Zhao Yunfeng’s orders to round up scientists are rapid and efficient, but also scary. He’s basically monopolizing knowledge about this event and controlling the signal to keep the public uninformed. That’s a chilling but realistic touch. It raises questions about information control, global cooperation, or conflict. If the novel explores power dynamics and secrecy between nations later on, I’m all in. It could turn from simple survival science-fiction into a political techno-thriller.
I'm noticing a lack of major conflict so far. The chapter is mostly introduction: setting, characters, world. The only tension is the teacher's questioning and the jealous classmates. That's okay for a first chapter because it establishes the status quo. However, I hope the next few chapters introduce a real event – maybe a martial arts tournament, a monster attack, or a test that Wang Li fails. Right now, the stakes are just academic and romantic. For a xianxia-like novel, danger usually appears early.
The setting of White Tiger Ridge feels alive. The mass burial ground, the chilling wind, and the red clouds in the spirit space create a moody atmosphere. I can almost smell the rot and Yin Qi. Vivid enough to pull me in.