Today, the Foolish Scum Gong Screwed Me Over Again

Description

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Qiu Yanzhi was a jaded university student who came across a popular virtual reality dating simulator. One capture target in particular, He Zhou, caught his eye immediately.

But why was this guy such an as*hole for no reason?? Game devs, WTF were you thinking???

But for some reason Qiu Yanzhi stuck around. He found that He Zhou wasn’t so bad after all. Qiu Yanzhi had fun in game, basking in the warmth and affection missing from his real life.

That was, until he couldn’t log out anymore.

Trapped inside the game, Qiu Yanzhi saw only one way out: seducing the capture target to complete the main storyline.

And if that meant he had to pretend, to lie, to scheme and deceive?

He would do it.

After all…

This was just a game, right?

Associated Names
One entry per line
沙雕渣攻今天又渣了我
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Everyone Knows I’m a Good Person (3)
Quickly Wear the Face of the Devil (2)
The Demon King Always Thinks I’m Secretly In Love With Him (2)
Need to Propose to Seven Men What to Do! (2)
The Villains All Fell in Love with Me After Rebirth (2)
Face Slapping The Slag Gong System (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. TBR BL that i believe hold the potential to make i...
  2. Modern
  3. Cliches, Classics, Goats
  4. BL collection [GOOD, WHATEVER & BAD] #2
  5. Top tier BL

Latest Release

Date Group Release
12/21/21 Isohungry Translations c84 part2
12/18/21 Isohungry Translations c84 part1
12/14/21 Isohungry Translations c83 part3
12/11/21 Isohungry Translations c83 part2
12/07/21 Isohungry Translations c83 part1
12/04/21 Isohungry Translations c82 part2
11/30/21 Isohungry Translations c82 part1
11/27/21 Isohungry Translations c81
11/23/21 Isohungry Translations c80
11/20/21 Isohungry Translations c79 part2
11/16/21 Isohungry Translations c79 part1
11/13/21 Isohungry Translations c78
11/09/21 Isohungry Translations c77
11/05/21 Isohungry Translations c76
11/01/21 Isohungry Translations c74 part2
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Review
94 Reviews


ada_lovely
New ada_lovely
Mar 19, 2024
Status: c40
The the focus on relationships outside the main pair is MWAH! The way MC and his in-game best friend support each other thru thick n thru thin?!!?? YEAH!!! Plus, the female characters are clearly written with love <3

Seeing readers calling MC scum because he lied to the NPCs inside a video game is honestly cringe.... then evangelizing ML who literally ... more>>
Spoiler

rapes MC with no remorse.... Like I love me some non-con but not if it's brushed off, no consequences!?!?

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Story got unreadably boring halfway through but it was really engaging until then! <<less
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FlowingTime
FlowingTime
Jan 14, 2021
Status: c28
Honestly I can't rate it... Only those who can handle constant doses of concentrated second hand embarrassment can read this novel... Maybe my face is too thin idk... Even the tiniest amount of second hand embarrassment from any novel, especially when you see it coming makes me by reflex now flip over my phone screen and cringe hard or maybe react out loud like laughing nervously or groan in pain... making my family used to the fact that I may be psycho

For this novel... I feel that they are very... more>> tempted to take me to an institution... I almost dropped it several times but because MC pits himself so hard... Like a masochist I'm very tempted to see what happens next... But now... I think that I approached a limit... I can't anymore... This pit is too big... I'm tired... Goodbye. <<less
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Melange
Melange
Oct 27, 2020
Status: Completed
This title is misleading because ML gong was scum for all of 5 seconds. The biggest scum is MC shou. Really, really big big scum.

"Today, the foolish scum gong screwed me over again." No! You screwed yourself over!

But it's not really his fault, to be honest.

... more>>
Spoiler

He thought he was playing a BL otome game. Although, he treats his real life like a game as well.

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The plot is kinda twisty wisty, topsy turvy chaotic. Over time, MC struggles to separate himself from his circumstances and reality.

Spoiler

His life and his family in the game are much better than reality. If it weren't for some bugs like the man-eating tr*sh can and the cherry tree, he probably would have been content to stay in that world for the rest of his life.

