I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 20

On May 3, 2022, a holiday, the weather was clear with an average temperature of 23°C to 27°C, and the air quality was good.

It was expected that the next seven days would be endless clear skies.

After having a hearty breakfast and tidying up my dishes and utensils, I picked up my fully charged phone from the computer desk and casually checked today’s weather and temperature, only to realize that it was a holiday.

It was Labor Day, a three-day break.

Furthermore, today was also a Friday, so if any companies or schools had a bit of a “conscience,” there was a possibility of having a five-day holiday, extending until May 6 before returning to work or school.

Of course, I knew that the probability of such a situation was quite low. Nowadays, society has entered the “rolling king” era. At least, during the rush hour on my way back from the supermarket yesterday evening, I didn’t notice a significant decrease in the number of cars and pedestrians around.

No wonder the property manager and that couple didn’t ask me why I wasn’t going to class yesterday. It turns out these days are holidays.

This is also the most common situation for novel authors because all holidays are irrelevant to us. Whether it’s Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Qingming Festival, or the grand Spring Festival, we still need to update our novels. Over time, authors won’t remember which day is which holiday, how many days off there are, or even what day of the week it is—except for authors who play certain games.

For example, some online game authors remember when fatigue resets, when Abyss rewards are calculated, when new versions and events arrive. Some single-player gamers wait for summer sales, Halloween sales, Christmas sales, Black Friday, and so on.

In turn, these holidays might be a burden for authors.

I remember that Pipi and Marisa, who have the closest relationships with me in the group, often complain about how much they dislike the Spring Festival and Qingming Festival. During the Spring Festival, they have to endure the crowds and visit relatives for various activities. The same goes for Qingming Festival, as they return to their hometowns to climb mountains and visit graves, leaving them exhausted. While others enjoy their holidays and play around, they come back and have to write, despite their fatigue.

Especially during the Spring Festival, even if you prepare drafts in advance and go home to update, it’s still challenging. During the Spring Festival, readers receive red envelopes and, with nothing to do at home, they urge authors to update in exchange for rewards. You have to update, no matter how many drafts you’ve prepared. If readers reward you and you don’t update, they’ll go read other authors’ works.

Furthermore, where do the drafts for storage come from? You still have to squeeze them out from your daily rest time.

?I’ve arrived in Shenzhen City and I’m taking the subway. It’s really bustling here.?

?Shenzhen is huge, many things are integrated. You can use your phone to board the subway, and there aren’t even ticket sellers.?

?The milk tea here is only 12 yuan per cup? Back in my area, it starts at 20 yuan.?

At this moment, the “Yae-Do Authors’ Rights Protection Group” is much more lively compared to yesterday. Many authors who were previously unknown have emerged, and it seems that some of them have already arrived in Shenzhen, sharing their thoughts about the city in the group.

?I’m in the District, it’s truly extravagant, all villas. What kind of city is this??

?Haha, you should check out the North of the District. That’s the real paradise for the wealthy. I saw pictures online, and it felt like it blew my mind. Do you know about the Chicken Dinner Paradise Resort? This place is filled with houses and gardens like that.?

?There’s nothing to be surprised about, it’s just the distinction between the poor and wealthy areas, right? You’re all writers; aren’t you familiar with these settings? Reality is often more fantastical than fiction. Fiction requires logic, but reality doesn’t.?

?I’ve never seen such an extreme contrast in real life before. The New West District is filled with pigeonholes, and then you have the North Prosperity Zone with its grand villas and gardens.?

Of course, many people also expressed their doubts about this “rights protection movement.”

?Are you sure you can get the money? What about Lord P? Has Lord P arrived??

?Didn’t we talk about this yesterday? Rights protection actions are not guaranteed to be 100% successful. What if they’ve dissolved the company? All we can do is hope the owner has a change of heart.?

?You want me to rely on a capitalist’s change of heart? Haha, I have no hope. Isn’t this just an offline gathering for authors? Rights protection? What a joke.?

?What? Weren’t you here to tour Shenzhen? Are people really expecting to get paid? I’m at the park.?

