I think it's cleverly structured (love the restrictions in the beginning to keep the MC in "character" ha. that was pretty smart), and I enjoy how the system isn't overwhelmingly present but is more used a plot device to move things forward occasionally. It doesn't feel like this universe is some sort of weird game to the MC where he's just detached. In fact, my favorite moment is when the MC realizes he's been treating ML like a chess piece. Sure, he always has had real feelings for ML, but in that moment, he realizes that he didn't have to strictly adhere to the "system, " and realizes the true impact of his actions on ML. I think he sees ML for who he is for the first time, instead of some caricature of a harem king from the original novel.

Another interesting plot point is that in the end, the "villain" is ML's deep insecurities over being his perceived abandonment by the person he loves. Which is truly subversive because the final boss isn't some overpowered dude that the characters have to take down, but rather a truly intangible thing that is only overcome with love (or okay...a badly written smut scene...). It's in line with the way the whole novel seems to be dismantling genres and labels.

But my favorite aspect is that ML isn't cool at all and is just a overpowered crybaby. And that is depicted as "happiness" instead of being a demonic overlord that has 3000+ wives. Like yea, ML is super useless and a crybaby but f*ck it! He's happy, infinitely more happy than having all the power in the world and basically any pretty girl he wants.

Only disappointment is that it's never really revealed to ML about MC's true identity (like how he's transmigrated blah blah). Like yo...i have a hard time believing that ML and MC can be in a relationship w/o this coming up accidentally at some point. But else wise - a super super interesting BL novel. So many tropes are dismantled (and ok f*ck, I kno, BL tropes are EVERYWHERE in the novel but at least the het tropes are dismantled??) and it makes for a refreshing, touching read.

The ML is such a good wifey <3

Ehmmm.... Basically my fave danmei novel, I've read it like 4 times and Iove it deeply.

Everything about how it subverts tropes making fun of them, SQQ constantly acting as if he doesn't care while caring, not understanding why he does s*upid things for fictional characters just to finally accept that they are people living in a world, that his actions have consequences - especially regarding LBH, who takes everything he does to heart.

Ohh, Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu, my misunderstood babies... People don't believe Shen Qingqiu is in love with him, when it shows clearly in every subconscious thought, in the care he tries to bury and hide and deny. People believe Luo Binghe is mean top that is shitty for no reason and sucks and doesn't deserve SQQ, when he's just someone that wants to be chosen, to be loved by someone he loves and he wants to spend the rest of his life doting to, to take care of them like he couldn't before, someone who fears being abandoned and left alone in his self-hatred and desolation that he'd even accept SQQ's hate just to have him pay attention to him.

They are both characters that put on masks to hide their true emotions, which is inevitably what leads to the several misunderstandings between them. And it's only when they actually reveal everything they've bottled up and denied in the last chapters, when LBH shows that he's been hurting all along, when SQQ shows that he loves LBH no matter what. Only when they drop their mask and show their true selves do they finally get their happy ending, or more like their happy start. It is only the begining of their relationship, and it is strong and loving and built on mutual understading and love.

I love the wedding extra which highlights this the best. When Shen Qingqiu saw that Luo Binghe was genuinely upset at the thought that he might not want to get married, he immediately set the record straight. That's character growth right here, I'm proud of you Shen Qingqiu!

MC really did care about the ML, he risked his life to save the ML (even though he knows the protagonist never dies) but still I never felt that he loved him. His "love"for ML was like giving it to a kid. What I mean is that if kids want something and it is not bad for them so most people will give them what they want.I felt MC's attitude towards"love" was this.

There was this instance where the MC said (in his mind ofc) that what ML went through was indirectly his fault because author's write books for readers (I read it some time back so I am not sure if he actually said it this way but this was what he meant) and he feels guilty for that.I mean are you kidding what kind of ridiculous logic is it to fall in love with someone. MC never admitted that he loves the ML or even likes him (not even in his mind).

MC's "love" was mix of guilt, indulgence for a kid (well the ML acting all pitiful and crying in front of the MC), fear for ML distroying the world or killing him.

And there first time (facepalms) was I am not sure r*pe or dubcon. Because MC allows ML to do him so that ML will not destroy the world. But in MC's heart he does not actually wants to do it. He made psychological preparation for it but doesn't actually wants it. And the way ML did to him was (well you can say I had a psychological shadow because all of the blood and pain).

Now the ML his "love" according to me came from nowhere. What I mean is:

before falling in to the abyss he just had a kind of crush on our MC (I can't say it was love he started viewing our MC in that way) and when he came back from the abyss he was all in love with him.

Like seriously more than "love"I felt it was obssessivness (like trying to capture the only source of light in his dark world). He wanted MC by his side because MC was really good to him.

But what he felt was not "love". Time and time he manipulated the MC (acting pitiful for me it's a kind of manipulation). He was extremely possessive and obssessive. He definitely had few screws lose in his mind.

Actually I don't know if I was not reading carefully put I don't remember MC accepting to stay in the virtual world.

when ML was hell bent on destroying the world the system did said something but I don't think so it was about staying in the virtual world forever

those who will feel that MC is doing a great sacrifice for the ML by staying in the virtual world let me tell you author never mentioned that MC had a good life (if it was then I don't remember) his decision was smart because he actually had everything in the virtual world. People who care for him, who loves him, who respects him. He is powerful. His life is perfect in the virtual world.

So basically, at first I thought it was honorable (?) that MC gave up a lot of things just for the ML and thought that their relationship was pretty nice, but then I realized that the MC is only in a relationship with the ML is because he's the protagonist and if you refuse him or make him mad you'll suffer. Now that I think of it, MC really just views ML as a student that he cares deeply for. I also think that it was pity that made MC be in a relationship with ML (plus the fact that he's the protagonist).

The s*x scene was extremely painful (for me and presumably others) to read. It wasn't even written in the sexy forceful way (I know someone already said this but I didn't have any other words to phrase it) where it's like 'I kinda like it buts it's wrong' instead it was written in the way where it's like the MC doesn't want it but has to do it to save the world, basically sacrificing himself for others.

The ML starts off as the white lotus character which then blackens (which was pretty promising in the start) but he somehow came off as a very flat character (one-dimensional). He has many moments where he's being unreasonable even though the MC keeps sacrificing himself for him, just basically being very ungrateful (example: MC talking to others and ML getting jealous saying stuff like 'Does Shizun not love me anymore? I'm gonna destroy all the stuff he cares for and make him only have me (which sounds very sadistic to me) !')

I also hate the s*x scene towards the end, like???? What was that? That was neither romantic nor required for the plot, it could've been easily avoided.

I hate the fact that he forced the MC to drink his demon blood and whatever just to be able to control him like, why???