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This leads to an existential crisis for ML gong, which later leads to hilarity.

Spoiler

He believes he is merely a game NPC and a substitute for MC's childhood friend "Qin He."

He refuses to do anything with MC when he goes back to reality because he's in "Qin He's" body, while inadvertently making himself seem like an unemployed, uneducated, loser bum.

Jokes on him, he's Qin He. He c*ckblocked himself.

Poor ML's sister, she was so confused. She had to walk in on them doing some bondage play and thought ML kidnapped MC, oh dear. Awkward.

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Like the plot, MC and ML's relationship encounters many bumps as they went down an unpaved road in uncharted territory. The car overturned a few times. Went off a cliff once or twice. It's okay though, they get their happy ending and when they do, it's well deserved.

It was a pretty short novel, but it felt like a long ride. I'm glad the side CP also got their own happy ending.

Spoiler

MC's best friend found a man who loves him, drag queen and all. He got to wear the biggest, most fab wedding dress when they got married ~~

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Orenge
Orenge
Jun 26, 2020
Status: Completed
Great novel. 4.5/5

There was a nice mix of drama, misunderstandings and romance.

I really liked the characters/side characters in this novel, they weren't just 2 dimensional, and as the plot unravels, we get an understanding to why characters acted the way they did. The numerous twists were well done and I really liked the progression of the plot. I loved the gradual reveal of information until we finally got the full picture in the end. It made me feel that the story was rather intricate and compelling.

Honestly I couldn't handle the... more>> ML's personality in the beginning (was hoping scum gong and scum love interest can just get together and go away), however as the novel progressed, I went from being irritated every time he shows up, to believing he's too good for the MC.

ML is quite possessive, but also very kind. MC is quite an interesting character. He isn't perfect and is selfish in many ways, and he often lies leading to the numerous misunderstandings with the ML. However, he has his redeeming qualities too, but I wouldn't say I necessary like him. Especially when I felt that he almost cruelly disregarded ML's feelings whilst remaining completely ignorant. However I do think the romance is great, and added to the many hardships, it makes it the more sweet.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel. I think it stands out from many novels of a similar genre. <<less
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FanGirlNoha
FanGirlNoha
Mar 14, 2021
Status: Completed
Edit: Finally completed it. Some questions still remain unanswered, but this novel is definitely RECOMMENDED! 😊 I don't know why so many reviewers are tr*sh-talking about the MC. The MC's action at the beginning is completely logical, even though it seems scummy. How many of us actually play a game and consider the game characters to be the same as real humans? Even if the holographic game seems more realistic than desktop/mobile games, for the MC, it's still a GAME! And a dating-sim to boot, where he has to 'capture' targets. So his shamelessness is actually not illogical but normal in a game.

Well, the rant's over.

I like both the MC and ML. Neither of them seem completely moral, but at the same time, you could say that they're influenced by their surroundings. The MC's past makes him scummy and a liar. He could've done fine without the lies, and those lies created a shadow in ML's heart, but his situation is understandable. As for the ML, his situation was even more complex,
Spoiler

ML is actually not an NPC, but gets stuck in the game he invested in because of a freak accident in-game and his own psychological trauma from real life. His gaming console gets snatched by an NPC and he is relegated to a 'capture target'. The whole issue is hinted throughout the novel but it still blows your mind when the truth is revealed.

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I liked the romance even though it was a terrifying rollercoaster ride. Both the MC & ML try to deny their feelings at different points and at times it became hard to read about their breaking relationship; but all's well that ends well. The sweet moments are very cute and sweet. Thee MC & ML's relation seemed comparatively realistic. I especially liked the fact that the author didn't set up the ML to be some kind of s*x god and showed gradual development in his skills. That felt quite refreshing to me as most shou/uke don't call out to their partners who make them 'unable to leave bed/move their waist'. The MC & ML seemed quite independent despite depending on each other.

I did feel that at some points the MC & ML seemed a bit neurotic: the MC being a pathological liar and the ML being almost a yandere. Then again, unlike most BLs, the MC & ML had more things to offer than their neurotic characteristics and were not solely defined by those traits. The side characters seemed lively and detailed to me, to the point that I felt quite sad about the antagonist.

