novelRona Chapter 1603 The Abdication of the Gods
Chapter 1603 The Abdication of the Gods
The next three years were undoubtedly a painful memory for all online writers.
The reason is simple—in these three years, Qin Hao updated and completed five full-length novels at a staggering speed.
Three years. A full three years. Not a single day was missed.
Moreover, once a novel is released, it's guaranteed to have a massive release, and even after that, it maintains a daily update pace of 20,000 words, and even during the free period, it still updates 10,000 words per day. This update rhythm is unprecedented in the history of online literature.
After "The Great Feng Night Watchman" comes "My senior brother is too cautious," after "cautious" comes "Yang Shen," after "Yang Shen" comes "Nightfall," and after "Nightfall" comes "The Snow Swordsman."
Five works, each no less than three million words, each a masterpiece.
If "The Great Feng Night Watchman" made Qin Hao a legend overnight, and "My Senior Brother is Too Steady" solidified his position as a top-tier author, then his three subsequent works completely cemented his supreme status in the online literature world.
"Yang Shen" captivated countless readers with its grand worldview of cultivation and exquisite cultivation system. It had 120,000 subscriptions on its first day of release and 410,000 subscriptions on average upon completion, directly breaking the subscription record set by "Da Feng".
"Ever Night" is a completely different work, carrying a desolate and tragic martial arts spirit. The book review section is flooded with long reviews, and it is hailed by readers as "the literary ceiling of online novels." It had 150,000 subscriptions on its first day of release and an average of 450,000 subscriptions upon completion, once again breaking its own record.
And "The Snow Sword" is even more outrageous.
It's not as lighthearted and humorous as "Da Feng," nor as subtly satisfying as "Wen Jian," nor as grand and systematic as "Yang Shen," nor as profound and weighty as "Jiang Ye." It possesses a unique kind of romance, tinged with blood and alcohol.
"The Snow Swordsman" had 180,000 first-day subscriptions and 520,000 average subscriptions upon completion.
Three years, five works, each breaking the record set by the previous one.
A saying even began to circulate among the authors—
When the chief steward appeared, all the gods abdicated.
Initially, this phrase circulated only among authors, but gradually it began to spread among readers. Later, a self-media blogger made a video titled "The Grandmaster Arrives, Gods Dethrone: Five Masterpieces in Three Years, How Did He Do It?", which garnered over 50 million views.
Since then, the phrase "With the arrival of the Grand Steward, all the gods abdicate" has become the most well-known meme in the online literature community.
Many readers even went to the live streams of some top-tier authors to make fun of them.
"If you're so great, how come you're being suppressed by the manager and can't even lift your head?"
"Master, when are you going to take back the top spot on the monthly ticket ranking?"
"I suggest you learn from the editor what it means to update 20,000 words a day, and stop getting writer's block all the time."
Although these words were spoken in a joking tone, they didn't sit well with those renowned authors. And they couldn't refute them—the data was there for all to see.
Even He Han was not spared.
During the serialization of "The Snow Swordsman," He Han held an offline book signing event. Thousands of readers came, and the line stretched from the bookstore entrance all the way to the street corner, creating a truly spectacular scene.
He Han sat behind the signing table, smiling as he signed autographs and took photos with each reader. Everything went smoothly.
Then a young man wearing black-rimmed glasses walked up to him, handed him a new book, and said with a grin, "Professor He Han, you're so awesome, how come you're being overshadowed by the head steward?"
The surrounding readers burst into laughter.
Lin Zhanqiao, standing to the side, changed her expression and subconsciously looked at He Han, secretly sweating for him. Such a direct and blatant display of sarcasm would be unpleasant for anyone, especially for He Han, a recognized literary giant in the online novel world. Being teased like this by readers to his face was bound to be embarrassing.
However, He Han only paused for a second before laughing heartily.
"Yes, I'm completely overshadowed by the head administrator." He put down his pen, spread his hands, and said frankly, "Look at the online literature world now, who dares to say they haven't been completely overshadowed by the head administrator?"
The room erupted in laughter, even louder than before.
The boy with the black-rimmed glasses smiled and gave a thumbs up: "Teacher He Han is so generous!"
