The Reticent Blade - Chapter 10 - Bounty

Themes: Black Market Trading, Global Crime Networks, Boundaries of Human Nature and Morality, The Struggle Between Truth and SurvivalStory Background:In a modern metropolis, the surface level of prosperity conceals the darkness and corruption lurking beneath. Ethan, a highly skilled detective, spends his life navigating the shadowy corners of the city, uncovering the hidden secrets buried beneath the mundane facade of everyday life. When he is drawn into what initially seems like a simple suicide case, he becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving the global black market, power struggles, and transnational crime.Main Characters:Ethan (Protagonist): A seasoned, calm, and intuitive detective who excels at finding the truth in complex cases. On the surface, he is a quiet, solitary man who prefers to avoid social interaction, but deep down, he is haunted by unresolved cases from his past. Faced with dark forces, he is both determined and full of doubt.Lila (Female Protagonist/Key Ally): Ethan's investigative partner, an intelligent and resourceful intelligence officer with a mysterious background. Her past is also shrouded in secrecy, and she seems to have an undisclosed connection to the “Black Angels” organization. She provides crucial assistance in Ethan's investigation, but her motives remain unclear, casting suspicion on her true intentions.Victor Saville (Antagonist/Main Adversary): A charismatic yet dangerous businessman, who appears to be a successful entrepreneur but is, in fact, one of the central figures of the global crime syndicate “The Black Angels.” Cold-hearted, clever, and ruthless, he controls a global black market network, overseeing arms trafficking, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. He is not only a key figure in Langley's death but also the biggest obstacle in Ethan's investigation.The Mysterious Woman (Key Character): An elusive woman who repeatedly appears during Ethan's investigation, warning him not to delve deeper into Saville and the “Black Angels” organization. Her identity is unclear, but it is evident that she holds vital secrets about Saville and his network. Her appearances leave Ethan bewildered—whether she is an enemy or his only ally remains uncertain.

I traverse along the pathway of darkness and imagination…

Entering the realm born by human imaginations…

Challenging Harry Potter’s magic, commanding the great Pirates of the Caribbean.

Terminating the Terminator’s strength, tearing apart the Matrix’s Hallucination.

Virus is my slave.

Endurance my inheritance.

Growing and hunting in the boundless universe.

Breaking through boundaries in a mysterious space.

Desiring evil, conspiracy and betrayer. Who can redeem what was already lost?

In a battle of demons, who can leave an immortal legacy?

A declining Trump card, Final evolution!

I’m… on a journey!

We are one!

- Description from Novelupdates

In the most cliched fashion, a giant truck-kun smashed into my World, killing everyone with it.

And in the next most cliched event, I was given a second chance in life by the gods to live another life in a world of swords, magic and dragons! It’s literally a dream come true!

Be a hero? Who has the time?! Conquer the world? Like hell I’ll do something so troublesome! Diving into dungeons, exploring ancient ruins and meeting all the weirdos of the world? Sign me right up!!

I’m only interested in travelling the world to find the most interesting materials I can use to write the best story I can! I’ll show you my creativity and dazzle this new world with the stories I’ll write!

I’ll fight with dragons, swim with krakens, wrestle giants, eat all the cakes and bed the beauties! Time to live this life however I want!

Eh?

A psycho is running around the world saying that they are the hero who will slay the demon lord? Why is there such a crazy person?

There’s someone out there threatening the world with nukes? How did they even find out how to make those?

Some crazy hobo is going into other people’s houses to smash pots to look for money? That guy really must be crazy.

What Do You Mean There Are Other Transmigrators In My Harem Fantasy?

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Notes:

Any R-rated scenes will be denoted by a '*' followed by an 'R' with the number of 'R's showing how much of it is R-rated. '*R' would be around 25%, '*RR' would be about 50% and '*RRR' would most likely be the entire chapter.

The era of the great pirates.

The sea is surging, the strong are destroying the sky and the earth, and they are fighting each other. It really makes people——

Can’t get up!

I, Rusilu Cullo, twenty-four years old, my biggest dream:

Live this life safely!

- Description from novelbuddy