Are You Sure?

Tang Yao personally hated commuting.

...She doubted anyone liked it.

But most people probably hated it because of the crowds.

Tang Yao was heading out in the afternoon this time, when school wasn't letting out and most companies weren't close to quitting time, so the commute was pretty comfortable.

There was hardly anyone on either the subway or the bus.

She'd even started considering whether she should go to the Editorial Department at a different time.

But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she remembered Big Sister Li Xue's cooking and decided it would be a shame to change her schedule just for a more comfortable commute.

As she wavered, time slipped quietly by.

It was nearly three.

Tang Yao arrived at the Editorial Department without a hitch.

There were more editors around than usual, but Ding Yilong wasn't there. She had no idea what he was doing.

Tang Yao only glanced around before quickly looking away.

It had nothing to do with her, anyway.

Good riddance if he died.

"Editor Tang."

Kang Ming, the new recruit, was there too. The moment he saw Tang Yao, he called out, "You weren't here this morning. Did something happen?"

"Quite a few things, I suppose."

Tang Yao stopped and turned back. "What's up?"

"Nothing. But it seems like a lot of readers online noticed that 'AORI' line. Some are even asking you, as the editor, to explain what it means. That Old Bastard Ou..."

Kang Ming hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is he going to change it?"

"I know about that. I can't go out and explain."

Tang Yao shook her head. "As for whether Ou Congquan will change it, I already tried yesterday. We'll know soon."

"You went to visit him yesterday?"

Kang Ming stared at the girl in front of him, who was younger than he was, and froze. Then he realized what she'd said. "Soon?"

"The next issue's storyboards have arrived."

Tang Yao pointed toward the print room, then waved. "I'll go get them. We can talk later."

With that,

she headed to the print room.

Sure enough,

Li Jiang had already sent over the storyboards.

Tang Yao gathered them up and checked the page numbers. Just as she turned to head back to her desk, her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Shang Tao had messaged her too.

[Editor Tang, how's Ou Congquan doing?]

Tang Yao glanced at the message and replied, "I've just got the storyboards. I'll get back to you in half an hour."

After sending her reply,

Tang Yao put away her phone, returned to her desk with the storyboards, and began studying them carefully.

Meanwhile, Kang Ming, seated beside her, was clearly very interested in the storyboards.

But seeing how intently Tang Yao was studying them, he didn't dare interrupt and could only hold himself back.

Tang Yao went through the storyboards slowly. Ou Congquan's boards for this issue were much more sparse than usual. They weren't so sloppy that he'd merely written in the dialogue and called it a day, but it still took some effort to understand what he intended to draw.

That was a skill people could improve with experience and by reading more manga. Tang Yao didn't have much experience...but she had read plenty of manga.

Meanwhile,

Kang Ming kept leaning over to look at Tang Yao, but she never raised her head, so he couldn't find an opening to ask.

As for her expression,

Tang Yao's face gave nothing away. She seemed quite relaxed, occasionally making a few casual marks with her pen.

But that was how she always was. Whether she was giving feedback on storyboards, writing AORI, or doing anything else, she seemed completely at ease.

Kang Ming was on tenterhooks for nearly twenty minutes.

When he turned to look again,

Tang Yao finally raised her head and began gathering the pages on her desk.

Excited, Kang Ming finally got to ask what he wanted to know most. "Editor Tang, how did it go?"

"Mm...there are a few issues."

Tang Yao turned to him. "But the next issue won't be a total disaster, so you can relax as a reader."

"...Really? Old Bastard Ou agreed to change it?"

Kang Ming's eyes lit up. He'd been cursing him pretty fiercely yesterday,

but at the end of the day, he was still a reader.

As he'd said himself, he'd been following the series for a long time...

Tang Yao saw the light in this "living, breathing" reader's eyes and smiled softly.

For the first time, she felt that what she'd done yesterday had been worthwhile. Even getting the storyboards hadn't given her quite the same feeling.

"It's true."

Tang Yao answered, then took out her phone and updated Shang Tao about the storyboards as well.

"That's great..."

Kang Ming was so excited that he blurted out the words. Then he saw Tang Yao's slender fingers tapping on her screen as she replied to a message and realized something. "Wait, Editor Tang. Did he change it according to his own ideas, or according to that 'AORI' line?"

He wasn't overthinking it.

