Essence Link System: The Healer's Awakening - Chapter 16: Winterbound Essence

A young man named Alexander Ashbourne is looking for a job to support his studies. He applies to work as a waiter at a restaurant. The next day on his 18th birthday, a system appears that generates money simply by idling. This system also allows him to trade with beings from other worlds or even visit their realms. Watch as Alexander rises to fame across all the realms.[DeathlessOne: I just spotted this mortal, 'AlexanderTheGrate,' trying to trade his drink called Mountain Dew. I'm thinking of offering my Flame Sword for it.][ShadowEternal: Wait, what’s a Mountain Dew?][TimelessWanderer: Are you seriously considering trading your Emperor-grade sword for a mere drink?][DeathlessOne: It’s not just any drink. The taste is out of this world, It's even better than the heavenly wine.][ShadowEternal: {...}][TimelessWanderer: {...}][Everyone in the chat: {...}][RichNigga: You know what, I’m in. I’ll trade my Gold Deluxe Armor just to see if this Mountain Dew is worth all the hype.]

Together with the shocking death of a famous gamer, a new VRMMORPG was launched.

“This is not just a game, this is about building a second life.”

Said Dr. Jeff Johnson, the founder of Ninecent, when he announced the new game.

[LAST SHELTER ONLINE]

It quickly became the number one wanted game that even affected the global cryptocurrency market.

However, after the mysterious death of his brother. Hiro’s life had been wrecked with no money left to spend and no place left to live.

That is, until he received a surprise late birthday gift from the deceased.

While other gamers around the world were scrambling to get the limited edition of full-dive VR, Hiro received the mysterious beta-testing access.

Being an expert gamer himself, Hiro soon found something unusual about the new game, and it seems that there’s much more to it than a simple game.

Will Hiro find the truth behind it all?

[System linked.]

[Welcome to Last Shelter Online]

An era where every person in the world can see ghosts.Only I cannot see ghosts.

(CONTAINS R18+ CONTENT)Enemies to lovers- checkSlow burn- checkA cute naughty dog- checkSpice? (The author is keeping her mouth zipped)No third-party breakup or misunderstanding. But there are lots of banter and witty comebacks.(The story is planned to be around 200 chapters. No drag)Mu YirenI never imagined I'd be faking a relationship with my biggest enemy—the untamed, ridiculously charming Feng Junjie, known throughout the city as the “golden boy” of business and a billionaire playboy with a reputation for breaking hearts. But when he dangles a life-changing offer in front of me, the kind that could secure my inheritance, I find myself agreeing to be his “girlfriend.”But the thing is….. What if I start seeing the real him?Pretending to be Junjie’s devoted partner is like walking on a razor's edge. He’s everything I can’t stand—sexy, cocky, and devilish, and yet a sweetheart by heart that leaves me flustered by his actions. I know better than to fall for a man like him; my mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s has convinced me to never fall in love. But Junjie isn't just any man. Beneath his easygoing charm is an intensity that leaves me breathless, and he knows exactly how to crack through the walls I have built around me, awakening a passion I never felt before.JUNJIEI need my life back. A sorry attempt at love had me question everything and forced me away from my brothers. Since my ‘ex best friend’s’ constant accusations had gotten out of control, I might as well pretend to date someone and shut her mouth.My definition of a fake date- Beautiful, sexy, tempting…..umm…. insufferable, annoying, and with a mouth that won’t stop running.The mouth with red lipstick. The mouth I want to….This arrangement was supposed to be simple: fake dating, clear boundaries, no feelings. But the more he plays the role of her devoted partner, the more the lines between fake and real start to blur. And now, he’s no longer sure where the act ends and his true feelings begin.The catch? Mu Yiren doesn’t believe in love. And she certainly doesn’t believe a man like Feng Junjie is capable of anything but heartbreak.But Feng has never been one to follow the rules. Boundaries? He’s about to break them. Deals? They were made to be rewritten.He’s going all in, and this time, he’s not playing pretend.*******“Are you saying you'd let any man get this close?”“ABSOLUTELY NO!” The words burst out of me, too quick, too honest. His smirk deepens.“Tell me, if I leave you like this, all wound up and aching, will you be sneaking off to use one of your little toys?”“Yes,”“Tell me, were you waiting for me to initiate something this past week?” he tugs my shorts more and kisses my navel.My heart hammers and my voice comes out shaky. “N-No.” I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing he's right.He chuckles darkly. “Wrong answer. Let's try again.”****