Beauty and the Beasts - Chapter 1616 - Buying Buns

The year was 2026, and the world wasn't what it used to be. Ever since the Abyss Gates cracked open three years ago, spilling monsters and dungeons across the planet, life had turned into a chaotic mess. Cities were half-ruined, half-rebuilt, and people clung to whatever normalcy they could find. Hunters—those brave or crazy enough to fight the monsters—became the new heroes. Everyone else? Well, they just tried to survive.Fin wasn't a Hunter. He wasn't a hero either.He was just… Fin. A lanky 19-year-old with messy brown hair, a chipped front tooth from a dumb skateboard accident, and a power that everyone called useless. Absorption. Sounds cool, right? Like he could suck up energy or steal someone's strength. Nope. All it did was let him “feel” things he touched a little more than normal. He could tell you the exact texture of a brick wall or how warm a coffee mug was—big whoop. No fireballs, no super strength, no flashy moves. Just a glorified touchy-feely trick.“Fin, you gonna eat that sandwich or just stare at it like it's gonna confess its life story?” Meg's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.He blinked and looked across the rickety table at his best friend. Meg was short, loud, and had a wild mop of dyed purple hair that she swore made her look “intimidating.” It didn't.

He lived like a king, died like a grandpa... and woke up as a bratty villain inside a fantasy novel.Nice.Born into the mighty Arkanveil family, he’s expected to grow up spoiled, arrogant, and doomed. But sorry, fate — he’s got better plans.Armed with a broken Proficiency Panel, two god-tier Traits, and the mind of a seasoned conqueror, he’s here to rewrite the script.Demigods plotting. Councils scheming. Demon Emperors laughing.They’re all just EXP waiting to happen.Pretending to be a clueless baby genius, he secretly trains, conquers, and stacks power like a final boss.Because this time, the EX-Rank Villain isn’t playing to survive.He’s playing to win.The world’s greatest families have no idea what’s coming. But hey... they’ll find out soon enough.“EX-Rank problems require EX-Rank solutions.”

While most cultivators were scratching their heads as they pondered how to advance to the next realm, Li Lang was busy systematically studying the mechanics of cultivation.Scientist Langley Seiker has always dreamed about immortality. Reincarnating into a world of cultivation, it is no longer a dream except for the fact that he has no talent. However, through a chance encounter, he gains access to his familiar laboratory that will allow him to study the wonders of cultivation.Not even the heavens will know what fate has in store for Langley as he systematically unravels not only how to cultivate, but also various crafts such as refining pills and inscribing talismans. Preparation is key to surviving in the merciless world of cultivation, especially for those with no talent.Expectations:- Detailed study of each stage of cultivation and crafting- Not technology vs cultivation, scientific method will be used to study cultivation- No harem- Slow burn progression. MC won’t be skipping through cultivation ranks at record speed- Weak to Strong- Sect Building (Much later in the story)

Yu Li and her boyfriend had known each other for four years and had been together for three. They were deeply in love.Her boyfriend was gentle and considerate. Apart from being a little too clingy, lacking a sense of security, and always dragging her to watch horror movies, he had no other flaws. They were about to get married when a car accident took both their lives.After death, she transmigrated into a book.The good news? Her boyfriend transmigrated too.The bad news? He lost his memory.The even worse news? Some entity calling itself a “system” told her that her boyfriend was originally the villain of this world.And not just any villain—he was a twisted, obsessive, and deeply dark antagonist, completely fixated on the female lead.This world operated on eerie, supernatural rules. The protagonists would be pulled into horror movie scenarios at night to complete survival missions. If their performance scores were too low, their lives would be at risk.And her little boyfriend was already teetering on the edge of danger.Yu Li fell silent.Amnesia, transmigration, and an infinite flow survival game.Now that’s what you call stacking buffs.—The first time she entered a horror scenario, she became the neighbor of the protagonist group. When the male and female leads came over for a visit, her gaze landed on the second-floor window of the house across the street, and she silently curled her lips into a smile.That night, a mu*derous ghost who had claimed countless lives turned into a wisp of smoke and slipped into her home, lying gently beside her. Lowering its head, it inhaled her scent like an addict, utterly intoxicated.“You smell so good… I want to eat you up… So good…”