I Inherited a Dungeon and Married My Nemesis [Western Fantasy]

After an accident, Han Zhiheng transmigrates in the least dignified way possible: a construction truck smashes him into an underground-city management game.

The good news is that it’s the game he added to his wishlist ages ago, only to miss out on the beta test. Better still, he has to complete the collection to return to his original world.

Han Zhiheng exclaims, “There’s actually a deal like this?” Then the bad news drops from the sky.

His fairy assistant tells him that the city under his rule is drowning in debt and on the brink of bankruptcy. The residents’ hunger levels are through the roof, and they could rush over any moment and tear him to pieces for dinner.

In other words, he’s starting with nothing but a bowl.

To make matters worse, a vicious wild boar is charging at the decrepit city gate.

With no time to check whether his inventory contains turnip or parsnip seeds, Han Zhiheng is forced to rush into battle.

Believing that “going all in is the meaning of life,” he decisively abandons intelligence and magic, maxing out stamina, attack, and charm instead. He easily defeats the boar.

Just as management-game master Han Zhiheng is getting ready to farm, the mighty boar king, a master of magic, comes charging in!

With zero magic resistance, the city lord suffers a humiliating defeat. Luckily, a kind old mage arrives just in time to drive off the elite boar, but the mage’s own life is nearing its end.

As he breathes his last, the old mage directs Han Zhiheng to Griffin Forest to find a mysterious mage and take over as magical advisor.

After the funeral, Han Zhiheng sets out for the forest, grief-stricken.

What awaits him is another crushing blow.

At the top of the mountain, he meets the mage.

It’s him! The culprit who smashed him into the game, the man who kept him from ever getting a date, and the loathsome nemesis he considered his lifelong enemy!

His nemesis seems to have lost his memory. He studies Han Zhiheng with handsome hazel eyes and asks, “Have you come to fulfill our engagement?”

Han Zhiheng: “Huh?”

The mage’s cool voice carries a hint of anticipation. “I’m your fiance, whom you lost touch with many years ago. After we marry, I’ll help you drive away your enemies and rebuild your underground city.”

The mage unfurls a scroll covered in what looks like garbled Elvish and claims it’s their marriage contract.

Han Zhiheng shakes his head firmly. “No! I’ll never accept an arranged marriage! I’ll never give myself to you!”

As they face off, a griffin swoops down at Han Zhiheng and fires a bolt of lightning from its mouth!

Han Zhiheng darts behind the mage in an instant. “Honey, you’re the best! Save me, save me, save me!”

In the residents’ eyes, the city lord and the mysterious mage fell in love at first sight in the forest. This adorable couple, always glued together and rushing around to help everyone, becomes one of the few bright spots in their difficult lives.

For Han Zhiheng, who’s been forced into a relationship, the only difference between being single and married is swapping a single bed for a double.

To complete the collection, he willingly settles into a happy 627 life. Every morning, he wakes up and showers the mage with kisses, then goes fishing, farming, fighting, crafting, and more...

While rebuilding the underground city, he also has to persuade or beat the other lords into submission, become ruler of the underground, end a century-long war with the surface, and mend the rift between the two sides.

To unlock advanced spells, Han Zhiheng has to max out his husband’s affection.

Every day, he wakes up and clumsily delivers cheesy lines. “Darling, you’re the most handsome half-elf I’ve ever seen. There are stars in your eyes...”

The amazing thing is that no matter how clumsy the line, an affection-increased notification always chimes above the mage’s head.

Gradually, Han Zhiheng realizes that the mage’s affection keeps rising just from his being there, just from breathing.

Though they’re devoted to farming, living in the chaotic underground city means they have to deal with dangerous daily crises: dodging assassins who drop from the sky; taking part in a trial where no one survives to pay off the previous city lord’s loan sharks; delivering a birthday gift to a mysterious ranger’s family on the surface; finding the missing mother of a white dragon hatchling; venturing deep underground for the rarest ingredients to win the God of Cuisine competition; and searching for a Sword Singer who will bring good fortune to the city...

Before he knows it, Han Zhiheng has turned a farming game into a romance-management adventure. He realizes that not only has he gone from a marriage of convenience to falling in love with his husband, who dropped into his life, he’s also started entertaining the bizarre idea of abandoning the collection and living with him forever in the virtual world.

And his mage husband is connected in countless ways to his nemesis in real life. That so-called nemesis is simply another name for someone who’s been in love with him all along.

An all-purpose half-elf mage gong who “loves him so much” x a straightforward, sweet puppy-like lord shou who’s “willing to live a 627 life.” A story about two clueless lovers who seem to fall in love after marrying first, but were actually in love with each other all along. They’re together from start to finish.

Han Zhiheng: “Darling, to complete the collection, we need to have two children. As far as I know, elves need an elven mother tree to reproduce. If you don’t mind...”

The usually composed mage turns red-eyed and pants heavily. “Of course I mind! Don’t even think about having children with anyone else. We’re starting research into reproduction right now!”

The lord, pinned against the wall with a hand on his waist, struggles. “This is an all-ages game. Don’t just launch into an adults-only scene! I meant adopting two children, adopting!”

At first, Han Zhiheng doesn’t care much about marriage and children.

After all, in an all-ages game, marriage amounts to little more than kissing and cuddling. Having a child is just a loud bang in the sky, and the next day a baby pops out.

Besides, elves are supposedly all sexually cold. Kissing and cuddling is their limit, so they can just live like good roommates!

But things don’t go as planned. When he nearly dies in an accident, a hidden chamber in the game suddenly opens.

In the secret room draped in pink velvet, Han Zhiheng’s faint bloodline awakens. In the throes of passion, the mage also reveals a side that isn’t so cold after all.

Han Zhiheng: “Damn it, why are high-charisma demons always succubi? Does this game really love worn-out jokes that much? The damn developers need to know when to call it quits! And wasn’t this supposed to be all-ages? I’m going to take this game to court!”

Assistant: “Hear me out, no, wait, this was cut content!”

Han Zhiheng thinks it over. “Fine, fine. I’ll just think of it as having a good time with my roommate... For the record, I’m not lusting after his body. It’s for the resurrection spell, and to unlock advanced magic!”

Inspired by the management and life-simulation games that kept me company as I grew up and helped me through hard times: Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, Starry Project, Heroes of Might and Magic, Princess Maker, etc.

Theme: Labor is glorious. I’m 627ing willingly.