Not, Did You Really Activate It?

"Tiandao, how could you be so absentminded even while eating?"

Inside the cafeteria, Caroline watched Tiandao eat while staring blankly into space and could not help asking out of curiosity.

She kept feeling that Tiandao was not simply spacing out, but looking at something.

Yet with nothing at all in front of Tiandao, Caroline truly could not imagine what he could be looking at. Was he staring at the air?

Tiandao naturally was not looking at the air.

At that moment, he was using the system's illusory screen to watch the fourth episode of "Stellaris Prequel: Embers."

And the content of this episode was Chen Kong's shining moment as the protagonist.

Although he had already experienced it once before, watching this anime he had personally taken part in making alongside everyone else from God's Perspective...

Well, it was actually quite interesting.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about something."

Focused on watching the show, Tiandao casually fobbed Caroline off with a rather clumsy excuse, then continued watching.

Although Caroline could tell that Tiandao was brushing her off.

She simply could not find any reason to refute him.

In the end, she could only believe Tiandao's words and lower her head to continue eating.

Meanwhile, as the fourth episode of "Stellaris Prequel: Embers" reached the part where Chen Xing overruled all objections and chose to challenge the enraged Earth Dragon Lizard herself.

The plot of the fourth episode gradually built toward its climax.

"Keep hiding, Kong. Just find a way to hide for the rest of your life."

"Your cowardice and fear will, sooner or later, make you lose everything you cherish."

"But you can hide. I cannot, because if even I run away, then where can weak little you still hide?"

"Therefore, even if I know the next step is an abyss, I still have to walk into it without hesitation. After all, there is no one standing before me."

"So get lost, coward. Don't block my way."

On screen, facing Chen Kong, who was trying to stop her, Chen Xing finally spoke the words she had buried deep in her heart.

And as he watched the resolute determination burning in Chen Xing's crimson eyes after the production team's deliberate artistic embellishment, like that of a lone wolf.

Even Tiandao, who had already seen this scene long ago, could not help being stunned by her once again.

Because Chen Xing's disappointment in her younger brother, along with the responsibility she bore upon herself.

Were all laid bare in her eyes, down to the last detail.

And that complex expression formed a sharp contrast with her usual overbearing manner.

Giving the audience an enormous visual impact.

Just as Tiandao expected, the moment viewers saw this scene, the barrage of comments instantly erupted.

'Wuwuwu, so Big Sis had been carrying everything forward alone all this time? My defenses are shattered.'

'Why do I speak harshly to you? Because my love for you runs too deep.'

'Is a sharp tongue my protective color?'

'Turning from hater to fan. I used to think Chen Xing was way too domineering, but now it seems I misunderstood her.'

'Get lost, coward! What an overwhelmingly badass line!'

Seeing the dense flood of comments before him, Tiandao's dinner instantly lost its flavor.

He had expected Chen Xing's popularity to explode after this segment aired.

But now it seemed he had still underestimated how devastating this plotline would be to the audience.

After all, when a popular female character was paired with fiery, blood-pumping lines, it was indeed a bit too broken for those seasoned real-world fans.

Fortunately, he had not done nothing back then and had promptly taken remedial action.

"Hey, Chen Xing!"

"What do you mean, there's no one standing before you? Aren't you looking down on me a little too much?"

"Remember this. You are only second, while I am the pinnacle of Stellaris."

On screen, Chen Xing held the candy Tiandao had tossed her and turned to look at Tiandao as he made that domineering declaration, her expression extremely complicated.

And perhaps to emphasize the powerful sense of destiny between her and Tiandao as 'first' and 'second.'

The production team specifically phased out the surrounding scenery during their exchanged gaze, focusing the camera on Tiandao and Chen Xing.

And this epoch-making fated gaze undoubtedly pushed the audience's emotions completely to their peak.

'Wow! So shippable, I love it, recommend locking them together forever!'

