Enlightened Empire - Chapter 465: Final Outcome

※ This book contains coercive relationships and violent scenes. Please be aware before proceeding.※ The names, locations, and characters mentioned in this book are entirely fictional.The calculation method of gamblers is truly peculiar.They lend money at exorbitant interest rates to those who haven’t even spent any money as collateral.For 15 years, Hongju has been collecting debts from housemates while being tied to collateral.One day, a man appears, claiming he will invest in the house.A rich fool, a money tree.The housemates called him Mookyung.“As long as you do as I say, I’ll help you.”Mookyung makes a suspicious proposal, offering to repay the debts in exchange for house information.Why would he make such a proposal to a debtor who is already struggling?Still, there is suspicion about him…“Do you think I’m a swindler right now?”“No.”“You shouldn’t. It’s all too obvious. Swindlers can tell just by looking.”Hongju has no choice but to accept that proposal.Growing up on scraps, he knows exactly where to stretch his legs.

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

Our straight (?) bottom woke up ten years into the future and found himself on the bed of his childhood friend… At the start, the bottom was shocked to his very bones, but he soon quickly accepted this premise and found the whole situation to be rather amusing. Precisely then, the bottom once again went back to his timeline — back to when he and the top were just platonic childhood friends.

[Ding! You've gained 1 million views! The city’s most beloved heroine has fallen for your mysterious charms!][Miss Mercury is obsessed with your streams. She’s on her way to meet you!][Heroic factions are closing in on your location, but the Mindbender Heroine is aiding your escape!][Ding! 10,000 views! You've gained 5,000 Credits and unlocked Stealth Mode (Tier 1)][Ding! 1 million views! Rope Girl has noticed your mysterious charm and can't get you out of her mind!][Ding! You’ve saved the city’s lower districts while taking down three corporate-backed heroes. Lady Fortress is secretly watching your stream, intrigued.]In Metro City, where huge corporations and flashy superheroes rule the skyline, everyday people are just bystanders in the ongoing battles between heroes and villains.At the center of this chaotic city is Scott McQueen, an average guy with one big dream: becoming a cool, shadowy antihero.Scott fantasizes about scaring off criminals while serving justice from the shadows.But there’s a catch—this world is full of flashy, attention-grabbing superheroes who hog all the spotlight.One night, everything changes for Scott. He stumbles upon the Harem Streamer System, a strange, almost-living program that offers him a shot at fame.With this system, Scott can live-stream his nightly antihero activities, gaining views and donations from fans all over the world.The catch? The more viewers he gets, the more heroines fall for him. Plus, with the growing fanbase, he earns rewards like money and powerful gear, boosting his chances of becoming the hero he’s always wanted to be!“Bahaha! The whole world is going to bow to me very soon!”He's not only wanted by the Hero Agency.He's not only wanted by mega-corporations.He's not only wanted by enemies he's destroyed.He's also wanted by superheroines!