Deku Smokes

My name is Zhang Yanhang, just an ordinary Awakener and a part-time college student living a monotonous life, following the routine of school, cultivation, and home. I neither smoke nor drink; my only hobby is observing humanity during moments when time stands still. I thought my dull life would continue forever, but one night, as I lay in bed ready to sleep, I unexpectedly stumbled upon something interesting. 【Enter the Ashen World?】 【Option One: Yes (Successfully enter the Ashen World and gain the ability to digitize your body as well as ways to become stronger, the price might be oversleeping and being late for school tomorrow.)】 【Option Two: No (Refuse to enter the Ashen World but feel it's a waste to sleep immediately, so decide to stay up all night gaming and cultivating, the price might be oversleeping and being late for school tomorrow.)】 【Option Three: Ignore for Now (Suggested for those with difficulty making decisions, you will agonize over whether to enter the Ashen World and will only fall asleep at two in the morning, the price might be oversleeping and being late for school tomorrow.)】 ps: The protagonist is not saintly, is decisive and ruthless, and thinks differently from the average person. Please refrain from criticism if this is not to your taste.

【You can skip the Prequel chapters which won't affect your reading】 He cradled an incense burner in his hand and lit thirty minutes of incense. Wisps of blue smoke swirled around, and in that instant, his Divine Thought pierced heaven and earth, all worldly fetters dissolved into nothingness. Such was the Immortal.

In the Ancient Era, the Demon clan vanished without a trace. In more recent times, the Dragon Clan disappeared. The age when the divine way flourished had faded away like smoke, and the pinnacle of the flying swords era eventually fell into decline… What has happened to this world? Who will listen to the historical truth buried in the long river of time? Bodies were strewn over a thousand miles of mountains and river; the harrowing hunger of tigers depicted across a hundred years of heaven and earth. The impartiality of the cosmos is as heartless as ever, Yet I possess a burning red heart—one that patrols the heavens! —————— Welcome to the Immortal Sword World, where emotions run deep. ——————

“Do you weep for me, my teacher?” She whispered. I pressed my lips to her shaking hand and was transported back to when I first met her thirty years earlier. “Yes, majesty. I weep for you.” I replied. “And I weep for my soul. I failed to protect you, and I deserve damnation for it.” My queen smiled, her blood-spattered face serene in the red haze of blood and smoke. “No, Lukas, you have fulfilled your duty. And you will serve me again in the glorious halls of our gods.” “With all my heart,” I whispered. Tears glittered in her eyes, “Call me by my name?” She asked, her voice quiet, weak. “Like you did when I was a little girl.” “Anna.” At the end of the world, a mage held his student in his arms as the light left her eyes. At the end of the world a mage stared down his attacker. At the end of the world, a mage died. And woke up thirty years before the end of the world. He's been given a second chance. And this time he's going to do it right.

Alexandra Thompson is a struggling event planner. She expects her boyfriend to propose on her second-year anniversary, but he drops a bombshell on her instead. Their relationship was fake. It was all a bet, and his prize for deceiving her was a new Lamborghini. In retaliation, she stole the keys to his new car with the intent to destroy it. What she did not intend was to crash into a man in a fit of rage and send him to the hospital. Julian Saintclaire is an arrogant billionaire CEO of Saintclaire conglomerates. After being stood up by the woman his parents arranged for him to marry, he cancels their engagement and goes for a smoke, only to be run over and wake up with amnesia. With no memory of his identity, he is forced to live with Alexandra and work as her assistant. Together, they navigate the dangerous waters of love and the forces threatening to pull them apart.

I truly was the Great Sage Equalling Heaven and never changed; Just like causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace, breaking through the spiritual firmament, my defiance undying. I wish to be equal with heaven, an unconquerable being, From now on, free and unfettered. What I hate will eventually vanish like smoke and clouds; What I protect will surely live on forever.

The seasoned player of "Abyss of Stars," the [Starfall Master] Li Zi, brings a system template and travels to the game's world, arriving in the era of the game's beta version. This is the worst of times. The cosmic forces and conglomerates collude, causing the doors to the universe to be closed, the planet's resources to be exhausted, and even sunlight to be monopolized. This is also the best of times. All the extraordinary systems are just beginning. In this era, he is the only [Starfall Master] with the final version patch. While people are enthralled by the smoke of plasma guns and cannons, Li Zi has already torn apart battleships with gravity. While superhumans are smug about their awakened abilities, moonlight has already become Li Zi's servant. While the interstellar fleet crosses the Milky Way, Li Zi has just ignited the forty-second star, illuminating the entire universe. "People have been trapped on the ground for too long; they've forgotten that this starry sky should belong to all of us." —Facing the unspeakable aboriginal evil gods, Li Zi, holding a black hole, gently said.

