Shinka no Mi - Chapter 46 – Curses and Determination

“In a land far to the east, there exists a strange store that has rejected a three Michelin star rating multiple times.

The prices are expensive. A combo set of soup and egg fried rice costs 288 RMB. Oh, I forgot it also includes a side dish of pickles. Even so, very many people line up to wait.

That place does not accept reservations. It only lets in people who are waiting in line there. Countless people make special trips to line up there. Of course, there’s nowhere to park planes or cars.

Their service is so terrible, the customers have to serve their own dishes and grab their own bowls and chopsticks, and they even have to wipe down their own tables! God, the boss is simply crazy.”

—《 Michelin Gourmet Magazine》

- Description from Novelupdates

I am currently re-writing the first chapters of this story. They are quite rough and bounce around a lot and I can do better. At some point, I will replace these with the better chapters.Sometime in 2024 Aethon Books will publish the first volume of this story on Amazon, KU, and audible. This will mean the story will be stubbed. I will notify people far in advance of that.In the dystopian world of the future, life is rough when you live at the bottom. Jobs are non-existent. Far too many people live in poverty, crammed into huge buildings called Habitats. With no jobs in the real world, many people can only find work online in VR worlds as servants to the very rich. And it's getting worse. The old internet is unusable and hacked to pieces. The new system needs AI to run things, but all but one of them were destroyed. The last sentient AI is ordered to create a new game world so the rich can have a playground, and the corporations that rule the world can have a new global market place. Everyone wants a piece of the new game. The guilds are competing to be the first to find the dungeons and kill the biggest monster. The corporations are claiming land and putting in their online market places. Ozzy and his friends just want a paycheck.Four friends sign five year contracts as virtual serfs in a small village, and can't go adventuring at all to gain money. They don't have many choices. They can work as a blacksmith, barmaid and shepherd for all those years....or they can cheat and find ways to take advantage of the system and carve out a section of the game world for themselves, and earn a fortune in the real world.When they give you a mop and not a sword, you have to find the loopholes and change the rules.

[The charming woman in the world who only wants to make money and start a career VS the super rich boss with a strong desire to control]

[Double birth, sweet pet article]

Lu Hanyao is cool and low-key, the most noble man in the capital.

At the age of 25, he fell in love with a girl who was ascetic as he was.

The girl is young and immature, weak and harmless, a delicate flower that will cry when touched.

He took the girl to his side, guarded him day and night, pampered her meticulously, finally waited for the girl to grow up, and prepared to marry someone into the door. The girl who had always been well-behaved and docile unexpectedly ran away before getting married.

After resurrecting his life, the first thing he did was to make the girl a legitimate Mrs. Lu.

…

In her previous life, Su Zhi was a canary raised by Lu Hanyao.

Lu Hanyao gave her the deepest love, the best life, and the most expensive gems, but he did not give her freedom and status.

Reborn at the age of 16, she decided to draw a line with the dog man.

Su Zhi: “Men will only affect my money and career.”

Lu Hanyao: “My surname is Shimingye, and I am super rich.”

Su Zhi:? ? ?

Lu Hanyao: “Welcome to do it.”

The friend reminded Lu Hanyao overtly and secretly, “Su Zhi’s being with you is just for your money.”

With a cigarette between his fingers, Lu Hanyao smiled triumphantly: “There are so many rich people, but she only covets my money, and it’s not because she likes me.”

- Description from novelbuddy

“I'm one game away from reaching the master rank! I'll do it tomorrow, though. A true gamer knows when to refresh his mind and increase his victory chances!”Adam smiled in anticipation as he went to sleep on this special day.However, he could never have imagined the surreal awakening that awaited him.“What's wrong with my voice?!”“Claws? A tail and horns, too?”[Welcome to the demon realm. You have been selected to reincarnate as a Lord. Conquer this realm of fire and ashes, become its uncontested ruler... or die trying.]Reincarnated as an imp in the cruel demon realm, at the borders of the mythological demon Baal's territory, his life seemed doomed from the start.However, determination sparkled in his eyes as against all odds, he defiantly proclaimed.“No matter who decided to make me start as an imp, watch as I turn into a veritable devil. Even Baal won't hold a candle against me in the future!”Equipped with his unique talent, he started his lord's journey, ready to evolve and prove to those strange realms that demons were more than violent and deceptive creatures... at least he would try.