Rise of the Living Forge - Chapter 24: Broke

Ruan Yōu became a brainless cannon fodder in the Mary Sue entertainment novel, with fair skin, a beautiful face, and long legs. She was criticized by fans as “trying to climb up” after looking at the top male lead too much, and the female lead took the opportunity to suppress her, causing her career to plummet.

Ruan Yōu accepted her fate and decided to retire from the industry to study finance and live a laid-back life as a salted fish.

However, her billionaire parents and CEO brother came knocking on her door, their eyes filled with guilt.

Ruan Yōu: ?!

Retiring forty years early and living a life reclining on the couch as a rich woman has just arrived!

**

Fu Jiazhan had known since he was a child that the little princess who had been betrothed to him had gone missing.

Mrs. Ruan spent her days in tears, holding his hand and choking out, “If Yōuyōu hadn’t gone missing, you and she would be about the same age, and you could have grown up together and taken care of her.”

Fu Jiazhan remembered those words, and when Yōuyōu returned to the wealthy family, he prepared to take care of her as her fiancé. But his future mother-in-law found three rivals for him.

- Description from Novelupdates

I was on my way home with my friend when suddenly, I spotted a catgirl cosplayer who made my heart skip a beat.But something felt off—I couldn’t recall seeing her in any anime, manga, or games I had ever come across. Confused, I asked my friend standing next to me.To my shock, his response sent chills down my spine:“Huh? What catgirl? What are you talking about?”Suddenly, a truck came barreling toward the girl. Without thinking, I rushed to save her. In the end, both of us were hit by the truck.Now, I find myself reincarnated in another world—in the body of the very catgirl I had seen.But... who is this girl?How is she related to the dungeons that keep popping up in this new world?

**[Status: Remaining lifespan 29 days 17 hours 32 minutes]**After reincarnating into a modern fantasy novel he had read in his previous life and enduring all sorts of hardships, Ryu Seo-ha awakens as a precious S-class healer. However, he also sees in his status window that he has less than a month left to live. Then, after an unexpected encounter with Choi Gang-hu, the protagonist of the original novel, Seo-ha discovers that physical contact with Gang-hu increases his magical power. And Gang-hu begins to show a peculiar interest in Seo-ha.“Do you intend to repay me?”“Yes.”“With your body.”[Preview]As Ryu Seo-ha was leaving the bathroom to contact the Awakened Management Bureau, he stumbled back in surprise. Choi Gang-hu was leaning against the entrance wall.“Why are you here…”As he hastily stepped back and stumbled, Gang-hu grabbed his arm to steady him.[Magic Power 9]At that moment, Seo-ha’s magic power stat began to skyrocket.[Magic Power 17] [Magic Power 25] [Magic Power 33]The numbers increased dramatically with each blink of an eye. It was an impossible situation. Seo-ha’s eyes widened in shock. Gang-hu also seemed to sense the anomaly, raising his handsome eyebrows high.For some unknown reason, a chill ran down his spine. Reflexively, he shook off the hand holding his arm, and the feeling of every cell being filled to the brim suddenly stopped. Feeling dizzy, Seo-ha shakily leaned against the wall for support.[Magic Power 41]In that short time, his magic power stat had surpassed 40. This was a level that could only be barely achieved by investing all stat points gained up to level 40 into magic power. It was an astounding situation.Gang-hu, looking down at him with eyes as dark as an abyss, didn’t seem to have intentionally infused him with magic power. There was no reason for him to do so, and it was impossible for the stat itself to increase like this. Even if it were just an increase in magic power capacity, it would be enough to make him a research subject.“I thought I was imagining things,” Gang-hu muttered in a low voice as he slowly reached out his hand again. His long fingers lightly touched Seo-ha’s pale cheek. As he shrank his neck at the cool sensation, Gang-hu’s large hand cupped his entire cheek.

In a world where magic rules and human nations fight to survive, a 14-year-old stowaway finds himself thrust onto the frontlines of war. With no allegiance but to his own cold logic, Lugh is forced to navigate battlefields of steel, sorcery, and shadows. What begins as an escape soon becomes something far greater—whether he wills it or not.Gunmage – When spell and steel collide, a new kind of warrior is born.