Criminal X : Epitome Of Evil - Chapter 26: Guests

He died doing what he loved—on the basketball court, surrounded by cheers, chasing a dream that never came true.But fate—or perhaps the Basketball God—gave him one more shot.When Dirgantara Renji, a washed-out benchwarmer with a decade of struggle behind him, suddenly wakes up as his 15-year-old self, he’s confused, overwhelmed... and determined. This isn’t just a second chance at life—it’s a second chance at the dream he refused to let die.Now in 2009, armed with a mysterious System, years of experience, and a deep hunger to prove himself, Dirga is ready to carve a new path. But this time, things are different. New faces. New choices. And hidden talents he never met in his past life.Will he finally rise from the shadows to become the basketball legend he was meant to be?

Yang Qing never expected that he would travel to the fairy world, let alone that he would have a chance to travel back.

It’s just that after I came back, I found out that this world is not friendly to cultivation, and it’s a completely degenerated world, so what else can I do?

Part-time work is not allowed, so he can only rely on the rune technology of the fairy world and develop a little black technology to live his life, so his eyes are directly fixed on the moon above his head, where his dream begins!

- Description from novelbuddy

[Simulation shall commence.]On this fateful day, the world was stunned by the appearance of ancient animals that were supposed to have gone extinct for millions of years. Huge sinkholes appeared in every corner of the world, becoming a tunnel for the ancient animals to emerge to the surface.Humans have found an answer to one of the biggest mysteries in human history. Hollow Earth is real. Here, humans will wrest their lives to explore this new world that has existed for thousands, if not millions, of years underneath them.Before the start of his exploration, Clovis came across a place called ‘Another World Mall.’Dwarven Sword, Magical Elven Clothes, or Giant Race Toy? Everything can be found in this ‘Another World Mall.’As an aspiring Subterranean Explorer, how would he utilize this ‘Another World Mall’ to become the greatest explorer of all time and find the truth about the simulation?

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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