Paintings of Terror

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If Ke Xun could do it again, he would have never left his house to go out and flirt with guys, even if it would mean getting beaten to death.

Weren’t they supposed to have just been taking shelter from the rain in a museum and looking at some erot*c paintings while they were at it? Why…did they enter the world inside a painting?!

Mu Yiran: Every single one of us is acting out a role in the painting.

Ke Xun’s eyes lit up: How do we get into an erot*c painting?

Mu Yiran gave him a long, drawn-out look: Shut your eyes and lie down.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Hua Bu
Họa Phố
画怖
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Kaleidoscope of Death (8)
Non-Human Seeking Re-employment (3)
Escape the Infinite Chamber (3)
The Earth is Online (3)
Misplacement Game (3)
Card Room (3)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Danmei's I am dying to read
  2. That gay shit
  3. Horror (bl novel)
  4. Horror BL
  5. Horror-Action-Unlimited Flow

Latest Release

Date Group Release
09/11/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c247
09/04/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c246
08/28/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c245
08/21/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c244
08/14/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c243
08/07/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c242
07/31/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c241
07/24/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c240
07/17/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c239
07/10/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c238
07/03/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c237
06/26/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c236
06/19/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c235
06/12/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c234
06/05/23 Chrysanthemum Garden c233
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43 Reviews sorted by


1Sami
1Sami rated it
October 11, 2020
Status: c20
I haven´t finished the first arc yet but so far I´m liking the story a lot! The ML (I´m guessing he´s the ML but it seems pretty likely) is an experienced player and the MC is a newbie who´s pulling his friend along for the ride. He (MC) projects himself as a muscle-brained idiot but he actually thinks ahead of the plot a lot. The friend is always behind and it´s really cute!
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beyukii
beyukii rated it
May 29, 2023
Status: Completed
I love survival/horror/game kind of novels. That is why I'm reading it.

Plot/World: 4/5 World building is interesting and new. It's all art, so some are very abstract and colorful unlike other infinite flow horror books.

Mystery solving/brain stimulation: 1/5. Honestly it is very bad in this area. Author is not that "brainy" I think. Author is just like any other person with average IQ so can't really think of mysterious puzzle games. Even as a reader you can already see "in your face" simple hints in the beginning but main characters... more>> struggle to solve the puzzle. Some are solved by a very illogical means. After reading so many infinite flow/mystery kind of books this one really stands out with it's "easy to understand", "even I found the key before MC and ML" hints. Some things can be just solved by "passing out during the night".

They get time and location of their next painting about 2 weeks earlier. But they never make background check on those galleries! They always find out those galleries were built on top of something after entering the paintings! Come on, you had 14 whole days to google something, anything! You might die in the next painting, why not do some research? Only ML reads about it before entering and acts like a human wikipedia.

MC's character: 3/5 In the beginning he reminded me why I avoid novels with a female MC. He was annoying as F** but later became very tolerable. Still not fan of his character because of his attitude towards ML. He basically has zero self respect, pathetic, also doesn't understand "No" means "No". Some of his actions towards ML could be considered as S. Harassment, too desperate. ML is disgusted by his touch and his creepy flirting from the beginning. ML is cold and harsh towards him, hits him, beats him. But this MC still clings to ML. Like come on, stop being this pathetic, pls.

ML: 1.5/5 MC is just s*upid and annoying but this ML is one of the most boring ML's i've seen in danmei novels history. He is just kinda there? His only reaction is when MC annoys him and clings to him. And what he shows is dislike and disgust, or punching MC few times. (But I kinda understand, MC is creepy) There is ZERO chemistry between MC and ML. Also it's very weird that he knows everything. How does he know life history of some random university student? Does he know every background and family history of all Chinese people? Is he Google or Wikipedia? I think MC has better chemistry with his best friend than this ML.

