It was unbelievable, but Ellier had died once and came back to life.... more>>

Additionally, she, though it may seem far-fetched, was the Empress of this huge Empire, Pardinas.

The problem lay in that she woke up in the body of a certain s*ave girl, returning to 17 years in the past before she, the Empress, died.

“This toxic b*tch! Today’s events have made it clear that there isn’t any difference between you and a beast.”

The enraged s*ave trader placed Ellier in the middle of Rubelfast Square on display as a spectacle.

The surroundings were exceptionally clean and the people were particularly busy today.

‘Ah… So today was the day the s*ave market opened…!’

The s*ave market was held once every fortnight, and was possibly a day where s*ave traders have been waiting for. It was also the day that she has been anxiously awaiting, as it was a golden opportunity to screw with the s*ave traders and escape from this agonizing place.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“You’ve woken up.”

The door swung open suddenly, and a tall and handsome young man of a stalwart build entered.

It was a very natural attitude for someone who entered without knowing that Ellier had woken up.

‘Oh my God, how the hell did this happen?’

To her surprise, it was a familiar face.

Platinum blond hair that evoked sighs of wonder, amber eyes that were beautiful enough to be an ornament, smooth and firm skin that was tanned by the sun, as well as a big and sturdy frame that left no doubts that he was a knight…

That’s it. Even if she died and came back to life, she would never forget that appearance.

‘Isn’t that Slarhan Ventiark!’

He was the strongest political adversary in Ellier’s previous life. <<less

“I, Shen Miaomiao, reluctantly took over a game company at the start.”... more>>

Fortunately, the rebate system awakened just in time. As long as the company incurred losses, the system would compensate me with ten times the amount!

So, the goal of this young CEO is to bring the company down! Financial freedom!

“I, Gu Sheng, transmigrated into a game designer at the start.”

Fortunately, the Game Treasury System awakened, allowing me to climb to the throne of the Game King by creating hit games!

So, the goal of this Game Director is to expand and create brilliance once again!

…

When a laid-back CEO encounters a determined game designer, the company’s direction gradually becomes abstract.

“You said no one plays mech games? What is this ‘Titan’s Fall’ you created?”

“You said the horror game market is lacking? What’s the deal with this ‘Escape’ game?”

“You said second-generation shooters are easy to lose money? Are you remaking ‘Call of Duty’?”

As Shen Miaomiao looked at the profitable financial reports, her mind buzzed.

Not a single penny was lost, so she made up her mind!

“From now on, let’s torture the players mercilessly!”

She couldn’t believe that she couldn’t lose this money!

Upon hearing this, Gu Sheng unfolded a stack of game proposals in his hands.

“Boss, take a look at these—’Black Blood Renegade’ and ‘Wolf.’ Which one should we start with?” <<less

After one night’s sleep, Su Wan wakes up to find she’s transmigrated into an apocalypse novel—as the vicious side character who starts off by stealing the female lead’s space, cruelly torturing the male lead, and basically asking to be killed!... more>>

Worse yet, tonight the male lead she’s been abusing—beyond recognition, no less—is about to awaken a god-tier superpower and personally send her to her death!

Starting off on hell difficulty? No problem, she’s got a golden finger: the spatial ability just acquired by the original host!

Still, when faced with the future big boss who’s brimming with mu*derous intent and about to go dark, survival comes first!

Thinking fast, Su Wan clutches her belly and trembles, saying, “I think... I might be pregnant.”

Bonus gift: Exclusive space ability—the apocalypse’s most powerful mobile warehouse. Interested?

To survive, she grits her teeth and keeps up the act, barely hanging on. But as she keeps acting, something feels off…

Wasn’t he supposed to kill her to achieve enlightenment? Wasn’t she supposed to fade quietly into the background?

Instead, the paranoid, blackened man traps her against the wall, his eyes filled with an unfathomable possessiveness.

“Where do you think you’re going? Su Wan, you think you can still leave?”

