A Novelist’s Guide for Side Characters to Survive

Chapter 10 "Too ambitious, too insane."

In the sunlight, a dark figure stood on the rooftop of the building.

The building had eighty-five floors, over four hundred meters tall, one of only four such structures in the Upper District.

Looking down from the edge, even the "great" Upper District seemed insignificant.

Chu Zu stepped onto the railing.

Bathed in sunlight, the man’s figure narrowed to a mere black slit.

He lowered his center of gravity and leaped into the void.

In complete freefall, Chu Zu silently counted floors, drew his grappling gun, and fired at the golden-tinted glass ahead.

With the grappling hook as an anchor, Chu Zu’s muscles tensed.

As the steel cable snapped taut with a sharp sound, the black shadow crashed through the reinforced glass, rolling twice on the shards before landing.

Forty-fifth floor.

Luciano Esposito’s target was hiding here.

“Does Luciano Esposito have an illegitimate child?”

Chu Zu had the leisure to confirm Dai Xi’an’s intel with the system.

“It’s not in the original story,” the system replied swiftly, while vigilantly monitoring their surroundings.

Luciano Esposito’s tasks were mostly physical labor.

Though Chu Zu’s physique could handle it, his experience paled compared to the original “Chu Zu.”

Yesterday, he’d been careless at work, nearly getting himself killed.

The system had used every trick to provide support, trembling for hours, but no major disaster occurred.

Still, the mistake was caught by Jeeves, the butler.

The system wrote a report on Chu Zu’s behalf, hinting it was a surgical side effect, barely managing to cover it up.

Once Neon Crown ended and the credit points were secured, the system was determined to pitch the “Master Wang” assistant from the shop to Chu Zu.

Master Wang: Man among men! Alpha among alphas! King! Master!

The description was vague, but in short, it was an automated role assistant focused on combat skills—point and strike, always at peak performance as long as the body could keep up.

For the host’s safety, it had to be bought, even if credits were short.

The system was resolute.

Worst case, it’d exploit a bug and sell itself again in the next book!

Chu Zu was in good spirits.

Before his sudden death, he’d been a frail weakling who couldn’t lift a hand.

Now, it was just exercise.

With the system watching over him like a mother hen, he felt secure enough.

“An illegitimate child is useless to Tang Qi. Our protagonist is too upright. Dai Xi’an bringing it up would probably get her scolded, so it’s not in the original story.”

Chu Zu analyzed.

“But it’s different for me. I’m shameless. Honestly, if I got hold of Luciano Esposito’s illegitimate child, even if he’s not dead yet, I could take half the Esposito Family.”

The system: “…I don’t think Dai Xi’an meant to insult you.”

“Same thing.”

Chu Zu eyed the thermal detector and infrared sensor at the corridor’s end, starting to look for another route.

“An information broker’s loyalty is terrifying. I saved her just to keep trading, but she’s bolder than I thought. Went all in.”

The system struggled to delete the thought: Because you’re incredibly charismatic when you act human, worth betting everything on.

When Chu Zu gave that faint smile to Dai Xi’an’s note.

Do you want to become Luciano Esposito?

The system finally grasped what he meant by “ambition” hanging on his lips.

It also realized, belatedly, why Chu Zu said it didn’t matter if “Chu Zu” went mad or foolish—he wasn’t normal anyway.

Not normal?

“Chu Zu” was probably the least pure human in this world.

With the original plot’s progression and Chu Zu’s added details, the story’s logical flaws were patched.

His deal with Luciano Esposito was real.

His heart was set on “the best things in the world.”

He knew Luciano Esposito wouldn’t give them, so he’d take them himself.

His sympathy toward Tang Qi was fake.

He didn’t pick sides; he only wanted to use Tang Qi to bring down Luciano Esposito.

Betrayal?

Who broke the deal first?

Too ambitious, too insane.

But it fits the character.

No sudden illness, just insane since twelve.

He’d make a fitting final boss.

Chu Zu switched routes.

The upside: fewer people blocking him.

The downside: the target was farther.

The people rushing forward had come for him, yet they showed hesitant fear when facing the man.

At the system’s cue, Chu Zu pressed a button, instantly detonating the plasma cutter he’d set up minutes ago.

The floor and ceiling silently split with neat cracks, followed by the deafening crash of falling debris.

