CEO Above, Me Below - Chapter 4

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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Dear readers! Without any ads, maybe you will prefer .

After being abandoned by her long time boyfriend on their wedding day, Rachael lost all her faith in love and relationships. But that changed when she met Andrew again.

With no hope of finding love again in her life, Rachael agreed to marry her father's best friend's son, Andrew Collins. But little did she know fate had different plans for her.

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Excerpt:

Holding his drunk wife in his arms, Andrew kicked the bedroom door open.

When he placed her in the bed, Rachael slowly opened her eyes. “Are we home?”

“Yes.” Taking her heels off, he covered her with the quilt. “I'll get you some warm water.” But before he could get up, she grabbed his hand.

“What happened? Do you want something else?”

Kicking the quilt off, she crawled in his lap. Placing one hand on his cheek and the other at the back of his neck, she inched closer. “Andrew—”

“Hmm?”

“I think I am falling for you, what should I do?”

[WARNING: MATURE CONTENT]I yanked my wrist, trying to pull free, but his grip didn’t budge. “Let me go,” I cried, surprised by how weak I sounded but for goodness sake, this is an elementary school restroom hallway, meaning anyone might walk in at any moment.“No.” He leaned in, his breath warm against the side of my neck. My skin prickled as my toes curled, I hated how my body reacted without my permission. “You’re mine,” he whispered, “Every part of you, your fear, your silence, even that defiance you’re clinging to. It’s all mine. And I’m not about to let anyone else touch or have what belongs to me. Not the world, not even yourself.”****Kain Locke would never forget that face, the face of the man who smiled as he pulled the trigger, murdering his parents right in front of him. That moment scarred him for life, carving a hatred so deep it kept him alive.That man was Caspian Draeven, a ruthless Alpha who ruled the underworld with fear and bloodshed and as if that wasn't enough, he took Kain too, raising him in his empire of chaos.But Kain wasn’t broken as they expected him, rather, he was burning. Burning with hatred for the man who destroyed his world and he swear to get his revenge.However, Caspian wasn’t the only monster in the Draeven family. His son, Kael Draeven, was just as dangerous, cold, brutal, and utterly loyal to his father which makes Kain hated Kael just as much, if not more.For years, Kain planned his escape, waiting for the perfect moment so he can leave to prepare for his revenge.However when he finally ran, he thought he’d won his freedom. But the unexpected happens when Kael was sent to bring him back, and their confrontation took an unplanned turn. A single night left Kain with a secret he never saw coming and a bond he couldn’t forget, no matter how much he wanted to.But secrets have a way of coming to light, and Kain’s path will lead him straight back to the man he swore to hate forever.Because some bonds can’t be broken. Not even by revenge.

[Apocalypse] + [Rebirth] + [Hoarding Supplies] + [Surviving] + [Infinite Space] + [Dark Revenge & Non-Saintly]The world enters an Ice Age, ushering in an icy apocalypse where 95% of humanity perishes! In his past life, Zhang Yi was killed by those he had kindly helped, due to his benevolent nature. Reborn a month before the ice apocalypse, Zhang Yi awakens a spatial ability and begins to hoard supplies frenetically! Running out of supplies? He empties the warehouse of a super-mall worth billions! Uncomfortable living conditions? He constructs a super-secure dwelling comparable to a post-apocalyptic fortress! As the apocalypse arrives, while others freeze like dogs and would abandon anything for a bite to eat, Zhang Yi lives even more comfortably than before the apocalypse.Green Tea b**ch: “Zhang Yi, let me into your house, and I promise to be your girlfriend.”Rich Second Generation: “Zhang Yi, I’m willing to trade all my wealth for a meal at your place!”Beastly Neighbors: “Zhang Yi, you should share your supplies with us, don’t be so selfish!”……Watching these people who betrayed him in his past life, Zhang Yi lies comfortably in his safe house, living a carefree life as if in a paradise.Zhang Yi: “Why should I care whether you live or die? I would rather feed my things to the dogs than give them to you!”