very much like Shi Sheng in Side Character Transmigrations: The Final Boss is No Joke, the more you read the more you realize that while she's smart, resourceful, and determined, she is a very cruel and unfeeling person even when you consider that the characters in the book world aren't "real." Sometimes her actions are so unsympathetic that I found it hard to like her but the reason why I didn't give up on her completely was due to the fact that the MC can admit to not being a good person. She's not hypocritical. She knows she's selfish and unreasonable and that it's nearly impossible for her to relate to others. She even reveals that doctors have told her family that there's something wrong with her mentally (an assessment I agree with). Because she's a deeply flawed person it takes her a long time to even realize what it means to like someone. While I didn't like her character at times, I did like that her initial character set up remains consistent throughout. Yes, she develops as a character but there is no drastic change. Change is gradual. Even when she finally discovers she likes the ML, it takes her a long time to figure out how to treat him well because as a borderline psychopathic character she literally doesn't know how to be treat others lovingly.

As a self-aware character stuck in a cycle of abuse novels, his life is inevitably tragic. All he wants is to be able to control his own destiny but to do so he must obtain the love of his creator and then kill her. Obviously, this task is easier said than done, especially since he both loves and hates his creator whom gave him life only to let him suffer. It's a brilliant and rich internal conflict for a character to have to face.

Violent ex-con who was wrongfully framed x two-faced gold digger: I liked this arc because the MC cooked up some truly crazy schemes in order to get the truly blackened ML to stop resenting her. The misunderstanding in this arc that led the leads to developing a physical relationship was also hilarious. Both sides weren't really willing but went along with it because both believed that was what the other party wanted. Lol in this way you constantly had both sides thinking ffs again?? Why is this person so damn thirsty??

Abandoned and paralyzed teen heir x the stepmom who took his whole fortune: This was a truly wild ride. The ML suffers a lot in this arc because he overthinks and misunderstands everything but it somehow kind of works in the MC's favour at the end?

Disfigured general x his cheating wife: This was one of the arcs with the most equal relationship between the leads imo. For once the MC isn't raising the ML. Before the ML awakens, it was also quite sweet.

Poor but good twin x rich but evil twin x school's recognized white lotus: The beginning is sweet but the rest of it makes you think oof poor ML x 2. This arc was a game changer because the ML is split into 2 and the "evil" half of him awakens early. Thus, for the first time ever the MC is able to confront him directly and kind of suss out his objective for bringing her to these book worlds.

Ascetic once mighty CEO relegated to powerless prisoner in apocalyptic times x back stabber with rare space ability: The ML was veryyyyy stubborn in this arc because of his set character lol so much so that the MC gets so frustrated with him she forces him to awaken early. After he awakens, there's a turning point in their relationship.

Elite adopted uncle x rebellious turned yandere niece: Y'all this arc was a roller coaster ride of emotions. So many twists and turns. At one point I wondered if I should continued reading because the MC was acting so psychotically I almost gave up on her. Previously, she worked hard to repair the relationship between her character and the MLs but in this arc she went out of her way to ruin the relationship because she was bored while waiting for the ML to awaken again? Idek what her motivations were for doing half the things she did in this arc but by the end of it, she does finally reflect on her crazy actions. We can also confirm that despite the MC's extreme indifference to human life, she does genuinely care about the ML. The system breaks down at the end of this arc and she goes back to the real world for a moment.

Housekeeper's son forced to enter the palace and become an eunuch x favoured concubine: After going batsh*t crazy in the last arc the MC is determined to be good to the ML in this arc regardless of whether he's awakened or not. She's awkward at first but things work out in the end. The first arc where the couple isn't separated by some tragic death!

Werewolf boy who's secretly a foodie x beast tribe's human priestess: Lol the ML is hilarious in this arc cause he's really simple-minded and becomes obsessed with eating (literal meaning at first then other meaning later 😉) the delicious MC. And! As if to make up for his lack of "a little brother" in the previous arc, in this arc the ML is shall we say supersized?

Harem of ex-lovers x scumbag master: This arc was great. Basically all the personalities of the ML that the MC encountered before are now gathered in the cultivation world and they're all obsessed with the MC.

Finally in the real world we have a HE.