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transmigration

Reborn Again, I Chose to Rule from the Underworld

Zhao Ming died once as a nobody—and learned the cruelest truth of the late Han: a spear can’t beat a seal. In his second life, his military household was erased by paperwork, rumors, and a corrupt city that pretended chaos was law. He survived long enough to become a ruthless killer… and still died as a disposable thug when war swallowed Xiapi. Now he’s reborn again—back to the eve of everything. This time, Zhao Ming doesn’t dream of being righteous. He doesn’t plan to beg the yamen for fairness or gamble on noble heroes. If the city runs on hunger, fear, and ink, then he’ll take the only throne that can’t be revoked: the underworld. Starting with the place where secrets are cheaper than swords—the Fragrant Pavilion—Zhao Ming begins mapping the levers that truly control Xiapi: grain lines, dock receipts, protection fees, and the men who enforce them. He’ll build a machine out of criminals, merchants, doctors, and desperate talent—offering people exactly what they crave most… at a price they can’t escape. To save his family, he must become the city’s shadow law. To defeat corrupt officials, he must out-corrupt them—smarter, colder, and faster. And when the new inspector arrives to “clean up” Xu Province, Zhao Ming will already be the reason Xiapi still breathes. In a world where virtue gets you killed, Zhao Ming chooses a different path: If he can’t stop fate—he’ll own it.
LuneClown · 2k Views