Re: Apocalypse Game - Chapter 6: Selected

Kyle woke up in a land of fantasy and magitech. The usual 'I died and woke up' bullshit, skip all that.

Except he used to be a crime lord, and society here is missing that extra kick.

Amelia has slaved her whole life, working multiple jobs to help support her poor husband Caleb― only to discover he is a millionaire!When confronted, Caleb feels no guilt. He divorces her immediately to pursue his true love, leaving her with nothing to her name.“Kelsie is the woman that I love, the woman who truly deserves to be by my side,” Caleb said. “Now, sign the papers and I can end this farce of a marriage.”But thankfully, fate has yet to close all its doors on her.The messy breakup has led Amelia to meet the elusive Matteo Montgomery, the mysterious owner of X’el International Inc., and even though Amelia could have sworn that this is the first time they have ever met, Matteo seemed to hold more interest in her than ordinary.With her divorce finalized, Matteo’s courtship quickly grows more extravagant. He offers her everything, from a job as his secretary, a new penthouse apartment, and a permanent home in his heart.But just as Amelia’s heart begins to open up to Matteo’s sincerity, Caleb comes crawling back, determined to ruin her life.***【Excerpt】“Oh?” Matteo asked, and Amelia caught a hint of amusement in his voice. “Then pray tell, what did we converse about?”Amelia swallowed. Good heavens, he was so close. She could barely even breathe, afraid that every movement she made would just amplify how loud her heartbeat was. It was racing like a bullet train at this point, and she felt it clog at her throat, refusing her a chance to speak.“I… I…I―”“I have no girlfriend, Amelia,” Matteo said. “And before you overthink, I do not have a wife in secret either.”His fingers didn’t let go of her wrist, and instead, it even tightened its grip. It wasn’t painful in the slightest, but it sent surges of electricity rushing through her body as though she had been struck by lightning in the most thrilling of ways.A coy smile curved his lips, and he leaned in just the slightest. His lips were now a hair’s breadth away from hers, and Amelia instinctively held her breath.“Unless, perhaps you would like to volunteer?”

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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Mike’s life used to revolve around two things: his girlfriend and his work.It was a peaceful existence—no drama, just an ordinary but sweet life.But just when he thought it would last forever, everything changed in the blink of an eye. His world was thrown into chaos when he was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer, with doctors giving him only three months to live.His girlfriend of three years left him for another man after he refused to give her his savings from the past two years.Mike would rather spend that money on alcohol, temporarily numbing the pain of his impending death, than fund his ex-girlfriend’s new life with her lover.Then, one day, while accidentally eavesdropping on a conversation in a restroom, a spark of hope ignited in his dead heart.Without hesitation, he signed up as a beta tester for a groundbreaking game—one that allowed players to enter other worlds. In each world, his mission was simple: save the heroine, and she could return with him to the real world.The most incredible part? These heroines would continue their lives and even keep their pre-existing occupations!His first world? A realm where the heroine, clad in a white coat, awaited him like a knight in shining armor. She was the first doctor to ever develop a cure for cancer!From world to world, universe to universe, Mike was followed by a growing number of beauties—each one willing to leave everything behind to follow him into his world.