The Great Merchant in the Cataclysm - Chapter 2

The novel follows the story of Arnold, a porter, who accompanies warriors and superhumans inside dangerous dungeons, which are distinguished by their colours. The porters were always mistreated by the modern human civilization and even though their job was riskier than that of warriors and superhumans, their existence was never appreciated nor were they paid well. No one knows why these dungeons started to appear all over the world. The only thing they know was the dangers that would find their way into the world if they didn’t kill the monsters. But only a selected few cared about the calamity because for the rest it was all about earning money and gaining power. But nothing in this new world is constant and everything keeps changing, and this time the change would find its way towards an ordinary Porter. After stealing a scroll from the dungeon, he ran off to his home. The scroll gave him powers no one could’ve imagined to gain. But he wasn’t alone. 9 other humans had been granted similar powers... powers of the Gods! What would Arnold do with his newfound powers? Will he kill the other 8 Paladins and rule over the world which had oppressed him for years? Or will he rise against the Gods and make them repent for their crimes? Can the strength lent by the Gods be sufficient to deal with them once and for all? Would he be able to defeat his creator? Or will he join the Gods instead? Too many questions, too little time. The decisions he would make could be the end of humanity Or would an ordinary Porter, become he world’s only hope? Follow me on the journey to the power of this ordinary Porter as he becomes the Savior or the Devil.

In a world where failure is almost guaranteed, the game I now find myself in has a staggering 99.9% chance of defeat. Every choice brings chaos, and every road leads to disaster. No one has ever beaten it—it's infamous for being impossible to clear. But somehow, against all odds, I've transmigrated into this cursed game.Worse yet, I've taken over the body of Max, a minor character whose role is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. In the original story, Max is destined to die—nothing more than a forgettable extra lost in the background, a mere footnote in the epic tale of others.Frustration hit me hard as I realized I was trapped in this dead-end character. My doom felt inevitable, and every instinct told me to give up. What hope did I have in a world where even the strongest could barely survive?But just as despair was about to swallow me whole, a System suddenly activated, turning everything on its head. Along with the System came a peculiar ability:[Charm]It wasn't some overpowered skill designed for combat or survival. No, it was something entirely different, yet equally powerful in its own right.[Charm: Increase favorability as more women are captivated by your presence.]This was my key to survival.Through this strange, almost ridiculous skill, I realized that I could change my fate. The powerful female characters, once unreachable in the original storyline, could now be influenced. If I could make them favor me, their strength, influence, and protection would be mine.But it wouldn’t be easy. Each of these women had their own complex personalities, histories, and goals. They were dangerous, capable of crushing me in an instant if I misstepped. But with charm on my side, I might just be able to win them over—and in doing so, alter my destiny.What was once a game of certain death had now become a gamble of life and affection. Every conversation, every interaction, would determine whether I live or die. My charm was my weapon, and it would be the only thing standing between me and the grim fate that awaited Max.Now, with my new plan in motion, I’ll have to navigate the intricate web of relationships and alliances while avoiding the countless threats looming over me. The odds are still stacked against me, but for the first time since I arrived, I can see a glimmer of hope.If I can make the right moves, charm the right people, and avoid the pitfalls, I might just survive this nightmare.Or better yet, thrive.This is my one chance at life in a world of inevitable ruin, and I’ll do whatever it takes to change my story.

What does it feel like when you have a best-selling detective fiction author for a boyfriend?

Whenever you offend him, he would look at you disdainfully, “A character molded after you could only ever appear in my novel as a deceased victim.”

Whenever you seriously offend him, he would threaten you, “The very next victim who dies in my novel would be named after you.”

Whenever you seriously, seriously offend him, he would add on to the previous threats, “Furthermore, the victim would have died at the hands of an extremely perverse and twisted serial killer, and would have suffered an extremely painful and terrible death.”

But, by a stroke of coincidence, if you happen to be this best-selling author’s editor, he need not resort to the above mentioned tactics. In fact, all he has to do is one, single thing –
-Delay the submission of his draft.

- Description from Novelupdates

what did you say?
Your mobile phone eight-core processor? 6G running memory? 256G storage? One and a half hours full of electricity?
Very great?
Our mobile phone 16-core processor, 12G running memory, 1T storage, can be fully charged in just 10 minutes!
what did you say?
Your charging treasure 30,000 mAh capacity? Two-way fast charge?
Sorry, our charging treasure has a capacity of 100,000 mAh. As for the two-way fast charging technology… Our 10,000 mAh mobile phone can be fully charged in just ten minutes. Can you tell me two-way fast charging technology?
what did you say? Our products are defective?
Come here! Come over and try, let you see how to kill you in minutes!
Super electronics, super cars, super buildings…
Since Lin Yun acquired the universe trading system, various industries began to get a strong impact…
Money is just a trail, and force is fundamental!
You said that Lin Yun’s goal is to dominate the earth?
Do not! Do not! Do not! You are wrong, his goal is the sea of stars

- Description from uukanshu (translated)