Chapter 18: Initial Popularity

### Chapter 18: Initial Popularity

As time passed, Lin Qingshan's life continued as usual.

It wasn't particularly lively or mundane.

Apart from the addition of Pochita as a companion, his life also now included frequent visits from Gu Qianli and Ito Ayumi.

Gu Qianli and Lin Qingshan would meet up on weekends to visit Pochita. As for Ito Ayumi, the Japanese girl seemed to have bonded with Lin Qingshan, who had some familiarity with Japanese culture, likely because she had few friends in Magic City.

With the arrival of the winter vacation, Gu Qianli, the college student, went home for the break. Lin Qingshan didn't know where she was from, but she wasn't a local from Magic City.

Ito Ayumi also went home for the New Year.

For Lin Qingshan, the New Year wasn't a big deal. Being alone with only Pochita for company, he treated Pochita to several cans of food to make the day special. 

After the New Year, both Gu Qianli and Ito Ayumi returned to Magic City.

Aside from that, Lin Qingshan's *Edge Runner* continued its regular serialization. Its popularity fluctuated but remained within normal ranges. At its lowest, it was ranked 16th, and at its highest, it had just reached the 7th episode.

...

Gu Qianli was the first to open the latest issue of *Comic World Gogo*. She quickly located the latest episode of *Edge Runner* from the index.

In the previous issue, Chapter 6 had left David at Lucy's invitation to her home.

Lucy, who appeared as the female lead, stood out with her elegant hair color and unique short hairstyle, breaking the usual manga heroine mold of long hair and offering a refreshing visual.

Gu Qianli, adjusting her ponytail, wondered if Lin Qingshan preferred short hair.

She didn't dwell on it and continued reading the latest episode titled "Moon".

Lucy brought David into her sparse yet cyberpunk-styled home and offered him two bottles of beer.

"I only have beer here, is that okay?" Lucy asked with a light smile.

David, clearly uncomfortable, replied, "I don't mind."

They clinked their beer bottles together and said, "Cheers."

Lucy lit a cigarette, adding a narrative depth to the scene.

David took a sip of beer but choked and coughed violently.

Lucy, amused, said, "Really? Is this your first time drinking?"

"I'm okay with alcohol, just not fond of carbonated drinks or the smell of smoke," David explained.

"People like you still exist..." Lucy chuckled.

David hastily clarified, "I'm not lying!"

"That's terrible... and your outfit is awful. Take it off!" Lucy teased, pointing at his yellow jacket.

David was taken aback but complied with Lucy's insistence and removed it.

Lucy then put on the jacket herself and modified the design on the back in front of David.

"Don't write randomly," David said nervously as ornate English letters appeared on the jacket: "Edge... Runners."

"Edge Runners, that's directly hitting the theme," Gu Qianli thought, curious about the meaning.

"A nickname for cyberpunk," Lucy explained. "You want to be one of these, don't you?"

David smiled, "Actually, I'm a huge fan of the Edge Runners series."

"Really?"

"Yes, but what's with that old-fashioned poster of yours?"

David pointed to an old poster on Lucy's wall, depicting an astronaut pointing at the moon with the English words "YOUR NEW LIFE AWAITS!"

Lucy's expression turned cold. "Do you have an issue with it?"

"No, I don't," David quickly explained. "It's just that the advertising of a glamorous paradise annoys me. I wonder how many people had to be sacrificed for lunar development."

"Rather than a paradise, it seems more like a hellish place."

"You seem to know a lot..." Lucy's expression softened, and she teased.

"The lessons from Arisaka Academy aren't reflected in advertisements."

"Only a true aristocrat could speak so."

"Not at all!"

...

As Lucy continued to tease David, he became serious, taking a large gulp of beer. "...I shouldn't have attended Arisaka Academy. My mother worked hard to get me in, but I've always known I was never truly one of them."

"Then why did you go to Arisaka Academy?"

"There was no choice... I had to attend the academy to work for Arisaka Corporation, to climb the corporate ladder."

David's gaze turned lost and forlorn. "At least it was my mother's wish or dream..."

"That's the reason."

It wasn't his dream, but his mother's, and that's why he tried so hard at Arisaka Academy.

Gu Qianli felt David's burden of carrying his mother's dream alone.

"But that's someone else's dream."

Lucy stood up and faced David. "You and your mother are different people. Why live to fulfill her wishes?"

Lucy's confusion was evident.

"Is that... wrong?" David asked.

"Your own dreams shouldn't belong to anyone else."

"Seems like you've found yours."

David smiled as the scene shifted to the old poster of the moon. David said in disbelief, "No way."

Lucy gazed at the neon nightscape of Night City and her reflection on the glass.

"You think it's hell... but for me, this is hell."

Outside the window, the vibrant and colorful nightscape of Night City contrasted with Lucy's sorrowful eyes.

Even Gu Qianli felt the sadness in Lucy's gaze.

Does the female lead, Lucy, have her own story?

"Here?"

David asked.

"I just want to fly far away," Lucy replied evasively.

The scene shifted to Lucy and David together, with Lucy saying, "I want to show you something."

Next, they were shown tearing open what appeared to be a Dream Chip package and lying on the bed with their eyes glowing pink.

Then the scene transitioned to David and Lucy on the desolate surface of the moon.

"Such amazing resolution! The sun is so hot!" David marveled.

"This is through your personal link, letting you feel the sun's heat. If it were the actual temperature, you'd be scorched. I've adjusted it to a level suitable for humans," Lucy explained with a smile.

David floated in the virtual Dream world, playing around, and Lucy watched with a smile.

"Isn't it great?"

"It's incredible."

"Isn't it?"

"Come with me."

...

David and Lucy explored the moon's surface, with Lucy leading the way. When Lucy gestured for David to follow, the scene was undeniably sweet.

Gu Qianli felt the scene was very touching.

Little did she know, in *Edge Runner*, any sweetness would eventually turn into a lethal twist.

Just as David hesitated to take Lucy's hand, she directly grabbed his arm.

They enjoyed their time on the moon, jumping and seemingly traversing the moon base. The exquisite depiction of the scene was a testament to Lin Qingshan's exceptional drawing ability.

Just as this sweet storyline was unfolding, suddenly...

"You're done playing! Idiot!"

In the real world, David woke up suddenly in a large bed.

Next to him, Lucy, appearing indifferent, smoked a cigarette.

A group of shady-looking cyborgs stared at him, and the lead cyborg, with a malicious grin, said, "Kid! Sorry to interrupt your pleasure, but that implant on you belongs to me!"

"Time to return it to its rightful owner!"

David was knocked away by the lead cyborg.

The final scene showed a rocket ascending above Night City, seemingly heading towards the moon.

Translator: sauron

...

After reading this part, Gu Qianli was stunned.

Was David... deceived by the female lead?

The sweet scenes earlier turned out to be deceptive?

It was truly unexpected... Gu Qianli felt somewhat resigned.

Such a plot arrangement was unusual, and Lin Qingshan's creativity was unique.

Or maybe Lucy wasn't the actual female lead? Could there be another?

Even as a seasoned ACG enthusiast who had seen countless manga and anime, Gu Qianli had never encountered such a plot twist.

It was an unpredictable highlight.

She recognized that the large cyborg who knocked David away was Mann, a character she had seen in Lin Qingshan's sketches.

Given this, David should be alright, and it seemed like David would be joining this team in the future.

*End of Chapter*