The conventional strength potions on the market had minimal effect on Xia Lun, so Ankula would need to develop a specialized potion for him, which would take some time.
Several vials of blood had been drawn for experiments... If Aina ever found out that her food source had been stolen by another woman, she would undoubtedly be furious.
Xia Lun decided to settle in Oleg City. He found his own inn and declined Ankula’s repeated invitations to stay at her home.
As the city lord, Ankula’s father had been urgently summoned by the king to discuss policy on countering the demon invasion...
Xia Lun naturally trusted that Ankula wouldn’t overstep her bounds, but he still wanted to avoid any suspicion—after all, rumors could damage Ankula’s reputation.
The tavern was bustling with noise. Adventurers, merchants, and locals filled every corner, and the air was thick with the aroma of ale and roasted meat.
Xia Lun sat at the counter, his face hidden beneath his hood, sipping a cup of clear wine without drawing much attention.
“I heard that Demon King has already led the demon army and seized several cities along the border,” a bearded mercenary said in a low voice.
His young companion beside him exclaimed in surprise, “What? Did none of the city lords put up a fight?”
The mercenary scoffed and slammed his wooden cup onto the table. “Fight? How, pal? They say that terrifying Demon King can unleash a massive magic spell—‘Boom!’—and destroy an entire city in an instant! What chance do ordinary people have against that?”
“Really?”
Another man in leather armor leaned in. “Of course it’s true! Lots of people have seen the Demon King’s magic. It kicked up a huge mushroom cloud! People in several nearby cities thought it was an earthquake...”
“Good heavens, has the Demon King already destroyed a city?” the young man asked in disbelief.
The man in leather armor shook his head. “Not quite. It seems he leveled a mountain as a show of force... If that kind of magic were to land right in the middle of a city, who knows what would happen?”
Xia Lun listened to the conversations nearby in silence.
Aina had really come.
Fortunately, the Demon King hadn’t resorted to harming civilians... Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to face Aina—or in what identity.
But aside from him, no one else knew the Demon King’s true identity.
It was ironic to Xia Lun that Aina, the Demon King, had once infiltrated their party and gone on adventures with them for so long...
Suddenly, a clear and confident voice rang out through the tavern. “Everyone, don’t be afraid!”
The crowd turned to look in a certain direction.
The speaker was a man with a longsword strapped to his back, dressed in an exquisite white robe. He appeared to be nearly thirty, with fair skin and handsome features. He didn’t look like an adventurer—more like a pampered noble.
“I will go and slay the Demon King, and drive all the demons out of human territory.” The man downed his drink in one gulp. “My sword will surely sever the Demon King’s head!”
Xia Lun frowned, unconsciously leaving a fingermark on the sturdy wooden cup in his hand.
The people around began to murmur.
“He’s Alani the Dragonslayer! That adventurer who’s been making a name for himself lately.”
“What? He’s already slain a dragon?”
“Ah... we once hunted down a rather powerful earth dragon.”
“That’s still quite impressive.”
“He’s a high-level warrior with real strength.”
“But I heard he confessed to Lady Ankula and got shot down flat.”
“Haha, I know about that too.”
Listening to the chatter around him, Alani’s face turned sour.
That incident had indeed happened. At a banquet hosted by the city lord’s mansion, he had laid eyes on Lady Ankula and became obsessed with her.
As the city lord’s daughter, she was no ordinary woman—her status and influence were considerable. If he could win her over, it would greatly benefit his future prospects.
Among his peers, Alani considered himself quite accomplished: strong in combat, with a decent reputation. In his eyes, he was more than worthy of the city lord’s daughter.
But he hadn’t expected her to show him no face at all, rejecting him so bluntly in front of everyone.
“Hmph!” Alani snorted coldly, and the tavern fell silent. Everyone lowered their heads—no one dared to openly provoke him.
“You bunch of spineless cowards,” Alani scoffed contemptuously. “Stay here and live like turtles hiding in your shells forever. Once I wipe out the Demon King and become a hero, you won’t even be fit to kneel down and lick my boots!”
No one spoke up to argue. They all cursed him in their hearts, but none were willing to stick their necks out and draw his ire.
Alani slammed the door hard as he left the tavern.
Soon enough, the place buzzed with noise again. No one really cared about the small scene.
It was normal, after all—the world was full of all kinds of people.
Xia Lun pondered for a moment, then followed him out.
That guy was strong enough, but going after Aina… would be certain death.
With just a flick of her magic, he wouldn't even leave ashes behind.
The sunset’s glow painted the streets orange, and Alani stood out clearly in the crowd. He twisted and turned through the streets, finally ducking into a quiet alley.
Xia Lun tugged the hood of his cloak low and trailed him unhurriedly.
Before long, they came face to face.
“Who are you? Why are you following me?” Alani sneered at the robed figure whose face was hidden in black. “You think I didn’t notice?”
Xia Lun was not surprised at all—he hadn’t bothered to hide himself. If the so-called “Dragonslayer” couldn’t even spot that, the title would be a joke.
“State your purpose. Spill it now, and I might let you live.” Alani cracked his knuckles, ready for a fight.
“To show you your place,” came Xia Lun’s muffled voice from under the cloak.
Then, Alani saw a blur. The black figure vanished.
He froze for a second.
Suddenly, Xia Lun’s form swooped down from above like a hawk, his black cloak flapping sharply in the wind. A swift, devastating heel kick descended at terrifying speed, landing precisely on Alani’s shoulder.
“Bam—”
“Ugh—”
A sharp pain instantly spread from his shoulder throughout his entire body, Alani's pupils contracted sharply, then quickly dilated. He couldn't even let out a complete scream before his body went limp, crashing heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust, and losing all consciousness.
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
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?!”
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?"
