"I'm here to save you!"
Chen Yi's expression was solemn, his calm gaze fixed on her face, instantly shattering all her doubts.
After all, only the weak relied on lies to mask their fragility—the strong always cut straight to the point.
Shen Lingxi's heart sank, her wariness tinged with confusion.
Save me?
Aren’t we enemies?
Instinctively, she lowered her head, peering at the River of Forgetfulness shrouded in mist below.
The frozen river stretched like a mirror, veiled in gray fog, resembling an abyss embedded in the earth.
Though she seemed freed from her predicament, she remained trapped in a prison of her own making.
"You can't save me. This illusion is born from my primordial spirit—damage to it is damage to me. Finding the other shore flower condensed from my true self can only preserve my spirit and consciousness, but it won’t purge the corrupting force tainting my soul!"
"I know you’re powerful, but this malevolent energy is no trifling matter. Even Cai Yu, our leader, fell victim to it unknowingly. Forcing your way in was already perilous—if you act recklessly now, you’ll face annihilation too..."
"Leave. Take Qianxue and go, as far as you can!"
This wasn’t a threat, just a cold, final warning—a last act of goodwill.
"Can’t save you? How about a wager then?"
"Let’s bet on you—what do you say?"
Chen Yi was unabashed, his voice low and steady, carrying an odd penetrating force.
Such were the awkward struggles of early-stage ventures.
Though confident in expanding the Purple Star Continent’s influence, until success was achieved, it was little more than empty promises.
Recruiting talent was tough; sometimes, unconventional methods were needed to retain people.
Shen Lingxi: "......"
I knew he wasn’t a good man!
He’s not even pretending anymore!
"You seem utterly confident. But coercing gratitude—aren’t you afraid I’ll turn against you?"
Shen Lingxi turned away, pointing at the eerie mirror of the River of Forgetfulness below. "Forced fruits are never sweet!"
Being rescued was one thing, but the tragedy of Han Qianxue was still fresh. Submitting to him would be like escaping a tiger’s den only to enter a wolf’s lair.
If freedom came at too high a price, she’d rather drown forever.
"I know." Chen Yi met her gaze calmly. "That’s why I only need to quench my thirst."
"Don’t worry—I won’t impose on you. You’ll remain free, just with a well-paying job. Take Old Xu, for example. After defecting, he thrived under me. You can exchange notes with him later."
"Besides... you don’t truly wish to remain trapped in this illusion forever, do you?"
Chen Yi was sharp.
He saw right through Shen Lingxi’s stubbornness.
She wanted to yield—she just needed a way to save face.
Fine. He’d give her that.
Recruiting talent was nothing to be ashamed of.
Especially someone as rare and skilled as her!
Shen Lingxi: "......"
Fine. Reluctant as she was to admit it, he had a point.
If she kept resisting, she’d die within this illusion of her own making, leaving behind a hollow shell of herself—a fate worse than death.
As the saying went: Some are dead while alive; others live on even in death.
Legacy mattered. Compared to servitude, preserving her name was the lesser evil.
"Alright, Chen Yi. You win."
"Or should I call you ‘Boss’ now? So, Boss—what’s next?"
Once resolved, Shen Lingxi wasted no time hesitating.
"Sign this."
Chen Yi grinned, producing a soul contract.
Words were fleeting, and trust was fickle. Unlike Xu Jinghong, who had ties to the Purple Star Continent, Shen Lingxi had no leverage. What if she ran?
"Understood, Boss." Shen Lingxi skimmed the contract—a literal soul-binding agreement—and signed without hesitation.
She had no choice left. Might as well commit fully.
Chen Yi smiled. "Welcome aboard. Now, shatter this prison yourself. The key lies within."
With that, he tossed her the other shore flower condensed from her primordial spirit.
"Shatter... this prison? Are you serious?"
Shen Lingxi was stunned.
She knew her new boss was unorthodox, but this was extreme.
The prison was her soul’s manifestation. Destroying it meant destroying herself!
Kill myself to be reborn?
Is this even safe?!
"Relax. You haven’t even started working for me yet—why would I sabotage my own investment?" Chen Yi reassured her.
Shen Lingxi: "......"
Logically sound, but did he have to be so blunt?
It stung a little...
"Fine, Boss!" She pushed aside her doubts. Things couldn’t get worse anyway.
Transforming into a streak of light, she shot toward the frozen abyss like a meteor piercing the gloom.
BOOM!!!
The impact sent fissures spiderwebbing across the mirror-like surface.
Ethereal radiance burst forth, melting the frozen river, revealing the churning primordial waters beneath.
Then came the pain—unimaginable pain.
Shen Lingxi felt as if ten thousand needles stabbed her, followed by scalding lava, then flash-freezing into ice.
"AGH—! It hurts!!!"
Her soul was being torn apart. Even as an unshakable Mystic Immortal, she screamed.
Her consciousness blurred, tossed in a maelstrom of agony—ripped, burned, frozen, shattered...
"Boss... save me... I can’t..."
Her mind flickered through memories, a final desperate scramble for survival.
But the only lifeline left was him—his image crystallizing in her fading thoughts.
At the brink of annihilation—
A warm, firm hand grasped hers, dispelling the abyss.
For the first time, Shen Lingxi felt safe.
"So warm... so comforting..."
With that last thought, she drifted into peaceful oblivion.
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
