RPDH Chapter 27

[Maybe, just maybe, Li might make another appearance later on?]

1st Comment (Original Poster)

Appearing beside Little Corgi as a phantom.

2nd Comment

Congratulations, OP! Now you understand the true essence of a shounen manhua!

3rd Comment

I don’t care! As long as Li shows up again!

Little Corgi’s certainly pitiful, but that sequence where the phantom disappears really spoke to me. I love how fragile Cowlick Li is portrayed! Absolute cinema!

4th Comment

I was sobbing with Little Corgi while reading the update yesterday. The ending just broke me.

This manhua sure knows how to touch people’s hearts.

5th Comment

I burst into tears as soon as Cowlick Li smiled at Little Corgi near the end.

Wuwuwu, my tears may as well be worthless!

6th Comment

The previous commenter has started hallucinating… Still, I’m getting emotional just thinking about it as well. Wuwuwuwu, my Cowlick Li, my beautiful tsundere!

He was just a step away from freedom! He had already left Tarnished Bronze HQ!

If The Dark Principle hadn’t gone after him, he could have gone to buy candies in Nexus City with Little Corgi and Li.

Wuwuwuwu… Go die already, Dark Principle!

Praying everyday for him to be killed off!

7th Comment

Wuwuwuwu, I’m crying myself to death! Holding my male god tight and furiously nuzzling him! He’ll still be alive as long as I don’t read the update!

…

Li Li casually scrolled through the forums. The readers were as lively as ever.

It was nighttime. Li Li was back at the dorms. Her roommate had just come in, screeching her critique of the latest update: “How dare the author beat a dead horse! I’m mailing them razor blades!”

But the horse in question is still alive, ah.

Li Li thought as she turned to comfort her roommate, “Maybe he’s still alive? Bringing back a character that dies early on is a popular trope nowadays.”

“The author wouldn’t kill off a character for real if they’re popular enough.” She was confident.

Examples of this kind of ‘resurrection’ were a dime a plenty. Besides, she really wasn’t dead.

Oh wait.

She did die, but not in the manhua.

Her roommate was too worked up to listen. She ran over sobbing and embraced Li Li. “Lily!”

Li Li comforted her. Why did she get the feeling she had become a replacement goldfish of sorts?

Once her roommate crawled into bed after tiring herself out, Li Li continued to browse the forums.

[What’s The Dark Principle acting all smug for?]

1st Comment (Original Poster)

Is bullying a low-rank worth it?

2nd Comment

I think Little Corgi’s right, they’re completely different kinds of people. Callous butchers like that bastard can never measure up to people like Little Corgi or Li.

3rd Comment

I despise this villain from the bottom of my heart. When’s he going to be killed off?!

4th Comment

Checking in for the umpteenth time. Has The Dark Principle died today?

5th Comment

I hate him just because he bullied Little Corgi. How dare he deny Little Corgi’s philosophy and bully him just because he doesn’t believe in killing people!

6th Comment

Hehehe, the days of villains like these are numbered!

…

The discussion around The Dark Principle was skewed to an extreme degree. His haters were many, his fans few and far in between. His existence seemed to be a personal affront to Li fans, Yi Ming fans, shippers…basically the majority of readers.

Li Li couldn’t truthfully say she didn’t care. Still, she accepted this outcome back when she went down this path. She was able to accept the situation better than she expected.

“‘The Dark Principle, a manhua character, is the one being cursed out, not me.” She looked at ease.

What did The Dark Principle being cursed out have to do with Li? Or with Li Li, for that matter?

What happened in the manhua world stayed in the manhua world. She was just a university student who followed the series.

Still, the powerscalers and general fans of the series were much more tolerant towards The Dark Principle.

[I was so wrong it’s funny.]

1st Comment (Original Poster)

What I thought would happen in the Desolate Dragon arc:

The protagonist group: Yi Ming, Li, Tang.

The villain: Qing Yuchen and the Tarnished Bronze organization.

What actually happened this arc:

The protagonist group: Qing Yuchen and the Tarnished Bronze organization.

The villain: The Dark Principle.

The Dark Principle soloed the most powerful faction in Desolate Dragon, firmly taking on the mantle of main villain.

He’s way too OP! Rank A bigshots are terrifying!

2nd Comment

The Dark Principle is a Rank A, but so was that spell-type ability user he no diffed. This means The Dark Principle must be near the pinnacle of Rank A as well, right?

3rd Comment

Looks like it so far. However, if the analysis in the other thread holds up, and The Dark Principle is actually an illusionist, then that puts his actual combat power into question.

4th Comment

What? You don’t consider illusions a form of combat power? You dare to doubt our goat, The Dark Principle? I haven’t laughed this hard all year.

