The Bride Of The Devil - Chapter 1: The Devil Returns

At twenty‑nine, she was the youngest CEO in the tech industry—NetVault Security had gone from small startup to Fortune 500 in just six years. The media called her a prodigy. Her board called her unstoppable.Her therapist called her alexithymic.Unable to understand or describe her own emotions.The elevator chimed. Elara didn’t look up. Only one person had after‑hours access.“You’re late,” she said. “The investor meeting is in twelve hours. Did you review the—”“I’m not here about the meeting.”…“Ugh.”Elara lost her life that day at the hands of her mentor and adoptive father. By the next morning, the same people who once called her a genius and praised her to the sky were calling her a coward who killed herself to escape scandal.Then Elara woke up.Not in her office. Not in a hospital.In a different world. In a different body.She was now Elara, the Fourth Princess of this so‑called great kingdom—only to find that this princess was an utter pushover, completely useless in everyone’s eyes. No one feared her. No one respected her. Even her own palace was full of other people’s spies.How is Elara supposed to survive this palace battle, when seven princesses fight in the shadows and she’s known as the weakest one? And can she ever escape this place… or will she decide to win instead?……“Your Highness, please… ugh…”The leash of light around Mahir’s neck—the head of the knights—tightened with a soft pull. His face flushed red, and not from pain.“Princess, here.” Ken, the strongest beast knight, knelt closer and held out a small pill between his fingers, guiding it gently to Elara’s lips.“Swallow it,” he said quietly. “You used too much power today.”On the floor below the bed, three beastmen knelt in a row, broad shoulders tense, ears twitching, their eyes fixed on her with dazed focus. Thin, glowing leashes of magic ran from their collars to the bands at Elara’s wrists.“Please…” Ken’s voice dropped, rough and a little hoarse. “Put your foot here.” He touched his gloved hand to his chest. “On me.”Elara sighed, half annoyed, half amused, and rested her foot lightly on his armored chest. All three of them drew in a sharp breath at the same time, faces turning even redder as the magic between them flared.Their eyes—gold, amber, and deep brown—looked up at her with the same lost, devoted gaze.

Modern-day corporate worker Chi Yuan opens her eyes to find herself transported to the fictional Primal Age.She inherits a mess left by her original father's past actions, filled with hatred.In front of her are five Beast Husbands, forcibly bonded by a wandering beast father, who are on the verge of turning dark for revenge.Facing these Beast Husbands, who are ready to tear her apart, Chi Yuan only feels a chill on her neck.Well, as long as her mindset is good, everywhere is Bali.Planning her escape through the night, she first takes a gentle approach to soothe the five Beast Husbands who are about to darken.Then, she seeks out the beast father with unrivaled combat abilities, hoping to sever ties with the blood of the antagonists!With her powerful golden finger, Chi Yuan walks into the comfort zone she's always dreamed of.Yet, the five Beast Husband big shots surround her, looking at her as if she were a heartless betrayer.Chi Yuan is dumbfounded...Paranoid and gloomy White Snake: “Just because I was kind to that little Ba Snake, you're jealous and want to break the bond, right?”Stunningly beautiful Merfolk: “I'll do anything for you, as long as you don't break the bond.”Commanding Lion: “You've boarded my pirate ship, you can't get off.”Sharp-tongued Celestial Crane: “So, sister has found better Beast Husbands than us?”Possessive, damp Fox: “You can only be mine, otherwise...”Chi Yuan: Weren't they supposed to hate her and want her dead? How did they end up in a competitive battleground for her affection?

The path of longevity is loneliness, it is solitude, it is the unbearable cold of being at the summit.Reborn in a different world filled with hidden dangers, Song Changsheng fortunately obtains a mysterious Daoist Scripture:Breaking through to Early-stage Qi Refining, he obtains the “Yin Yang Profound Flower Scripture,” absorbing Sun and Moon Essence, cultivating both Yin and Yang.Breaking through to Mid-stage Qi Refining, he obtains the “Breath Concealment Technique,” concealing his aura and obscuring heavenly secrets.Breaking through to Late-stage Qi Refining, he obtains the “Water and Fire Manipulation Technique,” and the world's water and fire become his vanguards.Breaking through to Qi Refining Great Perfection, he obtains the “Delusion-Shattering Pupil Technique” to see through confusion and trace things back to their source.Breaking through to Early-stage Foundation Establishment, he obtains the “Five Beasts Body Refining Technique”...

So, I died. Face-planted on my keyboard after a 72-hour coding marathon. Very heroic. My one dying wish? To finally get some sleep.But the twist is : I got isekai'd. But I wasn't reborn as a legendary hero with a harem and a cheat skill. Nope. I'm a rock. A Dungeon Core, to be exact.My new job description is simple: create a terrifying labyrinth, murder heroes, and generally be a menace to society.Yeah, hard pass. That sounds like way too much paperwork. My new life goal is achieving a perfect 100-year nap.Luckily, I found a bug in the System—or maybe it's a feature? My unique “Slumber System” gives me way more XP (they call it Dungeon Points here) when adventurers take a nap than when I, you know, kill them. My assigned fairy guide, FaeLina, is having a non-stop panic attack about this. Apparently, “aggressive coziness” isn't covered in the Dungeon for Dummies handbook.So, I leaned into it. I started building the world's first 5-star dungeon resort, complete with fluffy moss beds that feel like clouds, a tea shop run by a friendly slime waiter, and pillows that hug you back. The place went viral. Knights come for the naps, mages for the therapeutic tea, and bards for the sweet, sweet content.The problem? My five-star reviews are tanking the property values of the 'Blood Pit' dungeon next door. I'm being forced into official Dungeon Tournaments where my ultimate weapon is a lavender-scented fog machine. And the stuffy bigwigs on the Fairy Council are starting to think my little “peaceful revolution” is a threat to their entire “kill-stuff-for-profit” business model.But the more I build, the more I realize this isn't just me being lazy. I'm uncovering an ancient, world-changing secret about why dungeons really exist, and it's a truth the gods themselves tried to bury.My name is Mochi, and my quest is to level up from a sleepy rock to the God of Dreams. My final boss isn't some dragon or demon lord. It's the original God of Combat himself.And I'm going to challenge him to a Nap Off for the fate of all reality.Who knew the path to ultimate power was this comfy?