First Contact - Chapter 282 (The Confederacy)

We have all heard the legends of great wizards, but do we know how those stories begin? Ardan Egobar, a young man living in a remote corner of the New Monarchy Empire, does not. He doesn't realize that this story is about him. Not yet...In a world where steam locomotives chug along iron rails, where massive airships hover in the skies, where in the cities you might encounter orcs in suits involved in organized crimes, dwarves with cigars controlling major banks, or elves strutting down fashionable boulevards, where humans have built vast nations on the brink of a world war, almost anything seems possible.Maybe, in such a world, even an ordinary young man, the last of the mountain hunters, might one day become the greatest wizard in history.

Deceived into marriage, exploited for a lifetime as a nanny without pay, and finally beaten to death by her adoptive mother in front of her adoptive father's sickbed, Shen Mianmian's miserable life came to an end.When she opened her eyes again, she found herself back at fifteen. Shen Mianmian vowed to escape her past fate, punish her malicious cousin and adoptive mother, but accidentally shone too brightly in the process.The third-to-last student in school suddenly rose to the top, becoming the candidate fought over by prestigious universities, causing a sensation among all the teachers and students...While others were busy studying, Shen Mianmian was busy starting small businesses to make money...While others were preparing for the college entrance exams, Shen Mianmian purchased the two most notorious haunted houses in Beijing in one go... becoming an oddity in everyone's eyes, they mocked her that even if she had the fortune to buy them, she might not have the life to live in them.While others graduated and were busy looking for jobs, the haunted properties purchased by Shen Mianmian were requisitioned by the government, earning her a considerable amount of demolition compensation.Those who had mocked her couldn't help but slap themselves twice... inquiring everywhere where there might be haunted houses for sale.Shen Mianmian, originally needing to borrow money for tuition fees, used the demolition funds and leveraged her rebirth advantage to buy a suitable plot of land and built a rental building, transforming into a Beijing's wealthiest and most prosperous landlady...One day, Shen Mianmian, carrying a bag of keys and having just collected the rent, was dragged to the Civil Affairs Bureau.“Shen Mianmian, it's time for you to pay back what you owe me.”

Seven billion humans living on the Earth time-traveled together after they had woken up one morning. They all heard a synthesized female voice.

Broken-hearted and drunk, Yoshida, a 26-years old salaryman, stumbled upon a runaway-from-home high-schooler on his way back from the bar.

“Hey, you. JK.”*

“What the heck are you doing out here. Go home already.”

“Uncle, let me stay at your place for the night.”

“You can do ‘that’ to me if you let me stay.”

“If you meant that as a joke, it’s not funny.”

“I’m not joking. It’s fine by me.”

“Then allow me to tell you that I have no interest in brats.”

“Hmm?”

“Then, just let me stay.”

Notes:

[*] JK is slang for Joushikousei (high school girl)