System Change - Chapter 9: Through the Forest

“Kind? What’s kind about it? Taking on such quests isn’t being kind. It’s just being a pushover. A total pushover.”As the voices faded behind him, Kai glanced back at them.Me? A pushover? No way.[You have performed a good deed for an NPC in trouble.] [+1 Benevolence.]A reward given for doing a good deed?!Calculative, yet compelling enough to continue doing good deeds whether it’s healing or dealing damage.The Healing Solaris Cleric, Kai’s, journey to conquering MID Online!

It is an age where monsters walk the earth and animals mutated by an extraterrestrial microorganism from Mars. Humanity is decimated and retreats to its last few cities, clinging on to survival. However, in the greatest moments of despair, there is hope. The Warriors, an elite group of humans who have defeated the monsters and gained powers that bring their abilities beyond that of humanity, stand in defence of the species. Yang Tian is a young man with dreams of becoming the greatest Warrior.

After suffering a setback in his dreams, he found a dragon egg that belonged to his grandfather. Amazingly, the egg hatches, and Yang Tian is suddenly granted the power of a pet dragon! However, the world is cruel and dangerous, and Yang Tian must overcome not only the threat of monsters, but also of other Warriors who want to see him fail. Can Yang Tian and his pet dragon overcome the numerous challenges in this brave new world?

Tang Hao was an honest man making an honest living, but despite all his honesty and kindness, life often looked the other way. Even when he stood up for a man in the streets, he ended up being beaten to a pulp and the man he stood up for? He disappeared. That left Tang Hao with nothing to prove and a hefty medical bill blowing through his savings. However, while he lay unconscious in the hospital, he could feel a warmth coming from the jade pendent he wore as it began to feed him with a trove of priceless information. Now discharged, and still armed with the same naivety and honesty, what will our village peasant do with this newfound power? Will he go on to conquer the hearts of a hundred women? Will he defeat the mightiest crime lords? Only time will tell, but for now, fate has many whimsical plans for Tang Hao.

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?