I Just Won't Play By The Book - Chapter 144: Temptation of Delicacies 1

Ethan, an elite army commando, loses his life in the line of duty while eliminating a dangerous terrorist cell during a high-stakes anti-insurgency operation. Despite his unwavering dedication and discipline, Ethan dies with a deep sense of regret—he never fully embraced his personal desires and unfulfilled fantasies. As his final breath escapes, he vows that, should he be given another chance at life, he will live it to the fullest, without restraint.Fate, however, has its own plans. Ethan awakens in a strange, unfamiliar world—a land governed by strength, where power is the key to survival, and the strong hold dominion over all. In this brutal and unforgiving realm, Ethan discovers that the rules of life have drastically changed. The only currency that matters here is strength, and only the strongest can ascend to become the ultimate power.Gifted with extraordinary intelligence and a mysterious cheat that grants him unparalleled abilities, Ethan sets off on a path to conquer this new world. With each passing day, he hones his skills, builds alliances, and amasses power, all while exploring his deepest desires. This is a journey of self-discovery and unrestrained ambition, where Ethan’s focus is singular: to become the one true transcendent being, an existence unmatched by any other.Through intense battles, strategic brilliance, and encounters with those who would either aid or challenge him, Ethan fights not only for dominance but for the fulfilment of every longing he once held back in his past life. With each victory, he rises higher, carving his name into the annals of history as the peerless king, above all others—an immortal legend in the making.Content Warning: This story will explore mature themes, including R18 content, but will avoid extreme elements. The protagonist’s journey will also include romantic entanglements, with a harem dynamic, including themes like netori. No yuri, NTR, or netorare will be featured.

Due to his own carelessness, Duanmu Huai finds himself transported into the world of the game “Star Ocean Online.” Starting from a humble core capsule, Duanmu Huai ventures across the starry sea to countless worlds. He awakens powers that have long been dormant, confronts threats lurking in the depths of the universe, and sets his sights on dominating the galaxy!

He is Xi Liang’s legendary emperor: a decisive and ruthless king; a man of supreme wisdom; a cunning strategist.

According to legend, he once conferred the love meant for the three thousand concubines in his harem onto one woman, while the world watched in envy.

According to legend, he once executed a hundred people for her, turning the palace into a purgatory overnight.

According to legend, he ultimately sentenced that same woman to death by execution…

A conspiracy that swept through the country resulted in her tragic end. This lifetime seems to be a repeat of her past life. Can she escape the clutches of fate to attain true love in this life? In both lives, she was the Emperor’s wife, but is that ruthless man really her true love mandated by Heaven?

Did she really die, just like that?

In the end, beyond the veil of lies and mysteries, who exactly was she? Was she a woman that he truly loved, or was she merely a chess piece to be used in his political machinations?

The stories passed onto later generations remain fraught with conflicting opinions.

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He was the cold-blooded prince of the Jin country. Decisive and smart, he had looked down on the world with apathy and disdain.

She was his Wang fei, a person who had saved him in the past, but even he wouldn’t look at her.

When the fire raged and death claimed her, it was only then that she realized her existence was nothing but a joke from the beginning.

She opened her eyes once more after spending two years as a roaming, vengeful ghost. In this lifetime, Ye Zhen promises that she will be a different person. With a slight smile, she will ruthlessly trample on those who had schemed against her and lied until her demise!

Most importantly, she would let him experience the pain of an unrequited love; the bitterness of seeking something you cannot obtain!

- Description from Novelupdates