Coiling Dragon (Pan Long) - Vol 1 Chapter 4: Growth (part 1)

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.

Indra (5) grew up in her family while being shunned and ostracized. When she regained the memories of her previous life, she decided to run away from home and thus trained herself to absurdity.

During her training, she encountered the young adventurer Sword, who looked just like a middle-aged guy. Worrying about the impertinent, eccentric, pointlessly strong young girl, Sword invited her to go on a journey with him.

After I was successfully captured by the Sick Princess of the Eastern Continent Empire, my free life came to an end.

“Don’t be so resistant, please be a little obedient? No matter how hard you try, the shackles, collars, and shackles are absolutely impossible to break free, so accept this little happiness early and become a cripple for me. My dear♡.”

This article contains the following elements: sickly tender, reverse push, harem, blackening. If it causes discomfort, please watch it together with your parents.

- Description from novelbuddy

The first time they met, she had barged into his room when he just came out of the shower. She calmly met his dangerous gaze and teased boldly, “Hey handsome, nice body~” The second time they met was at an extravagant banquet. She had been charming and flamboyant. Right after torturing someone, she leaned toward him and asked coquettishly, “I heard that you’ve been claiming that I’m your girlfriend and using me as a shield. Well then, can you help out a tool like me?” Since then, Master Qin gained a chaotic little monster at home who riled him up every day. Everyone said that the An family’s real daughter couldn’t compare to the fake daughter because she was raised as a country bumpkin. She couldn’t even compare to the fake daughter’s hair. Alas, everyone was slapped in the face, along with the fake daughter. They were even tortured until their insides turned green. Then, they claimed that even if the real daughter could compare to the fake daughter, she was still just an abandoned daughter who wasn’t loved by her parents and had no power, that she wasn’t worth Master Qin. Unbeknownst to them, when her parents realized it, they and her four brothers had been begging her to come home. Until one day, the real daughter announced that she was retiring from the scene to look after her husband and children. At that moment, countless tycoons and magnates wailed, begging her to stay… Wild, savage, and charming little monster VS abstinent, protective, and flirty CEO