God of Trash - Chapter 25. Potions and the Pit

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 tender girl, Li Qiao, transmigrated into a delicate bride in a poor family.A rural household registration, between two decrepit houses.What she didn't know was that the unambitious loser of a husband would one day become a commercial tycoon, possessing the highest status and countless wealth.She was even less aware that her reborn stepsister was determined to replace her and become the wealthy lady of the house.The stepsister often urged her to leave, “Brother-in-law drinks and fights, he's irresponsible and doesn't deserve you.”Li Qiao was irritated on a daily basis, “He says he can annoy me to death.”The stepsister added, “He's too poor, you and the child will follow him to a life of hardship.”Li Qiao's face blushed with shyness, “He says one child is not enough to split up over, unless we have another one.”The stepsister: ……

To pass as an imperial concubine, one must be professional.

Actually, the profession of an imperial concubine is pretty good. The emperor will accompany you in eating and drinking, and even pay you for it. What’s not good about that?

A maid who is beaten on behalf of a noble boy.

Some memories of her childhood were cruel, but Yuriel held no resentment towards the boy. Rather, she liked it–The hand that carefully applied medicine to her wounds was always warm.

“M-Master, stop, Raph, sa, save…ah, mm…!”
“That’s why.. I told you.. to wait.. till I returned.”

But the Raphlet that appeared in her dreams showed nothing but passion and lust.

Prophetic dreams.
The ability that was like a stigma drove Yuriel towards an unknown future.

All I want is to be next to you.