All the Dust that Falls - Chapter 268: A Discerning Eye

As a true over-bearing president scum gong, when Xie He for the Nth time rejected his admirer, he heard a sentence in his head: “Congratulations on achieving the “rejects 100 hosts” accomplishment; as an award you will soon bind to the “Scum Gong and Cheap Shou” system, entering other worlds to complete capture missions.

In a world of brooding heroes and dark justice, one mercenary stands out—not for his skill, but for his relentless sarcasm and love for chaos. A self-proclaimed anti-hero, he finds himself working with the Titans, much to their frustration. While undeniably skilled in combat and nearly impossible to kill, his real talent lies in driving his teammates insane with endless jokes, fourth-wall breaks, and questionable decision-making. Whether it’s swapping Robin’s gadgets with toy versions, turning serious battles into slapstick comedy, or giving monologues mid-fight, he thrives on pushing everyone’s patience. But beneath the humor, there’s a sharp mind, a tragic past, and a surprising willingness to do what others can’t. While the Titans may roll their eyes at him, they also know that when things get truly dire, he’s the wildcard they need. Love him or hate him—he’s here to stay, and he’s having way too much fun.

When I opened my eyes, I found my soul synced into the popular dating sim game, ‘Midnight’! And although I was clearly one of the female protagonists, I possessed the body of Evenes Harin, the saint who is treated like a trivial extra. What’s worse is that I must pursue one of the five male love interests and see it through to a happy ending in order to complete the game.

Having attended the triple combo of an all-girls middle school, high school, and university wasn’t enough of a debuff, having unintentionally put up an iron defense, I’ve been in ‘forever alone’ mode for 25 years. On top of that, I’ve possessed the Saint seldom played due to her atrociously difficult route! This life is screwed up, and I’m sure of it.

The Empire stands triumphant.

For twenty years the Dread Empress has ruled over the lands that were once the Kingdom of Callow, but behind the scenes of this dawning golden age threats to the crown are rising. The nobles of the Wasteland, denied the power they crave, weave their plots behind pleasant smiles. In the north the Forever King eyes the ever-expanding borders of the Empire and ponders war. The greatest danger lies to the west, where the First Prince of Procer has finally claimed her throne: her people sundered, she wonders if a crusade might not be the way to secure her reign. Yet none of this matters, for in the heart of the conquered lands the most dangerous man alive sat across an orphan girl and offered her a knife.

Her name is Catherine Foundling, and she has a plan.

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A Practical Guide to Evil is a fantasy series about a young girl named Catherine Foundling making her way through the world – though, in a departure from the norm, not on the side of the heroes. Is there such a thing as doing bad things for good reasons, or is she just rationalizing her desire for control? Good and Evil are tricky concepts, and the more power you get the blurrier the lines between them become.