Swallowed Star - Chapter 39 — 10 Stages of Force

Ai Qian, a street-crazy author who wakes up every day because of her own poverty, is bound by the system!
The system is obedient: Host, you are the daughter of a rich family, you are a billionaire female president, you are a superstar… Are you happy?
Ai Qian: Hehe, I might be happier if there is no hero who can kill me at any time.

- Description from novelbuddy

The destitute young miss of the Ling family was weak, had lowly qualifications, was ugly and frequently bullied. In the end, she was pushed into the freezing river by her so-called love rival. However, when she opened her eyes once again, her gaze was cold yet captivating! Everything had changed drastically! When her ugly looks faded, she became a peerless beauty. When she displayed her graceful bearing and talent, it was blinding and earth-shattering!

In the back of the forest lives Allen, the antisocial wizard. He is feared by the people around him and called the “Demon Lord”.One day, while living out his life as a hermit, he finds a young girl named Charlotte who collapsed. Although innocent, she was accused of evil wrongdoings, had her engagement broken and was forced to flee her country.Upon hearing that, Allen recalled the bitter experience of being betrayed by a party he once believed to be his companions. Hearing the story of the 17 year old’s exploitation, Allen decides, “I’ll let her live in my mansion, and I’ll teach her all sorts of bad things…”

Crimson Vale Academy—where reputation is currency, and failure is a stain you wear on your sleeve.Behind gothic walls and spotless uniforms, students aren't just educated—they're measured, ranked, and pitted against each other in a brutal meritocracy. Privileges are earned, not given. The strong rise. The weak vanish.Enter Kairon Vale, a transfer student marked Rank D—the bottom of the bottom. No badge. Just a stitched black fang, branding him as “Obsidian”—a warning to others.In a system where points dictate your value, Obsidian-ranked students claw for every opportunity to ascend into the prestigious Golden or Platinum ranks—where comfort, power, and influence await. But for most, it’s a losing battle.Yet Kairon isn’t here to fit in, impress, or play by their rules. Cold, calculating, and impossible to read, he watches the system… and waits. Because while the academy judges worth by numbers and names—he understands something deeper:Everyone wears a mask. And every mask can be cracked.Let the games begin.