5th Comment

Illusions are for cowards! Clash swords if you have the ability!

6th Comment

Wow. Fighting at the drop of a hat. As expected of powerscalers.

…

The powerscalers devolved into squabbles. It seemed like most of them had accepted the theory that ‘The Dark Principle’s ability involves illusions’.

The Ability Association must have arrived at the same conclusion. Li Li wasn’t surprised. Yi Ming must have told the boss about ‘The Dark Principle’, and once Hua Yizhi knew, so would many of the people around him. She had no illusions about the unity of the former Ability Association. It was very likely that news would leak.

However, she was surprised by the speed this information reached the Ability Association. They had issued a bounty just two days after the incident.

There must be some variables she wasn’t yet aware of at play. Li Li became thoughtful.

At this moment, Li Li happened to glance at the forums and spotted a certain post among all the powerscaling or venting posts.

[Spoiler: dark ship fanart!]

1st Comment (Original Poster)

Dark ship warning!

2nd Comment (Original Poster)

[Picture.jpg]

Li Li blinked at the picture before giving a slow sigh of admiration. “Wow…”

It was of The Dark Principle and Li. The killer shipped with their victim.

The artist skillfully stayed true to the demeanours of both characters, bringing them to life.

Wearing a smirk, The Dark Principle casually forced the other party’s chin up, while Li stared coldly back at him with a trace of blood by his lips.

The Dark Principle was immaculately dressed, casting his gaze down like judge, jury and executioner. Meanwhile, Li had his head tilted back slightly, revealing the choker around his neck and his bloodstained collar.

“How handsome.” She admired her face and the handsome man she had moulded from her features.

Li Li knew these rare ships weren’t as uncommon as their name suggested. There was a beauty that only putting someone’s life on the line could evoke.

She’s heard that popular characters would be forced into all sorts of weird ships and AUs. This dark ship didn’t even faze her.

The people being shipped were ‘The Dark Principle’ and ‘Li’, after all. Li Li wasn’t involved.

She could distinguish between fiction and reality quite clearly, thank you.

Besides, more fan creations meant more popularity. Not only did she not have a problem with this, she was in full support.

With that, Li Li saved the picture and sent it to her roommate. A muffled thump came from the other bed, followed by her roommate’s squeal, “Ahhhh! So handsome!”

Li Li was particularly satisfied with her ability. It saved her the expense of purchasing items to disguise her appearance. What a shame it would be to have to constantly give the System money just because she wanted to be a handsome guy for once!

Still, even this post wasn’t spared from the greater fandom. Those who liked Li and rare ships were at each other’s throats. Some character fans just could not accept their stan being shipped with his killer.

Li Li scrolled for a while longer. Due to how few crumbs there were for Nexus City or research institutes, the usual analysts were quiet this time around.

It seemed like she would have to go investigate in person after all.

It was at this time that her roommate suddenly threw back her bedcurtains. “That’s right, Li Li. Don’t forget about the convention in two days!”

“Got it.” It had actually slipped Li Li’s mind due to how busy she’s been lately.

She looked at the time. It was 11:57pm, Thursday. The convention was on Saturday.

She would train for two more days before going to the event to relax, Li Li thought as she waited for midnight to arrive.

…

[Updating data. Total popularity value: 14682.]

[Preparing for transmigration.]

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

[A system update has been detected. Please select your initial destination.]

Li Li was surprised. She thought the system update last time was just for show.

“Right where I left off.”

When she appeared on a certain street in Nexus City, she suddenly clasped her elbow with one hand and touched her chin with the other. Her index finger rested against her cheek. The transition from her black glove to bare fingers was somewhat rough.

Li Li just had a great idea. An idea that would allow The Dark Principle to leave the city completely unscathed despite being wanted across the empire.

For now, though…

She turned, the hem of her black coat whipping through the air.

She would prioritize gaining actual combat experience.

She swore that she would not be a low stamina weakling anymore, the kind that could only gasp for breath as a sprinting Yi Ming half-dragged her to the exit.

Along the way, she would drop by that research institute the twins referred to as ‘Dual Life’.

…

A day later in the manhua world.

The receptionist, who had been on duty for three days in a row, accepted the ID card of the young man before her with trembling hands.

The young man’s strength far exceeded her wildest imaginations!

Even though he appeared frail, especially next to the other stocky bounty hunters, he has been turning in commissions almost non-stop over the past two days.

Even more impressive, his completion rate was 100%!

Li Li maintained an aloof expression as she took back her card and headed to the bounty hall to select her next commission.

