Firebrand - Chapter 21: The Roads to Friendship

Chi Yaoxi, showbiz’s most famous figure and winner of the best actress award was being cheated on by her boyfriend—and it had to be with her stepsister! And his excuse was that she’s not willing to cohabit and have a child? Laughable!

Chi Yaoxi attended a high-class party, intent on getting drunk and throwing money to a handsome face, whom she would spend the night with! Once she got tipsy, Chi Yaoxi threw herself into the arms of a gorgeous man.

“You’ve caught my eye. Come to my room tonight, and I will give you millions.”

Li Qianming, a CEO of his own right, was stunned. He had met countless women who wanted to seduce him—this was the first time he met one buying him for the night. At the same time, the woman’s stunning figure was latched to himself, her warm breath spraying all over his face. He carried her to his room.

Waking up the next day, Chi Yaoxi smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I was drunk last night, but I will pay you anyway.”

Li Qianming studied her in her naked form with just a towel covering his own modesty, and whipped out a prenuptial agreement. “My son likes you. Let’s get married today.”

“What??”

I killed the protagonist.Yeah. He was a real son of a bitch.Noah didn’t just stumble into this mess. He walked straight in—grinning, sword in hand.One day, he wakes up inside his favorite game… as a throwaway side character no one remembers. A complete nobody. But when he figures out who the so-called “main character” is?Some smug, self-righteous psycho.So yeah—he killed him. No regrets.Story over, right?Not exactly.Because this world? It’s got one more player.“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?”Now the story’s off the rails, the world’s gone completely off-script, and Noah’s got a new goal:Steal the hero’s spot. Rewrite the plot. Find out who the hell this other player is. And maybe—just maybe—make this damn story fun for once.

[Sweet Baby + Parenting + Doting In-laws + Light-hearted + Redemption]Xu Wan became a widow right after her marriage, initially hoping to enjoy a carefree life as a Marquis’s wife.Unexpectedly, on her very first day at the mansion, that notorious troublemaker of a stepson, infamous throughout the capital, tried to intimidate her twice.Xu Wan grabbed a knife and rushed out, instantly becoming the talk of the entire capital!Though she thought her dreams of being the Marquis’s wife were over, her in-laws surprisingly retaliated by entrusting the little devil to her care for reformation.Xu Wan: “???”Little Devil: “???”At first, no one believed it would work…But later, the maids would exclaim in amazement every day:“The young master who never studied is actually going to the study room!”“The young master is even bringing foot-washing water for the old Marquis!”“The young master actually saved all the children in the slums!”…The Marquis’s mansion was shocked, the entire capital was shocked, even His Majesty in the palace was shocked.Word spread that the Marquis’s wife had a special talent for reforming troublesome children. Soon, court officials began sending their rebellious sons to the mansion, and the mansion’s “elite class” kept growing!Three years later.The Minister of Rites, responsible for the imperial examinations, wailed to the heavens: “It’s impossible to choose! They’re all top candidates!”

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.