Surviving as a Barbarian in a Fantasy World - Chapter 287: The Vile Rat that Pollutes the Seas (4)

As the owner of an ordinary bookstore, Ling PingAn’s biggest wish was to muddle through life and do absolutely nothing.

When she agrees to help her friend out in a blind date, she never imagined it would lead her to the one man she'd hoped never to encounter again—her child's father.Her first instinct? Run. But life has other plans, and she finds herself inescapably drawn back into his orbit as his company's legal advisor.Just as she's poised to resign, escaping the tangled web of personal and professional ties, she's cornered in his office by the man who is as relentless in business as he is in pursuit of her heart.In a game of cat and mouse, she is faced with a choice: succumb to the undeniable chemistry that still sizzles between them or risk it all to maintain the distance she's fought so hard to keep.

“I wished them immortality but my thirst for redemption caused them suffering, I gave them eternity yet brought the end of the world” Ethan mumbled as he dragged himself from the ruins of the Golden throne. “You should understand me, human, what I wanted, was eternal happiness...yet I received torments from my own wish” “You call me a human, aren’t you the same?” Replied a faint voice. Ethan laughed in response before saying “ Human? I am beyond humanity, I am...a God!” _____ The world was no longer what it once used to be. A thousand years after the birth of Nexulytes, people who were able to wield Nexus energy and awakened miraculous talents with unimaginable abilities, the earth had fallen to the brink of near extinction with just less than twenty percent of its population left. The Dreamscape, also known as the reflection of the real world, was a space that was shockingly similar to the real world and copied every small detail of the real world. Their only difference was that the Dreamscape was not a place where humans could move about easily as even the strongest Nexulyte could die without knowing how. Years after the appearance of the dreamscape and multiple gateways spammed all across earth, giving the horrors of the dreamscape access to the real world; they unleashed chaos and a hundred years of bloody battle were the consequences of humanity’s late response. In a world where those with talents were worshiped and respected, a boy who hated Nexulytes and wished all of them could die ended up becoming one himself. Not only did he become what he hated, but he awakened a talent that he had never heard of or known about. How was he supposed to survive the fusion with a seemingly useless talent or was he ever going to find out the secret of his talent and the birth of the dreamscape?

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.