The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era - Chapter 37 - Shen Baolan Sets Up a Stall

The year is 2025. A devout Christian named Arthur Bennett wins a lottery to participate in a revolutionary virtual reality experience at a high-tech company called Elysium. The program utilizes a unique VR pod to immerse users in a world based on a popular anime.As the other participants—a mix of personalities with varying degrees of anime knowledge—prepare to enter the simulation, Arthur remains the only one who has never indulged in anime. Upon entering this new world, he discovers an unsettling truth: pain is excruciatingly real, despite the creators' claims of a dampened pain response.He eventually finds himself trapped in prison, unable to log out, and demanding to be released from the program. Calls go unanswered, and the world of ninjas becomes a nightmare where hunger, thirst, hygiene, and even death are all real.Angered that he was deceived, he abandons all sense of logic and vows to become a villain no one would have ever anticipated.

The wrong way to act as a villain no.1: Get rid of the protagonist while he still hasn’t become powerful.

The wrong way to act as a villain no.2: Take the limelight from the protagonist at the key moment.

The wrong way to act as a villain no.3: Make the protagonist fall in love with you, thus making him incapable of completing the final step – eliminating the major villain.

Han Changsheng, Head of the Demonic Cult, is the major villain who’s employed all three incorrect methods.

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As the leader of the first Demonic Cult in the underground world of martial arts and cultivation, Tianning Cult, Han Changsheng carried on the long-standing tradition of an unstable mind and a refusal to seek any treatment.

Originally, his life should have passed by quickly and simply, but one day he kicked a descended Immortal Lord off a cliff. In order to make up for this mistake, he must aid the Immortal Lord in ascending back to his position… but why does this mistake keep growing? Hey, lao zi doesn’t need you as a younger brother, you should look for An Yuan! Don’t chase after lao zi, you’re destined to be An Yuan’s wife! Don’t worship lao zi as a martial arts lord, lao zi is the genuine leader of the Demonic Cult! Hey, Hey lao zi is obviously the major villain! What the hell are you doing?!

- Description from Novelupdates

The God of Charm was scorned when he got to the top. On his way to the top, he has lied, betrayed, and abandoned everyone who stopped being of any use to him. Eventually, he gets tired of being isolated by the other gods and decides to prove a point – anyone with the ability would choose power over moral code and values. He picks a young, sick, and good-natured boy and gives him the blessing of the God of Charm. Gale Stormborn was talentless in magic until the day the God of Charm summoned him. His powers work best when he hurts others, otherwise, his future is quite limited.Will he get corrupted in his chase after power? Will he keep his values?

Being a wolfless hybrid was bad? Yes, but not as bad as being rejected by your groom three days before your wedding, in favor of your younger sister!~~~Sue was an outcast from birth, and she grew up stomaching ridicules and insults despite being a princess in starlight pack. Instead of wallowing in self pity, Sue strives for strength and soon becomes a strong fighter.Having been rejected multiple times for being the pack’s freak, Sue was over the moon when she unexpectedly gets accepted by her present mate whom she’s presently engaged to. However, when she’s rejected again, and is replaced by her sister this time, she believes all hope is lost for her, not knowing fate has something else in store for her.In a mission that’s supposed to kill her, she ends up coming across her mate in the monstrous enemy she was sent to capture, and by the end of it all, she discovers said mate has two brothers who’re also her mates, and not only were they willing to accept her, they forcefully took her along with them against her will, making Sue dislike and want nothing to do with them.Too bad they were stupidly hot and utterly breathtaking.Cursed because of the sins of their ancestors— Angelo, Landon and Damon lived as part monsters and part wolves, a deadly curse which would end up taking their lives if they didn't find their fated mate, the key to breaking the curse. Which was why as soon as they found her, there was no way they’d be letting her go, no matter what. Even though she was the daughter of their greatest enemy, even though she was wolfless, and even though she definitely wasn’t the fire breathing, powerful mate that was prophesied for them decades ago.~~~ | ~~~“I bet your nipples are hard right now. And are you wet between your legs as well? I should be able to smell it if I focus hard.” he husked out in a sultry voice, the dark eyes of his drinking me up and I wished the ground would open up to swallow me up at once.“N- no…” I managed to hurl out but he only laughed, then he leaned even closer and my heart lurched into my throat after his next words.“Why? You hate hearing the truth?” He demanded then I felt his large hand settle on my thigh.“I can check right now for you, to see if you’re dripping and making a mess of your little panties.”My cheeks felt so red, it felt like they might go up in flames at any moment from now.“A- are you crazy?” I managed after what felt like ages, while gaping at him as an immense amount of shock went through my entire body.He flashed me a dark grin, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight.“Couldn’t you tell?” He drawled and I let out a huff of disbelief.This man wasn’t just crazy. He was mad. Him and his two brothers.