Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix - Chapter 863: Cost down

In a world where kingdoms rise and fall, a seasoned player unexpectedly finds himself transmigrated into the very game he once mastered—Caldera. However, his new life as a ruler comes with a crushing twist: severe debuffs and harsh restrictions on his talents make survival nearly impossible. Against overwhelming odds, he fights tooth and nail to carve out a legacy. Despite his brilliance in strategy and marvels in combat, failure becomes his ultimate fate.

I became the childhood friend of the protagonist in a novel. The childhood friend who died from taking drugs.

The Special Investigations Unit is a covert organisation that no-one in the city knows about, dedicated to investigating bizarre occurrences beyond the comprehension of the living. The Chief Zhao Yunlan isn’t a simple guy either, being the inheritor of the Guardian Order, he has always been a righteous conformist, excelling between realms of the living and the dead. While investigating a school suicide case, Zhao is attracted to the calm and reserved Professor Shen Wei, but the Professor seems to be rather fickle towards him…

- Description from Novelupdates

The Immortal Path led to Longevity and Sovereign was heading in ease. When the Longevity was no longer in ease, all living beings were just prisoners. Conspiracy, internal strife, and the invasion of the others, all of it emerged together. 

In such a world, there was such a young man. He made his way upstream, stepping on blood, defying the emperor, destroying the various kings, and slaughtering his way through the hundred clans to form an Immortal Path towards the throne of Sovereign! The Immortal Path was endless, while the Sovereign was limited. He used his blood to forge his immortal legend.

- Description from Novelupdates