Tomorrow at noon, exactly at twelve, the book will go live.
First, I want to thank everyone for your support, and I hope you continue to support me.
The initial subscription is an incredibly important indicator of a new book's success.
That means the number of subscriptions for the first chapter within twenty-four hours of going live.
The higher the initial subscription, the better the subsequent recommendations will be, so I sincerely ask everyone to offer your precious subscription.
Choosing to go live at noon on a Sunday is also a consideration for students among the readers, as they might have time off on Sunday to show support, potentially boosting the initial subscription.
I defended my thesis this June, graduating from university, not even three months ago.
Although this is my first book, I studied Mechanical Design and Manufacturing.
It's known for being a challenging field, leading straight into factory work after graduation.
With the economy not being favorable in recent years, I'm relying heavily on this new book.
Therefore, the book's performance is of utmost importance to me.
Each day, the first thing I do after waking up is ask the editor about the reader engagement.
Whenever I hear a drop in engagement, I sit in front of the computer with a headache for hours, trying to figure out what went wrong.
My previous work was about wilderness survival, written during my third and fourth years in college.
This book is a fantasy, marking a drastic transition.
Fortunately, it seems to be performing better than the last one, at least not being cut off halfway through recommendations.
I've tried to address many readers' concerns wherever possible.
Just a few days ago, the main character had a spear named "Liquan," which many said didn't sound fitting.
I changed it immediately, but it felt unfair to readers who had already accepted and read that chapter.
Adding an explanation in the main text disrupts the reading experience, especially for readers unaware of the name issue.
Even mentioning it in the author's notes feels awkward.
Honestly, I find myself in a difficult position.
Initially, I had twenty chapters prepared before launching the book.
The first ten days, I could maintain a normal routine, but as time went on, writing became more exhausting.
Sometimes a single comment could make me ponder for a long time.
The writing schedule slipped from finishing at one or two in the morning to three or four, dwindling the prepared chapters from twenty to just four.
There are also certain aspects I prefer not to explain.
Older readers familiar with me will know I'm meticulous about research and references.
For instance, someone remarked on the fish price, saying it couldn't possibly be so cheap.
But historically, it was.
A jin of fish was far cheaper than a jin of rice, often sold by the piece.
In the Song Dynasty, Lu You bought fish for two or three coins each; a hundred coins could buy enough fish to feed twenty strong men.
Some critics doubted Peaceful Sun Town having a population in the tens of thousands, arguing it was unrealistic since ancient county towns typically only had a few thousand people and that towns of tens of thousands didn’t exist.
Still, it depends on the dynasty — Qin, Han, Tang and Song, Ming and Qing were all different.
In the Ming and Qing periods, towns with populations in the tens of thousands were common, documented in records like "Records of Shenghu" and "Records of Jiangning County."
Large towns had numerous households, each household representing a family unit, generally with five to ten members across three generations.
An average household figure was about six members; anything less indicated local disturbances such as wars, banditry, or plagues.
Even cities had several thousand, if not nearly ten thousand people.
Now, the matter of "city" is something I feel compelled to address.
In "Water Margin," Zengtou City is well-known.
Even if forgotten, I've explicitly mentioned it, yet I still receive criticism.
Writing a book is quite exhausting when all evidence is laid out, and yet people refuse to believe it, accusing me of making things up.
Regarding phonetics, from the Fanqie and Shengmu 400, to the 36 Initials of the Song Dynasty, formed by a monk, which nearly resemble phonetics — these were purely for pronunciation, causing modern applicability issues.
Then during the Yuan Dynasty with the Tibetan-Buddhist-related Phagspa script, the character of the tale changes.
Both the Koreans and Japanese quickly adopted it for adaptation.
It was only when Zhang Taiyan introduced abstract Chinese character symbols for Mandarin phonetic annotation, which is roughly what the protagonist does, that Taewon Province uses even now.
