I only wanted to retire, but I ended up becoming an extremely popular character.

"Your interview is over. Please go home and wait for the results!"

This was either Yu Feng's 78th or 87th interview; he couldn't remember the exact number.

His previous company suddenly became insolvent and filed for bankruptcy.

He lost his job as a result. The heartache of losing one's job in middle age is something only he can truly understand.

Fortunately, he is still single. He only needs to eat his fill, so he can support himself for a long time with his severance pay and by being frugal.

He boarded the subway back to his rented apartment, and halfway there, an email notification popped up with the interview results from the company: "Thank you... After comprehensive evaluation, we regret to inform you that you have not passed this interview..."

He failed the interview again. Although he was somewhat prepared, the moment he saw the results, his heart sank as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

He closed his email and opened an anime streaming app, wanting to find an anime to watch.

Any kind of show is fine; he just wants to change his mood and not feel so down.

So, I randomly clicked on a popular anime series on the recommendation page, "Taige no Uta".

Click directly to the latest episode.

Actually, it doesn't matter much which episode you watch, Yu Feng is pretty much the same at this point.

He just wants to clear his mind and stop thinking about so many things.

Because he was unaware of the preceding events.

At first, he didn't even really get into the anime "Empire Rising" because the main storyline was connected to the previous episodes.

When the progress bar was halfway through, Zod appeared, and a wave of comments flooded the screen.

"Shocking! +99, +100... +178, +179!"

"High energy ahead, the luckiest person is about to make their appearance."

"Let me absorb some good luck first!"

"Sofa, fries, cola~"

"I just clicked in like that, and it happened so quickly!"

"Looking forward to seeing how Lieutenant Zod will pull off his amazing maneuvers."

……

This barrage of comments briefly caught Yu Feng's attention. Judging from the joyful atmosphere of the comments, could this character be a very serious comedic character?

……

The anime's plot picks up right where the last episode left off.

Cassius planned to use the "Great Memory Restoration Spell" to have two bandits take the blame if the situation became irreversible, but Zod sternly refused.

Many viewers in front of the screen already knew the truth at this moment.

Once Zod makes the choice not to use the bandits as scapegoats, it means that his goal is no longer to complete the mission, but to prepare to escape.

Whether he takes the blame or not is no longer important to him.

As the search progressed, the scene shifted to Anker village.

As night fell, Zod split into three groups as he had planned, leaving Zod alone to guard the village.

At this moment, the audience, who had already anticipated what would happen next, couldn't help but secretly smile.

After everyone else disappeared into the night, Zod remained alone.

He first pretended to be on patrol, but his eyes were as wary as a fox on the night, quickly scanning the surrounding houses and shadows of trees.

After confirming that no one was around, he relaxed his shoulder almost imperceptibly, then turned and slipped into the small hut where he was temporarily staying.

In a short while, he pulled out a light bag that had already been packed, his movements quick and light.

He glanced back one last time at the village's blurry outline, then lowered his hat brim and quietly disappeared into the direction leading to the empire's border.

At this moment, another wave of comments flooded the screen:

"Lieutenant Zod, are you already planning to run away?"

"That can't be! He might already have clues about the hostages!"

"Anyone who has read the original story should know that Zod is 100% planning to run away this time."

"That's right, Lieutenant Zod is as steady as ever!"

"According to the official map of the Empire's turmoil, Ancol Village is located near the border of the Holy Kingdom."

"I bet five cents that Lieutenant Zod won't be able to escape the Empire."

"Who knows, we might run into those two hostages near the border? After all, you can always trust Lieutenant Zod's choices."

"Yes, Lieutenant Zod is definitely the most unpredictable person in this show."

……

……

As viewers discussed the plot, Zod's popularity experienced another small surge.

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 2!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 3!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 3!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 3!

……

Zod headed away from Ancor.

Suddenly, Zod froze in place. As the camera moved, a cold gun barrel was pressed against Zod's back.

The audience's hearts suddenly jumped, and many already had their own guesses.

They speculated that Zod might have been captured by Imperial patrol soldiers.

However, as the plot unfolds, the identity of the man who held the gun to Zod is revealed: he is a soldier from the Holy Kingdom.

Zod also began to defend himself on screen: "...I'm tired of war. I just want to get away from the shadow of the Imperial Wars and quietly find a place to retire. So, can you please leave me alone?"

