Mei Gongqing - Chapter 11: Drought (3)

A question I often ask myself, is the human desire for self-destruction never going away?

Travel through the endless apocalypse world, and find the answer behind every kind of demise!

- Description from novelbuddy

“Come not between the Dragon and his Wrath.” — William Shakespeare The year was 2140, and Earth was nothing but a distant memory. Humanity now drifted through the galaxies aboard colossal ARKs, massive skyships that served as the last bastions of civilization. Yet, these ARKs were more than just floating cities; they were humanity’s last containers, preserving what remained of their species. A century before Earth’s final collapse, humanity discovered a gateway to a realm known as Eternia — a fantastical world straight out of myth and legend. Reaching this realm required more than just advanced technology; it demanded a complete departure from the physical body and entry into a mysterious process known as the Dream Weave. In the present day, Cloud lived aboard ARK NO. 427, where he had been training from a young age to step into the Dream Weave. He was a standout among his peers, excelling in every tasks that came his way. Everything seemed to be on track for him — until the pivotal day of the Class Selection process.

You have unlocked the skill Money is Power (MAX)In an unknown land, where towering beasts, malevolent demons, and capricious gods reign supreme, a young man awakens in chains, his past erased from memory. He somehow knows that his name is Raiden, and he finds himself a slave for a ruthless group of bandits that buy war orphans.Raiden's days blur into a haze of toil and torment, his mind a void looking for answers. But beneath his exterior lies a dormant power, a skill that, when unlocked, promises to reshape his fate: Money is Power (MAX). This unique ability allows him to manipulate wealth in many ways, transforming it into strength, influence, and even magical prowess.As Raiden navigates the dangerous world, he discovers the true extent of his power. Gold becomes his sword and shield, enabling him to do pretty much everything he wants. With every coin he acquires, his influence grows, challenging the gods themselves and unsettling the very fabric of the world.

Two centuries after the Great War, peace between humans and werewolves was finally achieved, or so everyone believes. Werewolves reign like gods, and humans remain blissfully unaware of their true place in the new world order.To maintain this fragile balance, each year, a handful of “lucky” humans are selected from various districts to attend Lunaris Academy, a prestigious institution that promises glory, status, and a chance to mingle with the elite. Those chosen are hailed as the lucky few, destined to marry powerful alphas and rise as luna.This year, Violet Purple is among the chosen, much to everyone's surprise. For an orphaned girl adopted by a disgraced prostitute, this is a golden ticket to a better life or so she's told. But Lunaris Academy isn’t the paradise it’s painted to be.Everything Violet and her fellow humans have been taught is a lie. Humans are far from equal; they're pawns in a much larger game. The academy is nothing but a gilded cage, and the students are lambs led to slaughter, playthings for the alphas to toy with in their ruthless games.To make matters worse, Violet catches the attention of the most dangerous players in this game, the Terror Four: the Alpha of the North, Alpha of the South, Alpha of the East, and Alpha of the West. Each one is more dangerous, more twisted, and more powerful than the last. But even among themselves, the alphas are divided, each with their own deadly ambitions.Yet, they all have their eyes on her.They expect Violet to play along, to fall in line like the others who worship at their feet, to break under their games. But Violet isn’t like the others. She refuses to bow. She’ll defy them all.***********With a grin that made her uneasy, he handed the application to her. “Approve this one.”Principal Jameson’s curiosity got the better of her as she took the paper from him, her eyes scanning the text.Almost immediately, her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in disbelief. “What the...?”“It’s perfect, isn’t it?” Asher’s voice was almost gleeful.Fucking psychopath!Jameson could hardly believe what she was reading. “Mr. Nightshade, with all due respect, this applicant….this girl just admitted to—”She couldn’t even finish the sentence, still horrified at the explicit nature of the application.Taking a deep breath, she continued, “I’m sorry, but I cannot approve this.”“She’s issued me a challenge,” Archer said, a dark gleam in his eyes.“What?”“‘Wait till you see me in bed,’” he repeated the bold line from the application, his grin widening. “And I can’t wait to find out.”“Mr. Nightshade—”He stood up, cutting off her protest as he fixed her with an intense stare. “Approve the application. I won’t ask again.”Without waiting for her response, Asher strode out of the office, confident she would follow his orders. He always got what he wanted.Archer Nightshade walked down the hall, a spring in his step. For the first time in a long while, he felt alive, his blood pulsing with excitement.The other Cardinal Alphas had no idea what he was up to, but it would soon hit them.He’d just set the game in motion.And the target was Violet Purple.It was game on.