He Han smiled and shook his head, took the book from him, quickly signed his name, and added, "But don't just look at the general manager's books, mine are quite fun too, take a look when you have time."
"Okay, I'll read it when I get back!" The boy took the book and walked away happily.
Lin Zhanqiao stood to the side, watching He Han defuse the awkward situation with ease, her heart filled with mixed feelings. Relief? Heartache? Or perhaps both?
She knew He Han too well. This man never showed weakness in front of others, but he didn't act tough either. He could frankly admit that he was suppressed by Qin Hao, not because he didn't care, but precisely because he cared, which is why he used self-deprecation to relieve that pressure.
After the book signing event, He Han and Lin Zhanqiao walked out of the bookstore side by side.
"Aren't you afraid that what you just said will get out?" Lin Zhanqiao turned her head to look at him.
He Han, hands in his pockets, walked unhurriedly: "Let the rumors spread. I'm not lying."
Lin Zhanqiao was silent for a few seconds, then said softly, "You don't need to do this."
"What?"
"You put yourself down so much."
He Han stopped and turned to look at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Zhan Qiao, this isn't about lowering yourself; it's about facing reality. Old Qin has written five books in three years, each one top-notch, updating 20,000 words a day without fail. How can I compare to such a monster? If I can't compare, I can't compare, and there's nothing shameful about admitting it."
Lin Zhanqiao opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
He Han's words were quickly filmed by readers at the scene and uploaded online.
This statement was widely shared by numerous self-media bloggers and quickly became a trending topic.
He Han's open-mindedness and self-deprecation quickly became widely known. Surprisingly, the comments section was overwhelmingly in favor of him.
"Damn it, I went in to laugh, but I've become a fan."
"Being able to honestly admit that you are not as good as others is much better than being stubborn."
"To be honest, it's not shameful to be suppressed by the head of the management team; who in the online literature world isn't like that these days?"
Other renowned authors also followed suit and made self-deprecating jokes.
"Yes, I was completely outmatched by the head steward, but not everyone has the right to be outmatched by him."
"With the arrival of the Grand Steward, all the gods abdicated. I am the one who abdicated, so what?"
"Being crushed isn't scary; what's scary is not even having the right to be crushed."
These self-deprecating responses actually won over readers, and for a time, being "crushed by the manager" became a kind of alternative badge of honor—after all, being crushed means you're at least still on the same track, and most people don't even have the right to be crushed.
however--
Just as the pen name "General Manager" reached its peak of popularity, some observant readers noticed something unusual.
This time, after finishing "The Snow Swordsman," the author did not immediately start a new book as he had done in the past.
A day passed, and nothing happened.
Two days have passed, and there's still no news.
Three days have passed, and there are still only five completed works listed in the author's column; there's no sign of a sixth one.
In the book review section, the reader who first noticed something amiss posted a message—
"Wait a minute, why hasn't the book manager started the new book yet? Weren't the previous ones always seamlessly connected?"
This post was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, and the ripples spread rapidly.
"Holy crap, it's true! They used to release a new book the day each one finished, but this time it's been three days and there's still no sign of it?"
"Does it mean you want to take a rest?"
"Rest? You're insulting the steward. Does he need rest? Writing a book is a piece of cake for him!"
"Actually, I think the author should take a break for a while," a reader with the ID "Following the Updates for Three Years and Losing All My Hair" posted a long comment: "I just did the math. In three years, the author has published five full-length novels, each no less than three million words, totaling at least fifteen million words. That's an average of 20,000 words per day, and he's never missed a day. Just think about it, even an iron man couldn't keep up."
The number of likes on this long comment skyrocketed.
"Now that you mention it, it does make sense. Five books in three years, each over three million words, updating 20,000 words a day without fail... I was so focused on enjoying following the updates before, but now that I think about it, the update frequency is truly terrifying."
"But at least issue an announcement regarding the duration of the break."
"Yes, even if it's a break, you should at least let us know so we can have some time to prepare. Before, everything was seamless, but suddenly there's been a break for several days, which makes me feel empty."
"Could it be that the steward is having health problems?"
Don't jinx it!
Readers' emotions shifted from doubt to unease, and from unease to anxiety, creating a subtle atmosphere in the book review section. Over three years, Qin Hao had cultivated readers' tastes to an extreme with five works, and now his sudden hiatus was like someone who appeared in your life every day suddenly disappearing, causing involuntary worry.
