That Time an American was Reincarnated into Another World - Chapter 232: Southern Village

Arnold never thought his gaming skills would land him in a romance novel—as a doomed side character, no less. To survive, he hijacks the heroine's “system,” bending the story to his will. But when he dodges a deadly duel, he catches the eye of the heroine, Lara, his own step sister—and her love is a dangerous game. Arnold must outwit the plot and his step sister who's not afraid to kill for love. In this LitRPG romance gone wrong, survival isn't just about beating the system—it's about escaping the heart of a yandere.

As long as the land is square, Yan Bicheng should divide the world into four parts.
The dark organization “Ruyimen” has abducted children for many years, trained them as assassin agents, and sent them to the families of various countries for use in order to collect a lot of secrets, and gradually extended their evil hands to the court.
Feng Xiaoya, the favored minister of the King of Yan, suffers from bone melting disease. She is unparalleled in her “sickness and beauty”. For some reason, she abandons the eleventh wife, Qiu Jiang, and puts her under house arrest in the mountains. Qiu Jiang, who has forgotten his past, fled alone on a stormy night. After several twists and turns, on the way back, he met Yi Fei, the third prince of Cheng who was in trouble in a foreign land.
One wants to regain memory, the other wants to regain the throne. The two people who are incompatible with each other walk side by side towards Cheng in a bloody storm… but they find that the Ruyi Gate, which has been entrenched in Chengjing for a hundred years like a poisonous snake, seems to have undergone an unknown shock… …
The situation of the Four Kingdoms is back, and there is only one goal – to eradicate the evil organization Ruyimen!
However, as Qiu Jiang’s memory slowly recovered, a unparalleled secret finally surfaced…
Mrs. Ruyi, who is it? There is another mystery behind Ji Ying’s death?
What is the purpose of this return journey after a narrow escape, and where does it go?

- Description from novelbuddy

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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