Nova Roma - Chapter 3 - Tying ropes

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?

Xia Ruofei, a retired special warfare elite, unexpectedly discovered that the ancestral scrolls contained a small space that was independent.

There are Lingtan waters that promote plant growth in the space. There are mysterious spiritual flowers that cure all diseases. They also bring ten times the time flow rate. What is planted is a fine product, everything grows fast, and what can be cultivated is spiritual…

From then on, planting flowers, planting trees, raising animals, and licking beautiful women, Xia Ruofei opened a wonderful life.

- Description from ptwxz (translated)

What would happen in a world governed by the Ascendants, the highest level people in the System, when the System itself resets due to the death of its creator? When the levels, classes, skills, and even Legendary Feats of every user are wiped, and everyone is sent to a new dimension to start all over again? Alexia, on what should’ve just been her very first Dungeon dive in the Royal Dungeon, finds her life, her body, and her entire world changing after the Creator of the System itself forces her to kill him, resetting the System entirely. But after being turned into a quantum reaper and given the powerful quantum element as a ‘prize’ for her Legendary Feat, will she thrive? Or will she fall? What to expect: Quantum Magic using Main Protagonist, Anti-Hero Protagonist, System Reset, Polearm using Protagonist in terms of their weapon, and LitRPG. What not to expect: Magic to follow science and reality based on quantum mechanics. There will be some skills that will have some relation to quantum mechanics in the much later books of the story, but definitely not at the start, and not too deeply related. Do not expect magic to follow laws of science. The world that the main character is in prior to the Reset is not a modern world. It is more similar to a fantasy world with swords and sorcery in terms of the morals and ethics of the people just with modern technology. Furthermore, Alexia is twenty years old. Furthermore, the vast majority of the reviews are out of date due to me editing the story as it goes on.

A lecherous army special task force soldier from 21st-century Hong Kong is selected to travel back in time, choosing to go to the Chinese Warring States Period. Unfortunately, the time machine runs into an error during the experiment. With no foreseeable way to return to the present, he must use his combat skills and knowledge of history to thrive in his new life in the year 251 BC.