#oof. i just wanted to chat about them because noone in real life will ever talk to me in depth about these stupid books!!!

[friendodo]

opinions on mxtx novels

I kind of just want to ramble a bit because I have read all three (svss, mdzs, tgcf) in the span of a few weeks and I have a lot of thoughts on my mind. Putting this under a read more because it’s going to be just long enough to be annoying to scroll past. 

the scum villain’s self saving technique (svss)

svss is like....bad.....but it’s really funny....but it’s bad......

I keep wanting to read fanfic of it. Because it’s bad and it could be better. And fanfic can make it better. But also because I miss its weird humour and the absolutely ridiculous set up of the whole story. 

Like....random guy ends up having to pretend to be a cool lord/evil villain and while trying to save his own skin he accidentally wins the support of most of the main cast because he is so oblivious. And then a sarcastic inner monologue over the whole thing??? Wtf?? That’s hilarious. Especially if you’ve read other transmigration stories (which I have....excessively). 

I definitely didn’t read it for the ships or plot. I read it for the humour. Like I think binghe and sqq have their cute points but....shits fucked up man. I just don’t ship like that. I’m too old for weird stuff like this. 

For now, I’ll read svss stuff for the same reason that I read subpar Korean webtoons - to get mindless enjoyment by suppressing my feelings of disappointment towards the bad parts. I honestly am still quite fond of it. There are so many scenes that made me laugh out loud. But it’s important to acknowledge what could be better. 

I could get deeper into my thoughts on this but eh. let’s move on. 

the grandmaster of demonic cultivation (mdzs)

This is the first one I read. I learnt about mdzs at least a year or 2 ago because someone I knew kept posting about it. So I watched the first episode because I had never given Chinese dramas a chance and I was like......”What the fuck is going on”. 

6 months later I found out that the ship in mdzs is canon and I was like WHAT??? CHINA?? YOU DOING THIS IN THE DRAMA BRO?? And no. They didn’t do it in the drama. But I was still intrigued. So I went to read the webcomic out of curiosity and I was like “oh this is cool, the ship is gonna be interesting” and then after a while I became deeply confused because a webcomic is just not the right medium to tell such a complex story like mdzs.

So I was like “damn do i have to read the novel? Do i have to watch the drama?”. I did both at the same time. What a ride!!! I had a great time!! It’s so freaking sad!! 

I like mdzs, I think the plot is really ambitous in an enjoyable way, and the main cast is fun. I also found lwj and wwx’s teen antics in the cloud recesses absolutely hilarious and adorable, especially on wangji’s side. 

I’ve seen this scene in a school playground somewhere.

Lwj and wwx have such an emotionally interesting set up for their relationship and I was really taken in by that. The bad stuff doesn’t get in the way of this, but I can’t ignore the bad stuff when I actually consider my journey of reading the book. Just don’t read mxtx sex scenes. Just don’t. Stay away. don’t read the bonus chapters either. Stay very very far away. Then your sanity will be preserved and you will be reading an excellently crafted story.

I am mildly upset (as much as you can be after reading a foreign novel for completely free in not so legal means) that it falls into these weird BL romance tropes (you know the word.......y***). I lose respect. If I consider the story with those scenes in it, the story loses its dignity, so I’ll just move on and pretend they never existed. 

either way.... Jiang Cheng....you my only ho... please find happiness. 

heaven’s official blessing (tgcf)

How lovely!!! Tgcf is a lovely story!!!! And there are no sex scenes to fuck it up!!! It’s great!!!! 

There were times in the novel that I felt like I was watching a ghibli film. It’s just wonderfully tearjerking and pure. The story is not as complex as Mdzs and neither is the relationship. But it’s a very beautiful relationship and it is absolutely wholesome and pure enough for me to have read all 700k words in four days. also....this video just fucks me up every time......pls watch it. 

Because of this, and because I know it’s MXTX’s most recent completed work, I got the impression that it’s coming from a bit more of a mature standpoint than the other two. I really like that. 

The plot isn’t perfect. They spent an awful lot of time running around in caves being confused. I don’t think it needed to be 700k to convey what it did, but I suppose it’s just nice seeing xl and hc having fun running around together. I do think it definitely needs a good bout of editing from the author to be in its true form.

My one anxiety is that obviously i can’t judge the impactfulness of dialogue or scenes in general because I have nothing else to go off of besides a fan translated version. And of course the guys behind it did really well, I really commend them but there’s always gonna be something. I also read it really quickly....With mdzs I had like 4 different options to choose from to enjoy the story so I would experience the scenes in real time and i would sob along with the characters. I didn’t cry reading tgcf....but if it was a drama I think I would. 

