Record of a Thousand Lives - Chapter 61

I am currently re-writing the first chapters of this story. They are quite rough and bounce around a lot and I can do better. At some point, I will replace these with the better chapters.Sometime in 2024 Aethon Books will publish the first volume of this story on Amazon, KU, and audible. This will mean the story will be stubbed. I will notify people far in advance of that.In the dystopian world of the future, life is rough when you live at the bottom. Jobs are non-existent. Far too many people live in poverty, crammed into huge buildings called Habitats. With no jobs in the real world, many people can only find work online in VR worlds as servants to the very rich. And it's getting worse. The old internet is unusable and hacked to pieces. The new system needs AI to run things, but all but one of them were destroyed. The last sentient AI is ordered to create a new game world so the rich can have a playground, and the corporations that rule the world can have a new global market place. Everyone wants a piece of the new game. The guilds are competing to be the first to find the dungeons and kill the biggest monster. The corporations are claiming land and putting in their online market places. Ozzy and his friends just want a paycheck.Four friends sign five year contracts as virtual serfs in a small village, and can't go adventuring at all to gain money. They don't have many choices. They can work as a blacksmith, barmaid and shepherd for all those years....or they can cheat and find ways to take advantage of the system and carve out a section of the game world for themselves, and earn a fortune in the real world.When they give you a mop and not a sword, you have to find the loopholes and change the rules.

Elia is a poor university student until the night she’s taken to the world of the Anima—ruled by humans whose ancient hearts pulse with the blood of animals. There she’s forced into a battle to the death. But when Elia survives, and refuses to kill her final opponent, the King must either kill Elia himself, or take her as his mate.

Reth, the brutal King of the Beasts with the blood of lions, shocks everyone when he chooses the weak, human Elia to become his Queen. He promises her every comfort of his wealth and position—but he is clear: She will not warm his bed. He chose her to defeat those that were trying to corner him into blending his Leonine line with the Wolves.

Elia needs the help of the Anima to become stronger and rule them well. But the vengeful Wolves see only a weak human that brought them shame. As Elia and Reth grow closer, the wolves are determined to destroy her. Will Reth and Elia admit their feelings for each in time to fight for the Kingdom—and their lives—against the villainous wolf-tribe? Or will the wolves kill Elia and steal the throne?

[Mature content - no sexual violence]

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He stalked towards her, chin low so the shadow cast by his hard jaw cut across the thick fur collar of his vest. His hair had fallen over his eyes in the scuffle, so he peered at her through it like a lion in the grass. With each step, his graceful, rolling gait reminded her of a predator stalking its prey. Despite the forest floor littered in twigs and leaves, he didn’t make a sound.

“Wh-who are you?” Elia stammered, backing away, her hands up. He met her step for step until she came up hard against the tree behind her—and didn’t stop until he loomed over her, so broad his shoulders and chest made a wall in front of her. She could feel the heat rising off his skin in the cool, night air.

“I am the Leonine King.” His voice was a dark, husky gravel. Behind him a chorus of wheezes, howls, and chirps of agreement rose from the people watching. “And you are?”

“Elia,” she breathed.

“Elia,” he growled, leaning in closer, bringing with him the scent of pine and rain and the musk of something distinctly male. “I am Reth.” He said the name with a strange, guttural roll in his throat. “I am King of Beasts. I am Clan Leader, and I am Alpha of WildWood.” Several snarls rose from the crowds behind him then, but he ignored them.

Elia swallowed as he leaned in until the scruff on his jaw rasped her cheek. “I am the King,” he said, “And you will be my mate.”

The forest behind him erupted.

【You will encounter gongs in different worlds with different temperaments and different emotions. They are fine and loyal dogs. 】

【You are superior in appearance, they will love you at first sight, willing to sacrifice all, but soon they will get bored, betray, cheat】

【You are vengeful, and want to take revenge on that slag gong】

“Can.” Qin Mu then put forward his own requirements. “To fall in love, they first must have a good waist and long legs. The abdominal muscles must have eight blocks to satisfy me. As for the face, I am not superficial, as long as it’s of the highest quality I don’t mind.”

The thieves are caught, and those slag gongs take for granted that because Qin Mu loves them, he will choose to forgive them.【Smile】

However Qin Mu, who is cold to the bones, only smokes a cigarette and expresses his deep love to a new lover. “Beauty, I want to be with you.”

The slag gongs, “Please come back to me, I will never leave you… If you don’t agree and continue to hook up with other people, then I can only break your legs and lock you up. From now on, only I can see you.”

- Description from Novelupdates

After centuries of ruling the underworld with terrifying power, Lilith dies in an epic battle, only to be reborn in the human world. But instead of a grand rebirth as a queen of darkness, she's reincarnated as something far more mundane—a secretary. Rather than despair, Lilith finds this new life amusing. After all, who would suspect the devil herself to be working a 9-to-5?Settling into her new reality, Lilith embraces her role, living in a luxurious apartment and working diligently in her office. Though her devilish instincts are hard to suppress, she's determined to be the perfect secretary. But when people push her too far, the devil within still comes out to play.When a creep in the office dares to look at her the wrong way, she calmly fixes her gaze on him. “You keep staring like that, and I'll show you what a broken wrist feels like.” The man quickly scurries away, leaving Lilith with a satisfied smirk.Even the rich, entitled girl from accounting isn't safe from her wrath. “You think you can push me around just because you've got money? I've burned entire kingdoms for less. Don't test me.” She says this with a calm smile, her eyes glinting dangerously.The day continued like that—stopping creeps in their tracks, putting rude heiresses in their place, and being the flawless secretary she intended to be. But, of course, her boss—the CEO—had his eyes on her, more curious than ever. And while the entire office might fear her or wonder about her, she remained blissfully indifferent. This was fun. And she wasn't here to impress anyone but herself.Who knew being a secretary could be so... interesting?