As soon as Zod uttered the words "I want to retire," several comments immediately flooded the screen:

"I can attest that Lieutenant Zod was not lying."

"Lieutenant Zod was at least not lying about that statement."

"I can also testify that I was there at the time, and that I was the sword at Lieutenant Zod's waist."

……

Then, the soldier from the Holy Kingdom began to pour out his grievances:

"These past few days we've been running and you've been chasing us, wherever we run, you chase us."

"Even though we chose to escape at night and tried to erase all traces as much as possible, you still clung to us like a ghost."

"No matter where we run, you always manage to catch up with us like a ghost!"

"We've been living in a nightmare these past few days."

……

The Holy Kingdom soldier's complaint caused a sudden surge of comments on the side of the screen:

"????"

"Enough with the chit-chat, let's absorb some good luck first."

"The killer: That's what I thought too!"

"So you and Lieutenant Zod had the same escape plan, didn't you!"

"666!"

"As expected of Lieutenant Zod, he even predicted this."

"Damn it, he tricked me again."

"Zod, you're so lucky! Can you tell me how to answer multiple-choice questions on the college entrance exam, especially in English?"

"Would changing my profile picture to Zod's bring me some good luck?"

"Poor Zod, his retirement plan is probably going to fall through again."

……

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 2!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 4!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 3!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 4!

……

The rest of the story unfolds as Zod, through a series of clever maneuvers, unsurprisingly subdues two soldiers from the Holy Kingdom.

However, no hostages were found at the scene.

Zod dusted off his hands and looked into the distance.

Just as the audience was wondering what Zod would choose next.

The camera zoomed out, and right in Zod's direction, there were three furtive figures, holding two others hostage, hurrying towards the border of the Empire.

After a moment's thought, Zod rushed toward the figures like a phantom.

Therefore, in order to force Zod to retreat, the Holy Kingdom soldier Kirk planned to use the hostages' lives to coerce Zod into laying down his weapons: "Put down your weapons immediately. Otherwise, I will no longer guarantee the safety of the hostages!"

Zod spoke those words with great passion:

"For the glory of the empire, I am not afraid of being crushed to pieces. Since they are relatives of the Imperial Colonel and have received the favor of the empire and His Majesty the Emperor, they should die for the glory of the empire. How can they submit to the empire's mortal enemy?"

When Zod finished saying that, it inexplicably tickled the funny bone of many viewers.

Many viewers were initially taken aback, but then the screen was flooded with a barrage of comments:

"????"

"See that? That's what a tough guy is! This is what a tough guy is!"

"Hilarious! The most cowardly person in history is saying the toughest things."

"Even after Lieutenant Zod's body is cremated, his mouth will still be there, just stubborn as a mule!"

"If I hadn't read the previous episodes, I almost would have believed Lieutenant Zod's words."

"How dare you! What? Can't I, Lieutenant Zod, be a little hot-blooded for a few dozen seconds?"

"Lieutenant Zod's enthusiasm lasted only until he finished saying those words."

"I haven't read the earlier parts of Zod's storyline yet. Can someone describe Zod's character personality?"

"Lieutenant Zod is always as steady as a rock, cowardly and afraid of death, and can't possibly be the image he described."

"I have a feeling that these people from the Holy Kingdom are planted by the production team to prevent Zod from retiring."

"Poor Lieutenant Zod for a few seconds, hahaha, I guess he'll get another credit."

"Is this the power of a man with innate good luck?!"

……

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 3!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 2!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 3!

Lieutenant Zod's popularity increased by 3!

……

As the imperial patrol arrived from the rear, the Holy Kingdom's soldiers were arrested.

Kirk, a desperate soldier from the Holy Kingdom, planned to take one of the hostages with him to his death, but Zod kicked the hostage away, successfully rescuing him.

Finally, Zod says, "Ouch...that was close! The hostage was almost hit by a bullet..."

The storyline about Zod has come to an end, and the comments section was filled with words like "demon," "poet," and "devils"... signaling the end!

To Yu Feng's own surprise, he actually watched the entire storyline about Zod until the very end.

I even found the character of Zod quite interesting.

Since he had nothing better to do, Yu Feng had an idea: "Such a character could probably be the subject of a fan fiction!"

If all else fails, I can always find a factory to make screws!