Chapter 199: Tian Dao: I've Truly Burned My Heart Out for the Stars' View Count

The vast, echoing chamber of the Brass Council hung heavy with a cold, metallic chill, the air thick with the faint, acrid tang of blood and aged steel. Tian Dao stood before the once-gleaming hall—now a hollow monument—where only Leidon of Tian Xie Zuo remained among the living. His expression was serene, unshaken.

The world was never black or white. It was a fine, intricate gray. Whether the Brass Nobles’ actions were just or unjust, whether his own deeds stemmed from kindness or cold calculation—Tian Dao didn’t care. What mattered wasn’t intent, but outcome.

He knew, deep in his bones, that if everything unfolded as planned, he would have done a monumental good for the entire New Federation—and for humanity itself. And that would become his ultimate shield, his ticket to finally step into the light, unmasked and unchallenged.

“Everything is settled, sir,” Leidon’s voice cut through the silence. His palm held a silver tray, upon which seven Quantum Keys trembled gently, glowing with a soft, pale green light.

Not yet. The time for revealing the true weapon—the special Quantum Cube—hadn’t come.

Tian Dao turned to him, a calm, almost affectionate smile playing on his lips.

“Leidon, for the next phase, you’ll take over the reins of the Association. Hold the line until my plan reaches its conclusion.” He met Leidon’s eyes, voice steady. “Rest assured. When that day comes, the entire Steam Capital and the Grand Councilor faction will be your strongest protection.”

Leidon’s face flickered with complex emotion.

A high-tier Stellar Beast Intelligent Species… now relying on humans as his anchor?

Had someone said that a year ago, he would’ve torn them apart.

But since stepping onto Tian Dao’s pirate ship, there was no turning back.

And more than that—he couldn’t abandon what he’d built in Steam Capital. Couldn’t abandon her, the woman who still whispered mad things in his ear.

Some lies, repeated a thousand times, become truth.

Somewhere along the way, the name Hidden Star Society · Tian Xie Zuo had vanished.

In its place? Just another noble house in the Brass Council. Ordinary. Forgotten.

Leidon took a slow breath.

“I understand, sir. I will not fail you.”

Tian Dao nodded. Then he turned and walked out of the chamber.

The anime camera suddenly rose from his shoulder, soaring above the hall like a god’s eye.

Once opulent, the Brass Council chamber now looked dim, lifeless—its golden grandeur faded into shadow.

Where once the Twelve Brass Nobles sat in haughty supremacy, now only seven thrones held bodies.

Twisted, broken, slumped forward.

Dark blood soaked the seats, pooling beneath them, catching the sunlight through the high ceiling—and painting a grotesque, radiant image of Hell.

> “Damn, that shot just gave me goosebumps.”

> “Just a moment ago they were swaggering, and now Ink’s wiped them all out? Brutal.”

> “Ink’s revival, the council’s annihilation, Vivian’s execution… something huge’s about to happen.”

> “Don’t panic, kids. Lao Tian’s here. No matter what, he’ll pull through.”

> “As a Tian Dao fan, I’ll say it: the Seven Ink, Eight Ink—just stepping stones. Wait and see.”

Inside the quiet of a nameless villa in Steam Capital’s Upper City, warm golden light bathed the Quantum Cube resting between Tian Dao’s fingers.

Twelve keys lay nestled deep within the cube’s core—fused together into a single, seamless, perfect whole.

“Exactly,” he murmured. “These twelve Quantum Keys… they’re the Seal of the Miracle Stone · Law.”

He twirled the cube between his fingers, as if it were nothing more than a toy—completely unconcerned it might break.

Character. Book. Seal.

These were the three foundational pillars of the Miracle Stone · Law—a truth Tian Dao had known since long before.

Now, he held the Character and the Seal.

All that remained was the Book.

And once he secured it, he’d possess a weakened—but fully functional—version of the Miracle Stone · Law.

Including Bishop Cleve’s key, which Yufemia had handed over long ago at his request.

With that, he could craft the complete Perfect Art Form · Hell’s Shishi Gate.

But the path to acquiring the Book—the final piece—was not left to chance.

Tian Dao stared at the cube, a sly grin creeping across his face.

To others, the Miracle Stone was a miracle.

To him? His true treasure was something far more personal—the Popularity System unique to him.

Every move he made now was calculated for one goal: maximizing Popularity Points.

And the moment he claimed the Book?

That would be the single largest Popularity Points windfall of Season 2.

He stroked his chin, a director surveying his masterpiece.

“Kong,” he chuckled, “you’ve had a massive presence across half the season. Now it’s time I reap the rewards.”

“Think about it,” he mused. “The slow, painful unraveling of friendship—once allies, now enemies. That kind of emotional fracture? It hits the Dimensional Audience like a hammer. It makes them feel loss… and it gives them that twisted, delicious satisfaction. Classic anime trope.”

“Because it forces viewers to ask themselves: ‘If it were me… would I abandon my friend for my path?’”

“That kind of introspection? It deepens characters. Elevates the story beyond mere entertainment. Turns it into something meaningful.”

The cube spun faster in his hand.

“Just a few days from now, when I bring Vivian into the Trial, I’ll use the Brass Path to finally reach Gear Central.”

“The opening of the Brass Path… Vivian’s temporary recognition by Gear Central… these are essential keys. Without them, even with the full set of Quantum Keys, I’d only gain access to the Steam Furnace. Not the power to change it.”

Which was why he’d waited.

Why he’d let the Brass Nobles convict Vivian. Why he’d let the Brass Path open.

To claim the Book—the Gear Central itself—Vivian was not just useful. She was essential.

The key that unlocked the door.

And he needed Chen Kong’s unresolved, unspoken feelings toward her.

“Because only then can I justify dragging the main cast down into the dirt on the Brass Path,” Tian Dao said, eyes glinting with amusement. “Perfect motive. Perfect drama.”

He chuckled.

“Though… dragging Vivian away right in front of Kong? That’s starting to smell like Orcish drama. A little too on-the-nose.”

After all, Vivian had become the undisputed Starlight Protagonist.

To call her Chen Kong’s official partner? It was no exaggeration.

Tian Dao adjusted his sunglasses with a smirk, his gaze sharp.

“Sure, I hate the ‘Orcish plot’ trope. But the Popularity Points? They’re too sweet to ignore. So, sorry, Kong—time to wear some green glow on your head.”

He paused, then tilted his head, grinning.

“But honestly… think about it. In a woman’s darkest hour, when all hope is lost—suddenly, a man descends from the sky, riding a rainbow cloud, saving her.”

“Regardless of what happens next—just that gesture, that attitude—it etches itself into her soul.”

“So in that sense… you should be thankful I set this up for you.”

With that, he slumped back into the sofa, staring up at the ceiling.

“First, I was the Vertex of the Stars. Now I’m playing matchmaker for the entire constellation. For the stars’ view count, I’ve truly burned my heart out.”

“Don’t even think about it—unless I get millions of Popularity Points from this season, I’ll never forgive myself for all the quiet sacrifices I’ve made.”

As the words left his lips, a thunderclap split the sky outside.

Rain began to pour—hard and fast—hammering the villa’s windows.

The once-clear sky of Steam Capital’s Upper City had been swallowed by storm clouds, unnoticed.

And in the flicker of lightning, Tian Dao sat in the shadows, motionless, waiting.

The season’s labor—finally—was about to bear fruit.

He couldn’t wait.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end