While readers were starting to feel uneasy, Dingqi.com was already in a state of panic.
In Uncle Fan's office, the phone kept ringing.
"Mr. Fan, many readers have been asking in our live stream why the author hasn't released a new book yet..."
"Mr. Fan, there are more and more posts in the book review section, and everyone is speculating whether something has happened to the head manager..."
"Mr. Fan, several self-media bloggers have been messaging us privately, asking if our manager has a conflict with the platform..."
Uncle Fan leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples, his head throbbing.
"A miscalculation, a complete miscalculation."
He never expected that Qin Hao would finish updating five works in just three years. When he signed the contract, he estimated that it would take at least seven or eight years to write five works, but Qin Hao managed to compress the time by more than half.
What does this mean? It means that the contract between the two parties has expired.
Actually, back when "The Snow Sword" was first released, Uncle Fan had already talked to Qin Hao about renewing his contract. At that time, he had already begun to have a bad feeling—Qin Hao's update speed was too fast, far exceeding his expectations.
But Qin Hao always brushed it off with a smile—"President Fan, don't rush, the book isn't finished yet." "We'll talk about it when it's finished." "Right now, my mind is full of the plot, I don't have the mind to talk about the contract."
At the time, Uncle Fan thought Qin Hao was just stalling for time, hoping to negotiate better terms after the contract expired. He had even prepared a proposal to increase the price—a reduction in royalties, and even the possibility of Qin Hao taking a stake in Dingqi.com.
However, he never expected that Qin Hao's delay was not a bargaining tactic, but rather—waiting for the contract to expire naturally.
It wasn't until the night "The Snow Sword" was finished that Uncle Fan finally couldn't sit still and personally called Qin Hao.
When the call connected, Qin Hao's tone was as relaxed as ever: "President Fan, still up so late?"
"Teacher Qin Hao," Uncle Fan went straight to the point, "Shouldn't we talk about the contract?"
"Oh, that?" Qin Hao paused. "President Fan, to be honest, I've been too tired these past few years. I'm planning to go abroad for a trip and rest for a while. We'll talk about it again when I get back."
Uncle Fan's heart sank, but he still patiently persuaded, "Teacher Qin Hao, you see, we've been cooperating for three years, and it's always been very pleasant. The renewal terms are negotiable—"
“Mr. Fan,” Qin Hao interrupted him, his tone still gentle but his attitude firm, “I’m really tired and need to rest. Can we discuss the contract when I get back?”
Uncle Fan opened his mouth, but ultimately only managed to utter one word: "Well, okay then, have fun."
After hanging up the phone, Uncle Fan sat in his office for a long time.
At first, he thought this was just an excuse Qin Hao used to bargain—after all, "going abroad to rest" was a very common phrase in negotiations. But when he sent someone to Qin Hao's residence the next day, he was told news that he hadn't expected at all—
Qin Hao has already cancelled the lease on the apartment he rented.
"Refund it?" Uncle Fan's grip on the phone tightened slightly. "When was it refunded?"
"Just the night before last, the night 'Snow in the Sky' ended." The voice on the other end of the phone hesitated slightly. "The landlord said Qin Hao moved all his things out and didn't even ask for the deposit back."
Uncle Fan slowly put down the phone, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh while looking at the ceiling.
They moved away. They're really gone.
"This kid..." Uncle Fan shook his head with a wry smile, unable to tell whether he was annoyed or helpless.
He remained silent for a long time before finally pressing the intercom button: "Release an announcement. Say that the head writer has been under too much pressure writing for the past three years and is preparing to take a break and go abroad to relax. The specific release date for the new book... will be announced later."
"Mr. Fan, isn't the wording 'subject to subsequent announcements' too vague?" the other person asked cautiously.
"Send it out like that." Uncle Fan's tone left no room for argument.
He knew all too well that if he gave a specific time and Qin Hao didn't return by then, Dingqi.com's reputation would be damaged. It was better to be vague and leave himself more room to maneuver.
As for what the readers will think... that's beyond his control.
-
On the day the announcement was released, the news spread like wildfire throughout the entire online literature community.