Spoiler

Especially in ch 89 when the antagonist's source data is destroyed in a seemingly anticlimactic manner and how he himself reflects on his quiet demise.

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There are a few loopholes though, which I hope will be answered in the extras, though it seems unlikely to happen. I also felt that the ending could have been stretched a bit as it left me wanting more. (I just hope the extra chapters do justice to my hopes)

Lastly, I'd like to thank the trnslation team for the excellent quality of their work. I'm looking forward to re-reading the whole novel once it gets fully translated.

Tl;dr: Good novel, with slight twist in the cliché plot; interesting charcaters and fluffy romance. RECOMMENDED! 😍
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Acidelia
Acidelia
Jun 25, 2020
Status: Completed
Top tier, and one of the most enjoyable reads I've had. Genuinely one of the novels I struggle to write a review for because of much at awe I am after finishing it. I did my best to avoid spoilers and not rave like a fangirl.

But TLDR: if you want to read a novel that gives you the same feeling as a rollercoaster ride, this is the one to pick up!

First, the plot: like I summarised above, this novel is like a rollercoaster - I could tell there'd be twists... more>> and turns but nothing beats the experience while reading it, I was blindsided so many times I felt like a M because of how much I enjoyed it. I don't usually like to compare novels, but this gave me the same feelings of Villains All Fell In Love With Me - different novels, but they have the same immersive experience through the journey with the MC and the pacing of both stories were well done.

For this one, I strongly persist on not spoiling yourself, the fun really is in reading it.

The title is Scum Gong Screwed Me Over but most times it's the other way around... Rather than dogblood drama between the MC and the ML, I would say it's more the MC facing the repercussions of his actions and lies – which is in part due to the nature of the virtual game, and the MC's character itself. Although the ML seems tr*sh at the start, I feel that it's justified given with how the MC behaved in the beginning, and you'll gradually come to like him more as the novel continues. <<less
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QkDodolita
QkDodolita
Feb 23, 2021
Status: c22
I can't with this book anymore. MC is totally horrible, even if he felt ML was an NPC, the realistic nature of the game should have evoked some sense of compassion and conscience in him, but no, he was just a horrible person. At some point I was even rooting for his brother to destroy him in whatever despicable way he had planned. I liked ML, he deserves way better than that. MC is too selfish, ML is too kind, he was even unwilling to have angry/revenge s*x like other... more>> MLs normally do. I f you decide to read, be prepared to have an annoying MC who only begins to develop a sense of conscience and consciousness because he himself was endangered and ad no qualms with playing ML for an idiot twin later blaming ML and guilt tripping him on events he planned out himself. No matter what, MC is unlikeable to me, probably why author started weaving in some sad and poor childhood plotline for him. I couldn't care less about what he suffered. So yup, not reading. And very pissed for reading so far. <<less
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XixiIsDelicate
XixiIsDelica
Sep 15, 2021
Status: c97
Finished it in one sitting. The entire thing had my emotions at a haywire and I was giddy with anticipation with each chapter. Appreciate the translators for translating everything :)

I managed to get through everything that wasn't translated yet through MTL. I expected nothing but dog blood drama and the usual tropes, and I honestly like that, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well-written the story was. The characters have depth; MC's need for keeping to himself and being haunted by his past and how he showed it... more>> through his actions and train of thought was interesting. I love how it shows how people who were abandoned multiple times actually feel towards these situations and shows that people do become closed off in order to cope with the fear of being abandoned by people they come to care for. I most of all appreciate his personality, it stays strong and firm on what he believes in through the end. It's an interesting trait that can always be rather difficult to portray in romance since the whole "Love is everything" magic comes into play and tr*shes on said stubborn pride. It can be a flaw, but I love how the MC is. He sees it as a game, and thusly so sees the characters as NPCs. It's an understandable thought. He isn't horrible, per se, but he does hold his faults. I love that he knows his worth, but does hold human emotions as he hesitates each time when he has the chance to leave ML. It's a contradictory thought, and that's what I appreciate. Humans are complex. Complicated. Their decisions are overshadowed by pride, while contradicting their inner emotions. I like that it's expressed in the MC. He's rather funny as well.

