Chapter 47

The manga had been updated for ten minutes. The comment section already numbered in the hundreds. The opening continued directly from the previous chapter.

Faced with the possibility that parasitization within the shelter could spiral out of control, Pei Xi and the others quickly decided to destroy the realm and contact the church for a solution. Ye Zheng, from the crown prince’s team, insisted on staying behind. Bai Muqing and Lu Qi chose to stay as well.

“Please leave it to us and rest assured. Everyone will be saved.”

In the manga, the blood-stained saintess spoke calmly and firmly. Readers were still recovering from the visual shock of the previous chapter’s contrast. Doubtful voices began to surface.

Even though Ye Zheng was off-screen now, appearing only in Pei Xi’s worried inner monologue, the comment section continued to argue about her.

【What a hilarious statement. Let’s see if she can actually deliver.】

【Bai Muqing, Lu Qi: Big sis, don’t drag us into this!】

【I really don’t get why people hate Ye Zheng so much. Can’t different opinions coexist?】

【Hating saintly types doesn’t need a reason.】

【If she actually pulls it off, I was neutral on Ye Zheng, but now I kind of pity her and want to support her.】

【The problem is Ye Zheng has shown no convincing strength so far. Are people only pushing her because she looks good?】

【Female Ye Zheng pushers automatically sit at the same table as otaku bros.】

Li Yixin scrolled through the comments, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Part of it was the excessive malice directed at Ye Zheng. Another part was that she vaguely understood where that hatred came from.

In many works she had seen, some female characters were written as overly emotional burdens, dragging their teams down. They appeared kind but lacked the strength to save others, only endangering more people instead.

Li Yixin slowly realized that authors often needed such weakened female characters to push the plot forward. There were well-written exceptions, of course, but stereotypes were hard to erase.

When she saw Ye Zheng’s declaration, her first thought had been the same as everyone else’s.

Could she really do it?

She knew this way of thinking was wrong. Yet the very act of realizing it left her feeling lost and unsettled. The girl holding her phone shook her head, pushing the thought aside, and continued reading.

The Cloud Soarers had joined forces with the Divine Academy. The two teams advanced together, clearing monsters along the way. Apart from Yinkong, who possessed the ability to foresee fate, the Divine Academy members who had remained behind at the shelter, including Bai Muqing, aside all displayed extraordinarily mystical abilities. Their coordination was dazzling to behold.

Even without Zhao Mei and Lu Qi, the Cloud Soarers’ teamwork remained flawless. When the Divine Academy restrained the massive insect monster, Pei Xi snapped a dead branch from the ground and reshaped it into a razor-sharp spear. With Roy’s flames amplifying its force, the spear flew straight into the monster’s eye.

The black-haired, blue-eyed boy immediately used Kyle’s barrier to leap high into the air. His arms transformed into massive greatswords, and he plunged downward from above, stabbing deep into the monster’s head and ending its life completely.

Pei Xi stood atop the corpse, his expression calm. Only a trace of worry lingered between his brows, so faint it was almost imperceptible.

【Aaaah, mommy loves you, Xi Xi!】

【Baby is so strong!】

【Metal aberration ability is insanely cool. Getting more curious about the protagonist’s hidden second ability.】

【I love this kind of protagonist, strong, kind, and smart!】

【The plot is much better when it focuses on Pei Xi. Old Uncle, please stop randomly giving screentime to side characters, especially the two healers.】

【Why are you shading our Zhao Mei? He never dragged anyone down. Curse Ye Zheng without involving my son!】

In the manga, Pei Xi’s figure suddenly staggered. Another giant monster burst out from beneath the ground. Li Yixin’s heart tightened. The real core monster must have appeared. A brutal battle was inevitable.

Everyone in the scene looked tense, and even the readers outside the screen held their breath. But in the very next moment, Pei Xi lifted his head. Brilliant golden light flashed under the blazing sun.

Sykes descended from the head of the massive monster. His expression was displeased, his golden eyes dark and cold. Behind him, the terrifying creature crumbled into ash.

Li Yixin instinctively covered her mouth. Although Sykes was undeniably unpleasant in personality, his face more than compensated for that flaw.

The comments erupted once again, flooded with shrieks of “husband” and “mommy loves you.” Both Xi-Sy and Sy-Xi shippers were thoroughly fed, and the atmosphere grew unusually excited.

[T/N- Xi-Sy and Sy-Xi shippers, if someone don't know the difference, I mean why although same person why different fandom. It's because don't agree who the top/bottom is. Whose is 1st is the top. So simply Xi-Sy thinks Pei Xi will f#ck Sykes and Sy-Xi shippers think Sykes will f#ck Pei Xi.]

After staring at Sykes’s handsome face for a while, Li Yixin suddenly thought of something.

