MTL - To My Dear Mr. Huo - Chapter 13 : Ugly Ring

Running from her past, Nivritti joins a new job in South Korea as a Script Coordinator in K&Q Media Company. She works for a successful K-pop boyband. On her first day, she is kissed by the leader of that boy band. The problem is, she is five years older than him. Will that kiss grow into a relationship or will be forgotten by both of them?

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She tried to pull her wrists, but she failed. She looked at him and again tried to pull her hands but in vain.

“Yes, you do. You have been licking your lips since you started talking. I think it’s an unconscious gesture that you don’t know about,” informed Kyung-Soo.

“Will you please let go of my hands?” she pulled again but Kyung-Soo tightened his grip.

Without hearing her he continued, “and by distracting, I mean that I really want to hear what you have to say but because of your lips all I can think of is this…

He pulled her wrists pulling her close to him, moved one of his hands on her waist and another one on the back of her neck and softly placed his lips on hers and kissed her.

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.

This is a world shrouded in darkness.The spreading Black Fog corrodes every living creature.The only protection for humanity lies in fire.But as the dark Epoch approached, the fires slowly extinguished.Countless strong Kingdoms became dens for Dark Monsters, humans lost contact with each other, and survivors trembled in the faint solitary light.Until Rod came to this world.“Damn, what's this cow and horse stuff, is it edible?”“This Soul, it's delicious.”“As long as the will of fire remains unextinguished, I believe, one day, humanity will once again illuminate this world and burn all spectral vermin to ashes.”“Even if I'm mired in darkness, bearing the Dream Realm, I can still support this world!”“We've won!”——The world is about to fall, the Abyss looms at our side.And I will raise this Unique flame to light up the world.Yes, I am the last King of Darkness.But...Hello? Anyone, save me.

The second moon marked the beginning of a revolutionary change.

With the emergence of monsters and dungeons in modern society, and the ability users who fight against them, the world faces a shift in its paradigm.

It heralds the advent of a new energy source and the decline of traditional occupations.

Common sense thus becomes warped and imagination becomes reality.