#and plotting and sceming

[deadboyfriendd]

I am laughing so evilly and so maniacally rn

[potato-lord-but-not]

HOLY GHOSTS OCS 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

these guys (except Abraham) show up in the first part of the story, playing a large role in exploring Oscar’s relationship with his church and community. I think about them too much oufhh…..

Yapping about them (mainly the old priest guys) under cut because I’m ANNOYING

We’ll get Cynthia and Jamie out of the way first- they play a larger role within the current plot. Cynthia and Jamie are childhood best friends and are leading the new wave of younger folks working within the church. Jamie is new his responsibilities as a priest but is determined to serve the lord and his community. Cynthia is also very hospitable, constantly seen at the soup kitchen. Both of them look up to Oscar as an older brother of sorts, even when he’s at his lowest they never lost faith in him. Oscar has a hard time separating himself from his duty as a man of God, and sometimes fails to realize the impact he has on those around him, good and bad. Yeah idk they’re both very silly, Cynthia is the certified yapper and gossiper while Jamie prefers to sit back and listen. I love them sm….

NOW FOR THE OLD MENNNN OUFFGHH

Abraham and Seymour are very very old friends, having worked together for decades. Abe always joked about how they were inseparable by the will of God, as no matter what they always seemed to end up back together. Seymour is more reserved, calculated, he prefers to stick to the book. Abe was more spontaneous, he liked to go with the heart and gut. Abe took Oscar in when no one else was willing to, even Seymour was skeptical but trusted Abe’s judgment. He helped Oscar find a path that he could channel all that anger and need to help others, he supported him throughout everything and never gave up even when it seemed like everyone else was against them.

Abe was also an exorcist. Seymour thought he was being reckless with his decision to dabble in that practice, but Abe was determined to help those suffering through the horrors beyond this world. He had plans to have Oscar take his place when he passed, and was slowly preparing him on how to deal with such things. However, he was struck with a sudden illness a few years before the events of malevolent, and passed away. This shook up the whole church, but mainly Oscar, starting his downward spiral back into alcoholism and worsening his lingering depression. Seymour didn’t take it well either, but had to put on a brave face since he’s the pastor of st Jean Baptiste. Seymour has grown more protective of Oscar, knowing those two had a father-son relationship of sorts, and wants to be there for him as much as he can. Even if he’s less outwardly empathetic.

Were Seymour and Abe lovers ?? hard to say. They would never say they had any sort of romance going on, obviously, but if they hadn’t chosen this path I think they would’ve moved out of the city and grown old together in the same home.

Are Cynthia and Jamie lovers ??? most definitely. Their families were not keen on interracial relationships, especially Jamie’s, and that was a big factor in him deciding to become a priest. He decided if he couldn’t be with her, he didn’t need to be with anyone. Cynthia felt the same, refusing to date and instead focusing on helping her community with her favorite person.

OKAY INCOHERENT YAP SESSION OVER SORRYYYY

[solomiracle]

lucifer catching you doing something stupid and he calls you endearing names/compliments you but in the most exasperated tone

"i trust you're not plotting my downfall with satan and belphie again, right, my beloved lamb?"

"you, the one who outshines all the stars in the sky... the one who takes my breath away with just a glimpse... are seriously going along with mammon's pyramid sceme?"

"my love, my reason for living, my light, my heart, my soul. explain to me why half of the room has been blown up."

[madeinhell666]

Seo Moon-jo's psychology

This Korean horror series, Strangers From Hell has one of the most psychologically thrilling plot to me in a while.

So the main antaganist, (the cannibalistic cult leader) Seo Moon-jo's psychology is so interesting to me. He knows that all the people he has control over are weird, gross, immoral and insane, yet he doesn't mind it. He actually loves it and encourages it. He loves seeing people embrace their true selves, the parts of them that he knows exactly how to bring out. He doesn't really need them to do what he wants, but he finds it useful, and in return for letting them live, he has them under his control. He doesn't need help, and he doesn't really mind if he's in control or not, but he knows people. He knows every little part of them, down to how they think and act in every situation. He's always prepared for anything. Moon-jo doesn't need to be in control, but he does love seeing people be willing to do anything and everything just to please him. They'll do anything to not be tortured, killed, and eaten. That being said, he's so involved and and in love with his work, that if anyone tries to intervere with it, he won't stand by and let it happen. He's said this himself. If his following don't want to fall victim to his work, they'll do what he says. He's naturally and mentally strong, so it doesn't matter to him if people go against him. He'll win anyway.

However, he doesn't feel any need to control then his obsession, Jong-woo (the main protaganist). He sees himself in him, he sees how much he needs to act on his strong urges for violence. Jong-woo might reason that people are horrible and piss him off enough that he can't contain his anger anymore to the point of extreme violence. While Moon-jo senses that he just is a violent person for the love of it. That just like his obsession, he loves the taste of beating people down within inches of their lives. He loves to see people beg to not get hurt by them. He loves the feeling of panic and heat within his victims veins. He thinks it's so funny seeing the true nature of people come out when pushed far enough. Moon-jo just can't get enough of pushing people and them acting on it - even against him, if he loves them enough. Jong-woo is his current obsession and so in love with him that he wants him to be violent against him as well. He might not want people to disobey him, but for someone like that, he's willing to do anything to make him lash out against him. He wants to hurt as well, but only by someone special just like him.

It's just, I love how insane and complex he is. He even says in response to Jong-woo asking why he does what he does, "there's no particular reason". There's really not besides the fact that he just loves it. Even if there is a tragic backstory or some justified reasons for being this way, it doesn't matter in the whole grand sceme of it all. The fact of the matter is, he believes society would be better if people just say what they want and be how they really are, violent or not. No tiptoeing around conversations or faking theirselves to look good for others. He doesn't want people to be fake, especially not with him. That's why the people that he teaches and guides look and act weird around outsiders. Most people aren't used to seeing people not put on a mask for them to be accepted in society.

"I can't be killed, not when there's so many of me in the world." Whether it was Moon-jo or Jong-woo saying this, it holds true for anyone. There's so many people in the world, that everyone starts repeating and acting either like others or themselves. No matter if it's the united states of america, the uk, australia, or korea, society is the same. People falling in line with others around them. Its truly once people are separated from it, in like-minded groups or by themselves, that people feel free to drop their masks and just be their actual selves.