This monster had been dealt with so easily by Sykes. Could the aberrant realm really end just like that?

Sure enough, it was not so simple.

On the next page, Pei Xi voiced the same doubt.

“Wow, wow, it’s definitely very strong, right? Looks like Pei Xi and Sykes will team up to solve this?”

If she were still a Xi-Sy CP fan, she would have been screaming at the prospect of what was coming. Now, hardened by countless fandom arguments, she had long since become a solo stan. Still, that did not stop her from anticipating the sight of two powerful, handsome men fighting side by side. That was the greatest highlight of any shonen manga.

Li Yixin eagerly scrolled down.

The panel abruptly changed. Pei Xi and Sykes were gone. Instead, a close-up appeared of a purple-haired, purple-eyed woman leaning against a railing, her gaze filled with meaning.

“Ha, just as expected. The real core is here.”

“Even the crown prince’s well-trained dog couldn’t sniff it out. It could only be hidden in the ability-isolating shelter.”

On the screen, a massive insect body with a human head stood upright like a giant centipede. Its height nearly reached the ceiling of the shelter, exuding overwhelming pressure.

Li Yixin was startled. The true core boss was actually inside the shelter?

And hadn’t Wu Shu said she would forfeit together with her team?

Before she could think further, an even more unexpected development unfolded. Wu Shu suddenly appeared, cooperating with Ye Zheng and the others. After briefly probing the monster, the four girls quickly formed a clear battle plan, with Ye Zheng taking the lead.

Under Ye Zheng’s direction, Bai Muqing and Lu Qi restrained the monster, while she and Wu Shu targeted its weak point.

In the manga, the girl issued calm and precise commands. Her gentle temperament now carried a sense of steadiness, along with a hint of rational allure that made people instinctively trust her and feel drawn in.

Li Yixin opened the comments. For once, they were not filled entirely with malice.

【Very good, four girl treasures!】

【Does anyone else get it? Ye Zheng has dom vibes…】

【Still better not act rashly. Waiting for Pei Xi and the others would be safer.】

【Wu Shu is only B-rank, and Ye Zheng is a healer. This plan is too reckless.】

【Relying on men gets cursed. Acting independently also gets criticized. Just say you hate female characters.】

【Babies, charge! Kick away the nitpickers!】

When Wu Shu teleported Ye Zheng to the top of the monster, Ye Zheng looped a water chain around Wu Shu’s wrist, holding the other end herself. She smiled as she explained that the chain was necessary. From that moment on, the comments were completely dominated by Ye Zheng fans.

【My destined master has appeared…】

【Always felt my neck was empty, like something was missing. Turns out it was Zhengzheng’s water chain!】

【Ferocious puppy enters, shoves everyone aside, viciously snatches the water chain, and wears it contentedly.】

【Is Old Uncle switching to selling yuri now? Is selling BL not enough anymore?】

【I told you, my girl is absolutely gentle white-cut-black. Goodbye to those who don’t get it!】

【I came to chase this manga after her video. Subtle crazy vibes. I love it.】

Seeing this, Li Yixin realized that Ye Zheng had far more fans than she had expected. The moment Ye Zheng took center stage, they surged forward like koi gathering for food.

With the chain in place, the two acted. Wu Shu slashed into the monster’s spine with her blade. Corrosive flesh splattered toward her, only to be blocked by a crystalline membrane of water. The tension was extreme. Ye Zheng paused at her position, then stabbed deeply, probing for the weak point.

At that instant, the human-headed insect monster went berserk. Wu Shu was flung away and immediately teleported to safety on the ground. When she looked up, she saw Ye Zheng falling as well, suspended in midair, gripping the knife Wu Shu had left embedded in the monster.

Seeing Ye Zheng in danger, Li Yixin sensed a familiar trope.

Old Uncle had already given Pei Xi many special inner monologues concerning Ye Zheng. Everyone could see the intention to push her as the official heroine. Li Yixin had thought the forum boycott had forced him to restrain himself, but this development clearly suggested the romance line was resurfacing.

The protagonist always appeared at critical moments. Ye Zheng had performed well up to now. At the very least, she was not a brainlessly kind character. Next, Pei Xi would surely save her in her moment of crisis, defeat the monster, and bring everything to a reasonable conclusion.

Li Yixin swiped the screen.

Sure enough, the next panel showed Ye Zheng’s hanging figure suddenly slipping free. Amid the spray of monster blood and a deafening crash, the girl’s body drifted downward like fragile falling feathers.

Li Yixin waited for the classic hero-saves-beauty scene. But the one who caught Ye Zheng was not Pei Xi’s sturdy, metalized arms. It was a swarm of brilliantly colored butterflies. She stared at the screen, stunned, before finally reacting.

Lu Qi’s ability.

