Refining the Mountains and Rivers - Chapter 20 – Trap

The top player of Nexus, Earth's most acclaimed VR MMORPG, finds himself compelled to leave behind his beloved game due to the rising dominance of pay-to-win mechanics. Yearning for a touch of nostalgia, he dives back into his all-time favorite RPG, now enhanced with cutting-edge VR technology. However, he experiences nostalgic disillusionment as his dismay at the outdated graphics and gameplay prompts an overnight modding spree. Yet, as he immerses himself back into the virtual realm, he faces an unexpected hurdle: the inability to log out.-- [Passives:] ---- [Elven Race:] -- Amplifies mana manipulation skills.-- [Human Race:] -- Grants a 50% boost in EXP gain due to inherent adaptability.

“No one looks at you. No one touches you. You’re a Whitehall now... And you’re mine.” Roman’s voice was a low, dangerous growl against her neck.She tilted her chin, meeting the predator in his eyes with her own cold fire. “I belong to no one, Roman, certainly not a beast in a jersey. If you want to claim me, you’ll have to do better than your father’s signature on a contract.”She spun her wheelchair to leave, but he was faster. His hand locked around her waist, dragging her back as his palm slammed against the wall beside her head.“Don’t you fucking dare me, Estelle.”—Estelle Rutledge was the Ice Queen of the Rutledge sports dynasty: national treasure, global brand, and the financial backbone of her family’s empire.Until one catastrophic crack on the ice shattered her career… and left her in a wheelchair.In the elite world of the one percent, a broken asset becomes a liability.With the Rutledge legacy collapsing under a mountain of debt, Estelle’s own mother did the unthinkable. She sold her daughter to the highest bidder, trading Estelle’s freedom for a check from Magnus Whitehall, the ruthless billionaire owner of a professional hockey empire.But Magnus didn’t buy Estelle for himself. He bought her to be his son’s leash.Roman Whitehall is the NHL’s most dangerous beast. A volatile heir with a scandal-soaked reputation and a temper that threatens the family’s billions. To the league’s board, he’s a loose cannon. To his father, he’s a problem that needs a wife to clean up his image.The command was simple: “Be the one thing he can’t avoid… or lose your legs.”Now Estelle is legally bound to a man who sees their marriage as a cage, and her as the bars holding him in. Roman believes she’s a fragile burden. Estelle thinks he’s a monster fueled by rage and secrets.But inside the Whitehall mansion, built on power, money, and lies, Estelle discovers a terrifying truth: she is not the first “Ice Queen” Magnus Whitehall has broken.Trapped in dynasty politics and a contract signed in blood, Estelle faces an impossible choice. Will she let the Whitehalls destroy what’s left of her… or join forces with the beast she hates most and burn their empire to the ground?Because even though she hates it, Roman Whitehall may be the only man who can help her stand again.Even if he has to break her first.

The year was 2030 when dungeons descended and wreaked havoc across the world.Fortunately, along with the descent of the dungeons was the awakening of various people obtaining superpowers, allowing the world to barely defend against the worldwide threat.Five years later, Desther, a young man that only wants to watch anime and read online novels, awakened the SSS-Grade Talent, Ultimate Thief, allowing him to steal a target’s attribute in battle and making it his own.However, along with the overpowered talent, was an announcement he wished he never got.[You obtained the title, [Chosen One]][Clear the dungeon or Die!]

In the year 1257 of the Federation Calendar, Chen Pingchuan, who has crossed into a different world for three years, gets the Apocalyptic Wasteland Simulator.Through information obtained from the simulator, a sudden disaster will strike Spring City in a year. Accompanied by highly radioactive red rain, a type of mutated creature called Black Demon will be born.With the simulator, Chen is in a better position to survive, but he also wants to find out the secrets of the girl he meets in simulations.Simulator: [She left you a small bottle of liquid with an unknown effect and a note with just two short lines written on it.][Avoid the red rain!][Forget me!]