MC's side kick: In the beginning, MC's best friend is the most annoying person. He is crying and whining in every 5 sec. His IQ is on a very low side. Later he becomes less and less annoying, but still not useful at all. MC is always there to save him. Honestly MC should become a gong and his friend should be shou. His character is there just to remind MC that he is "gay". All his words and every comment is related to MC's sexuality, even in life and death situations. Maybe his character was added for a comedic relief? And it ended up not being funny? He felt little bit homophobic. Why is he so obsessed about his friends s@x life and guys around him?

Other team members: They just follow whatever MC or ML says. But I find them less annoying than main characters tbh.

Cannon fodders: Every female character is a b*tch, a villain, 100% would stab you in the back. Would die in the end 100%. If not a b*tch, then they are just annoying crybabies that would appear in the story only when they die. Even if you save them and tell them the location of the key, they wouldn't get out of the painting for whatever reason. Like running away from the key just because they are scared of the "key"?

Male cannon fodders are represented much much better, but cannon fodder is a cannon fodder. They are smart, strong and likable. But hey, you won't survive if you're not part of the "team". <<less
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happyevangeline
happyevangeline rated it
February 15, 2023
Status: c101
It was good, like I was so hook up to this story, until I realized that the writer seem so against at writing a good female character😭🤚. If theres an arc showing a female character, u best believe theyre gonna be a goner next, cause the female character in this story only consists of beinh pretty, s*upid, airhead, always relies on dudes cause uwu theyre female, im so fed up at this typenof writing💀👏. And if theyre beyond that, like they have brain and independent, the author is gonna write... more>> them as this "bossy bit*h that annoys everyone and a wannabe boss" like be fr author😭🤚💀. <<less
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tilsychari
tilsychari rated it
January 8, 2023
Status: --
Seeing all the reviews I was excited to read this, and the forst instance was pretty interesting, but after a while it got boring. And I wasn't really a fan of the instances they go into. The way they villianise all women characters in this also brings a disgusting taste in my mouth. I get this is Bl, but women can actually be friends with men without being 'flirty' and 'airheaded'. I think I've read about 200 chapters so it's not like I didn give this a good go. Won't... more>> be finishing it. <<less
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warspite
warspite rated it
September 25, 2022
Status: c161
THIS NOVEL IS SO GOOOOOD!!! The plot is great, the characters are very lovable! I tend to avoid protagonist falls in love first novels but the synopsis was really interesting so I gave it chance and I FCKING LOVE IT!

THE PLOT:

THE ARCS ARE HONESTLY SCARY QAQ. THIS IS SO FAR THE ONLY HORROR BL NOVEL THAT ACTUALLY HAVE SCARY PLOT. THE OTHERS I'VE READ AREN'T EVEN CLOSE TO HOW TERRIFYING THIS NOVEL IS. I FIND THIS EVEN MORE SCARY THAN KALEIDOSCOPE OF DEATH. KUDOS ON THE AUTHOR FOR CREATING SUCH... more>> PLOT AND FOR TGE TRANSLATOR/S FOR CONVEYING THE HORRIFYING PLOT.

CHARACTERS:

Spoiler

MC: I LOVE HIM SO SO SO MUCH. HE'S A SUNSHINE, A HERO! His character is kind and supporting. I love how courageous he is. I love how straightforward he is when it comes to his feelings for ML. He wants to leave no regrets and he's confidently gay! He's independent and smart. I just love his character so much.

ML: Cold, very smart and handsome! I love how he slowly fell for our sunshine MC. He's kind tho he needs to be logical in a situation where his life is on the line. It's refreshing that the progress of romance between him and MC is slow. It's realistic and logical. You cannot hate ML's character even though he is very cold at first.

Wei Dong (MC's best friend) : I LOVE HIM TOO. He is there for MC. They're really brothers in death! He is also funny af.

Qin Ci (supporting character) : AAAAAA I LOVE HIM TOOO LOLSJDHWKSJ. I love how his patience is long af and how gentle his character is.

Zhou Haowen (supporting character) : MY BABYYY, PLS BE MINE. Logical and cold! Very smart and observant!

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I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS NOVEL! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS NOVEL! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS NOVEL!

