Starting as a Manga Editor-Chapter 146: A Choice

“Rebirth, revenge, and regret genre?”
Li Xue tilted her head curiously.
Tang Yao smiled. “Let me give you an example—you’ll get it right away. So, imagine this: back then, you gave me money to start Avalon Studio. But I turned out to be a scumbag. After the company made it big, I ruthlessly kicked you out. Just handed you back your 1.7 million and laughed it off with a ‘Thanks for the cash.’”
“Totally ignored everything you did for me.
“Now you’re filled with rage, watching me live large while you’re broke and miserable. Then one day—bam! You’re reborn. Back to the moment we first met.
“This time, you’ve seen my true colors. You don’t give me the money. You decide to watch me crash and burn without your help.
“I, being the jerk I am, mock you—say I don’t need you. But without your help, I actually amount to nothing. I fumble around, can’t launch Avalon when I need to, and even when I finally do, I fail miserably.
“Meanwhile, you—armed with future knowledge—make bank.
“Eventually I come to my senses. Too late. I realize—‘It was Li Xue who really cared about me…’”
Tang Yao chuckled, already riffing off it: “I’ve got the blurb ready too—
Last life, I bet everything on Tang Yao.
She used my money to build a gaming empire, then tossed me a check at the victory banquet:
‘Li Xue, you should’ve known. A phoenix and a sparrow don’t share the same crown.’
This life, I return to the café where I gave her everything.
But this time, I retract my bank card and spill coffee over the investment contract.
‘I’m not investing.’
Title: Reborn, I Buried Her Ambition with My Own Hands!”
“…………”
Li Xue blinked. “There’s… so much to unpack. I don’t even know where to start.”
Tang Yao grinned. “Just tell me—is it catchy or not?”
“It is. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have made up such a story.”
Li Xue shook her head. “If it weren’t, you wouldn’t have come running to me the day FGO launched.”
“Okay, okay—try seeing it differently. Replace me with someone else. Replace you with Lin Shuang.”
“Well…”
“Anyway, the point is, these stories revolve around the protagonist using knowledge from a previous life to change fate, take revenge on those who wronged them, and watch the other person slowly realize their mistake. It’s all about emotional impact, character transformation, and dramatic reversals.”
Tang Yao smiled lightly. “Classic NovelFire formula.”
Truth be told,
She’d read a lot of them.
And while they got repetitive fast, there’s no denying—
They’re really good at hooking readers.
They tap into modern anxieties.
Overwhelmed by stress, people love watching someone get revenge and win.
It’s cathartic.
Villains getting punished, justice being served—it satisfies people’s sense of fairness, especially when reality offers none.
These stories even reflect real-life fears: betrayal, broken friendships… things that don’t get tied up so nicely in the real world.
And back in Tang Yao’s previous life,
Content creation had gotten so cutthroat.
A protagonist with future knowledge could beat the game—breaking out of that suffocating pressure.
More than anything, these stories worked with the algorithm.
In the age of short videos, attention is gold.
Stories needed to grip readers in seconds.
And rebirth-revenge arcs did just that.
Even though this world wasn’t fully swept by algorithm-driven culture yet,
The fundamentals still applied.
The market was huge, and pressure was creeping in.
“This kind of story is emotionally driven, right?”
Li Xue thought for a moment, then looked at Tang Yao seriously. “Does that fit the website’s brand?”
“Smart.”
Tang Yao nodded. “That’s exactly what I was wondering too… But it’s still one potential direction.”
Because while she was confident such a series would grab attention,
And it came from a culture shaped by algorithmic warfare—
It was also kind of shallow.
Great for fast traction.
But not built to last.
It wouldn’t spark much discussion.
Worse—
It might open Pandora’s box.
The manga section could flood with knockoffs.
And when the novelty wore off, readers would burn out fast.
“Okay, then what about Chainsaw Man? How is that different from the rebirth-revenge genre?”
Li Xue circled back to the earlier idea. “And what do you mean by ‘psychotic madness’ genre?”
“Chainsaw Man, huh…”
Tang Yao smiled and shook her head. “If the rebirth-revenge stuff is flashy up front but uncertain long-term, then this manga… is both gripping and a perfect fit for a 2D-focused platform.
“It’s got meme power.
“Perfectly positioned for virality in anime fandoms.”
Her favorite mangaka from her past life were Tatsuki Fujimoto and ONE.
Fujimoto mastered unpredictable plot twists and was heavily influenced by cult films.
ONE specialized in satirical worldbuilding and deadpan humor.
Between ONE’s One Punch Man and Mob Psycho, and Fujimoto’s works—
Chainsaw Man had the strongest immediate impact.
Talking corpses, “Halloween,” “YESSSS”—
Those iconic lines.
And those unforgettable moments.
They were magnetic.
Even in another world,
Tang Yao figured it would be just as captivating.
Its pacing was tailor-made for the short-attention-span generation.
Plot twists every three pages.
A rollercoaster of dopamine.
She still remembered the appearance of the Darkness Devil—
It hooked her instantly.
She binged the whole series in one night.
No dead spots.
None.
The manga even beat Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End in 2021 to claim the top spot in “This Manga is Amazing.”
And stylistically, Chainsaw Man was made for manga.
Its chaotic energy and bizarre elements… only Fujimoto could truly control them.
Other media couldn’t replicate it.
The anime adaptation was proof.
Those who read the manga were so disappointed,
Even director Ryu Nakayama had to quit social media.
It got obliterated in comparison to Bocchi the Rock!’s numbers.
Li Xue was surprised. “You’re really that confident?”
“I’m not confident in myself.”
Tang Yao shook her head softly. “I’m confident in the story.”
“……”
Li Xue blinked. “Is that… not the same thing?”
“Nope… not really.”
Tang Yao smiled awkwardly. “How about this—I’ll sketch an opening chapter for Chainsaw Man, and also one for the rebirth-revenge story. You read both and decide what to do.”
“…You sure?”
Li Xue didn’t say yes immediately. “And you want me to decide?”
“I’m sure.”
Tang Yao’s smile bloomed like a flower. “It’s New Year’s tomorrow, right? I’ll rest a bit. As for the decision—it should be yours.
“I trust your judgment.
“You said ANF should use this chance to build a lead. So whatever you choose next—I’ll back you.
“Go for it. Don’t be afraid.”
“……”
Li Xue stared at Tang Yao, touched by her sincere trust.
…So seriously, can we not use that rebirth-revenge story with me as the tragic example!?
You’re clearly nothing like that.