Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 39: Insecurities

“If it’s a barbarian you want, then it’s a barbarian you’ll get!”

Reclaimed by her noble family after being swapped at birth, Qin Yining is bestowed a hellish family instead. Just as she turns her situation around and gains acceptance, her country is plunged into danger instead.

Shades of gray color the world. No side is completely good, and no side is completely evil. Refusing to be a trophy won by men, Qin Yining carves her own path instead. In this absolutely riveting and spellbinding tale, what does our MC do when an entire dynasty is at stake?

I’m a proud NEET who’s devoured every romance novel, manga, webtoon, and otome game out there.Just when I thought I’d conquered it all, a black bunny appeared in my dream.“Congrats! You’ve been chosen to help villains win across multiple worlds!”“Like a game?”“Uh . . . sure.”“Great, I’m in!”And just like that, I became an agent of the Villain System.Time to rewrite some happily-ever-afters—villain style.**[NOTE!]** This novel features multiple short arcs, each exploring different tropes such as ancient China, the modern world, beasts, werewolves, vampires, fantasy, school romance, idol groups—you name it! The twist? Each arc focuses on our MC making the villain (male) triumph over the male and female leads.The story is written primarily in 2nd and 3rd person POV for a dynamic and immersive experience.|| Excerpt ||[WARNING! MATURE Content Ahead!]“Then serve me . . . properly.”The command was both sensual and authoritative, and Xue Li’s pulse quickened under his intense gaze. The air between them grew heavy, her trembling hands faltering as she began to run the sponge across his chest, her touch featherlight against his scars.“Y-yes your majesty.”Xue Li’s hand trembled slightly as she dipped the towel into the warm, fragrant water, her breath catching as she squeezed it out over Han Feng’s shoulders.The water cascaded down his chiseled frame, tracing every ridge and contour of his muscles. She swallowed hard, focusing intently on her task, though her heart raced like a drum in her chest.She began at his shoulders, her touch gentle as the towel glided over his skin. His scars, a mix of old battles and untold stories, caught her attention, and she hesitated for a brief moment before continuing.The warmth of the water mixed with the heat radiating from his body, and the intimacy of the moment sent a shiver up her spine.Han Feng leaned back slightly, watching her through half-lidded eyes, his expression unreadable. “Slower,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that made her pulse skip.Xue Li obeyed, her movements becoming more deliberate as she ran the sponge across his chest, down the defined lines of his abdomen. Each stroke felt unbearably sensual, her fingers brushing his skin as she worked.She tried to maintain her composure, but the proximity to him, the sheer physicality of his presence, made her feel as though the air had thickened.When she reached his arms, he extended one lazily, letting her clean him as though it were his divine right. Her hand moved carefully, trailing down his forearm to his wrist, her touch so soft it almost tickled.Han Feng’s silence was oppressive yet charged, the pressure of his gaze pinning her in place.As she lowered the sponge to his torso again, her hand faltered briefly near the sharp line of his hipbone. The water ran over his skin like liquid fire, and her breath hitched when she noticed the slight curve of his lips, a hint of satisfaction playing there.“You’re trembling,” he said, his voice velvet smooth, making her flinch.“I-It’s the steam, Your Majesty,” she stammered, though she knew it was a poor excuse.Han Feng chuckled softly, the sound deep and rich. “Hmm . . . Is that so? Then you have no problem cleaning my cock right?”Xue Li's eyes trembled, on the verge of tears, which seemed to please Han Feng. His smile grew wider as he urged her on.“Go on. You're going to serve me properly, aren't you?”

Han Tae-Sung, thought he was talented in video games and dreamt of turning his life around through BNW, but he would soon realize that life was not as easy as he thought it was.

He’s betrayed by his comrades, hunted down by his enemies, and even chased by debts in real life. He lost everything in the blink of an eye and was thrown down a pit of despair.

What stood in his way? Talent, wealth, connections, and luck.

There was simply no way he could win against those born differently no matter how much he struggled.

However, armed with a second chance and a hidden class, Tae-Sung starts from scratch and embarks on a journey to redeem himself and exact revenge against his enemies.

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Tunnel Rat is being revised. I have finished the revised manuscript for Book one, which comprises Chapters 1-60.

At some point, the first book will be published on Amazon. A few chapters and an outline of the first book will be left here on RR, and the bulk of chapters 1-60 will be removed, stubbing the book. I will give warning before that happens.

Milo lives in a steel cave within a man-made mountain of steel and concrete. He spends his days repairing the machinery that keeps the habitat livable and tinkering with the prosthetics that help his twisted body move about through the small tunnels and air shafts that are his world. He's as much a piece of discarded machinery as the equipment he keeps running.

Given a chance at being someone different will he become a hero and live in the sunlight? The light beckons, but there are secrets buried in the ground. Ancient mysteries left by races that delved deep and stayed below. Maybe only a tunnel rat could find them?

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