Smiling Under Lanterns - Chapter 40 - 39 Departure_1

The Solvaris Empire is surrounded by the Godspire — a massive wall a thousand meters high, older than anyone can remember, and deadly to cross. No one knows if it was built to protect the Empire… or to trap it.Reth, a 19-year-old from Earth, finds himself in this strange world. He has no great strength or magic, but a unique Obedience System forces him to serve Princess Asthia, the sharp and ruthless commander of the Serpent Wing.If he disobeys her, he suffers unbearable pain — maybe even death. If he obeys, he gains new powers and skills, growing stronger with every command.While the Empire’s Obedience Sigils keep its people in chains, Reth’s System makes him something different — a weapon, and Asthia’s personal bodyguard.Together, they face plotting nobles, rebel cults dreaming of life beyond the wall, and monsters twisted by corrupted mana.But as Reth’s Corrupted Intent — a cold, unshakable will — grows, so does his resistance to Asthia’s control. Their uneasy trust is tested when they uncover a secret about the Godspire’s true purpose.To protect Asthia and reveal the truth, Reth must decide whether to keep obeying… or risk awakening a horror that could destroy them both.

In 2025, Avalon the most legendary MMORPG that had reigned for two decades, announced it would shut down its servers on July 12th.Rian, the Guild Master of Avanheim, decides to stay loyal until the very end, accompanying his guild in the Throne Room of Avanheim Castle until the servers are completely shut down.However, when the final second passes, a miracle occurs. He isn't forcibly logged out by the system. Instead, he remains within Avanheim. The NPCs, once mere programs, begin to show consciousness, and the digital world feels entirely real.It seems he has been summoned to another world, just like in the fantasy novels he so often reads.This time, Rian swears to himself: he will no longer be a loser. In this new world, he will become a winner.To establish an empire. To conquer the world. This is the beginning of the Great Path of Conquest....Or maybe he'll just keep a low profile and live in peace?AUTHOR NOTE :Other Tags: Reverse Isekai, Shadow Leader, Corporate Building, Evil Organization Leader, Genius Protagonist, World Domination, Politics, Slow Burn, Detailed, Romance, Magic vs. Technology.This novel features a slow-paced plot, making it unsuitable for readers expecting fast-paced action like intense battles against equal foes, massacres, or starting a war early in the story.- Volume One: Focuses on world-building.- Volume Two: Centers on corporate development, building a criminal empire, controlling a nation from the shadows, generating wealth, and a touch of romance.- I update every day, but if something comes up on a particular day, I’ll post two chapters together the next day.Support me with reviews, votes, or a Golden Ticket gift—it would help me a lot!

They once called her daughter.Adopted into the Falcon pack as a baby, Andria knew only love until the day her adoptive mother gave birth to a “real” daughter.Overnight, affection turned into neglect, and her sister Lena made sure lies poisoned the last shred of love left for Andria.Framed, humiliated, and punished for countless sins she never committed, Andria finally walks away.Changing her identity to Aria Wolfsburn, she hides her past and the truth of what she is: a vampire raised by wolves. At Moonstone Academy, an elite werewolf school, she thought she could just… disappear.Upon arriving at the academy, she encounters the three powerful, arrogant Alpha Successors, all sons of the kingdom's stronghold families, and her vengeful ex.As if that was not enough, on the night of her 18th birthday, she was shocked to discover she wasn’t just a vampire, but also a werewolf… a hybrid.Meeting them after that, an irresistible bond forms between her and the Successors, including her ex, revealing all four of them as her fated mates.And fate isn’t done with her yet.After bonding with her ex and the three Successors as her fated mates, chaos erupts when the king himself handpicks her for a marriage alliance… making him the fifth Alpha drawn to her.Now caught between fate, duty, and dangerous desire, Aria must make a choice… Will claiming her power mean choosing one of them… or losing them all?.

With the sudden announcement of the launch of the holographic virtual network, Chen Mo, a hacker, received a special commission to hack this system in a bid to halt advancement.