Starting as a Manga Editor

Chapter 170: Do You Want to Take a Bath With Me?

Li Xue watched as Tang Yao practically skipped toward the door, full of youthful energy like a sixteen-year-old girl.

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

…So childish!

You even teased me like that? Just wait till tomorrow—I will get you back!

She retracted her gaze, gently pressed her rosy lips together, and shook her head with a helpless smile as she looked back down at the manuscript in her hand.

Even though she was swamped with work, she had been filling in as Tang Yao’s editor this whole time.

Well—“filling in” wasn’t exactly accurate.

Truthfully, Tang Yao didn’t need her to do much… At first, Li Xue had helped with storyboard guidance, but after seeing how busy she was getting, Tang Yao eventually just did the storyboards and AORI herself. Given her background in editing, it wasn’t hard for her at all.

So rather than calling Li Xue an editor...

It was more accurate to say she was Tang Yao’s first reader—a kind of content overseer, in a way. Still, as someone from the shoujo manga world, she really didn’t have much useful input. The only suggestion she’d offered was that Tang Yao maybe didn’t need to be so fixated on… well, boobs.

But Tang Yao had told her, the protagonist of this manga was supposed to be unconventional, a bundle of contradictions. He embodied strong anti-hero traits, and the whole story was built around that theme. Denji had no grand ideals—he was driven purely by animalistic urges, and that was the point.

That was the real Denji.

He didn’t believe in noble dreams of saving the world, or any kind of morally righteous goal. His actions were almost always selfish rather than selfless, and most of the time he just followed his own desires and impulses.

And if you took those desires—food, shelter, and lust—and removed the last one?

Then the character would feel incomplete.

The story itself would be affected, too.

Plus… Tang Yao said a lot of readers were already tired of the formulaic “heroic” protagonists. Seeing someone so plain, even crude, as the lead—someone so different—would win them over once they got used to it.

Because in today’s climate, the old-school “hero’s journey” just wasn’t enough anymore. Readers were bored. It was time to break new ground!

When Tang Yao had straightened up, full of confidence and passion, and made her case—

Li Xue had her doubts.

But what came next played out exactly as Tang Yao predicted… A lead who broke the mold, an absurd yet gripping plot, scenes filled with tension and punch, and a protagonist who made no effort to hide his explosive desires—all of that had become what readers loved most.

Li Xue honestly couldn’t wrap her head around what counted as “male-oriented manga” anymore… She was just straight-up floored.

And she admired Tang Yao’s instincts and talent even more.

But—

Li Xue glanced back at the manuscript in her hands. This character who had appeared since the very first chapter… just died?

Makima’s story hadn’t even been properly developed yet—and she was already gone?

What was Tang Yao planning next?

Li Xue was curious. She had a strong feeling even more unexpected twists were coming…

Also…

Her gaze dropped from the manuscript to her own full, shapely chest, and her cheeks flushed red.

Did she really like them that much?

Li Xue had been an editor for years and knew better than anyone—an author’s preferences and ideas would inevitably be reflected in their work, consciously or unconsciously.

No one was immune to that.

And Tang Yao was no exception.

Of course, Li Xue had misunderstood something.

Her premise was wrong, her logic was flawed—but somehow, she’d landed on the right conclusion…

…

Meanwhile—

Tang Yao had no idea what Li Xue was thinking right now.

She was walking home, chuckling as she recalled Li Xue’s reaction. Her steps were light, her mood clearly great.

Yes—

Tang Yao had absolutely done it on purpose. After all, being wound up all the time was no good for either of them. She didn’t want their relationship to be limited to just work.

So she’d tease her every now and then.

Though she’d probably get payback tomorrow… but that was tomorrow’s problem.

Worst case, she’d just spill some juicy details about Chainsaw Man’s upcoming plot twists.

In fact, the biggest turning point in Chainsaw Man—

Was this chapter, the one where Makima got gunned down.

After this, the entire Special Division that Denji belonged to would be ambushed, and the “death arc” would begin in earnest.

As the story progressed, a huge number of fan-favorite characters would start dying one by one.

Even characters who had just been introduced and seemed like they were going to be part of the main cast wouldn’t be safe.

If the early chapters of Chainsaw Man blended action, comedy, gore, and just enough fanservice to hook readers…

Then this chapter marked the addition of one more thing: brutality.

This was where the story shifted into high gear. The pacing tightened, the character development and narrative impact intensified, and the visual action scenes hit another level.

And right after this arc would come the highly acclaimed Reze Arc.

From there on out, the story would go completely off the rails, packed with iconic scenes one after another.

The “Hell Yeah” moment, the “I’m scared,” the “The corpse is talking,” “I’m starting to understand everything,” “Halloween, Halloween, Halloween”…

And of course, legendary moments like the Darkness Devil’s appearance, the snowball fight, and “Onion-flavored Makima”...

You could say—

Starting with this chapter—

The manga really found its groove.

Tang Yao had deliberately slowed the pace to place this arc after the New Year. After all, it was the holidays—she didn’t want to be stuck working overtime.

Plus, the FGO collab card pool still wasn’t finished. Letting Chainsaw Man explode in popularity right now wouldn’t be ideal. Better to let it simmer and keep readers curious for now.

Next year—

Chainsaw Man would reach its narrative peak.

The FGO collab would go live.

The second game would launch.

With those three coming together—plus coordinated marketing efforts—

Tang Yao refused to believe ANF wouldn’t take off completely! Or that they wouldn’t be able to cash in on 2D mobile game partnerships!

If Avalon didn’t blow up next year, she’d eat her stylus.

With those thoughts in mind—

Tang Yao realized she’d already reached her apartment. Her smile grew.

Living close really was convenient.

She opened the door.

The place, already cozy to begin with, had been made even homier after Tang Xun’s recent redecorating.

Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm rays across the wooden floor. The city skyline beyond glowed in the golden light of dusk.

With the extra space, Tang Xun had added more plants to the living room, giving it a truly lived-in feel.

At that moment—

The girl was squatting in front of one of the potted plants, hands on her knees, hips slightly tilted up, craning her slender neck as she stared intently at something.

When she heard the door open—

She looked up and slowly stood, turning toward her sister.

“Xun? What are you doing?”

Tang Yao bent down to change her shoes as she asked.

“Nothing…”

Tang Xun answered vaguely and walked over to sit on the couch.

Soon—

Tang Yao changed out of her shoes and joined her. As she let down her ponytail, she glanced toward the spot where Tang Xun had been squatting and asked, curious, “So what was up with that plant?”

“……”

Tang Xun tilted her snowy chin slightly and quietly stared at her sister… That delicate face was breathtaking. Her long black hair spilled over her shoulders like silk. She wasn’t doing anything—just sitting there—yet she looked stunning beyond belief.

Which was exactly why Tang Xun couldn’t understand—

Why would someone this beautiful draw such weird manga?

Just now, she’d been wondering about that.

She’d gotten totally lost in thought.

Yes.

Tang Xun had just read Chainsaw Man.

And after finishing it, she was questioning her whole worldview.

“Huh?”

Tang Yao turned her head when she didn’t get a response, blinking at her.

Snapped back to reality, Tang Xun looked into those peach blossom eyes of her sister, hesitated for a long moment, and then whispered—

“…Do you want to take a bath with me?”