My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger - Chapter 37: Bait And Switch

After the acid rainfall, which killed about a quarter of the world’s population. Mankind was still recovering from that horrible incident when superpowers gave rise to society.

With about sixty percent of mankind possesses various abilities from manipulation of elements, invulnerability, super strength, shape-shifting, acid generation, etcetera. The world soon stepped into the era of the supernatural.

In the new supernatural community, flocking around with heroes who deemed themselves as the guardian of the society, and villains who wanted to rebuild the world in their way, humans without superpowers are being discriminated against and looked down on.

Raphael Queen, a teenager from one of the undeveloped communities in the world, turned out to be a genius among geniuses.

Apart from being born with the power to induce decay on anything whether the target was organic or not, he also had an extraordinary talent in the field of technology and mechanics, and he could build technological advancement, enhancement, and weaponry.

Once enrolled in the infamous academy for villains, watch as Raphael bends the world to his will and finally brings peace and stability to the supernatural world.

This time around, it will be a new world… A world of truth, not lies.

Jiang Li, the legitimate daughter of a noble house, has traveled through time, becoming an insignificant character in a domineering CEO romance, who quickly meets her demise.Confronted with the most saintly female lead and the domineering male lead of the novel, Jiang Li instantly decides to stay away from these two 'idiots', focusing instead on making her own family illustrious.What to do with her genuine brother, who plays a lovestruck second male lead and is a complete wastrel?Jiang Li ships him off to a transformational variety show where the prodigal son becomes instantly famous, eventually becoming a movie emperor;What about the illegitimate younger brother who's always acting like a goody two shoes to win favor in the family?Jiang Li leads by example as the top student, turning the faker into a model student, and paves his way from undergraduate to doctoral studies;And what of her autistic cousin who constantly locks himself away in a dark room, weeping?Jiang Li prescribes the right remedy, turning the melancholic poet into the king of songs at the Temple of Heaven, his love ballads bringing millions of young girls to tears;Thus, the once wavering and declining noble Jiang family rises under Jiang Li's management, becoming the most respected and well-mannered leading family in the capital.The first time Jiang Li meets that man, he had just finished chasing a herd of runaway cows, his face redder than the sun with high altitude flush.He extends his hand to her with a grin, introducing himself, “Hello, I am Zhao Daniu.”Jiang Li stares at his muddy hand, still emitting an unidentified smell: “......” A silent rejection, thank you.Upon their next encounter, he has transformed completely, now the distinguished and formidable heir of the Gu family, his presence as refreshing as a breeze in the moonlight, peerlessly noble.He extends his hand again: “Hello, I am Gu Yu, I hear your family is in need of a man to take charge, do you think I'm suitable?”All members of the Jiang family leap out: “No! We don't need one!”

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.

Immortal arts, magic weapons, magical powers*, and the boundless spiritual Qi between heaven and earth vanished into obscurity overnight, and all the exorcists became mere mortals.

300 years later, the Five Barbarians traversed the pass, a prelude to an era of great turmoil in China. They heralded the end of the world, where thousands of drought fiends stalked the night and the collapse of the Divine Land** was imminent.

Fortunately, within this long, dark night*** where silence had fallen on all magic, a lone star still glistened brightly on the horizon.

The Heart Lamp appeared, illuminating the vast expanse around it. A 16-year-old young man, who will end his life on his 20th birthday, embarked on a journey of reclaiming the spiritual Qi of the heavens and earth that had been sealed away — only four years remain.

The road ahead was filled with countless thistles and thorns, and it seemed improbable for him to succeed.

Chen Xing, “The important thing is that I’m the last exorcist in this world, yet the only magic I am capable of is emitting light. What can I do?”

Wait patiently then. When the Dinghai pearl reappears on earth, the uncertain trajectory of everyone’s fates will be completely disrupted before converging once more.

Chen Xing, “Could I be partnered with a more normal Protector martial god?”

Isn’t your Protector really skilled in fighting?

Chen Xing, “He is good at fighting, but when he loses it he’ll hit even me……”

There’s nothing that can be done about that, you can only blame yourself for losing yourself to lust.

—

*: Buddhist term: Abhijñā, a mysterious force that surpasses the limits of mortals gained through meditation

**: old name for China

***: figurative meaning: long period of misery and oppression

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