My Unrestrained Lives - Chapter 8: Born Again

She has come a long way.

Orphaned, born a weakling, and being the infamous good-for-nothing of Azure Dragon Country. Gu Ruoyun was the shame of the proud Gu household. Falsely accused of a crime she did not commit, she was betrayed by her family and beaten to death by her own grandfather. But life took a fateful twist on that very day — she was revived.

Newly awakened, she is now the Master of an ancient treasure that resides within her body. Precious cultivation pills, treasures beyond her wildest imagination and spiritual beasts, all within her grasp… She is the apple of the eye of all under the heavens, including that of a mysterious, handsome man.

Now she only has one goal — to conquer the world.

Themes: Black Market Trading, Global Crime Networks, Boundaries of Human Nature and Morality, The Struggle Between Truth and SurvivalStory Background:In a modern metropolis, the surface level of prosperity conceals the darkness and corruption lurking beneath. Ethan, a highly skilled detective, spends his life navigating the shadowy corners of the city, uncovering the hidden secrets buried beneath the mundane facade of everyday life. When he is drawn into what initially seems like a simple suicide case, he becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving the global black market, power struggles, and transnational crime.Main Characters:Ethan (Protagonist): A seasoned, calm, and intuitive detective who excels at finding the truth in complex cases. On the surface, he is a quiet, solitary man who prefers to avoid social interaction, but deep down, he is haunted by unresolved cases from his past. Faced with dark forces, he is both determined and full of doubt.Lila (Female Protagonist/Key Ally): Ethan's investigative partner, an intelligent and resourceful intelligence officer with a mysterious background. Her past is also shrouded in secrecy, and she seems to have an undisclosed connection to the “Black Angels” organization. She provides crucial assistance in Ethan's investigation, but her motives remain unclear, casting suspicion on her true intentions.Victor Saville (Antagonist/Main Adversary): A charismatic yet dangerous businessman, who appears to be a successful entrepreneur but is, in fact, one of the central figures of the global crime syndicate “The Black Angels.” Cold-hearted, clever, and ruthless, he controls a global black market network, overseeing arms trafficking, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. He is not only a key figure in Langley's death but also the biggest obstacle in Ethan's investigation.The Mysterious Woman (Key Character): An elusive woman who repeatedly appears during Ethan's investigation, warning him not to delve deeper into Saville and the “Black Angels” organization. Her identity is unclear, but it is evident that she holds vital secrets about Saville and his network. Her appearances leave Ethan bewildered—whether she is an enemy or his only ally remains uncertain.

A few hundred years ago, Earth was affected by a mysterious force from the depths of the universe, triggering the revival of spiritual energy. However, things didn’t turn out as wonderful as humanity had imagined. The spiritual energy carried a strange power that caused the corpses of all living things to rise again, transforming into ghouls. And above these ghouls, even more terrifying beings existed…There were no ancient methods of cultivating immortality, nor any legendary awakenings of supernatural powers. But within the spiritual energy, there was also a presence of ghostly energy. This led to the emergence of Runes.Some people bore mountain runes, enabling them to move mountains and overturn seas, suppressing chaos. Others carried river runes, allowing them to reverse the flow of mighty rivers with a mere gesture. However, this process required a special profession to assist these rune cultivators—to constantly modify and engrave their runes, making them more refined and perfect.This profession came to be known as Rune Engraving.

# FOLLOWERS Her mother was a top actress while her father was a famous director. After Ning Youguang played a cameo role in her father’s movie at the age of seven, the entire entertainment industry waited for her to grow up. Her debut could possibly be the most awaited highlight within the industry. This was in part, thanks to the reality show, The Prosperous Beauty, which was one of the highest-grossing TV shows at that time. It helped to garner millions of fans on Ning Youguang's anonymous blog. Yet, Ning Youguang didn’t want to be a star or appear in the limelight. She only wanted to make an honest living as a doctor and accumulate merits in her life, so that she would not have to suffer an early death once again. Wouldn't it be much better if she could enjoy a regular and disciplined lifestyle where she could spend time planting flowers, raising cats, and living to a ripe old age? She never had a chance to do any of that in her previous life! But Youguang never imagined that she would meet Shi Wangyue. He was one of her patients in her previous life, who had not been cured of his ailments due to her premature death. When her mother brought Shi Wangyue, who was also her half-brother, on a reality show, he appeared distracted. Host to him, “Are you speechless because you are awe-struck by all these beautiful ladies?” Her younger brother looked at the female stars who were dubbed as ‘Prosperous Beauties’ on the show, and said with disapproval, “They’re okay. They only possess one percent of my sister’s beauty.” Everyone was shocked, and this created an uproar in the entertainment circle. It also became the #1 trending topic on Weibo’s hot search. Her mother couldn't agree more with her younger brother’s words, “My daughter is absolutely amazing.” One day, a photo of Ning Youguang was accidentally leaked to the public. Haters of Shi Wangyue proclaimed, “Bro, we’ll never laugh at you again. Is this a beauty that humankind deserves to have among us?”