The ML was a rather interesting character. He had the usual overbearing, yandere CEO type going for him, but he was rather surprisingly... adorable? He was adorable. One could say he's just tsun tsun but I see him as more of a person being wary of the scum our MC is. He shows himself to be smart, and I appreciate the fact that he goes to therapy. Funny to say it that way but it's obvious that he actually does try to keep his emotions in check and although there's the usual dubcon themes slipping through the cracks, just about most things here are consensual. ML is a sweet man. He remembers a lot about the MC, he cares about the MC, and even when he's mad he gets soft for the MC. It's obvious that he's worked through with his emotions with that therapist of his which I find to be appreciative. It's always brushed off, the trauma, I mean, in a lot of these so I find this to be a good change of pace. The guy has money, connections and trauma. Go to therapy. You have the right and priviledge. He's observant as well, and the way he shoots himself in the foot constantly at the end was just so hilariously cute.

Domestic abuse was expressed okay-ish. I like the minor as*xual representation in the Shen guy, although he does go out of his character set, maybe heteromantic? I don't really care to assume. I like that the MC told his best friend that he'd support him if ever he identified as a woman, unless it was for a man. Speaking of self-respect and respecting his friend's potential identity. I like that it's somewhat correctly depicting homosexuality rather than fetishizing it. It's just, raw.

Spoiler

The ML has no experience in bed so he goes really rough and all in all, has bad techniques at the start which was hilarious and funny. I appreciated it since well, if you're inexperienced, of course you'd be bad in bed. Not many are Adonis s*x Gods. I just thought it was funny because he thought he was actually doing well- a rather common thought for inexperienced men - it was funny how the MC even considered that maybe he wasn't a homo because of the horrible experience.

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All in all, I loved it. The twists had their foreshadowing, I love the pacing, I love that it didn't try to extend its length for far too long, I love that the misunderstandings make sense and really funnily could be resolved if they talked, but that's the point of misunderstandings. It all ended with a good little ribbon on it. I liked it a lot. I laughed, cried, and swooned with each paragraph. I have a rather weak heart, so the whole twists and turns just got to me. Most of everything mentioned was used. The cherry tree, tr*shcans, grass, whatever - characters are used for their purposes! I loved it! It's easy to just scrap characters off like plot devices but I appreciate how it actually used them. I loved the mystery although my heart was dying inwardly as I read. The author uses the method of giving the readers a nice little wave-free boat, having us ride smooth sailing then dropping us into a storm unexpectantly. I started dreading whenever it became a fluffy, romantic and sweet scene because I just knew the author was planning something sinister to make my fall into that twist's flurry of emotions hit even harder. I love the foreshadowing, and when I reread it, I just notice the little things. It's so fun. I'd say more but the novel just left me with such a void of satisfied emotions that I can't even elaborate on much more from my excitement.

My only sadness is Baby Yu, ah... I really miss him. He's not dead. I just miss him. <<less
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Eccentricstate
Eccentricsta
Feb 16, 2022
Status: Completed
Rating: 4.0

Pairing Type: player shou x NPC gong; lying shou; doting gong; shameless shou; CEO gong; standard formula gong (though fairly likeable)

Tropes: transmigration; stuck in a game; amnesia

... more>> Triggers: death; su*cide; attempted r*pe; drugging; torture (for a comedy novel it really did have it all lol)

Heat level: low, there’s kissing but s*x scenes are fade to black

Re-readability: low; probably won’t reread

It was actually a fairly fun novel that I read in a day. The twists and turns were really interesting (though I did guess the main twist early on despite that fact that we were given a red herring). Probably won’t re-read because the triggers will definitely show that it was a pretty dog-blooded novel.

That being said it was honestly pretty funny at times. Definitely a good one-time read <<less
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Jhunajane
Jhunajane
Jun 25, 2021
Status: Completed
This story has a hell of a plot. They were so many twist at each end of the chapters that you just keep in mind that there is. The amount of times MC was discovered out of his lies over and over again without him failing to cover lies over lies is a massive hilarity. That is some kind of plot we got here but if this keeps up until the very end and the misunderstanding just never ends even with the villain obliterated and all is just f*cking tiring.... more>> It ended up frustrating the hell out of me and drags myself to at least give myself the decency to read until the end. It is HE, y'all but I kind of hope for them to die because I'm sick with it. But well, not really worth reading but maybe this is your cup.

p.s. The title is wrong, it was not the gong but the shou who was very scum. <<less
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etsuhun
etsuhun
Oct 16, 2020
Status: Completed
Scum Gong? More like Scum Shou!

