MTL - Since 2000 - Chapter 15 : Can you handle it?

A cheating boyfriend and a traitorous best friend had always been a cliché start to a story. Fil often thought those things only happened in such narratives. Who would have thought this same cliché twist would happen to her?Fil was a devout Christian who held marriage and marital fidelity sacred. She had been a very good girl from childhood to adulthood. But when she caught her childhood sweetheart slash fiancé and her best friend rolling under the sheets, Fil wanted to rebel for the first time.The first step of her rebellious journey? Getting drunk.After drowning her sorrows with the help of alcohol, Fil met the enigmatic Jackson. The moment her eyes met those tantalizing golden orbs, words slipped past her lips without any notion of the kind of situation she was getting herself into:“Will I go to hell if I lose my virginity before marriage?”His thin, red lips curled up as a glint flickered across his naturally sharp eyes, and he said, “Who knows? But I can bring heaven to you if you want me to.”*****Jackson.A man shrouded in mystery and secrets, licentious to the core with zero morality, someone who had grown bored playing games with life. Until one fateful night, a woman suddenly appeared before him — a perfect prey for a boring night.Little did he know, a night with a rebellious wannabee wouldn’t be enough to quench his biological urge. Nor would he ever fathom the colors she gave to his gray-colored world.A good girl with dirty thoughts and a sinful man who had even dirtier thoughts.A relationship that started for revenge and to satisfy one’s need; was there even space for true love?How? When the man bending her down would nastily whisper in her ear, “You've been a fucking good girl.”****As the two grapple with their own demons threatening to tear them apart, doubts would start surfacing in their hearts. Was this rebellion worth sacrificing her principles for? Could she truly find happiness in the arms of a man so steeped in darkness?And for Jackson, was redemption possible for a devil like him? And if so, would she be the one to lead him towards the light? Would she even accept his darkest secrets and the hell of his world?In a world where trust was a rare commodity and love was a fragile flame, Fil and Jackson would have to navigate the treacherous waters of desire and redemption.Would they face the unknown together? Or would they let go to save themselves from the impending pain of being together?

A world where the [Demon King] was defeated by a [Hero] that came from another world. People carelessly forgot about their fear of the [Demon King] and of monsters, living in peace.

In a forgotten and run-down cave in the mountains, a new monster that should not have been born was given birth.

The monster’s name was the [Black Ooze]. It was nothing exceptional other than its black color, an ordinary slime.

However, this slime had the special characteristic of being able to take the abilities of the living things it swallowed. It preyed on an insect that had paralytic poison, as well as other animals. Following that, it attacked a human, obtaining his knowledge and [Desire].

Before long, the monster established its target as the female mage that came to explore the cave.

This world still wasn’t aware.

Ha Si-heon is a brilliant but obsessive Wall Street financier who has built an immense fortune driven by a fear of financial insecurity. After enduring a tragic childhood, losing his mother, and navigating financial ruin with his father during South Korea’s 1997 financial crisis, Si-heon immigrates to the U.S. He fulfills his father’s wish by becoming a doctor but finds himself drawn to the lucrative world of Wall Street.At a top hedge fund, Si-heon leverages his medical expertise to dominate biotech investments, thanks to an unusual ability to predict successful FDA drug approvals. He amasses wealth quickly, yet struggles with a pathological fear of spending money. His relentless pursuit of profit takes a dark turn when he’s diagnosed with idiopathic multicentric Castleman’s disease (iMCD), a rare, life-threatening immune disorder with no cure. His condition worsens despite aggressive chemotherapy, as the lack of research funding for this “orphan disease” leaves him without options.Just as Si-heon faces death, he miraculously awakens to find himself transported 10 years back in time, to the beginning of his career on Wall Street. Realizing he has a second chance, Si-heon is determined to not only reclaim his wealth but also amass enough money to fund a cure for iMCD. The story explores themes of greed, ambition, mortality, and redemption, as Si-heon seeks not just to survive but to redefine the meaning of his life.

Her first encounter with Qin Sijue is an unexpected one. While trying to hide from her pursuers, she accidentally barges into his changing room. Yet, their paths crosses again fatefully—after a fake marriage, she legally becomes his bride. She imagines that they will only interact before the agreement ends, after which they would have nothing to do with each other. However, Qin Sijue comes over with two red booklets—their wedding certificate. “Take them for an appraisal and see if they’re real”.