"When the moon hides, the shadows embrace." ®®®® "I, Kane Nightshade, king of the Lycans, reject you wolf-less wench, Isabella Williams as my fated mate. How dare you bare the mark of someone else and have the guts to be pregnant too." The lycan king boomed, slamming me hard.as he continued. "Punishment is to be whipped a hundred times and by the end of it, her head should be cut off" ^^^ Isabella never thought her life would end like this. Yeah, she knew she was wolf-less and would die before she reached a good age. But she never knew she'd have to pass through the rejection, the shame, and the curses. Framed for infidelity and bearing a mysterious child. Isabella's life turns all the more dark as her tormentor, who turns out to be her fated mate, brutally rejects her and the child. Subjecting her to a punishment that would eventually lead to her death and their unborn. But just as she was about drawing her last breath. The creature came to her rescue. The creature in question was shrouded in smoke, a man who no one could describe, killing the Lycans left, right, and center just because of an uncontrollable rage he, himself didn't understand. Lucian, a being who slept for a thousand years, has awakened. But what is he now? A demon, human, werewolf, vampire, or something more? A freaking tribrid, driven by fury and a thirst for vengeance. And What does he want with Isabella, the wolf-less, pregnant runt he accidentally marked? Will she survive long enough to find out about her wolf and destiny. ©© Dark romance Warning ®18 Read with caution, it has a very sensitive scene and mature content.

"If I could live my life again, there'd be nobody in this world who could stop me." Although Lin Zhen was a Star Realm Warrior, he had led a stifled and frustrated life. Starting from the Earth era, up until humans migrated beyond the Solar System, he never made a name for himself. In his lifetime, countless grudges went unavenged, and countless desires were left unfulfilled. As he approached death, he summarized his life's experiences, thinking that if he could start again, he would use his foresight to reach the peak of his life. Holding on to this fantasy, he closed his eyes. Then, a cosmic black hole appeared. Time and space collapsed, and when he opened his eyes again, he had returned to Earth during the great catastrophe... PS: Readers can join the group "613961070." All subscribers can join the group "614441139." Updates on extra content will be provided from time to time.

In the underbelly of a lawless place, Chameli’s beauty becomes her curse and her weapon. Sold into a world of glittering danger and brutal power, she dances on the edge of survival, where every step could be her last. But beneath the smoke, a fire burns, and her secrets may bring lords to their knees. If you have any ideas or feedback please share it on my discord server: https://discord.gg/wXa2cefX

[VT] She sits there, bare feet crossed, a cigarette loosely held between her slender fingers. Wisps of silver smoke curl lazily around her, dancing to an unseen rhythm. Amber eyes glimmer with amusement as she smirks, gaze piercing through the very pages you are reading. "Do you think this is just a story? You're wrong. This is a game. And me? I'm just a spectator, watching how interesting it becomes." Another voice cuts through her musings. Author: "Aren’t you going to give them a warning?" The Fox tilts her head, lips curling into an amused smile. "The only warning I have for them? They'll lose money. Because this story is just that good." Blurb: A lost soul awakens within a misty void, reborn in a world where gods are not just myths—they are the very laws that shape reality. Here, dreams, memories, and fate itself are bound by forces beyond comprehension. Bestowed with an extraordinary ability, he is given the chance to step beyond the fragile boundary between life and death. But each return comes at a cost—fragments of his memory, pieces of his emotions, or perhaps... parts of himself. Shattered glimpses of reality intertwine, where death is not the end but a door leading to secrets long buried. In this world, everything follows a law—except for one thing. Death never truly ends. So when the river falls silent… what will remain? This is the English version of When the River Fall Silent, read the Vietnamese version here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/32215080608337705

