Ghost Notes - Chapter 11: Echoes in the Dark

The genius cultivator Lin Xuanzhi didn’t let down the world in his past life, yet he only betrayed a single Yan Tianhen.

It was only when he had been backstabbed and killed by his closest friends, teacher and fellow disciples that he knew what kind of unforgivable crimes he had committed.

After he gained the huge opportunity for rebirth, the Lin Xuanzhi who had climbed back up from hell swore to cherish the person that he had betrayed in his past life.

- Description from novelupdates

What does it feel like to be hunted down by the whole just for being overpowered?___For centuries, the realms feared one thing, the birth of a child under the Blood Moon. A cursed child with the power to destroy everything.Every two hundred years, it happens. And every time, the realms unite to erase that child before their powers awaken.But this time, the Blood Moon didn’t rise. And yet, the child was born.Kaizen, 18 years old, was believed to be powerless, an ordinary hunter with no magic or magic core. What no one knew was that his abilities had been sealed since birth. Not just one, but all five elemental powers, water, fire, earth, ice, and shadow.The same power that once shattered the balance of the world.After a near-death encounter, the seal breaks. His powers begin to surface—unstable, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. Along with them comes a system that forces him to evolve and grow stronger.Now, Kaizen must hide the truth, survive among hunters, and face enemies far beyond anything he imagined. Because if the realms find out what he really is...They won’t hesitate to kill him.They promised this curse would never return.They were wrong.

In his first life as 'Caine Wilson', was the villain—ruthless, cunning, and very powerful.He played his part perfectly, crushing the so-called “protagonist” and parading his enemies, their families, and anyone who crossed him naked through the streets.He watched with glee as the “hero” lay broken, stripped of his dignity, before finally ending his pitiful existence.But just as Caine, thought he had finally won and secured his place at the top, 'Higher ups' intervened.A booming, ethereal voice—like the universe’s pissed-off judge—shook the skies:“You have violated the sacred code of villainy! The villain shall not win. The balance has been broken. Caine Wilson, the world hereby rejects you!”Before he could even enjoy his victory, his world blinked out, like a story whose writer just erased the last chapter in frustration.Everything went dark.And when he awoke, he wasn’t Caine Wilson anymore.He was 'Su Xiaobai', a nobody on 'White Cloud Star', a world of cultivation, martial arts, and endless struggle.But this time, things were different.He could feel it—he could see through the cracks of reality itself.He could break the fourth wall!He wasn’t just some reincarnated soul; he was a villain who had 'seen the system', who understood the game.And he was about to flip it upside down.

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.