BEYOND THE BLAZE - Chapter 22: The hired killers

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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Living an unfulfilled life, Zack Gray meets an untimely end–that is, until he’s given a second chance, in a new world, under a new name: “Leon Schoeller.” Heir to the Schoeller Estate, a powerful and prestigious noble family, a life of luxury surrounded by maids and butlers of elite skills of their own awaits the reborn man.[Lord System Activated.]In addition to being blessed with a genius mind and magical talent, the [Lord System] grants Leon supernatural abilities, from empowering his servants, conquering beasts, and even manipulating his mansion.However, as gifted as he finds himself, the world around him is full of lurking threats, forcing him to level up if he expects to keep his cozy life intact.

In Ten Heavens Domain, full of respected powerhouses, juvenile Ling Tian accidentally obtained a mysterious iron sword. He refined the Supreme Martial Dao, studied the Divine Spirit Array Laws, fought Ten Thousand proud and arrogant Heavenly Clans, and was undefeated! Seven Feet Sword Tip sweeps away the world, within the Ten Heavens, I am the Supreme God Monarch!

- Description from Novelupdates

The heiress to a powerful tech company, Diane Lily Hoffman, had a tough childhood filled with lies and mistreatment.At 14, her cruel stepmother tricked her into thinking her father had sold her to his enemies. From there, the family who adopted her abused her physically and emotionally.Using her as a ploy to get rich, her adopted family forced her into what she thought was a loveless marriage with a plastic surgeon named Gabriel.Despite what she perceived as a lack of love, she found solace in her married life until her path was chosen for her again and lies were made to drive a wedge between her and Gabriel.The divorce was painful and she realised all too late that everything was not what it seemed.Unfortunately, the lies her family crafted were too much for Gabriel to ever give her a chance again.Just as she was about to die, Diane was given a second chance to fix her mistakes.Now reborn, Diane is ready to find her real father and ex-husband, seeking revenge on the family that betrayed her and taking back the life and justice she deserves.