HERE’S TO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL The rain hasn’t fallen on Mercer Street in over forty years. Water is rationed, the market thrives, and the people live hidden from time itself—until she appears. Margo arrives at the doorstep of an old apartment house, soaked from head to toe in something impossible. Rain. She doesn’t know where she came from. She doesn’t remember how she got there. But she smells like a storm from another time, and that scent is about to change everything. Park and Key, longtime friends and misfits of Mercer, take her in—one fascinated, the other suspicious. As they uncover the mysteries of her past, they find themselves tangled in a web of forgotten histories, secret societies, and a reality they were never meant to question. Time folds. The past whispers. And in a world where water is worth more than gold, the girl with the rain might just be the key to everything. A mind-bending dystopian fantasy soaked in jazz, opium smoke, and the scent of lost memories. Mystery, time distortion, and a city lost in its own legend A girl who shouldn’t exist—and the men drawn into her storm Secrets buried beneath the market and the gatekeepers who guard them A journey through a world where the past is a whisper and the future is unwritten Here’s to something beautiful. Here’s to what comes next.

Luna Hartwell dies broken— framed for her parents’ murder, betrayed by her fiancé Kael Voss, and left penniless. Then she wakes up 24 hours before her downfall with one mission: destroy the Hartwells who stole her life. But Kael isn’t just her enemy. He’s reborn too, offering a twisted alliance: use him to burn her family to ash… or watch him expose her darkest secret. Their passion is explosive, their trust nonexistent. As Luna manipulates Kael into her web of lies, she uncovers a truth more dangerous than revenge: Kael’s love might be her undoing. From Manhattan penthouses to corporate boardrooms, this is a game of smoke and mirrors where every kiss is a weapon, every secret a bullet, and the only rule is—trust no one. Will she rise like a phoenix… or burn them all to ash?

Welcome to Hell's Gate City, a sprawling metropolis inspired by Venice and the industrial heart of the Pride Ring. Situated in the Sea of Pride-a marshy region dominated by rivers, swamps, lakes, and towering factories-Hell's Gate is a city where pollution fills the air and danger lurks in every shadow. In this story, you'll follow Kain Longheart the rhythm demon, blind and former Pentagram City musician, who has left his old life behind to open Veildark Records a record label. Join Kain, his crow companion Greasy, Lenian Bloodbite, Rash, and other original characters on a near-lethal underground hunt for the Recorder-a device containing the only known recording of the infernal melody. Brace yourself for a journey where blood and jazz collide, all within the hellish landscape tied to the Hazbin Hotel universe. Ready to breathe in the smoke of the factories and dive into the dark canals of Hell's Gate City? Then let the hunt begin.

In the sweltering heat of a Bangkok suburb, a new semester dawned on the public university, casting a spotlight on the city's most infamous clique: The Elite and The Tops. Renowned among students from various schools and universities for their captivating visuals, impeccable style, and intriguing aura, they were the epitome of youthful glamour and sophistication. At the heart of this tangled web were three individuals bound by a shared trauma: Siriporn "Siri" Ratanawong, the stunning 19-year-old architecture student with a secret she dare not speak; Ratchanon "Chan" Chaiyaphum, the charismatic law student with a penchant for painting and a hidden past; and Sarawut "Wut" Thongkham, the brooding medicine student with a talent for art and a soul tormented by guilt. Their lives had intersected in a tragic dance five years prior, when they witnessed the brutal murder of Siri's older brother, Chaiwat. The killer, shrouded in mystery, had left an indelible mark on their psyches, a scar that still throbbed with pain. As they navigated the treacherous landscape of university life, the past began to stir, like a serpent awakening from a deep slumber. The Elite and The Tops, sworn enemies since their private secondary school days, found themselves unexpectedly reunited at the public university. The tension between them was palpable, a powder keg waiting to ignite. Little did they know, their lives were about to become inextricably entwined once more, as the unknown killer began to weave his way back into their lives, leaving behind a trail of eerie whispers and unsettling memories. The scent of jasmine and smoke lingered in the air, a haunting reminder that the past was never truly buried. As the semester unfolded, Siri, Chan, and Wut would find themselves torn between their desire for justice and their need for survival. Would they be able to confront the darkness that had haunted them for so long, or would it consume them, once and for all?

