Path of the Extra - Chapter 4: Death’s Blossom

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?

He holds a god-level sign-in system in his hand, punches the goose factory, and steps on the pig factory. Do you think there is no good game?
First feed you two mouthfuls of tainted milk powder, and then send you the legend of the dragon and the Hearthstone gold cartoon for free.
What? Still not satisfied? League of Kings out-of-print skin, give away!
Satisfied? Tch, this is just the beginning…

- Description from novelbuddy

Lin Nianhe, the leading lady of the apocalypse, came equipped with a top-tier space, furiously hoarded tens of billions of resources, and then — she traveled through time!The first day, a fierce squabble unfolded;The second day, the production team's competition for overachievement was fiery hot;The third day…Lin Nianhe: “Comrades, be inspiring!”The crowd, struggling: “Hardworking guy, stop brewing motivational speeches.”Lin Nianhe: “All the aunties are so adorable!”The production team's aunties, hearts shattered: “Xiao Lin has hogged all the brains in her family.”Lin Nianhe relished in dramas, smashing feet with excitement, as she performed her new script brilliantly.The swap of resources made her little treasure chest increasingly rich;Tailored teaching, students acing their exams with full marks!Lin Nianhe, with education in her left hand and economy in her right, ignited the darkness with sparks of light.The first time Su Yuncheng was asked when he would tie the knot with Lin Nianhe, he said, “Let me first win over her parents.”The second time Su Yuncheng was asked when they could taste the wedding candy, he answered, “Wait until I've conquered her dozen or so siblings.”The third time Su Yuncheng was questioned about his relationship progress with Lin Nianhe, he replied, “Our relationship is stable, but the entire village of three hundred, young and old, are all trying to snatch her from me.”He then turned around, pitifully searching for his delicate childhood sweetheart: “Hehe, when will you make it formal with me?”Lin Nianhe responded offhandedly: “Wait till I finish building this batch of schools.”The next day, Lin Nianhe discovered that the sites she'd chosen for the schools had already started construction overnight![Cool community leader · Unknowingly charming · Little drama queen × Cunning · Self-challenger · Big friendly dog]

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.