Crown of Thorns - Chapter 25

Two centuries after the Great War, peace between humans and werewolves was finally achieved, or so everyone believes. Werewolves reign like gods, and humans remain blissfully unaware of their true place in the new world order.To maintain this fragile balance, each year, a handful of “lucky” humans are selected from various districts to attend Lunaris Academy, a prestigious institution that promises glory, status, and a chance to mingle with the elite. Those chosen are hailed as the lucky few, destined to marry powerful alphas and rise as luna.This year, Violet Purple is among the chosen, much to everyone's surprise. For an orphaned girl adopted by a disgraced prostitute, this is a golden ticket to a better life or so she's told. But Lunaris Academy isn’t the paradise it’s painted to be.Everything Violet and her fellow humans have been taught is a lie. Humans are far from equal; they're pawns in a much larger game. The academy is nothing but a gilded cage, and the students are lambs led to slaughter, playthings for the alphas to toy with in their ruthless games.To make matters worse, Violet catches the attention of the most dangerous players in this game, the Terror Four: the Alpha of the North, Alpha of the South, Alpha of the East, and Alpha of the West. Each one is more dangerous, more twisted, and more powerful than the last. But even among themselves, the alphas are divided, each with their own deadly ambitions.Yet, they all have their eyes on her.They expect Violet to play along, to fall in line like the others who worship at their feet, to break under their games. But Violet isn’t like the others. She refuses to bow. She’ll defy them all.***********With a grin that made her uneasy, he handed the application to her. “Approve this one.”Principal Jameson’s curiosity got the better of her as she took the paper from him, her eyes scanning the text.Almost immediately, her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in disbelief. “What the...?”“It’s perfect, isn’t it?” Asher’s voice was almost gleeful.Fucking psychopath!Jameson could hardly believe what she was reading. “Mr. Nightshade, with all due respect, this applicant….this girl just admitted to—”She couldn’t even finish the sentence, still horrified at the explicit nature of the application.Taking a deep breath, she continued, “I’m sorry, but I cannot approve this.”“She’s issued me a challenge,” Archer said, a dark gleam in his eyes.“What?”“‘Wait till you see me in bed,’” he repeated the bold line from the application, his grin widening. “And I can’t wait to find out.”“Mr. Nightshade—”He stood up, cutting off her protest as he fixed her with an intense stare. “Approve the application. I won’t ask again.”Without waiting for her response, Asher strode out of the office, confident she would follow his orders. He always got what he wanted.Archer Nightshade walked down the hall, a spring in his step. For the first time in a long while, he felt alive, his blood pulsing with excitement.The other Cardinal Alphas had no idea what he was up to, but it would soon hit them.He’d just set the game in motion.And the target was Violet Purple.It was game on.

Themes: Black Market Trading, Global Crime Networks, Boundaries of Human Nature and Morality, The Struggle Between Truth and SurvivalStory Background:In a modern metropolis, the surface level of prosperity conceals the darkness and corruption lurking beneath. Ethan, a highly skilled detective, spends his life navigating the shadowy corners of the city, uncovering the hidden secrets buried beneath the mundane facade of everyday life. When he is drawn into what initially seems like a simple suicide case, he becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving the global black market, power struggles, and transnational crime.Main Characters:Ethan (Protagonist): A seasoned, calm, and intuitive detective who excels at finding the truth in complex cases. On the surface, he is a quiet, solitary man who prefers to avoid social interaction, but deep down, he is haunted by unresolved cases from his past. Faced with dark forces, he is both determined and full of doubt.Lila (Female Protagonist/Key Ally): Ethan's investigative partner, an intelligent and resourceful intelligence officer with a mysterious background. Her past is also shrouded in secrecy, and she seems to have an undisclosed connection to the “Black Angels” organization. She provides crucial assistance in Ethan's investigation, but her motives remain unclear, casting suspicion on her true intentions.Victor Saville (Antagonist/Main Adversary): A charismatic yet dangerous businessman, who appears to be a successful entrepreneur but is, in fact, one of the central figures of the global crime syndicate “The Black Angels.” Cold-hearted, clever, and ruthless, he controls a global black market network, overseeing arms trafficking, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. He is not only a key figure in Langley's death but also the biggest obstacle in Ethan's investigation.The Mysterious Woman (Key Character): An elusive woman who repeatedly appears during Ethan's investigation, warning him not to delve deeper into Saville and the “Black Angels” organization. Her identity is unclear, but it is evident that she holds vital secrets about Saville and his network. Her appearances leave Ethan bewildered—whether she is an enemy or his only ally remains uncertain.

Many years ago, a meteorite crashed into earth in New York city and this was the beginning of mankind's unprecedented evolution.

The year was 2030 and humanity had reached a stage that would not have been possible otherwise without this external factor but they weren't satisfied. In the selfish attempt for humanity to once again force their evolution, the search for immortality began.

A man named Dr. Schneider was the man responsible for this feat and he did achieve his goal but like the saying goes, be careful for what you wish for because that immortality came in the form of something perverse and twisted to nature.

It came in the form of zombies.

The world was in shambles or was it?

Jason, a 21 year-old shut in, he was at the bottom of the food ladder due to his life choices, disowned and alone, he was willing to waste the left his life gaming but even with this dedication, he wasn't that great a gamer.

But fate had something in store and that was in the form of a 'virus' transmitted through the gaming headset he had on and this would change Jason's life for either for better or for worse.

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I’ve took the role of ‘that person’ who passed away long ago, someone who bears a striking resemblance to her. In a reverse harem fantasy novel set against a military backdrop, the title “Four Crazy Guys Obsessing Over Me,” or simply “F4,” unfolds. The narrative centers around the protagonist’s first love and former comrade who descended into madness following their demise, now fixated on the female lead. However, as the one who has taken on the position of ‘that person,’ I enjoy certain privileges. Could it be that my fate involves facing death? Alternatively, survival might lead to a twist in the romantic plot, with me becoming the object of obsession instead of the female lead. Personally, I’m not inclined towards being the center of such fixation. But then… “Hey, get your act together.” “The loser falls behind and gets left behind!” “These fools need to snap out of it! Can’t they get their act together?” Romance is nowhere in sight; instead, the harsh reality of the real K-military awaits me! Before I can fully escape this predicament, I had hoped that the male leads would become obsessed with me. However, this apocalyptic world consistently shatters my expectations. To worsen matters, it appears that the male leads are gradually losing their sanity in this chaotic world. What’s the only way to break free from this absurd exploitation? Naturally, it’s through a revolution! You corrupt imperial scoundrels!