'Holy crap, holy crap! Double-fandom ecstasy!'

'This composition is incredible! Phasing the background was practically divine direction!'

'Strange, why does Tiandao's line feel a little ominous? Don't tell me it's some kind of flag? Please no!'

'Production team, I advise you to be kind! If you dare torture Lord Tiandao, I'll mail you razor blades!'

Because Tiandao had inserted himself into the scene, this one-man show that should originally have belonged solely to Chen Xing.

Ultimately turned into a double act between her and Tiandao.

And because of the 'sense of responsibility' in Tiandao's words, he even vaguely overshadowed Chen Xing in this high-energy scene.

Becoming the True Protagonist of this brief shining segment.

After all, Chen Xing's words merely said that she would take on the responsibility of protecting Chen Kong and fulfill her duty as his older sister.

But Tiandao's words said that he would stand before everyone and shield them all from whatever danger might come.

One was directed only at a single individual, while the other was directed at an entire group.

Which was more moving was obvious at a glance.

Through Tiandao's exquisite maneuver, the popularity that should have soared for Chen Xing alone instead became a joint surge for her and Tiandao.

And Tiandao's increase in popularity clearly even surpassed hers.

He completely stole the spotlight that should have belonged to Chen Xing.

After this interlude, Chen Kong, the protagonist who had originally been too frightened to take the stage so early.

Ultimately chose at that moment to step onto the arena and challenge the enraged Earth Dragon Lizard.

Just as everyone expected, the furious Earth Dragon Lizard erupted with utterly overwhelming power in the second assessment.

It suppressed Chen Xing's team from beginning to end.

And throughout the process, Chen Kong not only failed to give Chen Xing and their other teammate, Yagami Rin, even the slightest help.

He even stood foolishly in place, like a block of wood.

Perfectly demonstrating what it meant to be deadweight.

And his performance undoubtedly enraged the audience completely.

After all, your teammates were fighting bloodily on the front lines, yet you, the protagonist, were just standing stupidly in the back watching. Were you even a protagonist?

'This is seriously ridiculous. Why can a guy this useless to the bone be the protagonist at all?!'

'Honestly, why not change this anime's protagonist? As long as you make Tiandao, or even Chen Xing, the protagonist, I feel this could become a phenomenal anime instead of being lukewarm like it is now.'

'Reserved for the most useless protagonist in history!'

Amid the audience's wave of complaints and frustration at his failure to live up to expectations, Chen Kong on screen suddenly fell into a flashback as well.

But unlike Tiandao's fan-attracting flashback.

The protagonist Chen Kong's flashback was a genuine point deduction.

Because protagonist Chen Kong was not only recalling every moment when he had been bullied in the base.

He also revealed through inner monologue his cowardly desire to abandon the assessment and flee the arena.

And such actions undoubtedly further intensified the audience's anger.

Good grief, his teammates were practically about to be beaten to death, yet this guy was actually thinking about running away. Did he have even a shred of humanity?

But just as the audience prepared to turn their anger into words and furiously flood the barrage with them.

Tiandao's words to Chen Kong suddenly flashed through Chen Kong's mind.

'Remember, when you feel there is no way out, ask yourself why you were able to survive until now.'

The appearance of those words not only changed Chen Kong's original intention to run away.

It also directly caused the previously subdued background music to suddenly surge into something stirring and impassioned.

Seeing this scene, the audience's anger gradually gave way to anticipation.

Because they had a feeling that the protagonist was about to activate a cheat.

Watching Chen Kong on screen shed his previous cowardice as his gaze gradually turned resolute.

The viewers suddenly realized that Chen Kong was starting to look a little like a protagonist.

'Good heavens, did he really activate it? A good-for-nothing's comeback?'

'Thinking about why he survived until now... Why do I feel that whenever any character is about to change, Tiandao always finds an angle to wedge himself in? Is he really not the production team's beloved son?'

'Could it be...'