Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 623: A new dawn(2)

“The world’s not fair, but fairness doesn’t pay the bills. You don’t wait for a handout — you build your own damn ladder, one step at a time.”Ethan Grey’s life was built on ambition, hard work, and hope — until a single accusation destroyed it all.Framed by his ruthless boss, Ethan loses his job, his reputation, and is left drowning in half a million dollars of debt.Cast aside by a society that thrives on crushing the weak, he’s at rock bottom with no way out.But in his darkest moment, something extraordinary happens. A mysterious system awakens, offering Ethan a second chance — but with rules.[Congratulations, You have awakened the Harem Investment System]It can’t make him rich overnight, and it won’t give him shortcuts. Instead, it points him toward physical investments: crumbling properties, broken-down machines, and forgotten treasures.Each one is a gamble, but with every success, the system rewards him with newfound skills and opportunities.

R18 ( No One 17 and Under Admitted )On one night, a boy named Ezra is abandoned on road by his father. Aeri, a kind-hearted college student, takes him in and raises him as her own. As years pass, Ezra grows more manly with time and is now deeply in love with the woman he calls “Mom.”To support Aeri, Ezra takes a job at the most famous brothel in town—a vibrant and lively establishment where beauty, desire, and drama intertwine. Working as a host and a male escort, he finds himself entangled in heated encounters, passionate affairs, and thrilling action as he navigates the challenges of the trade without letting Aeri ever knowing about his secret work.Ezra’s journey is filled with unexpected twists, romance, and adventure.

Have you ever wondered what a character in a novel or in a game should be?

Do they eat? Sleep? Do they have their own life when you are not reading or playing?

They do not.

When you are not doing anything, we stay still.

To be fair, think about your own life. Is it different from a game without a system? You can not see behind your back, similar to how a character has to render it in a game.

But at least, you have your own life.

While I have to watch the protagonist of the novel find his way into the pants of the female leads.

This is my destiny.

I'm not jealous. Not at all.

Meredith Carter was once the pride of her pack—until the Lunar Curse marked her as wolfless, unwanted, and a disgrace. Humiliated, abandoned, and rejected by her fated mate, she thought the Moon Goddess had forsaken her.But her curse came with a cruel side effect—wild, uncontrollable pheromones that drove men insane with desire and disgust. A scent so intoxicating, it made her a target.The night she was cast aside when her pheromones spiralled beyond control, Alpha Draven Oatrun—the most feared and untouchable Alpha in the kingdom—claimed her instead.But Draven doesn’t want love. He doesn’t even want her. His reasons for marrying her have nothing to do with fate.Thrust into a world of ruthless politics, deadly enemies, and a mate who sees her as nothing more than a pawn, Meredith must fight to survive, reclaim her dignity, and uncover the secrets behind her curse.Because something is awakening inside her. Something powerful. Something… ancient.And when the truth is revealed, not even Alpha Draven will be able to resist what she becomes.Rejected. Cursed. Desired. Chosen.Will Meredith break free from her fate?Above all, what is this mystical force pushing her to start a war?—Excerpt:“You may have claimed me,” Meredith whispered, her violet eyes burning with defiance, “but you will never own me.”Draven exhaled a low, dangerous laugh. His golden eyes gleamed as he caged her in, his presence suffocating.“Own you?” His voice was velvet and steel. “Little wolf, I don’t need to own you.”He brushed a strand of silver-white hair behind her ear—a touch so light, yet it sent shivers down her spine.“Because whether you like it or not…” His breath ghosted against her skin. “Your body already responds to me.”Meredith clenched her jaw, ignoring the traitorous warmth pooling deep inside her. It was the pheromones. It had to be.“I hate you,” she forced out.“Good,” Draven smirked. Because hate was just another form of obsession.