"Tsk, finally done."
Leaving the Martial Arts Building, Gu Yan rubbed his shoulders, which had been tense until now.
He had been holding back earlier in the building.
Was it just his imagination, or had there been a faint but persistent gaze fixed on him the entire time?
He was absolutely certain—it was Leng Bingning, Qingqiu’s elder sister, keeping tabs on him!
Seriously, since when were the sisters this close? Now she’s even watching over her sister’s husband?
Why not just have the three of us meet face to face, then?
Unless... there’s something unspeakable going on?
He glanced up at the sky, then checked the time.
Gu Yan sighed inwardly. How was it already past nine or ten again?
Since when was he this diligent?
Old Gao chuckled. "Being a martial artist is exhausting work. Any regrets yet, young master?"
"Regrets? Not a chance."
Gu Yan scoffed. He just didn’t like being watched in secret—that was all.
Well... it wasn’t exactly discomfort, more like a creeping sense of dread.
Like the feeling of Qingqiu staring at him with a gentle smile.
"Um... You look really tired. Do you need me to heal you?"
At that moment, You Xingxue’s characteristically timid voice reached Gu Yan’s ears.
He turned his head, his expression shifting subtly.
Oh? The whole Night Organization squad’s here, huh?
Aside from You Xingxue, there was Mei Xue, Shangguan Miaoyin, Bai Lian, Murong Ci...
Half the Night Organization had infiltrated.
Gu Yan shook his head. "No need. More importantly, where are you all headed?"
The moment he asked, You Xingxue’s face twisted with hesitation. "We... uh..."
Mei Xue remained expressionless but sent Gu Yan a mental message.
Meanwhile, Bai Lian grinned. "Brother Gu Yan, we’re going for a late-night snack. Wanna join?"
You Xingxue lowered her head, stammering incoherently.
The atmosphere grew slightly awkward.
Gu Yan had already learned the truth from Mei Xue, so he simply shook his head. "Ah, youth. So full of energy."
"Count me out. Nightlife isn’t my thing."
"Alright, let’s go, Old Gao."
"Yes, young master."
As Gu Yan left, Bai Lian’s smirk turned sharp. She glared at You Xingxue. "Hey, newbie! Why’d you have to butt in?"
"Don’t you know we’re going to meet our master?"
You Xingxue shrank back. "S-sorry..."
"Tch. Do it again, and I’ll shove your head up your ass, you pathetic rookie!"
"Sniff..."
You Xingxue fought back tears. Master, where are you? How much longer must I stay undercover...?
These people are impossible to deal with...
---
After leaving the martial arts division, Gu Yan gazed thoughtfully out the window. Thanks to Mei Xue, he now knew why the Night Organization squad was out so late.
So they were going to meet Qingqiu.
Meeting at this hour... Was there some other plan?
Something involving Leng Bingning?
Old Gao glanced at the rearview mirror. "Young master, heading home now?"
"No... That’d be a waste of free time."
Gu Yan snapped out of his thoughts, a faint smirk forming.
Gloop!
Black liquid coiled around him in an instant.
Gu Yan—Night King Edition—had returned!
Simultaneously, the viscous darkness spread outward, enveloping the car.
In moments, the vehicle seemed to merge with a living liquid entity, speeding through the night.
Its speed and form had completely transformed.
"To the Fifth Forbidden Zone, Old Gao."
"Take the straight path."
Straight path...
Old Gao gripped the wheel of the now-altered car and stared ahead at the skyscrapers.
Instead of swerving, he stepped on the gas and accelerated.
The moment the car touched the building—
Whoosh! Splash!
Like passing through a watery barrier, the car phased effortlessly through the structure.
This was the power of the "Claw Cells" when fused with inorganic matter!
Still, it wasn’t as convenient as Mei Xue’s spatial traversal.
I should really teach the Claw Cells how to do that too. What kind of Night King can’t freely move through the night?
Well... Gu Yan wasn’t the real Night King anyway.
---
Meanwhile...
Fifth Forbidden Zone.
Crimson light bathed the land, while dark shadows drifted across the sky.
Countless demonic creatures prostrated themselves in worship before a black tower.
Atop the tower stood a figure clad in a gown woven from starlight. Her ink-black hair fluttered in the breeze, shimmering faintly.
"Ten thousand years..."
Though her face remained obscured by shadow, the brilliance in her deep eyes betrayed her extraordinary presence.
"An entire ten thousand years..."
"Sealed away in the Nether Prison..."
"Yet now, the seal is broken—I am free!"
Her voice trembled with emotion—excitement, exhilaration, even tears.
Thank the heavens I never gave up.
In the great war of the past, the traitorous Four Sacred Beasts had led the human armies to crush the Nether Clan. Ninety-nine percent of their kin had been imprisoned in the Nether Prison.
The few Netherlings who escaped had scattered across the world, hiding in obscurity.
She could sense it—her descendants were struggling in this modern era, far from their former glory.
Humanity still ruled, while the Nether Clan had dwindled to near-extinction.
But she understood.
If even she had been trapped in the abyssal darkness of the Nether Prison, how could the others have fared better?
Yet...
One thing puzzled her beyond reason.
The seal on the Nether Prison had weakened...
That was the only reason she had broken free.
What could have caused it?
As she pondered—
Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps approached.
A deep, fervent voice echoed in her ears:
"Madame Lin! It is you!"
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】
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
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!"
