Dark Shadow Island.
Suburban construction site.
As noon approached, it was time for the lunch break.
Workers of all sizes took off their hard hats and sat under the shade of nearby trees, just picking up their delivered lunch boxes.
Before they could even take a bite, dozens of workers gaped in shock at the scene unfolding before them on the site.
In their line of sight, a wheelbarrow was frantically hauling bricks, racing back and forth between the brick pile and the foundation at breakneck speed—its wheels practically sparking from the friction, kicking up clouds of dust!
Beside the brick pile, another figure was swinging his arms in wide arcs, loading bricks with astonishing efficiency.
In the blink of an eye, the wheelbarrow was filled to the brim, the movements so smooth and practiced they bordered on artistry—as if the man had reached the realm of "bricks in the heart," where no glance was even needed!
These two tireless workhorses were none other than Xiong Fen and Xiong Zhong, father and son.
The construction site was sweltering, though it was hard to tell whether the oppressive heat came from the blazing sun or the terrifying work ethic radiating from the duo. The watching workers felt their throats go dry just from observing.
The father and son moved in flawless sync, showing no signs of stopping.
Their faces bore no trace of exhaustion—only the exhilarated grins of men who thrived on the grind.
By the time the lunch boxes had barely cooled, they had already demolished another towering mountain of bricks.
It was downright insane!
After watching for a while, the dozens of workers found themselves staring blankly, their appetites suddenly gone, replaced by an inexplicable sense of unease.
Exchanging furtive glances, their murmurs soon turned into curses.
"Uh… should we maybe get back to work?"
"Something’s not right—if this keeps up, we’ll be left in the dust by these two new guys!"
"Damn it!"
"These two are absolute machines—they don’t even stop to eat!"
"Seriously, who the hell can compete with this?!"
"Yeah, even a workhorse from the old collective farms wasn’t this insane!"
"This is brutal…"
The grumbling grew louder until it finally reached the ears of Xiong Fen and Xiong Zhong.
Hearing the complaints, Xiong Fen—who had just loaded another wheelbarrow—turned with a sly glance.
"Son, our recent efforts have stirred envy. The exceptional are always met with resentment. Perhaps you should take a break, lest we invite more gossip!"
"Your old man here isn’t afraid of the harsh realities of the world, but you mustn’t act recklessly. Learn the ways of social grace!"
Xiong Zhong nodded slightly, as if ready to heed the advice and rest.
But when he caught the glint in his father’s eyes, his grip on the wheelbarrow tightened instead, his smile widening even further.
"Father…"
"This son of yours isn’t tired. You’re the one who should rest."
"As the saying goes, the young suffer when away from home. Let your son bear more of this humble labor!"
The two shared a knowing grin, their expressions eerily identical.
Seeing his son’s growth, Xiong Fen stroked his beard in satisfaction.
"Well said, well said."
"It seems your recent cultivation breakthroughs have also taught you the value of diligence. You’ve finally matured—your father is deeply moved!"
Leaning in, he whispered with encouragement:
"Son! That’s the spirit!"
"Truth be told, your old man has gained much from this brick-hauling. Not only have I broken through to the Heaven Tier, but I’ve also recently grasped a devastating palm technique—tentatively named ‘Brick-Hauling Palm.’ It’s at least a Heaven Tier martial art! When the time comes, I’ll personally pass it down to you!"
"This brick-hauling gig is too good to let slip away!"
Xiong Zhong’s eyes flickered with excitement before he too grinned and nodded.
"I shall heed your teachings!"
"To be honest, Father, my own cultivation has advanced as well. I’ve also grasped a technique—‘Wheelbarrow Hand’—equally fearsome in power…"
Hearing this, Xiong Fen’s eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.
"Oh?! My son’s talent truly surpasses mine! Your future is boundless!"
"Not at all, not at all—it’s all thanks to your guidance, Father!"
The two chuckled conspiratorially, their competitive auras perfectly matched.
Under the distant tree, the group of workers watched with gritted teeth, seething at the shameless display. They rolled up their sleeves, ready to fight for their pride!
Just then, the foreman—who had been silently observing—stepped forward with his hands behind his back.
The moment the blue-hatted foreman appeared, everyone stood and saluted!
"Greetings, Foreman!"
Even Xiong Fen and Xiong Zhong composed themselves, their faces now tinged with reverence—gone was their former ignorance.
The foreman’s gaze swept over the crowd before settling on the father and son.
"Lately, the two of you have performed admirably. You’ve shown remarkable progress."
As his words hung in the air, the other workers clenched their jaws in silent frustration.
Basking in the envy, the father-son duo inwardly rejoiced while maintaining a humble facade.
"You flatter us, Foreman! We are unworthy!"
The foreman gave a slight nod before flicking his wrist.
Two pairs of gloves flew toward them!
Catching the gloves, Xiong Fen and Xiong Zhong immediately sensed their extraordinary material and aura. Their expressions turned solemn.
"Due to your diligence, I’m entrusting you with a mission to gather construction materials beyond the island. These gloves were issued from above—their quality is exceptional. They’re yours now. Within ten days, bring back demon corpses. Your rewards will be based on the number you retrieve!"
"Do your utmost. Don’t disappoint the higher-ups… or me."
As his commanding voice echoed, the father and son were already brimming with ecstasy.
Trembling with excitement, they saluted and responded in unison:
"We thank the Foreman for this opportunity! We swear to give our all!"
Only after the foreman left did they dare to straighten up.
Clutching the gloves in awe, Xiong Fen’s face flushed red with exhilaration.
"These… these gloves are extraordinary! They must be at least Heaven Tier!"
Xiong Zhong was equally euphoric, as if living a dream.
"Father!"
"Our efforts haven’t been in vain! Our fortunes are about to change!"
The two locked eyes, on the verge of tears.
Who could have imagined?
After a lifetime of hardship, and after their bizarre experiences on Cloud Star, they had finally reached this moment—receiving a Heaven Tier, Grade Two treasure!
Remembering their struggles, they trembled with emotion.
Watching their jubilation, the other workers burned with envy, yet they couldn’t deny the truth: Xiong Fen and Xiong Zhong’s efforts were undeniable!
Without a word, the entire group began wolfing down their meals before rushing back to work.
In an instant, the construction site was once again engulfed in dust!
The father and son exchanged a glance, overwhelmed with emotion.
In just a few days of hard labor, they had gained more than in half a lifetime of mediocrity. The site that had once felt stifling now seemed welcoming—a place where they felt an unparalleled sense of pride and belonging.
From this day forward, they would work themselves to the bone here. Even in death, they’d want to be buried on this land. Dark Shadow Island was their true home!
This sense of belonging was something they had never known before.
] [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!"
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
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】
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!
