Chapter 105: Signing Event (Part 1)

Chapter 105: Signing Event (Part 1)

As the final chapter of *Edge Runners* made waves in America, the first signing event for the manga's single volumes in the Republic was also approaching.

"Teacher Qingshan, are you ready?"

Ito Ayumi had arrived early at Lin Qingshan's home to avoid any "accidents" like the last time.

"No problem!"

Lin Qingshan, dressed in a stylish literary two-piece knit shirt and white shirt, paired with loose black trousers and white canvas shoes, gave a thumbs up.

His slightly disheveled hair added to his look, giving him the vibe of a romance anime protagonist!

This was his "special edition" outfit for the signing event, carefully selected based on the fashion of his previous life, almost a decade ahead of its time.

Ayumi couldn't help but blush when she saw Lin Qingshan looking more serious and stylish than usual.

Just then, Gu Qianli arrived.

Seeing Lin Qingshan's outfit, Gu Qianli was also impressed.

"Wow, Qingshan, you look great in this outfit!"

Gu Qianli praised, "I was worried your fashion sense might... but it turns out, you have excellent taste."

Of course, this was due to his advanced sense of fashion as a time traveler.

"Alright, let's head out! We can't make my dear fans wait too long!"

Lin Qingshan, satisfied with everything being in order, was ready to leave for the signing event.

"Okay!"

Gu Qianli and Ito Ayumi agreed in unison.

"Pochita, you'll have to stay home and play nicely today."

Lin Qingshan patted Pochita on the head, saying.

"Woof woof..."

Pochita, being a dog, was quite understanding. Hearing Lin Qingshan's words, it didn't make a fuss but responded with a few barks.

Lin Qingshan nodded in satisfaction. Dogs are just better at following commands compared to cats, which are aloof and stubborn.

In his previous life, his cat, Greenwater, was very willful—either running off somewhere or insisting on following him whenever he went out. If he didn't take it with him, it would shred his pants.

Though Greenwater was smart enough to recognize Lin Qingshan as its owner and not be overly troublesome, it still couldn't compare to Pochita. The only thing Greenwater had over Pochita was the potential to transform into a catgirl...

Hehe… heh…

"Let's take a taxi. I'll call one."

Once outside, Ito Ayumi volunteered since it was a special day and taking a taxi would be more convenient.

However, Lin Qingshan checked the time on his phone and cheerfully said, "We still have time. Taking the subway should be fine. No need to rush…"

"Well… alright."

Gu Qianli and Ito Ayumi agreed, given they were used to taking the subway and saw the reasonableness in his suggestion.

[Translator: sauron]

...

The subway in the Magic City during the weekend and off-peak hours wasn't too crowded.

When the subway was not crowded, it was indeed faster than taking a taxi.

Lin Qingshan, Gu Qianli, and Ito Ayumi chatted casually once they were on the subway.

"Teacher Qingshan, this is your first appearance before everyone. Are you nervous?"

Ito Ayumi asked, feeling a bit nervous herself.

"There's nothing to be nervous about. But I do expect a lot of fans might scold me."

Lin Qingshan winked innocently.

"You should be embarrassed to say that, with such a heart-wrenching ending, a manga artist who creates such stories is often hated by fans."

Gu Qianli rolled her eyes.

She was among those who were deeply affected by the final chapter of *Edge Runners*. The final lunar journey of Lucy and David's hallucinations had left her emotionally overwhelmed.

Being more emotional by nature, Gu Qianli had cried uncontrollably after seeing the ending. She remembered Lin Qingshan's earlier statement that "Lucy would never die."

Yes, Lucy didn't die, but the ending made living feel worse than death.

She was so upset that she ignored Lin Qingshan for several days.

"It's not my fault,"

Lin Qingshan blinked with a hint of helplessness.

He was just a copycat artist; the tragic ending of *Edge Runners* wasn't his creation. He was merely a emotionless drawing machine.

"Who else could be blamed?"

Gu Qianli said, unimpressed.

"Blame that guy, Kinoshita Hiroyuki."

Lin Qingshan smacked his lips, saying, "He designed all of this!"

However, Gu Qianli and Ito Ayumi didn't take his words seriously, knowing Lin Qingshan's brain was quite unconventional.

He was probably just trying to shift the blame and had invented a fictional person to take the fall.

"This volume of *Edge Runners* is expected to sell a million copies in total, but unfortunately, it's a short manga, and there are only six volumes…"

Ito Ayumi said regretfully, "Otherwise, the profits would be higher."

Since the profit from single volumes is split between the manga artist and the company, more volumes would naturally mean higher profits for Lin Qingshan.

But due to the manga's length, *Edge Runners* was limited to six volumes.

The content of these 38 chapters could have been condensed into four volumes, with about ten chapters per volume.

However, the company decided to produce six volumes to maximize profit.

Each volume included background information, character introductions, and detailed illustrations.

"It's enough."

Lin Qingshan smiled.

With the inheritance from his late parents and additional support from his uncle, he was now quite well-off.

He even planned to rent a larger, more centrally located apartment soon.

After discussing this with his uncle, he found a spacious, fully-furnished apartment in the city center with two available units.

Lin Qingshan planned to move next week.

(End of Chapter)