After the previous issue had been such a disaster, he'd lost some faith in Ou Congquan. Kang Ming genuinely doubted Ou Congquan's ability to control the story.

This was exactly what Tang Yao meant when she said the matter wasn't over. Even if the story was revised, the damage wouldn't just disappear.

As she replied to Shang Tao on her phone, Tang Yao answered, "AORI. He introduced the concept of a collective of malice."

"That's fantastic!"

Kang Ming was completely reassured and blurted out another exclamation. Then he looked at Tang Yao's profile and suddenly asked, "Editor Tang, when you wrote that 'AORI' line...you already had the idea worked out in your head, didn't you? And you knew more clearly than Ou Congquan how the story should continue?"

Tang Yao put down her phone, looking surprised. "...Hm? What makes you think that?"

Kang Ming hesitated. "A hunch...and you came up with the concept. I don't think Ou Congquan could see the word 'AORI' and come up with a complete setting. Only you could do that."

"Your hunch is pretty good."

Tang Yao tilted her head and gave Kang Ming a puzzled look, unsure whether he was complimenting her. But she quickly realized she didn't need to dwell on it. "I think that was a compliment...anyway, thanks."

As she spoke, she stood up. "I'm heading out...I need to find the new media director."

"Okay."

Kang Ming looked up at her and answered.

"See you later."

Tang Yao picked up the storyboards and her own draft, gave him a little wave, and turned toward the Editorial Department's exit.

"..."

Kang Ming watched Tang Yao leave. Then, staring at her retreating figure, he took a deep breath and murmured, "She's amazing..."

She really was amazing.

Kang Ming had never admired anyone so much before.

He'd been at the Editorial Department for a few days now and had heard quite a bit about Tang Yao. As an editor, she'd seen Ou Congquan's storyboards for the previous issue and immediately realized things were going to go wrong. She'd tried to change his mind right away, making four attempts and even risking a complete falling-out with the editor-in-chief.

Then, when all her efforts had failed and there was no way to undo what had happened, she'd still fulfilled her responsibilities as an editor by writing that "AORI" line.

And she hadn't merely written it to comfort the readers.

She'd also prepared a setting that fit the line, along with related suggestions. She even had ideas about where the story should go next...Perhaps she understood what the readers wanted better than Ou Congquan did.

Tang Yao was everything Kang Ming had ever imagined an editor should be.

Kang Ming had also heard about her argument with Ding Yilong yesterday.

He found it laughable.

In his eyes, that kind of editor-in-chief wasn't fit to tie Tang Yao's shoes.

On the same floor,

in the reception room where Kang Ming had once stayed,

Tang Yao had only just gone in when Shang Tao, the new media director, hurried through the door and jogged over. The moment he entered, he asked excitedly, "Editor Tang, is it true? He changed it? And the storyboards are already finished?"

"Mm."

Tang Yao handed him Ou Congquan's storyboards. "He's changed it, and the boards for this issue are done. I've read them. There are a few minor problems, but overall, they should keep us from being put in an impossible position. We can release the Manga Award entries early."

"Editor Tang! You're incredible! You're our lucky star!"

Shang Tao was visibly thrilled. He took the storyboards from Tang Yao and leafed through them.

Mm.

He couldn't make heads or tails of them.

He wasn't an editor, after all. He handled new media operations at the magazine, and the storyboards were rough, so that was only natural.

But not understanding them didn't stop Shang Tao from getting excited!

He might not have been an editor, but he knew the basics.

Getting Ou Congquan's storyboards back the very next day said a lot!

It hadn't even been twenty-four hours!

There was only one possible explanation: Tang Yao had said yesterday that she'd make AORI a reality, and she'd actually done it!

Just moments ago, Vice President Zhao Fang Sheng had asked how things were going and how Tang Yao's visit had gone.

He'd even suggested visiting Ou Congquan together with Tang Yao.

Shang Tao had been so unsettled by the suggestion that he'd decided to ask Tang Yao himself.

And now, what a surprise...Forget the results of the visit—she'd already brought the storyboards back!

"Thank you so, so much!"

Shang Tao skimmed through the boards, then looked up at the exceptionally charming girl in front of him. "I'll talk to you about the early release later. First, I need to report this to the vice president. The Manga Award is going live soon, so we're short on time."

"I understand."

Tang Yao nodded, then handed him the other two manga she was holding. "These are the ones I mentioned earlier, the ones I'd like to include in the early-release lineup. You can take a look when you have time."

