Cave Refuge - Chapter 60: Discussion_1

Strength: 1Agility: 1Stamina: 1Magic Power: 20Luck: 1All my stats are dumped into Magic Power.I can only use one spell.There’s no character as broken as this, and yet, that’s me.And somehow, I got mistaken for a once-in-a-lifetime genius.

In the world of cultivation, countless tales follow righteous protagonists, fated heroes blessed by destiny, or those chosen by heaven to walk the path of immortality.But what of those who stand in their way?What of the villains? The so-called obstacles to the hero’s journey—do they not bleed, dream, and struggle as well?Xiao Ning was never meant to succeed.From the very beginning, the Grand Dao wove him as a stepping stone—a necessary sacrifice to elevate another. His path, like that of all designated ‘villains,’ was doomed to failure by design.But what happens when that design is defied?After death, Xiao Ning awakens—not in the cycle of reincarnation, but in the cold silence beyond it. There, he is offered the Eternal Paradox Codex—a forbidden artifact containing the hidden truths of the Grand Dao System itself.Rules. Loopholes. Vulnerabilities.Knowledge not meant for those like him.With this power, Xiao Ning is granted a single, impossible choice: accept oblivion, or step outside the Grand Dao entirely—to abandon fate, sever karma, and cultivate a path unbound by heaven or law.It is Xiao Ning’s journey, from ashes to something beyond comprehension.Not to become an Immortal among men.But something even the heavens dare not bind.If fate is a chain…Then let him forge his own path in the void beyond.Welcome to this humble tale.The cultivation world is vast and unkind.Let us begin again—on our terms.

The human race is fending off the assault of the thaids, strange monsters evolved by animals occupying most of the earth's surface.

Because of the monsters, society has evolved into one based on individual fighting prowess; Erik is an abandoned young boy living in such society with the most useless of the powers.

Everything changes when his father returns home, bringing something he would have never expected.

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I possessed a minor character who marries the prince. I’m not thrilled about it. The prince is a scumbag who flirts with the heroine despite being engaged and eventually gets defeated by the original male lead. In the epilogue, all he does is apologize to his fiancée and marry her, with barely a line to his name. Well, his personality is twisted, but at least he’s handsome. And since he’s the third prince, he doesn’t have to shoulder the burden of ruling the kingdom. That’s decent husband material, I suppose. Go ahead, make a fool of yourself. You’re going to marry me anyway. I’ll just sit back and enjoy watching your embarrassing history unfold. “Doris Redfield. Don’t expect me to ask you to dance at this ball. Maybe not at the next one either. Or the one after that.” “Yes, Your Highness. As you wish.” “Even though we’re engaged… wait, what?” “It’s just a joke proposal our parents once tossed around, isn’t it? You don’t need to take it seriously, Your Highness. I’m really fine with it.” “…Is that so? Yes, that’s… fine, right?” Why are you panicking, prince? You started spouting nonsense first. Where’s your conscience? But then, this guy really has the audacity to ask something outrageous. “…Do you, perhaps, have another man?” The guy who flirted with the original heroine is saying this now? Calm down. He’ll regret this later. All I need to do is remain a devoted fiancée until then. “What are you talking about? A woman like me… plain, not beautiful, with a gloomy personality, what man would even—” “What? Who dared to say that about you?” …You did, in the original story. This guy is acting weird. But he’s not the only problem. “My dear little sister Doris, that dress you’re wearing today is dreadful. No wonder there are rumors His Highness has abandoned you.” “Well, it can’t be helped. His Highness is too good for me anyway.” “…Hold on. Too good? Who said that? Wait, were you really dumped?” The original villainess, who also happens to be my older sister, Natalie, is suddenly interested in my love life. Why are all the original tr*shy characters growling at each other over me now?!