Alani looked back to see the black-robed figure who had come to the tavern to seek shelter from the rain earlier. The scent of rainwater still seemed to linger on his heavy cloak, carrying a hint of chill.
“You’re heading out to vanquish the Demon King?” Xia Lun’s voice was calm and flat. “Count me in.”
When he had dealt with this guy last night, Xia Lun had deliberately lowered his voice, so his tone now was naturally different. That was why Alani didn’t recognize him this time. Alani felt relieved by this and stopped associating Xia Lun with the man from the previous night.
Alani looked the black-robed figure up and down, unable to hide his disappointment. The other man’s frame appeared slender beneath the voluminous robe—neither the sturdy build of a warrior nor the distinctive aura of a mage. In short, he didn’t look like anything formidable.
“Hey, buddy, if you want to team up with me, at least let me see what you look like, right? If there’s no basic trust, I’m not interested in someone who hides their face,” Alani said to Xia Lun.
Xia Lun nodded slowly and pulled back his hood.
The surrounding air suddenly fell into a hush. The noisy tavern seemed struck by a spell of silence, and everyone inside turned to stare.
Alani frowned in confusion. The face before him was indeed strikingly handsome—deep, dark eyes like a silent night—but mere looks couldn’t possibly warrant this kind of reaction, could they?
He hadn’t been in Oley City long, so he didn’t recognize Xia Lun. But everyone else in Oley City remembered Xia Lun well… which was precisely why Xia Lun wore the hood.
“Is that Mr. Xia Lun?” gasped the freckled young maid by the bar, her tray trembling slightly in her hands.
“It really is Mr. Xia Lun! When did he come back?”
“Xia Lun? Who’s that?” asked an adventurer from elsewhere in the tavern.
“He’s the great hero who saved the entire city!” the maid straightened her back, her voice brimming with pride. “Back when the evil god descended, we all saw him fighting that monster in the sky!”
Alani’s gaze toward Xia Lun faltered with surprise. “The Dawnwing Captain?”
Even he had heard of Xia Lun’s name. Among adventurers, it was a name that soared above the rest.
Xia Lun inclined his head slightly and repeated his original question: “You’re heading out to vanquish the Demon King?”
“Uh… yes.” Alani tensed up involuntarily, clenching his fists. But then, as if remembering something, he found some confidence and loosened his grip.
He’s just got a bigger reputation and started adventuring earlier than me, Alani thought. I won’t necessarily be worse than him in the future.
A flicker of excitement stirred within Alani. If someone of this caliber could join forces with him, their chances against the Demon King would undoubtedly increase.
“Mr. Xia Lun, the Demon King is leading the demon race to invade humanity. As a member of the human race, I think it’s only right that we step up and defend our homeland,” Alani declared, positioning himself on moral high ground from the start. “I’m sure you feel the same way, right?”
Xia Lun paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Indeed.”
“But the Demon King is clearly no ordinary foe to contend with. We need to unite with one heart if we are to triumph…”
Alani studied Xia Lun’s expression and noticed that the other man seemed even younger than himself. That rankled him.
What gives this guy the right? he wondered. To have such renown at such a young age?
“So, what do you think, Mr. Xia Lun?” Alani asked, forcing a fake smile onto his face.
Yes, he thought. He would make good use of this man—leverage his fame to gather people, defeat the Demon King, and then stand even higher himself.
“I agree with your view,” Xia Lun said, unaware of what Alani was truly thinking. “But to defeat the Demon King, numbers won’t help. What we need is powerful high-end combat strength.”
“Of—of course. After all, they say the Demon King can destroy an entire city with a single large-scale spell. Anyone without real strength would just be dead weight!” Alani naturally didn’t want others stealing the glory either.
“Mm.” Xia Lun responded merely with a faint grunt. “Let me know when it’s time to set out.”
He left quietly.
What a cold fish… Alani muttered inwardly, watching him go. Still, that aloofness matched his image of a legendary master.
But in truth, Xia Lun was simply in a bad mood and didn’t feel like saying more.
Xia Lun left the tavern. The wooden door closed behind him, cutting him off from the noise inside.
He had thought that after last night’s warning, this guy might tone it down. But instead, it seemed to have provoked him into this scheme.
Xia Lun certainly didn’t want his duel with Aina to be disturbed by anyone else. That was why he planned to join this man’s group for now and bide his time.
If he absolutely couldn’t stop the man from going to his death… then there was nothing Xia Lun could do about it.
The torrential rain had just stopped. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and grass, and a coolness seeped into his lungs, lifting Xia Lun’s spirits slightly.
It was still early. The streets had quickly become bustling with activity as people busy making a living hurried past, heedless of puddles underfoot. They splashed through muddy water, staining hems with dirt.
Xia Lun silently put his hood back on to conceal his face.
The last time he had walked down this street, his companions and Aina had been with him.
Now he was alone, and it made him feel a bit lonely.
Footsteps hurried up from behind him. Someone was closing in fast.
Xia Lun turned around in surprise. Alani came running up, panting.
“Something else?” Xia Lun frowned slightly, asking. Why did this guy chase after me?
“You told me to come find you when we set out…” Alani grumbled through gritted teeth. “But you didn’t tell me where you live.”
Xia Lun: …
Well, he could occasionally be a bit absent-minded. Moke had teased him about that before.
Xia Lun coughed awkwardly and told Alani the address of his inn. The other man shot him an odd look before leaving.
Vanquishing the Demon King… In truth, the Adventurers’ Guild had issued such a mission ages ago, but back then the Demon King hadn’t even revealed himself. It was just a vague, unreal notion.
If Xia Lun and his group succeeded, that mission would be completed on its own, bringing them more than just fame.
Xia Lun wound his way through streets, eventually ducking into a secluded alley and entering a small shop.
“Having a shop in such an out-of-the-way spot isn’t great for business,” Xia Lun said with resignation.
“Isn’t that perfect?” Ankula smiled from behind the counter. “It keeps life quiet… And with a few regular customers, it runs fine. This shop actually isn’t losing money.”
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
] [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!"
world slacker. But a genius female disciple just had to get clingy, insisting that he take her as a disciple. Not only that, she was always making advances on him, thoroughly disrupting his peaceful slacker life...
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
