The ruins of the Xiao Clan's ancestral mansion gleamed like metal beneath the moonlight. Xiao Feng's geological radar showed an unusual energy reading thirty meters underground. His hand paused on the Luoyang shovel, and he turned to look at Xiao Yan, who was scanning a code with his phone. "Are you sure this is our old home on Earth? How did its coordinates end up overlapping with the ancestral grounds on Douqi Continent?"
"The scan says this used to be the studio of 'Hun Tiandi V5,' a contracted author with Qidian Chinese Network." Xiao Yan tilted his phone. An aged rental contract appeared on the screen, and the tenant's signature was unmistakably "Hun Dan." "Third Brother, remember that joke from Earth? 'When in doubt, blame quantum mechanics'?"
The system's notification chime suddenly began to stutter:
Ding! Temporal anchor detected. Analyzing quantum-encrypted message left by Xiao Xuan...
The ground suddenly cracked open, revealing a spiral staircase descending into the earth. The steps were made of virtual data, condensed from monthly tickets and subscription statistics for webnovels. Emperor Scale on Xiao Feng's body glimmered faintly, illuminating graffiti on the walls—all reader comments about Battle Through the Heavens. One was written in blood-red letters: "Hun Dan! Bring Xiao Zhan back to life!"
"It's the readers' resentment..." Xiao Yan murmured. The moment his fingertip touched one of the comments, a corresponding record of a plot alteration appeared. "Look, Hun Dan used the system to forcibly change the time of Xiao Zhan's death. That's why Father's data went haywire inside the quantum prison."
At the foot of the stairs was a basement packed with servers. A skeleton dressed in Hanfu lay on the stone platform in the center, clutching half a copy of the Plane Management Manual. Xiao Feng's pupils contracted sharply. The Hanfu was the very outfit Xiao Xuan had worn when he attempted to become a Dou Di, and the skeleton's chest was pierced by a contract from some webnovel platform on Earth!
Ding! Xiao Xuan's hidden memories unlocked. Host has obtained "Transmigrator Authorization."
Memory fragment loading:
"I used my imperial blood as a catalyst to seal the passage between Earth and Douqi Continent. If future generations find this book, please tell the 'Qidian Editorial Department': Do not let capital meddle with the plot, or the entire plane will collapse. —Xiao Xuan (pen name: Wrath of the Flame Emperor)"
Xiao Yan's head snapped up. "Third Brother! Hun Dan's true identity is..."
"He's a webnovel master from Earth, and this plane's 'native transmigrator.'" Xiao Feng took the manual and turned to the aged contract page, where the client was listed as the "Douqi Continent Literary Universe Management Committee." "To protect his novel's subscription numbers, he went so far as to rewrite the rules of the world—and even create the Soul Clan Mechanical Legion to add more 'thrilling moments.'"
The system's alarm blared. The LED screen on the basement ceiling suddenly lit up, showing a live image of Hun Dan. He sat in a leather swivel chair before dozens of monitors, keeping an eye on key plot points across Douqi Continent.
"Xiao Clan, didn't see that coming, did you? This plane is nothing but a 'book world' I created. You're all my 'characters'!" He chomped on fried chicken, his greasy fingers clacking over the keyboard. "I wanted Xiao Yan to grow according to the original story. Who knew you'd barge in and make such a mess? Now the readers are all spamming 'Xiao Zhan must live,' and it's hurting my subscription revenue!"
Xiao Feng activated Soul Movement Three Thousand, sending his soul power down the internet cable to pierce into Hun Dan's sea of consciousness. But there, he saw countless lines of code forming a "plot lock" that was closing in. "You think controlling the plot means you can win? Don't forget, the readers are the real gods!"
He pulled out the Reader Monthly Ticket Generator he'd brought from Earth. The instant he pressed the button, countless golden monthly tickets shot through the screen like missiles. Hun Dan cried out and dodged. His fried chicken fell onto the keyboard, triggering a hidden program. The entire basement began to collapse, flames spurted from the servers, and the display flashed: "DATA OVERLOAD."