When Jong-woo states to another new outsider from the hell he lives in that he gets along with, "it finally feels like home here with you", it seems he still finds comfort at this time in the familiarity of someone that society deems normal. Its true that people feel more comfortable with familiarity, which can help but can also hurt. Jong-woo made a bad decision to stay at the dangerous place because he had finally made a normal innocent friend there. He gets a taste of normality again after feeling so out of place there and at work and with his girlfriend. Because of this, Moon-jo fears his progress he made with Jong-woo will be for naught, and his obsessive project will be ruined. Its another example of him getting rid of any obstruction to his work.

Moon-jo loves to bring the worst but true colors out in people by pushing them to their breaking point and further, until they either give in to his whim or they die trying to escape his evil doings.

The message of this series is open for interpretation and the ending is ambiguous, so this is just my take on it. There may not be reason given in the show for the cult leader to be how he is, despite him pointing out that this is people's true nature when pushed far enough. It's even pointed out to him that most people don't do what he does. I believe his reasoning is pales to the fact that he just loves it. Everyone has their own battles and tragedies in life, but very few act like he does. His upbringing from an already insane orphanage owner (and possible abuse before that, given he has lifelong scars on his arms that he always covers up) could be how he was molded and manipulated into becoming, or it's how he was simply born. Perhaps it's a combination of both; the psychology field theorizes that how people behave, act, think, and feel are a result of both nature and nurture, and not one or the other.

There is just so much to uncover in this show, despite it being only 10 episodes long and came out in 2019, so there's unfortunately an unlikely chance for there to be a second season. I just love figuring out people/characters and their psychology.

Thanks for reading my thoughts on this korean show!

[ominousgradient]

please give us the full rant 🤲

My Race to the Edge hottakes (this gonna be a tad long so strap in):

Take the twins for example: Both of them care for their respective sibling, they are codependent really, but what relationship do they have to the other team members, never mind what other relationship do they have that you could call a *friendship*? I'd say Hiccup is mostly annoyed by their antics, a feeling he also has for Snotlout but their feelings for one another are a lot more complex, whereas his opinion of the twins is pretty straightforward, their feelings for Hiccup just vary depending on what joke the episode is going for at the time. I couldn't tell you anything about the twins and Fishlegs relationship because there’s just not really anything there and Astrid generally dislikes them for their behavior. The one actually clearly established dynamic they have is with Snotlout, and it perplexes me that people so often read it as a friendship. Snotlout thinks of them as stupid and beneath him, i cannot think of a single time outside of the Tufflout bromance ep where he had a nice thing to say about either of the two, when Tuff faked his death Snotlout seemed to believe that he had actually died and he wasn't bothered at all. The twins on the other hand see him as a useful idiot for their scemes, they couldn't care less if he dropped dead either and put in him mortal danger on multiple occasions just for the hell of it. What binds them together is not so much a friendship as it is their shared rambunctious attitude and dislike of authority.

1. The riders really aren't that good of friends, if you can call them friends at all. Were you to draw a diagramm of their relationships with eachother, a lot of them either have no close established connection or feel active animosity towards one another.

This doesn’t count for only them ofc: what established friendship is there between Fishlegs and Astrid? Can the relationship between Snotlout and Fishlegs or him and Astrid really reasonably be called a friendship? Sure people can create headcanons and whatnot but if you look at what's provided by the canon, they’re just not that close

2. I don't have any strong feelings on Heather, i just think it's funny that she kind of reads like an edgy DeviantArt Astrid recolor. Oh Astrid fights with a battle axe? Well Heather actually crafted one herself, and it's a cool changeable twinblade. Astrid has a spike shooting, super fast dragon with fire so hot it's tinted blue? Well Heathers dragon can do all that BUT her dragon is even faster AND it's spikes are even sharper AND its fire is all blue actually AND it's made out of metal. The whole construction of her outfit with the single braid, metal shoulderpads and skirt with metal elements is extremely similar to Astrids design. I feel like they could have that be a plot point actually, that Astrid in particular was a huge inspiration to her. You can see it as intentional parallels ofc but it’s so on the nose that it becomes kinda funny, at least to me (also the dragon eye lens on her belt plot point was incredibly stupid)

3. Speaking of Astrid, and this is the take that is most likely to get people mad at me, i do not like her. Like at all. When i was younger i thought i just couldn't stand her because she was mean to Snotlout and i liked Snotlout but as i grew up i realized there was more to it that just that. To me she's emblematic of a trend in writing: (usually male) writers set out to write a "strong female character in a effort to create good female representation, but because their idea of a strong character is a toxicly masculine tough guy, they just slap those characteristics on a female character and call it a day. Said character is then admired by the rest of the cast because that's how to author sees her, even though she's kind of an asshole.

That’s Astrid to me. I don't find the way she's presented as being in the right for being rude to everyone but a select very few people charming, i don't find the miriad of moments where she wins an argument with violence and it's presented a girlboss moment cool. Keep in mind i don't take an issue with any character, fem or not, being rude or violent, it's how the narrative and the other characters act towards her that make me dislike this.

I also find it bizarre that people defend her behavior by saying that she's a competent person under pressure, as if that justifies being a dick. I can very easily see a version of her that i'd like, an Astrid that's allowed to be in the wrong, that's allowed to be flawed, an Astrid that's largely the same and just not treated like she’s infallible by the marrative. I that's kind of what we get in the first movie and the shorts imo and i do like in those. The way the later movies turn Astrid into a neutered version of herself that purely exists to hype up Hiccup is deeply offputting to me however

4. I'm not a big fan of the twins either, i liked them a little more in the first movie and RoB/DoB but their brand of humor in rtte just doesn't do it for me

5. Snotlouts crush on Thor Bonecrusher is one giant gay joke and and both Astrid and Hiccup find it funny and bizarre because it's a gay crush. They don't react like that when Fishlegs and Snotlout fight over Ruffnut, we only see Astrid be annoyed and weirded out by it but not her finding it actively hilarous. "Well it's funny because it's so over the top" whenever Astrid sees Snotlout crush on/flirt with women she reacts with annoyance/disgust, the ONE TIME it's a guy it's suddenly very funny. I'm not saying this to condemn her or Hiccup, it's moreso to point out that the way this entire plotline was handled was just kinda bizarre and fucked up.