She starts out just trying to survive in the shadows, but later she dominates the apocalypse stage. With her golden finger and acting chops, Su Wan’s determined to carve out a dazzling life for herself in the end times! <<less

Rabbit hunger disease refers to the phenomenon where if people only eat rabbit meat during a famine, no matter how much they eat, they will quickly starve to death. This is due to nutritional imbalance. However, eating only potatoes will not cause this.... more>>

Potatoes are a rare food that prevents starvation, almost meeting all the nutritional elements the human body needs to sustain life. In simple terms: potatoes are awesome.

Qiao Xuejun, a recent graduate in agronomy, just started her job when she unexpectedly transmigrated to the apocalypse and bound to a granary system.

The apocalypse is imminent, with extreme high temperatures, heavy rain, floods, snow disasters, acid rain, and mutated creatures. Extreme weather alternates, disasters are endless, and humanity struggles to survive with scarce resources.

System: Hoarding grain can be exchanged for a shelter; the more grain, the more advanced the shelter.

Hoarding grain and farming? This is a perfect match, my specialty!

As soon as she opened her eyes, she was tricked by her awful relatives into buying their unsold potatoes.

What a coincidence!

The potato variety is Holland No. 15, with a short dormancy period, strong disease resistance, easy to plant, and easy to store, yielding ten thousand jin per mu.

With a large warehouse, Qiao Xuejun bought them all out amidst her relatives' gazes of them being a sucker.

System: Congratulations to the host for completing the pre-disaster reserve mission. Mission Reward: Shelter （Primary）. Only 1 day until the apocalypse. <<less

Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.... more>>

Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council’s army, decides to personally apprehend him.

“Since when have you been watching me?”

Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo’s answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.

“From the very beginning.” <<less

Poor theater actor Lee Soo-hyun.... more>>

He fainted after being hit by a falling light, and when he opened his eyes, he possessed a character in “The Blue Knight of the Holy Sword”, a novel that was discontinued due to unpopularity.

What's more, he transmigrated into the body of Arendt von Eckhart, who betrayed the Knights Templar and was destined to be executed soon.

The only thing left for the character who has completed his or her role on stage is to exit. In other words, there is only death... Character interpretation can vary depending on the actor playing it.

“Please take care of me, you traitorous bastard.”

In order to survive, he must create a role other than that of Arendt, the 'traitor', even if it means twisting the story.

Now, the life-threatening method acting begins! <<less

Has it ever crossed your mind? There are monsters from ancient mythology lurking within brightly lit metropolises.... more>>

Has it ever crossed your mind? There are gods watching over us on the moon over our heads.

Has it ever crossed your mind? There are transcendent humans roaming the streets in bustling cities as gods’ apostles.

Within human societies, there hides countless supernatural beings lurking.

The ancient gods reside in Forbidden Zones untouched by humans.

Archangel Michael, the Underworld King — Hades, the God of the Sea — Poseidon

But, where did the Chinese deities go?

In a mortal world, all “divinities” have to be purged. <<less

Shu Mo crossed over into Extreme Cold Apocalypse and even got bound to a simulation management system.... more>>

At the start, the system let her choose a type of shop to manage.

Shu Mo, freezing like a dog: …Do I even need to think about this?

She shivered as she typed in “hot spring street.”

*

The entire world was swept into a bizarre survival game.

Temperatures plummeted, monsters invaded from all sides, resources were scarce, and all warm things vanished from the world, plunging it into an endless winter.

In the tenth year after the game began, the despairing players unexpectedly discovered…

At the foot of a snowy mountain, there was actually a hot spring inn surrounded by rising steam.

—Amid the vast snowy mist, a warm orange light glowed. Steam lingered in the air, the smell of sulfur filled their noses, and as they approached, calm and peaceful background music played in their ears.

The players, realizing what they had found, immediately went wild.

Shu Mo’s hot spring inn quickly became explosively popular, and its business scope gradually expanded.

From various hot springs, foot baths, and saunas,

to steaming oden, hot pot, and ramen,

and even to speciality shops and water parks…

Reluctantly leaving Shu Mo’s inn, the players were shocked to find that they had gained all sorts of buffs on their bodies!

【 Roasted Sweet Potato 】After consumption, stamina recovery speed +4/h (effect lasts 24 hours)

【 Sulfur Foot Bath 】Agility +3, movement speed +3 (effect lasts 24 hours)

【 Speciality: Red Bean Bun 】Instantly restores 20 stamina points (carry limit *6)

…

The players who had already stepped out of the door quickly turned around and went back inside.