I studied the entire developmental history to synthesize regular patterns and new characters; it wasn't too challenging, just a matter of inspiration.
Then there's the difference between spears, pikes, and halberds.
Historically, these terms were not strictly defined; rather, they varied by period and region in common vernacular.
Finding counterexamples in historical texts for any definition isn't difficult.
I chose the name "spear" simply because it isn't dissonant to the readers.
In a fictional world, especially within fantasy, even scientific accuracy can be overlooked.
Still, I strive to maintain realism based on actual references, such as prices from cotton, pig, and sheep meats, to avoid inconsistency.
Here, a uniform and brief explanation suffices.
Secondly, my gratitude extends to my editor, Blue Light, who diligently responds to every query, even on weekends — a very responsible editor indeed.
As for updates, on the day of going live, I will conclude the current storyline.
Next, the protagonist will experience significant strength growth as spring arrives.
The Marsh Spirit will transform into an Azure Marsh Monkey, Senior Brother will send back gifts, and the court will offer rewards.
The two beasts will also evolve.
These will unfold before chapter one hundred, then the protagonist will explore the underwater ancient battlefield, marking the genuine venture into Jianghuai waterways with a focus on underwater exploration.
Regarding the Marsh Spirit, it will continue to revolve around Wu Zhiqi, rest assured.
Erlang Shen acts as a natural catalyst, aiding the protagonist's learning process.
Normally, mastering techniques takes half a year to a year, so I've sped it up a bit.
Erlang Shen reappears later, potentially against a Flood Dragon.
In terms of extra chapters, I'll strive to deliver as many as possible in September, ensuring at least 6000 words daily.
I can't promise more than that for now but will do my utmost.
Lastly, dedicating one wave for sacrifice, all converting to bolster my fortune.
List of Miscellaneous Works I Recommend:
- "I've Been Discarded from the Throne and Started Cultivating Immortality" — Dreamcatcher
- "Lu Mingfei Doesn’t Want to be a Superhero" — Snow Falling Tea Brewing
- "Joined Traveler Chat Group, But I Haven’t Traveled!" — Qing Shan Yang Rain Behind
- "I’m the SSR Character You Wish to Draw" — Do Not Rush
- "I Can Refresh My Golden Finger Monthly" — Moonlit on the Edge of the World
- "The Mythical Worlds I Traveled to Became Real!" — Avocado
- "I, Jiajing, Joined the Ming Emperor Chat Group" — Detective Orange Cat
- "A Saint in a Death Row Vest" — Robed Scholar
- "I’m Just Here to Maintain Peace" — Ghost Never Lost
- "Entering Anti-Science" — Novice Angler
- "First Cause of All Realms" — Dog-Butcher Pei
- "The Immortal Just Wants to Lay Idle" — Pig Heart Shrimp
- "Late Bloomer in the Immortal World" — Blackheart Master
- "Overlooking Eternity along the Flow of Time" — Rivers Carry the Moon
- "Divine Devil World, I Can Alter Fate" — Very Slow White
- "The Stars: Galactic Overlord" — Path to Enlightenment, Interstellar Warfare Stream
- "Don't Be Afraid, I am Indeed Not a Demon" — Traceless and Strange
- "I Can’t Stay in This Wretched Sect Any Longer" — Durian in Old Wine
- "The Gold Core is a Star, You Call This Cultivation?" — Ground Sentinel Crane
- "Port Chronicles Begins in Stanley Prison" — More Thriving at Three Watches
- "This Top Flow Only Regards Idol Work as a Task" — Treasure Star
- "2014: I Want to be Governor" — Fireworks Brilliant
- "Shengongbao Truly Dissuades Dead Immortals" — Dust in the Blue Sea
- "Abundant Martial Virtue" — City of Smoke and Fire
In Jianghu, friends are plentiful.
They’re all veteran authors with unique styles, go have a look if interested.
Thanks again for everyone’s support!
I hope this book accompanies you all the way!
Weeping for initial subscriptions!