On a character level i actually think Astrid being homophobic kinda works, for lack of a better term. She's very much a person who works within and benefits from the status quo. People like to talk about how Snotlouts world was thrown upside down after the first movie because the standards for what makes a good viking changed but by all metrics he never really managed to match those standards anyways (unlike Astrid, we never actually see him being a good warrior in the first movie and judging by RoB/Dob, he seems to have been generally disliked in the village for a while). Astrid however did manage to meet those expectations. And she continues to afterwards. She's an excellent warrior, strong and assertive. Her being a women would make life harder for her but we never she her face any gendered discrimination, she thrives in the role of the ideal viking. So her holding some normative believes tied to the status quo in which she thrives makes sense to me

6. This is a big one and it will take a bit for ne to explain: I don't think Snotlout's a sexist. Now, first off I should clarify, I'm not just saying this because I don't want a character that I love to be a misoginist. I think flaws, especially grave ones, make characters more interesting and some of my all time faves have some extremely warped views on women. I say this because of the way his supposed sexism is presented. I'd argue that the primary function Snotlouts obnoxious flirting serves is to be an example of what not to do and to make over characters, mainly Hiccup, look better in comparison.

In this franchise female affection is given as a reward to male characters, not necessarily because there’s chemistry between the two. In the Thawfest episode Hiccup gets a kiss from Astrid after doing what she asked him to by letting Snotlout win. There was no romantic tension between them here, there wasn't anything romantic about what he did either. He did the right thing, he gets a reward. Same with Snotlout and Minden: he does the right thing by encouraging her so he gets a kiss. Neither one of them expresses any romantic interest in the other before or after this, Snotlout looks put off the kiss it more than anything, it’s just the thing that happens when you're nice to a girl. That’s the point of Heathers fling with Fishlegs as well. Not to step on any Heathlegs shippers toes here but they don't really have any chemistry. Their episode underlines my point however: Snotlout spends the whole time being jealous and Astrid explains to him that Heather probably likes guys like Fishlegs, guys who are nice. Which is a good quality yes, but it’s not really solid grounds for a relationship. We don't get to see what they like about eachother bejond that, and we don't need to either, because that's not the point. The point is that Fishlegs is a nice guy, so he gets to date a pretty girl.

Snotlouts behavior exists as the counterbalance to that point: if ur mean and pushy = no gf. On the face of it that's a fine lesson to teach in a kids show. The problem is that Snotlouts flirting is so unrealistic and detached from the rest of his character that it fails to send any meaningful message. The way he talks when he's flirting has nothing to do with the way real people flirt or the way Snotlout acts otherwise. It's a weird mix of one-liners and purple pros is more reminiscent of 80s movie villians than real life. He still flirts with Astrid, despite getting his shit kicked in for YEARS and openly being afraid of her at this point. It's very interesting that he never talks to Thor Bonecrusher that way, when he has such an obvious crush on him. The reason for that in my opinion is that the TB crush serves as a gay joke, whereas his other crushes serve as a negative example. Put in a scenario where he's romantically interested in someone and doesn't have to fullfill his role as an inverted moral compass, Snotlout doesn't do his weird flirting. He still fails of course, the argument isn't that he should be getting more tail, he just doesn't turn into a parody of himself for a brief physical gag.

Another problem is that the way he acts is incongruous with how he sees women. The reason why men ignore womens boundaries and don't take no for an awnser is because they see them as lesser, as unworthy of their respect. That’s not the case for Snotlout though. We never see him express that he thinks of women as less competent, more fragile or less intelligent (i think he calls Astrids and Ruffnuts figures "dragon-esque" once during the first movie but one comment calling some women unattractive doesn't really equate to being a misoginist that has so little respect for women that he bothers the same one for years even though she says no everytime). He oversteps Astrids boundaries but he has no doubt in her abilities, it’s the symptom without the cause.

Even if we were to take Snotlout at face value as a misoginist, where does that come from? Misoginistic men aren't outliers, they're byproducts of a sexist culture. But the writers clearly don't think of Berk that way, Hiccup even says so when Throk comes to take Ruffnut (i'll add here that Hiccup is usually presented as being in the right unless him being wrong is explicitly adressed in the plot but i digress). Astrid faces no discrimination whatsoever as a female warrior and receives no pushback when leading a team full of men. In fact Spitelout, the inofficial source of most of Snotlouts harmful beliefs, has no problem whatsoever with having a women less than half his age as his superior.

Now, there is no doubt that Berk is a sexist society, women are litteraly barred from becoming chief, but it’s interesting that it seemingly not thought of and never adressed as such. That would make Snotlouts sexism not a product of his enviroment or of his upbringing but an exception, a singular weirdo, who thinks of women as competent equals but also sometimes has a switch flip in his brain that makes him pester them in increasingly ridiculous ways.

I'd actually argue that the single most sexist thing Snotlout does is that he stops flirting with Astrid as soon as her and Hiccup are dating. Because that implies that her baundaries are only to be respected once another man has claimed her. But the reason was most likely that him flirting with the mcs now canon girlfriend would generate too much comflict, whereas him hitting on her badly before they're a couple and failing just makes Hiccup look good in comparison.

Honestly if Snotlout was a proper sexist and we saw him grappling with- and overcoming that belief Sokka style that would have made for an engaging plotline. Snotlouts' Angels was probably intended to be just that but it failed. Snotlout acts entitled around the Wingmaidens (and yes, him saying that Astrid and Ruffnut should serve him like they do is a sexist statement), but he pretty much always acts entitled. He doesn’t really learn any lesson about women or his own behavior, he just prattfalls all over their island for 20 minutes and then says sorry to Astrid at the end

7. Speaking of the Wingmaidens i find it incredibly funny that 1: One of the only factions containing poc characters (none of them with any lines ofc) are implied to be cannibals, and that 2: they're never actually shown to NOT be cannibals. Like yes, the implication is that they lie to Snotlout to scare him after being a shitty guest, but they never resolve that misgiving. At the end of the episode the gang is feasting with a group of people who threatened to eat one of them, which he told them about, and as far as we know they just never cleared that up.