"Xiao Yanzi, grab the manual!" Xiao Feng yanked his younger brother toward the portal. Just as they were about to leave, Xiao Xuan's skeleton suddenly dissolved into streams of data and merged with Xiao Yan's Flame Emperor Mark. The system's notification rang out with unprecedented solemnity:
Ding! Transfer of plane administrator authority complete. Hosts Xiao Feng and Xiao Yan have become joint administrators of Douqi Continent. Warning! Hun Dan has activated the "Botched Ending" program. All unresolved plot threads will become black holes and devour the world!
By the time they returned to the Xiao Clan, the martial arts arena had turned into a vortex of quantum turbulence. Gu Yuan's Griffin Legion was fighting monsters made from "unexplained foreshadowing"—a phantom Heavy Xuan Ruler that fired lasers, fragments of Heavenly Flames that split apart, and countless floating "?" symbols.
"These are... abandoned plot points!" Xiao Yan cried. The Fire Lotus Rocket Launcher blasted apart a giant eye formed from the "mystery of an ancient clan left unexplained." "Hun Dan plans to destroy the whole world with the readers' resentment!"
Xiao Feng opened the Plane Management Manual and flipped to "Tying Up Loose Ends." The solution was right there: "Cover botched plot points with 'logical storytelling.' Xiao Yanzi, remember 'fanfiction' on Earth? We have to make up a story on the spot!"
He raised a hand and summoned a holographic projection, dividing the Xiao Clan disciples into "Characterization," "Plot," and "Special Effects" teams. Xiao Zhan led the Characterization team toward the "Out-of-Character Monster," wielding revised character bios as weapons. Meanwhile, Xiao Yan led the Plot team in weaving new side stories, taming unicorns in the turbulence with the "turn Dou Qi into a horse" meme.
"System, exchange for 'Logical Consistency Spray'!" Xiao Feng pressed the button. Silver mist shrouded the battlefield, patching plot holes one by one, including "the mystery of Xiao Zhan's resurrection" and "Xun'er's backstory." When the last "?" had been rewritten as an "!", the quantum turbulence finally subsided.
Hun Dan's virtual projection appeared in the middle of the ruins, the fried chicken in his hand turning into fragments of code. "You think you've won just like that? A novel without 'thrilling moments' is doomed to flop. The readers will abandon you!"
Xiao Feng chuckled and opened the webnovel platform from Earth, showing off the new serial he'd just launched: Xiao Family Revival Journal. "Take a look. 'Two Transmigrators Battle Across the Planes,' 'Technology Collides with Dou Qi'—we're updating our adventures in real time. We've already broken a hundred million subscriptions, and the 'League Leaders' who tipped us are all waiting to see how you lose."
Xiao Yan waved his phone. The livestream was filled with scrolling comments: "Xiao Zhan is so cool!" and "Please give us Gu Yuan's WeChat!" "By the way, do you know what 'crowdfunding to wipe out Hun Dan' means? The readers chipped in to buy us a Dimensional Folding Cannon. They're just waiting for you to make trouble again."
Hun Dan's face turned ashen. He suddenly pointed at the sky. A gigantic "THE END" appeared there, radiating an oppressive golden light. "Even if you can tie up the loose ends, you can't change the ending! The Plot Outline Lock was set when I signed the contract. Nobody can break it!"
Xiao Feng and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance, then placed their hands on the Plane Management Manual at the same time. Emperor Scale and Flame Emperor Fire erupted together, burning two holes through the words "THE END" and revealing the four tiny characters behind them: "To Be Continued":
"Who says it can't be broken?" Xiao Feng chuckled. The Causality Modifier in his system space transformed into a fountain pen, and he casually scribbled over the outline. "From now on, we write the story ourselves. The next chapter's title is—"
"Both Emperors Meet in the Forbidden City: When a Dou Di Encounters a Lithography Machine."
Before you continue