BTW!!!! Just to inform you, I tend to ignore the flaws of a novel if I enjoyed it very much so my reviews are a bit messed up in a sense that it ain't logical lol. But who cares????? What matters is that I am entertained and that I enjoyed it. <<less
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ghoststories
ghoststories rated it
May 14, 2022
Status: Completed
After reading the first arc, I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book or if I should continue, but I decided to keep going, and I’m SO glad I did! This novel is overall well written and really draws you in. Each painting they go into is a whole world and the author is reasonably meticulous about the details that build up each of these painting worlds. Each arc has its unique + interesting points and brings something new to the story. And the length of each arc is... more>> just right—short enough that you can stay focused and absorbed in the plot the whole time, but long enough to deliver all the details and wrap up all the loose ends.

I skimmed some of the more critical reviews here, and I think the points mentioned by many of them were resolved later in the book. For example, in the first like maybe 3-ish, it does seem like there’s just this very small main cast who can do no wrong, and no matter what they do, they will always survive, while the other cannon fodder characters are annoying and selfish and all die off. But later on, the main cast grows and becomes way more diverse. You get to see why they were able to survive, whether through luck or knowledge or skill. And the characters who die from arc 4-ish onwards are also way more diverse, not just following the same pattern of “whoever disagrees with us gets killed off.” There are still characters who are obviously very self serving, which leads to their own destruction. But there are also characters who are genuinely good people and try their best to be helpful and get everyone to survive. And there are characters who are unsure how they feel or how to act, and have both “good” and “bad” elements. So I did feel like the author successfully brought in a wide variety of characters and didn’t make it too predictable as to who would live and who would die in each painting.

Also saw that some people are unhappy that ML has like an insane amount of random knowledge. It is annoying at first, but later when there are more core characters, they all get to bring their own knowledge and to the table so that the author doesn’t have to just force ML to be the only one to know things lol. And he does also have his “knowledge blind spot, ” which actually becomes a joke towards the end of the book. Plentiful anime references were involved in this joke, which was a bonus for me lol.

To me the less strong parts are where they are NOT in a painting, when they are looking more into why/how they are getting s**ked into the paintings and who is behind the whole series of events. The actual concept behind the creation and history of the painting worlds is actually interesting, but the way the characters come to discover it is not very well put together. They are grasping at straws and drawing conclusions based on fallacious thinking, but someone still happens to find the right answer. A couple of examples:

Spoiler

When they’re listing out the “hints” that each of the paintings has given them, they’re like, “Since the arc 7 painting has tools such as animal ears that we can wear, it’s telling us that the we have patterns tattooed onto our bones that we can use as tools.” Like... how did you make that connection?

Another example: “One of the paintings depicts a scene from the Qin Dynasty, which tells us that the entering painting incidents started during the Qin Dynasty.” But there are also paintings taking place in other ancient time periods, in the 1990s, in the year 2012, and in the present day, so why did entering paintings definitely start in the Qin Dynasty and not in any of those other times?

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So in both those cases (and many others), even though the conclusions they drew were true, the ways they reached those conclusions are not believable.

The other thing is the pacing. A couple of theories are (very lightly) touched on pretty early on, and then are NEVER brought up again until almost the last arc, when the characters suddenly decide it’s time to dive deeply into the whole mystery behind it all. So at this point the author has to rush to get all the info and framework in, resulting in chapters upon chapters of the characters literally sitting in a circle and talking at each other. The author even acknowledges in one of the chapter notes that there is a lot of talking and theorizing, but that it’s necessary to tell the whole story, because ending it “too easily” would be doing the whole novel a disservice. I do agree that it’s necessary to thoroughly show the reasoning and clues that lead to the conclusion. But I think a better approach would have been to start leaking these clues early on and showing a tiny bit at a time, so that when they get to the end, they already have a big chunk of knowledge and can just keep the action going to the very end.

