Frightening Joke: Above the Mist - Chapter 32: After modification - Pretending

Ethan, an elite army commando, loses his life in the line of duty while eliminating a dangerous terrorist cell during a high-stakes anti-insurgency operation. Despite his unwavering dedication and discipline, Ethan dies with a deep sense of regret—he never fully embraced his personal desires and unfulfilled fantasies. As his final breath escapes, he vows that, should he be given another chance at life, he will live it to the fullest, without restraint.Fate, however, has its own plans. Ethan awakens in a strange, unfamiliar world—a land governed by strength, where power is the key to survival, and the strong hold dominion over all. In this brutal and unforgiving realm, Ethan discovers that the rules of life have drastically changed. The only currency that matters here is strength, and only the strongest can ascend to become the ultimate power.Gifted with extraordinary intelligence and a mysterious cheat that grants him unparalleled abilities, Ethan sets off on a path to conquer this new world. With each passing day, he hones his skills, builds alliances, and amasses power, all while exploring his deepest desires. This is a journey of self-discovery and unrestrained ambition, where Ethan’s focus is singular: to become the one true transcendent being, an existence unmatched by any other.Through intense battles, strategic brilliance, and encounters with those who would either aid or challenge him, Ethan fights not only for dominance but for the fulfilment of every longing he once held back in his past life. With each victory, he rises higher, carving his name into the annals of history as the peerless king, above all others—an immortal legend in the making.Content Warning: This story will explore mature themes, including R18 content, but will avoid extreme elements. The protagonist’s journey will also include romantic entanglements, with a harem dynamic, including themes like netori. No yuri, NTR, or netorare will be featured.

Lin Youning had spent her life in hardship, enduring everything until her son finally became the top scholar. Just as she was ready to enjoy her twilight years, Gu Yixuan’s visit made her so furious she choked—and died.Reborn, Lin Youning has only one goal: to live well and die of natural causes.

This story is set during the end of the Sui Dynasty, a time where multiple powers struggled for supremacy and power.

Into the fray enters two orphans Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling; these two youths by many chances and luck obtain ‘The Secret to Long Life’ allowing the two to obtain profound martial abilities and a chance to rise to the top in this age of turmoil.

'A self-centric Female Lead, lost-in-love Male Leads, and useless extras who will die. On top of it, this world will not be here for long because of that ancient threat. So, what should I do now?'What kind of world was a world of Female-Oriented Fantasy romance? One filled with tinted glass and roses? Life should have been easy here, right? Wrong! Layla had read this book before, and she knew what happened.“Those useless leads left this world in a shamble! I need to do something about it before it gets destroyed. If I am going to live here, I need to ensure this world stays alive long enough. Who has time for romance when the world will end soon?”Her goal was set, and her life was laid out. Layla was going to use whatever she could to secure her second life.Everyone was a useful piece from here on, and Layla used them well to achieve her end goal. This might be a world based on a fantasy romance, but she would ensure it would not repeat it's ending.______Note: It has a strong Female Protagonist as the MC. No romance, no harem, no yuri.