I Can Copy And Evolve Talents - Chapter 4 Out Of Luck

Facing extinction, humanity seeks salvation in the Astral Verge, a dangerous dimension accessed via portals that threatened to wipe out the entire planet.Few years later, aspiring recruit Daniel Vance enters the Verge for his final assessment, hoping to Awaken a Talent and secure his future. While others gain common abilities, Daniel secretly Awakens the mythical SSS-Grade Talent: [Soul Assimilation]. This allows him to absorb essence, enhancing gear, gaining stats and EXP from slain creatures, and crucially, absorbing attributes and skills from fallen Awakened.Witnessing the swift death of the arrogant Jaxon Rex, Daniel makes a grim choice: he assimilates Jaxon, gaining his first skill, [Kinetic Pulse]. This sets his path: scavenging the aftermath of others’ battles. He enhances gear and, after achieving his first kill on an injured beast, waits patiently to assimilate two more fallen recruits, acquiring [Quick Step] and the invaluable passive [Aura Sense].Starting as average, Daniel rapidly gains power in secret, enhanced gear, multiple skills, and boosted stats , far exceeding his peers while remaining outwardly unremarkable. He navigates the lethal Verge alone, using its inherent dangers to fuel his growth, wrestling with the moral cost of his unique, overwhelming power.

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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In her previous life, Gu Ying gave up her dignity as the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Dongping’s manor for Jiang Yin. She pestered him relentlessly until she finally married him.

Later, Jiang Yin rose to great power and status. He schemed against the state first, then killed her father and exterminated her clan.

She was betrayed by her scumbag husband and sister-in-law. They broke her legs and threw her in a dilapidated temple, subjecting her to all kinds of humiliations for ten long years.

After being reborn, Gu Ying returned, ready to take revenge.

The first step was to cling onto the “fiancé, Young Marquis Yong’an”, kick away the scumbag, fight the scumbag sister-in-law, and play the prestigious families of Bianjing for fools!

The second step of revenge was to cancel the engagement with the “fiancé” and flee to the borderlands, taking her younger brother to find their father!

The third step of revenge was to find a meek, submissive man to marry, staying far away from the scumbag husband, and live a happy life!

Yet she never expected that the leg she clung onto by accident did not belong to the Young Marquis, but the legendary, sinister and ruthless Crown Prince Zhao Changdu!

Everyone said the Little Prince was hard to handle. This time she would certainly lose her life.

Yet unexpectedly, she could not only handle the Little Prince, but also arrogantly ride on top of him. “Husband, you have cultivated excellent masculine virtues, your wife cannot run away!”

The subordinate was shocked: “Little Prince, you stay up all night reading, you wouldn’t be looking through the Dongli Punishment Illustrations Manual to torture your wife, would you?”

Zhao Changdu remained expressionless: “Thank you for your concern, but this Crown Prince is cultivating masculine virtues to please his wife.”

Ah! Aythryn City. Truly a mess of neon and trash all supporting the psychopaths that live here. Desire is the name of th...