"Thump, thump, thump"—Lin Xuan's heart was pounding wildly in his chest. He was terrified that Hua might really lock him up in a dark room indefinitely. After all, no one liked being restrained like this.
Yet, deep down, he felt an inexplicable anticipation...
"Tap, tap, tap."
Footsteps.
Was Hua coming?
Lin Xuan had just turned his head when a cloth strip was tied over his eyes, blocking his vision.
Su Hua gently secured the blindfold.
With his sight taken away, Lin Xuan's other senses heightened infinitely.
His body tensed into a rigid line, nerves stretched thin.
What was Hua planning to do by blindfolding him?
"Master." The woman, beautiful as a seductress, leaned close to his ear and spoke slowly, "From now on, I’ll take good care of you. You don’t need to do a thing, Master."
As soon as the words left her lips, she kissed him.
After Lin Chang and Lin Li had recovered somewhat, they went to the police station with Lin Qingwan.
At the entrance, Lin Qingwan spoke up hesitantly, "Dad, Lin Xuan might not have done it on purpose. He’s only twenty-two. Maybe we should just let this go."
If her father dropped the charges, Lin Xuan might realize that the Lin family still cared for him. Perhaps he’d even let go of his resentment.
But if he ended up in prison...
She couldn’t bear the thought.
"You’re defending Lin Xuan again?" Lin Chang glared at her.
"Dad, he’s still my brother—your son. We’re family," Lin Qingwan pressed her lips together.
"If he still considered me his father, he wouldn’t have gone after Starlight Group or reduced me to this state."
Lin Chang’s face darkened.
His fingernails and toenails had been ripped out—the agony was something he’d never forget.
Even if Lin Xuan begged on his knees, he wouldn’t feel an ounce of pity.
Lin Qingwan’s heart grew heavy.
It seemed her father was determined to send Lin Xuan to prison. She couldn’t stand the thought of him suffering like this.
She had to find a way to get him out.
Lin Xuan was still so young. A prison sentence would ruin his life forever.
Wait—
That woman.
Maybe she could do something.
Didn’t she claim to love Lin Xuan? Didn’t she boast about giving him everything the Lin family couldn’t?
Well, now was her chance to prove it.
Lin Qingwan wanted to call Su Hua, but she didn’t have her number.
She didn’t even know her full name or where she worked.
Lin Qingwan bit her lip.
She’d have to ask Lin Xuan later.
"Dad," Lin Li frowned, "Are you sure you want to see him like this? Maybe we should wait a few days. He’s probably still angry with us."
"Go? Of course we’re going!"
Lin Chang sneered, "I want that ungrateful brat to know exactly what happens when you cross the Lin family!"
"Heh, isn’t he got some rich patron? Where’s she now? Why isn’t she helping him?"
Lin Chang’s voice dripped with mockery.
Soon, Lin Xuan would be groveling before him, begging for forgiveness.
That was the sight he’d come to the police station for—to watch Lin Xuan drown in regret and despair.
The thought alone filled him with satisfaction.
Jiang Shuqin arrived shortly after.
"Mom," Lin Qingwan greeted.
"Li’er."
Jiang Shuqin rushed to Lin Li’s side, her heart breaking at the sight of his injuries.
"Li’er, I’m so sorry. I’ve been... lost in my own pain these past few days. I didn’t know you were hurt this badly."
After catching Lin Chang cheating again, Jiang Shuqin had drowned herself in alcohol, shutting off her phone.
She’d told Lin Qingwan and her siblings she wouldn’t be home, so they hadn’t gone looking for her.
That was why she’d only learned about Lin Chang and Lin Li’s ordeal after returning to the Jiang Family, overhearing the servants’ gossip.
She’d called Lin Qingwan for details before rushing here.
Jiang Shuqin still didn’t know who had hurt Lin Li.
"Mom, I’m fine," Lin Li said softly.
"Li’er, tell me—who did this to you?" Jiang Shuqin demanded, fury burning in her eyes.
"Mom, it’s better if you don’t ask," Lin Li replied hesitantly.
"Wan’er, you tell me."
Jiang Shuqin turned to Lin Qingwan.
Lin Qingwan pressed her lips together before answering, "It was Lin Xuan."
"Lin Xuan?!" Jiang Shuqin’s face twisted in rage. "First, he targets Starlight Group, then he kills my son—and now he dares to hurt Li’er too?!"
"That little monster! I’ll make sure he pays!"
Lin Qingwan stayed silent.
She’d expected this reaction.
The rift between Lin Xuan and the Lin family only seemed to be widening.
Would he ever come back?
"Wan’er, Li’er—why are you at the police station? Was Lin Xuan arrested?" Jiang Shuqin asked suddenly.
"Yes," Lin Qingwan nodded.
Jiang Shuqin let out a cold laugh. "Good. A heartless wretch like him, who disrespects his parents and siblings, deserves to rot in prison. Maybe then he’ll learn his lesson."
If Lin Xuan ended up behind bars, at least it would give Lin Li some justice.
A ten-year sentence would be ideal.
Then he’d finally stop being a thorn in her side.
Lin Chang spoke up, "Let’s go in."
He strode ahead.
Lin Qingwan noticed the tension between her parents and whispered, "Mom, what’s going on between you and Dad?"
Jiang Shuqin clenched her fists, tears welling in her eyes.
"Mom?" Lin Qingwan pressed.
Jiang Shuqin wiped her tears away and shook her head. "It’s nothing. I just... caught your father kissing his secretary."
"What?!"
Lin Qingwan’s eyes widened.
Dad cheated again?
Lin Li comforted her, "Mom, it’s okay. You still have us."
"Yes... yes, at least I have you children," Jiang Shuqin forced a smile.
Lin Li smirked inwardly.
These people had sent his birth mother to prison. One day, he’d take control of Starlight Group and drive every last Lin out—just to avenge her.
"Enough. Let’s go see that ungrateful brat," Jiang Shuqin said coldly.
Lin Xuan had always been so arrogant in front of her. Now that he was locked up, she wouldn’t miss the chance to see him humiliated.
Inside the police station, Lin Chang approached the front desk.
"Hello, officer. I’m here to visit an inmate," he said.
"Who are you visiting?" the officer asked.
"A man named Lin Xuan. He was arrested yesterday. Could you bring him out? We have some things to discuss."
] [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!"
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
] 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.
