MTL - Mage Network - Chapter 87 : The land of the cloud 1, the king of the marsh

I had thought that my life couldn’t get worse when I walked in on my fiancé cheating on me with my best friend. But after a series of unfortunate events, I opened my eyes in a world that I had only read about in a webnovel, the Erudian Empire, ruled under the domineering, bloody reign of Emperor Helio.

The worst part?

I’m not even the main character! Reborn as Winter Royberg de la Erudian, I am the pitiful side character who is discovered to be a royal bastard princess due to a certain physical trait only the imperial bloodline possesses. But I know the end of Winter’s story and the unwanted royal punching bag is framed as a witch and killed at age 16 on the guillotine due to the scheming of the cruel empress.

An aloof, murder happy father? Check.

Psycho half-sister? Check.

Meddlesome author who wants me to follow the script? Double check!

I don’t want to die an early death again, so I’m determined not to ever be discovered as a royal again. But before I know it, I’m trapped in a palace of blood and opulence playing tricky games of power, games I have no clue how to win. How will I survive to adulthood in the imperial palace and get my happily ever after? And am I really the only person who fell into this world?

Suddenly Trending, Dominating Tiktok!The Princess of the Great Qi Dynasty is reborn as a third-rate modern small-time celebrity, going from being hated by the whole internet to being chased by everyone.Everyone loves the Princess!Gu Nanyan was the Princess of the Great Qi Dynasty, holding the imperial jade seal and commanding the vast empire.After reincarnating, she unexpectedly became the abandoned wife of a wealthy family, a third-rate small-time celebrity hated by the entire internet.Her husband doesn't love her, her mother-in-law loathes her, her sister-in-law causes trouble, and netizens viciously insult her...Gu Nanyan's beautiful brow furrows as her aura becomes imposing: “How could this be? You are all my subjects, yet you dare to bully the Princess!”Gu Nanyan had replaced her sister in marrying into the wealthy family, and everyone expected her to be a laughingstock.But the result was:The CEO doted on Gu Nanyan;The mother-in-law cooked nutritious meals for Gu Nanyan;The sister-in-law followed Gu Nanyan around, full of admiration;Her love rivals showered Gu Nanyan with gifts;...Even the netizens who used to hate Gu Nanyan now kneel before her, calling out: “Long live the Princess!” The CEO is so troubled, why does everyone love his wife?OnGoingThe Amusing Adventures of a Directionally Challenged Dad and DaughterCompletedReplacing Sister to Marry into a Wealthy FamilyOnGoingAfter Reincarnating into Ancient Times, She Bound a Express Delivery SystemCompletedThis Girl Wins Three Hundred Million Dollars

She, a renowned assassin of the 21st century, actually crossed over to become Su Manor’s most useless good-for-nothing Fourth Miss.

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.