Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Chapter 38

In less than an instant the world as we knew it was at its end.

That’s right. The Apocalypse. In a single blink Zombies appeared and mutated monsters began to rampage all throughout the world. Now it was the human species turn to fight for survival and planetary dominance!

On the same day that the world descends into chaos we meet Yue Zhong. Initially only hoping to get to his friends and escape to a refugee camp our protagonist sets out, inadvertently building a team along the way. After a series of fortuitous events and a few serious hunches our hero decides it’s time to do more than just survive!

Yue Zhong begins to form the foundations of an enormous survival plan… before he suddenly discovers that he has only gotten over the first hurdle…. Unbeknownst to Yue Zhong and company, the world outside of China is mostly a wasteland! Country sized swathes of nuclear radiation and an extreme shortage of supplies in the world after the nuclear explosions was quickly becoming the “norm”. Mutants, Evolved animals and what’s worse, intelligent out of control dinosaurs had quickly appeared and claimed their own sections of the planet. There were several innately powerful Evolved races which appeared that were more than 10 times stronger than humans, nearly all of them possessing bodies impenetrable by normal bullets. The fabled orcs’ were another of these Evolved races, the leader of which had in fact enslaved many of the remaining human beings.

Unceremoniously exposed to such a cold and heartless new world, Yue Zhong is faced with a choice: Find a deep dark hole and hope it goes back to “normal”? Or overcome all obstacles and struggle towards Evolution!!!

- Description from Novelupdates

World DescriptionA sprawling, untamed cosmos reshaped by the Supreme Empress, a cosmic entity poised to ascend to an unknown plane. Before leaving, she transformed her cosmos into a merciless proving ground—a Lord World where beings from countless races and factions fight for supremacy. Lords awaken on infinite continents with a single talent, tasked with forging empires from humble beginnings. The twist? The Supreme Empress and her council of 10 Major Beings (all female, just below cosmic power) observe from the shadows, seeking a successor to rule the cosmos. Magic thrums beneath the surface, invisible to the weak, while ancient factions—elves, dragons, humans, and more—wield vast advantages. Kael El, an Earth transmigrator, steps into this chaos with two unparalleled talents, his sights set on total domination.Power System OverviewThe Lord System rules all: each lord gains one talent at birth (F to SSS, S+ being unique), driving exponential growth through conquest and kingdom upgrades. Kael’s talents—SSS: 100% Drop Rate (every loot drops, from talents to bloodlines) and EX: 10,000x Drop Multiplier (boosts quality or quantity per item, including summons)—shatter the system’s limits. Stats (Strength, Speed, Aura/Magic) scale across Three Planes of Existence: Mortal Ascension (Initiate to Infinite Lord), Universal Mastery (Universe to Omniversal Architect), and Void Transcendence (Void Seeker to Nihility Incarnate). Kingdom levels cap a lord’s potential (e.g., Territory Lv. 2 limits Kael to Mighty Lord, Lv. 30), unlocking higher tiers via rank-specific conditions. Subordinates benefit from loot, fueling Kael’s rise.MC’s Starting PointKael El awakens on a modest plot, Territory Lv. 1, with a rickety hut (upgradable), basic resources, and food for 8 days—no Summoning Altar yet. A former Earth gamer, he’s chill yet relentless, radiating unwavering confidence and a cool, dominant vibe. The 7-day peace period bars attacks on rival lords, forcing him to strategize with what he’s got. His 10,000x Drop Multiplier triggers on summons once unlocked, promising an explosive start. Calm under pressure and fiercely determined, Kael aims to build the ultimate kingdom, crush all rivals, and claim the cosmos, his flirty smirk hiding a “don’t mess with me” edge.

Have you ever wondered about unpredictable life?

One minute everything is so good and then suddenly the next minute everything just turns around…

Anya Owen faced such times thrice in her life due to one person. Twice she survived and started leading a happy life with her darling son.

But could she survive the jeopardy he was going to cause again in her life?

Alvin Matthews, the most mysterious man in the city. Nobody knows where he is, what is up to, or what he does. Some even doubt if he is alive or dead.

Could he stop himself from falling for the little feisty woman?

Well, he never stops himself. But he doubted if he would get killed by the stone-hearted woman before he could soften her heart.

~~~

Excerpt:

Alvin watched Anya politely speaking with the butler. He leaned back on the armchair and crossed his legs, intently watching the soft smiles appearing on the delicate face.

“Hey, Little Chipmunk, why is your mother good to all but me?” He asked shifting his eyes on the little man who was crossing his little legs playing a video game on his mobile.

A sly smirk appeared on Zane’s face. He carelessly threw his words, “That’s what you deserve, Chipmunk Monster.”

Alvin: “...”

Alvin has to rack his brain to appease Little Monster... Correction, Little Master and his Devil… The second Correction, his Queen.

Immortal arts, magic weapons, magical powers*, and the boundless spiritual Qi between heaven and earth vanished into obscurity overnight, and all the exorcists became mere mortals.

300 years later, the Five Barbarians traversed the pass, a prelude to an era of great turmoil in China. They heralded the end of the world, where thousands of drought fiends stalked the night and the collapse of the Divine Land** was imminent.

Fortunately, within this long, dark night*** where silence had fallen on all magic, a lone star still glistened brightly on the horizon.

The Heart Lamp appeared, illuminating the vast expanse around it. A 16-year-old young man, who will end his life on his 20th birthday, embarked on a journey of reclaiming the spiritual Qi of the heavens and earth that had been sealed away — only four years remain.

The road ahead was filled with countless thistles and thorns, and it seemed improbable for him to succeed.

Chen Xing, “The important thing is that I’m the last exorcist in this world, yet the only magic I am capable of is emitting light. What can I do?”

Wait patiently then. When the Dinghai pearl reappears on earth, the uncertain trajectory of everyone’s fates will be completely disrupted before converging once more.

Chen Xing, “Could I be partnered with a more normal Protector martial god?”

Isn’t your Protector really skilled in fighting?

Chen Xing, “He is good at fighting, but when he loses it he’ll hit even me……”

There’s nothing that can be done about that, you can only blame yourself for losing yourself to lust.

—

*: Buddhist term: Abhijñā, a mysterious force that surpasses the limits of mortals gained through meditation

**: old name for China

***: figurative meaning: long period of misery and oppression

- Description from Novelupdates