I’m going to wait for the animation to come out, and I’ll take my time with each of the characters and enjoy myself. I’m really looking forward to it. :) 

[trashmcuths-a]

‘i hate everybody’ starter                  @kspbrked

    thing is, richie should, theoretically, be fine. the kid-eating clown that haunted his childhood is dead -- for real this time. he can still feel the unpleasant squish of a beating heart between his fingers. the best friends he ever had are back in his life, filling up the rotting, cavernous hole inside of him. he’s out. finally. came out on twitter in real tozier fashion. ‘just checking in to say i’m not dead, just really gay.’ he followed that up by, ‘i’m not fucking with you. jesus. what do i gotta do? blow your dad on stage? fine. tell him to whip it out and i’ll go to fucking town.’ he’s back to performing. this time, he’s writing his own shit, which actually makes doing stand-up fun again. like, he doesn’t feel sick to his stomach whenever he walks off stage. his demographic is shifting from misogynistic frat boys to a pretty diverse group of people that don’t give him a debilitating migraine when they open their mouths. life should be good, right? like, he should be happy, doing cartwheels down sunset boulevard. he’s living his truth or whatever. 

    except the hole is still there, twenty years of loneliness and self-hatred still eating away at him like an infection. the first month or two after derry felt great, best high richie ever had. then, the inevitable comedown hit. most nights, richie wakes up screaming. always takes him a minute to realize that he’s covered in sweat and not eddie’s blood. during the day, the smallest shit can set him off. then he’ll zone out and find himself back in the cistern, watching helplessly as eddie hovers over him, blood pouring out his mouth. his drinking is steadily increasing, and he spends most nights blitzed out of his mind. recently, he hopped back on the benzo express. steve nearly popped the vein in his forehead when he found a bottle of klonopin in richie’s dressing room.

    so, richie is far from fine, and knowing he should be fine makes him feel even worse, like a spoiled kid who refuses to recognize all the good shit in their life. but, instead of reaching out, he isolates. his responses to the losers’ group chat are slim to none. he keeps bailing on plans to meet-up. when one of them calls, he rarely picks up the phone. bev leaves concerned voicemails, but richie swears up and down that he’s just “busy.” mostly, he just doesn't want to burden them with his failures or see the disappointment in their eyes when they realize what a fucking mess he is. but there’s also a part of him, a real shameful part, that kinda hates them. ‘cause bill has audra and is in the middle of writing another book. bev and ben are off being ridiculously in love, doing rich people shit, probably fucking at least five times a day. mike keeps sending photos from his many travels, talkin’ about what an amazing adventure he’s on. eddie is - well, from what richie has gathered, eddie is making some sort of effort to fix his fucking life. that’s more than richie can say. so, they’re all happy. most of them are in love. the losers are somehow fucking fine, while richie is inherently broken and, therefore, not fine at all.

    he’s on tour now, a welcome distraction, and currently performing for a relatively small venue in new york. the show is going well until richie spots eddie halfway through and falls silent mid-sentence. the audience rumbles with confusion, probably expecting another breakdown. not that richie notices. his eyes go wide, mouth falling open, and he forgets how to fucking breathe. their eyes meet for, like, a millisecond before richie looks away so fast that his neck cracks in a way that should warrant concern. “oof, bet you fucks thought you were in for a real show tonight, huh? yeah, i see you over there, lookin’ all heartbroken. i get it. witnessing a celebrity breakdown is way more interesting than hearing a middle-aged man wax poetic about his gay awakening for an hour and a half, but life is full of disappointments,” he says, then shifts back into the bit. the rest of the show is a blur. thank god he knows the routine well enough that going on auto-pilot is an option. sure, his performance is gonna suffer, but, if he doesn’t switch the fuck off, there’s a good chance he’ll start blowing chunks on stage. again.

    christ, why is eddie here? richie never invited him or even told him about the show, and eddie sure as shit didn’t give any notice. none of the losers mentioned anything. must be a surprise. shit, shit, shit. no way can eddie see him, like actually see him. no fucking way. out of all the losers, eddie is the very last person that needs to see the real richie.

    once the set ends, he half-jogs off stage, desperate to be literally anywhere else. he needs to not be sharing the same air as eddie kaspbrak. steve is talking in his ear, but richie waves him off. “i’m going to the bar. the one just down the street. call me tomorrow.” he pauses, eyebrows knitting together as if he’s deep in thought. “no earlier than noon, steve-o.” his manager shoots a disapproving look, but says nothing. steve is all about picking his battles, knows when richie is gonna be most receptive. they’re definitely gonna have the 'you need to slow down, rich’ talk sometime this week. fan-fucking-tastic.

