Chapter 154

After Wen Xiaoxing lost his ability, Throne of the Aberrant Realm updated two chapters. Soon after, the author fell ill and took a one-week hiatus.

During that time, the official account released the trailer for the first season of the Throne of the Aberrant Realm anime and announced a large wave of new merchandise, which readers harshly criticized as blatant cash-grabbing.

At the same time, Ye Zheng’s fans quickly noticed that the official images chosen for her were far more perfunctory compared to those of other characters. Despite being the top-ranked character in popularity, her treatment was actually worse than that of the newly introduced Wen Xiaoxing.

Sharp-eyed readers even dug up a fleeting silhouette in the anime trailer that seemed to be Wen Xiaoxing. This discovery left Ye Zheng’s fans feeling even more stifled. Both characters appeared in the mid-stage of the story, so why did a new character already get screen time in the first season of the anime?

During the nearly month-long period in which Ye Zheng had disappeared, forum threads discussing Wen Xiaoxing remained consistently popular. Even a single fleeting shadow from the anime trailer could be dissected into eight hundred words of analysis. People speculated whether this character had already been involved in the plot from early on and where exactly the author might’ve hidden clues and foreshadowing.

With striking looks, powerful abilities, a mysterious background, and clear official backing and expectations, the character managed to suppress a highly popular figure after appearing in just two chapters. The hype had fully built up, and Wen Xiaoxing’s topic popularity skyrocketed almost instantly.

【Bright smile, secretly dark, I’m already hooked. Please don’t let me down, official.】

【I love him so much. I’m going to become a fujo again.】

【He seems to fill the gap left by the delicate, pretty-boy type after the Court Intrigue Incident.】

【Wen Xiaoxing is definitely going to become a hot character. You finally remembered to draw male characters that appeal to female readers…】

【Support more handsome male characters. This is what we women should be watching, okay?】

Tang Mingxi had already stopped paying attention to the forum discussions. During this time, she was actively defending her rights, relying on the traditional skills she had developed over years within the fandom. With her high-authority account and support from fellow fans through likes, she frequently secured top spots in the official account’s comment section.

【Throne of the Aberrant Realm Official V: Highly Anticipated! #ThroneOfTheAberrantRealm# First Season Air Date Announced!】

【May Happiness Descend Upon Me and My Push: Please take note. This girl is called Ye Zheng. Today marks the 21st day she hasn’t appeared. She’s clearly been sidelined. Can we please bring her back?】【3678 likes】

【Zhenglong Heavenly Maiden Here: Dear big uncle, at the very least, draw how Ye Zheng was hidden away by Wen Xiaoxing! She disappeared in the blink of an eye. You damn human trafficker, did you kidnap my girl!】【2789 likes】

【-YehYehYeh-: Be nicer to Pei Xi! Be nicer to Pei Xi! Be nicer to Pei Xi!】【2563 likes】

【AAA Destruction King: Stop turning Sykes into a tool! This little boy is the true villain protagonist of your manga!】【2198 likes】

【How do you know I like pretty boys: Can we expect Wen Xiaoxing to appear in the first season? (sparkling eyes)】【1346 likes】

……

Tang Mingxi was furious at the officials’ actions. An unknown member of the royal family* had stepped on her girl just to climb upward.

[T/N- not real royal family but character who gets authors preferential treatment.]

Now Wen Xiaoxing’s merchandise was selling extremely well. A large wave of new fans had flooded into the fandom, all betting that his popularity would skyrocket after the anime adaptation and in future manga developments. By then, the first batch of Wen Xiaoxing merchandise would definitely be resold at outrageous prices. Tang Mingxi sincerely hoped their scalping efforts would fail.

The moment Wen Xiaoxing appeared, he’d already provoked the one person who absolutely couldn’t be touched, Ye Zheng. Tang Mingxi even suspected he might not live long enough to see his popularity truly take off.

The only comfort during this period was the assistant sister’s bonus chapter about Ye Zheng. This time, it wasn’t a cute Q-version four-panel comic, but instead expanded on the plot of Ye Zheng seizing the Divine Sword within the labyrinth and revealed the fate of Yinkong, who had been missing all this time. He really had been taken care of by Ye Zheng!

