Arc of Fire - Chapter 450: Cavalry Charge

The rule had always been this way: the strong over the weak, the rich over the poor. Mark knew this, he'd even experienced it.After his boss fired him for discovering the affair with his girlfriend (who also worked at their small gaming company), Mark vowed never to be humiliated like that again. He wanted to rise above everyone, to become the world's top player, the one who made the rules and decided everyone's fate. But that was wishful thinking. He was just a heavyset, nerdy guy with some programming skills and a large appetite. What else did he have going for him?Hit hard by this reality, jobless and dumped, Mark withdrew into gaming, which also became his source of income. One day, after leaving a bad review for a game he played and streamed, he received a strange reply from the game's creator. Suddenly, Mark found himself transported to Aetherium, the world of that same game, as Magnus Lancaster, the young lord of a crumbling territory.Now, with this new beginning, he vowed never to be weak again, never to leave his fate in someone else's hands.

When Arran decides to become a mage, he quickly discovers that magic can be more dangerous than he had ever imagined. Soon, he finds himself hunted for powers he never knew he had.

# simulator

Bai Yi transmigrated to a fantasy world and awakened the Immortal Cultivation Simulator. The longer he managed to survive in a simulation, the better the rewards he would obtain.

[You were born into a poor family… you died due to hunger.]

[You were born into a rich family that runs a business… you were killed by kidnappers.]

After failing more than 30 times in the Immortal Cultivation Simulator, Bai Yi wondered whether he was unfit for cultivation. Therefore, he had to rely on others to go through the simulation for him!

[Chen Qianxue, the Holy Maiden of the Soul Sword Clan, has entered into the Immortal Cultivation Simulator upon your invitation.]

[Age 0, Chen Qianxue was born into a poor family.]

[Age 5, Chen Qianxue picked up the manuscript of the Sword Cultivation Technique by chance.]

[Age 8, Chen Qianxue was at the first level of the Qi Refinement stage.]

[Age 164, Chen Qianxue failed while attempting to break through to the next stage. She died due to sudden, unbearable power pushing through her meridians.]

[You acquired the following rewards…]

[…]

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?