Desolate Era - Book 44, Chapter 13 - Fatal Trap (1)

Noel Cross. A model student. A kind brother. The man every girl once dreamed of.With his handsome looks and flawless manners, he seemed perfect—at least to most.But beneath the smile… beneath the pristine facade… lies a bottomless void.And one fine day, when his smile could’ve finally turned genuine, a message appears—one only he can see.[Binding with Codex Null: Complete.][You have one free simulation available.]Now, an impossible system lies within his grasp—one that simulates his life, reveals hidden truths, and grants power unimaginable to the former him.With it, his fragile sense of control finally slips away.Love that was, in truth, obsession. Possession, teetering on madness.And a world that feels even more fragile than these women’s insecurities.Faced with it all, Noel must make a choice:Keep pretending.Or embrace the chaos…And become something far worse than anyone ever imagined.

In a world that only hears shouts, his silence is a weapon.Orphaned and mute, Mateo Álvarez communicates through the beautiful game.After a tragic accident steals his voice, it grants him something else: an extraordinary ability to see the flow of play before it happens, a gift he calls The System.On the pitch, he is a prodigy, a conductor of silent symphonies, reading the game with a genius that leaves scouts and legends in awe.His talent earns him a destiny at FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.Under the wing of mentors like Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi, Mateo flourishes, his dream of one day representing Spain on the world stage feeling closer than ever. He becomes their golden boy, a symbol of pure footballing intellect, and the heart of a new generation.But when the club’s soul is traded for corporate interests, Mateo’s greatest strength is recast as a liability. To the new board, a star who cannot speak is a star who cannot sell. Betrayed by the institution he called home, the boy who dreamed in goals is cast out at sixteen, his future shattered.Now, Mateo must journey beyond the only home he’s ever known. Armed only with his preternatural gift and a resilience forged in silence, he must find a new team willing to listen not to his voice, but to his vision.His quest is no longer just for club glory, but to prove a devastating truth to those who discarded him: that the most powerful language in football isn’t spoken at all.The Silent Symphony is an unforgettable underdog story about the corruption of dreams, the beauty of resilience, and the unspoken bonds that define us. It's a journey across the fierce landscapes of European football to reclaim a stolen destiny, one perfect pass at a time.

A dying old man entrusted him with the position of Sect Lord of a “great and glorious sect,” passing on a token and proclaiming him the future ruler of countless disciples.But when Li Xuan arrived at his inheritance…There were no disciples.No elders.No spirit beasts.No treasures.Only a collapsing gate, broken halls, and weeds taller than the main pavilion.The so-called supreme sect was nothing more than a ruined mountain with a fancy name.Just as despair set in, a mysterious voice echoed in his mind—[Sect-Building System Activated.]• The Host is invincible within sect territory.• The Host cannot leave sect territory.• Expand territory to receive rewards.• Recruit disciples.• Establish dominance.• Conquer realms.Each time the sect’s influence expands, divine rewards descend:Ancient techniques.Heaven-defying artifacts.Mythical beasts.Even fragments of lost realms.Trapped within his mountain yet unmatched inside it, Li Xuan begins rebuilding from nothing.One disciple becomes ten.Ten become a hundred.A hundred become an army of immortals.As territory spreads and realms begin to converge, the world slowly realizes:The ruined sect on the forgotten mountain…has become the axis of heaven and earth.Within his sect, all realms unite.

Life is a clash of desires, of wants, of musts…What is good?What is evil?Is one who saves his sister in place of hundreds, evil?Is another who sacrifices his sister to save hundreds, good?Life is no idealistic fairytale.Unique, it so easily gives and takes opportunities.For me? Life had taken one, and given another— two lives.This was no longer earth.On Sanctum, the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ decides how we start, but not where we go.As I woke, I knew not who I was, where I was, nor where I came from… Even my name eluded me… Yet I did not care.I knew my purpose.To find her...To find the strength to protect her...To build a reputation she would embrace, as the hero she'd always envisioned...On the 22 floating islands of the Arcane, knowledge is one’s most powerful weapon, and at the same time, greatest vulnerability. The web of lies and deception spread far in this world, some even woven and hidden by the very gods. The abyssal mysteries— those who near them get swallowed within the endless fogs that speak tales of Sanctum’s inevitable doom.For the sake of the world, I envision. This won’t do…Dearest Nina…___Dearest Joseph…********THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO HAREM IN THIS NOVEL!!I actively despise it as it slows down the story for no reason and serves NO purpose other than self insert fantasy slop.If you're here for diabolical activities that make sense, a smart MC who isn't naive for the sake of plot, where everything has meaning, leads to things without downtime and empty chapters, a story not about just an OP MC self insert fantasy, character development and morality, a mysterious world and plot twists, you've come to the right place.AUTHOR NOTE:Hey, It's Drip again. You may know me from my work on The Great Demon SystemThe first few chapters will be on earth, then it will transition into fantasy after where things will really pick up (before chapter 10). The MC will be very unique in the way he interacts and develops, things aren't always as they seem on the surface, so I hope you look forward to it :))As is common with my novels, my MC is NOT a morally ideal person, but it all has meaning so be prepared, or excited!I've been really busy with university work lately and have been cooking this novel up. I feel like it'll be something special.5 Chapters a day until around chapter 50, then I'll post daily