Interstellar Age - Chapter 402 Delving Beneath the Surface

In the night, cook wine with the master and discuss the way of heaven and earth!

In the snow, Yu Jian chased the tide of Guangling River!

- Description from novelbuddy

Would you play the universally disliked character in a romance reality show for a million? Xu Qingyan's answer is: Hesitating for even a second is disrespectful to money.Being cursed and trending online, Xu Qingyan says it doesn't matter; after all, you can't abandon money for the sake of saving face, right?Director: “Don't feel any psychological burden.”Xu Qingyan: “Director, I feel this line isn't mean enough.”Director: “Don't worry, just let loose and act.”Xu Qingyan: “No problem, Director. I'll act naturally, and show you what devotion means.”.......Xu Qingyan: You all see me messing around every day, but you don’t see my hardworking lifestyle, my late-night studies, or the way I kindly interact with others.You can't see it! Because I've never done it.Netizen: “What a satisfying read, time to be discharged from the hospital.”.......The rising pop princess, Lin Wanzhou, had a gap in her heart, a sorrowful little secret about an unrequited love. In the blink of an eye, the object of her affection was on a romance show, getting ambiguous with a rival she had once defeated.The washed-up pop princess, Mu Chan, initially wanted to just frustrate Lin Wanzhou, but didn't expect to get caught up...In the twenty-sixth spring of her life, she fell for someone, and could never let go since.May you be well, with a bright future ahead.

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.

The royal bastard of House Vasquer, Argrave, changed after his stay studying magic at the Tower of the Gray Owl.

The sickly man's awkward posture and cruel behavior have been replaced with a neat dignity and acerbic wit.

Though once listless, he now strives towards his goals with a life-or-death tenacity.

Most come away thinking he seems to know too many details about too much. Few can claim to know his motives or his goals.

Yet behind that confident appearance, the primary contributor for an open-world RPG's wiki battles existential dread and things far beyond his ken as he struggles to adapt to a grim, gothic fantasy world mirroring his favorite game.

The prospect of fighting against a world-ending calamity loses all of its appeal when it transitions from entertainment to reality.

Argrave is spurred towards unwanted heroism to preserve his life as he struggles desperately to keep this sinking ship afloat.