Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare - Chapter 2 Beneath The Surface

After dying prematurely from an incurable disease, Yuka Hikano finds himself in a mysterious realm filled with endless doors, each concealing divine gifts from powerful deities. He is not alone—others who have met the same fate of death stand beside him, unaware of the trials that await.They are put through various tests and eventually transmigrated into different worlds. But these worlds are nothing like the Earth they once knew.For Yuka, however, this apocalyptic world feels eerily familiar. It is a realm of endless war, devastation, and chaos—a world he once played in a game. Certainly not the kind of place one would wish to be reborn into.From infancy to adulthood, he must gather strength, knowledge, and allies to survive the horrors that lurk ahead. But when he awakens a system granting him a power beyond imagination, he soon realizes that blessings can also be curses.[You have gained Infinite Mana.]Infinite Mana...?What could possibly go wrong?

Plot Summary: This novel combines the popular “villainess” genre with the contemporary concept of VTubing, where the protagonist, a typical villainess character, becomes a VTuber—an online persona using a digital avatar. As she navigates her dual life, her influence extends beyond the virtual world, leading to increasingly violent and chaotic consequences in reality. The story delves into the psychological impact of living a double life and explores themes of power, manipulation, and the dark side of internet fame.Why Read It: The novel offers a fresh and thrilling take on the villainess trope by incorporating modern digital culture elements. It’s particularly appealing to readers who enjoy stories that explore the darker aspects of fame and influence, with a unique blend of fantasy and real-world issues. The narrative's intense and sometimes graphic nature sets it apart from more conventional stories in the genre, making it a compelling read for those looking for something different.

Jian Ci is the light. An S-class Esper, his powers ripple with the warmth of a thousand suns, his smile a blinding beacon that draws humanity, and hope, to him like moths to a flame. He is the Sun, a magnetic force of nature, utterly unaware of the abyss that gazes back.Yu Xi is the dark. A shadow with skin, a man who walks through life with a silent, consuming emptiness, broken only by a singular, scorching singularity... Jian Ci.He is the Abyss, a dark constellation orbiting a single star, and his existence is now defined by the answer to one terrifying question.How far are you willing to go for him?Yu Xi’s response, spoken as clearly as a death sentence.“To hell and back.”This is the story of an impossible equation: Light + Darkness = ?It is a love that warps physics and morality, a descent into an obsession so profound it threatens to rip the very fabric of their world.Yu Xi knows their combination is impossible, a contradiction that should result in utter annihilation. Yet, with a quiet, terrifying devotion, he is prepared to burn the world, his own soul included, if it means securing his star.

In her previous life, she had given everything for him and helped him step by step to become a great minister, but she was not as good as her good sister who slept with him.

When the gentle and loving husband took her life, she realized that the love she thought was as deep as the sea was a joke.

To the end with hatred, Lu Xiang cursed angrily, wanting to let the person who wronged her and harmed her have a terrible death…

Opening her eyes again, she returned to the year she was fourteen years old. She had the same life, but she returned with hatred in her heart.

…

The night was dark and the wind was high, Lu Xiang picked up Chu Jinyan who was hunted down and seriously injured, his eyes sparkled.

“Hey, golden thighs!”

So without further ado, he dragged the person into his room to hide.

“As the saying goes, life-saving grace should be promised with your body… Ah, no, I will repay you with the spring, I saved your life today, and you have to promise me three requests in the future.”

Chu Jinyan: “???”

He doesn’t really want to be rescued…

Later, Chu Jinyan patted his thigh and hooked his fingers: “My concubine, come, I’ll give you my lonely thigh.”

***

She: insidious, deceitful!

Him: despicable, shameless!

Passerby A: So they are a match made in heaven?

Passer-by: Bah, that’s called working in collusion!

- Description from novelbuddy