Canada-based publisher Via Lactea took to social media to reveal two new danmei novel licenses: Past and Future and The Eternal Gate.
Past and Future
Past and Future (昨日今朝) is a danmei novel by Mei Ru Dai. It was originally serialized in 2009 and was compiled into 12 chapters (plus 2 extras) for physical release.
Via Lactea will be publishing the series in a single volume, and gives the following synopsis:
The moment you try to hold on to something, fate will find some fucking way to break you down until you finally let go.
There is currently no release date for Past and Future.
(Src: Via Lactea Twitter/X)
The Eternal Gate
On Valentine’s Day, Via Lactea shared a first-of-its-kind announcement—a brand new series from Gu Xue Rou (better known as Fei Tian Ye Xiang) that has never been released in any language before: The Eternal Gate.
Although initially written in Chinese (永恒之门), the series will be released exclusively in English first. Also referred to as simply Eternal Gate, the main source to read The Eternal Gate will be the company’s account on the website Wattpad. A company rep stated they may also post the series via Twitter/X or Instagram. The first chapter will be debuting in either March or April 2026, with the Chinese version to follow after. Chapters will be collected for ebooks and a print edition sometime in the future. The final length of the series is not yet known, but per a post from Via Lactea, they have already read 15 chapters.
Via Lactea’s describes the series with the following synopsis:
Zion was his god’s most devout servant, yet his pious heart was set ablaze by a slave named Tetsu. An ardent passion flared in secret under the very eyes of the divine.
However, reality ruthlessly rent this false life asunder. As the flames of war sparked to life, Tetsu showed his true allegiance and pointed his blade at the very god Zion believed in.
His love had been built upon a foundation of lies.
Through The Eternal Gate‘s serialization process, Via Lactea encourages readers to “Leave a comment, share your theories, and join the conversation as we dive into this brand new world together!”. Author Gu Xue Rou will also be directly involved, a rarity for danmei translations, and increasingly more so for danmei authors in general due to increased scrutiny from Chinese officials (src: BBC).
In response to being asked about rights to the Chinese edition, Via Lactea clarified they own full copyright to the series, meaning there is no agent company working as the go between of author and publisher. This means any future publications in other languages would need to be negotiated with Via Lactea.
When asked who would be translating the series, Via Lactea’s response was “Our editor and @pengiesama will be collaborating on the translation”. Pengie themselves is not a translator, instead serving as editor and proofreader on a variety of danmei for different publishers, indicating that Via Lactea may be translating the series via an inhouse staff-member (the aforementioned editor).
This gave at least one user on reddit some concern, with no translator formally named, and an AI disclaimer policy present on the company’s website that indicates its usage may be a regular part of their editorial workflow:
Translation
In all commercial collaborations, we consistently respect and honor the efforts and contributions of every partner we work with.
For translation projects, our standard workflow requires two to three human translators and editors to conduct word by word translation, revision, and polishing.
Within this framework, AI may be used solely as a tool to improve efficiency and linguistic quality, but never as a replacement for human professionals.
It’s worth noting the same FAQ shares a strict anti-AI stance for artwork, and that The Eternal Gate‘s author says they have utilized ChatGPT for some of the work involved in translating their own stories to English in the past. Whether Via Lactea intends to use AI for the translation of this serialized version cannot be confirmed either way. Any use of AI for creative projects often receives a great deal of criticism for the decision to not hire individuals for the same role, a poorer quality outcome, and the environmental effects of servers required to run the software (src: UN Environment Programme).
Regardless, general enthusiasm for the project is high. Gu Xue Rou is a popular author whose works have seen increased visibility for English readers due to the numerous releases by Seven Sea Entertainment, where their works are published under the name Fei Tian Ye Xiang. Those include titles such as Dinghai Fusheng Records, Legend of Exorcism, and Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory. Via Lactea is also currently releasing Gu Xue Rou’s To Rule In A Turbulent World series in both print and digital editions.
Via Lactea is a Canadian publishing company that sells novels in both Chinese and English, typically with both print and digital editions available. Via Lactea’s books are sold directly on their website and major platforms like Amazon and Bookshop.org.
(Src: Via Lactea Twitter/X)
