I WAS Humanity's HOPE - Chapter 22: The Drunk’s Stag

“I WILL MAKE THEM ALL REGRET THE DAY THEY MET ME! I WILL MAKE THEM WISH THEY WERE NEVER BORN! AND I WILL MAKE THEM HATE THE DAY THEY THOUGHT OF BETRAYING ME!”“You will, Sweetie. And I'll help you with that...”Those were the last words Avery spoke and heard before passing out in her bloody red wedding gown, on the same day she was supposed to marry her boyfriend from senior high school.~~Avery McCallum, the sole heiress and president of the McCallum Group of Companies, had her whole family wiped out on her wedding day. Framed for her grandfather's murder and stripped of her position, Avery vows to take revenge on those who wronged her. But her powerless state seems to mock her determination.Enter Archibald Donovan. She used to hate the devilishly hot and narcissistic chairman of the A² Corp who also happened to be her older brother's best friend, but when consumed with the need to take revenge, she begged him to marry her in return for fulfilling a long list of conditions. Archie agrees, and a month later, Avery re-emerges as Ava Donovan, a rising actress and the wife of the most powerful man in the country.With her newfound status, Avery systematically destroys her adversaries, uncovering dark secrets and hidden agendas along the way. But as she navigates the treacherous landscape of her new life, she must confront the truth about her family's past and at the end of it all, come back to him.She owed him after all...EXCERPTArchie's eyes darkened when he saw her stumbling out of the wine cellar, a bottle of wine in one hand and her night robe, in the other. She was literally half naked.“Hey...” her greeting came out in a slur, and that was all he needed to know she was drunk. Very drunk, at that.“Why?” he asked simply, knowing she would interpret his question as she usually did.“I...I visited them today. The flowers on their stones were already wilted and...and...it broke me. I wanted to be happy and at the same time, I wanted to cry,” Avery replied, inhaling short wisps of air before she continued, “Then I found the cellar.”“Did it work?”She shook her head slowly in reply, lifting her head up in time to see a mischievous smirk curl on his lips.“Don't be sad, Baby girl. I happen to know a way to make you cry and keep you excited at the same time,” he said.“Really?”“Wanna try it, Mama?”Avery nodded, slowly but firmly as he closed the distance between them.As he promised, she did cry...in pleasure.

On the haunted mountain in the kingdom, they say there lived a witch.

She was born a princess. But even before her birth, the priest declared her to be cursed and demanded her death. They poisoned the mother to kill the baby before she gave birth, but the baby was born out of the dead mother—a cursed child.

Again and again, they tried to kill the baby but she miraculously survived every single attempt. Giving up, they abandoned her on the haunted mountain to die but she still survived on that barren land— A witch

‘Why won’t she die?’

Years later, the people finally had enough of the witch and decided to burn the mountain. But someone arrived to her rescue and took her with him from that burning place, because dying was not her destiny even then.

Draven Amaris.

The Black Dragon, who ruled over supernatural beings, the Devil who no one wished to cross a path with. He hated humans but this certain human girl would pull him towards her whenever she was in danger.

‘Is she really a human?’

The devil named this mysteriously tenacious girl “Ember”, a piece of glowing coal in a dying fire.

This is a tale of the man who brings death and the girl who denies it.

In her previous life, Su Jin was conspired by her family. Her baby was born through Caesarean birth, she had her eyes gouged out, and died tragically. When she was reborn, she suppressed the invincible Master Xiao. Her red lips lifted slightly as she said, "Handsome man, I see your yin tang has turned black. There will be a disaster in three days. If you want to resolve this calamity, marry me. I guarantee you will have safety, security, many children, and many blessings for the rest of your life.” Xi Chenxiao replied, “Get lost.” Three days later, he was rushed to the hospital. Su Jin said, “Handsome man, I reckon your heart may soon get pierced by an arrow.” Xi Chenxiao answered, “Get away from me!” Two days later, Xi Chenxiao was once again rushed to the hospital. Su Jin started, “Handsome man, I…” Xi Chenxiao interrupted her, “Stop! Let’s get married right now!” News of the overwhelmingly wealthy and powerful Xiaoye marrying the Su Family’s older daughter, a nobody, spread like wildfire. His brothers were puzzled but Master Xiao explained, “A wife to bless us with safety.” However, later… A fan asked, “Master Xiao, I heard that your wife is the world-famous voice actor.” Xi Chenxiao was confused. A reader asked, “Master Xiao, I heard that your wife is a greater writer.” Xi Chenxiao was confused. A little boy asked, “Master Xiao, I heard that your wife is a top hacker.” Xi Chenxiao was confused. “What are you guys talking about? My wife is a fortune teller!” [A little theatre] One day in a small, black house. Xi Chenxiao sat on a chair, his face a look of solemnity. “Tell me, then. How many more things are you hiding from me?” Su Jin shook her fingers and answered, “There aren’t many left, only that I’m a Qiuming Mountain racer, a certain boss in gaming, a certain talented right, and a special researcher of the International Research institute…” Xi Chenxiao was speechless. His wife was the real deal!

After a year of relentless effort, Alex becomes the first to conquer a tutorial quest deemed impossible by the entire playerbase of Endless Leveling Online. But instead of loot or leaderboard fame, he earns something far stranger—an invitation from the God of Games.His prize? A one-way trip to Arcana, a living, breathing world where stories shape reality—and a chance to become the Protagonist of his own story.In a land of endless possibilities and ever-shifting destinies, Alex would try to bend the rules, rewrite fates, and forge his own legend. But being the Protagonist means more than glory.It carries a heavy responsibility.As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, Alex must decide whom he must protect, and save before the world collapses under the weight of its own story.