The Sacred Ruins - Chapter 1594

Isabella was supposed to be sipping champagne at a luxury spa, not waking up in the middle of a forest. Worse, a SYSTEM had attached itself to her like some clingy ex, spouting nonsense about survival, quests, and—oh, hell no—manual labor.“System, I was NOT built for the wilderness! My ideal ‘roughing it’ experience involves a five-star hotel with bad WiFi!”Now, instead of lounging in silk robes, she’s being ordered to farm? To hunt?“A farming quest? You want me—a city girl—to grow food? System, I once killed a cactus by overwatering it. This is NOT my calling!”And don’t even get her started on the hygiene situation.“You want me to bathe in a cold river? Darling, I require warm water, scented oils, and an ambience! What do I look like—some barbarian?!”Unfortunately, the locals—big, muscular beastmen—don’t seem to understand the concept of self-care. The women? Neglecting their skin like it’s a crime to be radiant. The men? Walking hygiene disasters.“Ladies, if your man can smell you before he sees you, we have a problem.”“You see this? This is lotion. It exists so you don’t look like a dried-up leaf. Use it.”“A beard should be majestic, not tragic. Let me fix it.”And the beastmen? They don’t just stare at her like she’s an oddity. No, they hover. They smirk. They lean in too close, fangs flashing with amusement.“Why do you keep looking at me like that?” she huffed, crossing her arms.The panther grinned, his tail flicking. “Because you’re fascinating when you’re annoyed.”No, absolutely not. She was not here for this nonsense.“If you have time to stare, you have time to moisturize.”She didn’t ask to be here. She didn’t ask to be their savior. But if she has to suffer through this world, she’s making everyone around her suffer less—through skincare, style, and some serious attitude.“If I hear one more ‘We don’t season our food here,’ I’m launching a war.”“If you have time to gossip, you have time to do squats.”“You want to impress a woman? Start with not smelling like the battlefield.”Survival isn’t just about fighting monsters; it’s about looking good while doing it. So what if the System keeps throwing impossible quests her way?“What do you mean ‘you can’t skip quests’?! Since when?! Where is the skip button?! I demand a skip button!”But somewhere between dodging ridiculous quests and fixing these people’s tragic grooming habits, Isabella found herself in situations. Uncomfortable, heart-racing situations.Like being trapped against a tree by the red python, his red eyes half-lidded as he murmured, “You talk too much, little star. Should I silence you?”Like waking up with the lion lord’s fur-lined cloak draped over her shoulders, his deep voice gruff, “You shiver in your sleep. I’ll fix that.”Like the phoenix watching her every move, his burning gaze searing into her skin as he mused,“You cause chaos wherever you go, but I find that I don’t mind.”Oh, hell. No. She was not about to fall for four beastmen. She was too pretty for this much stress.“If you insult me again, I’ll make sure your soul needs a beauty upgrade.”“I refuse to be disrespected by anyone who dresses like an unwashed tree branch.”And yet, when a rival tribe came to challenge her, when danger lurked too close, those same beastmen stood beside her—smirking, taunting, fighting for her.“A beastman growled at me today. I growled back. He ran. I am the alpha now.”Isabella isn’t just surviving. She’s thriving. And this world better keep up.

Is Magic really just a wish machine? No! In a universe where Magic truly exists, the ultimate nature of Magic must be as simple and aesthetically pleasing as the laws of physics. This is the story of a mass-produced magical war tool who learned the ultimate nature of Magic. But what of it? Just as birds can fly without understanding aerodynamics, magicians can use Magic without grasping its ultimate nature. Learning the ultimate nature of Magic doesn’t mean the tool can instantly transform into a great magician. But yearning for knowledge is a human instinct, and curiosity is the primary driving force of human civilization. Even for Magic, which should seemingly defy explanation, humans hope to understand its inherent operational laws. The pursuit of Magic’s ultimate nature requires no reason! The story in this book takes place in an era where steel and gunpowder dance together. Here, firearms are on the rise; armor remains the main character; military theory is changing rapidly, with endless innovations in systems and techniques. And this world has something more than ours: Magic. The world is undergoing a profound transformation, and no one can remain detached from it...

At twenty-four, Ashley Flynn had endured more than most. From the tragic loss of her parents to the lose of her marriage–and now, the mysterious abduction of her daughter. Just when she thought life couldn’t get any crueler, her ex-boyfriend resurfaced. Rich, powerful, and more relentless than ever, Lorenzo Grey was determined to win back Ashley’s heart, no matter how much she hated him. Or how long it took him.When she turned to him for help finding her missing daughter, he saw the perfect opportunity he had long awaited.“You mentioned that you wanted to help me find my daughter,” Ashley said, her voice trembling slightly.“Yes, I did...” Lorenzo replied, watching her like a hawk. “...but it won't come without a price.”Ashley hated him even more for trying to exploit her desperation–but he knew this was the only tool he had left to reclaim what was once his. And now, Ashley must do what she felt was necessary, even if it meant breaking her own defenses and craving the very man who once shattered her heart. Because to her, a mother’s love knows no limits—and no sacrifice was too great.

Twenty years ago, she was taken in as the Lin family’s young heiress through a twist of fate. But mistakes would eventually be corrected one day. When the real daughter of the family returned and her foster parents begged her to stay, she obliged. Unbeknownst to her, this was actually a scheme disguised as familial affection. They only kept her around to squeeze her dry of all her value!