First Marriage, then love: wife, never divorce - Chapter 1997

In her past life, Qin Ruan was deeply embroiled in a family feud, framed, and died with unfulfilled desires.Having been reincarnated, she returned armed with a pregnancy report and made her way to the gate of the prestigious Huo Family in Capital City, one hand on her lower back.It was rumored that Huo Sanye, the legitimate grandson of the Huo Family, was decisive and ruthless, endowed with an aloof sophistication, unpredictable mood swings, and was utterly unfeeling and heartless.Sanye was about to take a wife, an illegitimate daughter located and brought back by the Qin Family.This news exploded throughout Capital City!No one believed that an illegitimate daughter could securely hold the position of the Huo Family Head's wife; everyone was waiting for their divorce.Leveraging her reincarnated mystical abilities, Qin Ruan set up shop under Tianqiao, stirring up the major power dynamics within Capital City.The fourth-generation golden grandson of the Huo Family even crawled out from Qin Ruan's belly.As her true identity gradually revealed itself, no one dared to belittle her anymore.Year after year passed by, not only did Qin Ruan and Huo Sanye not divorce, they flaunted their love daily.Everyone was frustrated to the point of smashing their bowls, they had their fill of this sickening sweetness!——Mini-theater:Qin Ruan: “Young man, you have a peach blossom curse, and you are likely to encounter a blood disaster soon.”The famous movie star scorned her remark and turned to leave.That evening, the movie star, disheveled, begged Qin Ruan, “Miss Qin, save me!”Qin Ruan: “Sir, I see a dark aura surrounding you, you're likely in grave danger.”A tycoon in the business world nearly upturned her stall in anger.But two days later, the big shot knelt before Qin Ruan, pleading for his life!From then on, everyone from newly established nobility to members of the prestigious and powerful families all treated Qin Ruan as a respected guest.

Warning This fiction contains:

Graphic Violence Profanity Sensitive Content

Summary – Level 1:

Delve is an isekai litrpg that follows an average guy who just happened to wake up in a forest one day. He wasn’t summoned to defeat the demon lord or to save the world or anything like that, at least as far as he can tell. The only creature there to greet him was a regular old squirrel.

Soon enough, he meets other people, only to discover that he can’t speak the language, and that not everybody immediately trusts random pajama-wearing strangers they met in the middle of the wilderness. Things generally go downhill from there, at least until the blue boxes start appearing.

Delve is a story about finding your way in a new, strange, and dangerous world. It’s about avoiding death, figuring out what the heck is going on, and trying to make some friends along the way. It’s not about getting home, so much as finding a new one.

Did I mention that there will be math?

Summary – Level 2:

Okay, but what are you in for, really?

Well, this story is supposed to be realistic, or at least, as realistic as a fantasy litrpg can be. The main character doesn’t instantly become an all-powerful god and murder-hobo his way across the universe. Delve is, at its heart, a progression fantasy, but that progression is meant to feel earned. The numbers in this story actually mean something. Everything is calculated, and if you find a rounding error, I expect you to tell me about it. That said, if math isn’t your cup of tea, there is plenty more that the story has to offer. Characters are meant to feel real, and progression isn’t only about personal power; it’s also about allies, connections, and above all, knowledge. Figuring out how the system works is a significant theme.

...

What, you want more details? Okay, fine, but this is going to get a bit spoiler-y. Are you sure?

Yes!

Really sure? I mean, this summary is practically half as long as the first chap–

Now!

Okay, okay!

The main character becomes a magic user, but he takes a route that is not very popular in adventurer culture, namely that of a support. There is a full magic system with various spells, skills, and abilities, but our MC decides that aura magic is the way to go, and that the only stat worth investing in is mana regeneration. Most people at the Adventurer’s Guild think that this makes him a bit of a dumbass, but he’s playing the long game. We’ll see how that works out for him, won’t we?

Because of his build, the MC levels up fast, at least compared to normal people. There are no cheats, though, and he is limited in other ways. There are some clear and pretty obvious downsides to his build. That’s what makes it fun, no?

Morals? Our MC has them. Again, we’ll see how that works out for him. Realism, remember? Would you be okay with killing someone and looting their body? I sure hope not.

POV? The focus is on the main character, but there will be occasional varying perspectives from people around him, or involved in the events related to the main plot. It isn’t going to jump all over the place.

Tech is standard medieval stasis. No smartphones, but the MC does have a technical background. Computers and their programming might be involved. There might even be a bit of uplifting down the road, who knows? Anyway, it isn’t the focus. He isn’t going to invent the gun in chapter 1 and change the face of warfare.

