It started raining as he came down from the bus upon reaching his destination, and Kai couldn't be angrier. He had just finished a long day at his boring office, hoping to return home and continue his favorite BL that was ending today, but instead, the rain just started out of nowhere.
There had been no news or announcement about it, which was why he hadn't brought an umbrella to the office. Now, he had no choice but to stand under the bus stop shelter until the rain stopped.
But the shelter proved useless as it leaked, and water was streaming down his hoodie.
"What the hell," he cursed angrily, and just then, his phone screen glowed in his pocket, followed by a notification sound.
He hurriedly brought out his phone, his thumb trembling as he scrolled through the notifications to see that the final chapter of his favorite BL had been posted on Webnovel.
A smile spread across his face, and his heart pounded with anticipation as he deliberated on whether to read or wait until he was home.
Kai tapped on his phone screen for a few seconds and then gave in immediately because he knew he would regret it if he didn't read. The BL forum on X would post spoilers, and he hated it so much, especially since this was the final chapter.
"I have to read this," he heaved a deep sigh as he opened the link and started reading the final chapter. He stood under the shelter for a few minutes reading The Heaven's Emperor: Volume 10.
His expression suddenly shifted to a serious, stoic look as he read through the final lines.
The Crimson Warlord, Feng Lan—his favorite character—was struck with a sword by his beloved, the Heaven's Emperor, and fell into his arms.
The emperor burst into tears as he hugged Feng Lan's body and let out a scream.
"I am sorry I couldn't protect you, Feng Lan. I will always cherish you."
The End.
Kai scrolled down and up to see if he was missing another chapter, but he realized it had truly ended.
"This…" He gripped his phone tightly and stomped his feet on the ground. "What the fuck, author-nim!" he yelled out the author's name. "Ten volumes of Feng Lan's glory, and you kill him like that? You heartless bitch!"
His voice grew louder as he raised his phone and stared at the screen again. How could Feng Lan, the God of War who had conquered realms and defied gods, die just like that in the arms of the emperor he loved and trusted?
"Author-nim, seriously, fuck you."
A passing couple under their umbrella shot him a concerned look as they walked past, but Kai didn't care. He had just lost his favorite character, which he had spent five years obsessing over. There was no way he was letting this slide.
He dialed Min, his best friend's number, his fingers shaking and slipping on the wet screen.
The call connected, and Min's groggy voice crackled through the phone.
"Kai? It's almost midnight…"
"She killed him, Min!" Kai shouted, pacing the slick pavement, his sneakers splashing in puddles. "That sadistic hack of an author killed Feng Lan—the Crimson Warlord—and the only reason why I had read this garbage story. He died in that stupid Emperor Xuan Han's arms like some sidekick!"
He paused to catch his breath and ran a hand through his hair. "That author is a talentless fraud who doesn't deserve to hold a pen." His voice broke, the rain mingling with the heat of his rage.
"Dude, calm down," Min mumbled, half-asleep. "It's just a story…"
"Just a story?" Kai's scream echoed off the bus stop's metal frame. "Feng Lan was everything! He deserved to live, not end up dead. I hope she chokes on her royalties!"
He hung up, too furious to argue because he knew Min would disagree with him. Then he went straight to the fan forum and typed furiously on his phone.
SUBJECT:AUTHOR-NIM IS A SOULLESS WITCH!
That miserable excuse for a writer killed Feng Lan after ten volumes of perfection. She's a sadist who thrives on our pain! He conquered the Blood Plains, destroyed the Evil Gods, and she let him die for nothing. She's a hack who wouldn't know a good story if it bit her. Feng Lan deserved better than her garbage plot. I could write a better story. Who's with me?
Kai posted, his chest heaving as he began pacing around, waiting for responses. A few seconds later, his phone beeped—notifications flooding in.
WarlordFan4Life: SAME! I'm burning my copies!
[Profile picture: fanart of Feng Lan's scarlet armor]
CrimsonDevotee: SHE IS A MONSTER FOR THIS (crying emoji)
AlphaRebel: LET'S FLOOD HER X ACCOUNT! Here's the petition link.
WarlordBiggestFan: I can't sleep. Why did she do this? I need to punch something. I've been a fan for so long. How could she end it like that?!
StarBlade88: BOYCOTT her next book. Also, I'm organizing a fanfiction collab to save Feng Lan. DM me, OP.
The replies kept coming—fan after fan cursing the author, while Kai liked them all. Then he copied the post to X and tagged the official account.
@nim_official, you are a disgrace. Rot in hell, you talentless writer!
The replies were even wilder as more fans joined in:
She's canceled in my book!
This is worse than Volume 7's cliffhanger!
Let's trend #JusticeForFengLan!
Kai's lips twitched, and a grim satisfaction spread across his face, knowing everyone thought the same.
Then—ping.
A new notification. His eyes widened when he saw the post. It was from the official account of Heaven's Alpha Emperor.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: NEW SEQUEL ANNOUNCEMENT
The Crimson Warlord will be reborn in our upcoming spin-off —Reborn as an Omega Under Heaven's Alpha Emperor.
Stay tuned for a tale of redemption, love, and destiny.
Kai's jaw dropped as he reread the words over and over. He wiped the rain streaming down his face and let out a laugh.
"An omega?" he screamed, his voice cracking as it rose above the rain. "You're turning Feng Lan—the Crimson freaking Warlord—into a damn omega?!"
He gripped his phone tighter and began pacing again. He couldn't believe his favorite character was about to become some fragile, pheromone-driven omega. Kai's vision blurred—not from the storm but from pure rage.
He opened X again and typed furiously:
@nim_official: An omega? You butchered Feng Lan's legacy, you vile hack. I hope your sequel flops and you never write again.
The replies came faster this time:
She's trolling us!
#BoycottRebornNIM!
Soon, the tags began gaining traction, but Kai wasn't satisfied. He could only do so much on his phone and needed to get home fast. Since he was already drenched under the shelter, he decided to step into the pouring rain.
Just before he stepped fully into the rain, he redialed Min's number. The call connected, and Min's voice came on sharper than before.
"Kai, what now?"
"She's ruining him, Min!" Kai yelled. "That bitch is rebooting Feng Lan as an omega. A fucking omega! She's spitting on his grave, and I hope she gets canceled. I hope her house burns, and I hope—"
Thunder cracked—a deafening boom that shook the air, lightning splitting the sky, but Kai didn't flinch as he continued walking in the rain.
"Fuck you, author-nim, you soulless, money-grabbing—"
"Kai, where are you? Are you inside the rain?" Min shouted. "Are you seriously screaming in the rain?"
"I…"
Before Kai could respond, headlights flared through the rain. Too close to avoid. Too bright to ignore. He turned, eyes wide, as the horn blared before impact.
His phone flew from his hand. His body hit the pavement, rolling to the side of the road. The rain kept pouring around him as he lay in a pool of blood, mumbling incoherent words and pointing weakly toward his phone.
It flickered beside him, the screen cracked but still glowing.
The words he had typed last, "fuck you, author-nim," blurred in the rain before everything went white.