Shop of the Dead: Shattered Souls - Chapter 23: There Was Never an Escape

Amid the steam of the industrial revolution, mysteries surge beneath the surface. Cults and secret societies seek the extraordinary in the shadows, while hidden gods gaze upon humanity from the heavens.Forbidden knowledge, sacrificial rituals, and forgotten histories—mystery is everywhere.Dorothy, unexpectedly transported to this increasingly bizarre world, discovers that to survive and move forward, she must adhere to one principle:Knowledge is power.And forbidden knowledge?That’s an even greater power!

Darkness is coming, and crisis is everywhere. In this long dark and desperate night, do you want to see a bonfire with warm words? We are that light.

We don’t want to be the little bully who guards one-third of an acre and eats canned food.

We don’t want to drive the harem on a great escape from east to west.

We don’t want to be a bunch of rats guarding rancid cheese in the gutter.

We don’t want to see the panic on your faces and the desperation in your screams.

So we stand up, fight for ourselves, fight for you, fight for humanity!

As long as we are here, the flames of war will never be extinguished.

We light a warm bonfire in the dark night, and watch the dawn with the brilliance of life.

We are the shield of the earth, the patron saint of mankind!

- Description from novelbuddy

In the realm of immortal cultivation, Lu Changsheng traversed as a peasant youth, overlooked by a celestial sect. Yet, endowed with the Multitude Progeny System, he could earn rewards by propagating his lineage, nurturing offspring.Thus, Lu Changsheng began his journey by marrying into a cultivation family, embarking on a path of intrigue, networking, and fostering descendants to expand his family’s cultivation legacy.As the cycles of time passed and epochs changed, countless supreme beings in the realms of immortality, formidable figures in the demonic path, revered saints among the demon races, and peerless beauties rose and fell, fading into the river of years.Only Changsheng’s family endured, immutable through the ages, perpetually existing, towering atop the path of immortality, sharing longevity with the heavens and earth, radiating brilliance akin to the sun and moon.

In the heart of Dirtwich City, the Ruan family’s monthly combat contests draw fighters from all around. Among them, Ruan Xiude, a striking young competitor, stumbles upon a hidden Void. This Void reveals to him a unique attribute panel, visible to him alone. It grants him the Divine Level Duplication System, marking him as its sole chosen wielder. Ruan, once a simple orphan, now emerges as a notable figure in the martial realm of Zenithia Continent. Despite his talents, he’s not seen as the top contender in the Ruan family.Armed with the ability to duplicate martial arts and magical skills, Ruan’s destiny and the world’s balance are poised for a dramatic shift.But what unforeseen consequences will Ruan’s new powers unleash?