However, it wasn’t smooth sailing with my writing. I started by writing over a hundred thousand words, published it under another author’s account, and by the time I reached 100,000 words, I still didn’t receive a contract offer. At that time, it was a significant blow to me. Although the book "Cold Storage" didn’t perform well, at least it was published and earned me some manuscript fees. "Immortal Poems" didn’t get a paid subscription either, but at least it was contracted. Yet here, I couldn’t even secure a contract. Later, I extensively revised the beginning, wrote another hundred thousand words, spent several months reworking, and finally published it under my current author’s account, leading to the book we have now.

When the book first started getting published for paid subscriptions, that was during the storyline where Huang Yi helped Dao Feng’s team secure the first kill. I felt particularly frantic because at that time, the company was conducting the first test for its game, forcing me to work overtime every day. I didn’t have time to update the novel, readers were pushing me for updates, and some were even cursing at me. I was trapped in front of that office desk, busy with colleagues until late at night without the chance to go home, feeling particularly anxious and lost. After work, I would continue writing until the dead of night, and the next day, I’d drag my weary body to work. Eventually, it became too unbearable, and I started making frequent mistakes at work, getting scolded by my supervisor several times.

I decided to resign. At that time, the company was preparing a press conference for its game, as it was a Korean (DNF company) agency. During the press conference, the president of the Korean company was coming to speak, and the company asked me to draft the speech for that boss, with the understanding that once completed, I could leave. I quickly finished writing that speech, and on the second day after its completion, I went to the company one last time. My colleagues were busy working, and I sat there deliberately writing a journal. It was summer, the sun was shining brightly, and that journal can still be found in my QQ space (my QQ is 398115791, if anyone wants to read it, the journal is titled "Goodbye, Work!" dated July 19, 2013).

After finishing the journal, I packed up, bid farewell to my supervisor, waved goodbye to those busy colleagues, and turned to leave. That moment was incredibly liberating; I finally freed myself from the shackles of work, enabling me to pursue the things I love. I rode my bike downhill along a sun-dappled avenue and enjoyed my favorite Saleya pasta, then revisited Jay Chou’s "Rooftop Love" at the cinema. The theater was sparsely populated — as if I had it all to myself.

Leaving the cinema, it was almost the end of the workday, and I mingled with the tired crowd as if I were one of them. But inside, there was an unparalleled sense of comfort, as I was different now, finally able to focus on fighting for my dreams wholeheartedly.

Two months later, I traveled to Tibet. I wrote about this event on QQ space a few days ago, so I won’t elaborate here. The book’s performance was good at that time, with its success soaring. However, everyone knows what happened afterward — in June 2014, after just turning 24, I was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and ended up hospitalized, unable to update the novel. My mental state suffered greatly... Later, I battled the illness with injections and medication, enduring for several years. Now, the liver cirrhosis has healed but still requires medicinal suppression. I’ve kept writing sporadically to this very day.

Six years have passed, and in one’s life, how many six years are there? For me, at most thirty or forty. Many readers have grown up, and unfortunately, less than one-tenth have remained. Too many readers have had their passion worn away by my sporadic updates, and I too have struggled numerous times to continue writing. Towards the end, manuscript fees dwindled, and I couldn’t recall content from the earlier parts. Real life demanded attention for treatment, and the interferon brought depressive side effects with fever; writing became exceedingly difficult. Too many readers cursed at me, calling me a procrastinator lacking enthusiasm, yet time and again, I stood on the brink of quitting. Thankfully, I’ve persisted, and it’s unbelievable that such a fragmented book could still be written to completion.

Now, "Heroes’ Prison" has reached its final Chapter, and the lengthy serialization is about to conclude, just like my youth. I have transformed from a spirited, passionate teenager to a Buddhist-inclined young man toughened by life’s challenges — the change is vast.

Recently, I began writing a new book, "Quantum War God," hoping to explore a new style. However, the general feedback is that it’s not captivating and doesn’t inherit the strengths of "Heroes’ Prison." This is due to my writing limitations; experimenting with new styles inherently carries risks, and evidently, my writing skill hasn’t adequately captured this new style.

Now that I’m older, I haven’t started dating yet, and the manuscript fee for "Quantum War God" is undoubtedly less than "Heroes’ Prison," making it impossible to accomplish major life goals. Thus, I will continue dual writing projects. Once "Heroes’ Prison" finishes, I will write another book in the same style, incorporating elements of the Underworld and featuring Emperor Huang Quan as the protagonist. I’ve already accumulated several tens of thousands of words as a stockpile. This book will be safer, without venturing into a new style — I will adhere to the style of "Heroes’ Prison" when writing. It will be announced in due course. I might still use the title "Underworld Overlord," but it’s uncertain whether I can use it, as years ago, I used it in a gaming competition article. If I can’t reclaim it, I’ll have to choose another name.

Maybe I’m not suited for competitions. "Quantum War God" also participated in a recent sci-fi competition, but it failed to impress. Everyone, refrain from donating to "Quantum War God," as I’ll write it slowly and continue in this current daily-style approach. I wish to enhance the characters, emotions, and realism aspects present in "Heroes’ Prison" through this new book, improving my skills in those areas.

From writing my first novel at age 15 to now, fourteen years have passed. Next year, I’ll turn 30, and upon reflecting on those first 30 years, half the time has been spent writing. Writing has become my lifestyle. I love writing, and novels are just one aspect; I also enjoy writing essays and journals — basically anything that involves writing. Writing makes me happy when I’m unhappy, expressing my sentiments and recording them. Without writing, how dull would this long life be?

I hope whatever I write, whether it’s novels or essays, or even social media posts like Weibo and conversations, it brings you at least a sliver of happiness or a momentary insight. If I can help you forget the troubles of daily life for a few minutes, I find immense satisfaction in that.

Huang Huayi

April 16, 2019