prayed that such things did not exist in that world.

It was almost 11pm by now. Li Li washed up and went to bed, preparing for the next transmigration.

She closed her eyes and began to think about what to do next.

The author’s magic touch had given her plenty of free popularity this time, but she was still in a rough place. The system’s form of assistance, the mall, was a time-limited feature.

She would have access to it and the trump cards it could provide for four more days.

She has to obtain an ability of her own within four days, or else…

A miserable death awaited her.

…

[Updating data. Total popularity value: 1389.]

[Preparing for transmigration.]

[Channel established. May you become a popular character who breaths new life into the manhua.]

Sure enough, there was nothing but darkness when she opened her eyes again.

She was back in the Tarnished Bronze warehouse.

Right now, she lay on the only bed in the room. Little Corgi had conscientiously taken the floor. He had become very obedient after being led to believe Li Li was injured and was practically at her beck and call.

Li Li felt like she could hold her head up a bit more after checking her popularity value.

Transmigrating between the two worlds didn’t mean she could do away with sleep. On the contrary, she needed to sleep on both sides. Li Li closed her eyes again and went to sleep. When she opened them again, Little Corgi was already awake.

“It should be morning already.” Yi Ming said, “Good morning, Li.”

He was brimming with vitality. Sure enough, he was fully deserving of the nickname ‘Little Corgi’.

Li Li patted around before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She wiped at the dried blood on her forehead before slowly returning the greeting, “Good morning, Little Corgi.”

She added after a beat, “It’s fine if you want to call me ‘Big Brother’.”

“…” Yi Ming paused, “Big Brother?”

“Yeah.” Li Li responded impassively.

She would rather be a big sister than a dad. Under current circumstances, being a big brother would do.

Yi Ming seemed to have something to say. Before he could, a beam of light suddenly shone into the room.

The door melted away to reveal a man in black robes whose hood obscured his expression.

“Come out.” He pointed at Li Li in the dim light.

This was that Rank C ability user, one of the only two mid-ranks in Tarnished Bronze. What did he want with Li Li though? Surely he wasn’t here to take revenge for his subordinates, right?

So Qing Yuchen must have been the one to send him.

What did Qing Yuchen want with her? Li Li recalled the contents of the last update, Qing Yuchen went to investigate her and Yi Ming after she left.

Did he actually find something? She thought with some dread.

Yet any tension melted away when she remembered the 1000+ popularity under her belt. She waved off Yi Ming before he could attack the man.

“He’s a Rank C.” Li Li reminded him.

The brunet teen grit his teeth in the dim light, like he wanted nothing more than to rip the black-robed man’s throat out. However, the disparity in power between them was insurmountable. He couldn’t escape safely with Li even if he did attack.

Yi Ming soon bowed his head dejectedly. “You must come back, ah.”

Li Li almost smiled before she restrained herself.

She was actually a person who smiled easily in real life, but it was best to stay in character since she was supposed to be an aloof person right now.

Two identities meant two sources of popularity. She didn’t intend to give up this farming method for now.

“Of course, my little brother.” She joked as she slipped past the Rank C ability user.

The ability user closed the door again after she left, returning the room to darkness.

Li Li thought about what Qing Yuchen could be up to as the Rank C ability user led her down the long corridors of the warehouse with lamp in hand.

She doubted her bigshot identity had been exposed. Otherwise, the Rank C would have come to collect her head instead of inviting her out.

As long as that identity remained intact, she could deal with everything else.

Did she go overboard when provoking him last time or something?