Kiss Me Not - Chapter 17 - Doubts

The novel follows the story of Arnold, a porter, who accompanies warriors and superhumans inside dangerous dungeons, which are distinguished by their colours. The porters were always mistreated by the modern human civilization and even though their job was riskier than that of warriors and superhumans, their existence was never appreciated nor were they paid well. No one knows why these dungeons started to appear all over the world. The only thing they know was the dangers that would find their way into the world if they didn’t kill the monsters. But only a selected few cared about the calamity because for the rest it was all about earning money and gaining power. But nothing in this new world is constant and everything keeps changing, and this time the change would find its way towards an ordinary Porter. After stealing a scroll from the dungeon, he ran off to his home. The scroll gave him powers no one could’ve imagined to gain. But he wasn’t alone. 9 other humans had been granted similar powers... powers of the Gods! What would Arnold do with his newfound powers? Will he kill the other 8 Paladins and rule over the world which had oppressed him for years? Or will he rise against the Gods and make them repent for their crimes? Can the strength lent by the Gods be sufficient to deal with them once and for all? Would he be able to defeat his creator? Or will he join the Gods instead? Too many questions, too little time. The decisions he would make could be the end of humanity Or would an ordinary Porter, become he world’s only hope? Follow me on the journey to the power of this ordinary Porter as he becomes the Savior or the Devil.

When Shen Xinghui, an ordinary young man, is suddenly transported to a fantastical world, he finds himself surrounded by incredible beings like Beast Man, Dragon Man, and even Demons.Struggling to adapt in a place where the rules of life, magic, and even biology are wildly different, Shen Xinghui must rely on the guidance of Ignatius, a noble Dragon Man.As Shen Xinghui learns about this world’s diverse cultures, powerful magic, and the ever-present mystery of how he arrived, he discovers that he’s not the first outsider to find himself here—and perhaps not the last.With no clear way back home, Shen Xinghui embarks on a journey to the capital of the Cindralith Kingdom, determined to carve out a place for himself in this strange yet wondrous land. Along the way, he uncovers secrets about the world—and himself—that will change his destiny forever.

Amidst the eerie silence of an unfamiliar hall, a cacophony of confused voices rose, mingling in a chorus of bewilderment. “Where are we?” “What happened?” “I thought I died!” Each utterance hung in the air, a testament to the collective disbelief gripping the room.As the haze of confusion lifted, disjointed memories surfaced, fragments of lives cut short by tragedy. “I remember... I was stabbed...” ventured one voice, echoed by another's affirmation of a similar fate. “I... I died in a plane crash,” muttered a third, only to be met with a stunned agreement from a fellow survivor.Amidst the chaos of bewildered voices, one man stood apart, his expression a mask of contemplation amidst the turmoil. As his companions recounted their brushes with death, his mind churned with questions, each more confounding than the last.“I got shot... I remember it vividly,” he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible above the din. “So how am I still here?” The enigma of their shared resurrection gnawed at him, compelling him to seek answers in the depths of his memories.With each revelation of a paired demise—a male and female, bound by the same tragic fate—a flicker of recognition ignited within him. “This... this seems familiar,” he mused, the pieces of a puzzle slowly coalescing in his mind. But the picture remained incomplete, obscured by the fog of uncertainty that shrouded their surroundings.As the words “pairs, pairs, pairs” echoed in his mind like a cryptic mantra, a sudden realization struck him with the force of a revelation. “It can't be... don't tell me...” he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief. With a sense of urgency, he began to scan his surroundings, searching for any sign or clue that could confirm his suspicions.Then, as if guided by an unseen force, his gaze shifted upwards, and there, bathed in an ethereal light, stood an angelic figure with golden apparel, its gaze fixed upon him with a warm smile. The sight took his breath away, filling him with a mixture of awe and trepidation.The man's heart raced as faced a real angel, his mind struggling to comprehend the surreal encounter unfolding before him. The angel's words, spoken with an air of amusement, only deepened the enigma shrouding their meeting.“I never expected anyone to notice me,” the angel remarked, a hint of playfulness in its voice. “I was concealing my presence to let everyone fully calm down, but to think someone noticed me. Just who are you?”Ethan's disbelief and confusion intensified at the angel's question. “Eh... Ethan Rivers,” he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.As Aurelia, the angel, finally revealed himself to the bewildered assembly, a hush fell over the room, each soul drawn in by his radiant presence and commanding aura. Ethan's gaze lingered on Aurelia.“Greetings, lost souls,” Aurelia declared, his voice resonating with a majestic power that seemed to fill the very air around them. “I am Aurelia, and I shall be your guide to your new life.”As Aurelia extended his arms in a gesture of welcome, Ethan felt a surge of rage and hesitation, “This it bad, really bad.”

He was weak, he was depressed, he was a loser.
He wasn't even Lvl 10 in the game when Earth was destroyed in the Quake and the players of Redlands were transmigrated to the fantastic world of Zushkenar.
But he lived, learned, and died again.
Now, he was back on Earth, one year and three months before the Quake.
Deciding to rejoin the game earlier and with greater focus, what changes would he bring with his actions?
What life would he live?

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paypal.me/JInDaoran

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There's a map for the lands of Zushkenar posted on the DeviantArt website:
https://www.deviantart.com/kilrain/art/Hunters-Guide-map-cities-grid-b-877682076

It's not complete, but it'll give an idea of the general geography.

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The background image for the cover is part of a landscape by moinzon taken from pixabay.com