Finding light in the darkest places—through love - Chapter 50 – The First Stroke of Change

I closed my eyes and let out a long, shuddering breath. The needle slipped through my numb fingers and clattered onto the rough pavement. Nothingness swirled around me, bringing the first peace I'd felt in my short, miserable life. No one would miss me, and if any did...? Well, there was always someone else to beat or rape. They'd move on quickly.But then...gods? Since when did nothingness have so many gods?Chosen by the goddess of Fate, I'm thrust into a world of magic and wonder alongside nine other heroes. A world where the gods reign supreme, and evil is vanquished before it can spread its blight.Can such a place truly exist? Could life really be worth living?I've heard that the brightest lights cast the longest shadows, but my life has been nothing but darkness. Perhaps this new world will be the chance I need to find the light, to see the other side.

Rita Oreira, a fun-loving radio host known for her girly gossip, met a tragic end during a home burglary while trying to save her pet parrot.Surprisingly, she transmigrated into a fantasy novel as Lirian Nightwind, a quirky villainess from an evil family, destined to marry the wicked northern duke, Gabriel Sylcrest, who planned to take over the crown.In the original story, Lirian was set to betray Gabriel, leading to her own death by his hands.Fortunately and unfortunately for her, the new Lirian was protected by her two mischievous brothers, who were supposed to die alongside the duke.Their loyalty complicated her plans to escape the dark fate that awaited them all.In this new world, she had to scheme and do unspeakable things with the lunatic duke to protect her true identity and prevent anyone from discovering that she was not the real Lirian.Not only were the tasks out of line, but they were all for pure entertainment rather than any real purpose.As she accepted her life as his wife, she learned that her parrot, which could only say modern phrases, had special powers that made others believe it could see the future.If the parrot said, “Slay, b*tch!” Gabriel would kill a person on the spot.If the parrot said, “Let it cook!” the male lead would banish or imprison the chef, thinking the food was poisoned.If the parrot said, “Sus, very sus!” Gabriel would tear his advisors apart.As Lirian tried to change her destiny and save them all, she discovered surprising truths about those around her, especially Gabriel Sylcrest.Motivated to survive, Rita had to find a way to save them all.“The crown prince—!!!”“Say one more word about another man, and I’ll let my beasts tear him apart.”“You know, my Lord, for a duke who seeks power, you certainly have a way of making a girl feel… vulnerable.”“Vulnerable? No, my dear. You’re mine, and I’ll make sure everyone knows it. If another man even dares to look at you, I’ll unleash my wrath. I’ll have him begging for mercy, and then I’ll enjoy every moment of his despair.”“You can’t just claim me like that.”“Watch me. I’ll mark you as mine in blood and shadow. You’ll be a warning to anyone who thinks they can touch what belongs to me. The moment you’re within my reach, I’ll ensure no one else can ever have you.”“Is that a threat or a promise?”“Both, Lirian. And trust me, the line between love and possession is razor-thin. Cross me, and you’ll find out just how deep my darkness runs for you.”

To care for her ailing sweetheart, college student Lu Chenchen gave up her white-collar office job and chose the higher-paying caretaker profession instead. Going around in circles, she ended up at the Mao family’s home.

The Mao family background was complicated. Old Madam Mao was not her son Yanning’s birth mom, but his young aunt. His wife was Old Madam Mao’s first love’s daughter, spoiled and pampered. Despite over ten years of marriage, husband and wife were distant.

To repay Old Madam Mao’s kindness in raising him, and for the sake of his three children, Mao Yanning endured again and again – not just a loveless but outright destructive marriage.

Lu Chenchen walked on eggshells among these people – carefully serving young and old, currying favor with the lady of the house without offending the man of the house, while also worrying about his sweetheart’s illness and missing “his” elders and children back home. Her heart was like a cookie flattened between the pages of life, living a difficult and cautious existence.

However, as the saying goes, “You reap what you sow.” A life that has been polished will eventually shine with a brilliance that ordinary years cannot compare.

A 30-year-old NEET is reincarnated into the body of an otaku that choked to death on instant noodles. As he comes to grips with his new life, he realizes that this world is subtly different from Earth. The denizens of this world are far better looking, and this new world also possesses futuristic technology as well as mysterious Yin Yang masters!

After reincarnating, he realized that he was endowed with a miraculous game-like system, which enables him to increase his own stats and transcend the limits of the human body. This system even has a game-breaking ability to save and load in real life!

In this new world that’s akin to a 2-D game, he just wants to enjoy life and head for a glorious future… However, he is quickly embroiled in a complex plot. Can he unlock his true potential and utilize his system to break the shackles that confine him and discover the truth about his previous body’s circumstances?

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