Penitent - Chapter 1: Old is New

have you heard of it?

If you turn on the music player in the dead of night, put on headphones, hide your head in the quilt, and listen to the looped single repeatedly.

Fall asleep after looping forty-four times. If you are unlucky and open your eyes again, you will no longer be lying on your own bed, but will enter a strange space that is completely isolated from reality.

That space… On the surface, it looks like the places we usually see, such as our bedroom, living room at home, underground garage, bathroom, basketball court, construction site, etc. But if you look closely, you will find that it is different. …Everything is different.

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This is the experience of an ordinary person who, after acquiring superpowers, transforms and grows step by step in a blind corner, reaching the ultimate level.

- Description from novelbuddy

Ethan Cole was, by all appearances, an ordinary young man navigating the familiar ups and downs of life—until the night everything changed. That was when he encountered the “Unlimited System.” This mysterious system didn’t merely make Ethan wealthy—it granted him unimaginable riches and set him on a path that was both exhilarating and perilous. The catch? Each mission the system assigns doesn’t just test his wit and resolve; it also unlocks incredible powers, elevating him to new heights of strength and influence. But this isn’t just a tale of lavish spending and indulgence—though those moments certainly add flavor! Ethan’s journey is laced with challenges, each step bringing him closer to reshaping his destiny. From building NovaTech Innovations into a technological marvel to buying a football club and even creating an app poised to revolutionize the food delivery industry, Ethan’s rise is nothing short of meteoric. And yet, the further he climbs, the more he discovers the shadows lurking behind his newfound success. Beneath the surface lies a hidden world—a world ruled by the Great Families, an elite group whose wealth is only part of their power. For these families, strength is the ultimate currency, and disputes are settled not in boardrooms but in combat arenas. Whether through sparring matches or life-and-death duels, they prove their dominance with skill, strategy, and sheer might. Drawn into this dangerous realm of secret societies, high-stakes confrontations, and unrelenting ambition, Ethan must use every ounce of his intelligence, strength, and ingenuity to navigate the intricate web of power that surrounds him. Expect a whirlwind of twists, heart-pounding action, and moments of sheer wonder. From outsmarting ruthless rivals to unraveling the enigmatic traditions of the elite families, Ethan’s journey is as unpredictable as it is thrilling. It’s a story where rules bend, reality tilts, and every turn brings something unexpected.

Ye Feng transmigrated into a parallel world where there were few games and obtained the game production system.As long as the players gave a “super difficult” rating, he could improve his game production ability,However, seeing the “very easy” comments on the game forum, Ye Feng was shocked, and he descended to the alternate world with the ninth art.“Getting Over It With Bennett Ford”, “Undead Cells”, “Bleedborne”, “Sekiro”...A series of games was born.He would like to see who dared to say that these games were very simple!Admit it, rookies. It's all because you suck！However, players whose confidence was shattered by these games still firmly moved the cursor to that option!“Very easy!”