Rising Phoenix - Chapter 9

Okay, so let me get this straight. I wake up and BAM, I'm inside the body of Valerian Thorne—a third-rate villain. I mean, come on? Out of all the characters I might have been reincarnated as, it had to be him? This man was literally a stepping stone for the actual hero. So why him? Why not someone with a little more. potential?Now that I have a system that can unleash Valerian's hidden potential, who knows? Perhaps this third-rate villain will get a second chance, alter his destiny, and prove the world what he is truly capable of. And if I happen to get to keep the gorgeous fiancée in the process. well, I'm not complaining.

A third-rate painter in the past life, and a chaebol in this life.

I thought it was a rebirth flow, but it turned out to be a system flow. I wanted to rely on myself, but you let me use a plug-in.

“Ding! Congratulations on successfully signing in to Mao Lilan. You will be rewarded with a Dacheng-level “Karate”, which the host can receive at any time.”

“Ding! Congratulations on successfully signing in Gin Wine, and a reward of [Servant Contract], which the host can receive at any time.”

“Ding! Congratulations to Suzuki Ayako for successfully signing in, and you will be rewarded with a copy of “Cash Capability”, which the host can receive at any time.”

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- Description from novelbuddy

Lu Chen woke up to find himself participating in a live-streamed creative competition show!Contestants were tasked with creating works based on themes given by the show.When the theme ‘Countryside’ was announced, other participants quickly began crafting heartwarming rural stories, tales of pastoral love, and picturesque depictions of harmony and simplicity.Lu Chen decided to take the road less traveled—he wanted to blow the audience away!He chose ‘Operation Icebreaker’ as his inspiration.At first, the audience thought they were getting a story about rural development. But as the plot unfolded, something felt… off.A village of 20,000 people, every household with the same type of large pot, and a full-scale drug production operation?The internet exploded.[Countryside theme, and you’re writing about a drug-making village getting rich together?]The producers were in chaos.We said countryside! What’s this Taizhai nonsense?Lu Chen, unfazed, replied, “Director, rural anti-drug campaigns are a countryside theme. Now, are we sticking to the theme or not?”And thus, the Master of Sticking to the Theme was born.Given the theme Fishmonger, he wrote The Legend of Gao Qiqiang.

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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