A Stepmother's Marchen - Chapter 17

Qi Condensation. Foundation Establishment. Core Formation. In the current world, only these three realms are known to be achievable. Nascent Soul is but a legend and the realms above it lost to the the long river of time. The modern era is known as Cultivation Civilization, a balance of power and civility, excess and moderation. While cultivation remains a secret practice, it has long since exposed itself to the mundane world, quietly intertwined with each facet of society. While the world appears to be at peace, what lies underneath is a conflict between human, cultivator, and demon, brewing for ages and waiting to implode. Yet in the wake of humanity’s rapid industrialization, qi—and consequently cultivation—is dying.

A story about a history teacher gaming-addict with familial trauma, and a peculiar woman seemingly stuck out of time and beyond out of touch.The two have been thrust into the weird and whimsical world of Altros, a planet with divides born of very real superhuman strength cursory of an odd ranking system, and, naturally, species differences.Not exactly the best of news for our resident Scottish history teacher whose ears have changed into fox ones alongside his nine new fluffy tails.First though, Darren, or Lone, or whatever else the weird system claims he's called, has to figure out how to live with his new companion Sofia, for seemingly forever while also just barely managing to survive being stranded on a monster-infested island with a self-proclaimed former-immortal who can see despite being blind, can freely teleport, and who also, of course, seems prone to experience bouts of extreme depression.Not an ideal situation when he himself hasn't been in a great headspace for over a decade now. But hey, at least there's an incredibly expansive litRPG system to keep the both of them entertained, right? That'll fight off the fear of death, surely.

Elijah unexpectedly travels back to the day when the virus broke out. Confronted with his zombified roommate and the perilous situation of the roommate's girlfriend, he decides to take action. In this post-apocalyptic world, he vows to become the strongest man and create an incredibly secure refuge.

The story begins with Elijah's rebirth as he discovers the opportunity to change the future. He becomes close companions with his roommate Bella and her husband Alexander. However, when Alexander is infected and turns into a zombie, Elijah must act decisively to protect himself and Bella.

Elijah awakens to a supernatural ability called the “Seed of Consciousness,” which allows him to control zombies, becoming his weapon for survival. He uses this power to strengthen himself continuously and seek the path of survival. However, his relationship with Bella starts to undergo subtle changes, forcing him to confront emotional challenges.

As the story unfolds, readers will immerse themselves in gripping plots and complex character relationships. Elijah's growth, struggles, and emotional development with numerous women in the post-apocalyptic world form the core of the story. It's a world full of challenges and opportunities, and Elijah's narrative is about continuous growth and overcoming oneself, showing readers the hardships of surviving in the apocalypse and the complexity of human nature.

Knox is an omega – poor, orphaned, weak, and bullied. He was the unluckiest human being alive – according to his own.Burdened by debt, he has no choice but to stop school and work to pay off his loans all the while hiding the truth and pretending as a beta to save himself from harassment. He accepted all legal jobs he could get to make ends meet.Including a contractual relationship with an alpha who’s suffering from a pheromone disability. He gets paid – enough to free him from all of his debts. All he has to do is help the alpha stabilize his pheromone…not until that night happens…The contract was breached. Knox has to pay the price. Afraid of his circumstances, he ran away.Years later, Knox became a capable man. He has a nice job and a kind boss. When his boss got invited to an engagement party, as his secretary, Knox had to come with him. However, he was shocked to find out that the man to be engaged was none other than the spitting image of his son!How will Knox keep the truth from him, when after their eyes met at the party, the alpha had already marked him as his property, claiming him as the payment of the contract he breached?Will Knox hide and run away again? Or will he choose to pay off the debt to be free? Will he be able to push away the alpha whose vices are hidden behind his attractive mask or will Knox abandon his virtues and embrace the dangerous father of his son?