Drawing the blade of justice

After hitting 'rock bottom', Xu Xianzhe picked up a pen and sketched himself a thrilling new chapter, Xing Wen reports.

Lines of black ink slash back and forth across the page, vividly contrasting with the crisp white of the paper. Each stroke, though slightly different - some heavy and dark, others light and wispy - contributes to helping form the finished composition.

With a flourish, the 35-year-old author and illustrator, Xu Xianzhe, finishes scribbling his signature and, with a smile, hands the book to one of the many adoring fans clamouring for his autograph at the 2019 Shanghai Book Fair.