Shadow Author - Chapter 74 54. Failed Goodbye

The clock struck midnight when Ruelle heard the echo of footsteps. She tensed, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end in the cool night air.“You shouldn't be here,” Ruelle whispered, her voice a breathless murmur. The silhouette finally came to stand under the moonlight, his dark red eyes watching her and his inky black hair ruffling.“Shouldn't I?” His voice was a dark caress, and she stood there captivated by the danger he exuded like perfume.“I haven’t seen you for the last two days,” his tone low. His hand reached out, fingers brushing against the silk of her nightgown, tracing the trembling outline of her collarbone. “Tell me, were you avoiding me, or perhaps... entertaining other offers?”Ruelle’s heart raced, her breaths shallow. She declared, “I don't belong to anyone.”“A bold claim,“ he murmured, his breath a tantalising chill against her skin as he leaned in. ”Yet here you are, pulse racing, your body tensed as if in anticipation of my touch.”His fingers gripped her chin, tilting her face towards his. The moonlight caught his eyes, revealing a glint of predatory intent. “Or must I remind you whose touch you truly crave?”

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.

After Chu Zheng was inexplicably determined to have died, the only trouble she had was to spend money.

Since the binding of this system, her waist is not sour, her legs are not hurting, and the special ones are not breathing, and every day lives in the fear of having to spend money.

System: Miss Sister, don’t just open the invincible mode! (▼皿▼#)

System: We set a small goal, first spend a hundred million!

Chu Zheng: Say good and lose, how is this inexplicable man? Don’t stop me! I am going to conquer the world!

A male lord: (quickly renamed) my name is the world name.

#Sister, learn that you can really do whatever you want with enough money#

- Description from novelupdates

Once again, as he opened his eyes, Ning Changge awakened his extraordinary insight, only to find himself reborn as an abandoned infant.Coincidentally, Zhang Sanfeng passed by and took him in as his eighth disciple.From then on, on Wudang Mountain, there was an unparalleled prodigy with extraordinary insight. While others practiced martial arts or cultivated immortality, Ning Changge aimed to forge a path to eternal life in the world of martial arts!【You studied three thousand classic scriptures, mastered three hundred inner cultivation techniques, and, with your innate inner energy, created the “Eternal Green Immortal Technique”!】【Reading a hundred volumes of swordsmanship, observing battles between peerless swordsmen, you gained insights and created the “Gold-ranked White Tiger Sword Qi”!】【You established the Immortal Sect, spread the teachings of immortality, and led people around the world to cultivate immortality. You observed the path of mortals cultivating immortality and used their inspiration as nourishment, creating the “Great Dao Elemental Infant Condensation Technique”!】【You led the world to ascend, and the world’s will rewarded you with the Supreme Merit Golden Dragon feedback. You refused to absorb it, pondered carefully, and created the “Supreme Merit Body Forging Technique”!】Martial techniques, passing them on to others…