Chapter 39: The Cyber Madman

**Chapter 39: The Cyber Madman**

This chapter can be seen as the sweet moment where David and Lucy confirm their feelings and identities to each other. From every aspect, it is of excellent quality. Despite being conveyed purely through text and visuals, without any emotional background music or life-and-death crises, it is enough to move hearts.

Especially after so many chapters, everyone has developed a deep understanding of David, and even an emotional connection with him. Throughout the story so far, David has been losing things constantly. He finally has people he knows and someone he likes. Everyone hopes he can have everything he cares about.

Now, watching him and Lucy share a kiss under the neon lights of the city, it's hard not to smile. Particularly, the scenes of the moon and the Earth, drawn with Lin Qingshan's kaleidoscopic skill, are as beautiful as photographs. The scene of David and Lucy kissing is even more breathtaking, like a dream that's too sweet to be true.

However...

Sweet sugar can sometimes turn into deadly poison in an instant.

Especially that last part, which feels like a flag being raised.

Fan Siwei is really worried, but not about David, who has raised the death flag. He is more concerned about the heroine, Lucy. After all, how could the main character of a fantasy work die? Especially in a manga aimed at a male audience. Who would create a male-oriented manga and then kill off the main character at the end? However, there are quite a few anime where the heroine dies. This possibility makes Fan Siwei very anxious.

"No way! Lucy absolutely cannot die!"

The more Fan Siwei thought about it, the more uneasy he became, so he directly turned on his computer and logged into the Manworld website.

...

Although this "love-confirming kiss" scene is sweet, many people, like Fan Siwei, are highly alert. Lucy absolutely cannot be in danger! At this time, there are many posts on the Manworld manga forum about "Edgerunners."

In fact, there were already quite a few, considering the setting of "Edgerunners," as mentioned before, is incredibly powerful and groundbreaking. The cyberpunk world setting is inherently filled with concerns about the future development of society and humanistic care. Especially since the cyberpunk setting inherently carries anti-capitalist, anti-authoritarian control themes.

In a cyberpunk world, technology becomes a symbol of power. After capitalism and marketism have reached their extremes, becoming the most powerful violent institution in the world, replacing nations, large multinational corporations control advanced technology and use it to monitor and manipulate humans. And the rulers representing these corporations' interests are beyond any challenge or question.

Such a world setting is already very popular in the Republic. But previously, the discussions on the Manworld manga forum were mostly criticizing this twisted world where capitalism had peaked, rather than being interested in the plot itself.

However, with the release of the last two chapters, there has been an increase in discussions about the plot. Especially after the sudden and unexplained death of Pillar in Chapter 14, many people began to think that Lin Qingshan, the creator of "Edgerunners," is indeed a madman.

The most popular post about the latest chapter has the title: "Could 'Edgerunners' really end with the entire main cast dying, leaving only the male lead?"

As mentioned before, the fantasy works in this world haven't gone as crazy as Lin Qingshan's previous life's "Akame ga Kill," where the entire main cast, including the male lead, died, leaving only the female lead. Plus, the name "Akame ga Kill" itself suggests that although it's a male-oriented manga, the female lead Akame is actually the true protagonist... So, everyone is very worried after reading the latest chapter.

Some of the readers' comments are particularly intense:

"If 'Edgerunners' really kills off the female lead too, I'm done with this manga!"

"Let's see how things unfold... I'm actually more worried about Big Brother Maine, wwww"

This one is clearly a fan from Japan, as Manworld is a major player in the industry, not just in Japan, but also has a readership base in the West, let alone other regions.

"Maine... Well, Maine is a good big brother, but hasn't everyone gotten used to the death of the big brother trope? It won't affect me much anymore."

"To be honest, if this were really a cyberpunk world, I can't think of any way to defeat those corporate dogs."

"In a cyberpunk world, even if David didn't have protagonist protection, he wouldn't stand a chance either."

"But David is the protagonist, right? The protagonist can't lose even when using cheats, right?"

"Ahhhh, I'm really torn. From what you're saying, it seems like 'Edgerunners' is definitely going to have a tragic ending, but I really want to keep watching."

"Don't worry, I'm already a mature adult reader. I won't cry over a manga anymore[emoji_sunglasses]."

However, this sunglasses emoji guy doesn't know that one day in the future, his comment and this emoji will become a long-standing meme.

"If Lucy dies in the end, I swear I'll kill that madman author!"

"Dude, don't take it too seriously. It's just a manga. If you get this worked up, you're just like the cyber madman from the manga."

...

It's not just the forum; concerns about the ending of "Edgerunners" are spreading among various fan groups.

However, Gu Qianli, who had already received Lin Qingshan's assurance, is not worried at all. She's watching this scene with a big smile, completely carefree.

At this moment, she is lying in her bed, showing none of the grace she displays in public, instead appearing very relaxed. If Du Guoguo, Yang Zhihan, or any of Gu Qianli's roommates were here, they would be shocked. This is simply too unlike Gu Qianli. Even in the dorm, Gu Qianli always maintains the demeanor of a dignified, elegant young lady.

But now, Gu Qianli looks more like a... carefree otaku girl. Although still quite attractive, she's wearing a casual cartoon pajama set, with her pants twisted awkwardly. This is Gu Qianli's true self, something even Lin Qingshan doesn't know.

If Lin Qingshan knew, he would definitely have an epiphany and describe Gu Qianli using a famous anime character from his previous life—"Himouto! Umaru-chan."

But Gu Qianli is not exactly like Umaru, who has two completely different personas in public and in private. She is just more casual at home, revealing her true nature a bit more, but her personality remains that of a well-bred lady who knows how to behave appropriately.

Just then, the housemaid came to her room and lightly knocked on the door. "Qianli, the meal is ready. The master is eating at home today and asked you to join him."

Gu Qianli paused for a moment, then responded, "Okay, Wu Ma, I'll be right out!"