Finding the terrified target, the system prompted: “Reader reviews for Neon Crown are out. Want to download and see?”

Chu Zu kicked off, leaping backward.

He jumped out of the building’s range, firing a grappling hook upward with one hand, aiming a gun at the target’s forehead with the other.

The target raised a gun too.

Even with ballistic correction, unsteady footing and nerves meant poor aim.

A few metal bullets whizzed past Chu Zu.

Chu Zu pulled the trigger: “Look.”

The system cleared its throat.

Excerpts from reader reviews.

‘Did the shitty author finally hire someone to fix the plot?’

‘Damn, Luciano Esposito was a piece of work even as a kid.’

‘Tang Bro, it’s gotta be Tang Bro. Save me, Chu Zu, you leaked secrets to him—why not just join him!’

‘‘Luciano Esposito, what are you doing? I can’t find anyone this despicable in five thousand years. Deserves to be betrayed.’’

‘Wait… Chu Zu… isn’t he a bit too tragic?

‘’Brothers, I can’t take it. Chu Zu is genuinely tragic… He even remembered to save Dai Xi’an… Told her to find Tang Bro… Don’t just send her, you go too! Following Luciano Esposito leads to no good end!!’

‘I’m done. Who helped the author revise this?

Feels like a trap.

He’s this tragic, how am I supposed to hate him?’

‘No spoilers! No spoilers! New readers’ lives matter too! Support Tang Bro opening Chu Zu’s redemption arc!’”

Chu Zu leaped into the fortieth floor, randomly seeking an escape route.

Dai Xi’an knows I’m no good, so why are readers still pitying me

He asked, puzzled.

The system: “Because you and Dai Xi’an are Side characters. The main story only follows the protagonist and key side characters, only showing what Luciano Esposito did to you and what he overheard.”

Chu Zu: “…”

Chu Zu: “Guess I need a chance to declare my ambitions to Tang Qi or Luciano Esposito?”

The system could already imagine the readers’ reactions, numbly saying.

“Yes, you’ve got to show them the insanity.”

“Mission complete,” Jeeves reported.

“Chu Zu’s heartbeat is stable, breathing normal, resting heart rate and blood oxygen back to pre-surgery levels.”

On the holographic display, a red dot moved rapidly.

Chu Zu soon left the building, slowing as he headed toward Dai Xi’an’s residence.

“Where’s he stopped?”

Luciano Esposito pointed at the dot.

Jeeves: “Neander Florist.”

“Who’s in the shop? Who’s Chu Zu meeting? Dai Xi’an’s secret contact?”

“Mr. Luciano Esposito.”

Jeeves said slowly, “Neander Florist is an Esposito asset. On your sixteenth birthday, you wanted fresh flowers. You funded it, and Mr. Chu Zu kidnapped a florist from Lower District 9. The florist was dealt with by you at eighteen. The current manager is his apprentice, also Esposito’s.”

Luciano Esposito fell silent, a faint unease from earlier questions lingering.

Jeeves continued: “Mr. Chu Zu bought a bouquet of 3D-printed confrey, requesting the manager handwrite a card: "To Dai Xi’an.”

Luciano Esposito stayed silent, then let out an ambiguous laugh.

“Looks like he really likes Dai Xi’an.”

From tone and content, Jeeves judged the remark as sarcastic, requiring no response.

The loyal butler continued reporting.

“Dai Xi’an booked three months of customized meals for two. Lower District contacts tried reaching her, but she rejected them unilaterally.”

“In our Upper District intel network, Dai Xi’an seems to have abandoned all operations.”

“More accurate analysis requires additional data.”

Luciano Esposito shut off the projection, somewhat disappointed: “Useless woman.”

“Should I notify Mr. Chu Zu to deal with her?”

“Sync the florist’s surveillance feed and call him.”

“Yes.”

For Luciano Esposito, with ultimate authority, one-way terminals didn’t need “connecting.”

The moment Jeeves linked to Chu Zu, Luciano Esposito softened his tone, speaking warmly.

“Body holding up okay?”

In the surveillance feed, Chu Zu was taking the confrey from the manager.

He was used to the communicator’s abrupt voice in his ear, his movements steady: “Doesn’t affect work.”

