Merchant Crab - Chapter 85: The Calm

“Let the world burn… if that’s what it takes to keep them from stealing what’s mine.”William Knox, once hailed as the brightest inventor of the century, dies with his heart corroded by betrayal. His daughter and closest friend stripped him of everything—his legacy, his empire, his future. But death wasn’t the end… it was only the beginning.He awakens in a strange world, ruled not by science, but by magic. His body is no longer his own. His soul is bound by a dark contract, and his mind is still tethered to his past—thanks to a newborn AI and the last working prototype of his neural implant.“Will you make a contract with me?”Guided by the cold logic of his most innocent creation and the limitless power of arcane forces, William must survive among arcane kingdoms, ancient beings, and buried secrets that defy reality.To succeed, he’ll need to master this new world’s magical laws, manipulate those who inhabit it, and uncover why he was brought here… and by whom.Vengeance forged his soul.Magic will shape his destiny.And the truth… will destroy the world.A story of magic, vengeance, and the birth of a new god of nightmares begins here...----------------------Warning:-------------------------------Explicit sex scenes starting from chapter 19, in any case this story is not focused on R18 it is just an explicit series.

【This story features a vibrant and outgoing female lead and a gentle and devoted male lead. It is a romance novel filled with pampering moments and post-marriage love.】Mi Jing, 27 years old, unmarried.She comes from an ordinary background, has a warm family, and loving parents.Shen Lingxing, a major shareholder of M Group, a private hospital director, and a second-generation government official.Despite being an eligible bachelor with such a prestigious status, he struggles to find a wife! Instead, he always shows up to blind dates pretending to be an ordinary doctor. After nineteen blind dates, the results are always the same—either the woman rejects him, or he rejects the woman.And Mi Jing has been a witness to all nineteen of these blind dates, ultimately becoming the one to end the streak.She asked, “Still haven’t found anyone suitable?”He responded with a simple “Hmm” and nodded.Then she asked, “What do you think about me?”He answered, “You’re pretty good!”So she suggested, “How about we get married?”Upon hearing this, he wasn’t overly surprised. Instead, he readily agreed, “Sure, let’s go get the marriage certificate later.”【The most heartwarming love story unfolds after twists and turns when she meets him at her most mature and beautiful years.】He was a regular customer at her coffee shop. At first, she didn’t really pay attention to him. But since the girls in the shop often mentioned him, she gradually developed some awareness of him.He liked drinking Blue Mountain coffee and often went on blind dates.In fact, she herself also frequently went on blind dates, although hers were not voluntary but driven by her mother’s pressure.One day, she ran into a particularly troublesome blind date. Coincidentally, he was sitting at the next table. In a moment of desperation, she pulled him over to pretend to be her shield.Another day, at a university classmate’s wedding, she ran into him again, along with her ex-boyfriend and the third party who had come between them back then.When faced with provocations from “the third party,” she held his hand and pretended he was her boyfriend—venting her frustration, though it cost her financially.…They were both at the age to be considered “older youth,” pressured by their families to frequently attend blind dates. With marriage as their ultimate goal, they hit it off instantly and decided to marry on a whim.【Scene 1】One evening, Mi Jing brought Shen Lingxing home for dinner.After dinner, Mi Jing and Shen Lingxing went downstairs together.“You…” Mi Jing was suddenly kissed by Shen Lingxing, leaving her wide-eyed and stunned.“Don’t move. Mom is watching.” Shen Lingxing held Mi Jing tightly and whispered softly in her ear.“My mom? Where is she?”“She’s on the balcony.”Shen Lingxing glanced at a black car not far away. Seeing the twisted expression on Mi Jing’s ex-boyfriend’s face, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes.

After twenty-nine years of reign, Jiang Lingxi unfortunately passed away on her way back from a military expedition.When she opened her eyes again, she was in the modern world a thousand years later, becoming a small celebrity everyone on the internet was shouting to beat.Everyone shouting to beat? A drama queen? A small celebrity?Jiang Lingxi smiled it off; as a dignified Empress, she was best at turning the tables in desperate situations!Soon, the entire internet discovered that the hot searches about Jiang Lingxi exploded again, but they were no longer negative.Upon entering, netizens were all shouting: Awesome 666!In the Survival variety show, Jiang Lingxi led the entire scene by herself, and even the former top soldier who had to change careers due to injury couldn't help but humbly ask for jungle survival tips.In the historical drama remake about the Empress, as soon as Jiang Lingxi appeared, the Empress of a thousand-year-old prosperous era that only existed in public imagination suddenly had a clear image.During the Dragon Robe fashion show, the fashion master subconsciously performed minister etiquette in front of Jiang Lingxi, and the unedited red carpet photos amazed people both domestically and internationally.And after more unknown hidden identities were accidentally exposed, the whole internet: We're paralyzed, Your Majesty please witness us sliding and kneeling!The Shen family of a thousand-year legacy, Shen Yunqing is the youngest Family Head of this generation.The man, rarely seen in front of the camera, is full of honor and dignity, only when looking at Jiang Lingxi does his gaze soften like spring water.'Encountering Your Majesty, I only wish to bow and call myself your subject!'

The call of the nightmare realm cannot be denied, the woven fate is inevitable.

His ability to travel to the nightmare realm granted him immortality but also pit him with an unfamiliar world, curses and magics unseen before in the real world.

Monsters of unknown origin, macabre beasts and horrors beyond the ken of man have taken the place of old inhabitants of a once glorious civilization.

Now under the light of the Clairvoyant Moon the nightmare realm is on the verge of destruction. Here you will find dishonorable knights, mad sorcerers, twisted alchemist, the malformed Lost Ones and the vestiges of old gods all converging in a dead world.

But there are also those who seek to undo the curse, to restore the world. There are scavengers that only want to survive, the seekers of truth that seek the secrets of old.

And then there’s Aldrich who plans to exploit the resources and powers of the nightmare realm to achieve his own goals.

The epic tale of struggle against impossible odds and enemies bigger than life.

What Aldrich will find outside his little village will not just test the limits of his will, but also his sanity.

****

Aldrich, is a fifteen year old boy, living in a small village called Wakefield, he dreams of being a Crestmaster.

On the day Aldrich awakens his Crest, Wakefield is attacked and burned.

He is the only survivor, barely making it out with a mysterious gift, a heavy mission and dire warnings to never turn back.

He is then told to forget about what he saw and the innocent villagers that died, to never ask questions. All things Aldrich could never do.

One day he will uncover the forces behind the massacre and take his revenge. But for now he will lower his head and pretend that nothing has happened.

For now.