In the soot-choked gutters of the Foundry District, survival isn't guaranteed, and dreams are a luxury no one can afford. Vino Mifilder, a scarred orphan with no family, no future, and no options, scrapes by in the industrial underbelly of a world ruled by the gleaming tyranny of the Empire. Towering above him are the idols of the arena-champions of Bloodsport, the brutal, televised battleground where violence is currency, and death is entertainment. But Bloodsport isn't a fantasy to Vino. It's a whisper in the smoke, a way out, a suicide mission disguised as salvation. When hunger, desperation, and fate force his hand, he registers for the games-not for glory, but for a chance to be seen in a world that's forgotten him. What follows is a slow, visceral descent into a system built on agony. Each battle, spaced weeks apart, scars deeper than the last. Vino must learn to adapt or die-facing cybernetically enhanced killers, propaganda-fueled stars, and the twisted politics of an empire that uses fighters as both weapon and spectacle. With every drop of blood, he inches closer to the truth behind the sport... and the rot at the heart of the Empire.

In a dystopian future where Earth is but a shadow of its former self, scarred by technological wars and forbidden experiments, a man wakes up amidst smoking ruins, nameless, faceless, and without a past. The only traces of his lost identity: glowing scars etched into his skin, and a diagnostic system embedded within him, whispering cryptic warnings in his ear. He quickly discovers that he is an Eclipsian—a subject of the Eclipse Project, a secret initiative aimed at merging humans with forbidden technologies to create living weapons. But something went wrong. The subjects of the project, endowed with devastating powers capable of manipulating the black energy of eclipses, were erased, their memories sealed… until he, the last survivor, awakens. Hunted by killer drones, hybrid Hunters—part machine, part monster—and a clandestine organization eager to silence him, his only ally is a mysterious mercenary named Lyra. She claims to know his past, but in exchange for her help, she demands that he join her in a perilous quest: infiltrating the ruins of the Eclipse City, the epicenter of the cursed project, to destroy the data before it falls into the wrong hands. However, the closer he gets to the truth, the more his powers spiral out of control, revealing a disturbing connection to the Black Eclipse, an apocalyptic phenomenon devouring the world. His scars come to life, his memories return in fragments, and one question haunts him: Was he a sacrificed hero… or a monster they tried to lock away? In the heart of a race against time, where each revelation could shatter him, he must choose between resurrecting the man he was or embracing the demonic power implanted within him. For the Eclipse approaches, and with it, an ultimate choice: save what remains of humanity… or become its executioner.

Planet Gvette, the last surviving planet of the human race after the alien invasion, fell into crisis when their strongest warrior fell into a deep coma due to a strange smoke he ingested while fighting the aliens. After years of research, they launched a powerful, unprecedented program called "Love Interference System (LIS)." All of humanity was called to participate in a desperate attempt to save their hero, but the results were still disappointing. When they were losing hope, one of the newly created systems within the program, known as System 505, got linked with a foreign consciousness. 505 just mistook the consciousness for another human consciousness sent by the developers to become a world-hopper in the digital realm, who go to different worlds to save villains and complete their wishes, all in hopes of waking up their hero. Soyun sighed as he noticed the system. "Where am I? Last I remember I was sleeping in the Divine palace..." 505 couldn't understand him, but hearing the system's plight, Soyun agreed to help. He was once a human too, so he thought he would simply treat it as a vacation. But he never thought that the villains he was tasked with saving would trail behind him like eager puppies, and their demands would become increasingly vulgar with each new world he entered! Even the system, 505, was shocked to see the cruel villains, whom no world-hopping individuals could conquer, bow their heads toward the host with sheepish smiles! Soyun: What do you want?? The villains: You and your body! Soyun: .... 505: Emergency Code Red! The strongest warrior is seducing the host—Ahem, no, I mean the host has somehow seduced the strongest warrior! Soyun: .... ------------- ------------- Note: The cover is not mine as I am too poor. All credits go to the owner. If he/she wants me to remove it, just ring me up in the comment section.

THIS IS YOU. Juan Morales, a 24 year old nobody, wastes away in the dreary town of Dullsville, where the height of excitement is a pigeon feeding contest. He lives in a basement apartment under a chain smoking landlord, a gangly, awkward otaku drowning in pirated High School DxD episodes and Naruto manga, dreaming of a life beyond spilled coffee stains and a dead end job at the Dollar Dump. Weak, stammering, and invisible, he is the guy you would overlook until fate decides he is more than a loser with a cracked phone. One day, a blinding flash changes everything. A system activates, naming Juan the Chosen Vessel of Destiny, promising unparalleled power through missions that transform his mundane life into a saga of epic potential. He runs through Dullsville’s streets, climbs trees, and masters fire, starting a classic underdog journey of gritty effort and small victories. Yet as missions escalate, shadows loom, hinting at trials testing more than body and will. Will Juan rival the anime heroes he idolizes or crumble under destiny’s weight? Path to Eternal Supremacy offers a wild ride of transformation, where every step toward power unveils a darker, stranger world. This is you, chasing supremacy into the unknown at any cost.

