The Divine Martial Stars - Chapter 21 Internal Qi

I thought being laid off from my job was the greatest of my worries but I just had to wake up in a ship's cockpit after my space game crashed. Now I have no map, no friends and no money.But that's ok, I've started from the bottom before! With my starter ship I will scour through space as a Mercenary and maybe even start up a Mercenary Company while I'm at it! This ain't my first rodeo in space after all!Except... Apparently my crew members are weird?The guy who bumped into me yesterday was found sliced up and floating outside the space station.The girl who tried to honeytrap me was reported missing with only a finger found in an alley.And then that merchant who scammed me had his entire ship blasted into bits by unknown vessels the very next day.Some people say my crewmates were behind it but they must be mistaken, right?I only know one thing for sure...In space, no one can hear you scream...

Briar had always harbored a crush in her heart. However, with her status as the official nanny of the Meyer family, she knew her chances were close to zero. After all, there were many other eligible women out there and it was not in her place to cross this line.All it took was one crucial call from home and she found herself signing a contract she never dreamed was possible.The man she had pinned after for years, Logan Meyer, needed a trophy wife, an accessory to hang on his arm, and a mother to his three kids. And as the nanny his children were used to seeing, Briar happened to fit the bill.She needed the money to save a relative. But more than that, this was an opportunity for her to reach the forbidden fruit she could only see but not touch for years.However, when the secrets of her past, which she wished to have forgotten and had locked in Pandora’s Box over twelve years ago, threaten to come out. The kind that would shatter the image she had painstakingly forged, thwart everything that she had worked hard for all these years and send her to prison for the rest of her life, forcing her to part with the man she dearly loves.To stop her adversaries from destroying everything that she had dreamt of since she was a child, Briar would be forced to make choices. Choices that would change her life forever.Even if it means shedding all pretenses and revealing her true self.

Elia is a poor university student until the night she’s taken to the world of the Anima—ruled by humans whose ancient hearts pulse with the blood of animals. There she’s forced into a battle to the death. But when Elia survives, and refuses to kill her final opponent, the King must either kill Elia himself, or take her as his mate.

Reth, the brutal King of the Beasts with the blood of lions, shocks everyone when he chooses the weak, human Elia to become his Queen. He promises her every comfort of his wealth and position—but he is clear: She will not warm his bed. He chose her to defeat those that were trying to corner him into blending his Leonine line with the Wolves.

Elia needs the help of the Anima to become stronger and rule them well. But the vengeful Wolves see only a weak human that brought them shame. As Elia and Reth grow closer, the wolves are determined to destroy her. Will Reth and Elia admit their feelings for each in time to fight for the Kingdom—and their lives—against the villainous wolf-tribe? Or will the wolves kill Elia and steal the throne?

[Mature content - no sexual violence]

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He stalked towards her, chin low so the shadow cast by his hard jaw cut across the thick fur collar of his vest. His hair had fallen over his eyes in the scuffle, so he peered at her through it like a lion in the grass. With each step, his graceful, rolling gait reminded her of a predator stalking its prey. Despite the forest floor littered in twigs and leaves, he didn’t make a sound.

“Wh-who are you?” Elia stammered, backing away, her hands up. He met her step for step until she came up hard against the tree behind her—and didn’t stop until he loomed over her, so broad his shoulders and chest made a wall in front of her. She could feel the heat rising off his skin in the cool, night air.

“I am the Leonine King.” His voice was a dark, husky gravel. Behind him a chorus of wheezes, howls, and chirps of agreement rose from the people watching. “And you are?”

“Elia,” she breathed.

“Elia,” he growled, leaning in closer, bringing with him the scent of pine and rain and the musk of something distinctly male. “I am Reth.” He said the name with a strange, guttural roll in his throat. “I am King of Beasts. I am Clan Leader, and I am Alpha of WildWood.” Several snarls rose from the crowds behind him then, but he ignored them.

Elia swallowed as he leaned in until the scruff on his jaw rasped her cheek. “I am the King,” he said, “And you will be my mate.”

The forest behind him erupted.

There is no master god, no system, no exchange, and some are just source codes that are fused in the mind to open up the world, not to be forced or suppressed, but to constantly go through in order to become powerful Look at my infinitely powerful source code …

- Description from uukanshu