MTL - I am a Big Villain - Chapter 8 Educated youth

Shadow was an assassin with no family, no friends, and no purpose beyond the missions assigned to him. Kidnapped at the age of five and forced to serve a ruthless assassin organization for fifty long years, his life was a series of shadows and bloodshed. On the eve of his fifty-fifth birthday, he completed his final mission with hope in his heart. A hope that freedom and a better life were finally within reach.But that hope was shattered. Betrayed by the very organization he had devoted his life to, Shadow was ruthlessly killed, his decades of loyalty repaid with treachery. As his life slipped away, he swore one thing.“If he had a second chance, he would live life on his terms, unshackled and free”.In the void between life and death, Shadow's soul was met by “Syl”. The enigmatic Shadow Monarch's System. Syl offered him what he craved most. Another chance at life, but in a world far different from his own. Without hesitation, Shadow accepted, eager to grasp the life he was denied.Reborn into a realm of gods, magic, and chaos, Shadow soon learns the truth.He is a Wild Card, a pawn in the gods’ celestial game. Amere source of entertainment for their whims. But Shadow is no ordinary human. With the sarcastic and unpredictable Syl by his side, a glitching system that grants him powers beyond imagination, he embarks on a journey to defy the gods and forge his destiny.

In her previous life, Jiang Yan's mother was murdered by her stepfather under the guise of celebrating their wedding anniversary with a trip abroad, and Jiang Yan herself, holding a huge inheritance, was locked by him in the basement of a villa and had one of her hands mangled. As natural disasters became more frequent and the apocalypse descended, the stepfather's family, hiding in the villa waiting for the apocalypse to pass, ultimately set their sights on Jiang Yan...With the opening of her eyes, Jiang Yan was reborn three months before the apocalypse. After activating her portable Space and successfully taking her revenge, she, now in possession of a massive amount of funds, started a global shopping spree: yachts, helicopters, off-road RVs, weapons, amphibious boats, necessities for clothing, food, shelter, and transport; everything from five-star delicacies to tasty street food hidden in remote corners... she bought and hoarded them all, bringing everything into her Space!Seeing that there was only one month left, Jiang Yan began a cramming-style learning binge: shooting! Flying planes! Driving boats! Hand-to-hand combat! Agricultural Planting! She even learned how to operate an excavator from the Red Xiang Technical School!In July, a double typhoon that caused seawater backflow starting from Japan marked the beginning of the apocalypse. A super high temperature wave followed right after, sweeping across the globe, along with torrential rains, earthquakes, pest infestations, extreme cold, nuclear contamination, mutation of animals and plants... one natural calamity after another ensued!While others fought over a packet of instant noodles or half a bottle of water, Jiang Yan was leisurely planting vegetables, raising fish, sitting comfortably in her safe house with air conditioning on, and enjoying her hot pot meal~PS. This entire story is fictitious.

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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[Post-apocalyptic + No romantic pairings + Overpowered system + Management + Please read the bottom of the synopsis + Initially low-priced, enter at your own discretion]Gu Wanyin never imagined that not only would she transmigrate, but she’d end up in a post-apocalyptic world! Opening her eyes to find herself surrounded by zombies with only two pitifully thin adorable children by her side, Gu Wanyin thought: This is the end of me!System: Impossible, absolutely impossible!After binding to the most powerful hotel system in the post-apocalyptic world, Gu Wanyin embarked on a delightful journey of raising children and managing a hotel. As the hotel’s guests increased, so did her rewards! But could someone explain to her why a hotel that unlocked noodle shops, hot pot restaurants, and buffets was understandable, but why did it also have KTV, movie theaters, libraries, amusement parks, hot springs, schools, and hospitals? And even a zombie-killing simulation training camp? Wait, there’s even more…It seems she’s destined to transform this hotel into the only paradise in the post-apocalyptic world!