Starting from Zero - Book 3 - Chapter 3 – Steel Beast

A 21st-century tech manager, accidentally thrust into the body of Emperor Commodus—yes, the infamous villain played by Joaquin Phoenix—has one goal: not to die like him.Armed with his wits and a hyper-intelligent AI on a solar-powered laptop, he must navigate the treacherous politics of ancient Rome. Everyone, including his own sister, expects the arrogant, decadent tyrant. Instead, they find a calculating reformer. But as he tries to avert the fall of the empire, he discovers that being a “good” emperor might be even more dangerous than being the monster everyone is waiting for.

A cursed CD game falls from the sky. I boot it up, build a ridiculously handsome villain with broken talents, and just as I hit “Start”—boom, I get electrocuted.Now I’ve reincarnated as Lucien Caelum Valebrandt, a six-year-old noble and the infamous villain who helped the Abyssians win the last war.Every 500 years, the Abyssian King is reborn. But when the 16 chosen heroes of this generation lost against the battle of the Abyssian King because of my character, the Goddess panicked—and rewound time.Now those same heroes remember everything… and they want me dead.Even though I just got here.All I wanted was to play a game. Now I’m the villain blamed for destroying the world.

The footsteps sounded closer, and closer, and closer, until he faintly heard Siri's voice welcoming someone into the house, but before he could open his eyes to see who it was, he felt a large hand gripping his neck, his legs were locked tightly between much larger ones, and, he felt the cold metal of a gun placed directly on his...gun.Zeno quickly opened his eyes from instincts, ready to fight off his attacker, but the moment he did so, he was met with mesmerizing dark grey orbs, staring dangerously at him.The face of his attacker was too close, he couldn't make out his features, but he knew they were sharp, even from a closed look.He didn't bother fighting, he didn't want to lose his junior member down there, and his Nana still expected grandchildren from him. He couldn't disappoint her.“Who. Are. You?” The voice of his attacker was so deep, dark, and commanding.Zeno was a fighter, but he felt a chill run down his spine from the sound of the voice.The hand around Zeno's neck tightened, but he endured it, he was a fighter.Judging by his attacker's looks and actions of confidence, this was his boss.~~~After losing his parents and being faced with an unbelievable medical bill, Zeno Evander finds himself working as a Manny for a mysterious Billionaire, but it doesn't last long; after almost being killed by the Mafia billionaire, Zeno swore never to return to that place again.But after a week of escaping the Mafia billionaire, Zeno finds himself kidnapped and Blackmailed into signing a year's contract as the Mafia's Manny and bodyguard.Could Zeno escape his evil and monstrous boss? Or would he be consumed by him? Consumed by the forbidden passion he felt build up between them? Would he risk his life just to experience the burn of forbidden love?After the betrayal from his family, ex-wife, and friend five years ago, Sebastian Orion became a totally different being.He became cold, aloof, and dangerous as he rose to become the most feared Mafia king of the underworld, and everyone who heard his name shivered from fear.He distrusted everyone and hated any form of human relationships, building a thick wall around himself.But, not until his son's manny came into the picture.Zeno irritated him in every way, he hated the mere sight of his bodyguard and would have chosen to kill him if not for the sake of his son.Sebastian always tried to push Zeno away by treating him in the lowest way possible.But when the contract was coming to an end, were his feelings still the same? Or did he suddenly realize that it wasn't only his son that needed Zeno?~~~“What are you waiting for? Leave!” Sebastian snarled bitterly.He would have to speak with Butler Nicole to find out why he brought back this stupid clown to his house.He had just returned from yet another trip, just to find this nuisance in his house again.He hated Zeno so much; he was classless and looked extremely dangerous to be near his son; who knew if he was sent as a snitch by an enemy?“I'm sorry, boss, but I can't,” Zeno said and stood his ground.Leaving would mean he wanted his Nana to die; no, he'd rather stay here and take all punches that came his way; he was used to it.“What?!” Sebastian couldn't believe that such stupid people were still existing in the world.“I can't leave,” Zeno repeated.

The empire has turned into the land of the undead due to a spell gone wrong. God summoned heroes from countless worlds to purify the empire and plant new hope. Lee Shin Woo, an ordinary earthling, was also summoned. As an undead, that is.