Finishing the book means death; I abandoned the whole world.

Huang Renlong lowered his head, his fists clenched until they turned white: "But I'm just a reader... what can I do?"

"Imagine it." Yong pointed at his head. "That's all you're capable of. Li Yumeng is a nurse; saving lives is her duty, not a preference. If you want her to see you, you have to offer her something she needs."

"What is that?"

"Details. Specific, useful details that only you can provide."

Huang Renlong nodded thoughtfully and squatted back in the corner. This time, he didn't draw circles, but closed his eyes and unconsciously gestured with his fingers in the air.

Yong sighed and added a paragraph to the guidelines:

[Appendix: A Guide to Building Psychological Support for Characters Related to the Plot]

Please remember that the weight given to a story does not equate to individual value. Everyone who contributes details and maintains narrative stability is indispensable. Even if the story is currently in a "to be supplemented" state, please look forward to the next chapter.

[A special note to readers: Your imagination is the foundation of the narrative; your observations bring the story to life. Don't underestimate your importance.]

Word count: 1892 words. 5 hours have passed, 43 hours remain.

Too slow. Still too slow.

……

In the afternoon, Yongge entered a state of mechanical writing. The red pen left afterimages in the air, and the words poured out like flowing water.

Although this stream of words is mixed with a lot of official jargon such as "narrative ethics" and "ecological balance," as well as increasingly frequent use of profanity and vulgar language.

Chapter Four: The Standards for Defining Eunuchs and Unfinished Projects

[“Eunuch” refers to an author voluntarily abandoning updates, causing the storyline to break down; “bad ending” refers to an author hastily ending a story, causing the narrative logic to collapse. Both damage the narrative ecosystem, but their natures are different.]

[It is recommended to establish a "pause in updates" mechanism, allowing authors to apply for a "narrative protection period" due to force majeure (such as being harassed by those demanding updates, or exhausting their author ranking authority), during which no penalty for interrupting updates will apply. However, the protection period should not exceed 7 days and must be announced in advance.]

"Is this some kind of online novel or a labor law article...?" Yong Ge complained, but his hands didn't stop.

Wu Qu, who had been sitting beside him at some point, was still a little pale, but his eyes were much clearer: "Brother Yong, take a break. You've been writing for six hours."

"I can't stop, if I stop my train of thought will be cut off, and there's not enough time." Yong took the water she handed him. "How are you? Does your head still hurt?"

"Much better, but I can't imagine anything too complicated." Wu Qu sat down next to me. "I tried to imagine a scene that motivates an author to write, something very simple: a comfortable chair, a desk lamp..."

"I said you can't borrow it! The system will check for duplicates!"

"I know, I know, I just wanted to give you some peace of mind." Wu Qu smiled, her eyes curving into crescents behind her wisteria-patterned glasses. "Actually, it's quite nice to watch you write; at least I know you're not just someone who can bluff."

"I was forced into this! 48-hour deadline!"

"But it's written with great care." Wu Qu pointed to the text in the air. "This part about readers' rights, I think, is more sincere than those formulaic articles."

Yong Ge paused for a moment. Indeed, while he was writing, Mahajee's "subscription-based support" kept flashing through his mind, as did the image of those readers who were left hanging, and the image of Wang Laodeng burning three tufts of hair.

"Perhaps..." he murmured to himself, "that deception and sincerity aren't contradictory?"

Chapter 5: On the Oversight Function of the Narrative Ethics Committee

The committee should remain neutral and avoid becoming a tool for powerful authors to suppress newcomers. The trial process should be open and transparent, allowing jury participation and prohibiting exploitative practices such as "completion fees."

[It is recommended to establish an "author appeal channel" so that those who disagree with the judgment can apply for a review. During the review period, the original judgment should be suspended to avoid the abuse of irreversible punishments such as "moral death."]

Word count: 2678 words. More than halfway through, 9 hours have passed, 39 hours remain.

It was barely in time. But Yong-ge's hand had already started to cramp.

In the evening, Yong Ge finally reached the brink of collapse while writing.

"2300 words left... 23 hours..." He stared blankly into the void, his eyes unfocused. "100 words per hour is enough... No, I still need to leave time for revisions..."

In the cafeteria, Huang Renlong was squatting in a corner, eyes closed, gesturing in the air with his fingers. When Li Yumeng passed by, he suddenly opened his eyes, then quickly closed them again, pretending to be seriously studying and imagining things.

"The child is still struggling..." Yong shook his head, but his pen continued to flow:

Chapter Six: On Cross-Industry Collaboration and Narrative Co-creation

[Collaboration between authors of different genres is encouraged. Flying furnace stories and healing stories, cultivation novels and post-apocalyptic novels can all generate innovative narratives through "borrowing" elements. However, borrowing elements should respect the core settings of the original work and avoid forced patchwork in the style of a "borrower."]

[It is recommended to establish a "narrative style protection zone" to provide niche literary and artistic authors with a creative space free from the influence of formulaic approaches. Diversity is a sign of a healthy narrative ecosystem.]

"Brother Yong!" Huang Renlong suddenly rushed over, holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hands. "I wrote something! It's not for myself, it's for Sister Yumeng!"

"I'm busy right now, you'll have to give it to Yumeng yourself."

Huang Renlong took a deep breath, clutching the note, and headed towards the medical room. Yong Ge watched his retreating figure and added a paragraph to the guidelines:

Chapter Seven: On the Ascension Path of the "Passerby" Role

Every "passerby" has the potential to become a supporting character, and every supporting character has the possibility of becoming a protagonist. The narrative graveyard should not be stagnant, but should allow characters to change their position through their efforts.

