Goddess Development Plan

Huff huff huff... That was a close one... Hiding behind a wall with Li Xiu'er, Chu Lian panted heavily. Although she had just acted with great confidence, that was only because she had forced herself to. If not for Ayase giving her reassurance, she might really have tried to flee in that moment.

"Ayase, why did you make me say something like that? Don't you know that tomorrow is only the promotional day for the new book, not the release date? And besides, I don't have the confidence to actually get first place. It's not that I don't believe in the system—it's just that I can't possibly present works on par with the classics at my age. That would be too shocking. And without using those works, winning is going to be very difficult..." She lifted her head, and once her breathing had settled a little, continued speaking in her mind.

"And didn't we already agree to stop drawing so much attention? If I enter this competition, I'll inevitably become a focal point. No matter whether I succeed or fail, countless people will be watching. For someone like me who still needs time to grow, this kind of move is just too risky."

"The first time, the opponent was just someone a bit stronger than the average person. This time, it's an actual martial arts expert straight out of legend. Who knows what might show up next time—someone even more powerful? You know I'm not worried about that, but... I haven't succeeded yet. I don't want to fail..."

Ayase sat on the sofa, one hand propping up her chin atop her crossed legs. She quietly listened to Chu Lian until she finished speaking, then sighed: "It's not me pressuring you—it's the system that will."

"All along, I've been the face of the system, but to be precise, I'm just a temporary stand-in for the system's slumbering consciousness—similar to Sakuya Izayoi in the Scarlet Devil Mansion. No matter how strong or high-ranking I am, I can't resist some of the system's mandatory rules. Nor can I make the system do only what's best for you. So many times, things are just beyond our control..."

"I think you've already noticed the pattern in how the system assigns tasks. For this sudden literature competition, organized by the school and other groups—do you really think the system wouldn't issue a quest at that moment? Instead of waiting passively, it's better to prepare early. That way, you won't be scrambling at the last second."

"As for the early release of the new book—I know it's not ideal. But have you forgotten how many things you have going on? Next Monday, you start a half-month school trip, and there's even a hidden quest pushing you forward. Sure, these might not be huge problems, but launching the new book while you're abroad instead of at home will heavily affect its impact."

"This kind of effect won't show right away. But over time, you'll see how troublesome it is. Where does that leave your readers and fans? Even if you can't appear in person, shouldn't you at least post a message or a video online? Can you guarantee you'll have the time or the place to do that while you're away?"

"Although the new novel hasn't had much promotion and won't get much attention at first, once you've stabilized your fanbase and gradually promote it—a good story will always attract readers. Even if it doesn't go viral, those who enjoy it will naturally spread the word. That's much more effective than heavy-handed promotion."

"Your kind of marketing is like a thunderstorm—loud, but with little rain. And with your current fame mostly stemming from music, people are beginning to forget your literary talent. In that case, how effective can your promotions really be?"

"Remember, this is a country that takes pride in reading and values knowledge. They won't read your book just because you're famous. Only truly strong works written by someone with real skill can win their hearts."

"So, I think we should abandon the traditional promotion and start the serialization directly, then inform your fans and let them spread the word themselves. Even though there won't be much attention at first, it's a slow buildup. As long as you post some selfies during your trip that match scenes from the novel and release them online, people who like to dig into things will definitely take interest. This kind of soft marketing is way better than flooding the internet with ads."

"As for the so-called danger, don't worry—this is likely the most dangerous it'll get in the next few years. Nothing worse will happen again, I promise..."

"Ayase..." Chu Lian rarely heard Ayase speak this much in one go. Especially the first and last parts—those were probably things the system wouldn't allow her to say. Yet she said them anyway, and even explained her reasons for suggesting an early serialization. It stirred a sweet, slightly bitter feeling in Chu Lian's heart—a feeling she couldn't describe, but she really, really liked it.

"I'll tell my dad everything you just said and ask him to talk to the company so they can start reprinting and begin the serialization as soon as possible..." Chu Lian wasn't ungrateful. With Ayase doing so much for her, if she still didn't know what choice to make, then she truly would be a failure.

"Um, Ayase, are you okay? ...Ayase?" After saying that, she cautiously asked about Ayase's condition. After all, Ayase had just revealed some system secrets. If she wasn't punished in some way, Chu Lian wouldn't believe it. But even after calling her several times, there was no response, and Chu Lian began to worry, her heart sinking.

"Phew, I'm fine. But for the next seven days, I won't be able to provide you with much help. That's the system's punishment—a very light restriction. If I violate it again, the restriction will become more severe. So if you don't want to lose me completely, you need to figure things out on your own... Damn, it's actually ten days... I'm done talking. I'll speak again once the restriction is lifted... Remember, be careful..."

After a long silence, just as Chu Lian was starting to think Ayase had been sealed away, her voice finally returned, slow and soft. Hearing her words, Chu Lian felt both guilty and relieved.

Guilty because whenever trouble came her way, Ayase often figured out a solution before she even had a chance to act. And she rarely grasped things quickly, forcing Ayase to spend more and more effort helping her each time.

As for the relief—it was because Ayase's punishment was merely a semi-silencing for ten days. Nothing too serious. It just meant she had to learn how to stand on her own during this time.

However, in a place Chu Lian couldn't see, in the shadows of the system space, Ayase sat slumped against the ground.

Chains bound her tightly—around her wrists and body, with two more linking her ankles together. Faint violet lightning flickered silently along the chains, slithering slowly toward her body.

Each time a tendril of lightning coiled around her, her waist convulsed involuntarily, showing the immense pain she was enduring.

Yet even in such a state, her eyes remained clear. Her expression was blank, but the faint smile at the corners of her fiery red lips, despite the sweat on her face, remained breathtaking.

"Punishment Space... heh, not the first time... Ten days, huh? What's there to fear?... These little shadow-thunders won't break me..." Even while in intense pain, her tone remained calm.

As a rigid subsystem that only followed rules, it couldn't understand Ayase's emotions, nor did it respond to her taunts. The punishment it administered was precisely calibrated—no more, no less.

"Becoming more rigid, are you? Seems you're using more power to reinforce her seal, so you can't interfere elsewhere anymore..."

Ayase looked up toward the darkness above the system space and said, word by word, "Trying to erode us? Heh, not that easy... Chu Lian—she'll figure everything out someday... I'm waiting... waiting for her to destroy you..."

Two spaces, separated by a thin veil, yet they were two completely different worlds—one heaven, one hell.

And there was someone in hell, gazing up at heaven, longing for salvation, waiting to be saved...

Chu Lian had no idea that everything Ayase had just said was simply to comfort her. At this moment, she was walking back to class with Li Xiu'er, calling her father and repeating Ayase's advice, while taking in the sunlit campus, her mood light and bright.

Perhaps... this was exactly what Ayase had hoped for...