Chained Hearts: From Slavery to Sovereignty - Chapter 169: Letting Go of the Past

In this world, there are those that are fortunate and those who are not.

Ethan Bellrose is neither; he is cursed. At nineteen, he has lived his entire life sheltered in his home as his fragile body blisters under sunlight, breaks under the slightest impact, and falls to any sickness.

However, the arrival of a world-changing digital service catches the hopeless young man’s eye: “Reincarnation Online”--a virtual reality experience that gives a new fantastical life to those who are unfulfilled with their current path.

For Ethan Bellrose, the choice is simple. Without hesitation, he orders the virtual reality headgear, choosing to abandon his current life and live forevermore in the world of fantasy, magic, and endless adventure–”Arcadius.”

Though what he finds is a world not full of leisure and trivial triumph, but a world just as alive and full of darkness, glory, and grandeur as Earth–if not greater.

Starting from square one as an infant, given a new name and family, this is the eventful life, full of dreadful lows and exhilarating highs, of “Emilio Dragonheart.”

[...Booting System…]

[Welcome to Reincarnation Online.]

[You will henceforth by the recipient of the Dragonheart System.]

[Please, enjoy your stay.]

[IT'S NETORI, not the disgusting Netorare]COUGH Since our lazy author-nim is a bit... let's say, challenged in the synopsis-writing department, I'm stepping in. Sigh... now he's making me do his job too... X(Let's hope he can at least complete my story.Anyway, I'm Lucian, a 35-year-old guy with a rare disease that's cutting my time short. But here I am, working till my last breath sigh.*KNOCK*Oh, a guest! Gotta be quick—can't keep a lady waiting. So, after I kicked the bucket, I woke up in a body that kinda looked like mine but not really. Turns out, I'm on a flipped planet ruled by women. And guess what? I'm married to a cold and crazy ya#SPOILER#. My new mom? Total #SPOILER#. Then I *CENSORED* her right in *BEEP* of my new dad.To get stronger, I need to travel to #SPOILER#. Instead of a cool system, I got a useless b... *BANG* (gunshot).Due to health related issues, Lucian will be taking off, and the author will continue from here...“Kyaaa!! The patient died from a gunshot!”Don’t worry, Doc. He was on borrowed time anyway. So, let’s talk about what this story has.“B-But, he still had a few months to—”*BANG*So, here's what you can expect: Revenge, mystery, a bit of comedy, an overpowered MC (maybe), all the deredere, milfs a lot of them, wince... *COUGH*, hacking, a hero, a villain, manipulation, crime and a lot more.What you won’t find here: NTR, Yuri, a girlfriend, a job?, etc.Now, the serious stuff. This story aims to keep things light and happy but will have its fair share of sad and rage moments. Alright, that's it for now; I need to go, or we might actually lose our MC before the story even starts...For those who prefer to keep things PG, feel free to skip the R-18 chapters. We understand, really! And for those who pride themselves on being ‘Men of Culture,’ get ready to savor the spice. Bon appétit!

Zheng Nianru went from being a Commandery Princess who could be killed at any moment to the position of the Empress Dowager, wielding power over the world. What she couldn't accept was that she didn't end up with a good fate. However, Zheng Nianru thought that no one would have been able to save Nanzheng State.Yet, she was reborn and, having deeply reflected upon her pain, also considered several past mistakes. Firstly, she should not have married down into the family of Ju Nanyi, a man with a narrow mind who came from a minor house, who only thought about romantic affairs and entangled with her in desperate affection, incapable of assisting Nanzheng. Secondly, she should not have killed everyone in Qiandao Temple, which was the spiritual pillar of the people of Nanzheng State. After all, there were better ways, weren't there, like seduction? Thirdly, she should not have been so confident that the monarch of the neighboring country would fall at her feet, nor should she have trusted the promise of that fickle neighboring monarch, which led to years of drawn-out conflict between the two states.Um, Zheng Nianru felt she was not wrong. She just wanted to live well and to be a good Empress Dowager. Since she had the chance to live again, why did she have this chance? Could it be that she was expected to once again turn Nanzheng State upside down?

Before going to college, an ordinary high school student went to celebrate and got drunk. When he woke up, he found himself in a completely different world. There was a big sect, the approaching sect entrance examination, a slum where his body’s previous owner lived, and a shared memory about a missing young girl.