Around 9 p.m. on January 29th, 2023, the not‑so‑famous, forever‑free, forever‑flopping author and wandering scholar Ms. Qin Xin downed some of the legendary “Neng Si Neng Ma” (Wusu) beer at home. With liquid courage in her veins, she joined a random pug from the recruitment board and marched into Zero‑Style Pandæmonium: Purgation’s Labyrinth, Floor 8, to face tribulation. There, during her second phase in main body form, the healer let her fend for herself, she stepped on a tower, and got roasted to death on the spot. Just so everyone’s informed.

Even though we cleared, I didn’t roll a single chest. Even though we cleared, I still have to go back to my slacking static and sit in jail with my draft‑chained teammates. I’m done with this cursed Zero‑Style for today. If I’m still playing Ninja next tier, I swear I’ll just off myself.

Why am I posting this tiny “extra chapter”? Mainly because I’m still short 500 words for this month’s full‑attendance word count…

Since the New Year just passed, might as well do a 2022 wrap‑up and a 2023 outlook.

2022 was a year of grinding forward, a year where I transformed into Little Diligent. I kept full attendance for five or six months straight, moved my editor to tears, and pulled off a never‑before‑heard‑of 900k‑word contract. I finally got to taste monthly tickets and rewards. I bravely boasted to him that next book I’d just submit normally, get signed, and go straight to shelves. As for how it turned out… well, let’s just say I kinda feel I owe him an apology…

For 2023, I kinda just want to slack.

Main reason: Master Ye is way too strong. She’s stronger than any overpowered main character I’ve ever written. To stop her from just kicking doors down and speedrunning everything, I have to spend more time and come up with way more tricks to mess with her.

Also, my work situation last year went like this: I’m based in Nanjing, but I was assigned to a project team in Wuhan. Result: the team lead in Nanjing didn’t manage me, the team lead in Wuhan couldn’t manage me, so I got to write chapters at my desk at work (I even wrote “Mechanical 0” at my desk)… My sense of presence has been abysmal since my school days. I once sat by the classroom door eating a baozi; a friend walked in, smelled the food, and still didn’t notice me. So being basically a non‑existent entity in the planning department is pretty on brand…

…Then at the year‑end review, the two team leads compared notes and finally realized there was a problem.

So how things will go this year, I honestly don’t know.

Being optimistic, I might be able to wrap this book up within the year.

Then I’ll start a new one on the spot—no, wait, “Part Two.”