4:00 PM.
Royal Grand Hotel, banquet hall.
Hundreds of journalists stood ready, their cameras poised.
The flashes of light converged into a sea of stars.
As the banquet hall doors slowly swung open, every lens focused on the entrance.
Lu Chenyuan stepped in, not clad in a suit but in simple dark casual wear.
In his arms, secured by a baby carrier, was a swaddled bundle—Lu Shi'an, fast asleep.
His towering figure stood like a mountain, shielding the child securely against his chest.
Close behind him was Mo Qingli.
She wore a beige trench coat, her long hair cascading over her shoulders.
A faint, composed smile graced her face.
Her hand rested lightly on Lu Chenyuan’s arm.
And so, the family of three stepped into the world’s spotlight.
There was no trace of exhaustion or distress.
Not a shadow of the hardships they had endured.
They looked like a young couple returning from a blissful vacation.
Calm, serene, happy.
This moment alone was a silent declaration.
A statement that they stood here as victors.
The couple took their positions at the podium.
Lu Chenyuan adjusted his hold slightly, ensuring his son slept undisturbed.
He said nothing, merely scanning the room with quiet composure.
Mo Qingli stepped forward and took the microphone.
The room fell instantly silent.
"Thank you for your concern, members of the press," she began, her voice gentle.
"I know you have many questions."
"You may begin."
The first question came from A Nation’s largest news network.
"Ms. Mo, how do you feel at this moment? And what would you like to say to the J Country government?"
The question was pointed, designed to provoke resentment.
Mo Qingli smiled.
"My feelings can be summed up in one word: homecoming."
"As for the J Country government," she paused,
"I believe the president’s recent speech already reflects their stance. A nation that looks forward deserves respect."
Her answer was flawless—expressing joy at returning while deftly deflecting the question.
The second question came from Xia Country’s official news agency.
"President Lu, President Mo, welcome home. Will this experience affect the overseas investments of companies like Yuanlong and Hanqing?"
This, too, was critical—tied to vast economic stakes.
Mo Qingli glanced at Lu Chenyuan.
With a slight nod, they shared a wordless understanding.
"Technology knows no borders," Mo Qingli replied, her tone still measured.
"We have always believed that openness and cooperation are the only paths to human progress."
"We will not let isolated incidents shake our convictions."
"Yuanlong and its partners will continue to welcome all markets that honor rules and respect partnerships."
This was not just a corporate pledge but a reflection of Xia Country’s official stance.
The atmosphere grew increasingly charged.
Questions came one after another.
Mo Qingli handled each with effortless grace.
What could have been a tense confrontation became an elegant, poised performance.
Finally, a journalist from a J Country outlet got his turn.
He rose, visibly nervous.
"Ms. Mo, Mr. Lu, I apologize for what you endured in our country."
His opening carried remorse.
"My question is this: Setting aside politics and business, as ordinary people who lived here for three years—how do you view this nation and its people?"
The question stripped away grand narratives, returning to raw humanity.
Every camera fixed on Mo Qingli.
Everyone wanted to hear how a woman imprisoned for three years would respond.
Mo Qingli was silent for a moment.
She turned to look at her son in Lu Chenyuan’s arms.
Her gaze softened instantly.
When she faced the cameras again, her smile was warm and genuine.
"J Country is a beautiful land," she said.
"Here, we witnessed the most stunning maple leaves and the coldest snow."
"We met friends like Lu Jinlin and Liu Jiuwen—people who upheld justice and conscience."
"And we received countless anonymous acts of kindness and support from ordinary J Country citizens."
She paused, her eyes sweeping the room.
"Of course, we also experienced the arrogance of power and the bias of justice."
She didn’t shy away from the darkness.
"But," her voice grew firm and bright,
"A nation’s greatness isn’t measured by never making mistakes, but by its courage to correct them and choose its own path."
"As we’ve seen today."
"So, toward J Country, I hold no resentment—only blessings."
"May this nation truly step out from history’s shadow and embrace an independent future."
"May its people live in a land that grows more just, open, and prosperous."
With that, she gave a slight bow.
The room was dead silent.
Then, after a few seconds—
Applause broke out.
At first scattered, then swelling into thunderous acclaim.
Even the most cynical journalists clapped sincerely.
They were utterly moved by this woman’s grace and magnanimity.
No complaints, no tears, no stoking of hatred.
Standing at the pinnacle of victory, she chose to extend dignity and goodwill to her adversaries.
That was true strength.
...
The press conference ended.
Lu Chenyuan’s family, escorted by security, returned to their penthouse suite.
The moment the door closed—
Mo Qingli’s tension visibly melted away.
Lu Chenyuan immediately steadied her.
"Tired?" he asked softly.
"Yes," she exhaled, leaning into him.
Downstairs, she had been an armored warrior.
Now, in their private space, she could finally let her guard down.
Lou Mengling and Lin Shuhan rushed over, their eyes glistening.
"Come, sit down and rest."
"Qingli, you were incredible just now," Lou Mengling murmured, her voice thick.
Lin Shuhan wiped her tears. "I’m so proud of you."
Mo Qingli smiled.
She took Lu Shi'an from Lu Chenyuan’s arms and held him close.
The baby seemed to sense his mother’s emotions.
He nuzzled against her, sighing contentedly in his sleep.
Lu Chenyuan wrapped his arms around them from behind.
He bent close to her ear and whispered,
"Qingli, out there—you were the brightest light in the world."
She turned her head and kissed his cheek.
"Because you were behind me."
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
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!
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?"
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