Also if they weren’t gonna eat Snotlout, what was their plan for him? To just keep this man imprisoned indefinitely for the crime of being an annoying little shit, on your all women island? Either send him away or kill him and in that case you might as well just eat him tbh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

8. The music score annoys me. It's not bad necessarily but every scene, no matter how trivial, has a whole orchestra playing in the background and it just gets on my nerves after a while

9. Finally, i cannot take Viggo seriously. Everything about him just feels like the parts of better villians were hastily stiched together and all i can see are the seams. The chess game is incredibly corny, the pretentious way he talks and the way he walks with his arms crossed behind his back, it all comes across as so deeply unserious that he feels more like a larper to me, rather than an organic part of this world, never mind an actually intimidating villian

thank you for the ask, it's still crazy to me that anyone outside of my friend circle would listen to me talk about Snotlout and rtte in general and i appreciate all of the questions and suggestions, even if i can't get to them all in a timely manner <3

If you've read this far you're super cool and i love you, thanks for listening to me ramble for a bit. Even though i have a lot to critique for rtte i still look back on it quite fondly and it gave me my favorite iteration of my all time favorite character so i'll always be grateful for that

Also to you anon: I'm so sorry that i got back to you this late, i typed this all out in a haze and then put off finishing it once i saw just how much i wrote 😭

[kokichiapologist]

Ok, so I'm almost at the end trial 1 of Danganronpa v3. These are my likes and dislikes so far, without playing the other games

Likes:

K1-B0: I love this man so much he is the most adorable character I've ever seen, and if he dies I will die alongside him. (👍)

Kokichi tbh once he asked K1-B0 if robots had dicks I knew he would be the character that reminds me of myself, therfore one of my favourites. (I hate him)

Kiibouma: they talked like once and I just said, 'you know what, this is my life now' now my gallery is full of kiibouma pics. (This may have been my fault)

Irumatsu: whenever I saw the scene that had Kaede on her knees for Miu, I started shipping it, as a joke, but guys, I don't think it's a joke anymore.

Monokubs (not the pink one), my favourites the red one, Idk maybe it's his personality but I really enjoy their presence, but my sibling whose also playing with me fucking hates them, they've played more of the game then me so maybe that's why, but nevertheless my heart stays with them.

Ryoma, idk why I like him so much, but he's just a chill guy, and I approve of this chill guy.

Hoshimami, I seem to be the only person who ships this, I've looked everywhere but I can't find a single person, honestly tho I saw Rantaro telling Ryoma that his life has meaning and just started shipping them. (I don't even know if this is a joke anymore)

Gonta, this is my sweet innocent boi, and comfort character, so if he dies I will cry and start hating the character who does it.

Monokuma, this dude so so cool, I love his colour sceme, his personality, just him overall as a person, and I would lay down my life to defend this man or thing, or whatever he is

Shuichi's backstory, only his backstory, I find his backstory really appealing as it describes how he doesn't want to let another person go to jail if what their doing is morally right but illegal I wished they used some of this creativity for Shuichi's personality, as I find him a bland character, but I hope he gets better. (I don't condone this line of thought as I love him and what is him on about him being bland)

Tenmiko, THEIR SO ADORABLE I JUST WANT TO SQUEEZE THEM AND NEVER LET GO, that's enough said. (Also may have been my fault)

Himiko, I find her so adorable I want to squeeze this adorable mage, I also really like the nyeh thing she does it's so adorable, and she's a mage not a magician

Gonta having been raised by wolves, I just find that concept so cool, and most of the time I like characters with those concepts, like Inosuke from Demon Slayer. (Can't wait to show him the free time events)

Saimatsu, I enjoy the friendship they have and as it develops I can almost feel them falling for each other before having to go through the class trial, which destroyed me emotionally.

Dislikes:

Angie, I know from certain sources that Angie ends up starting a culture and manipulates K1-B0 and Gonta, and since I loves my sweet boiz I dislike this. (The certain source is me, the sibling in question)

Miu, THIS BITCH, I really dislike her, I hate her face, her voice (OP Note: No offence to the VA), her personality, the way she talks, her only redeeming quality is that she is the only one that swears. (I don't know why he is like this)

Korekiyo, my sibling has had a hyperfixation of Korekiyo ever since they started watching Danganronpa, so unfortunately I know every thing about him, including his sister, that mainly sparked my dislike for him but my dude didn't deserve that. (I am not sorry)

Pink monokub, this bitch, ONLY ONE OF US CAN CALL MONOKUMA DADDY, jokes aside I really found that wierd and I also just kinda hate how that the pink one is obviously the girl one, and a daddy's girl.

The rest of the Miu plot line in chapter 1, I dislike miu, enough said, also everything went downhill after the begging scene. (I don't agree with this)

Oumami, just because Kokichi called Rantaro darling is not an excuse to ship them. This is deprived from my love of Kiibouma. (Just wait until he find out about his room in chapter 6)

Tenko being sexist, being a guy this angered me so much as I like her character, kinda, and himiko likes her, but the fact that she just hates men, Ha lesbian, and she just acts sexist makes me want to punch her. (This is so sad to hear honestly)

Yonmeno, I don't understand why people ship Angie and Himiko, I understand Angie, Tenko and Himiko, maybe even Angie and Tenko, but just Himiko and Angie? (What is he on about, Angie and Tenko? Tenko literally hates Angie)

THE FUCKING MONITORS!!! (For context, I enjoy looking at every detail and item that I am able to click on, this is no different in danganronpa, however anytime there is a monitor I always click on it and as he is doing in the inner monologue of the protag he had to read out 3 different messages over and over again)

Beta read by (the sibling)

(No spoilers pls It's funnier that way)

[nevermindigotthis]

I think there should be a Dishonored TV show.

Imagine this: The Series follows several POV characters: Corvo (duh, probably in a low chaos run with some deaths), Emily (duh, little girl and the horrible no good very bad day, we see how she deals with the conspiracy and it can give some background on the villains), Daud (big regrets, has his whole Delilah story which, for TV reasons, happens at the same time as Corvo's revenge plot so the series can cut between them), and lastly Billie (lovestory with Delilah, betrayal of Daud, mercy in the end)

There can be amazing parallels between Corvo's low chaos revenge and Daud's quest for redemption, with a tense confrontation in Episode 8/9. Delilah as this secret foil that Corvo doesn't even know about, for dramatic purposes Daud has to defeat her in the last episode, so there can be a moment where the audience doesn't quite know if the Emily Corvo just rescued is still Emily. (For dramatic purposes this also needs to be the high chaos ending where Emily almost falls to her death, even though we're in mostly low chaos)

The Series (rough draft):

Episode 1: Corvo returns from his trip. Jess is murdered, Emily abducted. Title Screen. 6 months later. Corvo is being tortured in Coldridge. Daud is depressed and guiltridden. Billie is unimpressed. Episode ends with Corvo breaking out of Coldridge.

Episode 2: Corvo meets the Loyalists. Daud meets the Outsider who gives him the name "Delilah". Also he turns down contracts. Billie expresses her disapproval (again) and leaves the hideout to cool off. Emily is being held captive by the Pendletons who are being creepy and she tries to find a way out. Corvo gains the Mark of the Outsider and the Heart.

