MTL - My Abandoned Oil Town Became a New Frontier - Chapter 434 Ice Lake Beer’s new strategy

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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Dear readers! Without any ads, maybe you will prefer .

Yakuza, originally refers to the most stinky card in the Japanese flower letter, whoever gets it will inevitably curse.

A young director traveled to Japan in the 1980s, and he inexplicably became a Yakuza named Takeshi Iwata.

As a result, a wonderful journey of Japanese movies started like this.

- Description from novelbuddy

Su-jin is a high school student whose life is filled with loneliness. Weighed down by school bullying, personal struggles, and isolation, she finds herself growing weary of everything. At that moment, a mysterious shadow enters her life—a man she only sees in her dreams, through his face remains hidden. Surprisingly, his influence extends beyond her dreams, shaping her into a stronger, braver, and happiest person.As time passes, Su-jin finds herself drawn to him, yet his presence brings more than just emotions—it leads her to extraordinary friendships and unexpected adventures.Among them is Yeong-ae, a skilled spy who enrolls in Su-jin's school to investigate the mysterious death of a girl named Ha-na. And then there is Jung-hee, a young detective who begins working as an undercover high school student on a major case. Along the way, she unexpectedly meets Su-jin, which gradually develops into a deep friendship.Day by day, Su-jin's life becomes like an adventure book; each page of which becomes an unfolding adventure filled with excitement, romance, secrets, challenges, and discoveries. But in the midst of this mystery, will she ever find the invisible man who stole her heart?

Amid a world war, with his awakening to powerful special abilities (Soul Armor Abilities), Kamiya Yuusuke, conscripted into the military at the age of 10 due to this newfound power, continued to achieve numerous victories on the challenging battlefield. As a result, at the age of 15, he held the position of Brigadier General.Despite traversing battlefields worldwide, he finally managed to return to Japan. The joy of returning home was short-lived, as news of an underage boy in the military started to leak to the public. In response, the military high command ordered Yuusuke to attend a military school called the Special Operations Soul Armor Academy and undergo a revision of his military records.Yuusuke, secretly pleased at the prospect of reclaiming his youth, faced numerous troubles, whether due to the nature of the unique school or perhaps because he had been in constant battle since childhood. What will happen to his relationships with strong-willed girls such as his half-silver-haired childhood friend, the older sister officer who is his work partner, and the tsundere honor student of the same age?