Overnight, discussions about 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion' flooded every major film and TV forum.
Debates, outrage, and criticism of Su Yan appeared endlessly.
At first, most viewers had treated the show like 'Fate/stay night'—a visually impressive, action-packed spectacle.
But as they kept watching… something felt off.
Why was the story turning darker and heavier?
Why was it becoming more and more tragic?
How many siblings was Lelouch going to kill?
Clovis in Episode 1 was a scumbag—no one cared that he died.
But Euphemia hadn't done a single bad thing. And Su Yan still chose to write her like this?
In Tokyo, early the next morning, a large group of furious fans gathered outside Dimensional Pictures' office building, staging a sit-in protest.
Their demand was simple:
Do not kill Euphemia in Episode 12.
Of course, actions like this were basically useless.
A show like this didn't have the flexibility of earlier works like 'Tokyo Love Story' or 'Your Lie in April', where scripts could be adjusted mid-production.
Not to mention, the episodes had already been completed. There was no way to change anything within a week.
"You're surprisingly calm."
Shinozaki Ikumi walked into Su Yan's office in a red dress, holding a stack of documents for him to sign. Seeing him casually playing Gomoku, she couldn't help but comment.
"Fans all over the country—and even overseas—are exploding over the latest episode. Tons of people are threatening to drop the show, and you're still in the mood to play?"
"They're just saying it," Su Yan replied with a smile.
"Even they don't believe it themselves. If someone were really going to quit, they wouldn't wait until Episode 11 to do it. Anyone who's made it this far—especially through 'Bloodstained'—is already hooked."
Euphemia's arc was the biggest turning point of Season 1—arguably one of the most pivotal events in the entire story's world.
Su Yan knew very well—
Fans might be furious now, but once Episode 12 aired, and especially once Season 1 concluded, the true appeal of 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion' would fully reveal itself.
"No need to panic," Su Yan said, looking at Shinozaki Ikumi.
"Trust me. Trust Dimensional Pictures. Trust this show—and trust yourself."
"Given the current trajectory, the final results of 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion' might exceed even my expectations… and yours."
Shinozaki Ikumi paused, slightly stunned.
But she didn't argue further.
After all these years of witnessing Su Yan's "miracles," she had developed an almost instinctive trust in him.
"Then what about the fans sitting downstairs?" she asked, pointing toward the crowd gathered outside.
"What's there to do?" Su Yan shrugged.
"It's just a TV show. They have their own lives. Give it a few days—once the initial эмоtion fades, they'll leave on their own."
"Besides, you should be prepared. You know what happens in Season 2. When that airs—especially the ending—the scale of protests will probably be more than ten times this."
Shinozaki Ikumi froze.
This… was just the beginning?
The ratings for Episode 11 closed at 6.86.
The more controversial an episode was, the higher its ratings tended to be.
Controversy meant attention.
Fans could complain all they wanted—the ratings were the real benchmark.
If ratings rose, it meant audiences were engaged.
A truly bad show wouldn't even get criticized—people wouldn't bother wasting three seconds typing "this is bad."
On the surface, viewers were attacking Su Yan.
But in reality, they were completely captivated—they just hadn't processed the emotional weight yet.
As the new week began, 'Weathering With You' left theaters.
Its final box office total stood at 2.891 billion.
Despite Su Yan's rising influence, its performance was still lower than last year's 'Your Name'.
Its rating of 9.2 also fell short of 'Your Name's' 9.7, and repeat viewings were noticeably fewer.
This was the market's honest verdict.
Even setting aside its controversial ending, it was undoubtedly an excellent film—but compared to 'Your Name', it was on a different level.
There was a difference between "good" and "classic."
Still, the results were more than sufficient.
It ranked among the top fifteen in Xia Nation's box office history and once again proved Dimensional Pictures' strength.
Since 'Rurouni Kenshin', every film Su Yan had made had surpassed 2 billion at the box office.
Every release was a hit.
Even if Su Yan modestly refused the title in interviews, the public had already decided—
He was the number one figure in the Xia Nation's film industry.
At this point, his competition was no longer his contemporaries, but legendary figures in film history—even on a global scale.
Throughout the week, news about Su Yan dominated both film and television circles.
Though the buzz around 'Weathering With You' gradually faded, it wasn't gone entirely.
Major domestic and international streaming platforms had purchased their online rights, with paid streaming scheduled within two months—ensuring another surge in popularity.
But for now—
Starting Thursday, 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion' dominated trending charts across the industry.
Gu Qingyuan, who played Euphemia, rose to No.1 on the female celebrity popularity rankings.
Su Yan himself topped the male celebrity rankings.
But at the same time—
He also ranked No.1 on the "most disliked" list in the entertainment industry.
Being No.1 in popularity reflected recognition of his portrayal of Lelouch.
Being No.1 in "most disliked" reflected a silent protest against him as a writer.
From a storytelling perspective, every character in the show was vividly written, and their actions aligned with their personalities—there was no clear right or wrong.
But audiences also understood—
A character's tragic fate ultimately came from the writer's decisions.
Otherwise, the writer could always find a way to avoid it.
["If Euphemia really dies tonight, I'm flying to Tokyo. If I can't beat him, I'll hire some local thugs to do it! I mean it!"] Xue Zhiyong typed furiously.
Of course, it was just venting.
Even if she died, he wouldn't actually do it—but he needed to release his anger.
["Too bad Euphy is Lelouch's sister. Otherwise I'd want her to replace C.C. as the female lead… sigh."]
["This is all Su Yan's fault! Every one of these settings came from his messed-up brain!"]
His comments were quickly copied and echoed by others.
Time passed quickly.
Even while scrolling through forums, Xue Zhiyong kept checking the clock.
As Episode 12 approached, he typed one last message in the fan group:
["Going silent for an hour—watching Episode 12. Will report back after!"]
"I want to see how this plays out…"
He shut off his computer and looked up at the TV.
"How is Lelouch supposed to resolve this?"
Although many fans didn't dare question Su Yan outright—afraid of being proven wrong later—
Deep down, doubts were growing.
Had Su Yan gotten carried away while writing?
Was the plot about to collapse?
If Lelouch really killed Euphemia… what then?
Would he just bulldoze his way forward against the full power of the Britannian Empire?
Was that even believable?
If the Black Knights alone could defeat Britannia, then why had Area 11 fallen in the first place?
Could a guerrilla force really surpass a formal army from years ago?
Questions churned in his mind.
Then—
The opening theme began.
Xue Zhiyong pushed aside his doubts and focused on the screen.