The mysterious man believed Ye Zheng shouldn’t keep moving forward and tried to stop her, only to be cleanly killed by her in return.

As soon as this extra chapter was released, the revived Yinkong fans immediately jumped out again to curse Ye Zheng for being ruthless and vicious. They even questioned the ownership of the Divine Sword, claiming Ye Zheng must’ve used underhanded means to obtain it.

After reading the extra, Tang Mingxi was once again struck by Ye Zheng’s ambition and decisiveness. But the moment she opened the forum and saw posts questioning Ye Zheng, she couldn’t help but feel heartache for her. Ye Zheng had clearly earned the Divine Sword’s recognition through her overwhelming strength and righteous heart, yet she was being doubted just because of the delusional words Yinkong had spat out before dying…

[T/N- Yinkong wasn't delusional.]

Fortunately, these posts were quickly suppressed by Zheng supporters. Ye Zheng hadn’t appeared for several weeks, so they’d been starved for content for far too long. Combined with their long-standing battle experience, they had both the energy and the methods to fight back.

If Tang Mingxi didn’t already know that Ye Zheng had always been treated poorly in Throne of the Aberrant Realm, she might’ve thought the company was deliberately tormenting fans with this move.

Wen Xiaoxing’s treatment lately had been far too good. Tang Mingxi was genuinely worried that the author would make Ye Zheng suffer terribly just to highlight his abilities, or even keep Ye Zheng from returning for a long time. A bad premonition lingered in her heart. If the author really lost it, it wouldn’t be impossible for Ye Zheng to be pushed beyond all limits…

Tang Mingxi still opened every update right on time, only to feel disappointed again and again, her anxiety growing heavier each time.

Until this week, when she once more opened the update as scheduled.

In the latest chapter, Pei Xi and Sykes teamed up to fight the giant eel, but Pei Xi was ambushed by Ye Di. At the critical moment, Wen Xiaoxing stepped in to save him and brought the unconscious Pei Xi onto another small boat.

From his first appearance until now, aside from looking somewhat miserable when Ye Zheng nearly killed him, Wen Xiaoxing had always maintained a mysterious and composed demeanor, as if everything was under his control. This time was no exception. It felt as though he’d already known that Pei Xi would run into this situation. After rescuing him, he simply sat on the boat in boredom, waiting.

【Ah, has that guy Ye Di still not arrived?】

His inner thoughts made it seem like he knew Ye Di would come chasing after them. He looked bored, yet subtly alert. Tang Mingxi found his pretentious act especially irritating, especially those green eyes that seemed to imitate Ye Zheng’s. The more she looked at them, the more unpleasant they became. She really wanted to rip off those colored contacts.

However, when Tang Mingxi scrolled to the next page, she was stunned to discover that Ye Zheng’s reflection had appeared within Wen Xiaoxing’s green pupils. She looked as though she were trapped somewhere, her expression heavy and solemn.

After nearly a month, Tang Mingxi finally saw Ye Zheng appear again. Thrilled, she kept scrolling downward, but Wen Xiaoxing blinked once, and Ye Zheng’s reflection disappeared from his eyes.

Tang Mingxi, outside the screen, was genuinely furious, yet Wen Xiaoxing, inside the screen, revealed a cryptic smile. Completely unafraid, he thought:

【As a child favored by fate, why should I worry about my own destiny?】

But in the very next moment, his expression sharpened with vigilance. He spun around abruptly. Tang Mingxi’s heart jumped. Could it be that Ye Zheng had returned to kill him?

She hurriedly scrolled down. A scene utterly beyond every reader’s expectations appeared. Wu Shu, who had suddenly shown up, drove her dagger straight into Pei Xi’s heart!

Wen Xiaoxing and the readers outside the screen wore exactly the same stunned expression.

【Why is it Wu Shu?】

【She killed Pei Xi?】

At this moment, Tang Mingxi felt the strongest sense of immersion in Wen Xiaoxing’s character. The same question rose in her heart. However, what shocked everyone even more was the next scene. Wen Xiaoxing’s left eye suddenly shattered into countless fragments. Every single fragment showed Wu Shu killing the protagonist, Pei Xi!

Faced with the shock and confusion of countless readers, Wen Xiaoxing covered his eye and, recalling his own ability along with the situation of Ye Zheng that he had witnessed through the 【Fate Singularity】, finally answered the readers’ questions.

