Vortex Origins - Chapter 38: Contacting headquarters - 1

The whole world is subjected to a highly dangerous standardised exam called the Global University Entrance Examination. Answering questions by putting their lives at stake, they would live if they passed the test. Every month the exam will undergo reformation while, occasionally, it is random.

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A noisy little family, a cheerful group of classmates, and a boy, born on the first year of the lunar calendar living a never changing life. Then one day he notices a girl in his class shrouded in mystery. Her name is Makina. However, the boy just can’t seem to bring himself to talk to Makina. Then one day, before the first lunar calendar month, another mysterious beauty appears. Her name is Rushia, and as she leans in as if she is going to kiss him, she tells him about a mysterious power hidden inside him called the “Snake Eyes.”

Villain System: Let the Young and Naïve Duchess of the Cang Court Principality, Sylvia, Experience the Betrayal of Her Loved Ones, and Achieve Transformation and RebirthTransmigrating into a Western fantasy world centered around beast taming, Xia Ya stared at the beginner mission in front of him, lost in thought.Sylvia—the legendary “Silver Witch of Cang” recorded in history—had already ascended to legend status five hundred years ago. After establishing the White Chalk Tower, she vanished without a trace, never to be seen again. And as for the Cang Court Principality? It had long since been destroyed. How was he supposed to complete this f***ing mission?This system was five hundred years late!Yet, the mission reward was simply too tempting. After much deliberation, Xia Ya made a decision that would make his ancestors roll in their graves—[To Deceive History Itself]The capital was gone? Fine. Then I’ll just write my name into the duke’s family records and become the older brother of the duchess. No objections, right?Modify relics and ancient texts? Sure. Let’s say I was manipulated by cultists, falsely accused Sylvia of an imaginary crime, and personally exiled her. Then, later, I came to my senses and perished alongside the mastermind behind it all. That sounds reasonable, right?[The One Forgotten by Time][The Heartless Tyrant][The King Who Turned His Back on the World]One hidden truth after another began to resurface.[The Silver Witch’s Diary]Waking from my self-imposed slumber, my memories are in tatters—except for one, still deeply etched into my soul: the pain of betrayal.Recent archaeological discoveries have revealed the truth…It turns out that the principality had already been corrupted by a cult. Not long after my exile, an evil god descended upon the royal capital, annihilating all life.So… my brother did all of that… to save me?

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.