Within a Hollow Heart - Chapter 142: Volume 2, : "Shattered Threads"

I Transmigrated into that trashy novel?!After a strange incident, Alden Finn, a popular streamer and avid webnovel reader finds himself trapped in the body of a main character from a novel he had once labeled as being pure trash.The worst part? Even the main character in the novel seems to be doomed to fail.Now stuck in this world, Alden has to somehow figure out a way to change his fate.Can he survive in this world?And oh my... a shocking scene to behold.It seemed that lady luck was rather on his side.He unexpectedly awakens a rare, SSS-grade talent: the character merge system.With It, not only can he merge with any character he desires, but he can also copy their skills and attributes.Despite being armed with a limitless potential.Rewriting the story won't be easy.Will Alden be able to change the novel's plot and make it to the top, or will his inevitable doom be the first to catch up to him?

World DescriptionA sprawling, untamed cosmos reshaped by the Supreme Empress, a cosmic entity poised to ascend to an unknown plane. Before leaving, she transformed her cosmos into a merciless proving ground—a Lord World where beings from countless races and factions fight for supremacy. Lords awaken on infinite continents with a single talent, tasked with forging empires from humble beginnings. The twist? The Supreme Empress and her council of 10 Major Beings (all female, just below cosmic power) observe from the shadows, seeking a successor to rule the cosmos. Magic thrums beneath the surface, invisible to the weak, while ancient factions—elves, dragons, humans, and more—wield vast advantages. Kael El, an Earth transmigrator, steps into this chaos with two unparalleled talents, his sights set on total domination.Power System OverviewThe Lord System rules all: each lord gains one talent at birth (F to SSS, S+ being unique), driving exponential growth through conquest and kingdom upgrades. Kael’s talents—SSS: 100% Drop Rate (every loot drops, from talents to bloodlines) and EX: 10,000x Drop Multiplier (boosts quality or quantity per item, including summons)—shatter the system’s limits. Stats (Strength, Speed, Aura/Magic) scale across Three Planes of Existence: Mortal Ascension (Initiate to Infinite Lord), Universal Mastery (Universe to Omniversal Architect), and Void Transcendence (Void Seeker to Nihility Incarnate). Kingdom levels cap a lord’s potential (e.g., Territory Lv. 2 limits Kael to Mighty Lord, Lv. 30), unlocking higher tiers via rank-specific conditions. Subordinates benefit from loot, fueling Kael’s rise.MC’s Starting PointKael El awakens on a modest plot, Territory Lv. 1, with a rickety hut (upgradable), basic resources, and food for 8 days—no Summoning Altar yet. A former Earth gamer, he’s chill yet relentless, radiating unwavering confidence and a cool, dominant vibe. The 7-day peace period bars attacks on rival lords, forcing him to strategize with what he’s got. His 10,000x Drop Multiplier triggers on summons once unlocked, promising an explosive start. Calm under pressure and fiercely determined, Kael aims to build the ultimate kingdom, crush all rivals, and claim the cosmos, his flirty smirk hiding a “don’t mess with me” edge.

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?

Teotihuacan, a sacred place of worship. In the vast world, feel the quaint and desolate ancient city, and the eagle cries and the leopard roars are chasing away.

Go back to Central America 700 years ago, when the Aztecs were very prosperous.

The priests stood at the top of the pyramid of the sun. One hundred thousand warriors covered the entire wilderness. fluttering. The high priest held his hands high, and the obsidian dagger gleamed in the sun, drawing a cruel and gorgeous arc, bringing the cycle of life back to the earth. Tens of thousands of cheers sounded, with the reverence of the ignorant era.

This was a gift dedicated to the sun god, in return for the sacrifice of the gods in creating the world.

Solemn sacrifices from sunrise to sunset, all-night revelry ignited the whole night, and so on for a hundred years, until white-skinned terrors came from the east coast, bringing blood, thunder, monsters, and disease.

Doomsday, as legend has it, or the end of the Fifth Era?

How can a traveler, in this fierce era, inherit the legacy of two thousand years of ancient Mesoamerican civilization, resist the invasion of Western colonizers with an immortal soul, and lead the ancient Aztec civilization to a new path ~~

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