A Stepmother's Marchen - Chapter 38

Ten years after her parents’ divorce, the grandmother who raised Chu Tingwu passed away, leaving her to be shuttled back and forth between relatives.At this moment, an entity claiming to be a “Cub Rearing System” suddenly appeared, wanting to bind itself to her and cultivate her into an outstanding graduate of its program.Just as Chu Tingwu was about to refuse, she saw her personal attributes on the system interface—[Name: Chu Tingwu][Species: Cat]Chu Tingwu: Something’s not right here…Due to a bug, the system had identified her as a kitten.Her stats were those of a cat, but her appearance remained human.How should an exemplary human-cat be raised? Sleeping, causing mischief, eating until she became as round as a pig?However, the reality turned out to be quite different: extreme sports, expert bird-catcher, master mouse-hunter, catching invasive fish barehanded with dynamic vision, using camouflage and tracking skills to film documentaries of rare birds, nearly making the social news as a suspected retired special police officer.For the first lesson in cultivation, the system said gravely:“A cub cannot live alone. We need to find you a cat mother… I’ve already detected a suitable candidate nearby. Go to the target location quickly, little one, and let the cat mother adopt you.”Chu Tingwu looked up as an advertisement fluttered into her hand:[Sunshine Pet Hospital: Limited-time half-price pet neutering, one month of free food with every pet adoption]Chu Tingwu: Who exactly is adopting whom here?

After a disaster, a despised son-in-law quietly undergoes a shocking transformation. With both medical and martial arts skills, a battle for redemption is on the brink of erupting...

It’s a dark room. The man was tall and awe-inspiring, like an emperor. Every time their flesh met, it was as if he was carrying out a merciless punishment.

They had a passionate night of sex, and their souls and bodies felt connected.

Luna did not remember who the man was; she only had vague recollections of his extraordinary body and the long howl at the end of their love-making.

It had sounded like a fierce wolf who had managed to let its soul free. Later on, the ugly and plump Luna discovered that she was pregnant on the eve of her wedding.

Her fiancé, who had always regarded her with disgust, coerced her to break off the engagement, while her family regarded her as their shame. Luna agreed to break off the engagement so that she could give birth to the baby.

However, her firstborn baby boy was taken away by her stepmother and sold at a high price to the rich Julie, who was in urgent need of a baby.

Luna risked her life to give birth to two other daughters. With her brother’s help, she fled the hospital with her daughters.

At that moment, Alpha, the heir of the richest financial group in Europe and who was rumored to be cruel, was in the hospital’s lounge.

He was waiting for the birth of his first child. Ten months ago, Alpha was set up, and he had sex with a woman after he was drugged. He did not remember who the woman was, but Alpha knew that they were soulmates ever since that night. Hence, he wanted to find that woman!

Just then, the daughter of a tycoon, Julie, approached him and said that she was pregnant. It was only then that he learned that he was going to be a father, but what puzzled him was that he did not feel anything with Julie. Five years later, when Luna brought her daughters back, they met. Not only did Luna regain her health and beauty after giving birth, she even gained superhuman strength. Right then, Luna only wanted to find her son and expose her stepmother’s scheme. But Alpha could not stop his heart from racing when he saw her.

He could not stop himself from getting closer to Luna nor stop himself from doing the things he did around her.

Even a simple smile from Luna was a sweet temptation for him. When someone hatched a scheme to kidnap Alpha’s precious son, Luna saved him. But before she could see his face clearly, Alpha took his son away.

With wary eyes, he warned her, “Don’t even think about using the boy to seduce me.”

Luna thought that he must be sick in the head. Sometime later, during a banquet, Alpha grabbed Luna’s arm and spoke gently to her, “I… My son likes you quite a lot. I mean… I like you too.”

Luna stared at his red ears and smiled coquettishly, “Don’t even think about using your son to seduce me.”

In 2173, the world’s first Full-World Virtual MMORPG game ‘Astral Online’ went on sale globally, forever changing the blue planet Asteria!

With its revolutionary Digital Capture System, astonishing graphics and ability to scan yourself into the game with up to 20% beautification, countless defenders rallied to play the game.

Fifty million players logged in on launch. There were no queues or lag on launch, leaving countless critics impressed and willing to try the game. Because the game used a 6-hour play limit a day, it allowed even working adults to keep up with young students and the unemployed.

A resounding success, as more people poured onto the game servers, families and friends alike. Astra Online became a household name overnight.

One month later, the game opened its first RMT system, which made earning a living from the game easier... Thus began the Astral rush!

Professional players formed guilds and factions to increase their profits, but nobody could know this prosperity was a mere joke.

One year later, players fused with their avatars, gaining powerful abilities in the real world, which tipped the power and caused chaos.

Two years later, demons and monsters from inside the game invaded the real world.

Three years later, over 90% of humanity perished, leaving the rest to hide like rats, unable to fight back in fear.

Four years later, this world is no longer ours. The demons march on our last bastions, one by one. They exterminated us.

Zell was an average player who liked to collect beasts in the game and evolve them into humanoids, as they were primarily females.

He spent most of his life working two jobs to make ends meet.

Thanks to the excellent healthcare of his country, there were no crippling debts. There was only emptiness.

When the end came, he was powerless and alone. His only companions were his cute pets and Rika, his cherished Flame Rabbit.

She was the only beast he evolved to a humanoid form after his late start to the game.

He died saving the life of a strange girl with white wings and his pet Rika, the sad eyes of Rika and the girl’s sorrow floating through the air as he slowly passed away.

However, instead of dying, he awoke inside an empty white room with a single computer and a strange, game-like screen that allowed him to edit his IRL avatar and persona.

Who offered him this second chance?

For what reason did they help him?

Can he meet Rika again?

Zell could never know; he only knew his second life’s goal.

Survive!