Refining the Mountains and Rivers - Chapter 1823 – Nine Against Nine

Caelith doesn't want too much in life, a clean home, a happy mother, and maybe a girlfriend. Raised in the Stormont manner, one of the highest ranking noble household in the kingdom, he grew up a bastard, mistreated and abused by the main lineage.At the tender age of sixteen nobles undergo a divine ceremony, receiving the opportunity to be blessed by the gods however he receives Nothing.Caelith struggles in this world but at the end of the day, He is Nobody, and he has Nothing.

The footsteps sounded closer, and closer, and closer, until he faintly heard Siri's voice welcoming someone into the house, but before he could open his eyes to see who it was, he felt a large hand gripping his neck, his legs were locked tightly between much larger ones, and, he felt the cold metal of a gun placed directly on his...gun.Zeno quickly opened his eyes from instincts, ready to fight off his attacker, but the moment he did so, he was met with mesmerizing dark grey orbs, staring dangerously at him.The face of his attacker was too close, he couldn't make out his features, but he knew they were sharp, even from a closed look.He didn't bother fighting, he didn't want to lose his junior member down there, and his Nana still expected grandchildren from him. He couldn't disappoint her.“Who. Are. You?” The voice of his attacker was so deep, dark, and commanding.Zeno was a fighter, but he felt a chill run down his spine from the sound of the voice.The hand around Zeno's neck tightened, but he endured it, he was a fighter.Judging by his attacker's looks and actions of confidence, this was his boss.~~~After losing his parents and being faced with an unbelievable medical bill, Zeno Evander finds himself working as a Manny for a mysterious Billionaire, but it doesn't last long; after almost being killed by the Mafia billionaire, Zeno swore never to return to that place again.But after a week of escaping the Mafia billionaire, Zeno finds himself kidnapped and Blackmailed into signing a year's contract as the Mafia's Manny and bodyguard.Could Zeno escape his evil and monstrous boss? Or would he be consumed by him? Consumed by the forbidden passion he felt build up between them? Would he risk his life just to experience the burn of forbidden love?After the betrayal from his family, ex-wife, and friend five years ago, Sebastian Orion became a totally different being.He became cold, aloof, and dangerous as he rose to become the most feared Mafia king of the underworld, and everyone who heard his name shivered from fear.He distrusted everyone and hated any form of human relationships, building a thick wall around himself.But, not until his son's manny came into the picture.Zeno irritated him in every way, he hated the mere sight of his bodyguard and would have chosen to kill him if not for the sake of his son.Sebastian always tried to push Zeno away by treating him in the lowest way possible.But when the contract was coming to an end, were his feelings still the same? Or did he suddenly realize that it wasn't only his son that needed Zeno?~~~“What are you waiting for? Leave!” Sebastian snarled bitterly.He would have to speak with Butler Nicole to find out why he brought back this stupid clown to his house.He had just returned from yet another trip, just to find this nuisance in his house again.He hated Zeno so much; he was classless and looked extremely dangerous to be near his son; who knew if he was sent as a snitch by an enemy?“I'm sorry, boss, but I can't,” Zeno said and stood his ground.Leaving would mean he wanted his Nana to die; no, he'd rather stay here and take all punches that came his way; he was used to it.“What?!” Sebastian couldn't believe that such stupid people were still existing in the world.“I can't leave,” Zeno repeated.

Six years ago, Princess Lyanna Graves publicly rejected the vampire king at their wedding altar calling him a soulless monster unworthy of love, and walked away, leaving Azrael Thornfield humiliated in front of his entire court.Now, six years later, her kingdom has fallen. Her family is dead and the only person who is offering her shelter is the vampire king she once refused.But Azrael is not doing this out for mercy.“I’ll grant you safety, and in return I want everything that belongs to you, including your body, and your pride. I’ll break you into pieces until you forget what it was like to reject a king.”Lyanna is left with only two choices: accept his cruel proposal or die.She chooses survival.Their revenge marriage is filled with games of dominance and possession which slowly transforms into something far more dangerous.Azrael who married her for revenge is suddenly terrified of losing her, and Lyanna who married him to survive realizes she’s falling for the monster she once created.for updates, you can join my discord server: https://discord.gg/yjX92fDdw

Welcome to Freia. A continent where evil magi ruled. Until firearms came, that is. Now the people live free of those demons…

More, however, must lurk beneath the surface.

Claude, a transmigrator from another world, finds himself in the midst of this changing world, attending ‘middle school’. Or, as he calls it, ‘boot camp’. His destiny was to graduate and join the military, but the future is seldom so simple.

His life, and the world, is set on the path of upheaval and chaos the day he finds a cookbook.

A magical cookbook.

- Description from novelupdates