MTL - The Life Through Books of the Salted Fish Family - Chapter 5 pregnant with cubs

The rivers and lakes carry wine with swords, the waist is slender and the palm is light.

The young man carried a long knife on his shoulder, and hung wine on his waist, striding forward, but the rivers and lakes in his heart were vaguely visible.

Turning a page in the book of troubled times, the rivers and lakes have been raining nightly for decades.

Looking back suddenly, the world has been shattered.

- Description from novelbuddy

A 21st-century tech manager, accidentally thrust into the body of Emperor Commodus—yes, the infamous villain played by Joaquin Phoenix—has one goal: not to die like him.Armed with his wits and a hyper-intelligent AI on a solar-powered laptop, he must navigate the treacherous politics of ancient Rome. Everyone, including his own sister, expects the arrogant, decadent tyrant. Instead, they find a calculating reformer. But as he tries to avert the fall of the empire, he discovers that being a “good” emperor might be even more dangerous than being the monster everyone is waiting for.

In a world where magic and divine power collide, the youngest son of Lucifer, a demon boy born with unimaginable strength, was chained and sealed away by his father to prevent him from destroying Hell itself. At the age of eight, his power became so uncontrollable that even the King of Hell feared his existence. Desperate to keep the demon's destructive potential contained, Lucifer made a pact with the great Merlin, who trapped the boy in the human realm, binding his powers with enchanted chains.Years later, with Merlin dead and a kingdom still fearful of the demon’s release, an elite group of knights, blessed by the gods, take it upon themselves to guard his prison. However, when a war between the mages and knights erupts, chaos provides the perfect opportunity for the young demon to break free.Hidden among the knights, disguised within their ranks, the demon plots his next move. But his escape is just the beginning. Hunted by both the mages and the knights, he must navigate a world where ancient gods, wizards, and warriors clash. As he travels deep into enemy territory, sneaking into the heart of the kingdom, he is driven by one purpose: freedom.Now, with his powers still sealed but his physical strength unmatched, the young demon embarks on a journey that will shake the foundation of both realms. Can the knights stop him before he regains his full strength, or will the demon's wrath bring both Heaven and Hell to their knees?As the demon hides in the shadows of the human world, a new chapter in the war between gods, magic, and demonic power begins.

The world is diverse and flourishing. Humanity has changed, and with it, brought in a new era of prosperity. Males and females still exist, but the spectrum from which humanity is cast has broadened. With the introduction of alpha, omega, and beta, humanity has evolved even further.In such a word, Dr. Andrew Knox, known environmental researcher, is happy being a beta male. It has made his life easier by being middle ground, and as much as some wish he was one way or the other, he’s happy being who he is. Thriving even.He works in a world renowned research facility. He makes friends easily, and his projects are always funded. He even found someone who he thinks he could end up marrying if things continue in the right direction.That, and the vacant house next to his apartment building gets bought by a new neighbour. A cute, but cautious omega who relies on Andrew as a beta for help. Andrew couldn’t be happier. He loves being a helper, and loves when people rely on him.All in all, Andrew really thinks he has everything made.That is, until a research project with shoddy data is thrown back into his face that he has no recollection of working on, and all of his reputation disintegrates in between one heartbeat and the next.Heartbroken, it isn’t until Andrew wakes up, chained to a wall that everything becomes clear. He becomes a test subject to one of the scientists that he trusted. That he expected would never harm him.The life he had known, where he was a respected researcher was ripped out from underneath him. His identity and everything he’s ever known is stolen from him from a crazed researcher who he had trusted, maybe even loved.He has to relearn who he is, what he is, from scratch.Thankfully, he has one person in his corner. He just never expected to have to rely on someone whose shoulders were so small.This is an a/b/o story, and will have those tropes associated with it. I hope you enjoy :)