Shift! The Side-Character Heroine - Chapter 723 - Secondary Quest

Thea Lynch was seventeen when she injured her ear and temporarily lost her speech. Her parents passed away in a car accident, leaving her and her brother to rely on each other. Later, her brother was transferred for work and left, and she was taken to live at her grandmother's house in Westmere. During this period, her brother entrusted friends to check on her, and the one who visited most frequently was the “Third Brother”—Ian Preston, who was five years older than her.Coronet is over a hundred kilometers away from Westmere, yet he insisted on accompanying her to see doctors, patiently teaching her how to speak, and even appearing at her school gate every evening. He saved all of his gentle caring for her, but everything stopped abruptly before she could muster the courage to confess. Her secret crush was unsuccessful, and a sudden change at home caused her to leave, cutting off all contact with him.When they met again, it was seven years later when she returned home for a matchmaking date and was cornered by him in the restaurant corridor, “That guy downstairs, is he your date? How come after spending several years abroad, your taste has gotten so much worse? With better options around, how can you choose him?”“Who is the better option?” she instinctively asked.Ian Preston: “Me.”[Childhood sweethearts, getting back together, mutual unrequited love]

The Dancing CorpseKnown as the weakest party in the entire kingdom, they were mocked by others for how pathetic they were.The main character, Adonis, who was supposed to be the plot armor of the story, could barely protect his own harem.That was until Gideon arrived—reincarnated into the story as Adnois himself.But the two were completely different. Why? This new Adonis was blessed with a unique system.He could level up everyone in his party, taking them from a measly F rank to S rank.[You have registered xxxx as your party member.][Current relationship score is 60%; you can only increase from F to C rank.][Improve relationships with key characters to unlock higher ranks.][You can now perform a class change.][You have gained a new skill from leveling up your party members.][You have now unlocked the skill-back system.][For every party member you level up, you gain their skills and talents.]Adonis was now on a journey to build the strongest harem to ever walk the earth.

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.

=========================================

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?

……………………………………………………………

Dear readers! Without any ads, maybe you will prefer .

“She betrayed me. Lied to me. Left me for a richer man...I gave her everything—my time, my love, my dreams. And in return? She walked away like I was nothing.”Chen Yu thought he had it all figured out—a simple life, love, and a future with the girl of his dreams. But when Li Yuxin, one of the most popular girls in the university, chooses wealth over love and leaves him for the arrogant Young Master Kang, Chen Yu's world crumbles.But fate has other plans.Just as he's drowning in heartbreak, a mysterious voice echoes in his mind:“System has found the perfect host. Binding initiated.”Now, with a powerful system in his hands—one that grants him experience in any skill he desires—Chen Yu embarks on a journey of transformation.He doesn’t want revenge.He wants greatness.From rock bottom to the very top, Chen Yu will rise.And those who once looked down on him?They’ll wish they never did.He will have to rise to the top of the world before the EVENT comes.