"Hello, I'm Yunzhong Xianke, a moderator from the Feilong forum."
After evening self-study, Huang Yifan returned home as usual and turned on his computer. A moderator named Yunzhong Xianke had sent him a friend request.
Although he didn't know why Yunzhong Xianke wanted to contact him, Huang Yifan didn't have any airs of a big-shot author and accepted the request.
"Hello. I often see you on the Feilong forum. Your previous work on internet literature, dividing it into the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Ages, is very representative. It's excellent."
Internet literature in Huaguo has developed for over a decade. Though its history was short, its rapid growth had attracted widespread attention. Some researchers had organized their development history based on both facts and analysis. Among them, the most complete record and analysis came from the Feilong moderator, Yunzhong Xianke.
He divided the history of online literature into three eras:
The Golden Age, the Silver Age, and the Bronze Age.
From 2000 to 2005, he classified it as the Golden Age.
The defining feature of this era was the rise of VIP paid reading. The emergence of paid content created countless authors and famous works overnight. Many readers became writers, and many newcomers rose to become top authors active across various platforms today.
Lingdian's 10-star author Wuhen debuted during the Golden Age and, after enduring many hardships, eventually became a top-tier figure.
After the Golden Age came the Silver Age, roughly from 2005 to 2009.
Unlike the Golden Age's explosive growth, this period saw an increasing number of authors entering the field. Writers competed fiercely, constantly innovating and producing large volumes of updates to satisfy readers' growing demands.
However, since it was no longer the best time for authors to rise, becoming a top-tier writer was much harder. Thus, it was called the Silver Age.
Then came the Bronze Age, from 2009 to the present.
This was the harshest era for web novelists. Countless innovations, genres, and ideas had already been explored. Almost anything you could think of could already be found in online fiction. At the same time, the number of authors reached its peak. According to Huanyue Chinese Web, they alone had 1.6 million registered authors. While that number might be exaggerated due to multiple accounts, there were at least 160.000 active authors in the industry.
160.000 authors.
A terrifying number.
Unlike manufacturing, literature didn't need that many people. Sometimes, a single classic novel could satisfy an entire nation's cultural needs for years or even decades. The existence of 160.000 authors was, in itself, a disaster for writers.
Even if you compete with updates, you might still lose.
Because among those 160.000 authors, some might not be as talented or skilled as you, but many were more hardworking.
You write two chapters a day, someone else writes three.
You write three, someone writes five.
You dare write five? Someone will write ten the next day.
This was an era where countless authors fought fiercely within a limited space.
Thus, it was called the Bronze Age.
"Looks like you're active on Feilong too. I thought after getting flamed there, you'd stop going."
"Haha, it's nothing. What author hasn't been criticized before?"
"Good mindset. I admire that."
"It's nothing. Many authors I know are like this too, just that most of them keep a low profile."
After some small talk, Yunzhong Xianke got to the point.
"Author White, I added you for two reasons. First, I really wanted to get to know you. Second, I'm writing a biographical collection of notable web novelists, and I think you deserve a place in it. I'd like to interview you. Would that be convenient?"
"Of course, absolutely."
There was no way Huang Yifan would refuse such a good opportunity.
Although he knew this so-called "biography" was unofficial and privately written, web literature itself was still largely grassroots and not formally recognized. But who knew if one day it would gain official recognition? If that happened, works such as Yunzhong Xianke's history and biographies might even be adopted as official references.
Perhaps Yunzhong Xianke had realized this and was preparing in advance.
Either way, free publicity was something Huang Yifan would gladly accept.
"Great. I'll ask a few questions, and you can answer."
"Sure, go ahead."
After a moment, Yunzhong Xianke asked, "When you wrote 'How a Bad Guy Is Made', did you already realize the potential of noob-style writing?"
"Yes. When I was writing it, I was very certain. One reason is that times are changing, and so are people's reading habits. Just like how literature evolved from parallel prose to classical prose, then to semi-vernacular, and finally to fully vernacular writing in the Republican era. Now, over a hundred years later, I believe this kind of relaxed, accessible noob-style writing can also gain widespread acceptance."
"Excellent answer. You've deepened my understanding of noob-style."
Yunzhong Xianke couldn't help but feel impressed. No wonder 'The School Belle's Bodyguard' achieved such success right after 'How a Bad Guy Is Made'. This was no coincidence.
"Next question. You mentioned my classification of the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Ages. What's your evaluation of these eras?"
"I agree with your classification to some extent, but I also have my own view."
"Oh? Let's hear it."
"I think labeling 2000 to 2005 as the Golden Age isn't quite appropriate. It should be swapped with the Bronze Age. In my opinion, that period was actually the Bronze Age."
"How so?"
"Because while it was a golden time for authors, where anyone with basic skills and a bit of creativity could succeed, it was still a pioneering stage. Whoever explored first became number one. But since the industry was just starting, truly classic works were limited. I think an era shouldn't be judged by authors, but by the industry as a whole, especially by how many great works it produced."
"I see. Then why do you consider the current Bronze Age to be the Golden Age?"
"Because from 2009 until now, online literature has matured. Systems like VIP subscriptions and copyright operations are well established. More importantly, this era has produced many more classic works. Although it's chaotic, with hundreds of thousands of authors fiercely competing, it's also the best era."
"Why?"
"Because only in such a harsh environment can truly great works and great authors emerge."
"Great works… great authors…"
Yunzhong Xianke paused, murmuring to himself.
"Yes. I believe that in the coming years, or decades, such figures will definitely appear in the web novel world."
This was an era of great contention.
A chaotic era.
Huang Yifan suddenly felt that his arrival in this world might not be a coincidence.
After saying this, he opened the window and looked out into the vast night.
A flash of lightning split the sky.
At the edge of the night, it was as if a god stood there, overlooking all and ruling everything.
Staring at that lightning that illuminated the darkness, Huang Yifan focused his gaze. A sentence surfaced in his mind.
Then, facing the lightning, he shouted:
"I came, I saw, I conquered."
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