    slipping out of a venue is always hit-or-miss. if a fan spotted him, game over. they would ask for a selfie or some shit. richie would oblige, ‘cause these new fans are usually really fucking sweet and turning them down feels like the equivalent of kicking a puppy. but one selfie always leads to dozens more, and he’d end up standing out in the cold for at least an hour. and, like, he usually could care less, but he refuses to risk running into eddie. fortunately, no one seems to recognize him. thank christ. richie digs his hands into his pockets, using the collar of his coat and a knit cap to obscure his identity, and power-walks his way to the bar. 

    once inside, richie makes a beeline for the bartender. he asks for the strongest drink in the place and downs the glass in one go. the burn momentarily distracts him from all the shit knocking around in his skull. he throws back another drink before catching the eye of some good-looking, twenty-something motherfucker that’s obviously making a pass. richie has a feeling the dude recognizes him and probably just wants to fuck around for the novelty of touching a sort-of celebrity’s dick, but he never sees that as much of a deterrent. since coming out, hook-ups are on the rise, ‘cause now he doesn’t have to worry about getting caught. everyone already knows, so he can get blown by this dude in a dirty bathroom stall if he damn-well pleases. and, like, sure, it might have something to do with the inescapable loneliness he feels. maybe he just needs a stranger to grip his hips and stick a tongue down his throat, so he can, for a second, imagine that someone actually fucking loves him. maybe he has a particular someone in mind. maybe he thinks about that particular someone the entire fucking time and hates himself the second it’s over, because that someone doesn’t want him like that and would probably be repulsed if he knew.

     and maybe richie is gonna fuck this guy anyway. he starts making his way over, but stops when he feels someone grab his arm. richie whirls around and --

    "oh shit.”

[fedine]

Hey answer all of those

I told you guys it would happen! I’m putting it all under a cut.

moon: what is your astrological sign?

Virgo!

gingerbread: your moral alignment

I struggle with whether or not I’m ‘chaotic’ or ‘lawful’ a lot, so I usually just settle for ‘Neutral Good’

birdseed: family or friends?

Hmm, this is a tough one always, because I love both a lot, but sometimes when it comes down to it one group is going to be healthier than the other for me to be around at certain times.

sheets: your sexual orientation

Bisexual! I am polyamorous too, but I’m in a very very happy monogamous relationship, and I plan to keep it that way.

warm milk: when do you usually fall asleep?

Usually after 12 AM, and normally before 6 AM, but it depends on what the boyfriend and I watch on Netflix that night, since we’re doing that now, or how long we decide to role play for.

pot of honey: your gender identity

Oof, this is a really hard one for me, because I’ve been questioning stuff again. I normally fall into that “feminine” category, because that’s how I present, but I am really unsure of how I actually feel on that matter on a deeper level, you know?

snow: what is your favorite time of year and why?

Autumn-Winter... It’s not even Summer yet right now, and it was 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside today. That time of year just has my favorite days/holidays too! I’d say starting in September (mine and my boyfriend’s anniversary and my birthday) until probably February (Valentine’s Day)? I think that’s when all the fun stuff is!

yarn: what are your most enjoyable hobbies?

I love repainting/customizing dolls, and I would love to get back into it! I had plans to start a little Etsy shop and a YouTube channel for it, but things haven’t gone well for that lately, so I just play a lot of World of Warcraft! Currently, I have a goal to start dual/multiboxing two Mistweaver Monks, AND raid on them (without wiping the raid). It’s gonna be tough, I know, especially in a raiding environment, but I figure if someone can 20+ box a team of Paladins in Emerald Nightmare successfully, I can handle two healers.

bicycle: what are you talented at?

I’m pretty alright at art! I used to be a great jazz bassist, but I haven’t played in years at this point.

folktale: what stories remind you of your childhood?

I don’t really have many that do, if any at all, because I don’t remember a lot of my childhood.

woods: where do you feel at peace?

I feel really at peace in... Skyrim, of all games. Usually just wandering around, exploring out in the wilderness. It really is a beautiful game, landscape wise. I also really like this one spot in the Grizzly Hills/Howling Fjord in World of Warcraft, this tiny clearing in the mountains with a tree and a couple of shrubs where my boyfriend and I go to RP a couple of my personal favorite characters. It’s where they set up camp! I like it a lot! There’s a few other places like that in WoW that have huge sentimental value to me, but if I went over every single one I’d have a massive post here!

chicken feet: what is your emotional “flaw”?

Probably my hyper focusing tendencies that cause me to fixate so hard on one goal that I MUST see it through to the point of almost self destruction, or even worse, when I hyperfixate on too many things at once and it causes me to do that but faster.

red cheeks: what makes you nervous?

Oh jeez, asking stuff from my parents, or confronting them about stuff.

sunflower: what do you love and cherish?

Okay, this is going to sound so cheesy, but... Every single moment I spend with my boyfriend. We’ve spoken for well over 12 hours a day for almost every single say we’ve known each other, since we met formally in July of last year, but I have loved every single second. I really love my boyfriend, okay? Everyone knows.......

bells: what sounds are your favorite or calm you the most?