That said, I imagine it’s EXTREMELY difficult to plan out all the clues in such a long and complex novel, so kudos to the author for at least getting it done to this level. I would have been excited to read later works by this author to see if they could deal with this pacing issue better, but unfortunately there won’t be any more from them... : (

Favorite arcs:

Spoiler

Arc 3, which I liked because you got to see the emotional struggles of not just the “painting hoppers” but the NPCs as well. The arc takes place in an apartment complex and you find out about some of the previous tenants who died for various reasons, but they each had an insecurity or traumatic event that they were plagued by, and it was sad but beautiful to get to see that part of humanity.

Arc 7 because the theme was cartoons and I found out about a lot of cartoons I hadn’t know about. Also because they have props that they have to carry/use/wear, including cat ears, bunny ears, etc. and it was cute lol.

Arc 8 because it was so heartbreaking!!! One of the characters who died was a surprise to both me and the rest of the characters. They were mad about it and so was I, but more in the way where I just cried a lot because the author did a good job of weaving this story together. You also find out about the doctor’s backstory here. And the backstories of some of the other characters who were introduced in this arc were so sad too.

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Least favorite arcs:

Spoiler

Arc 1 for some reason that I can’t put my finger on; it just didn’t draw me in or feel as compelling as the later arcs. Even though the scenes described sounded like they were pretty terrifying and grotesque, for some reason they just didn’t give that FEEL of being terrifying and grotesque. But I didn’t have the same issue with the later arcs; in those, the horror and gore elements were sufficiently, well, horrifying and gory.

Arc 12 felt weaker to me because there were so many mixed and seemingly unrelated elements/clues. Even after they figured out that all the clues were tied together by the concept of the world ending/restarting but freed from human evils, it still just didn’t feel cohesive. And it really bothered me that the doctor was like, “I’ve been so stuck on the gruesome and exaggerated deaths that the paintings always have, so it didn’t even occur to me that our group members in this painting died of an actual, normal, real world disease, and the only exaggeration is the time frame.” And I’m like... no, this is actually a VERY exaggerated depiction of death from ebola virus??? Because real victims of ebola virus... don't melt into a puddle of blood. Also, there’s this part in the beginning (ish) of the arc where they were like, “It’s useless to search in the jungle because it’s huge and there’s no way we’d be able to see a tiny signature amongst all the wildly overgrown trees.” And then after they have the breakthrough where they figure out that the theme of the painting is to restart the world but in a more “natural” way of living, they’re like, “Oh, that means the signature must be in the jungle! Let’s go comb through the jungle!”... which makes no sense because the jungle is STILL huge and filled with wildly overgrown trees and plants, so they still wouldn’t be able to see the signature...

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Fisukisuki
Fisukisuki rated it
April 19, 2022
Status: c176
Finally the most brutal Chinese Horror novel I have ever read so far. ... more>>
Spoiler

One of the reasons was: "if no one die, they HAVE to Chose/Vote someone to die".

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You should not just Expect the Horror as in Ghost and Gore. It's MORE than THAT!!!

It's has one of most Epic 'Horror' moment:
Spoiler

One example, Forced to watch a Giant figures having s*x and had to listen too!!! LMAO

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Simply put, this novel has the MOST Unique Scenarios compared to many Unlimited Flows/World Hopping Horror Novel I have ever read so far!

This novel has MC who are Selfless in a way where he would sacrifice himself for his Bestfriend and ML!!!! 😭😭😭 Even when he was in pain, his instant/immediate reaction is to save or protect his Bestfriend or ML who also in pain!!!

He's also the Brightest and Warmest Protagonist I have ever see in any Horror story (and I mean literally ALL type of horror story I know so far; movie/comic/novel/etc) so far!

Also, Ke Xun (MC) is soooo good at treating ML. And he's the SHOU!!! Even in many Manly Gay Couple (non reversible/versatile couple) novel I have ever read, I have never see a Shou/Uke treated their Gong/Seme like a Honorable King/Highest being unless it was in actual Royalty or Master/Servant AU.

But when MC and ML finally get together... The Dog Food is So Powerful and I felt like being Choked but in Happiness !!!

Anyway, every arc keep intriguing me to read more. There's no one second where I find it boring. But you do really have to prepare your heart and mind because the Horror is more than just Ghost or Gore!

