Rejection

However, what moved readers the most was Edward's confession to Winry.

"Equivalent Exchange! I'll give you half of my life, so give me half of yours!"

Edward, who could remain calm in battle, blushed and mustered up the courage to say this to Winry.

Winry, hearing Edward's words, looked confused at first, then realized what he meant. She put her hand on her forehead, sighed, and said, "You're such an idiot. Half? You can have all of it..."

After saying this, she and Edward stared into each other's eyes for a long time. Suddenly, Winry blushed deeply and waved her hands frantically, "Ah, no, not all of it. Maybe nine-tenths... no, eight-tenths!"

At this moment, seeing the two embrace, all the readers smiled with satisfaction. It felt like watching their own children get married.

After all, readers had followed Edward through many adventures, conspiracies, and battles leading up to this moment.

"Finally, it's over!"

"The story's pacing was tight, no drag at all. This is a work worth revisiting!"

Seeing the words "The End" in the comic, all the readers sighed with emotion. 

Such an excellent comic had become rare in recent years. Every work must come to an end eventually, and this conclusion left them with a sense of inexplicable regret.

The rating on Bean Juice Web also stabilized at 9.9, making it the highest-rated comic on the platform.

Online and offline celebrations erupted. Major internet platforms and print media in entertainment and lifestyle reported the event to varying degrees.

This event also shot "Fullmetal Alchemist" to the top of the trending list.

Various marketing accounts detailed the event.

Curiosity piqued everyone's interest, spreading by word of mouth, and subsequently boosting the sales of the "Fullmetal Alchemist" volumes.

As more people critiqued the comic, the score remained high.

Scanning the comments, Ren noticed that the vast majority were positive.

"Amazing! The best hot-blooded shounen manga of the year!"

"Very tight and engaging. The final confession scene was a heartwarming feast of dog food!"

"Perfect score! Full marks for art, story, and unexpected twists. Thank you, Porter, for a perfect ending! I'm absolutely blown away!"

Apart from general comments, some in-depth reviews analyzed the comic's essence. For instance, Ren's fan, Daniel, known for his influential posts, wrote an extensive analysis.

"The plot tests the author's character development and narrative skills. 'Fullmetal Alchemist' excels in both areas. But what truly elevates a work is its core message. Beyond the inspiring journey of the Elric brothers, the recurring flashbacks to the Ishvalan War elevate the comic's stature."

"The cold brutality of war, the complexity of human nature—this battle transformed once noble, upright young soldiers into tools of massacre due to duty, and released the full scope of the perpetrators' desires. The perverted 'victor's justice' exacerbated the distorted scenario."

"And the post-war behavior of those involved highlights the story's core message—anti-war."

Daniel's detailed review praised Ren's work as a masterpiece against war.

Various forums were flooded with posts. Some shared personal impressions, others outlined the timeline of "Fullmetal Alchemist," while some drew beautiful fan art.

Reading the comments, Ren liked the ones praising his work. Just as he was about to log off, he saw a question that caught his eye:

**"How would you evaluate 'Fullmetal Alchemist's' author, the Porter?"**

Curious, Ren clicked on it and saw many responses calling him the most innovative manga artist of the new era, a genius, and more.

Feeling inspired, Ren posted his own answer.

"I haven't interacted much with the Porter, but from what I know, he's upright, handsome, kind, and incredibly quick-witted..."

Just as Ren was praising himself, Jada came home with Yueyue.

As soon as Yueyue came in, she ran upstairs, her small feet thudding on the steps.

This left Ren puzzled.

Normally, Yueyue would shout "Daddy!" and rush into his arms. Why didn't she do that today? And why did she look so upset? 

Ren asked Jada, "What's up with her?"

"I don't know. She just said it was your fault." Jada shrugged. "Did you bully her again? Like, stealing her snacks or trying to take her red envelopes?"

"No way!" Ren protested.

As a modern good father, how could he have any ill intentions to bully his daughter?

However, he started thinking. 

Did she find out about the time he broke her magic wand and glued it back together? No, his handiwork should be flawless.

Or did she notice he ate her snacks? No, he replaced them afterward.

Seeing Ren deep in thought, Jada knew he must have been up to some mischief lately.

But she didn't dwell on it.

After all, Ren and Yueyue were a pair of joyful troublemakers. Though Yueyue was often pranked by Ren, she would quickly forget, so Jada didn't mind.

But she had something more important to discuss.

"By the way, the company chosen for the patriotic education anime has been decided," Jada sighed. "We didn't get selected. The final choice was Dragon Soar's project. It wasn't just about the work itself; we lacked the connections and influence compared to those companies."

"Really?" Ren felt a bit disappointed. After all, this project was something he had painstakingly researched and created himself, not something given by the system.

"Are you still planning to continue with it?" Jada asked. "Although we didn't get selected by CCTV, other TV stations are also planning similar projects to celebrate this National Day."

"Of course! We'll keep going!" Ren nodded firmly.

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