"One day I was born." "One day I started to walk, eat, and do anything like a child does." "One day I get myself to study in a school, and everyone's bullied me." "One day I work hard to be a stunt woman, were I am just a shadow of a famous actresses." "One day I died so suddenly in an accident along with the movie we make." "One day I transmigrated into another dimension." "One day I find myself living into a fictional world with another body. And I am just a female supporting character in the novel that I read before I died. I Radia Moore know, that this isn't my story but I want to change it into another version of scenes, were me as Eleanorie Yewarllow will be the main character. I will make this my own and I won't die in the second time again. In this novel... I won't be second anymore!" °°°Deku°°°

Here lies Alice Carter, a woman once filled with ambition, now buried beneath the weight of her own desires. She was a dreamer, a believer in fairy tales spun from gold and silk, a woman who thought wealth could be the answer to all life’s miseries. She longed for a life where struggle was a distant memory, where cabs were replaced by chauffeurs and small apartments by grand estates. She wanted servants to anticipate her needs, luxury to soften life’s edges, and a man so wealthy that her worries would vanish like smoke in the wind. But in her pursuit of diamonds, she forgot the value of herself. And so, the dreamer died—not in a tragic accident or a cruel twist of fate, but in quiet surrender. What rose in her place was a woman trapped in velvet chains, bound by comfort yet suffocated by control. This is not her final story, but the beginning of her reckoning.

{WARNING: THIS BOOK IS HIGHLY SMUTTY} "Run, little bird." His voice is a whisper of sin and smoke, curling around my body like chains I cannot break. I should run. I should fight. But I don’t. Because he’s already caught me. A rough hand grips my throat, tilting my chin up—forcing me to meet his eyes. Red. Burning. Ravenous. "You can try to escape, little wife," he murmurs, his breath hot against my lips. "But we both know how this ends." I am his. Bound to the Devil. Trapped in his Hell. Luciel—King of the Underworld. Predator in human skin. A monster with a smile that undoes me, ruins me, devours me. Every whisper is a command. Every touch is a punishment. Every kiss is a slow death. And the worst part? I want more. His fingers trail down my spine, lower, lower—until I’m arching, trembling, drowning. "Look at you," he taunts, lips ghosting over my pulse. "So desperate for the monster you fear." I should hate him. I should fight harder. But then his lips brush my ear, and he chuckles—low, dark, merciless, making me give in to his darkhold. "Good girl."

TW: Sùicidal thoughts, language, drùgs, smoking, death, sèx. -Not recommended for younger audiences- hope y’all enjoy

In the heart of Seoul’s brutal underworld, power is everything, and loyalty is only as strong as the next betrayal. Kim Tae-sung, the ruthless and feared Street King, rules the criminal empire with an iron grip. But when an ambitious rival, Jinwoo, rises from the shadows, a bloody war erupts—one fueled by revenge, greed, and the ghosts of the past. At the center of it all is Kim Do-yun, Tae-sung’s most trusted enforcer, forced into an impossible choice when his family is threatened. Betray his king—or lose everything he loves. As alliances crumble and hidden enemies emerge, Hye-jin, a mysterious woman with deadly skills and a secret agenda, plays both sides—waiting for the perfect moment to strike. In a city where every handshake is a trap and every promise is a lie, who will survive, and who will fall? Love, betrayal, war, and revenge collide in The Street King, a high-stakes action thriller where the line between hero and villain disappears in the smoke of gunfire. The throne is up for grabs. But to claim it, one must walk through blood.

Everyone in the class was shocked when the news came: Sheena Hathaway married to Stephan Korade. It’s already the fourth year of the university, when every couple was destined to break up at such a moment. Therefore, no one would expect the bookworm Sheena would marry to the rich playboy Stephan Korade. “She must have put a curse on that handsome boy. How could the son of Bee Group, the biggest medical device company, marry a girl of nobody? ” everyone doubts like this. Except Stephan himself. “Sheena, please don’t ignore me in the campus, we’re a couple indeed.” Stephan begged in a soft tone trying to not offend this girl with sparkling eyes under her black glasses. “Stephan, I know our marriage is just a smoke shell, don’t act like you love me.” Sheena smiled sincerely and innocently. “So, for your request, no way.”

