The Systems Challenge - Chapter 5: The Politician’s System

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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Dear readers! Without any ads, maybe you will prefer .

«Bleh.» — Imp. An Imp, a monster known to kill with a grin, a demon of the world, a creature of incredible might! Something that no force in the world can stand against! At least that’s what the Main Character would like himself to be, the reality is very different, however.

Exactly that Imp stumbles along a path of unfortunate fortunes and grows through it, in a world that hates its very existence.

It grows more intelligent, more powerful, simply better at whatever it needs to do. Amongst other things, that includes raising children, killing Soldiers, and carving wooden figurines for money.

She fought in the Battle of Changping and witnessed the killing of hundreds of thousands. She once led the Qin Iron Calvary and battled against the Six Kingdoms. She has seen a third of the land and witnessed the breaking of mountains and rivers. The sound of a grand zither and the light of a great female emperor. A prosperous world that was forged on the battlefield. Yet, these two thousand years are forgotten from history.

- Description from Novelupdates

With the Heavenly Medical Skills and Peerless Martial Arts under his belt, his master had made him descend the mountain to become a live-in son-in-law, all to temper his character! And his wife was an ice queen, who wouldn't even let him touch her, always wearing a cold expression and even expecting him to fetch water for her footbaths!Now, three years had gone by, and the agreed period had come to an end. Surprisingly, the ice queen of a wife decisively asked for a divorce. But the moment he stepped out of the civil affairs office, he found six stunning beauties standing at the door, whose loveliness made even her feel inferior!The ice queen of a wife, “President Su! You, why are you here?”His senior sister, Su Yumei, “I'm here to pick up my little junior brother! Your former husband!”