Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament - Volume 17, Chapter 1: Or Cutting Off Leads to Diffusion - Gray_City.

Zhao Du'an, a government official leading a cautious life, finds himself transported to another world where he becomes the favored 'pretty face' of a female emperor and an oppressive, power-abusing villain. Before he can relish the moment, he faces mortal danger for releasing a national criminal. Cornered and desperate, he plans to soothe the female emperor to seek mercy, only to discover his 'leading gigolo' role is a sham.Worse still, his notorious reputation prompts officials and heroes alike to impeach and eliminate him; and martial artists and clerical magicians consider him a disgrace. Overwhelmed, Zhao Du'an decides it's better to stop being human to survive.Starting by betraying his allies, he becomes the Emperor's top lackey. Years later, amidst heavy snowfall in the capital, the female emperor Xu Zhen Guan sighs atop the city tower, 'It was supposed to be a pretend companionship, how did it turn real...'Also known as 'Deceiving and Flattering at the Court of Great Yu', 'The Record of a Villain Going White'.

Meet Gu Yu—a college dropout and a talented incense maker, and at the same time, the rather stoic protagonist of this story. Despite his somewhat introverted manner, he has a tendency to make sarcastic remarks in his thoughts. One day, after saving a squirrel, a windfall (metaphorically and literally) dropped into his lap. Stumbling into the cultivation world with little help, he was not turned into Superman overnight (as he would like). Apparently, becoming a cultivator would not make your life easier, at least in the beginning.

He Xie, a private detective, specializes in investigating extramarital affairs, and once made mistresses and scumbags fearful, he is a good young man with lofty ideals. In the event of an accidental death, you have to start a new life system and complete tasks in exchange for the chance to be reborn.

In “Infernal Affairs”, he worked hard to be a “good person” instead of XXX; in “Youth Bao Qingtian”, he tattooed a sun on his forehead; in “Charlotte Trouble”, Yuan Hua and Qiu Ya sang a plum blossom together, “Lu Xiaofeng” “, “Dragon Babu”, “Kung Fu”, “Bourne Bourne”, “Lord of the Rings”, “Pirates of the Caribbean”…

- Description from novelbuddy

After someone took my life away from me, I felt something or someone pulling my entire being together with my memories away from me and placing them into somewhere where it was cold and hollow. And when I thought that my life came back to me...

I realized that my new life as one of the dead had already begun...

"Who am I?"

Which path will this soul choose? A path of Perseverance or a path of Ruination?

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P.S: This is my first novel that I write so there is bound to be mistakes...so go easy on me xD