Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 624: A new dawn(3)

Clara Bennett's previous life was shattered when she discovered her husband cheating with her best friend, leading to a tragic fate of one body and two lives.Upon waking again, she finds herself reborn on the night before her engagement, determined not to become the foolish victim of love as she was in her past life.Thus, she takes the initiative to seduce the rumored ailing tycoon of the Beijing social circle, William Foster, intent on finding a more stable source of support.Unexpectedly, William Foster proposes marriage himself.Thinking about the wealthy widowhood that awaits her, William doesn’t hesitate to agree.Having turned the tables to become the aunt of her unfaithful ex, Clara watches as he greets her politely, feeling her choices were worth it.However, her expectations of a deceased husband post-marriage were never met, instead—William Foster: “Darling, I never said I had an ailment.”——William Foster, rumored to be the ailing tycoon of the Beijing social circle, is known for being cold and abstinent.Yet the rumor of his aversion to women was dispelled by his nephew’s fiancée, as one night with her left him addicted.In order to keep her by his side, he decides on a fake marriage but genuine love.He insists on winning the beauty over completely.

“Hah..Hah..”

In the midst of what seemed like a battlefield, a young boy with white hair knelt on the ground, struggling to catch shallow breaths. A short sword pierced his heart, his arms and legs were broken, making him unable to stop the crimson blood from coloring the ground.

“That's what you get for betrayal,” a red-headed teenage boy sneered as he stood before him.

“A pathetic person like you could never be my brother,” added a purple-haired girl, her voice seething with anger, as she stood alongside the redhead.

With great effort, the young boy shifted his gaze forward. He could see many familiar faces in front of him—his so-called family, his so-called friends but his gaze remained fixed on her.

“Wh..y, A.nna,” he uttered with immense difficulty and sorrow in his voice, his vision blurring as he locked eyes with the blonde-haired girl, who regarded him with emotionless eyes.

“I did that so I could save you,” he said, his voice gradually growing louder.

“I DID THAT SO YOU COULD LIVE!” he shouted, making everyone present flinch in fear.

“I never asked you to do this” the blonde-haired girl replied, her words crushing the very soul of the boy.

“A...nn.a,”

the young boy whispered one last time, a small tear slipping down from his eye as he breathed his final breath.

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Neil survived eight grueling years in a post-apocalyptic world only to die and be reincarnated in the body of Eden Morton, a character from a game he

used to play as a teenager, by an unknown entity for unknown reasons.

Eden's life was a pitiable one, plagued by the constant manipulation and betrayal of those around him – whether it was the princess, the famed hero, or even his very own family. Eden died without ever experiencing genuine love. Now, as Neil took over, he was determined to embark on a new journey, seeking the one thing he and Eden never had : a life worth living.

An AI calling itself Schema has assimilated earth into its system. As a consequence, everyone gained access to status screens, power-ups, and skills. This AI turned these concepts from fiction to fact. It's easy to become intoxicated with leveling up and becoming stronger. To some, it's too good to be true like living out a dream.

For Daniel, however, it's closer to a nightmare.

He's in a bit of a predicament. Cracks in our dimensional fabric have unleashed terrifying beasts from dark, abyssal places. Schema organizes these cracks into dungeons, giving the native species of the planet a chance to fight back. Daniel finds himself trapped in one of these dungeons. Not long after, he discovers there's only one way out.

Every human has their Personal Jewel of power, when awakened it can either be an Elemental Jewel or Physical Jewel. They circle the right and left wrists like bracelets of power.