132: Readers return, God is imprisoned!

Inside the dilapidated adobe house, the dim light from the second-hand laptop screen illuminated Sword River Fish's pale and resolute face.

He ignored his body's protests as it neared collapse, and paid no mind to Lin Wan'er, who was still unconscious on the bed.

At this moment, his eyes were solely fixed on the familiar Author backend interface.

Evasion wouldn't solve the problem.

Killing one Supervisor Bai would only attract thousands of more powerful “supervisors”.

As long as the high and mighty “divine” Gu Jianghan, the true “mastermind” behind the scenes, remained, he would never achieve true freedom.

He didn't want to be a pawn anymore, nor did he want to live forever under the calculations of the “Humanity” Gu Jianghan.

He wanted to personally overturn this damned chessboard!

And his only weapon was his identity as the Author, and the “narrative authority” he had just reclaimed!

He knew very well why the “divine” Gu Jianghan had gone to such lengths to mess up the story.

It was to escape the “readers'” observation, thereby breaking free from the shackles of “character settings” and achieving final transcendence.

Then, there was only one way to break the deadlock.

— Make the story exciting again!

— Let tens of thousands, even hundreds of millions of “readers,” use their fervent “gazes” to once again forge an unyielding cage for this god about to “ascend”!

“Come on, let me see, will you transcend faster, or will my readers grow faster!”

A mad smile played on Sword River Fish's lips as his fingers began to dance wildly across the keyboard.

His first target was the beginning of the story.

— Chapter One: Thanks for the invite, just became a group owner, almost sent all members away.

He found the key sentence in the original text that described Gu Jianghan's inner struggle: “But would such an ‘It’ still be ‘him’?”

This sentence, originally meant only to show the protagonist's inner conflict, now in his eyes, became the best foreshadowing.

After this sentence, he added five words in a decisive tone.

“— No, this is not him.”

【Meaning of Modification】: This is not just a simple addition, but a clear “definition”!

Sword River Fish was using his supreme authority as the Author to declare to all readers, and even to this world:

The “divine” Gu Jianghan is not the true protagonist!

It is merely a “ Fake” (imitation/fake) that has taken over the protagonist's body!

This was tantamount to burying a seed named “schism” at the root of the story.

It would subtly influence the readers' perception, making them instinctively regard the “Humanity” Gu Jianghan as the legitimate one.

And view the existence of the “divine” as a “BOSS” that needed to be defeated.

This was the most fundamental public opinion guidance, and also the first shot in the god-slaying war!

Once the modification was complete, he clicked publish without hesitation.

Almost instantly, the previously dead silent comment section exploded.

【Reader A】: “Holy crap?! The Author updated?! He's back from the dead?!”

【Reader B】: “‘This is not him’? What does that mean? Was the protagonist possessed from the very beginning? This foreshadowing is awesome!”

【Reader C】: “I knew it! The plot later was like eating shit, it definitely wasn't the protagonist's original intention! Is the Author finally going to set things straight?!”

Looking at the comments that instantly surged in the backend, and the “number of readers” that slowly began to rise, Sword River Fish smiled.

The readers' reaction was even more enthusiastic than he had expected.

He didn't stop, immediately opening the second chapter.

This chapter was a crucial plot point where the protagonist Gu Jianghan first displayed his power and saved the group member Su Qingyuan.

It was also a heavily modified area where the “divine” Gu Jianghan had deliberately lowered the protagonist's “prestige”.

He found that key weakening description:

“On a plane transcending time and space dimensions, it was diluted and weakened billions of times.”

“Billions of times? That's too petty.”

Sword River Fish sneered, changing the specific number “billions of times” to three words, full of infinite imaginative space.

— “Infinite.”

【Meaning of Modification】: This seemingly minor change in magnitude is actually a fundamental liberation of power!

While “billions of times” is vast, it ultimately has an “end,” confining Gu Jianghan's power within a “calculable” scope.

But “infinite” completely shattered this shackle!

