Have you ever been a celebrity? Why are you writing about entertainment?

"Not a single one is missing."

Yang Kui strolled to the new book section, her eyes sweeping over the neatly arranged books. In the most conspicuous position, the black-covered book "Malice" was placed diagonally on the far left, as if in a provocation.

She was a regular at the "Robin Bookstore," and although it had been two days since Yu Wei's book went on sale, there were still no copies left on the shelves, indicating that it wasn't selling well.

Yang Kui couldn't help but chuckle, even feeling a bit pleased. Yes, she was also one of the participants in the previous debate, and her impression of Yu Wei was definitely not good.

She was overjoyed to see that the other party hadn't sold a single book. He'd finally gotten his comeuppance for targeting Yamada-sensei's songs.

This kind of book is destined not to sell...

She smiled smugly and was about to turn and leave when the book title stopped her in her tracks.

What exactly does this "malice" mean?

Looking at the simple yet heavy book title, images of her classmates' sarcastic smiles, her teacher's contemptuous tone, and those indifferent faces uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.

Sakura's school bullying rate is very high, and she is one of the victims. This book title began to whisper in a corner of her heart.

As if guided by some unseen force, she reached out and her fingertips touched the cold cover.

"Just flipping through it," she told herself, "to see what kind of rubbish he wrote."

Turning to the first page, Yang Kui frowned at the concise, almost cold, narrative style.

That's all there is to it, she thought.

But as Nonoguchi Osamu's confession unfolds, an unease begins to churn in my stomach. This is not just a case, but more like a meticulously designed psychological trap.

It started raining outside, tapping against the bookstore window, but she could no longer hear it.

Yang Kui curled up in an old sofa in the corner of the bookstore, turning the pages with her fingertips.

At first, she acted like a critical examiner, trying to find logical flaws and clichés, and then mocked Yu Wei's clumsy skills.

But the relationship between Osamu Nonoguchi and Kunihiko Hidaka is subtly distorted, like a funhouse mirror reflecting her own prejudices and preconceived notions.

Why would you kill your friend?

This question hooked her like a fishhook—no, it wasn't just about killing her, but about trying to completely erase her value.

Gradually, she became aware of the malice she felt while reading—the malice of expecting to discover Yu Wei's flaws.

Her prejudice and dissatisfaction with Yu Wei are strikingly similar to Nonoguchi Osamu's malice towards Hidaka in the novel. After all, Yu Wei did nothing wrong...

Yang Kui couldn't help but shudder. That's right, Yu Wei only released one album. Just because their favorite works couldn't surpass Yu Wei's songs, should they resent each other?
The malice in the book is real.

Time passed quietly, and the coffee in front of her had long since gone cold, yet she hadn't touched it.

As the novel's plot deepens, each twist is like a pebble thrown into Yang Kui's heart, the ripples spreading to the high wall of prejudice she herself has built.

The world of the novel and reality begin to blur together.

When she read Nonoguchi Osamu's forged diary, she discovered that a deeper malice was hidden behind those seemingly sincere confessions.

Her breathing became rapid, as if she herself had become an accomplice.

Yu Wei is not simply telling a murder case; he is dissecting the darkest corners of human nature—that kind of unprovoked malice, that kind of primal hostility of "I just don't like you."

The bookstore lights had all been turned on at some point, and Yang Kui was completely unaware of the glances cast at her by the staff as they passed by, nor did she notice the gentle announcement over the loudspeaker reminding her to close.

She almost forgot to breathe until the very last page.

The moment the truth was revealed, she felt not the thrill of solving a case, but a chilling cold.

Malice can be so deeply rooted, so irrational, yet so destructive. It doesn't need elaborate motives; its very existence is enough to justify hatred.

Yang Kui slowly closed the book, the black cover seeming even deeper than before. "Excuse me, we have to close now."

The clerk's gentle voice made Yang Kui look up abruptly. She looked around blankly and found that she was the only customer left in the entire bookstore. Outside the window, it was already a dark, rainy night, and the streets were deserted.

"What time is it?" Her voice was hoarse.

"It's 11:30," the shop assistant said with a smile. "You seem quite engrossed in watching."

Yang Kui looked down at the book "Malice" in her hands. The edges of the pages were slightly wrinkled from her frequent turning. She had actually sat here for six hours, completely immersed in a book she had sworn never to touch.

However, she was not annoyed, because this book showed her many things that were not found in other detective novels.

This book is worth reading!

Without hesitation, she bought the book and took it home, placing it in the most prominent position.

Afterwards, she opened the novel's discussion website and solemnly wrote a review of it.

I know you don't believe my assessment, and may even think I'm paid or just trying to attract attention, but believe me, after reading this book, you'll understand everything.

Actually, Green Pine Publishing House's promotion was very effective, and many people noticed the book, but they just resisted the urge to read it.

Escaping is, in itself, a form of valuing...

As a result, Yang Kui's book review attracted thousands of viewers as soon as it was published, including mystery enthusiasts, music fans, and just casual observers.

The comments section was filled with all sorts of opinions, but guided by this book review, their curiosity was completely unbridled.

Is it really that miraculous?

Those who believe will want to watch, those who don't will want to watch even more, and those who harbor resentment towards Yu Wei will want to watch even more. Whether it's just a publicity stunt or not, you'll know as soon as you see it.

First, a small group of people chose to try it, and then the recommendation began to spread uncontrollably.

The brilliance of this book, "Malice," lies in the fact that the more hostile one is to Yu Wei, the more moved one becomes by the reversal of "malice."

A true deep-seated hatred cannot be resolved by a book, but they certainly didn't have any deep-seated hatred towards Yu Wei.

This prejudice, formed under the influence of public opinion, coincides perfectly with the core of the novel. The shock of this firsthand account left them unable to calm down for a long time.

With more and more netizens joining in, "Malice" has finally returned to everyone's sight. Not only in the mystery genre, but many readers also categorize it as a humanities book.

Really fragrant!

There were already few bookstores selling the books, and with this wave of demand, the few remaining stores sold out immediately. Green Pine Publishing House didn't rush to restock; instead, they calmly adopted a scarcity marketing strategy.

Things are valued for their rarity, and the rarer they are, the less we should rush into buying them.

As expected, netizens who couldn't buy the book once again started discussing the novel, and amidst a chorus of complaints about not being able to buy it, "Malice" became an absolute hit.

For a time, bookstores that were "restocking" were packed with customers, while those without "Malice" were deserted. Seeing their competitors thriving, several shop owners regretted their decision, lamenting that they had misjudged the situation...

As the novel becomes more and more popular, netizens who were previously at the forefront of online debates are getting restless. Didn't they say they wouldn't buy it? Why have they switched sides?

There is no doubt that Yu Wei targets and suppresses Sakura musicians. Buying his book is just boosting the morale of others and diminishing one's own prestige.
In response, netizens who bought the book said that fans are fans and readers are readers.

As readers of Yu Wei, they understood the importance of reflection, the courage to set aside prejudices, and the need not to be unable to bear seeing others do well.

"The entertainment industry doesn't like Yu Wei, but we novelists welcome him!"

"Music critics, stay away from me."

"Exactly, don't drag our novel circle into criticizing Yu Wei. We have our own rhythm."

After Yu Wei's novel was released, the Japanese server's online community split... (End of this chapter)