MTL - The Infinite Journey of Cruelty - Chapter 524 : fierce battle

The world is in ruins. Extreme sub-zero temperatures suffocate the surface, making even simple survival an ordeal. Frozen derelicts of bygone eras span across massive ice wastes. And the survivors closely guard any technology rediscovered within.The only escape from the deadly climate is beneath the surface. But it’s another disaster underground. Monstrous machines lurk in the depths. Unhinged demigods war against them, dying over and over, treating it all like a game. The land itself shifts over time, more contraption than rock. And an ominous prophecy states that the key to everything waits on four heroes - but nobody knows who or where they are.When an expedition into the far uncharted north goes terribly wrong, Keith Winterscar and his father get trapped together in a desperate fight for survival. Stumbling upon an ancient war of titanic scale; the two will need to set their differences aside while they struggle against Gods, legends, and the grand secrets of the realm that lies below.

When the protagonist woke up, he discovered that he had become Song Qingshu, who had his meridians destroyed in a contest of martial arts and was banished from his sect. He also found out that this was a chaotic world that incorporated Jin Yong’s 14 novels. What will he do now?

The most cherished Little Princess of the Dragon Clan has fallen on hard times, living in an era of scarce provisions. Thankfully, she had a grandmother who doted on her as much as life itself.She drank brown sugar water every day and ate chicken eggs for every meal, making her plump and fair-skinned; she also donned new clothes for every season. All the young women and newlywed brides from miles around were envious of her naturally good fortune.However, the Little Princess had her woes: she was a dragon, and she craved meat, meat, meat!!Watch as she flexed her Dragon's Prestige —With just a glimpse at the trees, wild chickens would stiffly drop to the ground.If she stood next to the river, the fish inside would voluntarily leap onto the shore.Merely standing still, wild rabbits would run into her thigh...And as the Dragon Clan were fiercely protective of their food, she would fight anyone who dared to snatch her eats.Her fierce reputation extended far and wide, causing children in her group to take detours around her.Many people sneered: “With such a greedy, delicate and fierce character, she will definitely remain unmarried!”A certain Great Demon King who followed her said, “Marry me and become my wife. My home has endless supplies of canned beef, beef jerky, Dabai rabbit milk candy, imported chocolates, and various kinds of meat...”

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.