Return of the Former Hero - Chapter 25. Former hero・speaks with the princess

Eli Turner had perfected the art of coasting through life, gaming, lounging, and vibing with no grand ambitions beyond the next high. But his laid-back existence is upended when his laptop inexplicably transforms into a gateway to another world. What starts as a surreal escape becomes a perilous journey as Eli finds himself wielding a mysterious system that allows him to level up, fight monsters, and gain abilities beyond his wildest dreams.At first, the portal world feels like a haven, offering purpose and adventure Eli never knew he craved. Guided, or manipulated, by Azrael, a mischievous god orchestrating the game, Eli rises as one of the system's chosen players. But as the quests grow more dangerous and Azrael’s true intentions begin to surface, Eli struggles to balance the fantasy world with his life back home. His girlfriend, Sara, and his friends are left grappling with a version of Eli they hardly recognize, as the lines between his two lives blur.When the system expands to players worldwide, Eli crosses paths with others drawn into Azrael’s cosmic experiment: Yumi Tanaka, a fiercely disciplined Japanese student with a perfectionist streak, and Arjun Mehta, a charming Indian playboy with secrets of his own. Each carries their own burdens and ambitions, but all three must face the harsh truth: Azrael’s game is far more than it seems.As alliances are forged, rivalries ignite, and the stakes escalate, Eli must confront not only the dangers of the portal world but the growing rift between the person he is and the hero he’s becoming. In a game where every move is a test and every choice ripples across both worlds, the question remains: can Eli, Yumi, and Arjun uncover the truth before the system consumes them all?

Rael, once a teenager crippled by social anxiety, is reincarnated 1,553 years into the future after reading a book about Milford, the legendary God of Machima—a man who commanded armies of Steelborn, Machnoids, and Autonoms across the universe. Gifted with the Machima Bloodline and guided by Dominica, the World Domination System, Rael quickly rises to become the strongest World Conqueror.He first saw them on the book’s cover—steel women with lifelike faces, beasts with razor limbs, and looming above them all, a god in robes with a mechanical hand raised high. Coiled over him were a gigantic centipede and serpent of metal, guardians of his legend. Now, deep in a junkyard centuries later, Rael forges his own path. His first creation: an unbreakable fortress born in the dirt, a hulking Steelborn Tortoise with a mind sharper than any AI—crafted by Rael’s divine talent. From admiring Milford and wishing to be like him, Rael now marches forward to leave his own mark on the universe.Join him as he rises in rank across his world—and beyond.

“When the Lord Jesus comes for the second time, those who died in Christ’s name will be raised from the grave first.”

– “1 Thessalonians 4:16”

In 2019, an outbreak of zombie virus quickly swept the world within months.

Communications were interrupted, water and electricity support ceased, chemical plant leaked, nuclear power plant exploded, the world was reduced to be like hell on earth; without God, it became an era of legends and saviors, with the fire of survival instinct rekindled within mortals.

Resident Evil zombie-theme in ABO setting.

- Description from Novelupdates

Under the turning of the gears of fate, Ji Aier, a girl from an orphanage, was adopted by the Ji family at the age of ten. Since then, she has started a life deeply connected to Ji En as both an adopted daughter and a maid. Ji En, the young master of the Ji family, grew up with her. In the years of youth, a budding affection quietly sprouted between them. Skipping school, the first menstrual period, the first kiss, those youthful experiences made their feelings gradually deepen amidst bickering and dependence. However, as they grew older, Ji En got a girlfriend named Ouyang Xue, and Ji Aier was plunged into embarrassment and pain. After Ji En went abroad, Ji Aier discovered that she was pregnant but was sent away by the Ji family.Seven years later, the red thread of fate tied them together again. Ji En returned to the country and found Ji Aier. But at this time, they faced even more misunderstandings and obstacles. Ji Aier was living with twins and concealed the existence of the children, which became a fuse for the conflicts between them. At Ji En's wedding, Ji Aier suddenly appeared and then left, making the situation even more chaotic. Moreover, Ji Aier's experiences of being kidnapped, placed under house arrest, and her complicated relationship with Raymond made this relationship even more unpredictable. Raymond, a mixed - race person with a mysterious background, reached out to help Ji Aier when she was most helpless. His appearance not only brought warmth and assistance to Ji Aier but also filled Ji En's heart with jealousy and anger.On the road of love, they were constantly tested. The tragedy of a car accident took the life of their daughter, and Ji Aier disappeared, plunging Ji En into endless pain and self - blame. When they met again, the unexpected rejection at the wedding, Ji En's poisoning, and Ji Aier being wrongly accused as the murderer, a series of events pushed their love to the brink of despair. But will the truth finally come to light? Can Ji Aier clear her name? Can their broken love be restored? In this bumpy journey of love, where will they go from here?