I'm drawing an action-packed anime within a depressing one!

[Popularity increased by 0.002]

[Popularity increased by 0.002]

The popularity has increased quite a bit...

Just as he was preparing to frantically work through the night to finish the Calabash Brothers comics, he heard a strange system notification.

Highlights have been retained.

[Current Highlight: 1]

[Next level: Background]

Upgrading to the background requires: 1 point of popularity, 1 point of storyline, and 1 point of highlight.

The current plot points and highlights have met the requirements.

"?"

Plot points?

Highlights?

After pondering for a while, He Zhou finally understood.

...

Popularity is like a cornerstone, the most fundamental thing.

For a character to qualify for an upgrade, there must be plot points, which means being introduced by the author.

To stand out from other characters and level up, you need highlight moments, also known as character arcs.

Or rather, it has had an impact on the entire comic book world.

Otherwise, why should I upgrade you?

There was also a line of smaller text at the bottom.

[Note: The comic book world has its own unique operating logic and is a real world.]

"The City of Yokai" is just one window for observation and presentation; the amount of screen time is not equivalent to the character level in the larger comic world.

To level up a character, one must have sufficient popularity and truly participate in and influence the comic's world. Only then can one break through the rules and advance.

I thought about it carefully for a long time.

Understood.

Although the comic world evolved from the city of monsters, it has become a unique real world with its own natural laws and rules.

Comic books are now just a window into the market.

The display window can influence the reader's experience and popularity.

...

But what does "one of" mean?

Is there something else?

probably not.

Since He Zhou couldn't figure it out, he didn't think about it any further.

If that's the case...

Popularity is still the most important factor.

Highlights and plot points are easy to arrange.

No matter how popular a comic book is, it's all for nothing if no one reads it.

Calabash Brothers!

start up!

Chapter 11 Calabash Brothers? (Don't raise them! Please keep reading!)

What are you drawing?

Ever since he yelled that on the day of the exam, the class monitor sitting next to him has been staring at He Zhou.

He just stared at her without saying a word, which made him feel uneasy.

"Draw comics."

"Oh, what comic?"

"..."

He Zhou stared at the three characters "Huluwa" on the cover he had drawn for a while in silence, then explained: "It's the story of seven children growing on a vine, who eventually turned into a mountain to suppress and defeat the monster!"

"The main focus is on one thing..."

Before the word "unity" could be uttered, the class monitor sighed, "Yes, they have lost their freedom, lost their future, and become a grave, to be shared by seven people... How tragic."

"?"

"what?"

He Zhou was completely bewildered, shocked by their thought process, speechless, and all his emotions were reduced to a single "Ah".

Seven people sharing one grave?

Is this your interpretation of the Calabash Brothers from the perspective of you depressing riddle writers?

Who the hell taught you guys to think like that?

Is this the thought process a living person should have?

Where is your passion?!

Ah!

...

He thought he'd ask someone else.

He turned to look at Lu An, who looked melancholy, and spoke before Lu An could even open his mouth.

"I understand what you're trying to say, but in the end, it's seven people and a desolate, lonely grave."

"That's a mountain!!!"

"Yes, the mountain that suppresses people's souls is also a prison."

"..."

I'm exhausted.

Seeing that He Zhou remained silent for a long time, Lu An looked at him and asked, "Isn't that right?"

"..."

Why don't you speak?

"I'm going to paint graves!"

Just as He Zhou gave up on communicating and was about to continue working on the comic, Jiang Dai, who was lying on the table next to him, peeked out like a kitten and stared curiously at the Calabash Brothers.

"They get along so well, they never fight over food!"

"?"

He Zhousheng said dejectedly, "Yeah, they not only don't fight over food, they don't fight over the litter box either."

Jiang Dai blinked, shook her head, and stared at the comic book next to her.

Finally, just as He Zhou picked up his pen to begin drawing, he saw the comments that seemed to fall from the sky.

[Pfft, seven people per grave? Are there any normal people in this comic?]

This is too dark; I wouldn't last three days here before I went crazy.

[I was conservative, just one day.]

[The only one who seems normal is Jiang Dai. No wonder she's the female lead; even though it's still from a cat's perspective, at least it's not like the underworld!]

...

When He Zhou started drawing the first chapter, he suddenly discovered something.

and many more.

Although you can just draw it with black and white line art, you should at least mark the colors of the Calabash Brothers, right?

After borrowing from around the class, it was finally the class monitor who had just mentioned a grave who kindly said, "We don't have any in the regular classes, only the experimental classes do."

"Otherwise, you can ask Senior Jiang Yueye to borrow it. She's a night patrol member, so she should have some."

I searched everywhere but couldn't find any pens that could draw in color. I didn't even have colored chalk, let alone markers.

"..."

He Zhou had no choice but to bite the bullet and go to the experimental class after the first period of school rules get out of class.

This was also his first time going to the experimental class.

...

The experimental class is not on the third floor, but on the fourth floor.

The first to third floors are all regular classes, the fourth floor has two experimental classes, and the second-year students are in the building behind the school.

As soon as I went up there, I noticed the difference between the experimental class and the regular class.

The windows were bright and clean, the walls were spotless, and the entire floor was spotless.

Although there are only two classrooms, they actually have several large classrooms with different functions, such as activity rooms, libraries, and research rooms, on the entire floor.

What's most outrageous is that it even has a psychological counseling room and a rest room.

"Discrimination!"

He Zhou looked heartbroken: "There isn't a single regular class! It's just one shabby classroom! How can they treat students so differently!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and saw a [Endurance Room] appearing in the corner of the corridor.

"?"

What is a patience room?

Although he was completely confused, he still managed to find the classroom of the experimental class and planned to borrow something.

...

He Zhou stepped into the classroom with a big smile on his face. Before he could even speak, he saw a line of words written in white chalk on the blackboard at the back.

[A blissful embrace amidst excruciating pain and death; please leave your last breath for those who come after you.]

The content discussed inside is also quite outrageous.

"Did Xiao Ye encounter a demon yesterday?"

"Yes, he did a very good job. He lay in a body bag and died with a smile on his face, recording the appearance and strength of the demons."

"Yes, I really envy him. He can embrace death now."

The person who said this was genuinely envious.

He Zhou felt a chill run down his spine, and the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat.

Only one word remained in my mind.

what?

But he soon saw the reason on the blackboard behind him.

[After awakening the Lamp Pool, remember this: the resentment of the Night Watchers is the strongest nourishment for demons.]

Understood.

If a stronger person dies with resentment, they might buff the demons.

Damn it.