A single chapter: The husky simmering soup has now gone to boil syrup.

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To be honest… At the start of a new book, constantly nagging and posting single-chapter notes isn’t really friendly to new readers. So I’ve been holding back, nearly suffocating from the effort. But after reading the latest reviews just now… finally, I’ve found a chance to say a few things!

Calm down. As for those issues about dogs or whatever animals, there’s really no need for you moderators to get so worked up. Among those comments, there are plenty that are just good-natured banter, friendly greetings, or mischievous kids thinking I’ll forget their antics. Of course, there are also the so-called haters you mention, but they’re not the majority. It’s not worth launching an all-out attack for just a few people… it’s not efficient.

But here’s the thing. You’ve known me for a while now. Have I ever been afraid of haters? Have I ever lost my temper? Not really, right? At most, I’ll post a single-chapter note to fire back, maybe drop an “Be good, here’s some paper for you in the afterlife,” kind of nasty quip. Besides, tossing out some sharp-tongued, mock-gentleman remarks—why should you snatch that opportunity from me? If someone’s going to charge ahead, it should be me, shouldn’t it?

You’ve deprived me of my right to post single-chapter notes, so now I’m taking it back.

A word of advice to all the moderators: be a bit kinder, a bit more tolerant… less hostility, more sincerity. The gang… all right, I can’t keep up the act anymore.

Finally, I need to clarify something for a small portion of readers. This doesn’t include those who joke with goodwill, greet warmly, or the mischievous kids chancing a bit of fun. The metaphor of “forging a mastiff,” or “boiling the soup, refining into a mastiff,” is just that—a metaphor. It’s not some advanced literary device; it’s about second-grade level.

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Back then, when we watched cartoons, there was this guy wearing nothing but underwear and suspenders, raising a big sword. “Hey!!” “I am He…Man!” Then a flash of golden light… “Eyes of an eagle…” “Strength of a bear…” “Speed of a leopard!!” And then—he’d go from near-naked to a muscle-bound hero! He didn’t literally turn into an eagle, or a bear, or even a leopard… It’s a metaphor! You get it… It might take a bit of talent to understand.

That’s all there is to it. If this kind of post comes up again, everyone, please don’t reply, and especially don’t argue… Leave it to me!

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Since it’s so rare for me to post a single-chapter note, I’m not ending it so easily. What else should I say? Perhaps… a little anxiety. “Training the Song Dynasty” set a pretty high bar, so everyone’s expectations for me are high as well. Honestly, it’s giving me a lot of pressure.

In fact, from my own perspective, “Training the Song Dynasty” didn’t quite pass muster. I just cleverly borrowed the national sentiment of the Northern Song period—or rather, everyone’s regret over that era—to grab attention. The whole book is filled with grand themes of loyalty and righteousness, larger than life. I only had to embellish, not create; it was a sly move. Even Tang Yi’s character was a shortcut—he started out with Northern Song values, and he was a madman from the get-go. Sure, that made it easy for you readers to relate, but it’s illogical and doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.

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Then came the second book—Wu Lao Jiu. Today, I saw a comment in the chapter’s discussion or maybe in a review, and it struck a chord with me. The gist was: Wu Ning is currently a goofball husky, and forging him into a mastiff will take time.

Exactly—that’s just how I intend to write it. Wu Lao Jiu is now just a fugitive from the mountains, trying to use his skills to help his little valley, and working hard at it. He needs a journey, a turning point, to evolve from a husky to a ghost mastiff. (I’ll do my best to make this process full and engaging.)

When “Mastiff Tang” is finished, I hope you won’t only remember, as with the Song Dynasty, that Tang Yi was a madman. By then, Wu Lao Jiu should be a ghost mastiff… a fierce dragon! A greedy wolf! And at the same time… still that silly husky from the mountain valley. (Note! Highlight this: that’s also a metaphor.)

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What can I say, “Boiling the Soup” is still too short, it’s not ready yet, and there’s not enough to ramble about. That’s all for now.

Thank you to everyone for your support and praise, for your favoritism and affection. (Don’t stop, keep it coming.) Please keep voting and try to understand. As always:

In the next life…

(What was I going to do in the next life again?)