MTL - Age of Mysticism - Chapter 379 engagement ceremony

As part of the imperial family, every move by Chu Yuan in this game of chess is made with apprehension, fearing that with a moment of inattentiveness, the whole match will be lost in a single move.

Ascending to the throne at eighteen, not half a year passes before civil strife erupts in Yun Nan. Though the thoughts of the old guard at the imperial court are not exactly identical, they are all waiting to see how the new emperor will put an end to this.

Unexpectedly, before this side could make a move, a few thousand miles away, the King of Xi Nan, Duan Bai Yue, had already personally commanded troops to attack in all directions; not half a year had passed when peace was restored.

Sparse moonlight shines into the palace; Chu Yuan stamped the wax seal himself, and had a secret letter sent urgently to Yun Nan 800 miles away — this time, what must we(1) give in exchange?

Brush marks passed through the back of the paper; it almost can be seen, when writing this line, how angry the young emperor was.

Duan Bai Yue spread out a piece of paper unhurriedly, replying with only one word.

You.

Notes:
(1): Chu Yuan is using the royal ‘we’ here.

- Description from Novelupdates

Overnight, she was betrayed by her fiancé and sister, and was forced by her family to marry a fool. On the wedding day, everyone was waiting eagerly to laugh at her and see how she would get her foolish husband to put on the wedding ring. However, she took out her marriage certificate, which shocked the world, because the man on the certificate was not her ex-fiancé or that fool, but...

Suddenly, a huge earthquake occurred all around the globe, throwing everyone into a desolate world.

The humans of the new world were primitive. They lived their lives facing all sorts of dangers every day, from hurricanes to attacks from huge beasts.

The humans that were brought to this world all received a totem and an egg.

Placing the totem on a certain land would turn the place into the person’s new tribe. Everyone could expand their tribes according to their strengths.

The eggs contained various beasts that would grow into humans’ most loyal companions. Humans would have to struggle to live in the desolate world with their companions and protect their own lands.

Just as Ye Chen was about to hatch his egg, he noticed he could read hidden hints.

[Monster Egg: Place a drop of blood to hatch.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg now will reward you with a Rank E Mutated Beast, Spiny Turtle.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg in 1 minute will reward you with a Rank D Mutated Beast, Dangkang.]

…

[Monster Egg: Place a drop of blood to hatch.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg now will reward you with a Rank E Mutated Beast, Yellow Horse.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg in 30 seconds will reward you with a Rank C Mutated Beast, Tiger Fish.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg in 60 seconds will reward you with a Rank SSSSS Mutated Beast, Immortal Phoenix.]

…

A few years had passed since then. Ye Chen led a group of Rank SSSSS Mutated Beasts and said confidently, “My success is the result of my hard work!”

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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