I truly Loving it and I pray soooo hard the Translation would always keep going till the end and the rest of the story is Satisfying to the end!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 <<less
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andreea9888
andreea9888 rated it
February 14, 2024
Status: --
I liked this in the beginning but now it's hard to say. I gave it a chance and I was very excited to read it bit by bit every day, but the low points are only getting more obvious, especially if you've already read some other unlimited flows (KoD for example, which was mentioned in some other reviews).

The instances themselves seem to be quantity over quality. I am not against shorter instances, but some felt really short and, as others mentioned, the solutions were found in a very random /... more>> unrealistic way. Another thing that annoyed me a bit (though it might change in later chapters) is that there is barely any description about their lives between the instances? It's not something I would usually mind, but seeing the next instance start right after the chapter where the previous one ended seemed a bit fast. But that might be a non issue compared to the actual puzzles and how the main characters solve them, and also the lack of participation from the other characters. Not to mention the huge number of cannon fodder characters, which was starting to also get annoying (it often felt like the author just needed some dumb / coward people to die in the meantime while the MCs "solved" the puzzle). It's not that I didn't feel intellectually stimulated (which I didn't), it's that I didn't even want to try to figure out the logic behind a painting, cause I knew that I won't have any chance of understanding it until the ML spelled it out for me.

I was also very excited to see the MC chasing the ML for once and not the other way around, but it was also getting a bit uncomfortable at some point - why continue the chase when the other person is, at his kindest, ignoring you? I want to continue reading, if only to see how they get together, but currently the most affection the MC is getting from the ML is the ML staring at his face for a bit longer than usual or (like once or twice) asking if he's alright, while the MC was basically shouting his love from the rooftops from the very beginning. It feels very unbalanced, and I'm afraid the payoff won't be enough.

All in all, the concept is interesting, but the execution could be better imho. Less instances, keep the best ones and add more value to them? Usually with unlimited flows I get excited about the next instance before the current one is over, just wondering what the author will come up with this time around. But in the case of this book, I don't really feel any excitement about future instances. At most, I am curious as to how the MC and ML will get together, but that's only cause I like it when the uke chases the seme. So I might continue reading because of this but I also want to feel excitement about the instances again, which I currently don't <<less
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Blackrain76
Blackrain76 rated it
July 2, 2023
Status: Completed
It's mind-blowing, the reasoning, complexity, tension, unity, terror is stimulating. I also want fang fei and Wei dong relationship progress. Though, it's a heavy plot but you should give it a try.
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Stranger_stranger
Stranger_stranger rated it
May 25, 2023
Status: c125
Really sorry for such a lengthy and messed review, but probably I was just expecting too much from the novel *sigh*

Here're the basic points:

- Plot and Worlbuilding: 3/5

Currently I've just finished the research institute arc (~125 chapter, hope it's not a spoiler), but I didn't really enjoy the plot so far because it's pretty illogical at times (at least it seems so).
First of all, there're some pretty random *death conditions*, but MCs are so lucky to escape every time, and cannon fodder characters just die like flies *rolls eyes* - really, they just run like headless chickens, making silly and lethal mistakes all the time (why are the main characters the only ones who have a few brain cells (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻)
The logic is pretty messed up, and while the characters cannot think of the most obvious things
Spoiler

hmm, what can metallic chairs and a machine//the room with a screen, a bed with belts and explicit pics do in a macabre looking research institute

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they somehow manage to come up with VERY unexpected conclusions, perfectly explaining the essence of the painting and the artist's logic. Just teach me how to create a flawless background story with literally 2-3 clues. Oh no, wait, we also have some biographical facts that someone, preferably one of the main characters, randomly remembers to timely shed light on the mystery.
Spoiler