Bless the random series feature in NU or else I'd never find this novel for myself. This novel pulled every existing emotion in my body. I laughed, cried, ran away from embarrassment, and got angry. Author turned this textbook plot and filled it with plot twists that one might not expect.

The best thing in this novel are probably the main characters, the progress in their relationship was very enjoyable. Very hot blodded couple but they match each other so well. The side characters are very... more>> lovable and it's not hard to get attached to them.

Easy to MTL, but I would wait to read this to be fully translated. It's a wonderfully written novel and one shouldn't pass reading this. <<less
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rhea4765
rhea4765
Aug 29, 2020
Status: Completed
This story is truly a roller coaster. It's funny, it's heartrending, it's infuriating, it's touching---all could happen in one chapter. Most characters have quite unique approaches to things, including the MC and the ML. Their flaws and characterizations bring out a riveting story, not to mention the plot that seemed convoluted and yet connected and filled with ups and downs, the mystery is also compelling enough without diverging from the main story.

Highly recommended and the MTL is easy to understand.

If you want to know when the summary happened:

... more>>
Spoiler

Chapter 18. It's as funny as the summary told but not without consequences.

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qpzmal
qpzmal
Jan 04, 2021
Status: Completed
I got whiplash from all the plot twists. So good. Made it in my top 5. A rollercoaster of emotions. They should really add the tragedy tag. Kind of like a fusion between Strategy to Capture that Scum Gong, Don't Pick Up Boyfriends From The tr*sh Bin, and Sword Art Online. The MC's personality is similar to Xiao Li in I Wasn't Born Lucky and Xie He in Strategy to Capture that Scum Gong in the romance aspect. All the misunderstandings got cleared in the beginning and it starts being... more>> Groundhog Day. (A time loop) I really liked the whole premise of the novel and I'm so glad I found this unique and original gem.

Spoiler

He Zhou and Little tr*sh are the same people if you wanted to know. Kind of like 061 in Don't Pick Up Boyfriends From The tr*sh Bin, they lost their memory and were the MC's first love.

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Exuria
Exuria
Aug 12, 2020
Status: Completed
I finished reading the raws and omg what a roller coaster. The MTLs of this online are pretty easy to understand ?? So you can finish reading the novel.

I loved reading about both the MC's and ML's scumminess and how they change throughout the story. It got a bit annoying when the story started dragging on near the end, to build suspense. It makes you want to scream and tell both MC and ML to wake up and stop being dumb lol

Just like all the other reviews, yes you will... more>> hate the ML for being a scumbag. And then you'll hate MC for being a scumbag. <<less
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taluluday
taluluday
Jun 30, 2022
Status: Completed
This is f*cking gem! The MC is actually kinda scum, but tbh it’s understandable from his situation and stuff. There were a few parts that I cried but there were a lot of time that I just smiled foolishly QAQ!

the plot is also intense, not super light fluffy! But the drama wasn’t dog-blood boring drama, it’s actually not cliche. Sure there’s misunderstanding here and there but it’s still super gooooood.

MC - confused scum, actually cold heart, denial cat

ML - confused cold at first, confused obsessed, a cute kid who wants... more>> love <<less
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Dragon_Reader
Dragon_Reade
Apr 27, 2021
Status: Completed
Almost till half of the novel, I considered this novel to be the usual but boy did it change. Almost till the end I was at tenterhooks. I know you will be tempted to stop reading mid-way especially since MC and ML are soooo scummy but trust me, the novel picks up pace soon enough.
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Nyan02
Nyan02
Mar 01, 2021
Status: c34
Wow. Just wow. I love it? I'm not sure how people might consider it a comedy though (at least till chapter 34). It's tragically beautiful. I love the plot, I can see where it leads to and I'm really curious how this mess will resolve. I can already see some character improvement and it's interesting to what degree they will grow by the end.

