Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players - Chapter 144: Bai Zhi’s Invitation

“I have to squander; otherwise, won’t it be a waste of my parent’s talent at earning money?” Hong Dali answers a reporter’s question matter-of-factly.

Just after the interview ends, Hong Dali opens the Great Prodigal System’s interface and looks at the various good stuff displayed in it. Stroking his chin, he mumbles to himself, “I just need to squander 200 billion yuan more to exchange for the blueprint of the core technology, Engine Destruction, found in the strongest humanoid mecha weapon, Neo Granzon. Looks like I’ll have to work harder!”

“I want to splurge! I want to squander!”

In a world torn apart by rifts that release dangerous monsters, Espers—humans imbued with powerful abilities—serve as humanity's last line of defense. But the power of an Esper comes with a price. Overuse of their abilities leads to dangerous corruption, a force that can destroy them from the inside out. This is where Guides come in: individuals with the unique ability to calm the corruption within Espers and restore their balance.Rowan Mercer, an S-class Guide, is one of the best in his field, capable of stabilizing even the most dangerous Espers. He has worked quietly behind the scenes, helping those in need, but his life takes a dramatic turn when he is called to work with Lucian Vaughn, an S-class Esper whose immense power and unstable corruption levels make him a dangerous threat to himself and others.Lucian, a tall, stoic, and enigmatic figure, has long fought against the growing corruption within him. At first, his relationship with Rowan is purely professional—Rowan as his Guide, helping him to stay in control. However, as their interactions grow more frequent, their bond deepens in ways neither expected. What started as a simple duty soon turns into a complex relationship where power, trust, and vulnerability collide.As the world around them faces escalating threats from rifts, Rowan and Lucian must navigate not only their personal challenges but also the dangerous world of Espers and Guides. Their bond will be tested as they fight together against the corrupting forces that threaten them both.In Corrupted Bonds, survival isn’t just about battling monsters from the rifts—it's about fighting the darkness within themselves and finding a way to stay connected in a world that’s constantly pulling them apart.

“Can’t I properly read stallion novels anymore!”

I belong to a good sect that has never turned its back on me for my poor potential, has never forced me to study martial arts, and even helped arrange a betrothal for me when I was young.

My fiancée is a much renowned hot-tempered young miss. She’s beautiful, strong, and deeply loves me. Upon my start down the path of the Jianghu, I entirely relied on her to provide cover for me and before long, I became renowned as the #1 Pretty Boy of the Immortal Path.

Yet one day, I discovered that this person is apparently a man. A man in drag!

More unforgivable is that he thought I was a woman dressing as a man!

Me, as if my liver and guts are being cut to pieces: “Brother, what have you done with my fiancée?”

Him, as if a knife has been twisted in his heart: “Brother, what have *you* done with my fiancée?”

The waters of the Jianghu are indeed murky. Even if I am starving, even if I’m dying far from home, from this point on, I will not eat even a mouthful of rice prepared by him.

—So fragrant.

- Description from Novelupdates