Nero Ascendant

Zhou Bai was once an unremarkable “landlady” in the city—owning a few aging apartment blocks and managing a motley crew of tenants—until the day she traded her three most valuable buildings for a mysterious “game entry ticket.” When the game activated, a blinding white light swallowed her, and she woke up in an unfamiliar world. She found herself standing before a dilapidated wooden shack, surrounded by overgrown weeds and untamed wilderness. In her backpack lay her “reward”: an ancient, leather-bound **Territory Construction Manual** and a rune-etched, all-purpose **Digging Shovel**. With ravenous beasts prowling nearby, Zhou Bai resolved to survive first and build later. Following the manual’s instructions, she used the shovel to clear land, fell trees, and quarry stone. She erected crude walls, set up a cooking hearth, and rigged a rain shelter. When word of her tiny stronghold spread, a curious fox spirit—capable of rudimentary speech—stumbled in, warning her of ever-worsening monster hordes to the north. Desperate to prepare, Zhou Bai reinforced her walls with basic runic barriers and repelled the first wave of savage creatures. As the walls solidified into a defensible city core, adventurers and settlers arrived one by one: an elven patrol claimed her forest lodges; dwarven smiths carved out a mountain mine; banished orcs grudgingly swore fealty; and clever goblins pitched in with mechanical contraptions. In Zhou Bai’s domain, rent was never coin but cooperation: each newcomer worked their strength for the common good. Elven magic blended with dwarven metallurgy, orcish courage, and goblin engineering—transforming the settlement into a vibrant, multi-cultural metropolis. But peace is fleeting. Ancient divine seals weakened, nightmarish beasts surged awake, and rival powers eyed Zhou Bai’s thriving city with envy. During a grand festival marking the city’s founding, the oldest monster lord shattered its prison and attacked. At the brink of disaster, Zhou Bai brokered an unprecedented pact: she bound the rampaging lord to her banner through her uncanny negotiation skills, earning its power and loyalty. With this alliance, her city soared to new heights. From a single wooden hut to one of the realm’s greatest cities; from solitary survivor to ruler of a thousand races, Zhou Bai’s journey proves that a simple landlady’s spirit—resourcefulness, courage, and an open-door policy—can rewrite destiny. Now, as the curtain rises on her cross-world “landlord” saga, readers will discover how one woman’s vision turned a ragtag camp into an unparalleled stronghold—and forged a legend that echoes across worlds.

In a twisted glitch of fate, Xiaojin Sheng—an ordinary programmer—wakes up inside a cliché apocalyptic novel… as the infamous villainous side character. Worse yet, she’s the one who’s been competing with the heroine since childhood and is destined for a tragic end. But the system, guilty for its blunder, offers her a bold compensation: five top-tier, jaw-droppingly hot bodyguards, each with unmatched power and loyalty. Their sole mission? Protect her at all costs—and maybe dote on her a little too much. Just as Xiaojin is about to scream at the absurdity, five figures emerge through the flames. Her eyes widen. She recognizes them instantly. Mo Xuan, the serpent prince with flowing purple hair and seductive eyes—dangerous to all, gentle only to her. Li Miao, the sharp-tongued cat-eared teen who bickers non-stop but shields her with claws out. Lu Yuan, the brooding black panther shifter, oozing tension and heat, whose silent gaze speaks volumes. Bai Yu, the soft-spoken ram beastman—her domestic god who cooks, cleans, and kisses her goodnight. Qi Luo, the elegant dragon-phoenix hybrid, noble and untouchable, but willing to burn the skies for her. They aren’t strangers—they’re the exact fictional husbands from her dreams in the real world. The system whispers: “Press 1 to claim all five husbands.” She: “11111!” From that moment on, the so-called villainess becomes the true Queen of the Apocalypse. Who needs plot armor when you have five walking cheat codes in love with you? But things quickly spiral out of control. “Sheng Sheng, I’m sleeping with you tonight.” “She’s scared of the dark—everyone else, out.” “I’m already in bed. Want to join?” “She sleeps where I say.” “She’s my wife. Got a problem? Fight me.” Xiaojin: “Weren’t you supposed to protect me… not fight over me?!” While dodging zombies and unraveling the secrets of the broken world, she must also navigate the dangerously steamy affection of five supernatural husbands. And as layers of truth unfold, she realizes: this isn’t random. Their presence, their pasts, and her rebirth… were all part of a greater design. Survive the end. Conquer fate. Tame five beasts. And rewrite the rules of love in a world on fire.