Refining the Mountains and Rivers - Chapter 1601 – Cloud Mist Valley

The clock struck midnight when Ruelle heard the echo of footsteps. She tensed, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end in the cool night air.“You shouldn't be here,” Ruelle whispered, her voice a breathless murmur. The silhouette finally came to stand under the moonlight, his dark red eyes watching her and his inky black hair ruffling.“Shouldn't I?” His voice was a dark caress, and she stood there captivated by the danger he exuded like perfume.“I haven’t seen you for the last two days,” his tone low. His hand reached out, fingers brushing against the silk of her nightgown, tracing the trembling outline of her collarbone. “Tell me, were you avoiding me, or perhaps... entertaining other offers?”Ruelle’s heart raced, her breaths shallow. She declared, “I don't belong to anyone.”“A bold claim,“ he murmured, his breath a tantalising chill against her skin as he leaned in. ”Yet here you are, pulse racing, your body tensed as if in anticipation of my touch.”His fingers gripped her chin, tilting her face towards his. The moonlight caught his eyes, revealing a glint of predatory intent. “Or must I remind you whose touch you truly crave?”

In the year 2090, technology has advanced to the point where Simulation Boxes, (Sim Box for short) are common place, allowing for the user to link up their brain's neural network to a full dive Simulation. While initially used for educational purposes, recently a large gaming company, Averon, released a fully fledged immersive MMORPG simulation where users can become anyone they desire, level up, choose their class, and become a hero or a villain. The name of this simulation is The Shattered World Online.

Eli Winters had no interest in playing it. His father, a jobless bum who spent his entire life playing games in the hope of becoming a famous player or streamer, was able to use the release of The Shattered World Online to gain wealth and fame, quickly becoming the number one player and a household name as the game took the world by storm. He immediately abandoned Eli and his mother in favor of being with someone from his guild, despite his mother having worked two jobs to support them and raise Eli by herself. Eli had nothing but spite for his father and the game.

When Eli's best friend convinces him to try out the game, his father's fame begins to interfere, culminating in him being singled out and shunned by his peers, and his father offering to pay for his university tuition in return for Eli hiding their relationship and quitting the game. Instead of complying with his father's wishes, Eli decides to prove to everyone how useless a guy his father is by challenging him that if Eli is able to surpass him in the game world he must delete his account and quit his streaming career. His father accepts the challenge believing his son to be useless at games - but Eli will soon show him just how ambitious a spiteful person can be.

Every player had the same starting resources.Everyone could choose to explore 10 rooms every day. One room could be dangerous while the other might contain resources.Players must do everything they could to survive.After he finished reading the instruction, Li Zheng heard a voice next to him. “Selecting a random daily reward…”“Congratulations. You have obtained a silver chest that contains a silver-grade blueprint for the Ordinary Detector, and a few other resources.”“Congratulations. You have obtained a bronze chest that contains a bronze-grade blueprint for the Air Purifier, and a few other resources.”“Congratulations. You have obtained a platinum chest that contains platinum-grade blueprints for the Ionized Knife, Intermediate-grade Genetic Cultivation Liquid, and TJP Shield, and many other resources.”“Congratulations. You have obtained a hyper legendary chest that contains…”Li Zheng looked at the colorful chests in front of him and grinned.

Wei Yuewu is the unloved daughter of the powerful Marquis Hua Yang.

On her way back to the capital city to marry her fiancé, she becomes the target of a ruthless assassination led by her fiancé, Marquis Jing Yuan.

With the help of the Prince of Yan State, she narrowly escapes from one disaster after another and returns to the capital.

Determined to avenge her enemies and unravel the mystery surrounding her engagement with Marquis Jing Yuan as well as the death of her mother, Wei Yuewu makes a deal with the Prince of Yan State.

However, just as she has triumphed over all her enemies and is about to reach the acme of her life, she deliberately destroys her own future and becomes an exile of her own…