Episode 3: Corvo goes after Campbell, rescuing Martin along the way. Daud starts investigating (slaughterhouse). Billie is angry and leaves the hideout, meeting up with a lover who is afterwards revealed to be Delilah (her first appearance). Emily almost gets away from her captors, but is caught at the last second.

Episode 4: Corvo goes to the Golden Cat to rescue Emily. Daud investigates the Timshs. Billie scemes with Delilah to overthrow Daud. Episode ends with Corvo reuniting with Emily.

Episode 5: The Whaler hideout is overrun by Overseers. Billie reveals her betrayal, fights Daud and escapes. Corvo has a nice bonding moment with Emily. Corvo kidnaps Sokolov. Emily talks with the loyalists and gets the vibes that something is not right here.

Episode 6: The Boyle's party. Corvo identifies the right Boyle Lady and deals with her. Billie returns to Delilah who comforts her about having failed to kill Daud. Daud recovers from her betrayal. Emily has nightmares about Corvo dying.

Episode 7: Corvo goes to dispatch Burrows. Emily listens in on the Loyalists and their plans. Daud goes looking for a boat, and then for Lizzy Stride. Delilah reveals the beginning of her painting to Billie. Corvo returns to the Hounds Pit Pub and Emily tries to warn him, but is held back and locked in her room. Corvo is poisoned, Episode ends on him passing out.

Episode 8: Samuel drops Corvo in the Flooded District. Daud returns and finds Corvo. Emily is angry and ready to throw hands with the "loyalists", gets threatened. Bille and Delilah prepare for the ritual, Delilah tells Billie that afterwards she can go and kill Daud for real this time. Corvo wakes up and confronts Daud. They duel, Daud loses, asks for his life, Corvo doesn't say anything, but doesn't kill him. Corvo returns to the Pub.

Episode 9: Emily feels all alone in a cruel world, believing Corvo to be dead. Corvo and Daud both prepare for their final missions in a cool montage. Corvo infiltrates the Fort/Lighthouse and deals with Pendleton and Martin. Daud arrives at Brigmore manor, infiltrates it and finds the entrance to the void. Corvo goes on to search for Emily, her room is empty. Daud talks to the Outsider and confronts Billie and Delilah. Corvo finds Emily and Havelock. Daud fights Billie while Delilah (almost) completes her ritual. Corvo shoots Havelock and catches Emily. Daud injures Billie and goes to stop Delilah, bright flash of light. Emily looks up at Corvo with a strange smile. Delilah has vanished. Daud asks Billie if she's done it. Billie is angry as Delilah is gone, but has a heart to heart with Daud where they leave on relatively okay terms. Daud breathes a sigh of relief. Emily smiles and hugs Corvo, it's clear that she's still herself. Epilogue narration that everything turned out fine. End credit scene of Delilah very angry, but also very alive, in the Void.

Why 9 episodes, you ask? Well because I was trying for 10 but my planning which I came up with just now only wanted 9. 8 or 10 would make more sense from a TV standpoint though. I just think this would be such a cool series...

[wolfmage553]

If Vox Machina was in Aphmau's Mystreet series

Everyone in Vox Machina are humans with Percy being the sole exception being a werewolf as an inverse to Percy being the only human in Vox Machina.

To call back to him being a Dragonborn, Tiberius Stormwind has dragon like horns on his head and red scales on his cheeks.

Vox Machina is going to be spread out a little as them living in one giant house doesn't make too much sense.

Perc'ahlia and Vaxleth are canon. in a on-going side plot through season one, Kawii-chan teams up with Tiberius Stormwind to get their respective OTPs (Aarmau and Vaxleth) together. Their efforts backfire comedically.

Zane, Percy and Vax form the Emo Boys trio.

Grog and Garroth get along really well.

Like what Mystreet did with Garroth's parents, Tiberius Stormwind's parents are co-CEOs of Draconia Industries (Though they didn't participate in the Forever potion experiment. Michael, enraged that they would say no, tricked the than child Tiberius into drinking a Forever potion which gave him the dragon horns and red scales)

Vox Machina don't appear in season 4 but have minor rules to play in Aphmau's Year, season 5 and season 6.

Vox Machina survive but not without being caught in the crossfire of Michael's sceme.

Percy temporarily dies instead of Kawii-chan. Meanwhile, Pike heals Blaze from his mortal wound but she gets turned into a werewolf by Aaron's Ultima gaze.

Then, Tiberius gets hit with a Forever potion and gets turned into a dragon like humanoid. Thankfully, he finds he can switch forms whenever he wants.

Vox Machina all agree to help their friends recover from what they experienced.

There might be more when season 7 comes around but that's it.

[g0os]

So, Hortus de Escapismo was an event, it happened.

(Spoilers filled rant ahead)

Fredrico became the first non-papal saint for some mysterious reason (tune in next episode to find out). But I cant say I didn't like him, I'd go so far as to say he's one of the only truly good people in the event, the only one willing to go against the law, even if that just means following it's words than the true intent behind them.

Clement (gardener deer guy) sure was a character, the twist at the end really did his character dirty, he was a sweet guy pushed to his limits by poverty that tried to hold hope and help people, working as a balance to the bishop who's hope was dwindling. Then suddenly he's also been planning to bomb the monastery because it's better to die together than live apart? I guess? It wad a bad twist to set up a final boss.

And why was Arturia the final boss? Did they really need to save her for the next event in this plotline? She was subtly built up as a antagonist with questionable lines doted here and there, Fredrico rushing off to stop her when given the barest idea of here presence, building her up as a mastermind that pulls strings from afar, but no deer boy.

As for her character, I like her, she's my kind a insane, clearly a bad person but the kind I wouldn't mind an event dedecated too, hopefully she gets more screne time in the next event.

On to the two that join Fredrico on the trip, Spuria is unlikeable, but that felt intentional? She's a sceming ass that uses others to her benefit and doesn't truly commit to Oren's plan out of self preservation.

Richele on the other hand is likeable but just as selfcentred as Spuria, they both put themselves first but their personalities give them a nice contrast to otherwise bland characters.

Now that I've mentioned him, WHY HAS NOBODY JUST SHOT OREN? He tried to do a massacre! And it's just pushed to the side once they're past that plot point. Seriously the baddest man just walks away from this event without a single consiquence.

And Lemuen, I can't say I like her, I can apreciate her as a character, someone who grew up in a racist society trying to do her best for people in a way that doesn't damage her worldview.

I loved the scene (and just the general concept) of a wheelchair bound girl zipping around a monistary chasing some eldrich abomination with a sniper rifle, woman couldn't be further from relistic if she tried, the CG of the stair covered path is the real cake of that entire scene.

