Irwin's Journey - The Cardsmith - Chapter 123: Preparations

[Contains explicit content, violence, and mature themes]Infinite Breaker Online descended on Earth, forcing humanity to play 12 hours daily and initiating events. Axir Grimspire rises to become one of the top players of Earth, one of the ten sovereigns, after five years of brutal warfare. He has everything—power, a guild, a girlfriend he adores, and trusted friends.Or so he thought.Betrayed by those closest to him, Axir learns the horrifying truth: his girlfriend and friends used him as a tool, his sister was murdered by the men he called brothers, and now they're casting him into Godfall Abyss—a forbidden zone where the player's death is permanent if they die there. No respawn.But as Axir dies, he triggers an Ultra Unique Event in the forbidden zone: the Abyss of Desire, which grants him one wish. He chooses to return to one week before the game's beta launch with memories intact.But his wish has consequences. Triggering the Abyss of Desire would connect the Abyss Realm to all planets connected to the game's server, a higher dimension world called World of Belkris, and gods from various mythologies would manifest, offering humanity divine boons upon fulfilling requirements. On top of that, World of Belkris is 50% different in everything, from the geography of the Belkris to the fickle luck that changes constantly to develop things differently from what Axir once knew.Armed with five years of knowledge and burning for vengeance, Axir begins his second run in a drastically altered game—determined to make his tools of his betrayers rather than being used by them and reach the top.--Discord: BjeQvXzZBB

Evelyn Walters was the perfect heiress, until one reckless night with her father’s greatest enemy ruined everything.Pregnant, disgraced, and cast out of the Walters family, she left with nothing but her unborn child.Years later, she's survived. But as a single mother, the life she built was fragile until the man from her past discovered the truth.Now he wants her and his son.But how can Evelyn trust the father of her child... when he's also the enemy of the man who raised her?****Excerpt:“B-Boss... the woman you slept with that night... she wasn't the supermodel the company just signed,” Dylan stammered, his voice trembling.Axel's brow furrowed even further. He tried digging through the hazy, alcohol-soaked memories of that night. Of course, he remembered the party.He remembered the whiskey.But the woman?Nope. His brain served up a blank slate.“Who was she?”Dylan swallowed. “The first daughter of William Walters.”“Cough! Cough!”Axel coughed violently, his face turning red and eyes wide with shock. He never thought that woman would end up in his bed. ---Curiosity won, as always.Evelyn grabbed the remote and hit the power button.The screen lit up, and her jaw dropped. Her eyes went wide, as if the Grim Reaper himself had just stepped out of the TV to ask for her phone number.“What the…? Why does my personal source of misery pop up the second I turn this thing on?”Because there he was, Axel Knight, gliding out of his luxury car like some corporate deity on his way to a business banquet.Evelyn scrambled for the remote to turn it off, but of course, fate had other plans.Axel turned to the camera and gave a casual wave, acknowledging the paparazzi vultures lined up outside.She hated to admit it, but the man looked sinfully good in his signature black suit and high turtleneck, his sleek black hair framing a face that could stop traffic and quite possibly her breathing.Then, suddenly, her stomach clenched. Her hand instinctively rubbed her flat belly.“Little tenant, did you just say you recognize him?”

Zephany Draven is a shy, clumsy celebrity journalist who is constantly ridiculed for not getting the big scoops. She is soft-spoken and easily intimidated, so she looks weak. However, behind closed doors, she's Eclipse, an altogether tougher, loud-mouthed agent and quite ruthless and efficient.Kendrick Montclair is a gentle, positive artist who loves his family and remains optimistic despite his struggles. His gentle nature makes him easy to take advantage of. But secretly, he's Obscura, a cold, ruthless agent who is efficient and silent.Both work as partners in a secret organization that preserves hidden truths erased by governments, yet they remain completely unaware of each other's true identities.Their goal is to reach the highest level of clearance to access classified information. But just when they're on the verge of success, they fail.Then, a mysterious man appears with an offer—a contract marriage in exchange for the information they desperately seek. Trapped with no alternative, they sign the deal.But neither expected what would happen next.-------------Kendrick and Zephany sat by the glass wall, waiting for their food when a car suddenly crashed through. Kendrick pulled Zephany to safety just in time, but both got small cuts from the broken glass.“Are you okay?” they asked, checking each other.To their astonishment, the cuts healed before their eyes.Their minds raced. “Beside me, the only person I know who has that ability is.”“No! She can't be that loud, short-tempered woman!”“No! He can't be that silent, obnoxious man!”“Did I marry my secret partner in crime?” They both shuddered at the thought.