Chapter 99-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
Li Yixin tossed and turned in bed late at night. She heard from Tang Mingxi that the Ye Zheng extra chapter also featured Zhao Mei's form. As a former Zhao Mei stan, her heart was incredibly conflicted. The phone in her quilt lit up and went dark again and again. In the end, Li Yixin decided to just take a look, or else she would definitely not be able to sleep.
Ye Zheng's solo extra, A Saintess's Day, was a four-panel, chibi-style manga, different from the main story's art style.
The first page of four panels showed the 14-year-old Ye Zheng, having just become the Saintess, sitting in front of a mirror combing her hair. It displayed four hairstyles Ye Zheng had used.
The first hairstyle was a braid coiled on top of her head, with no bangs. Her eyes were large and bright, giving her a more innocent look compared to the 17-year-old Saintess in the main story.
The second hairstyle was with her hair down. The 14-year-old Saintess's hair wasn't long yet, reaching only her chest. Still no bangs, with loose strands tucked behind her ears. Her face was like a round, smooth egg, her smile as standard as an ID photo.
The third hairstyle was one of Ye Zheng's common looks in the main story. Her black hair was plaited into a braid hanging down her back, and she now had the bangs readers were familiar with. A text box next to it specially noted the reason Ye Zheng suddenly started wearing bangs.
[Ye Zheng discovered that having hair in front of her forehead was useful for hiding the emotions in her eyes. When she stood in a low place with her head bowed, the adults looking down on her couldn't see her expression. When someone asked, "Are you angry?" Ye Zheng could look up with a bright smile and argue, "Not at all."]
The fourth hairstyle was the one readers were even more familiar with—Zhao Mei's black short hair. Ye Zheng hadn't changed to green eyes yet. In the mirror, the black-haired, short-haired youth smiled with black pupils, a gentle look carrying a strange, cunning feeling.
[Don't ask why such long hair can be so easily hidden. The Saintess always has her ways.]
Li Yixin looked at this page, and her mind gradually connected the images of Zhao Mei and Ye Zheng. So Zhao Mei—no, she should be called Ye Zheng now—was even particular about her hairstyles. Especially the reason for having bangs, which was also inexplicably funny.
The second page of four panels showed Ye Zheng in the church. In the first panel, Ye Zheng was kneeling and praying before the divine statue. The narration noted that Ye Zheng had to kneel for three hours. This was the Saintess's duty.
[There's a cheating tool hidden under the long skirt, but kneeling for three hours is still very hard!]
Li Yixin frowned in her quilt. Kneeling for three hours was too torturous. Ye Zheng was still a minor! How could the Sei Curia abuse a minor like this!
In the second panel, Ye Zheng was sitting on a chair, healing a wound on the arm of a man who looked like a Knight. In the third panel, while healing, Ye Zheng received a summons from the Pope. She showed a slightly apologetic expression to the injured man. In the fourth panel, Ye Zheng stood up from the chair, preparing to see the Pope. The injured man in front of her looked shocked, because he discovered that the Saintess was actually taller than him when she stood up.
Li Yixin was surprised. Ye Zheng was that tall? Thinking about it carefully, Zhao Mei in the manga was indeed only a little shorter than Percy, and Percy was over 180cm. It was just that her face was too deceptive, causing readers to have no concept of her height.
The interesting little extra left Li Yixin wanting more. In the main story, whether as Ye Zheng or Zhao Mei, her plot time was very limited. It was only because her every appearance left a deep impression on readers that it gave the illusion of her having a lot of screen time.
These two pages of four-panel comics were finished in a minute. Li Yixin felt a strong sense of emptiness after reading them. Ye Zheng's purpose and true personality had always been the focus of arguments on the forum, but this little extra made it impossible to hate Ye Zheng.
Beneath the conformist, gentle, and kind exterior, there surged a rebellious streak full of self-assertion. Li Yixin suddenly felt her chest start to pound. The barrier was melting. This heart-thumping feeling felt unfamiliar yet familiar. It wasn't the kind she felt toward a guy she liked; she couldn't describe it for a moment, only that her heart felt soft and fuzzy.
Forum Hot Post
[#1: The Ye Zheng extra, that's it?]
[#2: Conquered me just like that~ (lyrics)]
[#3: Knew it was bait just from the title hahaha]
[#4: Aiyo, the extra turned me from a yumejo(dream girl, a fan who imagines themself in a romantic relationship with a character) into a mom fan. I could eat up the 14-year-old Little Zheng in one bite!]
[#5: I've been a Ye Zheng mom fan for so long, and only now do I know my girl is 175cm. Why did the officials stuff such an important setting in a corner!]
[#6: Some adorable things that look small but are actually huge...]
[#7: It breaks my heart. The Sei Curia really is no good. My baby is clearly not happy in the Sei Curia, sob sob sob.]
[#8: Please more, more (moduomoduo, from Japanese 'motto motto') of the Ye Zheng extras. Old Uncle had better recognize who the real traffic top of this manga is.]
[#9: My Zheng really has been a "white on the outside, black on the inside" type since she was young. Looks like a great, glorious, and correct Saintess, but is actually a mischievous little female ghost. Tastes so good!]
[#10: Since you've already released a four-panel extra, does that mean you'll be releasing the 100-chapter Ye Zheng side story tomorrow? @Old Uncle]
[#11: Don't @ him. This extra wasn't even drawn by Old Uncle. He just had an assistant fob you off. This is the treatment side character stans get.]
[#12: What, it wasn't drawn by Old Uncle? I love it even more!]
[#13: I knew the art style was different from usual. The narration" are also super cute. Not at all like something that neurotic, balding middle-aged man could draw. It must be the female assistant.]