Secondly, I somehow missed (or it was mentioned at the very beginning and I forgot because there was a huge time gap between me reading the first and second arcs) why everyone should die after 7 days. No, in some paintings the time frame is specifically mentioned, so I don't question the rule in those cases, but in others.. Kinda, later it was said that the ML was from the first bunch of unlucky people who entered the paintings, so it's even less evident then. Was this rule mentioned in the first painting? But it's illogical, since the paintings themselves aren't notably interconnected so far. Anyway, no one seems to question this rule, which surprises me.
Thirdly, it's also not explicitly stated (?) that the signature/seal should be located in the same place as on the real painting. While reading, I was thinking of it as a metaphorical thing that just appears somewhere after the characters solve the riddle, but at some point the heroes started discussing the corner the signiture might be located, based on the assumption where it's on the real pic.
Oo, my fav point - the characters suspect that there should be a mastermind behind all this (on its own it's pretty logical since it can't have just popped up from nowhere), but they also say that there MUST be an end to all this 'cause 'there's a beginning'. Honestly, I don't get it and I see no reason why it can't continue forever, in theory.
And the last thing: according to the worldbuilding, those who die in the worlds inside the paintings don't die in reality for some time. BUT in one of the arcs a cannon fodder character takes the phone of a deceased character (with their last words) to their parents. Why? They're probbaly not dead yet, won't it be weird?

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Overall, I hope most of these plotholes will be either explained properly or I've just misunderstood something

(;∀;)

- Characters: 1/5
Frankly speaking, I'm giving 0, 5 for the MC. He's indeed courageos and bold, loyal to his nearest and dearest, inventive (lol, I guess anyone can be called resourceful in contrast to the cannon fodders who just die weeping). However, he's too reckless at times, and I can't understand why he's willing to sacrifice everything for the ml. Love from first sight? Ok, maybe, but it's still overboard for someone who pays no attention/isn't grateful + they were barely familiar with each other when mc's suicidal behaviour started.
ML is a typical cool guy, who's perfect and aloof. For now, at least, his charcater seems bland, unrealistic and cliched. Overall, even if it gets better further down the road, he's still not likeable for the whole third of the novel.

I don't even have questions for the other charcaters. Actually, they are nearly non-existant. The mc's friend..., well, probably it's my issues, but I don't feel he supports the MC at all. He's neither helpful (overall), nor his character is interesting. His only purpose is to be one more pain in the neck the MC should care for. The MC saves him all the time, sacrificing himself again and again (like triggering a death condition to save his friend). The friend's jokes are dumb and, if his sole aim is to make the atmosphere less tense, he's awful at it.
The doctor and ZHW are aslo bland on their own, but not irritating at least.
The side cannon fodder charcaters are painful to look at. One minute they're briefly introduced and the next one you can already forget their names. Nearly all the girls are represented awfully (like it has been mentioned in other reviews). The only exception so far was Sha Liu, but she was shown as someone evil and nefarious. The thing is that she's exactly like the mcs, but when she tries to test death conditions on others, it's horrible, and when the MCs just do nothing to prevent violence/let cf characters kill themselves, it's fine. The last 0, 5 I was intending to give for her since she's the only character who evoked some emotions in me except for irritation.

Overall, for now I can't agree with all those rave reviews no matter how much I'd like to. I probaly should read further and change my mind then, but the first third of the novel wasn't inspiring. ಥ‿ಥ
P.S. thanks to all the translators who were/are engaged in this hard work. You're doing great

(つ≧▽≦) つ
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Hellish
Hellish rated it
October 8, 2022
Status: --
I am so in love with this novel. Everything about it to me really fit my preferences and gives me such a thrill. Sadly it was recently dropped by the translator. Hoping it gets picked back up soon!
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WordEater
WordEater
August 21, 2022
Status: c153
The plot and mysteries used were complex and kind of hard to follow for a person with really short span of attention. It still made me continue though because of how unique it was. I was so ready to give up because of how gorey it got but the first translator's promise of the couple getting really adorable together made me endure.