It meant that Gu Jianghan's power was truly “infinite” in every sense!

Every time he weakened, it was done on an infinite basis; no matter how many times it was weakened, the remaining power was still “infinite”!

This was tantamount to directly elevating the “Humanity” Gu Jianghan to a theoretical height equal to, or even surpassing, the “divine” in terms of setting!

Sword River Fish was providing the most solid “background” for his future “protagonist,” giving him the capital to contend with the “divine”!

After this chapter's modification and release, the carnival in the comment section reached its peak.

【Reader D】: “Infinite weakening?! Holy crap! How strong was he before he was weakened?! Author is awesome! The prestige instantly maxed out!”

【Reader E】: “Now this is more like it! This is the presence an old god should have! That timid one before, what kind of evil god was he?!”

【Reader F】: “Tipped! Author, write till you drop! I want to see the protagonist rampage!”

The number of readers in the backend soared like a rocket!

In almost just half an hour, it broke through the thousand mark again!

Countless fervent “powers of observation,” like invisible chains, transcended dimensions and re-entwined around the “divine” light cocoon that was about to transcend!

Sword River Fish could clearly “hear” a silent roar, full of anger and unwillingness, emanating from the root of the story!

“It's not over yet!”

Sword River Fish's eyes grew even crazier, his fingers moving so fast they almost left afterimages.

He no longer made major plot changes, as that would consume too much energy.

He began to polish the “details” of the story, using a gentle, pervasive approach to further solidify the “divine”'s cage.

This time, in the setting collection, he added an inconspicuous background setting for the top-ranked individual, who called himself an “evil god”:

【The source of its power comes from the remains of a fallen old god】.

【Meaning of Modification】: A two-birds-with-one-stone strategy!

It not only explained the origin of the “evil god's” power, but also, from the side, further highlighted the “legitimacy” and “uniqueness” of the protagonist Gu Jianghan.

No matter how awesome you are, you just picked up some trash “I” didn't want.

He then added a new rule to the group chat's system introduction:

【This group will spontaneously protect its members from mental pollution by higher-dimensional beings】.

【Meaning of Modification】: This is both a patch and a trap.

It rationalized why the group members were not directly killed by Gu Jianghan's initial Speech (speech/message).

At the same time, it added a “rule” based restriction to the future actions of the “divine” Gu Jianghan.

You want to wipe out the group members with mental pollution? Sorry, the system doesn't allow it.

He even modified the “corpse” of Supervisor Bai, whom he had killed with the Death Note.

In the latest chapter, in an unpublished narration, he lightly mentioned:

【When the Containment Department cleared the scene, they were horrified to discover that on Supervisor Bai's corpse.】

【An incomprehensible power of ‘story’ was entwined, as if he did not die in reality, but was forcibly erased by a certain ‘script’】.

【Meaning of Modification】: Pulling real-world enemies into the story's battlefield!

Sword River Fish was declaring war on the “Containment Department,” and even the “True Author,” in his own way!

Aren't you guys awesome?

If you've got the guts, come and play with me in my “story”!

Within my rules, I am invincible!

Each modification was like a precise nail, driven firmly into the “divine” Gu Jianghan's coffin lid.

Each publication attracted a tumultuous, fervent following from readers.

The number of readers soared, subtly showing a trend of returning to its peak.

Sword River Fish could feel that the resistance of the “divine” light cocoon was becoming weaker and weaker.

The “power of observation” of countless readers had once again transformed into an indestructible cage, locking It firmly within the definition of a “character”.

Initial victory had been achieved.

Sword River Fish leaned against the cold wall, gasping for breath, the feeling of physical weakness surging back.

But he smiled.

He knew this was just the beginning.

A narrative-level showdown belonging to the “Author” had only just begun!

Sword River Fish would gradually modify the “story,” and with the “power of observation” from the “readers,” he would lock the “divine” Gu Jianghan within the “character”!

Then, he would let this god, who toyed with Humanity and played with fate, die as a “character”!