Standing Next To You - Chapter 1: She’s Dead

Enemies always meet on a narrow road and when they meet war breaks out.

They met as kids and fought but Zi Han lost.

They met in the army as recruits and even then Zi Han lost.

He lost again as he remained a sergeant while Yi Chen was promoted to the position of Marshal.

Even when his dark history swallowed him whole and shifted allegiance to become the Universe’s most infamous assassin he still lost to Yi Chen.

Zi Han, “Damn it! Why won’t you let me win.”

Yi Chen, “I can let you win in bed if you like?”

Zi Han, “……”

When did enemies graduate from rolling in the dirt fighting to rolling in the sheets….. fighting? That’s the million-dollar question.

.....

Usami is a beautiful classmate with good morals and top grades. At school, she views Sakuto as her rival. But when he bumps into her after school, he sees a different side of her. She was playing at an arcade after classes, and she had this innocent smile that one couldn’t imagine on her at school.For the sake of getting along with her, he gets close to her at school and then plays together with her after school. They each have their places where they can deepen their bonds, and at last…This is the start of a heart-warming love triangle romcom!

“Nine Heavens cast down the Undying Tree, from the tomb the Immortal's bones were fetched;Taoist Venerable tut-tutted as they drank blood plasma, Old Buddha relished in the chew of meat;Beasts and livestock rang the Dharma Drum, city foxes and hole-dwelling rats boiled in the pot;In the Immortality Wine, the resentful spirits were fishy, at the Killing Banquet, the Dao Fruit was bitter!”In this world where Daoist Skill manifested, countless Sect Cultivators, Side Door Magicians, princes and scholars, officials of high rank and nobles all coveted immortality!Owl God Tomb, stealing heavenly secrets, Pearl Gathering Skill, Holy Infant Pill, bone effigies, Yin God Shrine, human-transformed monsters, Undying Elixir, Red Line Poison, Blood Immortal insects, Mermaid Meat, gold-threaded robes, Five Poisons Primordial Spirit, Seven Star Life Extension...They killed and harmed life only to steal the “Killing Dao Fruit” borne upon that Undying Tree!Until... a sly “Fishing Man” came to this world.Wang Yuan, born with the Small Book of Life and Death, had but a simple and unadorned dream:Amid bustling strings and smoky vistas, on a night bathed in moonlight, in peace and quiet did I lean on the rail, savoring the wind, toasting to the stars.With his “Bride in bridal clothes,” watching the sunrise at Taishan in the morning, admiring Qionghua in Luoyang at noon, and drinking under the aurora by the North Sea in the evening.“But you all smell so incredibly fragrant!No more, none shall escape, for today I shall crowdfund Cultivating Immortality! Please... my treasure, turn around!”The blood-red veil of the Bride abruptly fluttered to the ground.

After a near death experience thanks to his own mother, Jake Hollander has an adverse reaction to people, baseball, and family. His feeling of abandonment is slowly lost thanks to his foster family, The Atkins. They take him in and change his mind about everything. He becomes more open, better at baseball, and craves for family. Slowly all wishes are granted.

Instagram: @writerhalf_empty

https://www.patreon.com/half_empty ~~The Last Curve can be found there, a short story about Rhys


**Names, faces, and places aren’t real. A work of fiction. Nonetheless, it is my work of fiction so please don’t post it without permission. *I have used school names that do exist though, but I would like everyone to know that I have no affiliation with them. Nor do my views reflect their views.