Oh, well, it’s in the title of this question! Brass and bronze bells are my favorite, especially the big ones!

turnip: what is a food you could eat everyday?

Spaghetti with meat in the sauce, be it meat balls or part of the sauce itself.

spit: do you get jealous easily?

Not really! I used to get more jealous about stuff, but I can’t really see myself in that position anymore, at least with like relationships.

mushroom: list unique things you like about yourself

Hmm, I gave this one some thought, but I really don’t think I have any individual traits that are “unique” because there are so many people in the world that probably display the exact same stuff like: ‘can draw well,’ or ‘can play bass nicely.’ It’s not individual unique traits that make someone unique because there really aren’t unique traits. It’s the combination of them that makes someone unique! Like bricks in a house! All of the bricks are the same, but the house isn’t.

cupboard: a good childhood memory

I remember fondly a time where I once spun a teacup ride on a carousel so fast once my younger sibling got sick. Wasn’t funny at the time but now that we’re like twelve or so years older it’s hilarious now.

eyebags: what do you think makes a person attractive?

U h... Well, I really like long, messy hair, and facial hair. Blue eyes, really tall... Accent....... Really sweet, kind of shy but gets louder and sillier when you get to know him.............

fallen log: something you’ve gotten over that you never thought you would

I honestly never thought I would get over this one relationship I had in 10th grade, but... I got over it... Boy did I get over it... And away from it... Thank Goodness....

dagger: your worst fear

Meeting someone specific from my past, probably.

whisper: do you have any secrets?

Just one really big one, really, but I’m slowly coming to terms with it.

wild boar: which person do you feel closest to?

My boyfriend! Though I also have two best friends, one of ten years, the other of two, and then my sibling is pretty close to me as well!

sweet: what candies or cakes are you fond of?

I love sour candies a lot, and vanilla cakes are my favorite! Ice cream cakes are amazing also.

footprints: do you remember your past lives?

I think I used to, if it’s a real thing that is. I’m still trying to figure that out about myself.

fur: name an animal you feel connected to

Oh man, there’s really so many, but I love dogs and cats, ravens and cockatoos, bees... The list continues.

vodka: do you drink?

Not at the moment, but I’m turning 21 in like 5 months.

sour cherry: an obscure tradition from your family?

We eat king crab around Christmas/New Years. Specifically king crab.

pine needles: what is your favorite scent?

For Valentine’s day, my boyfriend sent me his favorite jacket to wear, and I didn’t take it off for a while because it smelled like him, and I wanted to feel like he was there with me as much as I could. Gosh, I can’t wait to steal another jacket from him meet him for the first time.

heart-shaped: do you believe in love? are you in love?

YEAH, I REALLY DO, AND YEAH, I REALLY AM.

home: where do you dream of living?

Somewhere in California still, with guess-who living with me. I’d love it if my best friends could live nearby as well, but that’s unlikely. Still, it is a dream.

spice: list your favorite herbs

Oregano and Thyme, because I use them in my meatball recipe.

mud: something you’re insecure about but trying to love

My weight. Usually when I imagine what I look like to other people I don’t really imagine anything flattering or kind to myself, but I am trying to work through it. It’s something I kind of have to live with too, no matter what, since I haven’t been able to lose weight for a few years.

tobacco: do you have any addictions?

I play World of Warcraft non-stop for several hours on end every single day. I have been for over two years, which is the longest time in my life I have since I picked the game up ten years ago.

sock: how would you describe your clothing taste?

Expensive, and usually made for much thinner people. I really like the sweet lolita fashion style, but there are a few other styles I like. All still expensive though. Except for flannel + T-shirts. Those always look good together, and are pretty nice and casual enough for me.

cuckoo clock: are you a morning, a noon, or an evening person?

Evening! I usually wake up past noon, and it’s not until around three or four I get to talk to my boyfriend.

wooden fence: a favorite memory

When my boyfriend asked me out!!!! Gosh, I remember it so well. We were role playing together on those two particular characters probably for the... third? Fourth time ever? Well, he asked RIGHT before we were going to start, and all of the week before I kept getting nervous around him. I had decided I wasn’t going to pursue him (because... not going to lie, I thought he was gay for a while there) but every single time he addressed me in voice chat, ESPECIALLY when we were alone, I would tense up and ask myself, “Is he going to ask me out right now?” I had rehearsed what I wanted to say to him in the situation so that if/when it happened, I would be prepared, but I forgot how to talk when it actually happened! I even thought it wasn’t going to right then; it was the one time I thought he wasn’t going to ask. Well, I went silent a couple of seconds, hitting my push to talk button a few times while my mouth hung open. I did say yes though! Both times, because he asked again after I said yes the first time!