Illusory Truth could work on herself, meaning she could just reset any physical fatigue. Concept-type abilities might be generally inferior to other types in terms of combat power, but they worked in strange ways and had a high variety of applications.

“Impressive, ah. Know what they’re calling you now? ‘The Tireless Lunatic’.” A short, plump guy with glasses approached Li Li.

He was one of the people she had gotten to know over the past few days. Lei Caile was a very well-informed individual.

Li Li stayed in-character by ignoring him. Lei Caile didn’t seem to mind. “Come on, Mr. Lunatic. Give me some face. I brought you some news you’d be interested in.”

Only then did Li Li spare him a glance.

Lei Caile showed a number on his fingers. When Li Li nodded, he smiled and said, “‘Dual Life’ is situated on the outskirts, coming to the city on occasion in search of ‘experimental subjects’. Almost no one in Nexus City knows of them.”

“I’m the exception, of course.” He bragged while raising his chin, “Apparently they have some connections to the city of Desolate Dragon.”

“Desolate Dragon?” Li Li felt like some of the fog in her mind had just lifted.

“Yes, Desolate Dragon.” Lei Caile confirmed.

He exclaimed in dismay and trotted closer when Li Li turned and started ignoring him again, “I can’t possibly know which organization specifically in a lawless place like that! I’m the only one who’s figured out there’s a connection to begin with!”

Li Li, who happened to just come from Desolate Dragon, knew a lot more. She believed this research institute probably had something to do with Tarnished Bronze.

Lei Caile continued, “Fine, fine. I actually have something else as well.”

“Dual Life plans to join in on the hunt for the Level SSS criminal.” He said, waggling a finger, “If nothing changes, they’ll formally apply for the group commission with the Ability Association in the next few days.”

Li Li was even more certain of their connection to Tarnished Bronze now.

She mulled over the idea that Qing Yuchen didn’t just report to the Ability Association, but also a research institute in Nexus City. There was also the possibility that it was Yue Lan who had ties to the institute.

Since he’s provided valuable intel, Li Li fished out a stack of notes from her pocket to give to Lei Caile. The man accepted with a wide smile. “Aiya, Nexus City has been so chaotic as of late. The former branch president died under mysterious circumstances, and the Ability Association has still yet to elect a successor. The various aristocratic factions refuse to relent to one another. Speaking of, they’ll probably settle on giving the position to whichever faction claims this SSS-level bounty…”

Li Li suddenly felt like the value of her head had skyrocketed.

Thank goodness she had a good ability. Otherwise The Dark Principle wouldn’t have lasted this long.

A sudden commotion erupted at the entrance of the bounty hall.

A blue-haired man and a red-haired young man walked in with a red-haired teen.

The blue-haired man was wearing the same white uniform as Yue Lan, meaning he was probably a higher-up in the Ability Association. The two redheads looked very similar to each other. Both had golden eyes and wore equally sophisticated wine red suits.

Aside from them, there were several people in white uniforms following them. Probably other members of the Ability Association.

It was obvious the trio were aristocrats. The blue-haired man was most likely from the same clan as Yue Lan at that.

The red-haired young man and teen seemed to be in the middle of an argument. Li Li could hear a snippet of the young man’s words as soon as they walked in, “…Have you even considered the effects this would have on the clan’s reputation?”

The sullen teen refused to respond. His expression was gloomy with discontent.

The blue-haired man accompanying them fanned the flames with a straight face, “Heroes are made young these days. If he truly can bring down a Level SSS criminal, it would reflect well on your An Clan.”

Li Li paused as she was about to leave.

Did she have something to do with this as well?

Once again, she reflected on how valuable a head she had.

The red-haired young man glanced around and noticed they had arrived at the bounty hall. He straightened his posture and lowered his voice, “I can give you a chance, but you must take other people with you.”

The young man was obviously referring to people from their clan, but the teen turned away rebelliously and scanned the hall.

His gaze settled on the nearest person: Li Li, who was impassively heading out, minding her own business.

“Then I’ll take him along!” The redhead teen declared.

Li Li: “…?”

You should go buy a lottery ticket, my dude! What are the chances of you picking the Level SSS criminal himself to tag along?!

Author’s Corner

Hugging my head and carrying the pot… Wuwuwu, I’m trying my best!

Li Li’s current arsenal of sock puppets:

Li, dark-haired/dark-eyed, choker, no gloves.

The Dark Principle, dark-haired/red-eyed, black trenchcoat/white trenchcoat/more colours later on, silver mask (that only covers his left eye), sunglasses, wears gloves

Li Baige, dark-haired/red-eyed, black jacket, blue earring on right ear (forgot to mention this earlier), wears gloves.

Li Li herself, dark-haired/dark-eyed, T-shirt + jeans