I’m loving how the game system is slowly revealed to be more than just points. The way different stats like "Fame" or "Karma" affect the world around the player is so intricate. It’s like the author actually designed a full RPG system before writing the story. Very impressive detail.
Zhu Gui the hotel keeper being mentioned casually as “talented” is a good callback. Water Margin fans know he’s the information broker of Liangshan. But non-fans might miss the significance. The writer doesn’t dwell on him, which is fine for pacing, but a small hint about his role would help new readers feel included. I think the author leans too heavy on source material knowledge. For example, Lu Zhishen’s reputation is stated but not shown. His punch-killing of Town Guardian of the West is just a footnote. Show flashbacks or references, don’t just mention them.