Afterwords
It's finished. Serialized over seven months, the book reached 1.41 million words, averaging 200,000 words a month. That doesn't exactly qualify as overdrive, but it's not stuck in the Third Speed Tier either.
Writing this book was an outpouring of passion. It demanded a lot of emotion, and fuck, I couldn't have done it alone. Thank you to the readers who accompanied me the whole way. Your votes, tips, chapter comments, fan art, reviews, and fan fiction all gave Wali so much strength. A lot of that passion came from your support—this was our shared collision.
Before starting the book, my biggest interest was writing about street life in a metropolis—character growth and the myriad walks of life. That was the cornerstone of this story.
With this volume finished, the gang from Fish Pond Red Rain is heading into the heart of a revolution. I know it's time for me to let go. I can only accompany these bastards this far.
I've written just about every story I wanted to write, and expressed everything I needed to say. I'll leave whatever comes next for them to sort out.
Their legends will continue, their lives will go on, and cursing out Old Fan will naturally carry on too. I wish them all good luck—except Old Fan.
My own journey will continue as well, but my health hasn't been great lately. An elective surgery for my foot needs to happen now—time to swap in some Cyberware. There's a lot to handle before and after the operation, so I'll need some time to properly rest and recover. For now, let me wish everyone a Happy Lunar New Year and great luck in the Year of the Tiger...
What the next book will be about and when it will launch are both undecided. Whether it'll be a thriller or a sweet romance is hard to say, but I think you'll like it. It won't launch right away, but I'll get it out as soon as I can.
Fuck, I really love these bastards. Now that it's over, I hate having to say goodbye. Maybe the rain in Liuguang City is just really cold today.