The Sarkaz goobers (I've come this far, I sure ain't stopping here) were neet, though not the real focus, which is kinda wierd, they were the only characters that were facing any real stakes, do you abandon your friends so they can live a better life without you, even if it means your struggle will only get harder, I liked Gerald, he felt old, the reminders of his past being dreged up and forcing him to confront his past and recon with his action ultimately leading to the conclusion which felt a bit under cooked, he off's himself then they lose focus on the Sarkaz subplot until his brother tries to run away with Fortuna and nearly dies then their just dropped till the epilouge.

As for Fortuna, though I feel Delphina death was a might contrived I'm willing to accept that for what came of it, even if it too was dropped for the real story, her pain only caused by the circumstances she can't control, racist laws and inpovrishment push aother to break under their weight. Andoain was right, yada, yada.

Who else, the bird kids? They were cool 'n' fun nice lil subplot, saw their mothers twist coming from a mile away but it was still heartwarming to see.

The tenticle man? Was there? More set up for later events probably, really wish they gave his screen time to litteraly anyone else.

So as a whole I feel this just suffered from a degree of character bloat, Spuria and Richele don't really contribute anything to the actual plot that someone else couldn't have and beyond the start of FedEx's character arc this event really just felt like set up for later events, which sucks, I really hope that Arturia is actually the true villain of her event even if they make her a protagonist.

So yeah, I'm gonna call it here before this goes from rant to 5,000 word essay.

Racism bad, genocide bad, feed the poor, Andoain was right. Arturia please dom me.

[gamma-gal-24]

your new icon is so cute, it reminds me of strawberry shortcake!!💞

also I'm verrry curious about your newest f/o (ethan shark👀) so feel free to gush

@i-put-the-s4p-in-s4pphic

I AM POUNDING MY FIST ON THE BREAKROOM TABLE RN TYSM😭💕💕💕 YOU ARE TOO SWEET!

🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈

So- in the mobile game Chef and Friends, Ethan Shark is the main antagonist trying to buy out all of the failing restaurants for his company- "The Well-fed Shark." The player is a chef working with a team of restorers to save said restaurants, thus foiling Ethan's plot despite his best efforts to sabotage... And I personally see that as the perrrrfect set-up for an enemies-to-lovers deal, don't you?😉☺️

Like- this guy, with his scemeing and mischief, is so so silly. He gives "Doofenshmirts if he were a trust-fund baby" vibes, and I love it. The CHEF loves it. The rest of the restorers are standing to the side, shaking their heads, and Chef Suzanne(my insert) is just giggling away, heart eyes and all. Even as the two are actively trying to ruin the other's businesses, they spend half their time flirting.

He's honestly so cute that she can't even be mad. Even as he's trying to screw her up- setting the team up to look bad any way he can, be it through hiding illegal flavor-enhansers in the restaurant, calling critics, bribing down-trodden owners to sell, the works- He does it in such a goofy way she can't really hate him as much as she would like to. It's when he starts acting... strangely sweet that she starts getting truly suspicious.😅 Sadly for her, she doesn't realize the flowers and gifts he leaves her aren't a mind game, but rather an attempt to get her to go out with him.

BUT ANYHOO- that's my little ramble for the day! I just love him to bits and I'm so so grateful for the gush pass!!! Tyssm!!☺️💕🌟

[cosmo-watches-movies]

The Grand S1 E4 (1997)

This british drama tv series follows several characters who live and work in a hotel after WWI.

Plot: This episode follows Jacob Collins (Tim Healy), an employee at the hotel, whose son Peter was executed upon desertion in the war. While at work he is approached by Simon Carlyle (Simon Lenagan) and Thomas Jordan (Michael Sheen), two young men who claim to have served with Collins’ son. They contact Collins to ask for a donation for a familiy who went to court to clean their sons name after he was executed just like Peter was. (There is also a B Plot but it doesn’t really matter to this story line)

Spoilers beyond this

A “brief” explanation of the remaining plot:

Jacob Collins heavily struggles with his sons desertion and can’t forgive him so he refuses any donation. Thomas doesn’t like that at all and fighting for Peters honor starts berating the struggling father. After a short outbreak of anger he accepts Collins’ decision and both young men leave the hotel.

Later Thomas returns, apologizing, to talk to Collins again in private. He explains how Peter wasn’t a coward, he was apparently shell shocked, couldn’t follow any orders, he seemed to have panicked and ran away. And all this resulted in him being arrested and executed.

The grieving father caves and agrees to donate 120 Pounds, but he still can’t forgive his son. Later the same day Collins calls the phone number the two young men gave them to check for updates, but theres a stranger on the other end, who has no idea who Carlyle and Jordan are. He rings up the family the two had said they where collecting money for, but it turns out that there is no fund. It dawns on Collins, that he might have been scammed. This culminates in a mental breakdown. Not being able to see his employee so upset the houskeeper Marcus Bannerman (Mark McGann) decides to track down the thieves to retrieve the money. Succesfully.

So that was an intense plot, how fucked up do you have to be to scam families of fallen soldiers? Like, did people actually do this, or is this just some really f’d up sceme the authors made up to torture the character? I can’t blame Collins though, I fully believed everything Thomas said aswell. He would’ve fooled me too. I really didn’t see the twist coming at first, and didn’t quite want to believe it either. How could someone do this?

(Note: Gifs can't really capture any of this that well, so if you're really interested in the acting please go watch the episode.)

The scene where Thomas and Collins talk in private is incredible. Both actors fully push it. The camera focuses on Collin’s face when Thomas tells Peters tragic story, and you can see the father quiver, fight it and ultimately break down. It all culminates with Thomas not being able to keep it in anymore aswell.

It’s very touching… at first. At a second watch through this is so sinister manipulation by Thomas.

This is emphasized even more by the way he acts when he is confronted by Marcus in the end. He expresses his full hate, anger and resentment about his ex-comrade and Michael gets this whole range of emotions across incredibly well.

Thomas regrets nothing. He wouldn’t even have given the money back if Marcus hadn’t threatened to shot him right there. A truly despicable character and I enjoyed every second he was on screen. I wouldn’t even have been mad if Marcus had gone through with it. But he knew a better punishment:

You’re fucked my friend

There was a whole lot of other stuff inbetween the (for me) more interesting parts of the plot. Check out the scenes I wrote about if you want to experience them for yourself. Everything else doesn’t really matter if you don’t watch the whole show.

