Little Pink Starfish

Back in the day, while writing his novels, Gu Bai had meticulously analysed dozens of popular harem stories. He categorised every conceivable type of female character, summarising and classifying them into archetypes based on forum discussions, reader comments, and online debates. To maximise variety, he ensured no archetype was repeated within the same story, and each was subdivided into supreme, excellent, average, and subpar categories. The result was a diverse array of characters with believable appeal.

_{[T/N: Just like real life! Women come in types including (but not limited to): transformer, petite, Sporty Spice, salmon and upside-down.]}

Gu Bai didn’t stop there. He studied otaku forums and, drawing from his own experiences, painstakingly determined which characters to elaborate on, which to mention briefly, and which to simply gloss over. He even considered the nuances of how relationships would unfold, whether one-on-one or more adventurous scenarios. Every detail received careful attention.

The loli with devilish curves currently on display was a textbook example of his research.

She was the daughter of Sang Mao, the purple-faced city lord of Jin Tong City, a high-level wu jun with exceptional talent. At fifteen years old, she was still a budding beauty, an unripe flower.

_{[T/N: heough… *noise akin to being gut-punched*]}

While a loli’s age typically leaned younger, Gu Bai had (self-proclaimed) principles and morals. He had ensured that any loli he wrote about met the minimum adult age of sixteen upon their debut. Unfortunately, due to plot necessities, the protagonist’s arrival had pushed events forward, making her fifteen instead.

…At least she wasn’t a child.

As these thoughts churned in his mind, Gu Bai’s expression remained impassive.

Beside him, Qiguan Rui glanced at Chen Yuanhao, his resourceful subordinate. “Yuanhao, this is your chance.”

Chen Yuanhao turned his gaze to the loli, smiling dashingly. “Thank you, Master, for this opportunity.” The two exchanged a knowing look—no explanation needed.

Though the Chen family was a prominent clan, it was insignificant compared to a major martial city. Securing Jin Tong City as an ally would allow Chen Yuanhao to crush his family without resistance. He could retrieve his mother, arrange her divorce, and claim a significant portion of the family fortune.

If Qiguan Rui’s influence were to grow naturally, it would take years. Chen Yuanhao’s success would significantly expedite the process.

On the stage below, Sang Mao cleared his throat.

Though the sound seemed ordinary, it struck the ears of the gathered crowd like thunder, leaving a ringing sensation.

Satisfied with their reaction, Sang Mao surveyed the dark mass of people below and the packed pavilions surrounding the stage. His daughter’s charm was undeniable—though his promises surely played a part.

Stroking his short beard, he declared, “Today, my daughter’s marriage is to be decided. This brings me great joy. Talented young men may first compete among themselves. The final twenty will face off against my disciples. The victor will challenge my daughter, and should he triumph, he will become my son-in-law and inherit all my promises!”

The crowd erupted in excitement.

Chen Yuanhao’s eyes lit up. Like the vast majority of men, the promise of beauty and wealth was an irresistible lure.

Gu Bai glanced at him, his face betraying nothing. If Gu Bai wasn’t mistaken, Chen Yuanhao had utilised his resources to the fullest but had only managed to reach high-level wu jun. By contrast, Chou Tu—despite not yet breaking through—looked far more dangerous and capable of defeating a wu wang.

Could Chen Yuanhao truly win without being humiliated? This wasn’t like the original story, where the overpowered protagonist had dominated the contest while pretending to be weak.

As Gu Bai pondered, Qiguan Rui handed a small box to Chen Yuanhao. Gu Bai snapped out of his thoughts. What’s that?

Qiguan Rui, catching his unspoken question, smiled warmly. “Yuanhao, consume this. For three days, it will elevate your level by two. If you still fail…”

Chen Yuanhao gratefully accepted the box. “Thank you, Master. I won’t let you down!”

Gu Bai raised an eyebrow. This wasn’t in the original script.

Watching Chen Yuanhao swallow a pill the size of a ping-pong ball, Gu Bai couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Recognising the resource as one from the Lu siblings’ treasure, he thought: So it’s a performance booster… or, more bluntly, a cheat item.

Meanwhile, the first contestants took to the stage.

As expected, the initial fighters were quickly eliminated. One was a burly man with a horse-like face; the other was wiry with a pockmarked visage. Both were low-level wu jun, clearly out of their league but hoping for a lucky break. Their match was lacklustre, lasting mere seconds before Gu Bai lost interest.

Sensing the guests’ waning enthusiasm, the innkeeper delivered a steady stream of delicacies and drinks, earning generous tips.

Two hours later, the tedious matches dragged on.

Gu Bai’s attention sharpened as a new figure approached Sang Mao—the city lord’s younger brother, Sang Jun. Finally!

Sang Jun, though only slightly stronger than his niece as a low-level wu wang, was highly respected. Known for his unwavering loyalty, Sang Jun managed the city’s affairs with unparalleled dedication. He treated his niece as his own daughter, meticulously organising every detail of the contest. His fairness and humility earned him widespread admiration.

When Gu Bai introduced Sang Jun in the original story, readers flooded the comments:

“So wholesome!”

“Brotherly love is the best!”

“Absolute loyal dog energy!”

“Bromance for the win!”

Gu Bai, as a fellow otaku, had immediately understood their enthusiasm. But did they think it was that simple?

In wuxia and xianxia novels, the more virtuous a character seemed, the more likely they were to harbour a dark side. Sang Jun was no exception.

Though publicly a paragon of virtue, he was secretly a high-level wu di, concealing his strength. His cultivation method involved stealing others’ martial bodies and wu qi—a sinister technique rumoured to have been created by an ancient martial artist who narrowly escaped the Heaven-Devouring Python.

Sang Jun would wait patiently, even helping arrange his niece’s marriage to the protagonist. But once the time was right, he would strike. On a fateful night, as his brother meditated, Sang Jun would ambush him, draining him of all strength. This betrayal would elevate Sang Jun to high-level wu huang. After a period of seclusion, he would ascend to wu sheng, consolidating his power. Feigning grief over his brother’s “mysterious assassination,” Sang Jun would manipulate public sympathy, solidifying his influence.

Gu Bai turned his gaze away, unwilling to dwell on what he knew would follow.