A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands - Chapter 18Book 3: : A Sticky Situation

[Dazzling Beauty × Aloof Tycoon] [His Deliberate Plan]That night, abandoned by the man she had loved for ten years, she was deeply saddened and sought solace in alcohol, but accidentally drank the drugged liquor. Then, he appeared. With a lazy posture and a relaxed tone, he asked, “How about being with me?” He was a big shot feared by all and stood atop the pyramid of society. She knew he was a handful, yet she was still somewhat captivated by him. Thus, she agreed, “Fine.”From then on, it became widely known that he had taken a woman under his wing, doting on her excessively and granting her every wish. Some were jealous and said, “How long can he spoil her? They're just acting and will break up soon.” In fact, she thought the same, so she never dared to fall in love and awaited the day when she would be cast aside. Later, when rumors of a new companion in his life reached her ears, she prepared to leave, but he refused, saying, “You are the only one I have loved all along.”Little did she know, he had loved her for ten years...

Unconditional obedience to him? Dream on! Regrettably, after marrying Tang Yuchen, An Ruo's daily thoughts were of escape, escape, and more escape! Someone grew furious, “You want to flee? The only way out is if you die, or I perish!” Fine, she chose death! Yet he laughed wickedly, “Woman, do you intend to kill the son in your womb?”

Five years ago, humanity’s strongest Tower Climber was betrayed at the peak of his conquest.Rael Arden, known only by his codename Phantom, was the silent genius who cleared impossible floors, crushed monsters with forbidden magic, and shaped the rules of Tower exploration. No one had ever seen his real face—yet his legend was feared across the world.But at the Tower’s summit, the teammates he carried to glory stabbed him in the back. For power. For godhood. For fear of what he might become.They thought he died.They were wrong.Reincarnated in secret, Rael awakens in a modern world that’s on the edge of collapse. Dungeons bleed into cities. Monsters evolve. The Tower is no longer just a gate—it’s infecting the world. And the very ones who betrayed him now rule from the shadows, hiding behind titles, guilds, and lies.But Rael isn’t alone. His soul split across hidden clone bodies, each designed to infiltrate, gather information, and prepare for war. As each clone reawakens, his power grows—and so does his rage.With him are three women tied to his fate:Selene, the shadow rogue who never betrayed him.Lyra, a curious researcher drawn to the legend of the Phantom.Aeris, the sword saint who still mourns his death… and may not be as loyal to the enemy as she seems.Now, Rael hunts the seven betrayers who destroyed his past.One by one, they will fall.But revenge is just the beginning.Because deep within the Tower, something else is waking—an ancient force that even Rael feared. And this time, the world may not survive unless the Phantom reigns again.

“Qu Meng’er was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but her father had tampered with her brakes and ended her life in a car accident.