MC and ML this far really deserve each other? They are perfect for each other? Both of them are equally mental? ML might look pitiful, but he... more>> kinda dug the pit himself?

Spoiler

I mean, he did start liking MC, because MC was willing to die for him. Which is by no means normal or healthy. And he was even heartbroken to learn that was not the case. So I think he deserves what he's got. At least for now.

[collapse]

Just because he starts to act better than in the beginning doesn't whitewash him completely. Although, honestly, sometimes I did think that this novel should be called 'Today, I want to finally drive the Foolish Scum Gong completely insane again.'

I like how ML is possessive in not 'You've picked my attention' kind of way, but rather 'You ruined me so much and you want out?'

MC is scum, but for him it's all a game. For how long do you feel pity for otoge characters that you dumped? Maybe one day or two at max. Yes, you may argue that it's virtual reality and he is way more immersed. But for him the blur of line between reality and fiction means that he is mentally unstable.

Spoiler

I particularly liked how author described that period of time when the game crushed. MC might look selfish or shameless, but he's trapped in a game that has been out of service for 3 years. The last person who played it died. Of course, he feels scared out of his mind since his life is on the line. And he tries his best to survive. Yes, he makes shitty decisions but he's convinced that ML is just a string of code.

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I really like this novel. It's a lot less cliche than most. I love how the author didn't downgrade it to comedy. And both characters have distinct personalities, which feels really refreshing. <<less
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ike_00000
ike_00000
Nov 12, 2020
Status: Completed
Very powerful characterization. I MTLed from c20 to finish, it's a pretty easy MTL.

In a sense, you could say many people are very scummy, particularly the MC. Although I feel in most cases he couldn't help it, he truly was quite scummy a lot of times, especially in regards to his past. That said, given the way he grew up, it is quite understandable. I firmly believe he really did fall in love back then and simply didn't know it, holding on to societal teachings and thus refusing to step... more>> forward. I really feel bad for ML, although I guess we can say MC saved his life again.

Honestly, I thought this was gonna be a light-hearted comedy story, but especially later a lot of it isn't. It can b pretty dramatic and explorational. The plot is quite interesting, and for the most part there's no real major plotholes that makes me uncomfortable.

The side characters also have distinctive characters, particularly MC's best friend. The side couple gets a happy ending but truthfully I still think the partner is a scum and the best friend deserves *SO MUCH BETTER*.

Spoiler

ZYX was so goodhearted, and despite that LC tried to drug him to further take advantage of him for his own purposes. Disgusting scum, ZYX deserves way way better. Not to mention how he could be the third party in a relationship, sleeping with both his gold backer AND his gold backer's partner. When he's at the end of his rope, ZYX saved him, and yet LC STILL tried to drug & r*pe him after they got along.

And this was AFTER LC realized that ZYX is a genuinely good person and LC realized he liked ZYX. And after LC realized ZYX has helped him from beginning to end.

White-eyed wolf, piece of sh*t. If you wanted to be kind, you could argue "character development", but ZYX took care of him and was genuinely good to him for months yet LC could still scheme to drug & r*pe the guy (and he wouldn't have known it was a drug).

Fortunately, at least all this struggle means he'll definitely treat ZYX well. That is, unless something big happens where he'll have to choose between himself and ZYX.

[collapse]

Even the big villain, I think he's so pitiful. Due to his character, he ended up doing what he did because he likes to take control of his fate and escape, but it led to all these subsequent things. However, his character is also very real, and he's torn in his struggles. It was all an accident to begin with. The side chapters really reveal a lot.

Anyway, overall an interesting story. <<less
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ylial
ylial
Nov 04, 2020
Status: Completed
Good novel!! I enjoy the roller Coaster ride of the scum shou!! I honestly pity the ML. The great part about this novel is the 3D chara's personality and story. The MC isn't really a scum when he is young, but is forced to.. Eventually that habit is hard to change. Downside: you might find the push and pull between MC and ML tiring. However, I don't find the characters annoying.
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RAGA
RAGA
Oct 20, 2020
Status: c17
After reading the summary and comments, I was a little hesitant on reading this because I'm really not a fan of scummy MCs (or at least, unlikeable ones) and after seeing people say that both MC and ML were scummy, I was even more unsure as to whether or not I should pick this up. But I decided to give it a try anyways after reading Acidelia's comment and am glad I did.