[darkmodepls]

you're completely correct about how Leverage handles revenge, but I feel the need to defend the Count of Monte Cristo.

Edmund's scemes are tailor made to get his victims hoist by their own pertard, same as the leverage crew.

If any of them were less awful people, less likely to scramble to cover their asses, his revenge plots wouldn't have worked.

I think Leverage has a really neat take on the concept of revenge.

Because a lot of times, revenge gets framed as this inherently immoral act, like it doesn't matter how evil the person you want revenge on is, it doesn't matter that stopping them is a net positive for the world, revenge is just bad and wanting it makes you bad.

But I think that a lot of the problems with most revenge narratives come from the fact that the person/people seeking revenge put too much importance on getting revenge, but there's not enough catharsis in the actual act of taking revenge. They end up left with a whole lot of left-over righteous anger, and no acceptable targets left to vent it on. That way lies the bloodline ending feuds of greek tragedy and the like.

But Leverage says "No, actually you're right, that guy is absolutely terrible, he does need to be stopped and his victims should be awarded the catharsis of revenge." But then, instead of taking the easy way out of having Hardison siphon all the money out of their accounts, or sending Elliot over to their house with a baseball bat, they complicate the revenge plot. Instead of walking the easier path of the quick and unsatisfying revenge, they insist on poetic justice and dramatic irony and the complete and utter, very public destruction of the worst people in the world.

That's why I think Leverage feels different to, say, The Count of Monte Cristo, or other revenge-centric stories. They go the extra mile to tailor their revenge to the target, and give them Exactly what they deserve.

[byneddiedingo]

Mekhi Phifer and Josh Hartnett in O (Tim Blake Nelson, 2001)

Cast: Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett, Julia Stiles, Martin Sheen, Andrew Keegan, Rain Phoenix, Elden Henson, John Heard. Screenplay: Brad Kaaya, based on a play by William Shakespeare. Cinematography: Russell Lee Fine. Production design: Dina Goldman. Film editing: Kate Sanford. Music: Jeff Danna. 

Tim Blake Nelson's O begins with Desdemona's prayer from Verdi's Otello on the soundtrack, a misstep that will remind anyone who knows either Shakespeare's play or Verdi's operatic adaptation of it that they won't be hearing either the former's verse or the latter's music. That probably doesn't matter to much of the teenage audience for which the movie seems designed, but it puts a heavy burden on it for those who do know them. Brad Kaaya is quite deft at sticking to the plot and characters of the play, however, and many of the actors are up to its demands. As Hugo, the movie's Iago, Josh Hartnett is a plausible schemer, and Kaaya probably didn't need to supplement the "motiveless malignancy" of the character with a suggestion of 'roid rage, showing Hugo shooting up a performance enhancer. Julia Stiles's Desi is spunkier than the play's Desdemona, which presents a problem only at the end, when her character doesn't fight back as much as she might be expected to. But the casting of Mekhi Phifer as Odin (a curiously Nordic name) is the major mistake: He doesn't evoke the charisma and power that Othello needs, both in wooing Desi and becoming the tragic subject of Hugo's scemes. Phifer is also a good deal shorter than Hartnett, which unbalances their confrontation. Still, if you're going to rip off Shakespeare, O does a better job of it than might be expected.  

[awintertinylivebloggingwriting]

it ended up at 31.8 k

it ended up at 31.8k, all 30 scenes completed

in the grand sceme of things, even though it’s a multiship fic and I don’t multiship, and thus it’s not one of my favorite fics I’ve written, it is one of the fic that I am most proud to have completed;

sure, I’ve written two fic under this pseud, but even though they ended up at 8k/9k, both were single-scene light-plot-heavy-feelings-much-smut; this felt like a fic in a different way, and in a way I haven’t completed a fic in since late 2017; it’s been six years, and I felt it, and it felt so good to have completed it

[theladysunami]

I know this is from a while ago, but since it's still getting reblogs I might as well compile and respond to some of my favorite suggestions in the notes!

@sunderwight

#I love this so much #probably a contributing factor that my mom watches a ton of murder she wrote #i hadn't heard that version of the 'wtf is up with jessica fletcher' theories but i like it!!! #sort of like the 'death is in love with jessica fletcher' one but with more psychic powers #luo binghe visiting people in dreams to get all of sqq's skeevy backstory npcs to murder one another #maybe he's still part demon in that universe??? #airplane was originally gonna write a supernatural murder mystery series but the cozy market was bigger so he just kind of #didn't incorporate those notes explicitly into canon #but surprise turns out they're still part of the world-building! #also I would absolutely help sy hide a body especially qiu jianluo's so yeah that tracks

Binghe still having dream powers in this AU is excellent!

To make it fit in more with common murder mystery tropes, I'm thinking Airplane had a tendency to write himself into corners and couldn't always figure out a good reason for Luo Binghe look for some bit of evidence or another. To Shen Yuan's absolute disgust, Airplane "solved" this problem by giving Binghe super convenient clairvoyant/postcognitive dreams.

Maybe Airplane actually did have some notes with ideas for why Binghe had these dreams (like Su Xiyan being involved in experiments designed to create psychics and/or Tianlang-jun's family supposedly having some demon-related past), but he ended up scrapping all that when readers didn't seem interested.

With the introduction of psychic powers into the worldbuilding, of course Binghe could learn to use them for his own purposes... like making all the skeevy NPCs from Shen Qingqiu's tragic backstory murder each other.

@stu-pidity

Okay consider combining the two where SY transmigrates after the murder, ‘gets away’ with it, and then gets framed for a *different* murder (courtesy of the system)

@wisteria-rainfall

#sqq ends up with conan edogawa type luck and just keeps fucking stumbling across corpses and elaborate murder scemes #time and time again he is also chosen as the unlucky sucker to pin the murder on #not crimes of passion these are deaths that were premeditated years ago taking advantage of SJs reputation to frame sqq #I think it would be funny to have a mix of bad luck and schemes which all overshadow the real murder he did #tho I think it does clash with cover up opportunities

Combining Shen Qingqiu getting away with a real murder, with him being framed for a bunch of other murders, is a delightful idea!

After the events of scenario two, Shen Yuan is relieved his role in the plot is finally over. Then he learns that since he's not in jail, all the murders that happened later in the series are being pinned on him now! There is no escaping the System's wrath.

Shen Yuan sometimes wishes he had been imprisoned for his "crime" after all, since at least his life would be more peaceful. Being able to see his favorite detective, Luo Binghe, in action makes it all worthwhile though!

