The First Order - Chapter 3 - A palace

They say luck is an uncontrollable force and karma is nothing but a cycle of cause-and-effect that depends on one's deeds. But what if luck somehow really could be manipulated while the way karma worked could be changed?

With the appearance of the Realm Games where every life became worthless and Artifacts that granted various powers, humankind was pushed to the ultimate path of evolution for one last time!

Raven, a simple young man, was also forced to walk on such a path, which with his cursed bad luck became even more difficult than for others!

However, what he did not know at that time was that it was not only humanity that was coerced with such a cruel fate but every living being in the far cosmos too!

Come and follow Raven on his journey and witness how he struggles his way through hardships and how he shifts his seemingly already decided fate that the Gods have destined him to walk from the very start!

Philip never expected his new life to be so… complicated. When a tragic accident in the modern metropolis of Bortinto abruptly ends his struggle for survival, he wakes up as the scandal-ridden heir of a ducal house in a world where magic and science coexist. Any fantasies of an easy, heroic life vanish the moment he realizes that the estate that he is tasked with managing is drowning in debt, and his reputation has been shredded by rumors involving his predecessor’s broken engagement to the socialite Lady Rosetta—the granddaughter of a prince.Even as he scrambles to rebuild his estate’s fortunes—grappling with contaminated land, mounting debts, and shrewed industrialists—he unearths troubling secrets about the original Philip’s heartbreak and suicide. A dark, hidden force seems intent on wiping him out for an unknown reason. As conspiracies emerge linking Lady Rosetta’s departure to these shadowy machinations, Philip struggles to separate ally from adversary, not knowing why this power in high places is so bent on destroying him.Meanwhile, the realm teeters on the brink of monumental change. Technological and social revolutions collide with century-old magical traditions, and war drums thunder on the distant borders. Armed with his modern knowledge of finance—now fused with the kingdom’s burgeoning industrial innovations—Philip attempts to ride the trends and transform his estate into a beacon of prosperity and secure his heirship to the ducal title. Yet each small triumph only attracts more enemies.Tasked by the System with cultivating a supernatural entity while uncovering the real reason behind Lady Rosetta’s canceled engagement and the original Philip’s tragic end, he must also shield those he grows to care about from the looming threats. Will he harness the synergy of magic, technology, and commerce to steer his estate toward greatness, or will malevolent forces quash his second chance at life? Will his second chance at life end the same tragic way as his first?

“With each stroke, a river and a sea are painted, and with a brush, mountains and rivers are determined.Some people admire a painting depicting a fierce ox toppling a mountain and comprehend the profound martial art technique called 'Crushing Mountain Force.' With boundless strength, one can move mountains barehanded!Others gaze upon a sword shining with a cold moonlight in the painting, thus realizing the 'Cold Moon Divine Sword Art.' With this sword, they can slay otherworldly beings and gain fame that resounds in all directions.Li Changqing, a top woodcarver, transmigrates into the world of Cangyuan. He discovers that his woodcarvings are more enlightening than his paintings. From being a destitute and worthless painter, he rises to the pinnacle of the Cangyuan world.In his previous life, he indulged in sculpture and ended up raising a wayward child. However, in this world of Cangyuan, he has a well-behaved and filial son who lacks talent but dreams of becoming an immortal through cultivation.If my son wants to become an immortal, then as his father, I will help him achieve it!However, Li Hengsheng, the son, begins to suspect that his useless daydreaming and money-begging father may have been possessed by someone else!”

The once-bustling and noisy streets were now filled with an eerie blanket of silence.

Hoarse and frenzied whispers lingered high above the heavens, and an indescribable ancient giant lurked in the shadows of the bottomless ocean.

A mysterious plague had outbroken, and natural disasters wrought the Earth. Global pandemic and catastrophes had the panicked masses seeking illusory shelters from the devastation, day and night.

A bloody shower poured over the land as the streaks of lightning tore across the sky, illuminating the ill-intentioned gathering of ravens above. Nevermore, nevermore, quoth the ravens.

“We can see that this malformed creature has twelve pairs of ribs like humans, but also has a “transverse bone” that humans do not possess…”

In the medical school, Gu Jun continued bringing down his scalpel, illustrating the abnormal thoracic structure of the malformed cadaver on the dissection table to the surrounding students.

Ominous and treacherous times had descended! Truth and logic had crumbled, order warped into a frenzy. Humanity can only forge ahead through the power of intelligence and wisdom.