Reverend Insanity - Chapter 16: Taking as much as possible that one can take

Finding an ancient treasure was not as fortunate as one might expect. As soon as Bai Rouyun had left the grave, countless sects and hidden families set out to kill her for the sake of obtaining her treasure for themselves.

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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Trapped in a hospital bed his entire life, Li Mingzhe's only escape was through the novels he read. But fate had other plans when a mysterious book appeared on his bedside table. Before he could even read its title, the book dragged him into its pages—straight into the body of Ambrose Rothschild, the sole heir to the illustrious Rothschild family.At first glance, his new life seems perfect: loving parents, devoted servants, and no siblings fighting for inheritance. But is this truly the peaceful second chance he yearned for? Far from it! Not only is Ambrose's body plagued with the same weakness that haunted Li Mingzhe's original life, but he's also flying blind—having never read the book he's trapped in, he lacks the story knowledge other transmigrators typically rely on!His only ray of hope? A mysterious system that promises to enhance his abilities. But what cruel twist of fate is this? The system declares his frail body can only handle improvements to his intelligence stat! And as if that weren't enough, Ambrose has been enrolled in Crono, the most prestigious magic academy where heroes and prodigies gather like moths to a flame.Now, surrounded by talented peers and trapped in the web of noble politics, can Li Mingzhe leverage his one advantage—his brilliant mind—to survive? With countless eyes watching his every move as the Rothschild heir, will he crumble under the crushing weight of expectations? Or will he prove that in a world of overwhelming magical might, intelligence can be the most formidable weapon of all?

Front Page is “NAÍNDRA NUXINUS - CADET CUNN-69”.The world is dangerous, yet, there is beauty in the chaos if you learn how to appreciate it.The “Imperishable”, Entities Above Everything Else, understood this undeniable truth eons ago, gifting to the Mortals a few tools to overcome the challenges across their lives.With this, amusing their own boring existences, looking with enthusiasm what new story could unfold, or if the same mistakes would be done once again but by a different person.The First Gift, is “Shards”, called “Cards” by some, this otorgue instant rewards when you exchange them in an “Imperishable Monolith”.The Second Gift, is the mentioned structure, capable of craft almost anything if you have the recipe, blueprint and the required materials and ingredients, a true aberration depending on who you ask.The Third Gift, is the “Perennence”, with a 100 you won't Die if you are slain, you simply would “Respawn” in a “Memory Hall”, making you partially Immortal, because as long as you have 1 of Perennence, you wouldn't be really dead, and someone else can “Revive” you by providing the missing resource.However, this comes with a drawback, you become a “Servant” of the person or thing that save your life, at least until you repay the Perennence plus an Interest of 50%.The Fourth Gift, is “The Memory Hall”, unfortunately, they had an evil twin, “The Howling Wall”, which are created in places that had seen too many “Take Downs” in a short span of time; Differently to the prodigal twin, you must have a minimum of 25 Perennence to be Respawned, otherwise, at best, you become an Immaterial entity, similar to a ghost, if not, a mindless beast or a simple Drone for a Hive Mind is not far fetched.Lastly, The Fifth Gift, is divided in three concepts, “Repercussion”, “Traits” and “Work”, being the last, one of the most unfair of all the Gifts, as you can't change your Work under any circumstances, which applies even for “The Imperishable”.But the Gifts don't come for free, as they attract a series of weird creatures from unknown territories, sprouting the so called “Graveyards”, “Factories”, “Hives”, “Nests”, “Lairs”, “Crops” and “Farms” across the entire world of “Leathemnur”.NO CHEATSNO PLOT ARMORNO VANILLA EASY LIFEDON'T GET FOOLED BY THE STARTA FAIR SHARE OF:ACTIONBEAUTIESMYSTERIESA WHOLE LOT OF:SMUTBONDINGINDECENCYCOMMENT FOR:KINKSDOUBTSSUGGESTIONS