Zhaoqing, Shaobin, Xin Yan, Zhuo Feng, Manluo, Yishen, Qin Lu, Qin Miao, Xiaonian, and Lan Yarong.

There's not much cannon fodder making trouble or dying gruesome deaths! I mean, there still are some, probably around five or so? But for the most part, everyone was civilised (thanks to the student representatives they gathered within the library, in part) and they all helped each other.

Also, they all can form groups of their own so there's no problem of infighting or anything of the sort within the main group since everyone was either friends, friends of friends, or recommended by acquaintances and has the same goal of getting out of the library

Really cute! It is slow burn but from the very first day, you could already see that they both care for each other a lot, their trust towards each other and their tacit understanding is off the charts. Honestly, even though they weren't together for like, more than half the novel, they felt like they were together already.

also

SPOILER

ML has been in love with MC since their highschool days

First off, I want to say that I love the C-183 Research Group to bits. Now, to the characters!

Yue Xingwen (MC)

-Top Student of Chinese Literature. The team leader and is someone who brings people together. Upfront and cheerful.

Jiang Pingce (ML)

-Top Student of Mathematics. Highly analytical, aloof but cares a lot about MC. Takes everything step by step.

Ke Shaobin

-Student of Computer Science. Foodie and is often considered the team mascot with his wild ideas and happy go lucky personality, but is an expert in his field.

Zhuo Feng

-Student of Physics. MC, ML, and Ke Shaobin's Senior in the Student Union. Is in a relationship with Lin Manluo

Lin Manluo

-Student of Environmental Science. MC, ML, and Ke Shaobin's Senior in the Student Union. In a relationship with Zhuo Feng.

Xu Yishen

-Student of Biological Science. Was in a research group with Zhuo Feng and Lin Manluo prior to joining C-183. Lazy and has crazy driving skills.

Liu Zhaoqing

-Student of Medicine. Was grouped with MC in the first arc. He's a post-graduate student, if I remember correctly. Scalpel and gauze supremacy!

Xin Yan

-Student of Chemistry. Ke Shaobin's classmate from highschool. Untrusting and rather unapproachable, but is also considerate.

Qin Lu

-Student of Geography. Was grouped with MC in the first arc. Twin Sister of Qin Miao.

Qin Miao

-Student of History. Older Twin Sister of Qin Lu.

Zhang Xiaonian

-Student of Architecture. Junior brother of MC and ML from the same highschool who idolises them.

Lan Yarong

-Student of Law. Post-graduate student one year older than Liu Zhaoqing. Last to enter the group through another team's recommendation.

Department of Biological Science. Definitely that one. I wouldn't spoil more about it though!

It's Xin Yan and Ke Shaobin. ♡

I love how Xingwen (the protagonist/shou) is the leader of their group and how Jiang Pingce (the male lead/gong) always follow Xingwen's lead.

He's not your type of a male lead that forces Xingwen, nor the yandere/possessive type. Although he did a strategy, the "boil a frog in a hot water."

And he admitted himself that if he confessed and Xingwen doesn't accept his confession, he won't force him and will just leave.

Especially the changing and modifying of the memories of the players.

He directly crawled on Pingce's bed. (〃ー〃)

Don't mind this, just some scenes in the extras.

Lin Manluo's eyes were slightly red, she nodded and said, "In the future, there will be fewer opportunities to meet, so take care. Also, don't bully Ping Ce."

Yue Xingwen: "Hey? Why aren't you worried about Jiang Pingce bullying me?"

Lin Manluo said: "He is reluctant."

Behind him, Jiang Pingce smiled slightly, looked at Lin Manluo and said, "Yes, I can't bear it."

It's hard to catch up, but can't you pet and protect it?

ANDDDD FUDGEEEE!! MY SHIP f*ck*NG SAILED!! (ᗒᗨᗕ)

2 options with the side CP extras, don't read them or read them BEFORE the rest of the extras (so that you don't damage your reading). It started pretty similar to the story of the main couple, they knew each other in high school, they supported each other, until one decided to little by little make the other fall in love with him (which was fine). But it got to the point where he started kissing him at night while he was sleeping and made him think he was dreaming all of it; when the uke realized what was happening and got mad, the seme just acted pitiful and got away with it? I really liked how the seme was portrayed in the main story, he was attentive and a cold person with a warm heart, but he was twisted and manipulative in the extras... idk what happened. Maybe if you like the couple only read the extras till the high school days.

They are a mix between "they where fated to be lovers" and "both of them manipulating fate to be together". The ML realized his feelings pretty early on (the MC was also in love but VERY dense), and he started doing the "Boiling frog method" (basically, if you slowly raise the heat of the water the frog will not realize it is being boiled until it is too late). Now, I know that sounds toxic, but what the MC did was little by little integrating himself in the MC's life. Listening to him, accompanying him when he was lonely, actively taking the initiative to spend time with him, remembering the stuff he liked and being considerate of his feelings all throughout. Like I said, beautiful.

Since he never isolated the MC but stayed by his side regardless, they started having an unreal sense of tactic understanding, and even without realizing, the MC also started to listen to him, trying to integrate him, memorizing stuff abt him, looking for him, even in his high school days he considered the ML as an important presence in his life without them ever really talking, to the point the ML had the most especial place in his heart from the start. In the library their relationship blossomed, and when MC started becoming aware of his feelings he was scared, but never took it out on the ML, and the ML very consciously gave him space without affecting their missions. Although it takes time to get to the confession, there is enough build-up and little scenes.

My favorite thing is that when the DO get together ML is taking things slowly, thinking the MC needs to adjust to the reality of being in a mlm relationship..... and let's just say once the MC became aware he just advanced leaps and bounds more than what the ML ever anticipated. They are cute, funny, and badass, I really love this couple and would re read all their scenes again and again.

There's even elective courses to gain more points and sports days! Idk about you, but I, as a college student feel "omg, they are just like me fr (suffering) "

They even made a student association organization, INSIDE THE GAME. This was one of the best ways to show their aspiration and unity. As well to show their competent-ness (reminder that almost all of the main characters are straight A's college students) and to establish rules in this otherwise lawless game world.

In extra there is a marriage proposal

My main issue is with the ending. I didn't realize until after why the story felt so off. This occurred especially during the in-between periods of the different instances. The students spent their "points" earned from the games pretty wontonly and in a lot of instances seemed very casual as to being in a death game. It created a weird dichatomy between them seeming very unfraid as the story tried to push the idea that this is a terrifying situation to be in.

While the author tried to come up with a surprise twist at the ending, it pretty much killed my investment in the story. Reading back over it makes the rest of the story feel rather cheap and kills almost any of the intensity the novel may have had. Personally, I think the author had the idea for the ending first and wrote the story with it in mind. If I had liked the ending, it would have felt like a great revelation, but since outside of the feeling that something was weird I can't remember any foreshadowing it came across as rather jarring (also a company that sketchy with technology that advanced and the government isn't worried about it?).

Chinese Poetry

political reviews and censorship

itsmore a way to dump dog food on the reader after the story completed when I would have enjoyed a bit more focus on the premise of the library itself... it may exist in the extra but there was too much romance not enough adventure and development of characters life post experience