My Antique Mirror Is A Portal To Another World - Chapter 15: Desperate Plea

Jonathan Brandit was once on the path to becoming a professional basketball player, but a car accident changed his life forever, leaving him wheelchair-bound and filled with regret. Haunted by thoughts of what could have been, Jonathan spends his days shooting hoops in a gym. One day, he suffers a heart attack and wakes up in a completely different world, in the body of another person.To his astonishment, Jonathan realizes he's now living inside the world of a novel he once read, titled “Turning Point,” which revolves around basketball. He has become an “extra” player name Ethan Albarado—a benchwarmer—on the protagonist's team, Lucas Graves.With this unexpected second chance, Jonathan or Ethan Albarado is determined to achieve his dream of becoming a pro basketball player.But in this new world, will he rise to greatness, or will he face new challenges that threaten to bring him down again?

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.

As a top manager, everyone constantly tries to curry favor with Li Xiwu. And due to her identity as Mrs. Pei, the rich and the powerful would always greet her politely. A celebrity instructor, and the wife of a man from a rich family… Is there anyone who would not envy her? However, only Li Xiwu knows that she is a substitute for Mr. Pei’s unrequited love, and none of her titles or privileges have anything to do with her.***

Losing yourself after being someone else’s substitute is a tedious thing. Having gained that epiphany, Li Xiwu began to ponder how she should claim alimony of astronomical proportions from Mr. Pei. However, while she was obsessing over how to get rich from the divorce, her mother-in-law, who had always disliked her, invited her to take part in a variety show, while promising to make her rich. Li Xiwu’s lips curled into a grin. “Fortune favors the brave!”At first, her mother-in-law constantly attempted to embarrass her, and netizens were all moaning about how she was the most pitiful rich daughter-in-law! Later, her mother-in-law was inseparable from Li Xiwu, and would keep bragging about her to everyone she met, leaving the netizens cheering: Leave the face-slapping to Mrs. Pei! Li Xiwu did not expect herself to shoot to fame in the variety show either. However, while she was convinced that she could get a smooth divorce afterward, her mother-in-law called her son immediately as soon as the variety show ended.“Divorce my baby, and I will disown you!”Mr. Pei: ???

As the overweight daughter of the Sutton family, Kelsie is an eyesore to everyone. Her father can't wait to get rid of her, his wife and their daughter daughter too.The man she's supposed to marry can't stand her and looks for ways to end their engagement, all to no avail.But on the day she's to get married, she finds out she's pregnant.Her fiancé finally uses the opportunity to break off his engagement to her and her father sends her packing to her aunt in another city never to return after she refuses to remove the baby like he asked her to.Seven years later, she returns to the city to claim her position as the heiress of her mother's fortune, which her father and his wife and daughter has been living off of all these years.But not as the overweight duckling everyone expected, but as a stunning, glamorous woman.Behind her are three children: a daughter who looks exactly like her, a handsome son, and another handsome son who looks too much like the most powerful man in the city.Unexpectedly, the dimwit, her fiancé who broke off their engagement comes begging for them to get married like they were supposed to.“So what if you're stunning now and lost all that weight? Everyone knows you used to be an ugly duckling. Who knows the underhanded ways you resorted to to lose weight. Forget our past and marry me again.”The woman looked at him and snickered. “Aren't you the heir of the Baker family? Why would you marry a fatso like me?”The man huffed and said arrogantly. “Hmph! Do whatever you want. But I assure you that no one in Silicon Valley will want to marry a woman saddled with bastard children!”The triplets came up on his face and snorted in disdain. “Who's this? Where is daddy when a man like this harasses mommy?”“I told you he wasn’t worth her. Hurry up and call him quickly.”The man who was in the middle of a conference call ended it as soon as he heard the news and went straight to where she was.“Are you hitting on my wife? Bastards? Are you calling the beloved children of Jett Adler bastards?”“Eh-what? Jett Adler? The most powerful man in the city? How is that even possible!”