Stranger Danger - Chapter 34: Dead Man’s Tree

He was once the most feared villain in the empire, a master of manipulation who wove chaos from the shadows. Ruthless, untouchable—until the day he was betrayed and executed by the very man he sought to control.But death is not the end.He awakens in the body of Lady Elara Valcrest, a fragile noble girl doomed to be a pawn in political games. Stripped of her former power, she is forced into an arranged marriage with none other than Cairon Everhart—the man who once killed her. He does not recognize her, but she knows him. And she will never forget.To survive, Elara must play a new game. One where deception is her only weapon, and trust is a dangerous illusion. She must outmaneuver her enemies, uncover the truth behind her execution, and reclaim the power she lost. But as she navigates the treacherous world of court intrigue, one question lingers—Was Cairon truly her greatest enemy? Or had she been blind to an even greater threat?Time is running out. The villain has been given one last chance. And this time, she refuses to lose.

In the residence of the Duke of Zhenguo, the legitimate young miss, known for her icy demeanor, had transformed overnight.She, who usually regarded no one, woke up to confront anyone she saw with a few harsh words, using her frail body to intimidate so much that no one dared to touch her.Afterwards, this legitimate young miss began taking on retainers, nurturing powerful officials, engaging in commerce, and recruiting troops… Every act so shocking and audacious, it defied the norms and provoked fear in all who spoke of her!Yan Wanqing was seen as an enchantress and a disaster by the people, a thorn in the flesh and a nail in the eye that the ministers wanted desperately removed, an entity everyone shunned as if she were a venomous snake.Only the Crown Prince Mingyue, descending from the divine altar, in the dark, godless alleys, grasped her neck and repeatedly asked her, “Will you marry me or not?”

Little screenwriter Gu Nian has a secret. She was a big fan of an 18th-tier actor by the name of Luo Xiu. Luo Xiu was good looking but his acting was awful. He had no work for 2 years, the one time that he was on a show, he was mocked to the point that even his own mother wouldn’t admit that he was her son. As such, he dropped straight to 18th tier. Gu Nian, on the other hand, was determined to become a gold medal screenwriter and had him be her dedicated male supporting character. ___ Luo Xiu had a loyal fan. Ever since his debut, she did everything that a fan would — wait for him at airports, vote for him online, and wave banners of his. Other fans would waver back and forth but this girl remained his loyal fan for two straight years. Once she was drunk after they have met each other, she patted him on his shoulder, cried and said, “Son, its okay that you are not backed by big bosses! When Mommy become a gold-medal screenwriter, I will back you!” Luo Xiu: “……” ___ After Gu Nian became a gold-medal screenwriter and signed her contract with a up-and-coming media company, she was summoned to a meeting at their office. She texted Luo Xiu outside of the conference room, “Son! Mommy can back you now! Just you wait!” Soon after she sent the message, she heard a notification chime coming from in front of her. Gu Nian looked up, puzzled, and saw a very familiar handsome face. The secretary introduced the two of them, “Miss Gu, this is our CEO, Luo Xiu.” Gu Nian: …..? Secretary: “Boss Luo, this is….” “No need for introduction, I know her.” Luo Xiu looked up after he finished reading the text. His eyes a dark black color. “This is the boss who has been backing me behind the scene.” Everyone: ….? ? ?

Have you heard stories of love, love that would never waver for years, decades, centuries or even millenniums to come?But can you really call it love?To keep loving someone forever and ever can't be anything less than crazy, can it?This is one such story.A story of a crazy love.And it's also a story of ...Someone somewhere who wished to be saved.Someone somewhere who wished to be free.Someone somewhere who wished to be able to someday make a wish.It's a story that was supposed to be a fairytale but it turned too ugly, too twisted, and far too wretched to be called one.