Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey - Chapter 9: The 5 Big City [Edited]

Rex was an ordinary salaryman, resigned to a dull life of monotony in a towering megacity. But his world shatters when he’s conscripted by Nexum Dynamics, a ruthless megacorporation, and thrust into a brutal war for a barren, alien world. The planet holds unimaginable riches, but it’s also swarming with the Krhyssari, an insectoid race that dominates the surface with their hive-mind precision and relentless aggression. Amid the carnage, Rex had an extraordinary encounter with Cleo, an ancient AI, a survivor of a long-extinct civilization. Cleo isn’t just an artificial intelligence; she’s a consciousness imbued with memories of her people’s interstellar empire and equipped with advanced bio-nanotechnology. Offering Rex a new purpose and unmatched power, she transforms his fragile human body into a hybrid of living metal and flesh, making him the ultimate weapon. But Cleo is more than a tool of war. As she journeys alongside Rex, her cold, logical algorithms evolve, shaped by his humanity. Together, they form a bond that transcends the boundaries of man and machine, discovering love in the midst of chaos. As Rex and Cleo fight for survival, they uncover a shared ambition, to rise as intergalactic overlords, uniting or conquering the galaxy.

Lane Allen, an A-rank Guide, got injured on an emergency mission suppressing a dungeon break, and perished in his almost-lover’s arms.As the remaining members of his team continued to fight for their lives, in a fancy apartment in a distant part of the city, a young man opened his eyes.“Phew… That hurt like hell…”“It’s a bit of a shame to switch so soon… But I guess it is what it is.”“Anyway, who should I become next?”Actually, Lane Allen was not a Guide, but rather an Esper with a mysterious Plunder ability! It allowed him to possess other people’s bodies, and steal their awakened abilities. Keeping his real body safe, Lane could enjoy life to the fullest, constantly swapping identities, and doing whatever he wanted without ever worrying about the consequences! How great was that?Except…Damien Lennox grabbed Lane’s arm, and pressed him against the wall, his clear green eyes staring down at Lane intently, as if he could see right through him. “There’s no one else whose guidance feels so harsh and chaotic, yet pleasing at the same time.”It seems that Damien was somehow able to recognize Lane even after switching identities, and is unwilling to let him go?

This is a story about exploring technology in a wizarding world.Probability, electromagnetic induction, nuclear physics and theory of relativity—all of this can be mastered through scientific exploration and learning.Richard had always thought so… until he transmigrates to a world similar to the Middle Ages and becomes a prince. In this world of wizard and magic, he embarks on a journey to explain magic with science. One day, a dragon takes him away.“This is not in line with aerodynamics? It does not satisfy the Kutta condition, Circulation Theory of Lift and Bernoulli's principle either? How can it fly? Is there a special power source in its body?” Richard could not help saying as he glances down at the huge dragon he was riding on. “Well, I need to research this.”“By the way, you said you kidnapped me to find a playmate for your daughter. That doesn't sound like a good reason, right?”“Roar!” the dragon hollers furiously and waves its wings, soaring into the sky.Will Richard be able to continue on his journey of exploration and unravel the mystery of the wizarding world?

October is a woman who was cold and devoid of emotions. This was true, until she met Lexus who let her experience a whirlwind of emotions she never thought she had with a gift she never thought she'll receive.Lanna October Park is the calm and charismatic Assistant Director of the Halo Company. She talks only when needed and was not yet seen smiling by her colleagues which made her known as the Halo Company's Ice Director. But unknown to them, she was in fact the eldest daughter of the Park Real Estate Empire of the whole City D.Indifferent with her family's wealth, she decided to be independent and climb the ranks in the business world using her own capability but her stepmother is more threatened by her and so baked a lot of schemes to bring her down and make her unfit to inherit the business.Because October let her guard down for just once, she fell for one of her stepmother's schemes and was then became the talk of the city the very next day.Unbeknownst to her stepmother, the man she was with was in fact the notorious CEO, Lexus Song.Getting her innocence was one but getting pregnant was another making her career and work credibility being questioned.“I'll take responsibility.” He said.“No need. I'm already responsible enough to take care of my child.” She rejected and turned to leave but was then yanked back and bumped into his hard chest.“Then take responsibility to me.” He said shamelessly as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “You took my innocence so you have to take responsibility, dear wife.”