Now that she thought about it, although Lu Qi was an inseparable member of the Cloud Soarers, her presence had always been the least striking. Her butterflies seemed mostly auxiliary, adding visual flair to battles but rarely playing a decisive role.

This time, however, Li Yixin realized something new. Lu Qi’s ability could also save lives at critical moments. Supported by the butterflies, Ye Zheng landed safely on the ground. Behind her, the ferocious monster stood motionless and silent.

“I’m sorry. I shot the weak point with my gun and killed the monster.”

The saintess apologized to Wu Shu. Originally, the credit had been agreed to go to her.

But Li Yixin was focused on something else.

Wait. The monster was really dealt with?

Ye Zheng’s strike during her fall had successfully destroyed the core monster?

That meant Pei Xi had not intervened at all.

The crisis in the shelter had been resolved entirely by the four girls present, just as Ye Zheng had promised.

“We will save everyone.”

After the monster was eliminated, the four of them did not relax. Under Ye Zheng’s leadership, they methodically organized the evacuation of the civilians. This kind of aftermath handling was something Li Yixin had rarely seen. Usually, once the monster was defeated, the protagonist group’s role simply ended.

Only after the shelter was completely cleared did Pei Xi, Yinkong, Sykes, and the others arrive, clearly late. Unexpectedly, even the legendary Pope appeared, presenting himself as a kind and approachable elder.

This chapter was thoroughly anti-trope. Before Li Yixin could fully process the plot, another shocking scene appeared.

The usually untouchable crown prince tripped in an almost comical fashion. When he stood up grim-faced, several parts of his shirt were torn open, revealing pale, well-defined pectorals and the curve of his waist. He looked strangely frivolous and seductive.

Li Yixin was dumbfounded.

She had always been captivated by the crown prince’s powerful, sharp aura, which carried an overwhelming appeal for girls like her who admired strength. Yet this unexpectedly candid appearance was undeniably pleasing to the eye.

“Rich and generous.”

After a moment of silence, Li Yixin typed a comment. She had never expected the crown prince to one day walk this particular path.

She lowered her phone, still trying to collect herself. This update left her feelings complicated. Everything unfolded differently from what she had imagined, yet it was strangely enjoyable.

The handsome boys had their battles. The female characters received their fair share of eye-catching moments. And as for the themes of camaraderie and adversity typical of shonen manga, the four girls in the shelter had fully delivered.

“What is going on with Old Uncle? Did he get guidance from some expert recently?”

Still unsatisfied, Li Yixin eagerly entered the forum. Surely everyone else had thoughts about this update as well.

As expected, the forum was buzzing with new hot posts. With Zhao Mei absent, Ye Zheng had replaced him as the central topic. At a glance, posts containing her name were everywhere.

【Discussion: What exactly is Ye Zheng’s positioning?】

Li Yixin clicked into the hottest thread.

【1L: Ye Zheng’s screentime has clearly been increasing lately. I was originally pessimistic about Old Uncle’s handling of female characters, but the last two chapters genuinely surprised me.】

【2L: After today’s chapter, I retract my previous boycott of Ye Zheng. If she’s the female lead, I can accept it. She doesn’t feel like a decorative vase, but someone who can accompany Pei Xi all the way to the championship.】

【3L: Those who mocked Ye Zheng fans earlier just got slapped in the face. She delivered.】

【4L: Am I the only one who feels Pei Xi’s screentime has been reduced again? I don’t know Ye Zheng’s positioning. I only know Pei Xi is the sole male lead.】

【5L: The Pei Xi fans upstairs are hilarious. One fantasizes about my girl being your son’s blood bag while pretending to be magnanimous. Another copy-pastes “My house’s big male lead” everywhere like a bot.】

【6L: I don’t know Ye Zheng’s positioning either. But this update refreshed me with the four-girl cooperation. Thanks to Ye Zheng, my girl Lu Qi finally has a different role.】

【7L: Can’t tell if Old Uncle is pushing a heroine. Anyway, Sykes seems to have gained a new positioning this chapter, but no one cares…】

【8L: As a Sykes stan, I’m having a heart attack. That last scene was completely out of character. Old Uncle is bad at selling male characters, so please don’t force it. Male characters dressed like that aren’t hot at all. They look like variety show hosts.】

【9L: Wu Shu’s outfit is similar to Sykes’s torn clothes. Why does no one defend Wu Shu as ugly? You call Sykes a host boy, but you didn’t spare your own favorite either, lol.】

After a brief derailment, even more discussion about Ye Zheng flooded the thread.

