Freedom Jumper - Chapter 180: Mystery of the Seed

The notorious imperial court lackey and the meritorious military general were well-known for their mutual dislike, a pair of arch-enemies set in stone. Who could have foreseen the unexpected change in the winds of heaven: the general injured on the battlefield, both legs disabled, and even forced by the emperor to marry his nemesis.With one marriage edict, two people with mutual hostility are forced to marry and live under the same roof. Yet after these long days together, they come to the realization that this fellow is not truly devoid of any saving grace/unattainable and high out of reach.

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.

‘Royal Roader,’ the game that I ruled as an overlord was ending its service. Shit! It was my life’s only pleasure.

The last day! I used all of my strength and in-game connections to defeat the final boss monster, Demon Heros.

As a reward, I earned a Marble of Wishes.[Please state your wish.]My wish? [Royal Roader’s renewal as reality.]I was just joking. I really only wrote it as a joke…

As soon as she transmigrated, Ding Yao became a mute that was kicked out by her stepmother! It’s okay, don’t panic. She had a fiance who was willing to pick her up. However, her fiance’s family had very bad luck. Today, someone got injured. Tomorrow, the chickens were dead. The day after, there was no more rice to eat…Ding Yao: “Have I been possessed by an unlucky god?” Seeing that her younger siblings were about to starve, Ding Yao’s naive and innocent fiance comforted her.

“It’ll be fine, Yaoyao. I’ll go hunting in the mountains tomorrow. I won’t let you starve.” Ding Yao glanced at his broken leg and knew that the credibility of his statement was low. If one relied on the mountains, the mountains would fall. If one relied on others, others would fall. Ding Yao rolled up her sleeves. Well then, let’s make fortune with our own hands! Thinking of the 21st century which she transmigrated from, she has superb medical skills. It was not a problem to treat illness and injuries.

Not to mention, she had a system which allowed her to have her own medicine field. It wasn’t a problem to get rich! Under Ding Yao’s leadership, her fiance’s family leaped from being the poorest family in the village to the richest in the country in only three years. The days got better and better, but those who looked for trouble also increased…One night, a familiar assassin dressed in black appeared. Ding Yao was in a daze and thought, ‘Do I deal with this with silver needles? Or poison needles?’ At this moment, her weak fiance stepped forward and pulled her into his arms to protect her. “Don’t be afraid, my darling! No one will hurt you while I’m here.” Ding Yao was confused. Then, she was shocked when her weak fiance kicked the black-clothed assassin. This man had pretended to be weak in order to gain the upper hand!