What kind of resort is this? This is clearly a massive health pack!!

Accidentally turning the survival game into an idle mobile game, Shu Mo suddenly snapped out of it one day and realized that the game had actually been cleared.

The players, brave and unmatched, with countless buffs above their heads and backpacks full of stamina and mana-restoring specialities, had wiped out the monsters’ lair.

Looking at the “Savior” title that had appeared above her head, Shu Mo: ???

#Managing Players to Save the World# <<less

Kaleido, a talented but unpopular boy band, shot to fame by chance because of a video shot at the airport. In the video, Pei Tingsong, the youngest and most gong member of the whole group, pinned Fang Juexia Gege against a wall as he gently patted his face with a ticket. Yet Fang Juexia just took the ticket away, biting it as he tidied up his clothes. A “bullying” incident within the group thus transformed into an intense flirting exchange, and the TingJue CP was born.... more>>

Netizen: holy sh*t that’s so gong! Kabedon AND a bayonet fight! (internet slang for lovey dovey actions between men)

And thus, the abandoned trump card burdened by rumours of having had sold his body and the legendary rich member with a strong backing were bound together. They had clearly never gotten along since their debut, yet they were now forced to embark on an endless path of selling their fake ship together.

Pei Tingsong was famous for being ‘real’ in the circle, and he had offended many people from his lyrics alone because they were overly ‘real’. But he stressed again and again that he and Fang Juexia were only providing fan service.

CP fan: [Someone who has never been fake is selling a fake ship.] May the philosophy students please explain the paradox to this young student Pei here.

Xiao Pei: Fine, you guys win.

Juexia: (seriously considers the logic) If B is true, then A is also true; but if A is true, then B should also be true…it really is a paradox.

Xiao Pei: Fang Juexia, you’re heartless. <<less

"The update for Ice Age Era has been completed, officially launching the public beta. In one minute, all humans on Blue Planet will enter this game."... more>>

Starting with a small campfire, this is the initial area of activity. Players must continuously gather resources and upgrade the campfire level:

Campfire → Large Campfire → Furnace → Energy Tower → Super Energy Station

By unlocking more buildings and recruiting various troops, they must develop their own forces in this harsh and extreme world.

Cao Xing, who has just transmigrated, unexpectedly activates the only hidden SSS-level talent: Eternal Power. At this moment, he realizes that by his side is a stunning sister-in-law...

Using his hidden talent, the two of them cooperate seamlessly, gradually expanding and strengthening their territory! As they explore the vast world, more secrets begin to emerge... <<less

NOW HIRING... more>>

— URGENT —

Ghost Story Specialist Corporation

Daydream Inc. (Ltd.)

Insane Benefits – Come to Work Immediately

※ Note : The company is not liable for any injuries or fatalities that may occur during the course of the employee’s duties.

——

A pop-up event for some ‘modern fantasy’ media I loved so much that I even took a precious day off work to attend.

On that day, I ended up transmigrating as a character in that very fantasy world.

As none other than a newly hired employee at a famous large corporation!

A dream job with great benefits, an excellent salary, and even kind and competent bosses.

I’m using the information I know about the world to rise through the ranks at lightning speed!

Am I happy, you ask?

Please, just let me go home. I’m begging you.

※ Note : The genre is horror. <<less

On a sunny afternoon, Kyle finally received the long-awaited acceptance letter to Hogwarts, the prestigious thousand-year-old wizarding school.... more>>

At Hogwarts, Kyle led a fulfilling life. Besides attending classes, he spent his free time cultivating magical vegetables, tending to enchanting flowers, or venturing into the dark, forgotten chambers of the castle to provide emotional support to a small creature abandoned for centuries.

Dumbledore: "Kyle is a courageous, kind, and sincere young wizard."

Professor McGonagall: "The Headmaster is absolutely right. Kyle never breaks the school rules."

Snape: "Ah, yes… indeed..."

Professor Quirrell had thought the same—until one day, he opened a trapdoor and stumbled into a room full of Chomping Cabbages. <<less

Rast’s time was hopelessly frozen on the same day after transmigrating into the western fantasy game Snow Moon Emblem.... more>>

No matter what he did, when dusk arrived, the resurrected Old God would erase the entire city known as Deep Blue Port, along with every trace Rast had left behind.

