The Male Lead’s Substitute Wife - Chapter 12 - To Buy or Not to Buy (3)

Avo was born to destroy New Vultun. In a twist of fate, he’ll become its only hope for salvation. The gods were the enemy. The slaver. The chains. With dreams of paradise, humanity slaughtered them and stole their powers, opening the path to become more – to ascend. Instead, they nearly destroyed the world. Vast hive cities serve as the final bastions against the crumbling of reality. New Vultun is the greatest of them all, and within its borders, ascenders wage war to determine the laws of existence itself. The world descends ever deeper into ruination. Avo was born a weapon, a slave to his instincts and his masters. He and his brothers were made to burn New Vultun to ashes. Everything changes when Avo gains immortality and becomes heir to an impossible legacy. He must ascend the megacity of New Vultun. He must challenge the very tyrants that usurped the gods. He must finally free the world from chains.

The world is up for sale, and Robin is making an offer.When Robin Waybright became the Merchant Hero, all of Pangeal turned into his marketplace; for the Merchant can buy and sell anything. Youth, skills, memories, hair color, joys and illnesses… in the trade of power, every deal can tip the scale.And Robin needs power. His homeland of Archfrost teeters on the brink of collapse, the sinister Demon Ancestors plot in the shadows, and twenty-one other Heroes, each with their own Class, have been chosen to save the world of Pangeal. Not all of them are friendly. There’s work to do… and profit to make.Cover by Dinovoila and Gharbi Zouhayer.

Allison is an adventure series set in a world containing one continent (extending roughly from the Equator to 60 degrees North latitude) which is divided down the center by a towering mountain range and a huge river. The industry and technology of the world are roughly equivalent to Europe in the 1930s. Due to the geography, two cultures developed on either side of the divide, and at the time the story begins, the cultures have been at war on and off for hundreds of years. The bloodiest conflict yet began thirty-five years before the start of the story; both sides are so exhausted by the conflict that an uneasy armistice is signed after some five years of fighting. Aside from a brief conflict over the jurisdiction of the river, resulting in the formation of a buffer zone on either side, this peace has largely been unbroken. The east side of the world is known as Roxche, though formally the region’s name is the Roxcheanuk Confederation. The entire region comprises sixteen countries which all speak a common language. The west side is known as Sou Beil, though formally the region’s name is the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel Iltoa. The region comprises the two kingdoms of Bezel and Iltoa which both serve to bring together a small number of countries under a common language different than that of the eastern region. There are far more blond-haired people in the West than the East.

At the beginning of the first novel, Allison, a pilot in the Roxche Air Force, has come to visit her childhood friend Wilhelm (“Wil” for short), who has remained at school over his summer break to continue his studies. While traveling in the countryside near the school, the two encounter an old man well-known to Wil’s schoolmates as a teller of tall tales. Nevertheless, he captures their interest with his talk about a “treasure” which, if found, is said to be able to put an end to the war. No one would believe him that the war between the countries could ever end, so no one listened to him. When the old man is abducted and taken over to Sou Beil, Allison and Wil steal an airplane and chase the abductors across the river into the next region. Fortunately, the two were raised as orphans by a woman who came from the West, and thus can speak both languages.

Jiang Lan transmigrated into the role of the male lead's gold-digging first love. According to the original plot, all sh...Jiang Lan transmigrated into the role of the male lead’s gold-digging first love. According to the original plot, all she needed to do was meet the male lead’s mother once, and she could walk away with 20 million yuan.Sitting in the restaurant, Jiang Lan said, “Give me 20 million, and I’ll leave your son.”But the male lead’s mother replied, “Here’s 20 million for you—may you always be happy, may you always be joyful.”Jiang Lan: “…”Through a twist of fate, Jiang Lan and the male lead’s mother ended up participating in the reality show “Mother-in-law Has Arrived.” Initially, everyone expected the Cinderella and the wealthy mother-in-law to be at odds, but instead, they overshadowed the leads of the hottest drama and became the internet’s most beloved couple.In the sweet and pampering segment, the mother-in-law regularly took her daughter-in-law on shopping sprees. Yu Wanqiu and Jiang Lan attended fashion shows, sitting between a top-tier young idol on the left and a handsome middle-aged man on the right.In the wealthy family segment, while other daughters-in-law nervously prepared elaborate meals to please their mothers-in-law, Jiang Lan dragged Yu Wanqiu to enjoy fried chicken, beer, street food, hotpot, and skewers.When the show ended, Yu Wanqiu hooked her arm around Jiang Lan’s shoulder and said, “Whether you break up or not doesn’t matter. Even if you do, it won’t affect our relationship. Actually, breaking up might be better—I’ll introduce you to someone even more handsome and richer.”Lu Yicheng: ???Mini Theater:When asked about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships, Yu Wanqiu’s initial response was very diplomatic: “They shouldn’t live together, meeting a few times a year is enough. Don’t interfere in the couple’s affairs. Let them decide how many children they want. It’s important to be well-matched. If things don’t work out, they can break up or divorce.”But after the show ended, Yu Wanqiu’s answer was a complete reversal: “It’s best to live in the same building as Jiang Lan, doing yoga together morning and night. As for children, it’s better not to have them too early—it could affect my relationship with Jiang Lan. If they divorce, I fully support it. I know plenty of young idols, and if Jiang Lan prefers the mature type, that’s fine too.”Content Warning: Highlight—the male and female leads are not perfect characters. This is a sweet romantic story featuring first loves for both. They will argue, bicker, fall in love, and take some detours along the way. If this bothers you, please skip. No unsolicited criticism allowed. The focus is on the relationship between the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, with the romantic relationship between the male and female leads as a secondary plot.