Finally… Reborn as the Fallen Idol, I Leaned Into the Chaos! is done! Honestly, this novel is one of the earliest ones I tackled, and it's the second-most added translation project on the library on after Su Min's story. Can you believe the first chapter I uploaded was like five or six months ago? So much has happened during this translation journey.
At first, I was posting five chapters a day, then it dropped to two or even just one chapter per day. And yep… there were even a couple of hiatuses that lasted almost two weeks or maybe a month (?) Honestly, I kinda forgot that myself lol.
There's a lot I want to share about this translation journey, so let's start with my biggest concern: localizing character names. Since this novel's in Chinese, there are so many characters that aren't Chinese, and figuring out how to localize their names was… tricky. I even asked a few AI tools to double-check my choices. Some agreed, some didn't… basically, there are a ton of ways to interpret names.
For example, take the Aiguo Japan handler "利贵勋 (Lì Guìxūn)". Is he Japanese? Korean? If I remember correctly, I ended up with three variations: Li Guixun, Lee Gwi-hoon, and maybe a Japanese version (???). I'm still not 100% sure, lol.
So, if you noticed some inconsistency in non-Chinese character names, that's why. I've mentioned it a few times in footnotes, but I just want to say sorry again for that! (＞﹏＜)
Next thing I want to explain: how many chapters I uploaded per day. Like my other projects, I started with five chapters per day. Then, around the time of the Japan earthquake, during the Journey Among the Stars arc, the author started increasing chapter lengths—one chapter became roughly two, three times than the previous length or even more. So I dropped from five chapters to three or two per day.
Later on, I even slipped to just one chapter a day sometimes, though usually one or two. Aside from word count, there were other times when translating just felt… heavy. Not because the story was heavy emotionally or anything, it's hard to explain, but I just felt a bit worn down.
Luckily, that "heaviness" faded around the last 100 chapters. After that, I went back to posting five chapters per day, or two to three if the word count was crazy. Those two things—names and chapter count—were the "ugh" moments for me while translating this novel.
Oh! About the Spotify playlist: I only started that when Chu Zhi released the West album. So it doesn't cover all songs from the beginning, but I did add all referenced songs from the world tour. I might recheck eventually, but it'll be slow because this isn't my only project, and checking each chapter for song references is… tedious, to say the least.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lValkTUXFuTxFYnROPPhn
That's basically it. Once again, thank you so much for sticking with me—whether you followed from the start or binged after it was done. Thanks for reading! (≧▽≦)/
Also, I can't stress this enough: your reviews are super important for my Webnovel account. If you want to support me directly, you can donate through Patreon or Ko-fi at /rikhi. I don't have an official contract with Webnovel, so reviews and donations really do help.
For those who don't know, Webnovel only allows 20 novels per account, and I've already used all my slots. That's why I migrated to AO3, where you can find me by searching "Rikhi." My new project there (as of October 16, 2025) is My VR Games Terrify the World, and I also migrated two completed novels: I Became a Fairy And Lived Forever In The Fairy World and My Daughter is the Empire's Lucky Charm.
If you want more info, check out my Carrd: https://rikhi.carrd.co
There you'll find all my social media links, plus GDrive and TeraBox links to download .epub files for all my completed translations. And of course, links for Ko-fi and Patreon are there too if you want to support me.
Now for the fun part!
I have a whole stockpile of novels I'm dying to translate, and I'd love your input on which one to pick up next!
I've chosen four concepts that are the easiest for me to describe right now. (A small confession: I've forgotten the original Chinese titles for these in my notes, but I'm sure I can track them down with a little digging! I also have a few more hidden gems if none of these spark your interest.)
So, without further ado, which of these worlds would you most want to step into?
1. The Empress's Return: Summoning the Past in the Modern World
Feng Yuchi goes to a historical world, wins the emperor's heart, and then returns to the modern world. But the system that took her there is still active! Using the "love" she gained, she can summon the people from her ancient life—her loyal subordinates, and eventually, even her own children—to the modern world. Imagine the drama and heartwarming reunions!
Vibe: Found family? A modern woman with the bearing of an Empress navigating today's world with her ancient entourage. So much potential for fun!
2. Produce 101 themed, The Rise of an Independent Queen
Follow Mu Shasha, an independent contestant with no agency backing, as she battles her way through a brutal ranking show. This story is DEEP. It's almost on par with Chu Zhi's journey but in a different way. The training, the challenges, the sheer grit—it's so good I was literally screaming her name at my screen during one scene!
Vibe: Underdog story, intense competition, raw talent and determination.
3. The Ancestor in the Entertainment Circle
An ancient cultivation master, an ancestral figure to a modern family, wakes up from a deep sleep. She decides to guide her numerous "grandchildren" and restore the family's fortunes. Her power is tied to "faith" and "likes," so what does she do? Naturally, she enters the entertainment circle to become famous and powerful!
Vibe: OP MC, family bonds, hilarious culture clashes, and a unique power system based on modern social media.
4. The Phantom Producer: From Scandal to Empire
Much like Chu Zhi, the MC transmigrates into a character at their absolute lowest—a disgraced star who has "retired." But instead of giving up, she works behind the scenes under a pen name, using her wisdom to slowly build her own entertainment company from the ground up, eventually becoming a giant in the industry.
Vibe: Comeback story, business strategizing, behind-the-scenes intrigue, and building an empire.
So, which one sparks your interest? Let me know in the comments below! Your excitement really helps me decide.
Thanks again for reading and sharing this journey with me! (´▽｀)/
I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did translating it. Don't be a stranger—see you around in my other projects, or over on AO3 if you want to keep following my translations and updates. Stay awesome, and let's meet again in the next story! ✧٩(ˊωˋ*)و✧
—With love, your translator,
Reiya (ฅ'ω'ฅ)