MTL - A Mouthful of Sky-high Fried Rice, Lao Tang Apprenticed on the Spot - Chapter 319 gold wash

Time is an illusion, and reality is a fragile thread in Kael's fractured world.Kael's life is defined by darkness, memories that flicker in and out like glitching shadows. Struggling with haunting nightmares and terrifying hallucinations, he finds himself trapped in a reality that doesn’t make sense—a reality where time is breaking, and nothing is as it seems.When a mysterious red notebook, filled with cryptic symbols, falls into his hands, it opens a gateway to a world where the laws of time no longer apply. Every hour, every minute, every second twists and warps, and Kael begins to realize that something—or someone—is manipulating time itself, pushing him to the edge of his sanity.But he's not alone. A girl, whose existence is as twisted as the world around them, seems to be connected to his suffering. Kael's bond with her grows as they both search for the truth behind their disturbing experiences, yet the more they uncover, the deeper they fall into an abyss of despair and madness.The Pulse, an unfathomable force that distorts time and reality, pulses through their very existence. As Kael inches closer to the truth, he faces a devastating choice—one that could either save them or shatter everything they hold dear.Time is collapsing, the Pulse is awakening, and Kael must confront the horrors lurking in the fractured timeline before it consumes them all.

Noah Carter wasn't special. A broke programmer working from his cluttered studio apartment, he spent his days applying for jobs, getting rejected, and scraping by with low-paying freelance gigs.One ordinary Tuesday, while debugging code at 3 AM surrounded by energy drink cans and ramen cups, Noah accidentally broke reality.He didn't mean to... it just sort of... happened.A system message appeared, floating in his vision. The Idle Tycoon System had chosen him. His first shop: a small bakery in a Magical Medieval world where demons, dragons and half-humans exist.Every sale generated automatic income, day after day. Every new world unlocked new opportunities.Noah brought it all back to Earth, selling what he could, keeping what he couldn't. One shop became two. Two became a hundred. A network spanning dimensions, time periods, and realities—all generating income while he slept.Countless years later, Noah raised his head from his pillow and realized something unexpected. The broke programmer who couldn't land an interview had become the richest man in the universe!

** A Light Novel featuring a weak protagonist tasked with the impossible mission of saving a Virtual Reality world that has moved on without him. This post-apocalyptic sci-fi is brimming with drama, conspiracies, and action. **As the Santa María spaceship travels the galaxy in search of a new home for humanity, all passengers must remain in cryosleep and log into The Novus, a Virtual Reality MMORPG designed to train the younger generation in building a civilized society.Not only is this place a utopia, but it’s also a fresh start for seventeen-year-olds Alan and Astrid, who have just started dating.“Life in The Novus will be awesome with you by my side!”But an emergency pulls Alan out of the system—a catastrophe that endangers the lives of the Santa María's population and their mission.What will he find when he returns?Three years have passed. Astrid has become one of the strongest warriors, and Alan... is now the weakest User in the virtual world.

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!