I Quit Being The Male Lead’s Rival - Chapter 26

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.

Darkness. The ultimate ruler, the true One-Above-All. Everything starts from it, and everything returns to it eventually. People say that in your final moments, darkness seeps in your very existence, engulfs your whole being. They say it’s an incredibly relaxing feeling that takes you on your journey to your afterlife. They say that in the very darkness, the ‘nothingness’ your weary soul will finally be able to rest and relax. This brings up some very philosophical and existential questions. Do you even exist?

Follow the epic journey of Aiden, the last primal, a unique and ancient race as he finds his place in a strange, new world, filled with threats and violence.

The well-off little salted fish transmigrated to a poor era, where her grandparents valued boys over girls, leading to a miserable life for their granddaughters.Fortunately, her dad, though lazy, slippery, and illogical, shamelessly relying on his parents and taking advantage of his siblings, was protective of his daughters.Her drama queen mother, who was lazy but liked to eat, often tried to coax food off of her, yet she always left a portion for her.There was also the Scholar Tyrant System that pressured her every day to strive for progress, capable of using high-tech to hunt and allowing her to eat meat!!It wasn't until her cousin from her second uncle's family changed drastically after nearly drowning that Jiang Mianmian realized she was in a reborn female protagonist novel of that era, and her family of three was destined to meet a tragic end as reprehensible relatives.However, Jiang Mianmian, who knew the plot well, was fully capable of avoiding the tragic deaths of her parents and was not afraid of the seemingly strong but actually hollow protagonist. Her only worry was the powerful ally backing the protagonist.Then she discovered that the protagonist’s powerful ally was none other than the beautiful young man her father had rescued from the icy river last month!So Jiang Mianmian was completely reassured. With this life-saving favor, the young man would definitely not side with the protagonist against her family in the future.Moreover, Dashan took the initiative and said, “Little Lamb, I’d like to court you with the intent of getting a marriage license, is that okay?”As someone obsessed with good looks, Jiang Mianmian struggled and then reluctantly refused, “No, I plan to have a son-in-law who will marry into the family.”The powerful ally didn’t hesitate, “Then I’ll be the son-in-law who marries into the family, and the children will take the Jiang surname!”Jiang Mianmian: “Let’s go, get the marriage license!”

Traversing to a parallel World, Shinji Kamihara discovers a mysterious notebook called the 'Chronicles Of Urban Legends'.By writing urban legends in its pages, he can bring them to life in the real world. In this Japan, many of the urban legends from his previous life are absent—Hanako-san of the Restroom, Hell Girl, Sadako’s videotape, the Eight-Foot Woman, Mary’s phone call, the Seiryūji Tunnel, the Gaze from the Cracks, Tengu Elementary…“Let me unleash a pandemonium of Monsters and Ghosts upon this World!”