@freekislydumb

#ok look #hear me out #first version #it gets to the point where sqq has been accused and then cleared of murder so many times #that if he were to actually commit murder #he wouldn't even have to try to hide anything #because no matter how much the evidence pointed at him #literally no one would believe he'd actually done it #he could walk into a crowded room covered in blood still holding the murder weapon #and people would be so used to him seeming suspicious but actually being innocent they'd immediately start looking in every other direction

Oh no!

This has me imagining a scenario where, in response to Shen Yuan refusing to kill anyone, the System not only made him the designated red herring, it also decided to make it so he gets attacked constantly. Sure Shen Yuan says he won't kill anyone, but surely the stress of constant attacks, and being blamed for the eventual murder of all his attackers no matter what he does, will wear him down enough to actually kill someone eventually (if only in self defense)!

Of course, as you say, even if he did kill someone, nobody would actually believe it. He shows up to a party traumatized and bloody saying, "I think I killed someone!" and everyone is just, "Oh you poor dear. Don't worry, we'll find the real culprit!"

@mikkeneko

bonus to the second scenario where it's revealed, after all is said and done, through an bizarre series of events Shen Qingqiu isn't the murderer, it was an extremely convoluted suicide

It genuinely not being Shen Qingqiu's fault would make for a funny conclusion. It also reminds me of another outcome I had considered!

Toward the end of the story in scenario two, Luo Binghe's goes through the results of his investigation, explaining all the other possibilities (suicide, an accident, a different murderer, etc.). His explanations prove so convincing that even Shen Yuan begins to believe he could be mistaken about Shen Qingqiu's guilt (after all, it's not like he remembers anything).

Unfortunately, the moment Shen Yuan begins to feel relived that he may not be in the body of a murderer after all... the System chimes in with, "Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! You got away with murder!".

I listen to a lot of audiobook murder mysteries, which has me thinking:

Shen Yuan transmigrating into a murder mystery… as the killer!

There are a couple of ways the story could go.

First Option: Shen Yuan lets his System know, in no uncertain terms, he will not be murdering anyone.

Its response: [Alternate Plotline Initiated. New Assignment: Designated Red Herring].

Poor Shen Qingqiu finds himself stuck in a whole murder mystery series, and any time anyone is murdered, he somehow ends up being the number one suspect!

The victim? Probably picked a fight with Shen Qingqiu at some point. (Shen Qingqiu tries to avoid such arguments, but it never seems to work!)

The murder weapon? Yeah, Shen Qingqiu is almost guaranteed to have touched it at some point. (Shen Qingqiu is severely tempted to start wearing gloves 24/7.)

The body? Either Shen Qingqiu finds it himself at some inopportune time, and/or it was stashed somewhere “only” he is supposed to have access to. (At some point it's just: Shen Qingqiu opens a door… sees a body… closes the door. “Time to call the cops, yet again.”)

Shen Qingqiu ends up a tad paranoid about the whole thing, setting up cameras outside his house, in his office, in his car, etc. just to (hopefully) stop people from planting evidence any of those places.

If anyone asks about the truly absurd number of (eventually dropped) murder allegations, Shen Qingqiu insists he's cursed. Even with genre blinders on (making the number of convoluted murders in the area seem normal somehow), it's hard for anyone to argue the point.

For Shen Qingqiu's day job (when he's not busy being charged with murder) he works as a professor at a university with a highly regarded Criminology & Criminal Justice program. I'm thinking the original goods was a literature professor, with a strong distaste for cops, who was known for grading anyone in the criminal justice program exceedingly harshly. Naturally one of his students is the protagonist, Luo Binghe.

After his transmigration, professor Shen Qingqiu suddenly becomes a very kind and doting professor with a real passion for literature. This leaves Luo Binghe quickly smitten and makes him a very motivated amateur detective, since he's determined to prove his beloved's innocence as quickly as possible and as often as needed!

Second Option: Shen Yuan takes over after the original goods already committed the murder.

He wakes up with a splitting headache (the victim attempted to defend themselves presumably), looks at his bloody hands… looks at the victim… looks at the weapon… looks at his bloody hands again. “Damn it, Airplane.”

He decides he doesn't want to try and hide a body actually, just to be caught by the protagonist later and charged with a whole slew of things in addition to murder, so he calls the cops himself. He might as well take advantage of the fact he has a concussion and literally doesn't remember a thing. Maybe he can get the charges reduced somewhat and get a lighter sentence.

Of course the first cop that arrives at the scene is Yue Qingyuan, who as the #1 Xiao-Jiu stan gives Shen Qingqiu way too much benefit of the doubt. The most obvious evidence also keeps being erased or damaged by weird as hell coincidences.

Shen Qingqiu knows he certainly isn't responsible for damaging evidence and wonders if the System is working overtime behind the scenes to ensure there actually is a mystery for Luo Binghe to solve. (After all, it wouldn't be much of a story if Shen Qingqiu was already charged and sentenced before Luo Binghe had a chance to even do anything.)

To his complete bewilderment, after a few days leave to recover from the concussion, Shen Qingqiu is actually allowed to return to his university teaching job. He decides to make the best of it, since who knows how long he'll be a free man.

As in the first scenario, a few months later and Luo Binghe is absolutely smitten, not to mention all the other students and faculty that have come to adore him.

As Shen Qingqiu has successfully endeared himself to pretty much anyone and everyone local that could actually charge him or provide eyewitness testimony, not to mention all shady shit about murder victim Qiu Jianluo the ongoing investigation keep digging up, the plot stalls for a bit until the state police (aka Huan Hua Palace) are finally called in by Qiu Haitang.

Unfortunately for the ‘HHP’ folks, the protagonist himself is on Shen Qingqiu's side, and Luo Binghe is perfectly happy to muddy the waters by conveniently “losing” evidence, sending them after every single red herring he comes across, and “accidentally” digging up dirt on all the shady dealings going on in their department.

The System keeps trying to motivate Shen Qingqiu to hide evidence, lie, or do literally anything suspicious to progress the plot further, but all its punishment protocols involve sabotaging Shen Qingqiu's coverup attempts (of which he has none) or revealing information to the protagonist (who is complicit by this point) so it's fresh out of luck.

Eventually the System gives up and Shen Qingqiu is congratulated for “getting away with murder!” despite the fact he didn't actually do anything.

“Seriously? Does it even count as getting away with murder when the original goods was the actual murderer? I didn't kill anyone!”

[...]

[1111um]

“my soon-to-be wife is out of town. let me take you to dinner“. .. ?? ????????