"Sure."

Shang Tao accepted the drafts she handed him and agreed at once. "If they're suitable, I'll definitely include them in the early-release lineup. I should get going."

With that,

he hurried out of the reception room carrying the storyboards and the drafts.

He really did seem excited.

Tang Yao watched him go and let out a long breath.

Finally, she'd done everything she could. Now...it was up to fate.

Meanwhile,

Shang Tao really was in a hurry to share the news with Zhao Fang Sheng. As soon as he left the reception room, he headed straight to Zhao Fang Sheng's office. He knocked, heard "Come in," and immediately pushed the door open.

Inside the office,

Zhao Fang Sheng was holding a report, his brow furrowed as if he were weighing something.

Only when he heard footsteps

did he look up at Shang Tao and ask without thinking, "What did Ou Congquan say? You mentioned the matter to Editor Tang, right? About me going with her to visit Ou Congquan? I happen to have time later. Ask her if she can go then, so we can get this settled as soon as possible..."

Before Zhao Fang Sheng could finish, Shang Tao interrupted him with a delighted expression. "No need."

"Don't worry. She couldn't change Ou Congquan's mind the first four times...Hm?"

Zhao Fang Sheng had started reassuring him as soon as Shang Tao spoke, but halfway through he realized something was off. "What do you mean, no need?"

"Just what I said. The vice president doesn't need to go. It's already taken care of! Editor Tang brought the storyboards back."

Shang Tao said excitedly, "I just got them from Editor Tang."

"?"

Zhao Fang Sheng slowly formed a question mark as he looked at Shang Tao, who was beaming. "What nonsense are you talking about? You brought up the revisions yesterday, and the storyboards are finished today?"

"It's true!"

Hearing that, Shang Tao hurried forward and handed Zhao Fang Sheng the storyboards. "Here are the boards...I can't make sense of them, though. Do you want to take a look, Vice President?"

"..."

Zhao Fang Sheng furrowed his brow slightly but still took the storyboards. "Are you sure the story in these boards follows from that 'AORI' line? It wasn't based on Ou Congquan's own ideas?"

"Uh...I didn't ask, but Editor Tang seemed very confident."

"Impossible!"

Zhao Fang Sheng shook his head. They'd only brought it up yesterday, and now it was already resolved? And the story followed from that "AORI" line?

How could anyone work that fast?

Could that Editor Tang really have her own unique take on where the story should go next? Could she even understand better than Ou Congquan how the next part should be drawn? And had she figured out how to connect it seamlessly to the story that was already drawn?

Had Ou Congquan suddenly seen the light after her visit and stayed up all night, smoothly finishing the storyboards?

How could that be possible?

"Why don't you take a look...?"

Hearing his boss speak with such certainty,

and seeing his serious expression,

Shang Tao found himself doubting things again and hesitantly offered.

He knew Zhao Fang Sheng had been an editor himself.

"..."

Zhao Fang Sheng didn't say anything. He just nodded and lowered his head to start looking through the storyboards.

He suddenly found himself doubting Editor Tang's professionalism again... He really would have to see for himself.

Ou Congquan's storyboard was a little rough, but it wasn't hard for him to understand.

The story picked up right where the previous installment had ended, with the male lead's death.

This development hardly seemed like a dramatic twist. It felt more like things were proceeding by the book...

Huh?

As soon as Zhao Fang Sheng reached the last panel on the first page, he realized something was off.

The scene had cut back.

The Malice Collective.

The Untouchable.

Zhao Fang Sheng froze for a moment, then quickly flipped to the next page... and the next, and the one after that.

He began turning the pages faster, his expression shifting from doubt, to surprise, and finally to shock.

Shang Tao waited patiently, studying Zhao Fang Sheng's expression... but all he could see was shock, so it was hard to tell whether the storyboard worked.

Flip, flip, flip—

At last, Zhao Fang Sheng reached the final page of the storyboard. Shang Tao was just about to speak.

But Zhao Fang Sheng turned back to the first page and read through it all over again.

Shang Tao: "..."

This time, he turned the pages even faster, as if he were checking something.

Finally.

He finished the second read-through.

Then.

Zhao Fang Sheng slowly raised his head, bewilderment on his face. He looked at Shang Tao and asked in shock, "This installment of AORI... are you sure that editor wrote it???"