Crusader King - Chapter 22: Battle amidst the sky

Crimson Vale Academy—where reputation is currency, and failure is a stain you wear on your sleeve.Behind gothic walls and spotless uniforms, students aren't just educated—they're measured, ranked, and pitted against each other in a brutal meritocracy. Privileges are earned, not given. The strong rise. The weak vanish.Enter Kairon Vale, a transfer student marked Rank D—the bottom of the bottom. No badge. Just a stitched black fang, branding him as “Obsidian”—a warning to others.In a system where points dictate your value, Obsidian-ranked students claw for every opportunity to ascend into the prestigious Golden or Platinum ranks—where comfort, power, and influence await. But for most, it’s a losing battle.Yet Kairon isn’t here to fit in, impress, or play by their rules. Cold, calculating, and impossible to read, he watches the system… and waits. Because while the academy judges worth by numbers and names—he understands something deeper:Everyone wears a mask. And every mask can be cracked.Let the games begin.

In life, the most important thing is appearance.To compensate for his lack of good looks, he worked hard for years to reach the peak.However, the reality waiting for him at the end was nothing but betrayal and despair.[The system has been activated.][You have obtained the ‘Handsome’ attribute.]On the brink of death, he gets a second chance at life.Now his goal is clear.[Quest Completed]Reward: Talent obtained through the ‘Handsome’ stat.[New Quest]Task: Become more handsome.“I will become handsome.”

Shen Miao, the Di daughter of a military lineage, pure, amiable, quiet and yielding, foolishly in love with Prince Ding, threw herself into the role of a wife.

After assisting her husband for six years, she finally became the mother of the world (Empress).

She accompanied him to fight for the country, flourished the country’s territory, took risks to become a hostage in another country. When she returned five years later, there was no place for her in the Inner Palace.

The beauty in his arms smiled brightly, “Older sister, the country is stabilized so, you should retire.”

Her daughter met with a violent death and her son the Crown Prince was deposed. Her Shen family who sacrificed themselves for the country and the Emperor, not a single one of them were lucky enough to escape. With the change of one dynasty, everything was overturned. Her clan perished and she had to mourn for her children.

Shen Miao never thought that being a married couple who have gone through trials and tribulations and mutually assisted each other was just a stage joke to him!

He said, “Seeing that you have followed Zhen for twenty years, Zhen will grant you an intact corpse. You should thank this kindness.”

Under the three Chi (1 chi = 1/3 meter) of white silk, Shen Miao made a malicious vow: In the time to come, she will take part in each and everyone’s end!

Upon rebirth, she returned to the time when she was fourteen, when the tragedy had yet to occur, her family was still alive and she was still the pure, amiable, quiet and yielding Di daughter of a military lineage.

Relatives hiding a black heart, Elder and younger (female) cousins are ruthless and malicious, the new Yiniang is like a tiger watching its prey and the disreputable man who wants to repeat the events?

Her family must be protected, the huge enmity must be avenged, the Imperial seat of the country must also be a part of the trophy. In this lifetime, let’s see who can beat the others!

He Zening had always felt that novels depicting the life of a Company President were good for passing time, but insulting to the IQ. Still, having read countless novels of this genre, never did she imagine that someday she would transmigrate into one of them. To make matters worse, the plots were so similar that she could not remember which novel it was. She was left with no choice but to assume the role of a secretary to the President.

The secretaries in novels ran errands for the President, assisted him in pursuing women, helped him keep the flames of love burning, and even took the blame for him if necessary. But a real-life secretary? They were blamed by those in power, sometimes hurt and reprimanded wrongly.

If it were not for the excellent pay and necessity, she would have already bolted out of the door. And like all curious bystanders, He Zening wanted to see the plot happen before her eyes; the President meeting the protagonist! A villain standing between the love of the leads! The side characters!

This is the second life of a level-headed, diligent secretary working hard to achieve a carefree life, whilst being dragged into the plot.

- Description from Novelupdates