The official Weibo account, WeChat official account, and app pop-up notification on Dingqi.com simultaneously released the news, using extremely cautious wording: "Due to three consecutive years of high-intensity writing, Mr. Zongguan is physically and mentally exhausted and has decided to go abroad for rest and recuperation. Plans for the new book will be announced separately depending on Mr. Zongguan's health and subsequent arrangements. Thank you to all readers for your support and companionship over the past three years."
The announcement immediately caused a huge uproar among readers.
"What do you mean? Does that mean the head steward has stopped writing indefinitely?"
"'Further notice'? Isn't that just the official explanation for 'indefinitely postponed'?"
"Have they made enough money? Are they starting to slack off?"
"Don't talk nonsense. He wrote five books in three years, updating 20,000 words a day without fail. What's wrong with taking a break?"
"I really hope it's just a break, please don't stop writing! These past three years have spoiled my tastes; I can't stand most books anymore. Even if I do find something I like, your updates are much faster!"
"When I read other books now, I always feel that the updates are too slow. Two or three chapters a day used to seem normal, but now it feels like squeezing toothpaste..."
"Please come back soon, Manager. Without you, I don't even know what to look at when I go to the bathroom."
"Oh no, I'm in a reading slump! Can anyone recommend some good books? I don't have high requirements, just 20,000 words a day, and the quality should be similar to the author's."
"Upstairs, that's not called having low expectations, that's called wishful thinking."
However, compared to the widespread lamentation from readers, the authors were overjoyed.
"This freak finally couldn't keep going! I told you, if he kept updating like this, he'd eventually exhaust himself!"
"Hahaha, the wind and snow have held me back for two or three years, but I've finally trekked through the snow to the mountaintop! It's finally my turn to shine! I'm here on the monthly ticket chart and the bestseller list!"
"It's been three years. I've been suppressed for three whole years. Now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."
"To be honest, when the manager was around, I didn't even have the courage to try and climb the rankings. Now that he's gone, I feel like I can do it again!"
"Brothers, charge! The top ten spots on the monthly ticket ranking are open; whoever grabs them first gets them!"
"Don't be too happy yet, He Han is still here."
"At least He Han is a normal person; I can accept him updating 6,000 words a day. But the admin who updates 20,000 words a day, and the quality is so good, it's practically insane."
The past three years have been tough for top-tier authors on Dingqi.com. Each of Qin Hao's five books is a top-tier online novel on its own, and what's even more terrifying is his update frequency—20,000 updates a day for three years straight. Who could keep up that?
Some top-tier authors aren't incapable of competing with Qin Hao in terms of quality, but they can't compete in terms of update frequency. The business model of online novels dictates that update speed directly impacts income and ranking. No matter how well you write, if you only update 6,000 words a day, while someone else updates 20,000, readers will vote with their feet and choose the latter.
Now that's great, Qin Hao has finally stopped writing. All the top authors realized that the mountain that had been weighing on their heads was finally gone, and they all rushed to update their books more frequently, wanting to take advantage of the freed-up traffic from Qin Hao.
Suddenly, the update volume on major platforms increased significantly, as if the entire online literature circle was vying for the vacuum left by Qin Hao.
-
Meanwhile, an emergency meeting was also being held in the conference room of Zhixing Culture Media Co., Ltd.
Lin Zhanqiao sat in the main seat, rapidly assigning tasks: "Qin Hao stopping writing is good news for us. From now on, we must do everything in our power to promote He Han's new book. He Han's new book will be released next month, and my plan is—"
She picked up a whiteboard marker and wrote a line on the whiteboard: First in both categories.
"There's only one goal: He Han's new book must top both the monthly ticket chart and the bestseller chart simultaneously. Qin Hao is gone; this is the best opportunity in three years. If we miss it, we'll never have another."
She turned to face the editors present, her gaze sharp: "Operations team, submit the full-channel push plan to me tomorrow; Content team, finalize the promotional copy for He Han's new book before the end of today; Business team, contact all partner channels. I want He Han's new book to be trending on social media throughout the week of its release."
The editors all bowed their heads to take notes, the atmosphere tense yet orderly.
Over the past three years, she and He Han had tried countless times to reclaim the top spot on both charts, but to no avail. Qin Hao's five books were like five towering mountains, pressing firmly on the heads of all authors, and no matter how hard she and He Han tried, they could never overcome them.
