Cheng Ming keeping the returned medicine for himself is the darkest touch. He is literally hoarding the cure that people are throwing away out of greed. The symbolism is perfect. They are discarding their health and he is building an arsenal for his own survival and eventual revenge.
2 The “white-eyed wolf” phrase is so fitting for Cheng Hui, the fake daughter. You raise someone with all your love, and they turn around and destroy everything. That kind of betrayal is the deepest cut. It makes me hope that in this timeline, maybe Cheng Hui never gets born or gets a different fate.
2 The dialogue in the fantasy part is very direct. "Hey. Give me an answer." The giant is not messing around. There's no flowery fantasy speech. The characters speak plainly to the confused stranger. This makes the interaction feel urgent and realistic. The woman, Karika, seems to be the more logical one, suggesting he might be from a known foreign country. The giant is more brute force. They make a good cop/bad cop duo in this scene. It’s a simple but effective way to introduce the new society to Eguchi (and the reader).
The magic system rules are clear. There are ghost generals, ghost emperors, curses, talismans. The author explains how normal people can't see ghosts (unless the Qi is super strong), which explains the secrecy. I appreciate structured worldbuilding in these power fantasy stories.
The elf’s design is classic—golden hair, jade eyes, long ears, a green dress—but the description emphasizes her youth and innocence. The fact that she’s wandering alone in a forest full of giant bears and killer rabbits makes you worry. The protagonist’s “what are her parents doing” thought mirrors exactly what I was thinking.