Avoid the Protagonist - Chapter 197: “Still, I prefer to express my gratitude with actions rather than words” (1)

A huge guy is bawling his eyes out. In this day and age? Sure, maybe the world changed while I was away in that other place. I’m not some old-fashioned boomer.But what if that guy is clinging to my pant leg, sobbing and sniffling—And we’re not even acquaintances?Even in modern times, that’s just messed up. Ask any passing kid, they’d agree.So yeah, I shook my leg. He was gross and too close.“The hell’s wrong with you? Crying just ’cause you saw a ghost?” “N-no! I swear, it was really there! You didn’t see it!!”I let the disrespect slide. Barely. He was asking for help and still talking down to me just because I look young?Obviously, I’m not the one who lost his balls. He is.And yet… when I looked where he pointed—Something was there.I threw some coarse salt and looked again.He stared at me like I was insane, but I ignored it.…Yeah. Something was definitely there.It made eye contact.

In the year 2090, technology has advanced to the point where Simulation Boxes, (Sim Box for short) are common place, allowing for the user to link up their brain's neural network to a full dive Simulation. While initially used for educational purposes, recently a large gaming company, Averon, released a fully fledged immersive MMORPG simulation where users can become anyone they desire, level up, choose their class, and become a hero or a villain. The name of this simulation is The Shattered World Online.

Eli Winters had no interest in playing it. His father, a jobless bum who spent his entire life playing games in the hope of becoming a famous player or streamer, was able to use the release of The Shattered World Online to gain wealth and fame, quickly becoming the number one player and a household name as the game took the world by storm. He immediately abandoned Eli and his mother in favor of being with someone from his guild, despite his mother having worked two jobs to support them and raise Eli by herself. Eli had nothing but spite for his father and the game.

When Eli's best friend convinces him to try out the game, his father's fame begins to interfere, culminating in him being singled out and shunned by his peers, and his father offering to pay for his university tuition in return for Eli hiding their relationship and quitting the game. Instead of complying with his father's wishes, Eli decides to prove to everyone how useless a guy his father is by challenging him that if Eli is able to surpass him in the game world he must delete his account and quit his streaming career. His father accepts the challenge believing his son to be useless at games - but Eli will soon show him just how ambitious a spiteful person can be.

In a land ruled by vile monsters, where death is common and life is cruel, one outcast endeavors to have it all. When misfortune drags the odd goblin Stryg from his forest home and into the ruthless city of Hollow Shade, he must try and adapt to a world that only sees him as a dimwit savage.Stryg finds himself embroiled in a school of magic, where an aristocrat's smile is filled with deceit and the simplest of remarks may lead to death threats. Yet nothing will stop him from aspiring to his beliefs of glory: power, honor, and food with salt.But as Stryg navigates through the muddled grey waters of the Ebon Realm, he will learn that some monsters lurk everywhere.

Yao Yao was born as a little glutton, her appetite rivaling half a mountain.One day, the old Taoist who adopted her passed away in meditation. At just three and a half years old, Yao Yao had no choice but to pack her small bag and head down the mountain to find her senior master.By chance, she ended up saving a wealthy tycoon from a car accident and became the adopted daughter of the prestigious Gu family.At first, everyone in the Gu family opposed the idea.The Gu family matriarch tapped her cane and said, “Raising someone else’s child? Careful not to end up with an ingrate!”The Gu family head, Gu Xuesong, said indifferently, “Picked up halfway? Who knows what kind of trouble she might bring.”From the eldest to the seventh brother, their response was unanimous: “We don’t want a sister!”But this little girl, rejected by the entire family, proved herself after joining the Gu household.She resolved the business partner issues that even Gu Xuesong couldn’t handle, bringing in so many contracts that they couldn’t sign them all.She cured the Gu matriarch’s chronic leg pain, to the point where the old lady was now striding around effortlessly…Even the seven Gu brothers, one after another, benefited greatly from her presence.It was only then that the Gu family realized they had brought home a treasure.From then on, the Gu family’s attitude completely changed.The Gu matriarch: “Yao Yao, do you want some cream puffs? Grandma will buy them for you.”Gu Xuesong: “Yao Yao, do you want a private jet? Daddy will have one sent over to take you for a ride.”The Gu brothers: “Yao Yao, do you want…”And so, Yao Yao secured herself a meal ticket—one of the highest quality!✨Love this translation? Support me on Patreon for early access, exclusive content, and more! Your support keeps the translations coming—subscribe today!