Speech on the Occasion of Launching for a Struggling Author!

Good brothers, "The Gentleman" that you have been nurturing is going to be officially released at midnight!
Wuwuwu, this feels just like the wedding night; at midnight, it will lie there on the bridal bed with its jade-like body exposed, looking all delicate and alluring, waiting for my brothers' first act of favor.
Therefore.
My brothers wouldn't want others to know that our volume for the first time (referring to initial subscriptions) is too small, right...
Cough cough, that Japanese writer who just snatched the keyboard and started typing has been kicked out.
Anyway.
Brothers, it stands to reason that a release speech should be about playing the pity card, dropping hints between the lines that poor performance might lead to the book being axed, or reviewing the emotional journey to pander to nostalgia.
But today, we are not going to do that.
First of all, there is truly nothing all that miserable to dwell on. It is just that I am close to thirty with no girlfriend to speak of—whatever, I simply choose not to make a move.
Secondly, regarding the performance.
In the final post-release note of my previous book, *Sword Maiden*, Xiaorong mentioned that a storyteller must never harbor the mindset of writing out of "charity" toward readers. Otherwise, over trivial and petty reasons, one would end up like a resentful spouse, blaming the readers for failing them and acting willfully.
An author writes for themselves and must be responsible to themselves.
Therefore, before starting this book, Xiaorong already conceived a satisfying and rounded ending. Now, the daily goal of typing away is to steer the plot steadily toward that grand finale.
It is expected to take about a year, perhaps a bit longer, but it must be pushed toward that ending.

This is the most important goal in Xiaorong's eyes.
Because there is a goal and a plan, there is something to look forward to, rather than writing something that never ends and just churning out filler day after day. This was also the biggest pain of *Sword Maiden*.
I feel that only by achieving this goal can this book be considered written with growth and progress. Even if it is condemned by thousands along the way, after finishing this work, I can proudly say to others: I have written a complete work with a beginning and an end, even if it was cursed by countless people.
Just thinking about this makes Xiaorong chuckle stupidly.
It feels so damn amazing!
Therefore, I am damn well going to write it all the way to the end, and none of you can stop me! (Threatens himself by holding a knife to his neck)
Finally, as for the emotional journey and nostalgia, let's not look back; let's look forward.
It's just that, to the good brothers who have followed all the way here, Xiaorong feels the utmost guilt toward you... Wuwuwuwu, this scumbag author is simply too hateful.
...
Last of all, let's talk about bonus chapters for initial subscriptions upon release.
Personally, I expect *The Gentleman* should reach around 3,000 baseline subscriptions (pure illusion)...
For every additional 500 subscriptions beyond that, I will add one bonus chapter. In the unlikely, one-in-a-million event that we hit 7,000 subscriptions, Xiaorong will directly cross-dress and post an Easter egg chapter! The threshold for this has to be set high, because cross-dressing is something you either never do or do infinitely, wuwuwu.
As for reaching 10,000 subscriptions... that should be impossible, I'll just treat it as a dream.
Right, and there are monthly votes too. In February, every 500 additional monthly votes will earn an extra chapter! Furthermore, tips from Guild Masters will also trigger bonus chapters!

You might think the requirements for bonus chapters are harsh and that Xiaorong is too stingy, but it is not because Xiaorong is lazy; it is simply that my typing speed is painfully slow.
Because I take the words I tap out very seriously—even if what I write turns out to be a pile of garbage, it is garbage nurtured with my heart and soul, and I damn well love it to death!
Therefore, regarding bonus chapters, I am afraid of making promises I cannot keep, so it is better to set a high bar from the beginning. If we actually reach it, I will gracefully accept the bet and take my losses, suffering yet happy.
The first VIP chapter will be released at midnight. The system might lag for about ten minutes, so good brothers, don't panic!
On February 1st, which is tomorrow, I will update 10,000 words within the day, with a guaranteed minimum of three chapters! The more I write, the more I will post! The updates might not all go out at once and will be released in batches, but they will definitely be delivered on that day!
Finally, I want to say:
Thank you for every single vote you cast for *The Gentleman*, thank you for every review you published for *The Gentleman*! Thank you for every single tip you spent on *The Gentleman*,
Regardless of whether you subscribe on release day, whether you continue to stick with *The Gentleman*, or whether you will love it forever.
I sincerely thank you for every single second you spent on this book!
*The Gentleman* is blessed with the best group of readers in the world.