To ascend, I had no choice but to create games

Chapter 550: Chapter 321: Are You Happy? (Part 1)_1

Liuzi felt a bit down today.

His previous serial had ended, and although his editor kept saying his manga was still on the rise, the standalone volume sales were good, the second season of the anime was on the schedule, and everything seemed to be improving steadily.

However, he felt his inspiration slipping away, and the follow-up plots increasingly relied on old tactics rather than innovation.

New characters were being introduced in increasing numbers, but their characterizations were becoming indistinguishable. Although his work still ranked high and reader feedback was still positive, his editor even calling it one of the rare romantic pillars of “DUMP” this year, he no longer had the passion he used to.

This was the syndrome of a long-running series, after all, an author’s inspiration doesn’t just materialize out of thin air, and his virgin self had exhausted his fantasies about romance, truly drained to the last drop.

The weekly serialization had become a form of torture, and he was no longer sure whether what he was writing each day was any good. His worries about the future even affected his gaming; the gaming pod was now just a sleep induction tool for him.

At times like this, he envied Xiemen Waidao, the carefree guy who could have so much fun anywhere he went.

So, against his editor’s objections, he insisted on stopping his serialization and then fell into a state of self-doubt.

What should he draw next?

Could he continue the glory of “The Beauty Next Door Keeps Sticking to Me”?

Could he once again keep up with the serialization pace of “DUMP”?

Manga was a cruel place, where seniors might have some advantages, but as soon as it was proven that their popularity was declining, even the god of manga would flop.

The ranking of a manga was like a death warrant; being at the bottom three times in a row risked a slash in half, and this Sword of Damocles hung over everyone’s head, forcing them to work tirelessly to please readers.

Before becoming a manga artist, he thought this was a mechanism that could constantly motivate manga artists to provide a steady stream of good mangas.

But after becoming a manga artist, he realized that this mechanism was truly unbearable. Whoever invented it should be sent to hell, then made to rush their drafts every week to see what sort of stuff they could produce.

All assistants had been dismissed, and the once bustling studio was now empty. Without the urgent rush to meet deadlines, without the snoring assistants, and without the looming schedule, Liuzi suddenly felt uncomfortably empty.

Picking up his phone, he saw that his mother had sent him another message.

The other party still expressed incomprehension over his decision to leave Huaxia to draw manga, but after years of separation, his strict mother seemed to have gradually become more gentle.

She still insisted that drawing manga had no prospects, but also hinted, in a roundabout way, that her health was not good and that she hoped Liuzi could visit when he had time.

Putting down his phone, Liuzi’s mind was still empty.

He didn’t know what to do anymore; the period of serialization had burned him out and scorched his emotions clean.

Just as Liuzi was zoning out, his editor Zhongshan sent him an email:

[Mr. Liu Liuzi:

I still don’t understand your decision to end the serialization, as everyone can face similar situations. A moment’s lack of inspiration doesn’t mean everything, and I still hope you can persist a little longer.

But personally, I have noticed some issues with you, as you seem to have lost the passion you once had. If you haven’t been in a relationship, I suggest you try having one. If you have, then perhaps try another.]

“What kind of a hellish joke is this!” Liuzi muttered helplessly, then continued reading.

[You must be thinking, what an awful joke. Indeed, the joke is a bit stale, but it’s also not a bad strategy. Lan Yuejian always starts a new relationship before beginning a new serial and seeks inspiration from that relationship.]

“Lan Yuejian… Isn’t that the artist who draws medical-theme manga? Who on earth are their romantic partners?”

[If you’re not willing to take that path, I suggest you try another genre, that is, comedy manga. Of course, not just pure comedy manga but a comedic romance series would do.]

“I see…”

[Mr. Liu Liuzi, you are a very intelligent person, and I believe you can find your own way out of this. During your break, try to interact with people, play games with them, tackle dungeons together, and you might find better ways to get out of this rut. I’m looking forward to seeing your great work soon.]

After reading Zhongshan’s email, Liuzi felt a bit moved.

Zhongshan was the least like a Sakura Country person he had ever met; extremely adaptable like a chameleon, he changed his colors at different times and places to fit different disguises.

But he was also the most empathetic Sakura Country person he’d ever met. It seemed he had a handle on Liuzi’s every move, making Liuzi feel less alone.

Having read Zhongshan’s email, he decided to give it a try to see if he could find inspiration.

But soon, he realized someone else had sent him an email.