THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY - Chapter 49: HEARTSTRINGS

One day, I – a high schooler – found a paperback in the hospital. The “Disease Coexistence Journal” was its title. It was a diary that my classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, had written in secret. Inside, it was written that due to her pancreatic disease, her days were numbered. And thus, I coincidentally went from Just-a-Classmate to a Secret-Knowing-Classmate. It was as if I were being drawn to her, who was my polar opposite. However, the world presented the girl that was already suffering from an illness with an equally cruel reality…

The best-selling, award-winning debut work by Yoru Sumino:

“Bestsellers 2016 (Overall) by NIPPAN” – 4th Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Paperback Fiction) by NIPPAN” – 1st Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Overall) by TOHAN” – 5th Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Literary Books) by TOHAN” – 1st Place

“Bookstore Grand Prix 2016” – 2nd Place

“DA VINCI BOOK OF THE YEAR 2015” – 2nd Place

“Bestsellers 2015 (Literary Books) by TOHAN” – 6th Place

As of May 2017, this book has sold over 1.2 million copies.

“21 days. 7 hundred million won. 29 strangers. One unforgettable man.” Yoon Ji-won never planned to become a substitute driver. He never planned to be locked inside a building for 21 days with 29 dangerously attractive men. And he definitely didn’t plan to have his world turned upside down by a smooth-talking younger guy who won’t leave him alone. After a mysterious interview, Ji-won is thrown into a secretive, high-stakes project with an offer too tempting to refuse. The rules? Obey. Stay. Survive. But when he meets “Number Three,” everything starts to unravel. Cold stares. Lingering touches. A spark that turns into a fire he can't put out. Is it destiny? Or just another trap? For readers who crave intense power dynamics, isolated tension, and twisted attraction wrapped in a sleek, modern BL thriller.

The world froze.Literally froze. The chattering students, the falling cherry blossoms outside the window, even the dust motes in the air – all suspended in perfect stillness.“Oh wonderful hero,” a melodious voice echoed through the room. “Your world faces a terrible crisis, and you have been chosen to—”“No,” he said flatly.A pause. Then a shimmer of golden light coalesced into the form of a beautiful woman in flowing robes. She blinked at him. “I... what?”“I said no. I'm not interested in whatever quest or destiny you're selling. Pick someone else.”The goddess's perfect features creased in confusion. “But... but you've been chosen! The prophecy speaks of a warrior with a fierce spirit, one who—”“Lady, I don't care about your prophecy. I've got enough problems here without adding some fantasy world's issues to the mix. Now un-freeze time and leave me alone.”“You don't understand,” she pressed. “Our world is being ravaged by the Demon King's armies! Millions will die without—”

“Every person has an equal amount of 8 skill holder slots. There are normal skills such as 【Physical Strength】 which takes up 1 slot, but there are also rare skills which take up 4 to 5 slots, or even rarer ones which take up all 8 slots.”

Is what old man Hinga taught me at the Orb Mine, where skill orbs are unearthed.

But we “s*aves” could not acquire skills due to Contract Magic, thus s*aves had no future.

On one fateful day.

The noble who owned the mine, that is, our “Master”, came to visit the Orb Mine.

Due to a sudden earthquake, the ceiling collapsed. Rocks fell directly on the noble’s head. And he died.

At that moment, our contract magic disappeared.

The clever s*aves ran straight to the warehouse where the skill orbs were stored.

They absorbed rare skill orbs, and used their newfound abilities and magic to defeat the guards and escaped the mine.

It was a riot.

I was too late to pick up a skill orb.

“–It’s over. I will be forced back into being a s*ave,” I despaired.

But just then, I saw a skill orb that shouldn’t exist.

An orb which used 10 skill holder slots -【All Things In Creation 《World Ruler》】

A non-standard skill orb that would be of no interest to anyone but researchers because no soul in the world could use it.

However, I was able to absorb 【World Ruler】.

Why? That’s because I was a “reincarnated person.”

I had 8 more skill holder slots than an average person, for a total of 16 slots.

The mine is besieged and there is only one exit. A mysterious skill 【World Ruler】 in my hand.

What do I do now?