Arlan Veythorn awakens as a child in a world not his own, his mind fractured by memories of machinery and smoke. Reborn into a disgraced noble family, he inherits a crumbling estate, a father drowning in shame, and a name that invites scorn. In Aethyria, power is dictated by Aetheric Resonance—a hereditary magic that his family has lost. But Arlan remembers things he shouldn’t: gears and equations, whispers of a past life. When he crafts a Frostward Lantern. To survive, he must navigate a world where even seeming allies have hidden agendas. Yet the deeper he delves into Aethyria’s secrets, the more he questions his own rebirth. Aeon of Ashes and Ambition is a sprawling, slow-burn epic where every choice has consequences, and nothing—not magic, not memory, not even death—is what it seems. --- For readers who crave - A protagonist clawing from rags to power in a cutthroat, magic-steeped world. - Mysteries where the world itself is the antagonist. - Progression through ingenuity, alliances, and morally gray gambles. --- No chosen ones. No prophecies. Just a man, a spark of defiance, and the ashes of ambition.

Kazuki Katsuragi, a teenage boy who was having a normal life. He was introverted and shy who wasn't able to talk with most people and never made friends. However one day, he disappeared in a mysterious smoke, and reappeared in a completely different world. The world where imaginary powers were possible. What are the challenges awaiting Kazuki Katsuragi? Follow on to see....

"Dad, are we going to die?" "No, sweetie. We’ll be alright." Surrounded by armed men, I clenched my daughter's hand, my heart pounding as their guns pointed directly at her. I closed my eyes, whispering a silent prayer. Then—a gunshot. My eyes snapped open. One of the men collapsed onto the pavement, lifeless. Through the thick smoke rising from our burning car, a figure emerged. My breath caught. It was my son. Without hesitation, he tore through the attackers, his blows ruthless, his movements a blur of deadly precision. Blood splattered the ground as he dismantled them, one by one. Then, headlights cut through the chaos. A sleek black car pulled up, and from its shadow stepped two men. My blood ran cold. They weren’t just anyone. They were the right-hand men of the Devil—the most feared mafia lord alive. Yet, they stood behind my son, watching in silence. As he delivered the final blow, my son straightened, his face drenched in blood. He tilted his head toward the dark sky, inhaling deeply before murmuring: "The time has come, hasn’t it?"

"Oga kpata kpata! Oga no na isisi! Oga no n' enu!" He greeted his boss who was sitted in the dimly lit spacious office with his back turned to him. "What's new?" The Boss answered with a cold emotionless voice. The smoke from his pipe engulfing the room. "The Alaye don show, he just touch down Chinua Achebe Airspace." The fellow answered, he being part of the activity his boss engaged in didn't flinch at the sight or breathe of the atmosphere almost two inches thick which he stood in the midst of, firm like an Iroko ready to wait on his boss' command. "Interesting! Get her to keep an eye on him, you, keep an eye on them..." And as he spun himself on the swivel to face him, he asked, "Is that clear?" "I dey for you Oga m, I dey for you, asap!" He replied with a slight bow. With a wave of one of his palms, both hands were now rested on the table, he dismisses him. He left with a bow and a final greeting as another guard armed with only a pistol hails the boss and proceeds to shut the door behind him. The boss spun himself repeatedly and when he had finally settled, he smirked as he released puffs of cloud from his nostrils...

In a gaslit city where time is currency and memories are traded like coins, Linden Hawthorn, a reclusive archivist, inherits a broken pocket watch and a blood-stained journal after his father vanishes. The watch doesn’t tick—it feeds. With every cryptic vision it offers, it devours fragments of Linden’s past: the scent of his father’s pipe smoke, his sister’s voice, even the reason he began his search. The journal leads him to a drowned barge filled with corpses clutching coins from the future, a porcelain doll that whispers of a faceless figure called the Woundless Man, and a hidden underworld where aristocrats trade seconds of life and cultists worship gears instead of gods. As Linden uncovers his father’s sins—a legacy of stolen time and mechanized horrors—he must decide what he’s willing to lose: his memories, his morality, or his very soul. But the watch hungers, and the shadowy Tockmen who pull its strings demand payment in blood. Time is running out. And it’s taking Linden with it.