Underneath the Silhouette - Chapter 9: You Can’t Call Me Monster

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.

Ye Yang, the son of the Ye Family in Eight Desolate City, was once regarded as a genius. He could awaken his Dantian at the age of three and reach the third level of Qi Condensation at the age of five. But after a few years, He was seen as a person without talent because his cultivation was still stagnant at the age of 16. One day, He was framed and kept in a coma after he was rescued.

Ye Yang was originally an instructor in a special troop. He was 21 years old and sacrificed his life to protect an unknown broken sword which was found on Everest. When he woke up, he became Ye Yang from the Eight Desolate City, unexpectedly obtained the recognition of the broken sword and learned the mysterious cultivation method “God Slaughtering Technique”. He then embarked on a path of cultivating through slaughter.

When he was reborn, he swore, “I won’t let those who offended me off.” He wanted to reach the peak step by step, and also carried the mission to uncover the secret behind the Nine Heavens Mysterious Sword.

- Description from Novelupdates

Hong Heeju is a sign language interpreter who has become mute due to severe depression.For three years of their arranged marriage, she and her husband never exchanged a single conversation.One day, her life takes a harrowing turn when she’s taken hostage.‘Don’t hang up! This isn’t a phishing call…!’However, her husband, who was even worse than a stranger, coldly disconnected the call.– “Call me when a body is found.”***You $%#£! He’s such a jerk!Overwhelmed with anger, Heeju decides to threaten her husband anonymously.The problem is that he was a well-known spokesperson for the Blue House.– “Can’t you send threats on time?”“That…”– “Here I’m anxiously waiting for my blackmailer’s call.”“What do you…”– “Are you playing around with someone else besides me?”“…?”Wait, is this the same sociopath husband I knew?——–TL/N: ‘Blue House’ was the official residence and office of the President of the Republic of Korea from 1948-2022.