“Ugh, being a saint, I forgot. It was a good reminder.”
“Unfortunately, I haven’t awakened as a saint yet, so I can’t freely draw on divine power.”
Thanks to the ‘Grow Health and Strength’ skill received as a quest reward, I could hunt prey with my bare hands. However, I haven’t unlocked the true power of a saint yet.
“Zero, this guy. If you were going to make me a saint, you should have bundled it with a full awakening package!”
Internally blaming Zero, but Zero also complained it was unfair.
“With the probability I have, this was all! Sob. I did my best, but the substitute vessel isn’t adept at capturing divine power. They generously supported from the upper levels of the divine realm, but the new protagonist has to figure out the awakening level on their own… How can I refute that?”
“Hmm.”
Zero, this guy seems to be having a hard time too.
“If I want to raise my name as a formal god rather than a substitute, I have to show them well… not much different from humans, here too.”
It was not pretending to cry but genuinely difficult, and I felt sorry for the hamster that was sniffling.
“Is that so…? Too bad.”
Michael expressed regret, lowering his head.
Zero gave him a suspicious look.
“Oh, there was a fox here too…”
“If those three give divine power to Siena Evergreen, what should I do then?”
Aston, timely, interrupted Zero’s words.
‘Nice, Aston!’
I thanked him, responding casually.
“Please take on the role of bait, Aston.”
“…Bait?”
“Please act as a crucial figure commanding survivors instead of me.”
For a few days, Siena would have roughly assessed the hierarchy of the mansion. As evidence, if she had no memories but approached the sub-main characters who were her friends first.
‘I was the same.’
The owner of the mansion, who was also the hero of the tale of rescuing survivors, might have considered me as the leader of this group, replaying like a cassette tape stuck on repeat.
But it would be uncertain. Zero hadn’t directly revealed himself to Siena, and there had been no zombie subjugation since she arrived.
So, at this moment, it was the right time to manipulate the fake. Especially since there was no mention of it in the original, no contact with Siena, and if it was a person of high status like Aston, it was the most suitable for this task.
“From now on, let’s consider Aston as the saint who has appeared as a representative of God to rescue the survivors in this land.”
Aston’s narrative was perfect as a protagonist.
The abandoned second prince from childhood. Thrown away and banished to the north, growing stronger through hardship, finally chosen by God to save the empire from zombies!
Can’t ask for more, right?
Aston had spent more time on the battlefield than in Hwangdo.
I thought he might be unfamiliar with strategies like feigning, but my concerns were unnecessary. Aston nodded confidently.
“So, you want me to act as a fake savior. Got it. I’ll give it a try.”
His cool acceptance was reliable, to the extent that I hesitated and asked if he was okay.
“If it’s challenging, let me know. It’s a dangerous role, and you don’t have to take it forcefully.”
‘I can step in directly if needed.’
“Hey! What are you talking about! I said I’ll handle it!”
Zero was startled, but I remained calm.
“You mentioned that once I complete the sub-quest you gave me, ‘Find the Unknown Black Cloth,’ you’ll provide a defensive barrier that can block any attack as a reward.”
“That’s a reward you get after completing the quest! You haven’t broken it yet…”
That was correct. Sheri and Jacqueline hadn’t investigated Linstead yet, and I hadn’t met the sorcerer from Kyna, so I was still far from completing the quest.
“But I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do.”
“…”
“With you and capable party members, do you think I’d lose?”
Zero grumbled but only provided me with advantageous things in terms of quest rewards.
The fog in Linstead had cleared, and I had a feeling that the sorcerer from Kyna would somehow give us information through a video call.
“Right, Zero?”
Smiling confidently, when I asked, Zero mumbled.
“Hmph… full of baseless confidence.”
“It’s better than just being scared and anxious.”
“You don’t hold back with words! Ugh, fine. I get it, do as you wish. Whether it’s bait or whatever!”
“Heard that, Aston?”
Watching Zero grumble and my banter, Aston quietly spoke.
“I understand. But let me make it clear; I won’t refuse the role of bait.”
“What?”
Well… that’s good for me.
As I scratched my cheek, Aston pierced me with a determined look.
“I won’t have anything I can’t do for you.”
“…!”
“Rather, I welcome it. Elizabeth, the fact that I can step up to protect you when things get dangerous.”
“Wow, wow! Is this for real?”
While I was unable to speak, Aston stood up first.
A rare and precious smile adorned his usually stern face.
“It’s better to hurry if you want to be faithful to the role of bait. Let’s return to our positions before others find us or before that zombie starts sensing something weird.”
Then Aston left, leisurely.
Without looking back.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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