MTL - The Apocalypse’s Great Merchant - Chapter 326 New virus

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 .

“Mr. Joseph, what are you thinking?”

“I am thinking about you.”

“You … you are full of sweet nonsense!”

Enjoy a sweet love story of fun, with a scheming, domineering yet cute male lead, and a cunning, greedy and untamed female lead

After dying in a car accident, Lin Chu Xia awakens to find herself returned to the age of twenty, the year she was supposed to be married, along with her elder sister Lin Jia Yi who has also been reborn. The first thing her sister does is snatch away the man she was once married to, who in her previous life was extremely wealthy. Not only that, Lin Jia Yi insists on giving Lin Chu Xia her own apathetic and workaholic husband from the past life who rarely returned home.Lin Chu Xia laughs, as this arrangement suits her just fine, hoping her kind sister does not regret her decision. She's curious to see if her indifferent ex-husband can rise to be the highly pursued President Li without her. As for herself, armed with full skills and a space ability, she doesn’t mind the lack of parental love, because her in-laws are there to dote on her. She starts businesses and factories, living a life that becomes more prosperous by the day.As for that workaholic husband who barely comes home twice a year? It doesn’t matter to her, as long as it doesn't interfere with her money-making, she’s content to be his invisible woman in the background....Qin Yang, compelled by his mother’s heartfelt words, returns home to marry a young bride. A man who prioritizes work over family, he thinks providing money is fulfilling his duty as a husband. However, he discovers that his wife has more money, a larger presence, broader connections, and is adored by everyone she meets—leaving him in a daze.Between clenched teeth, Qin Yang decides: If money won’t work, he’ll leave her with kids!

Tang Qiu was a substitute bride–forced to take her half-sister’s place and marry the young master of the Jiang family, a deformed cripple with less than 6 months left to live.

“Who would have thought that even a sickly whelp like Jiang Shaocheng would find himself a bride?”

“I hear that he’s practically on his deathbed and he’s only marrying the Fengs’ daughter to improve his lifespan.”

Tang Qiu ignored the whispers around her and focused on her husband-to-be, who coughed violently in his wheelchair. At the altar, after they had said their vows, she lifted her veil and knelt in front of Jiang Shaocheng, pressing a hesitant kiss to his lips.

The marriage contract was signed. No matter his physical deformities, he was now her husband.

She wasn’t afraid of the scars that marked his face, nor was she repulsed by him being confined to a wheelchair. Every morning, she made him breakfast, attended to his needs, and thought of little else beyond her duties as a wife.

“Young Master Jiang is a cripple who can’t get it up,” her best friend argued. “When he dies, you’ll still be untouched. You should set your sights higher.”

“A sickly invalid like Jiang Shaocheng can’t give you happiness,” her ex-boyfriend insisted. “I’ll wait for you.”

But Young Master Jiang only scoffed. “I have plenty of time left to be with her.”

Later in their marriage, Jiang Shaocheng wanted to enjoy his little wife in all ways–the press of her lips against his, the brush of skin on skin; the way a husband and wife were supposed to. But Tang Qiu refused him, blushing. “No, we can’t. The doctor says you can’t exert yourself.”

Jiang Shaocheng’s desire was surging through him, a heat in his core that demanded to be satiated. He cursed, I should have gotten rid of that doctor and the wheelchair long ago.

But he yearned to make love to his little wife, and so he revealed his true identity. In the blink of an eye, the deformed cripple transformed into a powerful businessman–tall, dark, and handsome. He quieted Tang Qiu’s protests, his body positioned over hers, his arms caging her as she lay on the bed. His voice was low when he asked, “What about now?”