【17L: Is Ye Zheng positioned as a villain or a hero? She has that white-cut-black vibe, but overall she’s a very kind little girl. A true saintess.】

【18L: Aaaah, this chapter smashed me straight into the pit!】

【19L: Those telling Ye Zheng fans not to celebrate early should come take a look. If you knew my favorite, you’d think I’m blessed.】

…

【150L: Ye Zheng fans are ridiculous. This was clearly the credit of all four people. Ye Zheng just got lucky with the final hit. Stop overhyping.】

【151L: Defending the comment above. I don’t even dare to speak. Acting like Ye Zheng is super strong. Refuting this equals misogyny and loving men, apparently…】

【152L: Watching the two comments above get so defensive makes me happy. Your big male lead stepping on teammates to harvest credit is fine, but my girl treasure is just lucky?】

【153L: I really don’t get it. As a girl, shouldn’t you be happy to see female characters getting more spotlight? You love being a male character’s mommy so much, so take your precious son out of this manga and go raise a child model in another app.】

Li Yixin could not help laughing. She felt that the Ye Zheng supporters made solid points, even if some of them were rather sharp-tongued.

Well-written female characters strengthened immersion for female readers. For a manga to have depth, both protagonists and side characters needed to be fleshed out. They should not exist merely as brainless foils for the dominant male lead.

Li Yixin felt pleasantly surprised. She had originally held no expectations for Old Uncle as a male author. Yet now, Tang Mingxi had managed to safely push a female character forward in Throne of the Aberrant Realm. However, as she scrolled down to the newest replies, her brows slowly furrowed.

【511L: Ye Zheng fans shouldn’t celebrate yet. Old Uncle just shaded this chapter on social media. Your girl doesn’t even know whose skin suit she’s wearing, lol.】

【512L: □□’s space already has thousands of reposts. Ye Zheng is some capitalist heiress plus Pei Xi delusional self-insert OC. That’s why she gets so much screentime. You’re just pushing a rich girl’s skin suit.】

【513L: Feels like forced gender PC*. I hate this inexplicable PC the most. No wonder this chapter looks ugly.】

[T/N- I searched a little the og chinese is common slangs meaning politically correct, simply it's comparable ''woke" term here. I never heard this myself before so I can be wrong too.]

✧✧✧✧✧

【598L: As a Ye Zheng supporter, I retract my praise for the author. He doesn’t deserve it.】

“What does this mean?”

Ye Zheng lay on her bed, browsing the forum, equally puzzled by the term “skin suit.*” Then she noticed “PC,” another unfamiliar concept. What confused her even more was the sudden shift in public opinion.

[T/N- 皮套 = SkinSuit, it a straight up derogatory term for Self-insert(Iskeai Slop MC, or Kirito-clones or Thousands of low-teir High-school Rom-coms Mc characters]

What exactly had the manga author said?

The system hissed quietly, muttering to itself.

『These terms are hard to explain… Let me show you the author’s latest post. Absolute retard level. Dumbass…』

The system’s mechanical voice read aloud.

【Unremarkable Ordinary Manga Worker V: Creation is always dancing in shackles. But seeing that everyone likes it, I’m happy. After all, I’m really bad at drawing female characters. This way is easier too.】

“This is the author’s post?”

『Yeah. Fake humble and bitchy, right?』

The system sounded angrier than Ye Zheng herself. After all, its own treatment was tied to her popularity. Such an ambiguous statement would undoubtedly damage her reputation among readers. Her popularity might drop significantly.

“Pretty good.”

Ye Zheng smiled instead.

“If he claimed the ‘Ye Zheng’ role outright, I’d be annoyed.”

The saintess, usually gentle and composed, spoke with rare childishness.

“It’s better if he hates me more. Knowing he’s upset actually makes me feel relieved.”

Ye Zheng had disliked this manga author for a long time. If the fans’ affection for her extended to him by association, she would only feel depressed.

A sudden flash of inspiration crossed her mind. Ye Zheng quietly restrained her smile and lowered her gaze to the phone screen.

How strange.

Whether it was the system, the author, or her own existence, what exactly connected them all and allowed them to function together?

Why had the manga author posted such words? How much did he truly know about this “Ye Zheng” who had already deviated from the original plot?

It seemed that both inside and outside the manga world were filled with unknown mysteries.

Ye Zheng put away her phone, rose from the bed, and tidied herself with practiced composure. She changed into the classic white saintess dress, looking as though she were about to go out.

The system continued muttering inside her mind.

『An author publicly shading his own character. I have never seen anything like this. You really are a disaster-prone heroine.』

“Will he affect my use of action points to change the plot?”

Ye Zheng asked suddenly.

『Of course not. In pub… Anyway, he has no authority to interfere.』

Ye Zheng noticed the system stumble, as though deliberately concealing something. She did not pursue the matter for now. Knowing that the idiot author could not influence her actions inside the manga world was enough. At present, she had far more important matters to attend to.

“Then let him watch properly.”

“Watch how the stupid world he fabricated turns into my world.”

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Authors Note

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Really hate the term “skin suit”…