So, this review is really just to encourage anyone, like myself, who is hesitant about reading this,... more>> particularly for the reasons stated above, to give the story a try.

But like Acidelia's comment suggests, I recommend not reading the spoilers in this review in order to get the full impact of the story (plus, all my spoilers only cover through chapter 17, anyways, and only enough to address the above issue--though that also means that you shouldn't really be spoiled about the whole story by reading these spoilers either... So I guess, do whatever).

The whole "scummy" aspect of the MC and ML aren't really because of them being generally unlikeable but more to do with their circumstances, which makes their "scummy" sides seem considerably much more reasonable.

For the MC:

Spoiler

The setting is a VR game, in which the MC is a player and the ML is the MC's chosen capture target. And this clearly colors the MC's whole perception of the ML. He doesn't really see the ML as a real person, but more like an objective of the game, even if he sometimes has a soft spot for the ML.

Unfortunately, because of how the game's currency is and how the MC chooses to play the game, the MC tends to put the ML into some pretty sh*tty situations, and as he doesn't see the ML as more than an NPC, the MC doesn't really give much consideration towards the ML as he would to an actual person. He even realizes that his actions are over-the-top but also excuses the whole thing as this only being a game.

But, admittedly, I don't blame him for thinking or acting this way because he's in a situation where regular ethics and morals don't really apply. It's just a game to the MC and he treats it like one because it is one (or so it seems). And reminding myself that he's acting out as a player in a game makes his more questionable actions much more tolerable to read.

The MC actually has a much better relationship with his friend and family figures in the game since he doesn't see them as objectives of the game and is just fond of them because of how they are like (they are much nicer than his real life parents and he lacks real life friends).

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For the ML:

Spoiler

It's clear that there's something weird going on with this game. Despite the MC being the player, the game seems to keep playing outside of the MC's areas of influence. At least, the ML, despite being an NPC, seems to be having some sort of self-awareness, in that he views some of his actions to be OOC or forced. He can also tell that this feeling is most prominent when he's with the MC, so the ML is reasonably distrusting and wary of the MC.

Plus, with everything the MC puts the ML through, it's completely understandable why the ML would despise the MC, even without the uneasy feelings he gets when around the MC. So, I don't hate him for being mean to the MC at times.

[collapse]

In any case, I don't find myself disliking either of them and am relieved to see that their scumminess make sense given the plot and aren't just from them being inherently cruel.

Additionally, the story's plot for how the CP get together is an interesting one to explore, especially as it seems the author isn't going to be ignoring/handwaving any of the pitfalls that should come from having a relationship be founded on such a premise as this. And there seems to be more going on in the background too, so there's a level of mystery beyond just a love story.

So far, I recommend this. The MC and ML are intriguing characters in their own rights and their stories/actions are interesting enough that I can't help but want to know more and to know how they resolve their issues. <<less
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angellovecats
angellovecat
Jun 17, 2023
Status: c97
I have been using novelupdates since 2016 but this is the first I have made an effort to register an account just to write a review on a book. Through all those years, I have read so many exceptional books and this year, I have reached a bottleneck where synopsis doesn't even intrigue me anymore. Not even this book. IDK what happened but after months of trying to find a book that could pique my interest from ratings, reviews, synopsis, etc. I HAVE FOUND THIS AMAZING BOOK.

I always felt like... more>> a wandering zombie, thirsty but is unable to satisfy my thirst, especially right now, when I am mentally unstable. I NEED A BOOK. That could help me find passion to reading again, something that could be par with those exceptional books I have read.

This book was my oasis. NO JOKE.

Thoughts about the book:
- Anyone who doesn't understand the train of thoughts by MC needs to read and listen more in school :)
- I think the author is a sadist. I am happy then one moment I would get frustrated by the occurring events! Gosh, I feel like a masochist already. It's like a rollercoaster but the ups and down intervals are as short as my height.

This really is so precious to me that this book was the only reason I wrote a review as well as accompanied me through a period where I am slowly going out of my cocoon.

(june2023) <<less
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