Tome of Troubled Times - Chapter 783 (2): Who Is Fiddling With the Strings?

Leon was a robotics engineer with a bright future—until he was run over by a military truck and killed on the spot. But death wasn’t the end. Thanks to a cosmic glitch and to an idiot, Leon wakes up in a new world, reincarnated as the son of a minor noble family guarding the wild frontier of a massive Empire. With his intact mind, enhanced brain, and a world begging for progress, Leon sees opportunity everywhere—one that he will grab for sure.But not everything will go smoothly. Monsters come over in the winter, the Empire monopolizes magic and technology, and society clings to barbaric ways. Refusing to accept the status quo, Leon decides to reshape his family’s backwater territory into a land he would enjoy living in. Armed with knowledge from his old life, modern problem-solving, and an irreverent attitude, he plans to revolutionize his territory. But in a land where magic is rare and unknown to ordinary people, he knows he’ll need more than blueprints to succeed. He will need his own wizards and witches...Hey-ho! Welcome! I thought I need to add some information to those who want to know if they should just skip it or not: First, I ain't planning to introduce world-changing, thought-provoking ideas here. It is all for the plain and simple reason of having some fun. What you need to be aware of if you need more details:- Yes, this is an isekai story. No, there are no 'cheats' or systems involved with gaining skills. He is just a guy reincarnating with a gene-modified brain, so it explains why he can remember things and be smart. That is it. Think of it as him having a perfect memory. If you perceive confidence as arrogance, you may very well dislike the MC right off the bat. He is not someone who will lay low and try to blend in when his territory is the most backward and abandoned place in a vast Empire. Where the throne is so far away, messages take months to go back and forth.- The story mostly focuses on kingdom-building stuff and slice-of-life elements, not on conquest or curb stomping others. The main conflict will be centered around wars, yes, but it won't be one guy vs. the world or something like that. Magic is going to play a big role in building up the territory, as I plan to branch out into magic technology later on. I am going to rely heavily on magic because I am mostly a fantasy writer and not an engineer.- The MC's main goal is to enjoy himself. This also means girls. So there will be a harem. Those who are familiar with my works, how I do groups, and how my characters act will know I don't like doing cardboard cutouts of characters. Most of my stories have more than one character accompanying the MC. The same will be true here, with the extra caveat that they will also be involved romantically with the MC. - The story plays out in a 1st person POV. There won't be jumping around multiple POVs; I don't like that. Only when the story requires it and the MC can’t be present by himself for some story parts.- Don't take this story seriously nor look for scientifically 100% real and codex-like solutions for problems. This is a fantasy world, a totally different culture, and with history, that is NOT OUR world! There is magic here, and the MC has a supercomputer for a brain. I think that says it all. - My main goal is to enjoy writing some whacky but real-sounding scenarios. They will be based upon feasible ideas, but I am not writing a damned textbook about thermodynamics. Laws will be bent and broken when the story needs it.- Regarding smut, there are some chapters with erotic scenes, but not every other chapter. So expect it when the mood is there in the story and not because I must cram as much snu-snu in as possible... That won't happen.- No guns. Why? Every similar story has guns. This doesn't. This has mechs and power swords. Why? Because I said so.

Esther, a guardian of the Earth, awakens after centuries of slumber to a world transformed. The energy of the planet, once in sync, feels fractured and wrong, making him to embark on a journey to uncover the source of this imbalance.Lazy but impossibly sharp, handsome, and undeniably powerful, Esther is an immortal being who has always existed beyond the concerns of mortal life.On his journey, he meets Hina, an ambitious and fiery woman determined to become the next queen of her country, a goal that intrigues Esther and pulls him into the complexities of human ambition, politics, and relationships.Along the way, Esther will meet multiple characters who will teach him lessons about life, love, and the human spirit—things he had long ignored in his centuries of existence.A story of self-discovery, growth, and breathtaking action, *The Descendant of Sloth* is a fantastical tale that explores what it means to truly live.

Knox is an omega – poor, orphaned, weak, and bullied. He was the unluckiest human being alive – according to his own.Burdened by debt, he has no choice but to stop school and work to pay off his loans all the while hiding the truth and pretending as a beta to save himself from harassment. He accepted all legal jobs he could get to make ends meet.Including a contractual relationship with an alpha who’s suffering from a pheromone disability. He gets paid – enough to free him from all of his debts. All he has to do is help the alpha stabilize his pheromone…not until that night happens…The contract was breached. Knox has to pay the price. Afraid of his circumstances, he ran away.Years later, Knox became a capable man. He has a nice job and a kind boss. When his boss got invited to an engagement party, as his secretary, Knox had to come with him. However, he was shocked to find out that the man to be engaged was none other than the spitting image of his son!How will Knox keep the truth from him, when after their eyes met at the party, the alpha had already marked him as his property, claiming him as the payment of the contract he breached?Will Knox hide and run away again? Or will he choose to pay off the debt to be free? Will he be able to push away the alpha whose vices are hidden behind his attractive mask or will Knox abandon his virtues and embrace the dangerous father of his son?

One day, Fang Jueyu was called into the study by his parents.Fang Father: “Son, you've turned 20 this year, and it's time to tell you some things!”Fang Jueyu: “What is it? You're not going to suddenly tell me you're a wealthy man, are you?”Fang Father is surprised: “You already know?”Fang Jueyu: “What? Really? I was just saying that.”Fang Father: “However, that's not the point. Today, I am going to pass on our family's heirloom that has been handed down from generation to generation to you!”From then on, Fang Jueyu's life underwent a dramatic change.What? You want to talk to me about antiques and calligraphy paintings? Do you want Wang Xizhi's calligraphy or Zheng Banqiao's paintings? Oh, right, Van Gogh even gifted my great-great-great-grandfather a painting!Why, you ask? Because it was my ancestors who funded their education!You want to talk to me about sports cars? Are you talking about Lamborghini, Ferrari, or the Bugatti Veyron? I hold shares in those companies, and I'm even the largest shareholder!What? Your family owns a mine? Sorry, but many of the gold and diamond mines in Africa are ours too!