The Villainess Wants To Retire - Chapter 98: The Flameborn

So-called Taisu pulse is a form of physiognomy, which can discern nobility and lowliness, foresee auspicious and ominous events, predict misfortune and fortune. Good sir, do you dare to let me feel your pulse? One pulse reading is worth a thousand gold!Look, making money is so easy, isn't it?Ah, phooey!Living two lives, Qin Liuxi's ideal is always to get by without striving for advancement, because in the world, there are always those who are willing to be lazy and not seek progress, and she is fit for such worthless tasks!But when a whole family shows up miserably and pitifully in front of her, Qin Liuxi's days as a slacker are over.Faced with the precarious Qin family in a state of distress, a maid beggar with an empty money box asking for business, Qin Liuxi has no choice but to shoulder the duties of the eldest lady, managing the household, supporting elders, and child-rearing!Qin Liuxi: I clearly got the script as a slacker, who switched it up?A cousin who questions her existence after being scolded by the eldest lady: I feel like the big sister looks at us like we're trouble!Qin Fourth Young Master, who was beaten and taught a lesson by the eldest lady: Be bolder, remove the feeling!Qin Fifth Young Master, who was lectured into a state of introversion by the eldest lady, solemnly counts on his fingers to answer questions about what the big sister is useless at: She can exorcise demons and ghosts, read faces and draw charms, heal and save people. Oh, which one did you ask about?Later, someone asked Qin Liuxi, if life could start over, what would her dream be?Qin Liuxi remained silent for a long time: To not strive for progress and to live for a hundred years!

I became the fiancé of the tyrant male lead, a character who becomes a villainess because she was obsessed with the beautiful tyrant.

Of course, in the end, she was killed by the tyrant.

Still, this all happened before the original story began.

After diligently performing a dozen or so actions that would cause me to be dumped by him, I succeeded in becoming a sound friend of the tyrant, who turned out better than I had thought.

“How was it?” asked the female lead, who he saw for the first time.

“Hmm?”

“I meant your meeting with Miss Diel (female lead), Your Majesty.”

He tilted his head slightly. Hey, don’t pretend you aren’t interested.

It is said that he fell in love at first sight, but I saw it all.

Hehe. I chuckled and poked his arm with my finger.

“You know what? Please let me know if you have someone you like.”

“Why? So you can kill her?”

Heh, do you think I’m like you?

I smiled sincerely and answered him. “Well, I’ll break off our engagement at the right time.”

“Miss.”

The smile on his face disappeared in an instant.

I somehow became speechless after my gaze met his glaring eyes.

He stared at me and laughed quietly in a slightly husky voice. In a subdued voice, he then said, “Don’t make a joke like that.”

His hand stealthily and gently brushed off the strand of hair on my cheek.

Shen Xi was the daughter the Jiang family had mistakenly taken home. After their real daughter, Jiang Xue, returned, Shen Xi’s foster mother asked Shen Xi to stay, hoping she could help Jiang Xue get used to life in the city as Jiang Xue had been living in the countryside all this while. Alas, everyone claimed that Shen Xi was clinging to the Jiang family because she refused to part with the family’s wealth. Her foster parents didn’t clarify this accusation. Then, Shen Xi’s fiance ended up getting engaged to Jiang Xue instead.

One day, Jiang Xue killed someone when she was driving. Shen Xi’s foster parents knelt before Shen Xi, begging her to take the fall for Jiang Xue with tears in their eyes. Shen Xi agreed to their request to repay their kindness for raising her. However, she didn’t know that the person Jiang Xue had killed was her foster father, in other words, Shen Xi’s biological father! While Shen Xi was in prison, Jiang Xue even indirectly killed Shen Xi’s biological mother! In an instant, Shen Xi became an orphan.

After experiencing her foster family’s ruthlessness and persecution, Shen Xi exposed the sinful deeds the Jiang family had committed over the years and Jiang Xue’s crimes after being released from prison! Then, she detonated a bomb, sacrificing her life to take revenge for her biological parents.

However, after the bomb exploded, Shen Xi was shocked to find herself returning to many years ago when Jiang Xue was first found, and Shen Xi’s identity of not being the Jiang family’s real daughter was about to be exposed. During this time, she was still a rich young lady dressed in expensive clothes as she sat in the Jiang family’s car on the way to her fiance’s birthday banquet. Shen Xi’s lips curled up slightly. A good show was about to begin.

She wanted to change her fate and her biological parents’ fates. However, she never expected that both her parents were heirs to a large financial group. Also, the renowned movie star, a young genius doctor, and a domineering CEO were all her biological brothers! She, who wasn’t loved in her past life, was being pampered in this life! Then, the paparazzi caught her on camera, entering a hotel with a rumored bigshot. The crowd gasped. Was this bigshot Shen Xi’s brother as well? The bigshot hugged Shen Xi’s waist and kissed her. “Nope. I’m her lover!”

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.