The Inverted Dragon's Scale - Chapter 009 – Risking life and limb!

For ten years, Ethan Carter was cursed.No matter which club he coached, he never won a single match. The world called him “The Cursed Coach.” Fans ridiculed him. Players disrespected him. The media destroyed him.But on one fateful night, his Bundesliga team—the weakest in the league—was leading 1-0 against a footballing giant.Ninety minutes. One last chance. The biggest upset of the season.The final whistle blew.Victory.His first-ever win. The curse was broken.And then… his heart stopped.When he opened his eyes, he wasn’t in Germany anymore.He was in a run-down office with peeling wallpaper and a broken desk. His hands were thinner. His face was different.A small nameplate sat in front of him:Jake Wilson – Head Coach, Bradford FC (Fifth-Tier League)Before he could even process what had happened, a glowing screen appeared before his eyes.[Ding! The Coaching System Has Activated!]Now, armed with a system that grants real-time tactical analysis, scouting reports, player growth insights, and legendary tactics, Ethan—now Jake—has a second chance.From a forgotten, unknown club to the top of world football—can he use the system to become the greatest coach in history?He was once the most mocked coach in the world.Now, he will become unstoppable.Because this time… he refuses to lose.DisclaimerThe Coaching System is a work of fiction. All characters, teams, events, and organizations depicted in this story are purely fictional or used fictitiously. While the novel is inspired by real-world football mechanics, tactics, and leagues, it does not represent any real-life football clubs, managers, or players.

Qin Aofeng, a third-generation descendant of the great and prestigious Qin Family, was just as famous as his genius big brother Aotian, but was famed in Qin City for being the “Good-for-nothing Seventh Young Master.”

The compound is perilous, the clan is full of conflict. Before her rebirth, she dressed as a male, her birth a mystery. Because of her lack of talent, she was thought of as a worthless member of the clan. After her rebirth, she walked onto the path of a strong person, and lived on the continent like a fish in water.

Until one day at the capital city of the empire, the spear of the patriarch pointed to her young uncle that she always treasured, the “young male” that had always been undistinguished stood out, and astounded everyone, becoming a peerless genius. Ever since then, countless males and females became made for … …

The vast ancient forests, the deep bogs shrouded in back mist, the desolate and endless desert, the mountains and plains without any border where the magical beasts moved unhindered, this was a vast magical world.

- Description from Novelupdates

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?

I became the wife of a man with a lover. Well then, I guess I have to protect his chastity?

“You can sleep on the floor then.”

“What?” His eyes said he didn’t want to.

Well, yeah. The floor was hard. Then it couldn’t be helped.

“I’ll just hold your hand and sleep. You trust me, right?”

But, how come the bed broke on my first night with my husband?

*

Aristine, a princess confined out of the Emperor’s sight.

When in reality, she was the owner of the [Monarch’s Sight], able to see the future, past, and present.

She, who became the sacrifice for a political marriage, was married off to a terrifying barbarian…

“The most precious things should naturally be given to my bride.”

But her husband, whose monstrosity she prepared for, was way too normal.

However, he belonged to someone else.

‘I’ll go make money then.’

She might as well make the goldfields her own.

*

Can Aristine really achieve her dream of living freely on a pile of money?

Or will she end up killing two birds with one stone?