Half-Hearted: Mr. Sinclair, Stop the Act! - Chapter 170: Playing the Victim

“What exactly is the point of this life of mine?”Lukas Brandt thought to himself as he chugged down a cup of Wheat beer in a local pub in Darmstadt.He had always dreamt of being a professional footballer, he fell in love with the sport when he watched his country Germany beat the Argentine national team in the World Cup final in 2014, with memories of his father hugging him tightly after Mario Gotze scored the goal that gave them the cup.He had been 7 back then, currently 36, but his biggest regret was giving up at the first sight of failure at 15.He had given up his dream of one day representing his country, and died (un)fortunately while trying to save a kid.Waking up 20 years younger and with a system, follow Lukas' journey from an SV Darmstadt 98 academy reject, to undoubtedly the greatest footballer of all time.Set in an alternate universe so some names and events will obviously be changed massively, else it'll just be a biography of a real life player :⁠')

Reminiscent of no mere illusion within a world of urban supernatural abilities, the art of magic herein is one of rigorous objectivity and precision!The Magician's Code:1. Unwavering belief in science2. Never perform magic in front of muggles3. Never break the magician personaRemember, if someone asks, tell them it's sleight of hand, that magic is surely a farce, a complete farce!One day, Jiang Shu discovers he can gain corresponding supernatural abilities through his magic performances. Thus, on stage, he believes in science, but off stage, he strikes with mighty blows.Simple magic tricks, solving minor mysteries, this is the ordinary day-to-day life of an average magician in a cyberpunk world.(This cyberpunk setting has no direct connection with any game and doesn't present any barriers to reading)(This story includes logical reasoning, magical detective work, magic analysis, and a light-hearted everyday routine, all of which will be featured.)

He was a simple man in his past life – a masseuse, not a hero. His hands were trained to heal pain, not cause it. But when fate dragged him into another world, those same hands became the only thing keeping him alive.Unlike the chosen ones who gain holy blessings or unrivaled power, he has nothing but skill, wit, and stubbornness. He doesn’t seek glory, nor does he dream of leaving his name in history.But the world has other plans.A kingdom built on lies. Families fighting for power in the shadows. Betrayals hidden behind smiles. And he? He’s caught in the middle, forced to navigate schemes that could devour him whole.He isn’t the strongest. He isn’t the bravest. But sometimes, the man who doesn’t want the spotlight… is the one who survives it.________I get this alot so I'm going to clarify:This is not a smut novel, there will be romantic scenes but not as pronounced.

There was a time when I used to think, “How nice would it be if I got transported into a novel world?”Yeah, I know, it sounds childish—but who cares?It was just a passing thought. I never imagined those silly wishes would actually come true.And yet, I opened my eyes to find myself possessed by the villain of a romance fantasy novel.Not just fantasy—romance fantasy.The worst part? I wasn’t even the main villain, just a stepping stone for the female protagonist… who also happened to be my fiancée.Thankfully, the engagement was broken off, and I thought I could fade into the background as a mob character, ruined by the plot.…But for some reason, the female lead won’t let me go.