Master’s Smile - Chapter 52: Another Party Of Adventurers

An engagement paper to lock one’s destiny. With her family facing financial difficulties, she marries into the family of the richest man in Qingzhou as his wife. Her Mother-In-Law’s doubtfulness; her husband’s childhood sweetheart; her mean elder sister-in-law; her narrow-minded younger sister-in-law… Being inferior, Sang Wan withdraws without a choice. As time passed, she ended up being lonely and died tragically.

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.

Chu Qianze turned the pen in his hand in a circle and smashed it against the drum next to him, the loud drum sound resounding around him.

Facing the two people who looked over at him together, he pulled out a polite smile, which was very dazzling under the neon light.

“I’m sorry, you are ruining my eyes.”

Later:

Feeling the gazes of the people around him, the flashing lights that flared from time to time, and a few gasps, Chu Qianze’s mouth twitched: “Is this a new way to surprise people?”

***

Chu Qianze, who had just arrived in the world and was getting acquainted with his surroundings, was inexplicably pulled by a man and was held in his arms.

“I already have someone I like; it’s him!”

Chu Qianze looked at the person blankly, but saw that the other person turned his eyes away, his breath a little disordered.

“..?”

- Description from Novelupdates

The world of an NPC born inside an online game was destroyed. Reborn in the real world, he gains a second chance. However, the monsters followed and destroyed he died again. Julian believed everything was over, only to have regressed to the day the game launched. Julian returned to Avalon not as an NPC, but a Player.Avalon's Fall was a VR Online Game created by the goddess.A game to help humans fight back against the six devils. She granted the Players a chance to evolve and enhance themselves in the real world. Because of his fragmented memories, Julian discarded his past. He then focuses on survival and happiness instead of saving the world. There were only two months before the first devil started his attack on the world.Thanks to the perk of his SSS-Rank Class Shadow Mancer and saving his ex-girlfriend, a powerful Sword Master, Julian changes the future. He took a different path, allowing him to surpass anything he ever imagined.Given the power to summon an army of undead in the form of shadow warriors. He overcomes the demons of his past. Supported by his party, they struggle to survive in the collapsing world, desperate to survive.The Devils eventually discovered his true potential and focused their gaze upon Julian. A title given to one existence, he who would rule over all darkness. The Heir of Shadows. The 13th Divine.Erebus.