It turned out that the 【Fate Singularity】 had exiled Ye Zheng to other world lines. But Ye Zheng had discovered that time-type abilities could counter the 【Fate Singularity】. Using some unknown method, she had contacted Wu Shu and made multiple world-line versions of Wu Shu kill Pei Xi simultaneously. By stacking thousands of time regressions, she had forced the 【Fate Singularity】 to collapse.

Collapse? Tang Mingxi almost burst out laughing in delight. Ye Zheng was about to return very soon!

But Wen Xiaoxing’s next words shattered the expectations of Ye Zheng’s fans in front of their screens. The collapse of the 【Fate Singularity】 wouldn’t bring Ye Zheng back. Instead, it would only send her to an even more unknown place, where she might never return.

Tang Mingxi couldn’t believe it. Did she really have to wait another month, or even longer, just to see Ye Zheng return? She was seriously going to sneak into the manga studio and send a funeral wreath to the author’s workstation!

She no longer wanted to watch this ridiculous plot. With her mood collapsing, she scrolled down rapidly until she caught sight of a slender hand. Her scrolling motion stopped abruptly.

“You can’t stand up anymore, Wen Xiaoxing?”

On the screen, Ye Zheng bent down and looked at him from above, gazing at Wen Xiaoxing with a half-smile. At the same time, the readers who shared Wen Xiaoxing’s perspective couldn’t help trembling with excitement.

✧✧✧✧✧

【Missing Zheng Fist! Thoughts surging like a spring! Recalling Zheng Sword! Never forgotten! Zheng’er, Zheng’er has finally come back!】【Hot!】

【1L: Missing Zheng Fist! Thoughts surging like a spring! Recalling Zheng Sword! Never forgotten! Zheng’er, Zheng’er has finally come back!】

【2L: I don’t dare open my eyes, I’m afraid it’s just my hallucination. Can a sister who’s keeping up with the updates tell me if it’s real?】

【3L: Yes, Goddess Zheng has returned! It’s officially hunting time! (manga screenshot)】

【4L: The final panel of this chapter is straight-up a new divine illustration of Ye Zheng. This is what you call the most oppressive top-tier villain in a manga (leans back tactically)】

【5L: I’m seriously about to cry. I was so worried she wouldn’t come back, but you can always trust Ye Zheng!】

【6L: The #Severe Ye Zheng Dependence# tag is slowly coming back to life…】

【7L: The moment Zheng’er returns, all that over-the-top buildup they gave Wen Xiaoxing just gets casually crushed. I won’t say why that feels so satisfying…】

【8L: Everyone above, stay focused on Ye Zheng. It’s all just plot necessity. No need to start fights over other characters. It’s enough that Zheng’er is back.】

【9L: Is 8L even really a Zheng supporter? When other threads were hyping Wen Xiaoxing’s abilities and constantly stepping on Ye Zheng, we Zheng fans didn’t even bother responding. That was already generous enough.】

【10L: These words really warm my heart. When Ye Zheng disappeared, she was actually quietly reaching out to allies across different world lines to launch a counterattack. She really feels like a #Traveling Zheng’er# now.】

【11L: Can the assistant sister draw a #Zheng Multiverse# extra? I want to see what Zheng’er actually went through in those other world lines.】

【12L: Thank goodness, Master’s placement play on me is finally over!】

【13L: The person above, this isn’t some lawless land…】

【14L: Little Steam is terrifying, but after this chapter, who wouldn’t acknowledge Ye Zheng as their master?】

【15L: Wen Xiaoxing and the Ye Zheng antis on the forum barely enjoyed less than a month of peace before Ye Zheng showed up and crushed everything again!】

……

【102L: Guys, there are black posts popping up again. Why are so many people having breakdowns the moment Ye Zheng comes back?】

Tang Mingxi scrolled through the Zheng supporters’ posts with a smile, but her expression shifted the moment she saw the notice about new black posts. Who was trying to sabotage Ye Zheng on such a great day for her fans? That was seriously vicious.

【Can’t Hold Back Any Longer: Ye Zheng’s golden finger is way too overpowered and is going to completely destroy the manga’s power balance! Author, take a look at this new plot, does it even make sense?】【Hot】