The Smiling Death - Chapter 22: Back to Academy

She killed his wife, destroyed his reputation, and ran off with his son. 8 years later, she returned home with her genius son, who already had a fiancée. “Give me the child, or you can’t afford the price.”“A girl who eats meat and vegetables doesn’t suffer, if you want a child, find yourself a woman to give you one.”

My dream will come true! Soon I will be arriving in Italy and appearing at the Milan Fashion Show! My photos will be published in all fashion magazines around the world!

In the end, all my sacrifices and hard work will not be in vain!

But why my dream become a nightmare!? Daddy suddenly invited me to meet a young CEO who was really arrogant. He said, for the sake of my family's business, I will become his future wife of the young CEO!

I don't want to marry him! I don't even know, and don’t love him, but now I have to sacrifice my dream to become his housewife!?

What about my dream? Are my efforts and sacrifices in vain? What does the world's most arrogant CEO want? Does he think money can buy love?

Betrayed by his own werewolf clan and left to die in a forbidden vampire crypt, Lucien Drake awakens something ancient—something monstrous.His blood ignites the Crimson System, binding him to a long-lost vampire bloodline rumored to be more powerful than the vampire lords and deadlier than any alpha.Now reborn as a hybrid of vampire and werewolf, Lucien gains powers no being should wield. The System whispers, hungers, and rewards him for one thing: domination—of bloodlines, enemies, and women.With every kill, he evolves. With every seduction, his power multiplies. And with every conquest, the world bends closer to its knees.But ancient forces stir. Vampire princesses, werewolf queens, and dark priestesses all want him… dead, bound, or in their bed.In a world where the strong rule by blood, Lucien is rewriting the laws of nature—and he'll either claim the throne of night...Or drown the world in crimson fire.> “You think I'm a monster? You haven't even seen what I become when I climax with your queen.”

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.