MTL - Empress True Colors - Chapter 40 play big

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.

As the mad researcher in a tattered white coat activated the self-destruction device, Qin Luo knew that this time, there was no escape.

He was well aware of the destructive power of the self-destruction device.
Even if he is genetically inborn with an independent space, it is impossible to use the power of his space to resolve against such a terrible explosion.

His only end would be a torn space and the crushed bones.

On an unrecognizable earth rampant with zombies and mutant creatures, this end is good.

Death is far better than living…

With a skull splitting headache he opened his eyes to find himself reborn in the year before the apocalypse happened.

Is this a joke!!!
Is this a chance for him to be prepared to combat the apocalypse?
Is God not satisfied with all the bitterness he had went through and would enjoy watching him suffer once more?

- Description from Novelupdates

In her past life, Shen Xi always longed for love and validation from her parents, members of the wealthy Su family. Unfortunately, the attention that she yearned for was stolen by the family’s fake heiress – her elder sister, Su Ruowan.

A disappearing gold mine. An old family secret. An army officer carrying a grudge spanning two generations.

As a small time reporter at the local newspaper, Shen Yu already had enough on her plate. Biased managers, check. Long, brutal work hours, check. The department beauty snatching her big story opportunity, check. But now another problem has reared its head and it comes packaged in a young and attractive military officer. He is on the hunt for some legendary space gold and he will get her to help him, whether she likes it or not.

Secrets are abound and Shen Yu soon finds that not everything is not as simple as it seems. Even her own past becomes questionable the more time she spends on the quest. Events from decades ago are rising up to haunt her and she needs to find out the truth before it’s too late. If only she had a better partner.