THE FOOL - Chapter 21: Behind the Mask

When Dirga signs a mysterious contract, his world is turned upside down. Shadows stretch, reality bends, and he’s thrown into a brutal game where power means survival — and the cost is everything.Guided by a devil with a smile too wide and a past too deep, Dirga must train body, mind, and soul in a realm where death is never far and every choice echoes beyond comprehension.Armed with evolving powers and a weapon tied to his very will, he steps into a world ruled by chaos, facing monsters, trials, and truths that were never meant to be uncovered.But in a game designed by devils, with rules no one fully understands — how far can conviction carry a man who fights not to conquer… but to protect?

After Chu Zheng was inexplicably judged to be dead, the only trouble was – spending money.

Since the binding of this system, her waist has not been sore, her legs have not hurt, and she is not even breathing. She lives in fear of spending money every day.

System: Let’s set a small goal and defeat it by 100 million… Miss, stop! Don’t just turn on the invincible mode! (▼ dish▼#)

Chuzheng: Can you first explain what this thing holding my thigh is?

Something: Baby, you can do whatever you want.

Chuzheng: (touching the knife) Well, then I’m welcome.

System: Miss, please put down the butcher knife! ! (▼へ▼メ)

#Miss, you can really do whatever you want, find out#

- Description from novelbuddy

Shocking! Southgate's number one wealthy family, the Hawthorne Family, wants to choose a mother for the young prince, and the North Family's fake daughter will become the Young Madam of the Hawthorne Family by arranged marriage.The fake daughter occupies a magpie's nest, is uneducated, and has a child out of wedlock, causing everyone in the circle to be against her.Everyone is waiting for the Hawthorne Family to kick her out.Raina North is also waiting.However——Breaking news! The Hell King Hawthorne kneels on the street to put shoes on his beloved wife's feet.Breaking news! The Hell King Hawthorne spends three billion to buy an unclaimed island, and fake daughter Raina North happily becomes the island owner.Breaking news! The space agency discovers a new planet, and an unknown wealthy businessman purchases the naming rights. The world now has a 'Raina Star'.The gossip watchers are a bit stunned, and Raina North, who is sharpening her knives for a battle, is also a bit stunned.What the hell is the starry sea, when the plan was supposed to be a flash marriage and a flash divorce leading to the pinnacle of life?Divorce, must divorce.Bobby says: “Agree, I'm with Mommy.”The second child says: “Agree, maintenance should be a hundred billion first.”The third child says: “Agree, I'll immediately call Daddy Jiang, Uncle Ling, Brother Bo... They've been waiting for this day for many years.”A certain man, carrying the newborn fourth child, sighs and continues to feed.

Balthazar was just a random giant crab enjoying his life in a fantasy world full of bothersome human adventurers, but then he had to go and accidentally discover the secret of attributes and levels. And also pie. With baked goods and coin as his new life goals, he turns to the competitive business of trading the random junk adventurers loot every day.Follow Balthazar as he does everything to find a baker... except leave his pond, because exploring the dangerous world out there is for suckers. Witness how adventurers just can't seem to stop dying around his home. And cheer for a crab who makes great new friends by simply buying them.Book 2 is out now, with new chapters every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, fresh off the bakery!What to expect from this story:- No harems, not unless they're a harem of gold coins.- Silliness, lots of it. The story doesn't take itself too seriously, so you shouldn't either.- The only kind of OP here is how “overpriced” the crab's deals are.- A system simple enough for a crab to use, but still conveniently complex when necessary, for some odd reason.- Proper realistic adventurers: they're not very bright, and they make very poor decisions.- Did I mention there will be pastries?