Time flies by so quickly. Another year has passed in such a rush. Every time I look back as the year draws to a close, I always feel a sense of unreality. This year is no exception.

I remember at this time last year, *Dawnbreaker* hadn't finished yet, but the plot was already nearing its end. Back then, the only thoughts on my mind when I opened my eyes were "Which plot hole to fill today," "Why is there another hole here," and "Why did I dig this hole in the first place?" I was in pain and joy, repeatedly going back to the plot and filling in the holes, counting down the days until this story could come to a satisfying end—and then I could finally welcome my long-awaited vacation.

After that, the vacation came. The joy of the pit-filler who successfully completed the book lasted for twenty-four hours—the next day, when I opened my eyes, I learned of a major piece of news: my residential area was locked down.

So I stayed at home for two months. In the third month, I began to adjust my state for the new book, organize preliminary materials, and prepare an outline and write drafts, thinking that since I couldn't go out anyway, I might as well do something productive.

As a result, the new book was released on schedule, and the pit-filler happily and temporarily became a pit-digger again, returning to the familiar daily rhythm of coding, and after starting work, I received another piece of great news—the epidemic had subsided temporarily, and I could go out and have fun.

At that time, I couldn't help but look at the keyboard in front of me and sigh, "Life is always unpredictable."

But soon, the success of the new book diluted that little bit of regret about my ruined vacation. As everyone knows, *Deep Sea Embers* was a hit when it was released, even breaking the record for the most first-day subscriptions on Qidian.

For me, this was a glorious moment that I hadn't dared to imagine in my twelve years of writing.

Too many old readers who have accompanied me through so many years, as well as new readers who just met me, supported me in welcoming this moment. Now, looking back, the numbers on the day of release still feel like a dream.

After that, I happily dug and filled in the holes every day, carefully telling a story that I liked. I watched as the readers gradually fell in love with this new story and the new friends it brought them. I watched Duncan's adventures on the boundless sea, and the lively discussions in the comments section as everyone speculated about the plot. The second half of the year became fulfilling and interesting—until my whole family tested positive, once again disrupting the rhythm of life.

Now, my family and I have all recovered, and although I've breathed a slight sigh of relief, I still have to endure the troubles brought about by brain fog. Sometimes when I'm writing, my thoughts suddenly stall. Sometimes I suddenly can't concentrate on understanding the words on the screen. In the most serious cases, I'll even suddenly forget that I'm writing a book halfway through, and after switching interfaces, I'll get up and casually turn off the computer... Writing, which I had already become skilled at, suddenly became a slightly difficult task again.

Here, I would like to say thank you to Word's auto-save function for saving my manuscript.jpg.

So I can't help but sigh again: life is always unpredictable.

And by the way, another sigh: health is the most important thing.

But no matter what, things are slowly getting better.

The effects of brain fog seem to be gradually lessening (hopefully it's not just wishful thinking), and there are gradually more people on the streets outside. The previously deserted commercial streets have recently regained some of their former bustle—perhaps it will still take time for everything to return to normal, but as long as we are all still working hard, there is always hope for the future.

Looking back, a single chapter on New Year's Eve doesn't seem like the right place to say too much heavy content, so next, let's talk about some blessings for the coming year (this time it's not poisonous milk).

It's a new year, I hope we can all get better and better, I hope the country is prosperous and the people are safe, I hope everyone is healthy—and I also hope that I can get back to normal as soon as possible and update twice as often.

To be honest, I really hope to resume double updates as soon as possible—this is the early stage of the new book, such a happy thing to dig pits, which author can refuse.

So, let us embrace the expectation of all good things and welcome the next year!