The Gate Traveler - Interlude 6 - 1: Desperation

Xu Shulou dreams she’s a character in a bizarre storybook.The male lead is Long Aotian, a man with a “Dragon Overlord” script: treasures fall into his lap, beauties vie for his heart.The first heroine is his delicate junior apprentice sister. The second, the Demon Sect’s saintess. The third… the fourth…Where does Xu Shulou rank? She flips through the plot and realizes—despite being Long Aotian’s official fiancée, she’s nothing but a disposable pawn.In the story, her sect elders dote on her fragile junior sister.“Shulou, yield this treasure to your sister. She’s weaker and needs it more.”“Shulou, don’t be unreasonable. Your gentle sister deserves care.”Even Long Aotian prefers the junior sister. He’s a flirtatious mess, forcing Xu Shulou to compete with other women, her jealousy twisting her into a villain. Meanwhile, the junior sister blossoms into a pristine lotus.But Xu Shulou refuses to play along.When the script demands she and her junior sister be kidnapped, Long Aotian saves the “weaker” girl, saying, “Shulou, you’re stronger—you’ll understand.”In reality? Long Ao Tian arrives just in time to see Xu Shulou slaughter the villains, scoop her sister into her arms, and vanish into the sky—without sparing him a glance.When demons attack, the story expects Long Aotian to leave his fiancée and lovers in the sect’s care. The elders protect only the junior sister, letting Xu Shulou be humiliated.In reality? The elders sneer: “Our senior sister dominates the cultivation world. Why would we need you to worry about her?”When the story’s Long Aotian coaxes the Demon Saintess into betraying her clan for him…In reality, the Saintess timidly asks Xu Shulou: “You’re a righteous heroine. I’m a hunted demon. Why would you want to befriend me?”In the script, Xu Shulou claws at other women in jealous rage.In reality, she’d rather live in peace—until Long Aotian pushes too far. Then she draws her sword.In the story, Long Aotian reigns supreme, surrounded by beauties.In reality, Xu Shulou steals his allies, hoards his treasures, and occasionally beats him up—while he sulks.“My sword saves the world and shields the innocent. It’s not for fighting over men.”“See? Dreams lie. I’m the one holding the Dragon Overlord script.”

“If God loved you so much, he wouldn’t have put you against me.”…In the present of this age’s fantasy, what the world needs is not a hero but a priest working part time as a Necromancer.Healing by the day, hunting dark mages by the night, presenting you, Elios, the guy who will solve all your problems by any means as long as you pay him the right.A demon is haunting you? Call Elios. The guards aren’t accepting bribes? Call Elios. Your toilet ain’t getting flushed? Call Elios. There are no limitations to what you can ask.As long as there is a right price, everything is possible. Our dependable priest is capable of any and everything.Ah! Though there is one thing you can never ask him to do.Children.You can’t ask him to hurt them.And perhaps you should never mention anything related to that as well.Or else…Even death would be mercy.…In the World of Zarraf, there lives Gods, not all goods are good and certainly none are without motives.They rule the world’s 7 nations:The Nation of Light and SunThe Nation of WaterThe Nation of FireThe Nation of LifeThe Nation of EarthThe Nation of MoonThe Nation of WindEach ruled by a Goddess that has their own stance in their ruling.But that is only the first page of this world.The second page colors the Ancient Gods of Corruption, Rage, Curse, Death and Hate.The third belongs the Seven Sins’ Incarnations that are ready to succeed the Ancient Gods.The Fourth is of the Witches who stand against all Gods equally.And the Final Page colors the [Immortals] or otherwise known as [Players] that will be summoned to bring Chaos to this world.A World that was meant to be destroyed, such is the fate of the world of Zarraf as powers beyond the realm of mortals threaten the dynamic equilibrium of their existence.In the end, the world was prophesied to be destroyed by one cause or another. Nothing could prevent looming destruction…Or so it was supposed to happen..

In the age of the Great Liang Dynasty, the lives of the people were made convenient with steam-powered machines that run on a fuel named Violetstream Gold. Chang Geng, who lived in a small countryside village, shared a distant relationship with his mother while his stepfather was away most of the year round, and the only people he was close to were two little kids, the village teacher, and his yi fu – adoptive father. But his life was flipped upside down one day following the barbaric Man tribes’ invasion, and it turned out that his entire identity had been an illusion – not only was Chang Geng himself not the country boy he thought he was, but also his mother, his teacher, and even his beloved yi fu…

- Description from Novelupdates

The countries of Mephius and Garbera have been waging a war for ten years and are trying to put an end to this long fight through a political marriage between the two royal families. Orba, who was driven from his home because of the war and was forced to become a gladiator, looks exactly like the crown prince of Mephius, and it has been decided he will be substituting him during the wedding ceremony. On the other hand, Vileena, the princess of Garbera, has secretly decided to ensnare the crown prince for her own country’s interests.