MTL - When Golden Finger Meets Salted Fish - Chapter 4 racial talent

(Father-son crematorium + strong female)After five years of secret marriage, her husband never showed affection in public, and Lu Xining thought it was just his personality.It wasn’t until he took their twin sons and his first love for a candlelight dinner and received online praise as a ‘godlike family’ did she completely lose hope.Listening to her sons call another woman Aunt Xixi, Lu Xining decided she was done with an unloving husband and estranged sons, and henceforth, she would love herself only.After divorce, she went back to a small village to pursue her old profession, growing herbs, treating ailments, and researching beauty products. Luxurious cars often visited the secluded village at night!Learning she was looking for a father for her daughter, researchers, financial magnates, top idols, and film emperors... all kinds of big shots appeared, volunteering to win her favor.Later, her ex-husband knelt on a bed of durian with regret on his face, ‘Xixi, I love you, shall we get back together?’She sneered, ‘Ji Munye, doesn’t the sneaky affair taste good anymore?’Her twin sons knelt on keyboards, ‘Mommy, we only want you!’Lu Xining waved them off, ‘No, I can’t take it.’

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.

He rose from abjection and achieved eternity in glory.
He embraced the prettiest beauties and killed the strongest opponents.
He was able to shift the clouds into rain and cover the sky with one hand.
He could overrun the entire world and go anywhere as he pleased.
He pacified wars and held the world in awe.
He was matchless in the world.
However, his hair turned white overnight for his beloved woman and he was on the verge of death.
He was surrounded by enemies who were trying to take his life.
He struggled his way to become mighty and fought for everything he cherished.
For this age, he was the only king of the Dark World.
His name was a byword for might.
As a man living in the world, his only ideal was to pursue brilliance.

- Description from Novelupdates

Maria is the only daughter of Jackson, the Alpha of the prestigious Blue Moon Pack in Aberdeen, Scotland. Her mother, the Luna, was revered for her grace and strength. But despite her lineage, Maria's life has been far from perfect.At seventeen, she couldn't shift into her wolf or sense her fated mate, a secret her parents kept hidden out of shame in the pack.By nineteen, still unable to shift, she was forced into an engagement with Bernard, her childhood friend and the future Alpha of their pack, who already had a mate only Maria knows about.Maria and Bernard attended the same college, where their engagement was the talk of the campus, earning Maria both admiration and envy.Yet, behind the smiles, Maria's heart belonged to James Brooklyn, the next Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack—the sworn rivals of her people.Everything took a darker turn on the night of her engagement to Bernard when her parents were brutally murdered.Will Maria survive the deadly power struggles within her pack, uncover the identity of her true mate, and claim the life she deserves?Or will the curse of the Blue Moon destroy her and everyone she loves after finding out who killed her parents?