Penitent - Chapter 59: Aelven Echoes

There was a popular comic that captured the hearts of readers not because of its plot, but rather the bromance between the two protagonists, a crown prince and a duke. Their friendship & mutual trust led fans to ship them endlessly, with countless fanfiction stories ranging from dating to marriage or even incorporating omegaverse settings.One particular m-preg fanfic novel became extremely popular among fans, where the previously cold duke becomes pregnant.But the popularity of both the original comic and this novel caused everything to become unbalanced, until something strange happened - these works of fiction turn into real worlds that collided, creating an error that connected them together.In the world of the comic:Carlton from the fanfic world gazed up at his husband with longing eyes. “Husband...” He pouted, “Why don't you kiss me today?”Alaric from the comic world recoiled slightly and goosebumps broke out over his skin as he moved away. “Please don't come close to me...” He said tersely.Meanwhile, in another world:Alaric from the fanfic world, pulled his beloved Carlton into a warm embrace and peppered kisses on his cheeks. “Darling, are you mad at me?” Alaric asked affectionately. “It's okay, you're still cute.” He leaned down to whisper into his ear before continuing. “But don't forget to comfort all our children, they think you're mad at them.”Suddenly, seven children barged into the room and called out to their fathers. “Father, Daddy!” they exclaimed.Carlton's frozen expression spoke volumes about his state of mind as he tried to process what was happening. His murderous gaze fixed on Alaric as he muttered through gritted teeth. “Whose children do you say they are....?”

A mysterious car accident caused her to be bedridden for three years.

After Ning Qing woke up, she learned two things.

One was that her elder twin sister had died in a car accident three years ago.

The other was that she had already married someone.

Her husband was Nian Lie, the eldest son of the Yan family who owned the biggest conglomerate in Yan City.

He treated her as a substitute for her elder sister. While he put her through torture, he would tell her that he loved her with reddened eyes.

Initially, Ning Qing wanted to divorce him, but later on, she indulged in his ambiguous love.

Until she stood outside the wedding venue where he was about to marry another woman.

Her heart was dead. Nothing was worth holding back anymore.

She wanted to escape, but she was unwilling to let him live the rest of his life peacefully.

Hence, under the reporters’ flashing lights, she stepped onto the bridge and jumped off with her nearly due baby…

Lin Wudao has traversed, and there is an invincible corpse collection system.

As long as you collect the corpses for the strong, you can get the things they owned or touched as rewards during their lifetime, and the obtained items are still strengthened.

Lowest, ten times stronger!

[You collected the corpse of the great emperor Jiang Taichu, and gained ten thousand years of cultivation! 】

[You collected the body of your fiancée Jiang Qingxue, obtained the Zichen Sword, a humane spirit weapon, and after strengthening it ten times, it was upgraded to become an extreme spirit weapon, the Xuantian Ancient Sword! 】

[You collected the bones of an immortal, obtained a ray of immortal origin, enhanced it by 100,000 times, and upgraded it to become the original origin of Hongmeng. After refining it, you can be promoted to the immortal emperor! 】

…

Since obtaining the invincible corpse collection system, Lin Wudao has embarked on an invincible road that can push through the ages and suppress the heavens.

- Description from novelbuddy

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.