[#14: That's great, it's the female assistant. We Ye Zheng stans are saved!]
[#15: Old Uncle's art style is only good for drawing fanservice men. Yes, #11, I'm talking about your fave (Attaches image of a disheveled Sykes)]
...
Li Yixin only went to sleep satisfied after she finished reading the forum. In the past, Ye Zheng stans and Zhao Mei stans were always fighting. The notorious toxicity of the Ye Zheng mom fans had even left her with psychological trauma. Now, not looking at them from a rival-fan perspective, she found that everyone was actually quite interesting. Their toxic mouths were very reassuring.
"Hmm, my extra chapter?"
Ye Zheng took a look. They had even drawn her hairstyle from when she was fourteen. She became more and more curious about how this world and the [System's] world, and the readers' world, were connected.
"I also tried twin braids, but the effect was a bit childish. I only tried it once and never again."
Ye Zheng smiled. Good thing they didn't draw the twin pigtails; they made her look not very smart.
Speaking of which, why did she keep such long hair? After becoming the Saintess, she was very busy, and her hair grew to her waist without her noticing. She had thought of cutting it, but every time, she would forget or be interrupted for some strange reason. Until the [System] arrived, reminding her that this world was being controlled by a higher-dimensional will than even the gods.
"Thank you, [System]."
[I'm just here to work. I'm not used to you being so formal all of a sudden.]
The [System] was a bit embarrassed. It was more used to Ye Zheng being passive-aggressive and scheming against it with a gentle smile.
[The one who truly decided all this wasn't me, and the one who chose you wasn't me. I'm just here to execute.]
Ye Zheng didn't say more. Until she came into contact with "the one who decided everything," her vigilance was no less than when facing Wen Jian.
Choosing her, giving her the chance to change her fate... wasn't necessarily out of goodwill.
"Ye Zheng, I don't want to stay there anymore! Are you willing to let your own brother work in such a terrifying place!"
The door was suddenly pounded on. Ye Di's frantic voice came from outside.
Ye Zheng was resting in her room. She had changed into her nightgown and was about to sleep. Ye Di's disturbance made her frown in displeasure.
As soon as she opened the door, Ye Di's tearful face appeared. He really did look somewhat aggrieved.
"Ye Zheng, I don't want to stay at the hunting ground anymore! Go tell His Highness the Crown Prince. That place is no place for a human!"
Ye Zheng controlled the corners of her mouth, trying her best not to let her smile become too obvious. "Working by the Crown Prince's side, wasn't that the shared wish of you and Father?"
Since they had always hoped she would pull them up, she would give them the chance.
"I've also been to the Hunting Ground. Although dozens of monsters are imprisoned there, it's well-managed. They won't suddenly run out and eat you. And His Highness has always valued that place."
Ye Di couldn't stand Ye Zheng's dismissive tone, as if she were placating a child. He retorted, "What 'dozens' of monsters? There are at least a hundred there! Just this week, three people in charge of feeding the monsters were accidentally eaten. What if one day they lose control and break out..."
As Ye Zheng listened to Ye Di's rambling complaints, she gradually put away her dismissive attitude.
She had arranged for Ye Di to work at Sykes's Hunting Ground, in charge of guarding it, precisely with the intention of using Ye Di to fish for some information.
Ye Di was too stupid. So stupid that even Sykes would feel at ease and not be too on guard against him. He might just bring her an unexpected surprise—and here it was.
"A hundred? How is that possible? Keeping that many in the palace is too dangerous. Even His Highness Sykes wouldn't be that willful."
Ye Di ran a hand through his hair in frustration, aggrieved yet full of energy as he argued, "I heard all those feeders say so! They all want to quit. If it weren't for the generous salary, who would want to risk their life—it's not like I'm short on money!"
Ye Zheng subtly raised an eyebrow. She placated him with a few words, skillfully making empty promises to brush him off. The doorway to the bedroom soon returned to silence.
"Raising so many monsters in the Hunting Ground beneath the palace... Either our Crown Prince is still in his rebellious teenage phase, or he has some incredible plan..."
Ye Zheng gazed at the dark corridor outside and closed the door.
Her sleepiness had been chased away. Ye Zheng simply sat down at her desk, picked up a pen, and after some thought, wrote a few lines on a piece of letter paper.
Her words to deceive Sykes were not entirely a bluff. The Sei Curia's special charitable activities in the West District could be traced back hundreds of years.
What if the Dragon Bone human experiments in the West District weren't Wen Jian's personal actions, but a Sei Curia tradition?
The thought made even Ye Zheng feel a chill. She rubbed her cold arms and draped an outer garment over herself.
Perhaps in the West District, Sykes might actually find clues to his origins.
Regardless, the West District was an important plot point. She had to be fully prepared.
Ye Zheng wrote a few more words on the letter. Her pen tip paused. She tried to draw a little pattern on the paper to show sincerity, but then scribbled it out.
She sealed the letter and placed it on the desk. Someone would come to retrieve it tomorrow.
The envelope was retrieved in the morning. That evening, Ye Zheng received a reply.
[Do you take me for your dog? You tell me to go somewhere, and I'm supposed to go? In your dreams!]
The handwriting was extremely neat and graceful, forming a complete disconnect with the letter's irate reply.
One look and it was clear Sierra hadn't written it herself. It was probably written by one of her believers.
In the center of the paper, there was a suspicious black scribble, as if something had originally been drawn there, only to be angrily scribbled out.
Ye Zheng tried to make it out. It seemed to have been a drawing of a small dog.
This, on the other hand, was Sierra's true handiwork.
Author's Note:
Sierra, who can't write, gets angry and draws. Discovers drawing can't express her protest, but instead makes it look like she really wants to be a dog. Angrily scribbles it out.
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