Versatile Mage: Starting with the White Tiger Pendant - Chapter 3: Magic Awakening

Jiang Mian initially became famous in the entertainment circle with just one photo, in which the woman looked stunningly beautiful and unforgettable with a lazy, indulgent smile directed at the camera.Despite her beauty that captivated everyone, her acting skills were criticized, and the internet labeled her a “vase beauty.” Yet she didn’t care at all, “Is it my fault for being too beautiful?”#MyBeautySealsMyActingSkills#Since Jiang Mian entered the circle, she had been showered with endless resources, becoming so arrogant it made others jealous.Even her manager couldn't stand it anymore, “I say, ancestor, should I send you for a makeover, get you cleaned up?”Jiang Mian: “I don't want to.”Later, everyone unexpectedly saw Jiang Mian on the most popular variety show, and the internet sneered and questioned it.What shocked her was encountering her “missing husband.”During the recording: “Jiang Mian, you're 30 seconds late, you're penalized!”In private: “Wife, I was wrong, I'll kneel as punishment!”Latter, Jiang Mian gained countless fans from this show.North City's new CEO of Fu’s, Fu Sichen, had a sharp eye and acted decisively, creating a sensation in the entire financial sector as soon as he took office.One day, at an event, when Jiang Mian was asked about her ideal type, she didn't hesitate and said, “Definitely has to be manly! And if he has a sexy wheatish complexion, it would really hit the spot for me.”Fu Sichen: ?? Where did the wheatish complexion come from?After the event, Jiang Mian gave the man at home a fright, “Fu Sichen, you... why did you tan?”The man hung his head and looked at the woman in his arms, “I wanted to hit the spot in your heart.”—I love you, no turning back.

She spent the night with the man who destroy her country, fleeing with their child in her arms. With that, she believed their relationship had come to an end. “Even if he’s another man’s child, even if he’s not of my blood, or even if he’s the child of a bastard, I’ll raise him as my own.” Until he came to her with eyes as ferocious as a beast. “Don’t even think about running away using the boy as an excuse. I’m still struggling to control the urge to crush the little creature that took you away from me.”

Isabella was supposed to be sipping champagne at a luxury spa, not waking up in the middle of a forest. Worse, a SYSTEM had attached itself to her like some clingy ex, spouting nonsense about survival, quests, and—oh, hell no—manual labor.“System, I was NOT built for the wilderness! My ideal ‘roughing it’ experience involves a five-star hotel with bad WiFi!”Now, instead of lounging in silk robes, she’s being ordered to farm? To hunt?“A farming quest? You want me—a city girl—to grow food? System, I once killed a cactus by overwatering it. This is NOT my calling!”And don’t even get her started on the hygiene situation.“You want me to bathe in a cold river? Darling, I require warm water, scented oils, and an ambience! What do I look like—some barbarian?!”Unfortunately, the locals—big, muscular beastmen—don’t seem to understand the concept of self-care. The women? Neglecting their skin like it’s a crime to be radiant. The men? Walking hygiene disasters.“Ladies, if your man can smell you before he sees you, we have a problem.”“You see this? This is lotion. It exists so you don’t look like a dried-up leaf. Use it.”“A beard should be majestic, not tragic. Let me fix it.”And the beastmen? They don’t just stare at her like she’s an oddity. No, they hover. They smirk. They lean in too close, fangs flashing with amusement.“Why do you keep looking at me like that?” she huffed, crossing her arms.The panther grinned, his tail flicking. “Because you’re fascinating when you’re annoyed.”No, absolutely not. She was not here for this nonsense.“If you have time to stare, you have time to moisturize.”She didn’t ask to be here. She didn’t ask to be their savior. But if she has to suffer through this world, she’s making everyone around her suffer less—through skincare, style, and some serious attitude.“If I hear one more ‘We don’t season our food here,’ I’m launching a war.”“If you have time to gossip, you have time to do squats.”“You want to impress a woman? Start with not smelling like the battlefield.”Survival isn’t just about fighting monsters; it’s about looking good while doing it. So what if the System keeps throwing impossible quests her way?“What do you mean ‘you can’t skip quests’?! Since when?! Where is the skip button?! I demand a skip button!”But somewhere between dodging ridiculous quests and fixing these people’s tragic grooming habits, Isabella found herself in situations. Uncomfortable, heart-racing situations.Like being trapped against a tree by the red python, his red eyes half-lidded as he murmured, “You talk too much, little star. Should I silence you?”Like waking up with the lion lord’s fur-lined cloak draped over her shoulders, his deep voice gruff, “You shiver in your sleep. I’ll fix that.”Like the phoenix watching her every move, his burning gaze searing into her skin as he mused,“You cause chaos wherever you go, but I find that I don’t mind.”Oh, hell. No. She was not about to fall for four beastmen. She was too pretty for this much stress.“If you insult me again, I’ll make sure your soul needs a beauty upgrade.”“I refuse to be disrespected by anyone who dresses like an unwashed tree branch.”And yet, when a rival tribe came to challenge her, when danger lurked too close, those same beastmen stood beside her—smirking, taunting, fighting for her.“A beastman growled at me today. I growled back. He ran. I am the alpha now.”Isabella isn’t just surviving. She’s thriving. And this world better keep up.

The year was 2026, and the world wasn't what it used to be. Ever since the Abyss Gates cracked open three years ago, spilling monsters and dungeons across the planet, life had turned into a chaotic mess. Cities were half-ruined, half-rebuilt, and people clung to whatever normalcy they could find. Hunters—those brave or crazy enough to fight the monsters—became the new heroes. Everyone else? Well, they just tried to survive.Fin wasn't a Hunter. He wasn't a hero either.He was just… Fin. A lanky 19-year-old with messy brown hair, a chipped front tooth from a dumb skateboard accident, and a power that everyone called useless. Absorption. Sounds cool, right? Like he could suck up energy or steal someone's strength. Nope. All it did was let him “feel” things he touched a little more than normal. He could tell you the exact texture of a brick wall or how warm a coffee mug was—big whoop. No fireballs, no super strength, no flashy moves. Just a glorified touchy-feely trick.“Fin, you gonna eat that sandwich or just stare at it like it's gonna confess its life story?” Meg's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.He blinked and looked across the rickety table at his best friend. Meg was short, loud, and had a wild mop of dyed purple hair that she swore made her look “intimidating.” It didn't.