Dad, Please Try a Little Harder - Chapter 34

Leng Pan never expected her late-night rant after reading a book about the apocalypse to change her life forever.Frustrated by the sheer stupidity of the second female lead in the novel; Apocalypse Rebirth', she criticized her tragic death, and the character’s blind loyalty to the female lead. But when Leng Pan wakes up, she finds herself inside the very novel; as the second female lead!She realizes she had transmigrated into the novel on the day she’s meant to hand over the jade bangle with a space to the so-called “best friend” who would betray her. With only seven days left before the world falls into chaos, Leng Pan refuses to follow the script. Instead of giving up her greatest advantage, she uses it to stockpile supplies, distances herself from the scheming reborn heroine, and most importantly; fights for the love of the male lead who once died trying to save her.Armed with foreknowledge, Leng Pan will change her fate. No more being used as a stepping stone. No more tragic endings.This time, she will survive. And she will thrive, even in the apocalypse.But what happens when the butterfly effect of her transmigration changes the script? Will her plans fail to keep up with the changes or will she rise above the author’s imagination and write her own story with the man who would kill and die for her?

Zane Thaleward, born into a prestigious family known for their extraordinary magical abilities, struggles to meet the expectations placed upon him. Unlike his relatives, his magic is weak, limited to only the simplest of spells, making him the subject of mockery and ridicule.Despite the constant criticism, he remains determined to become stronger. One day, while searching the family’s library for a way to improve his magic, he stumbles upon a strange, ancient book. Little does he know, this discovery will change his destiny forever.

I am currently re-writing the first chapters of this story. They are quite rough and bounce around a lot and I can do better. At some point, I will replace these with the better chapters.Sometime in 2024 Aethon Books will publish the first volume of this story on Amazon, KU, and audible. This will mean the story will be stubbed. I will notify people far in advance of that.In the dystopian world of the future, life is rough when you live at the bottom. Jobs are non-existent. Far too many people live in poverty, crammed into huge buildings called Habitats. With no jobs in the real world, many people can only find work online in VR worlds as servants to the very rich. And it's getting worse. The old internet is unusable and hacked to pieces. The new system needs AI to run things, but all but one of them were destroyed. The last sentient AI is ordered to create a new game world so the rich can have a playground, and the corporations that rule the world can have a new global market place. Everyone wants a piece of the new game. The guilds are competing to be the first to find the dungeons and kill the biggest monster. The corporations are claiming land and putting in their online market places. Ozzy and his friends just want a paycheck.Four friends sign five year contracts as virtual serfs in a small village, and can't go adventuring at all to gain money. They don't have many choices. They can work as a blacksmith, barmaid and shepherd for all those years....or they can cheat and find ways to take advantage of the system and carve out a section of the game world for themselves, and earn a fortune in the real world.When they give you a mop and not a sword, you have to find the loopholes and change the rules.

The dimensional rifts link the earth to the Xingwu continent. This is the dawn of the martial arts era!

I will be useless if I don’t practice martial arts? Don’t worry, I have a system that allows me to pick up attributes. When other people drop attributes during their training, I can pick them up secretly.

Huh? Did you just say that beating up people will make them drop attributes too? In that case…

You defeated a sword skill genius. He dropped Enlightenment×2, Sword Talent×1… You’ve picked them up. Your insights have improved and you’ve gained a beginner stage sword talent!

You defeated a blade skill talent. He dropped Blade Battle Technique×1, Malicious Blade Intent×1… You picked them up and learned a rare blade battle technique! You’ve also figured out Malicious Blade Intent and have become extremely fierce!

You defeated a physique talent. He dropped Physique Scripture×1, Holy-Blood Dominant Physique×1…

You picked them up and learned a new top-grade scripture! You are exceptionally lucky to have received the Holy-Blood Dominant Physique. It can change your physique completely and you earned a god-level title 'Endless Health'.

Someone killed a powerful star beast and dropped Spiritual Sight×1 and Blank Attribute×60… You picked them up secretly and receive a spiritual eye talent as well as 60 points to add to any of your current attributes!

You defeat many opponents in your life. You accidentally kill an innocent devil and split the universe into two when you’re practicing your blade at home. You burst the sun with your fist and the world is engulfed in darkness…

That’s when you realize… You’re invincible!