[A special note to readers: Your imaginative details may become key plot twists. We suggest establishing a "Reader Contribution Record" system to track high-value imaginative contributions and award "honorary character" status to their providers.]

Word count: 3456 words. 14 hours have passed, 34 hours remain.

There's still time. But Yong-ge's eyesight is already failing.

Late at night, Yongge entered a mysterious state. His hands were moving, but his mind was half-dormant, and words flowed automatically, although words like "Wang Laodeng," "fuck," and "teyao" occasionally popped up that needed to be edited later.

Chapter 8: A Discussion on the Legalization of Deception

In certain contexts, "deception" can be seen as a narrative strategy, the core of which lies in maintaining an "unfinished" state to preserve the possibility of subsequent development. However, deception should have its bottom line: it cannot violate basic logic, it cannot hurt the reader's feelings, and it cannot become an excuse to evade responsibility.

[It is suggested that "deception" be redefined as "gradual narrative," acknowledging its legitimate place in serialized works. However, indefinitely delaying key plot points with phrases like "tentative" or "to be discussed in the next chapter" is prohibited.]

"Once this chapter is finished, I'll be the official spokesperson for the 'Fooling the Scholars' movement..." Yong muttered to himself, his eyelids drooping.

Wu Qu was sitting next to him again, her head resting on his shoulder, already asleep. His wisteria-patterned glasses had slipped down to the tip of his nose, and his breathing was soft.

Yong didn't move, supporting her head with his left hand while continuing to write with his right:

Chapter Nine: Narrative Ethics of Sacrifice and Redemption

In a post-apocalyptic world, sacrifice is inevitable. However, sacrifice should be voluntary and meaningful, not the result of moral coercion. It is forbidden to use "aesthetics of sacrifice" to mask selfish behavior, and it is forbidden to use the death of others as a stepping stone to personal advancement.

Every sacrifice should be remembered, every redemption should be respected. Narrative weight can shift, but the weight of life cannot be quantified. It is recommended to establish a "Museum for the Victims" to preserve the memories of those who contributed to the continuation of the story.

As he wrote this, Yongge thought of Lin Ruyan, of Mahaji, and of the words that had faded away in the Readers' Club. He paused, then continued writing:

[Conclusion: The story always trumps the author]

We write not to prove how smart we are, but to tell our readers: in this chaotic world, there are still people willing to keep writing stories. There are people willing to believe that the next chapter will be better.

The narrative weight may drop to zero, and the characters may fade, but as long as people are still asking "What happened next?", the story continues.

[Guideline creator: Liu Tianyong, a struggling author skilled at deception, forced to be sincere, and currently learning.]

Word count: 5027 words.

"Damn... finally..." Yong threw down his pen and slumped into his chair like a dried-out salted fish.

System notification: [The "Author Code of Conduct (Revised Edition)" has been submitted, 5027 words, valid narrative verification in progress... Verification passed. The Narrative Ethics Committee has included it. Narrative weight +50, current weight: 574.]

[The "community service" penalty has been completed; the countdown has been cancelled.]

"Only 50 points?!" Yong wailed. "I wrote 5000 words! I almost died from exhaustion!"

"But your weight has increased, and the punishment has been lifted," Ye Tian floated over. "Moreover, this is the first version of the 'Author-Made Guidelines' officially included by the committee, and it may become one of the underlying rules of this world in the future."

Yongge paused for a moment, looking at the sleeping Wu Qu, at Huang Renlong drawing circles in the corner, at Zhang Gou Dan throwing punches in the training field, and at Sister Hu muttering to herself in the planting area.

"Rules..." he said softly, "may be more important than weight."

He picked up Wu Qu and carried her towards the medical room. Li Yumeng came forward and took Wu Qu from him: "Asleep?"

"Yeah, she leaned on me while writing the guidelines, and then she fell asleep."

Li Yumeng tucked Wu Qu in, then suddenly said, "Brother Yong, thank you for writing the guidelines. Huang Renlong showed me what he wrote."

Huang Renlong showed me what he had written.

Li Yumeng's lips curled up slightly. "He said... so readers can also be recorded, not just some random passerby, but Huang Renlong."

Yong-ge smiled and walked out of the medical room. At the end of the corridor, Huang Ren-long was leaning against the wall, pretending to look at the scenery, but his ears were perked up.

"Hey, Huang Renlong."

"Huh? Brother Yong?"

"Stay at the base tomorrow to protect the girls. Dare to accept?"

Huang Renlong's eyes lit up: "Dare!"

"You're a reader, you have no fighting ability, you run away when you encounter monsters, go find Zhang Gou Dan. But you can do one thing."

"What?"

"Observe. Record every detail you see, and come back to tell us. That's your value."

Huang Renlong nodded vigorously, clenching his fist: "I will!"

Yong patted him on the shoulder and walked towards his bed. Behind him, Huang Renlong's voice came: "Yong! That... what the guidelines say about 'honorary roles,' is that true?"

"It's fake, I made it up."

"……ah?"

"But you can make it real." Yong didn't turn around. "Keep writing, and it will come to life."

Tonight, I'll get a good night's sleep.

The 48-hour death line is more terrifying than those urging for more updates, but it at least proves one thing: readers' attention to detail is more moving than authors' formulaic plots. — Liu Tianyong