Time would rewind, and everything would begin again.

He had once been joyful, using endless time to pursue various women, studying the most obscure and remote books in the library, honing each of his skills to perfection...

He had also despaired, attempting to prevent the descent of the evil god, only to fall into utter hopelessness amidst endless failures...

Until that day, after three hundred years of rewinding and failing, when Rast once again, in his mortal body, faced the Old God head-on, he saw a figure that absolutely should not have appeared.

“Eh? According to history, Deep Blue Port should have been destroyed by the aftermath of the divine descent.”

The poster girl from the game cover, the 「Azure Silver Sword Saint」 Shiltina, was staring at him with a face full of confusion.

“And also, who is this strange Historical Echo instance NPC, and why is there absolutely no record of him in the chronicles?”

Rast: ?

So this is a replica projected from past history, and I’m just an NPC in the historical instance?

So, I’ve been playing the beta server for a whole three hundred years?

……

Breaking free from the shackles of time, the prisoner shattered the cage of history.

And thus——

A player more terrifying than any boss was born. <<less

Transmigrated into a martial arts world, Li Mo binds with an investment system that allows him to see the innate talent, destiny, and future of his investment targets. ... more>>

The better their destiny, the greater the rewards he receives.

He then discovered his childhood sweetheart, a cool and aloof girl, possessed the highest-level red destiny and is destined to become the Empress who will rule the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Recently, she seems troubled by how to unlock her sealed meridians and reveal her talents early.

.....

I am Ying Bing, one of the Nine heavens, known as the Phoenix Heavenly Empress, who suppressed the nine heavens and ten earths with invincible might.

I've been reborn and bound to a Supreme Genius System. As long as I rank first among my peers, I can receive rewards.

[Do you wish to activate the punishment feature?]

[Once activated, rewards will increase, but the individual ranking last must fulfill a penalty determined by the top-ranked competitor after the rankings are announced]

Ying Bing: "I can't possibly punish myself, can I?"

.....

Many years later.

Ying Bing: "Can't you let me win just once?"

Li Mo: "Call me 'husband' first. I didn't quite catch it last time." <<less

Recently, a special correspondent conducted an exclusive interview with Pei Qian, President of Tengda Group.... more>>

Tengda Group, now valued at hundreds of billions, operates across various sectors such as gaming, internet services, digital hardware, cultural media, and restaurants, significantly impacting numerous aspects of daily life.

Pei Qian himself is widely regarded as the "World’s Best Boss," an unparalleled investment genius, and a brilliant game developer. He is known for his effortless leadership style and keen ability to precisely forecast industry trends.

However, during the interview, Pei Qian expressed deep frustration:

“I’m truly not some kind of business genius!”

“My success is entirely due to luck!”

“My initial goal was merely to lose fifty thousand yuan…”

See? This is exactly how a genuine business genius maintains humility and modesty. <<less

In his past life during the apocalypse, Jiang Nian was trapped in a basement, abandoned by his family when the zombie hordes came, and died tragically in the arms of his ex-boyfriend, Cheng Jing, who rushed in to save him.... more>>

When he opened his eyes again, Jiang Nian found himself reborn half a month before the apocalypse. Determined to survive, he shamelessly decided to rekindle things with his ex.

Step one: Borrow money from his ex to buy supplies—

Jiang Nian: “Cheng Jing, can you lend me some money?”

Cheng Jing: “Borrow money using your own name? I might as well kneel down for you!”

Jiang Nian: “Jing-ge, I was wrong…”

After getting back together, he comfortably clung to his now-boyfriend’s thigh and began his relaxed post-apocalyptic life. <<less

Place of Birth: Bone Sea Identity: Skeleton… In the next moment, Yun Ming, still in a daze, was swept into the battlefield. Thus, a bewildered gray bone was ruthlessly hijacked by fate. What kind of unknowns will he face? ... more>>

***

The world swam into focus through a haze of gray-white mist, the only sound a persistent, dry crackling in unseen ears. Yun Ming's consciousness flickered, slowly anchoring itself to a body lying flat on... bones. Countless bones, forming a desolate, shifting landscape beneath him. He tried to sit up, but agony exploded through his frame, sharp and absolute. Looking down, he saw not flesh, but gray-white ribs. Above, slender leg bones stretched where his own should be.