It did frightened and disgust me at most arcs but I was really surprised that aside from the main couple, I got to know the strengths as well as... more>> peculiarity of the side characters. It was really worth it, I had just finished the Cartoon World. <<less
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auraizen
auraizen rated it
June 1, 2022
Status: c165
Really interesting and innovative! It's still unlimited flow but stands out a lot. Some arcs get complicated and then I get lost though oof. Arc 7 was a bit boring and I'm in the middle of arc 8 rn and temporarily stopping because it started to feel repetitive. I've binged hundreds of chapters a day for various novels before but can't seem to do it with this one. I guess you know that 95% of the new extras are s*upid and will die while MC and ML and three other... more>> characters will never die so there's no suspense. (I think the author will kill some off eventually but still) I'll finish reading this later, still recommend it though ^^ <<less
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This person is dying
This person is dying rated it
January 11, 2022
Status: c155
(major edit: shortening)

Instances:

Spoiler
  • has one of the most beliavable mystery instances on novel update. Author also reveals the clues bit by bit. The pace is really good and has enough action to make it really exciting. anyway this is enough reason to read this novel!
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Romance:

Spoiler
  • I like how flirty and shameless our protaganist is at the start. I don't think most readers here aware that our protag here thought that he was the gong. ML was your common cold, perfect, handsome character who illogically attract both bees and flies, which annoy me a bit. He refused MC's advances in the first place because they just didn't know each other well enough, and probably because he felt that MC wanted him to be the shou lol (it's just my interpretation). I don't think it's because their world/jobs are too different; if it is the reason, then author doesn't make it clear enough and I will take another point from ML.
  • I think it's already within our expectation that the romance was not the focus, because mystery is the focus, the aspect which contribute to the rating the most.
  • but many romantic interactions are really cute and touching. It gives significant flavor to the story and can't be replaced with strong bromance.
  • so appreciate the romance
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Characters:

Spoiler
  • Because of how the world are structured, it's easy to notice a pattern: after MC no longer a newbie, every newbies after him will die sooner or later.
  • so you will be too lazy to be interested in them. And most of them are bland anyway. They either fall into 3 categories: coward, villain, or humane with small good qualities. And in the end they are all canon fooders.
  • most of their reaction are highly exaggerated as well like hysterical crying, sudden screaming, and going crazy, which are mostly done by women. So warning: until 150 chapters, there are no hints of notable female characters that you can admire here. at least not every female are coward, or evil, or s*upid, or always die in one painting (but there's still no smart, good, alive female character so far)
  • all of this add to MC and ML's OP-ness, which many reviewers already addressed
  • fortunately important side characters are quite okay, like MC's loyal best friend, the doctor who has been with ML's since the previous paintings, and another smart and clever new friend who seems to get cancelled midway form the role of second male-lead lol. Each of them have diverse personality, strength, and roles. You definitely won't mix them up.
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I hope all negative aspects won't take the fun of reading the really good mystery of this book, as it doesn't bother me either.

Tbh tho, I paused reading at ch 155 because only romantic development and comedy can make me keep feeling motivated. It's just personal taste and choice.

Happy reading ^^
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zenne_yourlocalface-con
zenne_yourlocalface-con rated it
October 26, 2021
Status: c10
I like how the MC isn’t too OP and he’s relatively normal, but his personality kinda pisses me off for whatever reason. The ML is your typical cold, know-it-all and I was hoping he would have more personality.

The author is great at building tension though, and what goes on in the paintings is something a bit new to me (even tho I’ve read many novels like this). I think it’s pretty okay so far but the characters are a bit annoying (for me) so I’ll probably drop it here...
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Arina-chan
Arina-chan rated it
January 27, 2024
Status: c78
I just don't think the painting instances are well made or at least the solution to it.

I don't really like the fact that the killing is random, and I feel like the plot armor is too strong.

... more>>
Spoiler

Like the second arc, out of all the flowers they just picked that specific flower that will protect them and they keep it everywhere they go

Or the Animal world, where they speculate about the dog being the solution without any hint to it, it's all guesswork without any evidence but it's correct at the end. Basically author just by BSing anything and magically it's the solution, feels very lazy.

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Some of the logic seems very convenient, I will be dropping this novel cos I don't think it's very well thought out and the relationship between MC and ML feels so-so. <<less
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shreyshrey
shreyshrey rated it
August 21, 2023
Status: c125
really mortifying... The author writes horror that cross the limit of conventions and becomes horror that is beyond human comprehension, morals and goes beyond humanity itself. (in other ways, it will f*ck your brain up).

