MTL - DOTA’s Madness - Chapter 8 Great victory

Rex was an ordinary salaryman, resigned to a dull life of monotony in a towering megacity. But his world shatters when he’s conscripted by Nexum Dynamics, a ruthless megacorporation, and thrust into a brutal war for a barren, alien world. The planet holds unimaginable riches, but it’s also swarming with the Krhyssari, an insectoid race that dominates the surface with their hive-mind precision and relentless aggression. Amid the carnage, Rex had an extraordinary encounter with Cleo, an ancient AI, a survivor of a long-extinct civilization. Cleo isn’t just an artificial intelligence; she’s a consciousness imbued with memories of her people’s interstellar empire and equipped with advanced bio-nanotechnology. Offering Rex a new purpose and unmatched power, she transforms his fragile human body into a hybrid of living metal and flesh, making him the ultimate weapon. But Cleo is more than a tool of war. As she journeys alongside Rex, her cold, logical algorithms evolve, shaped by his humanity. Together, they form a bond that transcends the boundaries of man and machine, discovering love in the midst of chaos. As Rex and Cleo fight for survival, they uncover a shared ambition, to rise as intergalactic overlords, uniting or conquering the galaxy.

The little snow fairy Tan Mo was about to complete her transformation into a human when she was picked away and reincarnated as the Tan family’s beloved daughter. Only then did she realize that she had become the tragic cannon fodder who died a miserable death after serving as her green tea cousin’s stepping stone for marrying We Keli, and whose life she had once seen before in her master’s mortal world mirror. Her parents seemingly aged overnight, and her three older brothers all suffered ignominy after their attempts to seek revenge for her. Yet with her here in this life, nobody should even think about harming her family! Tan Mo: Wanna play green tea with me? I’ll give you a taste of master level green tea art today!Reporter: Young Master Wei, what do you admire the most about your wife? Wei Zhiqian: She’s kind, cute, pure-hearted, and unpretentious. Reporter: Director Tan, your new work has been praised as a masterpiece. How did you create such an amazing script? Older brother Tan: There’s nothing of the sort. Truthfully, I didn’t write the script. It’s just that the true author is too low key to reveal her true identity. Reporter: Lord Tan, your new song has come out and immediately became the number one hit single on the charts. The lyrics are ingenious. Second brother Tan: You flatter me. The person who came up with the lyrics is someone very important to me. Without her, the song wouldn’t have been successful. Yet she’s too low key to reveal her identity. Reporter: Artist Tan, your painting was sold at a ten-figure price as soon as it hit the market. Where did the inspiration come from? Third brother Tan: It’s all thanks to her. Reporter: …… Oldest brother Tan, second brother Tan, third brother Tan: Our younger sister had always helped us without asking for anything in return. Wei Zhiqian: Without my protection, she would be ruthlessly bullied by those pretentious and innocent-looking Machiavellians.Everyone: Pfft! Who is the one bullying who!

Rule number one: “As a scholarship student, you should steer clear of the rich kids.”Olive raised an eyebrow. “Why? Because of bullying?” she asked, playing dumb, though her mind flashed back to the scene she had witnessed earlier.“Exactly! You should avoid the school heir especially. Bullying's like a sport around here for guys like him. If you offend the wrong person, it won't end well. Trust me, if you want a peaceful year, just stay out of their way.”_______In a world where social hierarchy and family legacy reign supreme, Olivia Williams, a brilliant and determined student, disguises herself as a boy to attend the prestigious Belmont High School. She's won a coveted mathematics scholarship, but her triumph comes with a price: keeping her true identity hidden amidst the treacherous landscape of boarding school life.Enter George Lucas, the charismatic and arrogant heir to Belmont's legacy, who finds himself inexplicably drawn to “Olivia,” the mysterious new student. As they engage in a fiery hate-to-love relationship, Olivia must navigate the complexities of her own feelings, the danger of discovery, and the class differences that threaten to tear them apart.As they delve deeper into their whirlwind romance, Olivia and George must confront the dark secrets of their own identities, the weight of family expectations, and the transformative power of love. But with great passion comes great risk: their relationship could upend George's family's reputation and legacy, forcing them to choose between love and loyalty.

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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