[Keyword Search: Fake Death (死遁)]

Xiao Xu: “On the city tower, Wen Mingyu, who was kidnapped…” Xiao Xu read the first line aloud. 

However, he then recalled how their Captain was traumatized last time from listening to detailed summaries of cliché romance novels. Thus, he chose to simplify the AI-generated summary even more for everyone.

“The first type of novel featuring fake death is the ‘Chasing Wife in the Crematorium’ trope^[1]Crematorium Novel’(火葬场文): A storyline where the male lead mistreats the female lead until her departure (often via fake death) forces him to realize his feelings, initiating a desperate … Continue reading.”

“In the early stages, the male lead constantly mistreats the female lead. Eventually, she becomes utterly heartbroken, fakes her death to leave him, and starts anew with a different identity. The male lead, witnessing her ‘death,’ is overcome with grief and finally realizes his love for her. He falls into despair until discovering that she is still alive, which triggers the start of the Chasing Wife in the Crematorium Arc.”

Duan Chunshui summarized further: “The female lead fakes her death, and the male lead suddenly behaves.”

“…Correct,” Xiao Xu nodded.

Jiang Nian commented, “If a man needs the female lead to die just to realize his feelings, then he’s too clueless to be worth it.”

“…Sister Jiang Nian is absolutely right,” Xiao Xu agreed.

Xiao Xu turned to Xu Xue, the only one who hadn’t spoken yet. Xu Xue let out an “Ah” and seemed to think it was perfectly normal. After all, this trope was very typical of Chasing Wife in the Crematorium stories.

Seeing that she had no strong opinions, Xiao Xu continued:

“The second type of novel featuring fake death is Quick Transmigration stories.”

“In this genre, fake deaths are often used for ‘abusing scumbags.’ The female lead makes the scumbag fall in love with her, then fakes her death in front of him. The scumbag is left devastated and spends the rest of his life in regret, while the female lead waves goodbye and moves on to the next world to continue her mission of scumbag-abusing.”

“Besides the scumbag-abusing trope, there are also some ‘bad ending’ small-world stories where the protagonist must fake their death before moving to the next world.”

Xu Xue added: “In most Quick Transmigration stories, the protagonist has a system assisting them. When they complete a mission in one world, they receive special rewards. For example, the momentary teleportation during the car accident could be such a reward or a direct intervention by the system.”

It seemed increasingly likely that the individual they were dealing with was a Quick Transmigration protagonist.

Xiao Xu continued: “The third type of novel with fake death is the Past and Present Lives trope^[2]It involves characters who experience a reincarnation or the continuation of their story across different lifetimes: the past life influences the present life. This trope often plays a significant … Continue reading.”

“These stories feature two protagonists connected by multiple lifetimes. Even if their relationship ends badly in one life, they will meet again in the next.”

“The fourth type of novel is Hidden Identity stories.”

“In this genre—”

“Stop,” Duan Chunshui interrupted Xiao Xu. “Sang Manman has appeared.”

The group immediately looked up. At first, they didn’t see her, but several seconds later, a woman wearing a hospital gown appeared on the rooftop.

She was about 175cm tall, her thin body almost swallowed by the loose gown. Her waist-length hair fluttered in the wind, and her pale lips lacked any trace of color. She exuded a hauntingly broken beauty.

Soon, someone noticed the figure on the rooftop. Initially, there was no commotion; they weren’t sure if she intended to jump.

Then a man appeared—a sharply dressed corporate elite. He ran over, sweating profusely, his face twisted with urgency as he looked up at the woman and shouted, “Sang Manman, what are you doing!”

Four heads poked out of car windows.

When Duan Chunshui leaned out, he met the gaze of Li Heng, who was seated on his motorcycle with Zhu Zhu perched on his shoulder.

Li Heng immediately said, “Captain, it’s Zhu Zhu who wanted to find you. I didn’t disobey orders.”

Zhu Zhu turned to Duan Chunshui. “Duan Chunshui! How dare you go out without taking me! Back at the orphanage, you said—”

Duan Chunshui, clearly frustrated, cut her off. “It’s the same thing every time. Besides dragging us down, what else can you do?”

He looked at her perched like a decorative accessory on Li Heng’s shoulder and added, “A decorative function?”

Zhu Zhu: ?

[Duan Chunshui will never find a wife in this lifetime.]

[Duan Chunshui will never be idle in this lifetime.]

[Duan Chunshui will get scammed in love and money.]

Duan Chunshui: “……”

“Your power is foresight, not cursing people,” he said, pressing his knuckles to his forehead. “Stop jinxing me. The show is starting.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhu and Li Heng turned their heads in unison, their “melon-eating onlooker^[3]simply means people who are casually observing or spectating an event without getting involved. It conveys the idea of spectators who are there purely for entertainment or curiosity” expressions uncannily alike.

Inside the car, all four people leaned forward, craning their necks as well.

Even though they were dealing with such situations as part of their work, they had gradually discovered a strange pleasure—watching from the sidelines while eating melon. Not dealing with Level Three novels ahead, they had years fighting in dangerous cases for Level One novels. Who knew these Level Three novels could be so full of melodrama?

On the rooftop, Sang Manman, hearing the man’s voice, smiled faintly. “You’re afraid that if I die, no one will donate corneas to your white moonlight^[4]A literary metaphor representing someone idealized as pure and untouchable, often a lost or unattainable love., right?”

“……”

“Don’t worry, Zheng Yu. I’ve already signed the cornea donation agreement. If fate permits, after I die, your white moonlight can paint another portrait for you.”

Tears welled in Sang Manman’s eyes as she lightly touched the corners of her eyes and smiled faintly.

The man below, his eyes red, screamed frantically at her, “Sang Manman, what nonsense are you spouting? Come down! Come down now!”

“……”

Li Heng commented, “Sang Manman’s acting is incredible. I can even feel her despair and her resolve to let go of everything.”

In a gesture that seemed to mirror Li Heng’s approval, Sang Manman tilted her head back to gaze at the sky, her expression calm and tranquil, as if she were saying a final goodbye to the world.

Li Heng asked, “Captain, are we moving in?”

Over the past two days, Xu Xue, who had come to understand the operations of the Novel Crisis Management Bureau, raised the same question, “She’s just a quick-transmigration protagonist passing through our world. Since she doesn’t affect our world, can’t we just let her fake her death and leave?”

The Novel Crisis Management Bureau was originally established because invading novel elements had started to significantly disrupt social order and public safety. If this protagonist was merely completing a task and would leave their world after jumping off the building, it seemed like they could simply ignore her.