12 O'Clock Marionette - Chapter 3

He died doing what he loved—on the basketball court, surrounded by cheers, chasing a dream that never came true.But fate—or perhaps the Basketball God—gave him one more shot.When Dirgantara Renji, a washed-out benchwarmer with a decade of struggle behind him, suddenly wakes up as his 15-year-old self, he’s confused, overwhelmed... and determined. This isn’t just a second chance at life—it’s a second chance at the dream he refused to let die.Now in 2009, armed with a mysterious System, years of experience, and a deep hunger to prove himself, Dirga is ready to carve a new path. But this time, things are different. New faces. New choices. And hidden talents he never met in his past life.Will he finally rise from the shadows to become the basketball legend he was meant to be?

Betrayed. Ridiculed. Killed.That was my past life.I trusted the wrong people, and they buried me for it. But fate wasn’t done with me yet. When I opened my eyes again, it wasn’t in my old body—it was in a world overrun by the undead. And this time, I was one of them.A fucking zombie!But I’m not like the others. I think. I feel. I remember.What’s this voice in my head?[Welcome to the Silent Requiem System!]The system feeds me power, unlocking missions and skill buried within this body. I have one goal: rise in rank, take control, and make sure no one ever tramples me again.The humans I move with have no idea what I really am. To them, I’m just another survivor, clawing my way to the top. But in battle, I use my abilities in secret—manipulating the undead, eliminating threats, and turning every fight in my favor.But rumors are spreading. There’s talk of an undead hiding among them, unseen and unstoppable. If they find out the truth, they’ll hunt me down like a monster.And my past? It’s here too. The people who betrayed me in my last life are standing right beside me, unaware of who I am. But I remember them. They turned on me once—I won’t give them the chance to do it again.Then there’s him. The commander of the city, sharp-eyed and ruthless. He’s watching me too closely, asking too many questions. If he figures out the truth, I’ll have to make a choice: eliminate him, outplay him… or pull him into my trap before he can destroy me.Because in this world, power is the only thing that matters. And this time, I refuse to be at the bottom.***“How did you survive when everyone else died?”I guess death just didn’t want me.“Why do the zombies ignore you?”Maybe I just have a face they don’t like.“You were just a nobody yesterday—how are you suddenly so strong?”Hard work, luck… and a little bit of hex.“Why do I feel like I've seen you somewhere before?”Déjà vu’s a funny thing, isn’t it?“What are you?”Wouldn’t you like to know?

What would you feel if after living your whole life out, you found out that you're just a character in a book?

That every encounter and misfortune were just the machinations of the author?

And if one day, you will be given a chance to escape, will you grab the opportunity or remain drunk by your role?

***

Philip was one of the puppets of fate and the main character of a famous book. Yet, unlike other main characters, his life was filled with tragedy and later ended terribly.

Then one day, along with the other 99 men, he was summoned to fight for his freedom. He immediately agreed to participate. He wanted to live freely and control his own life.

However, after seeing the might of his 99 enemies, he instantly became reluctant. Can he win against those who control magic and create miracles? He was just an unlucky soulless player with no interesting ability to begin with!

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When human beings ventured into the Interstellar Age, they encountered the Ochs Civilization, and thus followed the first Interstellar War.

Lost territories continued to increase along with the skyrocketing casualties. Eventually, humans were forced back into the Solar System.

In the 58th year of the Federation, Lin Fan, a traverser from Earth, graduated from the Interstellar Military Academy and entered the Federation Fleet.

That then signalled the day of the humans’ counterattack!

From dominating the Milky Way to the entire Universe, mankind never stopped.

This is a story of a traverser leading mankind to rule the Universe!