Although she was very reluctant to admit defeat, she had to acknowledge that He Han would only have a chance to reach the top if Qin Hao stopped writing.
Just as Lin Zhanqiao was busy assigning tasks, Zhao Lanxin suddenly spoke up.
"Mr. Lin, are you sure Qin Hao will stop writing for a long time this time? What if it's just a few days? Wouldn't we be throwing money away for nothing?"
In an instant, all the editors stopped writing and turned to look at Lin Zhanqiao.
Zhao Lanxin is right. If Qin Hao only takes a few days off before releasing his new book, wouldn't it seem foolish for them to go to such lengths to promote He Han's new book? After all, once Qin Hao's new book is released, with his current popularity, he can easily push He Han out of the picture.
The atmosphere in the meeting room became subtle.
Lin Zhanqiao's face darkened, but she wasn't angered by Zhao Lanxin's words as she had before. Three years of experience had taught her to remain calm under pressure.
“He Han has already confirmed it.” Her tone was calm and certain: “Qin Hao went on a trip abroad, visiting quite a few countries this time. He won’t be writing for at least six months. Furthermore, his contract with Dingqi.com has expired, and he won’t release a new book until a contract is finalized.”
Upon hearing this, the editors present secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Six months. There is at least a six-month window of opportunity.
This is enough time for He Han's new book to gain a foothold. As long as he can secure the top spot on both charts before Qin Hao returns, even if Qin Hao releases a new book, He Han won't be completely powerless to fight back.
The pressure Qin Hao put on other authors was simply too great. Now that he's gone, the entire online literature community feels like it's been put on reset.
Zhao Lanxin nodded and said nothing more.
But in the instant she lowered her head, a strange light flashed in her eyes.
-
After the meeting, the editors left the conference room in twos and threes.
Zhao Lanxin did not return to her workstation, but went straight to her office, closed the door, took out her phone and dialed a number.
The phone was answered after three rings.
"Teacher He Han, it's me, Zhao Lanxin. There's something I'd like to ask you..."
"Go ahead, I'm listening," He Han's voice came through the receiver, gentle and calm.
Zhao Lanxin carefully considered her words: "So, do you have Professor Qin Hao's specific address abroad?"
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.
"You want to go find him?"
Zhao Lanxin didn't mince words: "That's right. His contract with Dingqi.com expired, right? If I could sign him, wouldn't our Zhixing...?"
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear. If Zhixing could simultaneously possess two top authors, He Han and Qin Hao, its position in the online literature world would be unshakeable. And she, Zhao Lanxin, was the one who signed Qin Hao—a contribution that would elevate her influence within Zhixing to another level.
He Han remained silent for a moment on the other end of the phone.
He wasn't stupid; he naturally understood that Zhao Lanxin wasn't doing this solely for Zhixing.
"I really didn't know that," He Han said, sounding somewhat embarrassed. "I only found out he went abroad from his WeChat Moments."
Zhao Lanxin was still unwilling to give up: "Why don't you ask him?"
"That's not a good idea," He Han politely declined. "Old Qin went abroad to relax. If I ask for his address, he'll definitely think someone's looking for him, which wouldn't be appropriate. Why don't you wait until he returns to China before talking to him?"
Zhao Lanxin wanted to say something more, but He Han's tone was already very clear, so she had no choice but to give up: "Alright, then let's wait until he returns to China. Thank you, Professor He Han."
"You're welcome."
After hanging up the phone, He Han dialed Lin Zhanqiao's number almost without hesitation.
"Lin Zhanqiao, Zhao Lanxin just called me."
"Why did she call you?" Lin Zhanqiao's voice immediately became alert.
"She asked me for Qin Hao's address abroad, saying she wanted to sign him to a contract."
After a few seconds of silence, Lin Zhanqiao's voice rang out again: "He Han, do you know Qin Hao's address overseas?"
"Are you also planning to go see Lao Qin?"
"It wasn't me, it was us!"
Lin Zhanqiao wasn't sure if Qin Hao still harbored resentment about the contract termination three years later. The best approach was to involve He Han, since Qin Hao and He Han had always had a good relationship. (End of Chapter)