“There's dinner with the Preo representative tonight. Order some flowers for it.”

Chu Zu signaled the manager, ordering over three hundred fresh bouquets, the astronomical bill charged to Luciano Esposito.

“Should arrive around four,” Chu Zu confirmed with the manager, then added, “I’ll submit the mission report to Jeeves tonight.”

Luciano Esposito narrowed his eyes, tone unchanged: “You’re not coming?”

“I’m going to Lower District 18.”

“For what?”

“I don’t want to say.”

Chu Zu held the confrey, his tone cold and hard.

“You can order me to answer or control me to stay. Up to you, Lucio.”

Luciano Esposito laughed instead, his expression and tone tinged with helplessness: “Still mad at me? I don’t distrust you. I’m just worried Tang Qi and his lot tricked you. Come to dinner tonight, move back in.’’

Chu Zu lowered his eyes, looking at the flowers and the handwritten card: “I remember now.”

He said, “The Mitoli who called me ‘big brother’—you had me kill his uncle today. Back then, he made a deal with you. You eliminated Mitoli’s legitimate heir, and he took over Mitoli as your partner.”

The florist manager froze, wishing he could cut off his ears.

“I know why you called. You regret sparing Dai Xi’an and want me to deal with her.”

In the surveillance, the man’s shoulders slumped slightly.

“You’re starting to break your word to me too, Lucio.”

Luciano Esposito’s expression froze.

That irritating emotion surged again, yet Chu Zu wasn’t playing pitiful.

He stated facts with rare dejection, passing light judgment on himself.

Luciano Esposito’s voice rasped: “…Chu Zu.”

Chu Zu waited quietly for more.

Luciano Esposito didn’t need to placate him.

With the device implanted, Chu Zu wasn’t worth the effort.

Luciano Esposito saw his restraint as the magnanimity of a superior.

“I always keep my promises,” Luciano Esposito said slowly.

“You want Dai Xi’an, I gave her to you. You want to go to the Lower District, I won’t ask. I trust you won’t betray me, so you need to trust me too, okay?”

Chu Zu looked up at the florist’s surveillance, his scarlet eyes meeting Luciano Esposito’s through the screen.

“Okay,” he said.

“If you want to give Dai Xi’an flowers, send a real confrey or rose. Put it on my tab.”

“No need.” Chu Zu said, “Anything else?”

The call was cut off.

Luciano Esposito frowned at his seat, then, after a long pause, instructed Jeeves.

“I want to know where Chu Zu goes, who he meets, and what he says.”

Jeeves: “I’ll monitor Mr. Chu Zu’s movements at all times.”

“If you judge he’s acting abnormally…”

Luciano Esposito paused, looking at the digital photo on the desk, taken when he and Chu Zu were twenty.

Chu Zu had always been expressionless.

Luciano Esposito once suspected his facial muscles were dead, even had him tested—perfectly healthy.

At twenty, Luciano Esposito graduated, taking over the Esposito Family.

The gates of power opened one by one.

Back then, Chu Zu wasn’t as built, tall but lanky, a stark contrast to the blond youth dragging him for the photo.

During the shoot, Luciano Esposito complained Chu Zu’s arm was bony.

Chu Zu silently stepped aside, only to be pulled back.

“Eat more, build up your body. I really can’t get by without you.”

The camera captured Chu Zu’s expression then.

Slightly stunned, red eyes glowing in the sunlight, a hint of bewilderment, lips curving in a youthful arc.

At least back then, Luciano Esposito’s ambitions hadn’t swelled.

He wasn’t stingy and valued promises.

“If you judge he’s acting abnormally…”

Luciano Esposito said expressionlessly, “stimulate his nerves, induce hallucinations, make him slaughter Lower District 18.”

Jeeves: “That would cause irreversible nerve damage. Mr. Chu Zu has an 85.547% chance of becoming a wreck.”

“He’d still be my wreck,” Luciano Esposito said.

“I’ll still give him the best things. That’s our deal.”

Jeeves said kindly: “Your orders are received.”

*

Lower District 18.

“How the hell is he still alive looking like that?”

Chu Zu, holding the flowers, asked the system in disbelief.

Looking at the kid, almost a spitting image of young Luciano Esposito, the system fell silent.

“Dai Xi’an… badass,” it could only say.