A Court of Lost Stars - Chapter 14: The Subtle Art of Patience

Leon was a robotics engineer with a bright future—until he was run over by a military truck and killed on the spot. But death wasn’t the end. Thanks to a cosmic glitch and to an idiot, Leon wakes up in a new world, reincarnated as the son of a minor noble family guarding the wild frontier of a massive Empire. With his intact mind, enhanced brain, and a world begging for progress, Leon sees opportunity everywhere—one that he will grab for sure.But not everything will go smoothly. Monsters come over in the winter, the Empire monopolizes magic and technology, and society clings to barbaric ways. Refusing to accept the status quo, Leon decides to reshape his family’s backwater territory into a land he would enjoy living in. Armed with knowledge from his old life, modern problem-solving, and an irreverent attitude, he plans to revolutionize his territory. But in a land where magic is rare and unknown to ordinary people, he knows he’ll need more than blueprints to succeed. He will need his own wizards and witches...Hey-ho! Welcome! I thought I need to add some information to those who want to know if they should just skip it or not: First, I ain't planning to introduce world-changing, thought-provoking ideas here. It is all for the plain and simple reason of having some fun. What you need to be aware of if you need more details:- Yes, this is an isekai story. No, there are no 'cheats' or systems involved with gaining skills. He is just a guy reincarnating with a gene-modified brain, so it explains why he can remember things and be smart. That is it. Think of it as him having a perfect memory. If you perceive confidence as arrogance, you may very well dislike the MC right off the bat. He is not someone who will lay low and try to blend in when his territory is the most backward and abandoned place in a vast Empire. Where the throne is so far away, messages take months to go back and forth.- The story mostly focuses on kingdom-building stuff and slice-of-life elements, not on conquest or curb stomping others. The main conflict will be centered around wars, yes, but it won't be one guy vs. the world or something like that. Magic is going to play a big role in building up the territory, as I plan to branch out into magic technology later on. I am going to rely heavily on magic because I am mostly a fantasy writer and not an engineer.- The MC's main goal is to enjoy himself. This also means girls. So there will be a harem. Those who are familiar with my works, how I do groups, and how my characters act will know I don't like doing cardboard cutouts of characters. Most of my stories have more than one character accompanying the MC. The same will be true here, with the extra caveat that they will also be involved romantically with the MC. - The story plays out in a 1st person POV. There won't be jumping around multiple POVs; I don't like that. Only when the story requires it and the MC can’t be present by himself for some story parts.- Don't take this story seriously nor look for scientifically 100% real and codex-like solutions for problems. This is a fantasy world, a totally different culture, and with history, that is NOT OUR world! There is magic here, and the MC has a supercomputer for a brain. I think that says it all. - My main goal is to enjoy writing some whacky but real-sounding scenarios. They will be based upon feasible ideas, but I am not writing a damned textbook about thermodynamics. Laws will be bent and broken when the story needs it.- Regarding smut, there are some chapters with erotic scenes, but not every other chapter. So expect it when the mood is there in the story and not because I must cram as much snu-snu in as possible... That won't happen.- No guns. Why? Every similar story has guns. This doesn't. This has mechs and power swords. Why? Because I said so.

Manchester United, once a dominant force in world football, finds itself struggling under Erik ten Hag despite having the financial power to rebuild.Big-money transfers fail to restore the club’s glory, forcing Ten Hag to shift his focus to homegrown talent.Among the overlooked prospects in the U18 squad is Leo Calderon, a 17-year-old central midfielder buried deep in the pecking order.Lacking physicality and dismissed by teammates as weak, Leo endures constant ridicule from those who dominate with strength and athleticism.But during one ordinary training session, everything changes—Leo suddenly sees passing lanes no one else can, angles of play invisible to even the most talented prospects.Yet, there’s a problem. His vision surpasses his ability. The passes he attempts don’t connect, his technique unable to match his newfound awareness.Coaches dismiss his efforts as sloppy, and his struggles continue. But one unexpected observer—a visiting League One assistant coach—notices something different.He watches Leo’s movements, seeing potential where others see failure.As Leo fights to prove himself in an unforgiving system, the question lingers—can he refine his raw talent before the club moves on without him?

The heroine has no cp
———————————
Yi Linglong, no one has seen her face, no one knows her gender, but there are rumors in the rivers and lakes that this is a man who looks like a good woman.
His martial arts are strong, cold as frost, and a dagger seems to be able to kill all living beings in the world.
He kills one person in ten steps and does not stay for thousands of miles, but he has a maverick that is different from other Jianghu people.
His story can be said for three days and three nights. As a unique existence among assassins, he has become a legend. …
“I told you about the deeds of my male god, did you hear it?”
“I heard, I heard. Is there anything else? I’m going to collect sauerkraut.” Hua Rongyue waved her hand and turned away.
“Hey? Why is it not like you? Is it interesting, cooperate with me anyway, what is my male god doing now? You can figure it out, let me figure it out.”
Hua Rongyue, “…”
——If my calculation is correct, your male god estimates that 80%, maybe, is now accumulating sauerkraut in a small medical hall…

Content tags: Jianghu grievances, disguise, misunderstandings, women disguised as men
Search keywords: Protagonist: Hua Rongyue (Yi Linglong) ┃ Supporting role: People in the Jianghu ┃ Others: Hua Rongyue, Yi Linglong
One-sentence introduction: rushing through the rivers and lakes~

- Description from novelbuddy

“Shameless Xia Ping, not only did you steal my martial arts manual and medicinal pills, you even took my fiancée! We’re not finished!”

“He’s the embarrassment of the Martial Way and a parasite of the human race. A complete scumbag.”

“There’s nothing that he won’t do. Not only would he not help an old person cross the road, he would even steal the lollipop of a three year old.”

“He causes problems everywhere. All of the geniuses of those big families have been beaten up by him before. Now, he’s no longer tolerated by either humans or gods!”

Countless martial arts experts of Yanhuang Star hated Xia Ping down to the very bone. They were just itching to completely crush him into pieces.

As for Xia Ping? Facing the hatred of so many people, he just calmly pulled up the interface of the “Grand Hatred System” and looked at all the wonderful things there. He rubbed his chin, “I’ve already saved up so many Hatred Points. What should I exchange for now? Saint-grade medicinal pills? Or perhaps that Primordial Pill? The peerless martial art skill, Tathagata Palm also seems pretty good too. But then there’s that divine weapon, the Cosmic Cauldron. It really is too difficult to choose!”

- Description from novelupdates