Romance is not a major focus. Friendships are more the name of the game, though there will be some characters in romantic relationships.

There is exploration, though not as much of the geographical nature as you might expect. It is more about exploration of the system and the culture.

The pace is slow and detailed, sometimes verging on slice-of-life. The action is meant to be realistic and grounded in the numbers, and it is intended to have meaning beyond simply punching things until they stop moving.

The general tone of the story is grey, and some parts can get quite dark. People die. Sometimes, people with names, but not anywhere near GoT level. There is plenty of light, too, though, to balance the darkness. The world is dangerous, but overcoming that danger is why we’re all here, isn’t it?

Anyway, if you’ve made it this far through the summary, you clearly like words. I hope you enjoy the story!

For ten long years, Adam was a prisoner within his own body, paralyzed and helpless, silently observing a world he couldn't interact with. As his life finally ebbed away, connected to hospital machines, his last conscious thought wasn't one of peace, but a desperate, burning wish hurled into the void: If I get a second chance, let me be the strongest.The universe, in its mysterious ways, answered. Adam was reborn, not into light, but into an infinite, suffocating darkness. Yet, within this void, he discovered an astonishing truth: he possessed unimaginable power. Reality itself seemed to bend to his mere thought; he could conjure wonders or horrors with a whim. He was, by all measures, the most powerful entity imaginable. But this godlike power came with a cruel twist – he was utterly trapped, unable to escape the encompassing darkness.His prison, he soon grasped, wasn't empty space. It was the consciousness of another being. He was an unseen passenger, a silent god locked within the mind and soul of Eric, the unassuming Third Prince of a kingdom unknown to Adam. Eric, frail and seemingly ordinary, was completely unaware of the cosmic powerhouse dwelling within him.Adam's initial goal was simple: escape or seize control. But a chilling revelation halted his plans – his existence was inexplicably tethered to the prince's fragile life. If Eric died, Adam's own newfound power, perhaps even his very being, might shatter. A reluctant protector was born from a desperate prisoner.Now, Adam walks a razor's edge. He subtly guides and shields his unwitting vessel, Eric, from the dangers of court intrigue and hidden enemies, intervening with earth-shattering displays of power only when Eric faces certain death. These brief, terrifying moments where the “weak” prince unleashes godly might leave the world baffled and fearful, whispering legends of the prince's hidden potential.To navigate this precarious existence and perhaps forge a path to his own freedom or dominance, Adam devises a unique tool: a 'System' granted to Eric. Is it a gift to empower his host, a means to strengthen the vessel for eventual takeover, or a dangerous gamble with unforeseen consequences?As Adam fights unseen battles, protecting Eric while plotting his own endgame, questions linger. Can he ever break free? Will Eric discover the terrifying truth of his inner 'guest'? And what will happen when the world realizes that the power shaking kingdoms doesn't belong to the prince, but to the ancient, godlike entity trapped inside him? His journey is one of immense power bound by frustrating confinement, a hidden war fought within a single soul, where the fate of a prince and the ambition of a captive god hang in the balance.

Suddenly, a huge earthquake occurred all around the globe, throwing everyone into a desolate world.

The humans of the new world were primitive. They lived their lives facing all sorts of dangers every day, from hurricanes to attacks from huge beasts.

The humans that were brought to this world all received a totem and an egg.

Placing the totem on a certain land would turn the place into the person’s new tribe. Everyone could expand their tribes according to their strengths.

The eggs contained various beasts that would grow into humans’ most loyal companions. Humans would have to struggle to live in the desolate world with their companions and protect their own lands.

Just as Ye Chen was about to hatch his egg, he noticed he could read hidden hints.

[Monster Egg: Place a drop of blood to hatch.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg now will reward you with a Rank E Mutated Beast, Spiny Turtle.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg in 1 minute will reward you with a Rank D Mutated Beast, Dangkang.]

…

[Monster Egg: Place a drop of blood to hatch.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg now will reward you with a Rank E Mutated Beast, Yellow Horse.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg in 30 seconds will reward you with a Rank C Mutated Beast, Tiger Fish.]

[Hidden Hint: Hatching the egg in 60 seconds will reward you with a Rank SSSSS Mutated Beast, Immortal Phoenix.]

…

A few years had passed since then. Ye Chen led a group of Rank SSSSS Mutated Beasts and said confidently, “My success is the result of my hard work!”