Dragon King With Seven Stars - Chapter 20 - The Second Star

Themes: Black Market Trading, Global Crime Networks, Boundaries of Human Nature and Morality, The Struggle Between Truth and SurvivalStory Background:In a modern metropolis, the surface level of prosperity conceals the darkness and corruption lurking beneath. Ethan, a highly skilled detective, spends his life navigating the shadowy corners of the city, uncovering the hidden secrets buried beneath the mundane facade of everyday life. When he is drawn into what initially seems like a simple suicide case, he becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving the global black market, power struggles, and transnational crime.Main Characters:Ethan (Protagonist): A seasoned, calm, and intuitive detective who excels at finding the truth in complex cases. On the surface, he is a quiet, solitary man who prefers to avoid social interaction, but deep down, he is haunted by unresolved cases from his past. Faced with dark forces, he is both determined and full of doubt.Lila (Female Protagonist/Key Ally): Ethan's investigative partner, an intelligent and resourceful intelligence officer with a mysterious background. Her past is also shrouded in secrecy, and she seems to have an undisclosed connection to the “Black Angels” organization. She provides crucial assistance in Ethan's investigation, but her motives remain unclear, casting suspicion on her true intentions.Victor Saville (Antagonist/Main Adversary): A charismatic yet dangerous businessman, who appears to be a successful entrepreneur but is, in fact, one of the central figures of the global crime syndicate “The Black Angels.” Cold-hearted, clever, and ruthless, he controls a global black market network, overseeing arms trafficking, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. He is not only a key figure in Langley's death but also the biggest obstacle in Ethan's investigation.The Mysterious Woman (Key Character): An elusive woman who repeatedly appears during Ethan's investigation, warning him not to delve deeper into Saville and the “Black Angels” organization. Her identity is unclear, but it is evident that she holds vital secrets about Saville and his network. Her appearances leave Ethan bewildered—whether she is an enemy or his only ally remains uncertain.

In the novel “Forced Love”, the female supporting character Huo Wu was a fake princess who had occupied someone else’s position for 18 years.

And everything she possessed should have belonged to the female lead.

After an accident, Huo Wu’s real identity was completely exposed.

She and the female lead returned to their respective places but she was still regarded by the female lead as a nail in her eye and a thorn in her flesh and ultimately came to a miserable end.

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After Huo Wu, a small 18th line celebrity transmigrated into the character of the same name in the book, she shivered.

The female lead’s fighting abilities are too strong, she really can’t afford to offend her.

In order to avoid the ending in the book, she held on tightly to her “brother’s” thigh in order to seek protection.

His golden thighs were exceptionally strong and this top rated “brother” was powerful to the point where there was nothing he couldn’t do.

But…

How come she isn’t allowed to let go after holding onto him?

QAQ

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Huo Wu blinked her eyes, “Wouldn’t it be good if you were really my brother?”

Huo Yu Sen faintly refused, “No, I just want to be your man.”

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My brother is too good to me, what should I do?

What else can you do? Of course you should be together.

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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Ace bodyguard Ziyu encountered the worst time travel in history——

In the beginning, the father was unjustly killed, the mother was angered to death, the family property was taken over by the nobles of the Hou family, and a two-year-old brother was left behind to be fed.

?Fortunately, her own space is still there, but unfortunately only ten acres of dry fish ponds, two multi-functional agricultural machines, two villas, and an 800-square-meter steel basement are left.

No matter how powerful your palace is, I will move all your property into the space.

Cloth, embroidery, furs, ready-made clothes, shoes, all collected;

Medicinal materials, grains, cakes, chickens, ducks and fish are all collected;

Groceries, porcelain, jade, curios, calligraphy and paintings, all collected.

Like locusts passing by, leaving nothing behind.

Empty tens of millions of taels of gold and silver from the enemy’s treasury, and by the way expose his true face of rebellion, and then escape.

When natural disasters strike, including floods, snowstorms, and wolf smoke, Ziyu is able to dominate and ensure safety…

- Description from novelbuddy