Enlightened Empire - Chapter 481: New Armies

Plot Summary: This novel combines the popular “villainess” genre with the contemporary concept of VTubing, where the protagonist, a typical villainess character, becomes a VTuber—an online persona using a digital avatar. As she navigates her dual life, her influence extends beyond the virtual world, leading to increasingly violent and chaotic consequences in reality. The story delves into the psychological impact of living a double life and explores themes of power, manipulation, and the dark side of internet fame.Why Read It: The novel offers a fresh and thrilling take on the villainess trope by incorporating modern digital culture elements. It’s particularly appealing to readers who enjoy stories that explore the darker aspects of fame and influence, with a unique blend of fantasy and real-world issues. The narrative's intense and sometimes graphic nature sets it apart from more conventional stories in the genre, making it a compelling read for those looking for something different.

Anton is a great-grandfather. He is living quite a happy life, despite his advanced age and declining health… until a group of cultivator bandits moves into the area. The nearby guardians of the area, the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars, are unable to track them down as they continue to ravage nearby towns. During one desperate winter Anton is out on a hunt when his family- his entire village- is killed or taken as slaves by the bandits. He lacks the strength to fight them, and he wasn’t even present for their arrival to die with his loved ones. At the pit of his despair, he wonders if he ever had any chance to change things. What could he even do? He cannot even pull his best bow, and his eyesight is failing. If he had been a cultivator… perhaps there might have been a chance, but he was decades- perhaps even most of his life- too late.Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge (2022)Notes on cultivation levels:There are five general stages of cultivation, though the fifth is extremely rare. Each cultivation style might have their own name for the stages.1. Body Tempering2. Spirit Building/ occasionally System Creation (Ninety-Nine Stars)3. Constellation Formation (Ninety-Nine Stars)4. Life Transformation/Galaxy Construction (Ninety-Nine Stars)5. Ascension

In the not-so-distant future, a group of Earthlings find themselves mysteriously transported to the Nexus Realm, a fantastical world besieged by monstrous creatures.With no way out of the craziness, they reluctantly joined forces with the realm's inhabitants to combat the constant threat of these otherworldly beasts.To defend the Nexus or Nexaria, powers were bestowed upon them with the promise of returning home after successfully repelling the monsters dangling before them like a carrot.Years passed, and the initial camaraderie between the heroes slowly began to crumble. Still, the Protagonist, Adrian Fenrir, with his power known as Analysis, played a crucial role in understanding the monsters' patterns and weaknesses. However, as the group became more adept at handling the threats, they grew increasingly independent and, perhaps, arrogant.One day, due to a series of mishaps, Adrian found himself surrounded by assassins. He tried his best to drive them off but failed and met a bitter end. It didn't take long for the assassins to do their work, and as per the contractor's request, they decided to dispose of Adrian's corpse by selling it to a mad scientist known for his experiments with creatures from the Nexaria.In need of a fresh subject for his latest project, the scientist transformed Adrian into a chimaera, a fusion of humans and monsters to be sold as a weapon for war.However, the scientist's plan backfired when Adrian, against all odds, regained consciousness within his chimaera body. Fueled by rage and the memories of his betrayal, Adrian seized control over his new body. Now reborn as a chimaera with the ability to absorb organs and gain the powers of other creatures, Adrian vows vengeance upon the mysterious contractor who sent the assassins for him.Once a battleground against monsters, the Nexaria now witnessed a different kind of conflict—one driven by betrayal, revenge, and the extraordinary powers of a vengeful chimaera.

Yun Muxi was a young scriptwriter in the 21st century who once time-traveled back into the olden days of China.

There, she met and fell in love with the Emperor, Duanmu Gongyu. After a torturous heartbreak, the duo separated and never saw each other again.

When Yun Muxi returned to the modern world, she ended up working with a rising actor, Gong Yu, who happened to be the same man she once loved with her whole heart. As soon as he set his eyes on her, the feelings of yesterday came back and he was determined to make her his again.

As Gong Yu tried to woo Yun Muxi repeatedly, she realized that she found it hard to resist his charms. However, the duo was trapped in a series of events that made falling in love impossible.

The modern-day Yun Muxi now has a daughter while the father of the child remained unknown. Gong Yu, on the other hand, had developed a history of heart attack.

On top of that, their story unraveled with shocking truths at every turn. The star-crossed lovers were faced with steep challenges that constituted the endless list and many sacrifices had to be made.

Would they eventually be given the chance to love freely?

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