I will not die a Villainess's death - Chapter 193 Ch 193: A Tense Atmosphere [Pt2]

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.

Ding!{You've awakened the Echo System.}Scarlett Jerkins' dream was simple: wealth and the freedom to indulge. But when she let love in, she regretted it as her life was brutally cut short by her husband's family, ending a six-month coma but fate had other plans.Scarlett's eyes flickered open to an unfamiliar world, guided by an enigmatic system that revealed her new reality: an apocalypse world where monsters born from history deceased roamed free.She discovered that she was among the chosen members chosen by the system destined to save humanity. But this newfound purpose felt like a curse. Having escaped death only to face it again was a cruel twist of fate. And to make matters worse, her life was now tied to Garvin Johnson, her former rude, spoilt brat boss, whom she must protect at all costs.As she navigates this treacherous realm, she must confronts twisted creatures born from history's deceased. With the three elements at her command, she must gather resources, slay monsters, and safeguard Garvin.Scarlett's drive for survival becomes a quest for redemption, fueled by her past traumas and newfound purpose. As stakes escalate, Scarlett and Garvin face impossible choices, forging alliances with other chosen members who were handsome men and confronting enemies in a desperate bid to ensure humanity's survival.

An AI calling itself Schema has assimilated earth into its system. As a consequence, everyone gained access to status screens, power-ups, and skills. This AI turned these concepts from fiction to fact. It's easy to become intoxicated with leveling up and becoming stronger. To some, it's too good to be true like living out a dream.

For Daniel, however, it's closer to a nightmare.

He's in a bit of a predicament. Cracks in our dimensional fabric have unleashed terrifying beasts from dark, abyssal places. Schema organizes these cracks into dungeons, giving the native species of the planet a chance to fight back. Daniel finds himself trapped in one of these dungeons. Not long after, he discovers there's only one way out.

Jiang Li takes a meal and gains the status [Satiety].

[Satiety: Restores 1 Stamina per minute. Duration: ∞]

He no longer has to eat.

He sticks a talisman on himself and gains the status [Armored Horse Divine Travel].

[Armored Horse Divine Travel: Increase movement speed by 1000%. Duration: ∞]

Taking pills, gaining spiritual qi, refining the body, nurturing the soul, and increasing life expectancy…

He only needs one pill for the status to take effect for the rest of his life.

Those crippling secret techniques that boost power for three seconds but result in three-year feebleness? They are now the most powerful and most amazing techniques!

Waiting for a thousand years to comprehend the Dao after using one enlightenment pill? No, he is comprehending the Dao every day!

He is Jiang Li, a Prince Charming who can turn an instant into eternity →_→…