Paintings of Terror - Chapter 244: Light Source

【Rebirth + Pseudo Taboo + Age Gap + Chasing Wife Crematorium】After a wild night with her nominal uncle, Gong Chen, Lin Zhiyi endured eight years of torment.When she committed suicide holding her daughter's ashes, Gong Chen was throwing a grand birthday party for his white moonlight's son.Upon opening her eyes again in a new life, she is determined to make Gong Chen pay the price!In the previous life, she solemnly explained, but Gong Chen accused her of drugging him with ulterior motives. In this life, she publicly distances herself from him!In the previous life, her creation was plagiarized by the white moonlight, and Gong Chen said she was consumed with jealousy. In this life, she steps on the white moonlight to stand on the award podium!In the previous life, she was falsely accused of targeting, and Gong Chen shielded the white moonlight. In this life, she fiercely slaps the white moonlight's face!Gong Chen always thought Lin Zhiyi would continue to love him deeply as before.But when Lin Zhiyi left without looking back, he was completely panicked.The high-and-mighty Gong Chen grabbed her with reddened eyes: “Zhiyi, don't abandon me, can you take me with you?”

In the year 2090, technology has advanced to the point where Simulation Boxes, (Sim Box for short) are common place, allowing for the user to link up their brain's neural network to a full dive Simulation. While initially used for educational purposes, recently a large gaming company, Averon, released a fully fledged immersive MMORPG simulation where users can become anyone they desire, level up, choose their class, and become a hero or a villain. The name of this simulation is The Shattered World Online.

Eli Winters had no interest in playing it. His father, a jobless bum who spent his entire life playing games in the hope of becoming a famous player or streamer, was able to use the release of The Shattered World Online to gain wealth and fame, quickly becoming the number one player and a household name as the game took the world by storm. He immediately abandoned Eli and his mother in favor of being with someone from his guild, despite his mother having worked two jobs to support them and raise Eli by herself. Eli had nothing but spite for his father and the game.

When Eli's best friend convinces him to try out the game, his father's fame begins to interfere, culminating in him being singled out and shunned by his peers, and his father offering to pay for his university tuition in return for Eli hiding their relationship and quitting the game. Instead of complying with his father's wishes, Eli decides to prove to everyone how useless a guy his father is by challenging him that if Eli is able to surpass him in the game world he must delete his account and quit his streaming career. His father accepts the challenge believing his son to be useless at games - but Eli will soon show him just how ambitious a spiteful person can be.

‘Where is the logic in transmigrating in a transmigration novel…!!’This transmigration novel’s title was “I Transmigrated, But I Became the Granddaughter of the Villain”.In other words, it’s the story of the original, REAL female lead… and I ended up transmigrating as the villainess who torments the female lead!Playing the role of the villainess who does all sorts of evil things to the female lead and then later suffers greatly?I can’t believe my life’s genre suddenly turned into a wretched tragedy without my say on the matter!I can’t live like this!‘Please save me!’But before the female lead could even appear, so many things just kept happening in front of me.“You’re the one with dirty blood. Right? I’ve been hearing people say that you wag your bum like an idiot to get food. Like a beggar.”“…”‘You’re all dead.’I, Erylotte, have transmigrated as the villainess of a wretched tragedy novel, known for its highest level of difficulty.At the age of three, I must make my way through life by using the original storyline to find my path. But…‘Ehh?’Why was the villainous duke, my grandfather, suddenly treating me well? Why did my dad, who was supposedly far away because he received the grandfather’s disdain, suddenly appear?And why were my older brothers being so annoyingly clingy?Moreover.‘What the heck.’[Erylotteeeee, so dangerously cuteㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ] [Ahhㅠㅠ I’m sorry for cursing you out before, I didn’t know you transmigrated ㅠㅠㅠ Turns out there’s this kind of settingㅠㅠㅠ] [Gotcha, it’s a wretched tragedyㅠㅠ Isn’t this family situation almost apocalyptic?]↳ [I know right ㅋㅋㅠㅠ] [There’s some foreshadowing here… Aren’t the cookies poisoned?]I stared at the window that appeared in front of me like a hologram.‘This looks like the comment section on CoconutPage though?’Just how did it turn out like this?!

“Look at me,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, like he wasn't just asking her to see him—but to choose him.She did.And oh God.The moment her eyes met his, it was like the floor tilted. His gaze wasn't cold anymore. It wasn't guarded or teasing. It was raw. Fierce. Wrecking. Like he saw through every layer she'd tried to hide.She swallowed hard. Her legs trembled.Her heart betrayed her, pounding so hard against her ribs it seemed like it wanted to break free.Why did his eyes soften like that, as if she was delicate glass, and he'd do anything to keep her from shattering?She swore she was going to melt right there.And he didn't even kiss her.Didn't have to.That one look—his fingers brushing against her skin like he owned the right, it was more than any kiss she'd ever had. More dangerous. More intoxicating.Her lips parted, maybe to speak, maybe to breathe, but nothing came out. Nothing could.The tension between them tightened—thick, electric, blinding.If he moved even an inch, it would be over.But he didn't.And that restraint? That maddening, infuriating, goddamn beautiful control made her want him even more.“Let me handle this,” he whispered. “You don't have to trust Conor. Just trust me.”Her eyes dropped to his lips. They were so close now she could feel the whisper of his breath. Her heart pounded harder, like it wanted to escape.“Please stop doing that,” she murmured. For a fleeting second, nothing moved, then he dropped his hand.His brows drew together. “Doing what?”“Touching me,” she whispered. “Especially when you're trying to make a point. You did it in the restroom too.”“Why do you think I'm doing that?” he asked, voice husky now, softer.Synopsis:At an elite college, falling for the rich, cold son of a bi-llionaire wasn’t part of the plan, especially when his brother is tied to her mother’s mysterious death.But from the moment Merlina steps onto campus, the chemistry is undeniable. He’s detached, arrogant, and everything she should stay away from. Yet no matter how hard she tries, she can’t ignore the pull.She’s here for a degree, but her real mission is uncovering the secrets of her mother’s past at this very school. As sparks fly between her and the guy she should keep her distance from, she’s torn between two things: exposing the truth and protecting her heart from falling for him.The deeper she digs, the more dangerous things get. Anonymous threats, dark secrets, and a guy who’s starting to think her obsession with the past could ruin everything. When the truth finally breaks free, it threatens everything she’s worked for—the truth, her heart, and the fragile bond she shares with him.With everything at risk, she must choose: expose the truth, or hold on to the one person who makes her feel truly alive.