"I... am a skeleton?" The thought echoed in the hollow cavity of his skull, a silent scream of disbelief swallowed by the oppressive mist. Around him, other skeletal figures stirred, mindless automatons rising from the osseous sea, only for some to suddenly collapse, scattering back into the landscape like brittle twigs. Death was palpable here, a constant presence reinforced by the chilling whispers of disintegration.

A voice, alien yet intimate, suddenly bloomed within his mind, urging him forward, into the unknown grayness. With excruciating effort, fueled by a primal fear and a dawning, terrifying awareness, Yun Ming forced his fragile new body upright. This was the Bone Sea. This was his new, horrifying beginning. And in this realm of endless death, survival was the only imperative. His journey, fraught with pain and the constant threat of dissolution, had just begun. <<less

Du Ruo, a poor student in the mountainous area, came to Beijing to attend university and met Jing Ming, a robotics genius from the sponsor’s family. The ugly duckling met the white swan. One has inferiority complex, while the other is arrogant, prejudice against arrogance, engineering woman versus engineering man, constantly colliding with each other. ... more>>

Du Ruo was gradually attracted by the excellent Jing Ming and was secretly in love, but was rejected. From then on, she folded up her heart and worked hard to improve herself, gradually attracting Jing Ming’s glance and confession. However, at this time, Du Ruo only wanted to improve herself. <<less

"I'm going to start with manga and build a top-tier company that combines games, comics, and animation. I’ll become a big-time capitalist, a real player in the adult world!"... more>>

"Then, may I ask… are you a manga artist?"

"Nope, manga editor." <<less

Office worker, Jiang Hui, was unexpectedly sent away with a bucket of instant noodles due to a series of unfortunate events and found herself in a mysterious interstellar space-time.... more>>

In this place, people can live for at least five hundred years, almost all diseases can be treated, hospitalization is fully covered by insurance, and eating, drinking, and entertainment are all the premium versions of Blue Star. Plus, there are no transaction fees for the all-in-one card… It’s just that life here can be quite dangerous, with plenty of mech warriors around. Oh, and there are indeed a lot of enemies—

Jiang Hui has been searching for a way to lay low and live a relaxed life, but fate keeps pushing her in a completely different direction. She can neither stop it nor resist it.

With a computer and a vast sea of knowledge at her fingertips, her brain has the power to create worlds. <<less

One day, I found out that I was a side character in a hero comic book.... more>>

The original story is about heroes in leather jackets cleaning up criminals in a corrupted city.

My brother was the most powerful villain who was destined to fall at the hands of the heroes.

So, I decided to seduce the hero to change the downfall that awaited my brother and me.

However…

"What's this? You look like a squid. Stop being annoying and leave."

The protagonist of this world had a knack for inviting trouble with his sharp tongue.

***

One day, I found a half-dead man collapsed in the front yard.

And this man... He was the notorious hero from the original story.

The same hero who turned just as corrupt as the criminals he fought, becoming a moral-free anti-hero.

"You are a good person. I don't want to blow off a good person's head with my own hands."

So please, don't commit any crimes.

The anti-hero's chilling words sent shivers down my spine.

***

After escaping and hiding from my villain brother, the hero, and the anti-hero, it wasn't long before my brother found me—by joining forces with the hero.

"Being under my protection is safer than having a petty sense of freedom."

Being alive is what matters most, regardless of the kind of life I live.

My brother was angrier than I'd ever seen him in my life.

And then, the hero, his face filled with annoyance, said, "If you try to hide again, I'll make sure you never leave, even if it means throwing you in prison."

And as for the anti-hero, who left mountains of villain corpses in his pursuit of me, said, "Giselle. My love. Would you rather lose your head, or live like you're dead by my side?"

