JACKAL AMONG SNAKES - Chapter 473: Silhouettes to Fill

In a world where reality shifts with every roll of the dice, a man daily partakes in an extraordinary game with the gods, his actions dictated by his decisions and the face of the dice. He takes great joy in this game until the tables turn, and he himself becomes a piece on the game board. Now, the dice are in his hands, and it’s his turn to shape his own destiny. It’s time for the Snowman to play his part.

“Serena, you are hereby exiled from the Silverstone Pack. You will remain exiled until the day you draw your last breath.”Serena, a Healer exiled from her pack for a crime she did not commit, accused of murdering her mate, the Pack Beta. The evidence against her was damning, warranting the harshest punishment: death.However, an oath between her father and the Alpha of her pack spared her life. Instead, she was cast into the wilderness, cursed to live as a rogue until the day she dies.Life as a rogue was treacherous, seeing the next sunrise was never promised. One fateful day, Serena stumbled upon injured strangers and saved their lives. In return for her kindness, she was granted asylum in Ironshade, the strongest Western Pack.Haunted by the loss of her first mate, Serena is determined to live in secrecy, until she discovers she has yet another fated mate. Her new mate is none other than Darius, the stoic Alpha of Ironshade burdened by the dark legacy of his father.The Ironshade Pack is on the brink of collapse, plagued by a mysterious curse. Serena’s arrival may hold the key to its salvation...or its ruin.As tensions rise, Serena and Darius find themselves drawn together with an undeniable bond. Together, they must confront buried secrets, face their deepest fears, and decide if their second chance at love is worth risking everything.“When the shadow of the Thorn bleeds into the light, And the wolf who carries death finds her second life, The moon will bless the broken bond, And the cursed will find peace at dawn.”

After marrying into the Gardiner Family for two years, Florence Fuller has become the topic of casual conversation among the wealthy ladies.“I heard that on the day of the two families' wedding, the young master of the Gardiner Family actually took another woman abroad.”“Yes, I was at the wedding scene that day, the man showed up once and left, leaving the girl there feeling awkward.”“No one outside knows she's the young mistress of the Gardiner Family. Her husband is constantly surrounded by scandals, and his female companions are never the same.”......Florence Fuller’s marriage was indeed as pitiful and unbearable as they said.Luke Gardiner would only occasionally pretend to be with her to appease the Gardiner family elder and never took this marriage of convenience to heart.Until someone showed him a video.Florence Fuller fell into a man's arms, her tearful eyes and expression distraught, while the man looked at her with deep affection, one arm holding her close. His other hand brushed away the tears from her eyes, and he lowered his head to kiss her.From that moment on, Luke Gardiner's world fell apart.He realized that from beginning to end, Florence had another man hidden in her heart.

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.