"Xia Lun, I love you, Xia Lun... Everything I have is yours... My dear Xia Lun... My beloved..."
Xia Lun narrowed his eyes as Aina lay against his chest, whispering sweet nothings he could never tire of hearing.
"Thank you," Xia Lun murmured, stroking Aina's smooth back. "I love you too."
Aina pursed her lips, seemingly unsatisfied with his response.
"Xia Lun... You're being too cold," she pouted, poking his chest. "Just a single flimsy line?"
"Have you rested enough?" Xia Lun cupped Aina's face, his thumb gently kneading her soft cheek.
Aina's lips curled into a smile—finally satisfied. As always, actions spoke louder than words.
The Demon King's wings unfurled behind her, ready to envelop them once more.
"Wait."
Xia Lun reached out, gripping the bony cartilage of Aina's bat-like wing.
"What's wrong?" Aina tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Fold your wings away," Xia Lun guided her, turning her around and positioning himself behind her. One hand steadied her wing while the other held her arm.
"It's been a while since we've done this... Your wings would block my view of your face," he whispered against the nape of her neck.
"Hmph, how bold of you, Xia Lun," Aina sneered. "Are you forcing me into this humiliating, beast-like posture for your amusement?"
Xia Lun's expression faltered. "You don't want to?"
"But since it's your request, as your wife, I suppose I can reluctantly oblige." Aina folded her wings, the crimson appendages shrinking into twin scarlet markings on her back.
"Don't misunderstand—I'm only proving that even with my back turned, I, the Demon King, can effortlessly discern your intentions..."
Xia Lun remained silent. They had done this countless times before—in fact, the first time had been Aina's idea. Clearly, she kept inventing new theatrics to keep things fresh for him.
A sharp gasp escaped Aina as Xia Lun caught her off guard.
"Tch, not bad, Xia Lun. Sneak attacking while I'm distracted..." Even after the initial stumble, Aina refused to concede.
Xia Lun smirked.
"Ngh—that last one nearly killed me... Couldn't you be gentler?"
Instead of relenting, Xia Lun intensified his assault. Aina arched forward like a drawn bowstring, her body trembling under the relentless advance.
"Xia Lun! Ah—Xia Lun, if you keep this up, I'll...!" Panic flickered in her voice—being bested so swiftly by the Hero would be mortifying.
Xia Lun ignored her protests, pressing on mercilessly. Aina's wrists remained trapped in his grasp, denying her even the dignity of muffling her own cries. Whimpers spilled from her lips, raw and unrestrained.
Finally, Xia Lun released her. Deprived of support, Aina collapsed like a snapped cord, shuddering as she lay sprawled.
"Xia Lun... You're truly a monster."
Crawling onto his chest, she purred, "So overwhelming, my Hero."
"Can't help it. You're too tempting, Demon King." Xia Lun brushed a kiss against her lips, but Aina seized him, pulling him into a deep, hungry embrace.
Reluctantly, they parted—life awaited beyond their private world.
"Let's get up." Aina waved a hand, her robe materializing to cloak her lithe figure.
"Liyana and the others seem to be back," Xia Lun noted, glancing outside.
Another flick of Aina's wrist, and fresh clothes draped over Xia Lun. Her earlier threat to banish his garments into the void hadn't been idle.
"We're hooome!"
Liyana barged in—"barged" being the operative word, as few people kicked their own door open upon returning.
"I-I'm back too..." Mo Lini murmured, avoiding Xia Lun's gaze.
"Is something wrong?" Xia Lun asked softly, immediately sensing her unease.
"Ha! I took her for green dumplings, and she overate. Now she's fretting about her figure. Xia Lun, you should bring Aina sometime—she'd love them!" Liyana scratched her head, feigning nonchalance.
Though Liyana acted normal, Xia Lun suspected they were hiding something.
But he let it slide—everyone had secrets. Back in his adventuring days, he'd never pried into his comrades' pasts, judging them solely by their present actions.
"Come, Aina."
He didn't refuse Liyana's suggestion. Aina adored sweets—except honey-glazed pancakes.
Aina cast a lingering glance at the pair but followed without comment.
"Whew... Do you think Xia Lun noticed?" Mo Lini exhaled.
"Of course not. Strong as they are, they're not omniscient." Liyana's voice wavered slightly.
"But he seemed perceptive... Liyana, if he asks me directly, I won't be able to lie."
"He won't ask." Liyana waved dismissively.
Not "won't be able to"—she knew Xia Lun's sharp eyes missed little. That eerie blue glow in the Grand Cathedral against the Twilight Apostles hadn't been for show.
If Aina found out... surely Xia Lun would protect her?
Liyana shrank into herself, already envisioning the worst.
Well, Aina probably wouldn't kill her—but punishment was inevitable.
"Blop blop—"
The slime, Little Blue, leaped from Mo Lini's head and darted away.
"Little Blue?!" Mo Lini reached out, but the creature vanished with uncanny speed.
"Wow, is that a slime or a rabbit?!" Liyana gaped.
Then again, given the enhancements Aina had fed it, perhaps the agility wasn't surprising.
"You don't think it ran away?" Mo Lini fretted.
"Doubt it." Liyana shrugged.
"Then where did it go?"
"Who knows? Probably off playing."
Liyana wasn't worried.
After all—what trouble could one little slime possibly cause?
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
transmigrates into the role of a villainous rich second-generation kid in an urban fantasy novel, and gets bound to a god-tier choice system. Right at the start, he catches the female lead stealing exam papers! This triggers the villain's choice options! [Choice 1: Pretend you didn't see anything] [Choice 2: Loudly call her out, drawing everyone's attention] [Choice 3: ...] And thus, a twisted villain is born. To avoid getting killed by the protagonist, he has no choice but to take down all the protagonists first. Jiang Che: Nobody understands being twisted better than me!
y came from. The chests contained supplies, currency, class-change scrolls, skills, talents… and even godhood! The laws of the world were completely rewritten. This became a world where everyone gambled with their fate! Some people, despite having nothing, opened a divine artifact and rose to the top, eventually ruling the world. Others went bankrupt, opened nothing but worthless junk, and leaped from skyscrapers in despair. Lin Ye arrived in this world from another reality, utterly bewildered. “What is going on? Why is everyone a gambling addict?!” “Opening chests? No way. I refuse to gamble. I’ll start with myself!” Until— On his first chest, he obtained a Mythic Talent: Void Incarnation! He could become completely intangible, pass through all things, and reduce everything to nothingness! … On his fiftieth chest, he obtained a Mythic Weapon: Blade of Karma! With a single slash, karma shattered, twisting the universe and overturning the myriad phenomena of creation! … On his ninety-ninth chest, he obtained a Mythic Divine Treasure: Primordial Purple Energy! It could split open the heavens and earth, create all things, and evolve countless worlds with a single thought! Lin Ye: “Now that I think about it… shouldn’t someone have told me that every chest is guaranteed to contain something Mythic?!”
