MTL - Ancient One - Chapter 563 8th-order monster

They call him Ghost.A name whispered in fear across warzones, black markets, and underworld circles.To the world, he's a phantom—a faceless mercenary who leaves no trace but bodies in his wake.To his enemies, he’s a death sentence.To his brothers-in-arms in Graveyard, he’s family.But to himself... he's a haunted man searching for a past stolen in gunfire and smoke.After a flawless mission deep in the Eastern Province, Ghost returns to the hidden forest base he's called home for sixteen years. Yet the victory is short-lived. His foster father, the commander delivers an unexpected order:“That was your last mission.”Now, Ghost—real name Miles Sterling—must step out of the shadows of war and into a world he’s never known. Guided only by a scarred letter, a fading memory, and the voice of a woman he hasn’t seen since the day everything was taken from him.But war forged more than his body and name.Behind the mask, behind the scars, Miles has another secret.One he’s kept hidden even from his brothers in arms.He’s not just a weapon.He’s a ghost with a fortune—a hidden empire he built in silence, across borders and black markets, forged in strategy and blood.A man of many names, and many shadows.Beneath the bullets, tattoos, and silence lies a truth buried in ashes.And Ghost is about to dig it up—one letter, one enemy, one memory at a time.

“When am I getting a new mom? ”

Maya choked and sputtered on her drink getting herself into a coughing fit while I was quite startled but showed no other reaction other than that. I was expecting it anyway

Maya got herself after some moments “You! ” She bellowed “That's no way to tal-” I dismissed Maya with a wave of my hand fixing my attention on my dear daughter .

“Why? ” I asked exuding an authoritative aura with an arrogant smile tugging at a corner of my lips

Isabelle smiled back at me, a fierce determination to win this battle evident on her face “I need a motherly figure ”

“And? ”

“Girls just want their mom sometimes ”

“And? ”

“Need someone to talk boys stuff with”

“You can always discuss it with me” I blurted out without even realizing it and the reply I got was an awkward cough from Maya and a death stare from my daughter.

“Well, we can always compromise on that ” I tried minimizing the damage done. Why does it all go south when it comes to boy's stuff?

Isabelle stood up abruptly and banged her hand hard against the table almost knocking some dishes over in the process “Just admit it!What makes you think you can be able to handle me in my rebellious teenage years? ”

I wanted to reply when I heard Maya murmur beneath her breath “As if you aren't rebellious enough now? ”

I smirked,she was definitely the perfect match for Isabella and I had the perfect plan in mind.

“So let's say I agree, who do you want for a mother? ”I said throwing the ball in her court and hoping she'll make the right choice “Tina? or.....? ”

Isabelle stared at me skeptically, obviously wondering if I was sincere or playing around. So I focused my intense and get down to business gaze on her and in a few moment, her lips twitch upward in a smirk , as if we were communicating telepathically, she said

“I want her” Isabelle announced pointing at an absent minded female entertaining herself with a grilled chicken and quite oblivious to what was going on. I smiled, Isabelle was surely my blood

“Fine by me ”I agreed knowing just how much Isabelle values promises “ I have to keep my own part of the deal then ”

I excused myself before turning to discover the horror on Maya's face but that didn't stop me, instead I added more fuel to the fire

“let's get married”

~~~~

Maya was never special especially not like her sister Kim who seem to have everything.

Nik Spencer a world known professional player, a chronic heartbreaker and the only man immune to love.

But fate seems to play a lot of twists as they both cross paths and she ends up being his daughter's Nanny.

Will she end up as one of the many women on his bed ?

Is Niklaus really immune to love?

Well, read to find out.

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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Dear readers! Without any ads, maybe you will prefer .

Who, in the ancient mythology, held an artifact and killed the first emperor of the human race?

Who, at the beginning of ancient times, closed the gate of the God Realm, Jedi Tiantong?

Who set a lifespan limit of only one hundred and thirty years for the people, and even the Great Emperor was not spared?

Who, turned into a black hand that covers the sky for eternity, shrouded the world?

…

Yang Shou on Earth: “Yes, yes, I did it all, I just want to live.”

- Description from novelbuddy