Oh merciful gods above, it seems this life is destined for ruin. <<less

“Oh! I know these gray mushrooms; they’re edible.” Facing adventurers who came to pick his mushrooms, Linden silently sprouted a pale blue mushroom among the gray ones. After a hearty meal, the adventurers all collapsed, poisoned and giggling on the ground. Luckily, another team rescued these unlucky fellows before they became monster chow.... more>>

“Captain, what happened to them?”

“Sigh, they dared to eat mushrooms here without offering sacrifices first. Outsiders are just clueless.”

—

Linden, who was summoned as a hero by someone unknown but reincarnated as a mushroom, found himself trapped deep in the dungeon, surrounded by monsters. To one day see the sun again, Linden used his hero cheat—decomposing corpses to plunder skills—to carve out a mushroom garden in the dungeon, planning to slowly counter-invade the surface… <<less

Hang Yu descended into a Three Kingdoms world where the heavens have shattered, Outer Gods lurk beyond the sky, and twisted horrors roam a dark, eldritch land.... more>>

Everywhere are terrifying, warped monsters; even the famous generals and legendary heroes of history have been corrupted into unspeakable abominations, trapped in endless nightmare loops, ens*aved and warped by the will of the Abyss, unable to die in any normal way.

By chance, Hang Yu obtains the mysterious Abyssal Relic, the "Heavenly Dao Cube," granting him the ability to summon "players" as his loyal followers and citizens.

And he quickly discovers—

the more times his players die, the more rewards and resources he gains!

For the sake of his growing domain,

for the survival and rise of all races,

he has no choice but to make his players suffer even more!

Random Player：“Even though I've been slaughtered by Demonized Lü Bu tens of thousands of times, this game is just way too fun!”

————

【Dark Fantasy Three Kingdoms + Demonized Generals + Eldritch Horror Style + Fourth Calamity + Nation-building Sim + Souls-like Suffering Gameplay!】

【Not a traditional Three Kingdoms historical novel—no prior knowledge needed to enjoy!】 <<less

Years later, when he would finally hold the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in his hands, Makoto Yasui would recall one very specific afternoon—the afternoon he was sent flying ten whole meters…... more>>

By a horse girl.

At the time, he had only recently gotten his Central Trainer’s license. Unfortunately, his lack of experience was obvious, and many horse girls turned him down without a second thought.

And so, after being rejected yet again, maybe his mind wandered a bit too much.

While waiting to cross at a red light, he spotted a child nearly step into oncoming traffic. His body moved before his brain could catch up.

The kid was fine.

He was not.

Because he got hit.

Not by a car, but by a horse girl.

She had black hair, red eyes, and a matching black tail. And she slammed into him at full sprint.

Thanks to years of quiet self-training—secretly guided by memories from a past life—he managed to twist midair and land without too much damage.

Still, getting launched like that wasn’t exactly part of his daily routine.

The horse girl, on the other hand, was completely panicking.

“I-I’m so sorry! Are you hurt?! A-are you okay?!”

“I-I'm Kitasan Black! A first-year at Tracen Academy! Pleased to meet you—wait, no, that’s not what I should say right now!”

“I—I mean—I’ll take responsibility! I’ll take full responsibility for this!!”

That’s how it all began.

The girl’s name was Kitasan Black.

And this was the start of everything.

= = = =

Note: Some character backgrounds and settings have been reworked for narrative purposes.

This version expands the world while staying faithful to the spirit of the original.

New readers can enjoy it as a mix of sports drama and school life. <<less

The amnesiac tattooist Anri is living an ordinary life with her brother when she is killed by a mysterious man.... more>>

“Don’t be too resentful.”

“W-wait……”

“This is the price of betraying Lord Ryu.”

Then, she wakes up in a past she has no memory of—three years earlier. Determined not to become entangled with the man named Ryu in this life, she encounters a man named Gon, who carries an unknown evil spirit on his back.

“You can see ghosts, can’t you?”

“...How did you know that?”

Gon, who has realized Anri's special ability, proposes a deal to her, and Anri, pursued by Ryu, is forced to take Gon’s hand in order to survive.

“Rina, I suppose you're my one and only talisman.”

Having discovered the only key that can break his curse, Gon begins to obsess over her...Anri, realizing that Gon approached her with another motive, tries to run away from him, but by then, she was already in the palm of his hand.

“So, did it feel good to run away and leave me behind?” <<less