Starting from Zero - Chapter 111: To Breach the City

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.

[Female Protagonist Synopsis]:Mia Ginger experienced a trial marriage.Before the trial marriage--Dad said: “Koa Jackson is a postdoctoral fellow, watch your words and deeds.”Mom said: “Since you don't like him anyway, why not let your sister have him.”Brother said: “Shameless, stealing big sister's beloved.”Sister said: “Why didn't you come back a month later!”Mia Ginger didn't understand, she was already seventeen years late, late enough that the whole Ginger Family completely forgot her existence, late enough that the adopted sister occupied seventeen years of affection, late enough that the man she was betrothed to almost became someone else's groom, how much later should she be?Mia Ginger curved her lips: “Grandpa Jackson, I will strive to be worthy of Brother Jackson.”She thought it was out of spite, unaware that upon meeting him again, she discovered he was the big brother lingering in her heart for nearly ten years.At two years old, she got lost, falling from a Rich Family's Daughter to a street beggar, picked up and raised by a masseuse for seventeen years, and upon returning home, she was determined to become the first socialite in upper-class society.[Male Protagonist Synopsis]He is Koa Jackson, the third son of the Jackson Family, elegant and upright, with outstanding looks, the youngest neurosurgery professor in the domestic medical field, known by all.Simply because, at twenty-seven, he remains single.All young ladies want to marry into the Jackson Family, unaware the nobleman was betrothed since birth.In his entire life, he need only remain pure, waiting for one girl to grow up.Before the trial marriage, Koa Jackson had seen his future bride twice.The first time, he was eight, she was eight months. He stood by the bed watching her crawl with her little bottom, finding it amusing, he wrote his name on her sole and said with a smile: “Brother will stamp you.”The second time, he was eighteen, she was ten. He stood by the road watching her sneakily stealing, feeling pity, he took her hand and gave her a hundred yuan, helplessly saying: “Not stealing is a good child.”He's always remembered the first time, long forgotten the second.Unexpectedly, the little girl whose foot he tickled at home always regarded the second time as her life's salvation.[He couldn't partake in her turbulent past, but wholeheartedly takes on her prosperous future; companionship is the most touching confession.]

When I just started college, my mobile phone navigation can automatically find treasure!

Complete the treasure hunt navigation, and you can also get rich rewards!

“92 kilograms of stolen money were detected, complete the treasure hunt navigation, and reward a set of 100 million Zhongtian lake view villas!”

“It is detected that the big star Xia Qiu is about to be in distress, complete the opportunity navigation, and reward 100 million in cash!”

“A piece of 10 jin*head gold is detected, complete the treasure hunt and navigation, and reward Yuanfang Wenchuang with a value of 600 million yuan to purchase 60% of the shares!”

“…”

Looking at the mobile phone’s continuous automatic treasure hunt and the rich rewards after completing the treasure hunt navigation, Ye Feng said:

“From today onwards, the four famous words of the four great masters will come out of my mouth!

- Description from novelbuddy

After a near death experience thanks to his own mother, Jake Hollander has an adverse reaction to people, baseball, and family. His feeling of abandonment is slowly lost thanks to his foster family, The Atkins. They take him in and change his mind about everything. He becomes more open, better at baseball, and craves for family. Slowly all wishes are granted.

Instagram: @writerhalf_empty

https://www.patreon.com/half_empty ~~The Last Curve can be found there, a short story about Rhys


**Names, faces, and places aren’t real. A work of fiction. Nonetheless, it is my work of fiction so please don’t post it without permission. *I have used school names that do exist though, but I would like everyone to know that I have no affiliation with them. Nor do my views reflect their views.