“…”

I put my phone, wallet with my ID and bank cards, and the naval cap into my pocket. Then, I walked to the full-length mirror I had just moved back yesterday. I tidied my clothes and adjusted the long hair flowing down my back.

My current hairstyle falls into the category of a somewhat ladylike style. I have plenty of hair, and the hair at the back remains loose, even when wearing a hat. The hair on my forehead slightly covers my eyebrows, and on both sides, I have long strands of hair that reach down to about chest level. If I don’t wear a hat, there’s even a tuft of hair at the top that refuses to lay flat. It makes me look somewhat… like Shiro from the anime “No Game No Life,” giving off a lazy vibe.

As someone who doesn’t really know how to manage long hair, I can only make myself look less peculiar by wearing a hat for now.

Maybe in the future, when I have more money, I’ll look better with headphones on?

After adjusting my posture in front of the mirror, I glanced at the dressing table by the door, turned the doorknob, and stepped out of the room.

It looks like there’s a lot for me to learn…

A girl’s body isn’t as simple as just getting enough to eat and wearing warm clothes. It’s different from being a rough-and-tumble guy. Maybe in the future, I’ll have to learn how to dress and coordinate outfits, learn how to choose cosmetics and apply makeup…

Of course, if it’s not necessary, I prefer to keep things simple.

In any case, one thing I can’t escape from in the future is learning to style a girl’s hair.

Double ponytails? Long, straight black hair? Or a sweet, obedient style like Kotori‘s?

With mixed feelings, I picked up the trash bag filled with the previous day’s waste, walked out of the apartment, hurried down the stairs, and disposed of the trash at the apartment complex’s garbage collection area.

I looked at… Mingzhu Square.

Mingzhu Square is located in the opposite direction of the commercial street and supermarket I visited yesterday. It’s not too far in a straight line, and it might take an adult about twenty minutes to walk there. For someone like me, it’s hard to say.

But this time, I didn’t plan to walk there.

Mingzhu Square is situated next to “Mingzhu Avenue,” one of Shenzhen City’s major thoroughfares. There are at least three buses from the bus stop in front of the apartment that go directly there. If you were to walk, you’d either have to follow the road like the buses or go through two somewhat old urban villages.

The time now is a little after 8 in the morning and having lived in this Wujia Apartment for so long, I’m well aware that, at this time, apart from the working class, there’s another category of people who are quite numerous. That would be the social idlers who spend the night singing and drinking, returning in the early hours of the morning after a night out.

These individuals usually come back from bars and karaoke places at this time and crash into deep slumber.

Considering that their social circles are often quite chaotic, and they’ve been drinking, and considering that I’m currently in the form of this cute little girl with a soft voice and body, someone who could be easily pushed around, would it be safe for me to walk alongside the bus on the main road or cut through the urban villages without any disturbances from inebriated people?

The bus fare from the intersection outside the Wujia Apartment to Mingzhu Square is 2 yuan. Using this small amount of money to ensure my safety is definitely worth it.

“The bus is approaching the station. Please hold on tight. Next stop: Jilongyuan Northbound Road. Passengers who need to get off, please move towards the rear door…”

In no time, the bus I was waiting for arrived, and I boarded, scanning the QR code at the entrance with my phone with a “beep.”

?Uncle, Marisa and I have already arrived. When do you think you’ll be coming??

Just as I casually found a seat, a message from “Divine Pet Pipi” popped up on my phone: ?I’ll send you my location. Marisa, Jituto, and I are here. Do you know Jituto? He’s the top seller in the fanfic zone, a real-life hunk standing at 1.9 meters tall, incredibly sturdy.?

It’s only eight o’clock, and you guys are already here?

Surprised, I glanced outside the bus window at the lazy little sun just peeking out from the skyline.

Then, I quickly typed on the phone keyboard with my small hands: ?Alright, I’m on my way. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.?

?Pipi, you’re not a burly man too, right? Don’t tell me I’m the only one with a delicate scholar’s physique.?

Pippi quickly replied: ?We’re good buddies. Can you give me a heads up on your height? I need to prepare mentally.?

?Well…?

I hesitated at my seat for a while before responding—

?I’m a macho man.?