To my dear sisters obsessed with horror this... is your cup of tea.. it's your paradise.I was initially ignoring this novel because I thought I don't have any comprehension when it comes to art but the writer has done a good job. It's thoroughly explained. By the middle of 2nd arc you start to evaluate the... more>> paintings too. Also, I am not a big fan of horror but it's just written so darned well that I was s**ked in.

Talking about the romance... it's there but not dominant. Like you know MC and ML will get together and they did have their moments but they were very breif. It's mostly horror so you might feel a lil unsatisfied if you were looking for romance in large quantities. But the MC and ML have interesting characters and make a good couple as such.

The author has big brains. It got too much for my brain to comprehend after a point of time so I left it in between. (That and the fact that it got depressing after a point, the w0rld in the paintings is cruel -not a horrifc way-that wears off at some point but more like it makes you cynical and uncaring). I will come back to read it after some point.

IT'S BEAUTIFULY WRITTEN THO-MUST, MUST READ !! DON'T LET ANYTHING STOP YOU.

My greetings to the translators. They did a wonderful job: the plot is very intricate, I imagine the translations must be difficult.

I am rating it 4 because I would personally like more romance.. and also as somewhat of a compensation for my mental health, lol. <<less
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Onelazygirl
Onelazygirl rated it
May 27, 2023
Status: c216
I really really like the MC. He is just so lovable you will instantly fall for him.

I like MC and ML'S relationship as well but.... you know I felt situation was a little bit unfair to the MC. Like MC has lost his parents and he lives alone. ML on the other hand comes from a complete family. And he himself admits that his life has been especially smooth sailing while the same cannot be said for the MC.....

What I meant by unfairness is that MC pursues the ML, he... more>> does lots of things for ML, I mean yeah ML didn't ask for him to do these things but you know even when they get together I always felt that MC liked the ML more... and I love MC like my baby so I wanted him to be treasured by someone as well...

Both MC and ML are equally amazing. What I like that 5 of them were always together and they do not die (atleast haven't till where I have read) you know in these types of novels almost no one's life is safe except MC and ML. Like in Kaleidoscope of Death though it isn't shown but we all know that all the side characters will die.... beacause crossing the doors are no easy feat.

And please the world of the painting is chef's kiss. Like literally the author is amazing with the world building.

I am waiting for this novel to be completely translated as I do not wish to miss any detail of this novel because of MTL. <<less
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Lou Yigou
Lou Yigou rated it
January 4, 2023
Status: c1
This is sooooooo exciting!

Ke Xun is my baby.

My yiran is man with sexy brain. I was attached to the side characters ❤️ I really loved the whole cast ! The plot! Author is Genius!👍
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trash_generalist
trash_generalist
December 22, 2022
Status: c24
Read the first arc! It’s pretty good. The characters are realistic and the set-up for the instances are detailed. It really makes you feel like you’re there, which does increase the creepy factor a bit (though, in terms of horror level, I’d say this is not as scary as I imagined. Ndkdkdkd one of the reasons I avoided this novel for so long was because it was said to be super scary. But it ended up being more tolerable than expected!) The reason I dropped the novel after the first... more>> arc was that the mood was all wrong. I didn’t want to ruin the novel because of a bad mood, I quit while I was ahead. I’ll come back to reread later!

Summary: The MC (Ke Xun) visited a painting exhibition along with his friend. By some twist of fate, they ended up being dragged into the world of paintings. In these paintings, they have to do not only survive the death triggers set up by the instance but also find the seal that will allow them to leave. The ML (Mu Yiran) is a big boss that appears in the MC’s first entrance and helps him survive long enough to grow.

If you want to compare it to other ultimate flow novels, the tone is definitely a lot more mature. The characters are complex and the setting is well put together. Lots of research should have also been put into it, making the world truly seem like it’s popping off the page. SO, all in all? My opinion of the novel is very good~ If I hadn’t been in the wrong mood, I think I could have enjoyed it a lot. <<less
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