Unsheathed - Chapter 413 (2): Refinement

{MATURE CONTENT! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.}

Jade Nova Frost, heiress to the Frost Empire, a Mafia gang. During a family celebration, she had her full family and its supporters, murdered by a rival Mafia family.

Escaping with her life, Jade moved to Star Cross City to lay low, changing her identity and plotting her revenge against her sworn enemy, Zale Anders.

Jade meets Xander Warner, the all-time wealthy, handsome, intelligent CEO of the Warner Corporations, blessed with a mysterious power, in an unfortunate incident, where the latter tries to protect her, both unaware of each other’s true identity.

Through revenge and chaos, both fell in love with each other, only to be faced with a shocking truth.

Would she let her revenge take over and end all those who took her family from her or would she let her love for him rule out everything?

What secrets lay in dark and what cruel destiny awaited her?

*********

“Is that any way to treat the person who saved you thrice in one night, tigress?”

“I didn’t ask for your help. I could handle it myself,” Jade protested.

“Really? I wonder what you had done to them, for so many men to be chasing after you right now.” His calm cool voice breezed into her ears, sending chills down her spine at how lovely his voice could be.

“Not your business. Why do you keep coming after me? Who are you? I do not know you.”

She raised her head, so she could look at his eyes to be sure he wasn’t going to lie. A terrible mistake she made as her eyes came in contact with those sexy lips that would capture a girl’s heart at once.

His eyes melted a little at the sight that captivated him. Taking his gaze back up, he took in what he could of her beauty and felt he was been drowned in.

“So pretty.”

“Huh?”

The next thing he did, left her wide-eyed and blinking uncontrollably, trying to process what was happening. Xander had leaned in and captured her lips in a sensual, breathtaking kiss, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her lips on his.

"There was a time in my life where I struggled to breathe. A time where I felt suffocated everyday, but then I met you."

-Turning the gears of fate.

A drop of ink can penetrate the walls, even the walls you took too long to build.

After losing her first love due to a traffic accident, Ibuki Sumire transfers to Tokyo. She wanted to escape, to run away from everything that happened. To start over in a place that didn't have him. But a series of clues lead her to investigating the case behind the accident.

In that place she learns about the masks people wear. The masks people wear to disgui se their feelings. Sometimes you have to look past what you see on the surface.

There she meets him, the person who helps her move forward. But Sumire quickly learns how alike they are. His cold personality is different than the kindness she is used to. However, he is the only one who understands her feelings.

It keeps going around in circles, like a drop of paint. Round and round - an endless stream of pain and lies. But, that stream ended the moment she laid her eyes on his paintings.

Such rich and vibrant colors, it felt like his emotions exploded. Yet, in the corner of his studio, she found it. The real him, a sakura painting of two people walking hand in hand.

A gentle and sweet feeling, something she has never felt before.

[Commissioned Cover by: Vatarison]

In the heart of Dirtwich City, the Ruan family’s monthly combat contests draw fighters from all around. Among them, Ruan Xiude, a striking young competitor, stumbles upon a hidden Void. This Void reveals to him a unique attribute panel, visible to him alone. It grants him the Divine Level Duplication System, marking him as its sole chosen wielder. Ruan, once a simple orphan, now emerges as a notable figure in the martial realm of Zenithia Continent. Despite his talents, he’s not seen as the top contender in the Ruan family.Armed with the ability to duplicate martial arts and magical skills, Ruan’s destiny and the world’s balance are poised for a dramatic shift.But what unforeseen consequences will Ruan’s new powers unleash?

Bad news: Xu Yanmiao traveled back to ancient times, but he himself is lazy and uninterested in anything but internet cybersecurity, which is useless in ancient times.Good news: He’s bound to a system.Bad news: The system is called the Gossip System, not the fortune-telling kind, but the kind that contains other people’s private information and scandals. Utterly useless.More bad news: This system is also glitchy, and the extent of the bugs is unknown.Even more bad news: This body is that of a minor official who can attend court meetings, while Xu, the time traveler… doesn’t understand the classics, can’t write with a brush, and is at risk of being exposed for cheating in the imperial exams.Xu Yanmiao: “…”Forget it, just lie low, wait to die, maybe dying quickly could lead to another time travel.…In the court, the emperor was furious about state affairs, and the courtiers trembled in fear.Xu Yanmiao pretended to listen attentively but was actually focused on browsing the Gossip System.[Wow, the emperor just took in a 16-year-old noblewoman yesterday! A beautiful addition! He’s getting stronger with age! And he was tossing and turning in bed all night but still has such a powerful voice now! Amazing!] [This noblewoman used to be the crown prince’s concubine! And the crown prince even knows how to write passionate love letters!] [Wow wow wow! The crown prince sneaked into the grandpa’s harem… hiss—got intimate while the old emperor was attending court! Do it quickly! Why isn’t there any video…] [Huh? Why is there no sound?]Xu Yanmiao cautiously raised his head and glanced around.[What happened? Why is everyone kneeling? Where’s the emperor?]—The emperor went to catch adultery in the harem.The “imperial exam cheating” bomb finally exploded.Xu Yanmiao couldn’t explain why his handwriting on the exam paper didn’t match his usual handwriting, nor could he answer why he didn’t understand the classics.The evidence prepared by the ousted crown prince of the emperor hit the nail on the head, and his personal bodyguard was ready to drag Xu Yanmiao away to the prison, awaiting execution in the autumn.Xu Yanmiao held onto the gossip that proved his innocence but was in a quandary:How do I explain the source of my information…[Say that I secretly met with the Chief Examiner, the Minister of Rites, three nights before the exam? Impossible, that night, the Minister of Rites was dressed as a woman, spent the night at the General’s Mansion, with the general…]The general’s body shook, and he interjected: “Your Majesty!!!!”“Although the evidence of exam cheating is solid, I believe there’s still something fishy about this. It should be re-investigated! Especially Xu… Xu… Xu Yanmiao’s attire is neat and tidy! Someone who cares so much about their appearance, how could they tarnish their reputation!”The crown prince, who couldn’t hear his thoughts: ??[Also, what’s with saying that the examiner faking yawning and tiredness was intentionally leaving me a gap for cheating? He spent the night before the exam in the pigsty without sleeping, how could he not be tired the next day? But, surprisingly, the Imperial Academy lecturer actually believed in pig’s milk…]The Imperial Academy lecturer’s face went pale, and he burst out: “Your Majesty!!!!”“I… I agree with the General’s words! How could Xu Lang cheat in the exam! He… he… he deliberately drank a glass of pure water before the exam, believing that only good-hearted people can use pure things, such a kind-hearted person, how could he cheat in the exam!”Thinking he had everything under control, the crown prince: ??Xu Yanmiao was deeply moved.[They’re all good people, even if their brains don’t work well, they’re trying their best to find reasons and excuses for me.] [But I really have no way to turn the tables, alas, it’s a pity that I haven’t finished watching the TV series I’ve been following. The old emperor angered the empress last night and got kicked out of the bedchamber, and now I’m going to die before seeing the ending. He seems to be planning to paint his face with ink and pretend to be a cat to cheer up the empress…]“Bang—”The old emperor slammed the table, forcibly interrupting the continuous stream of thoughts: “I believe Xu Yanmiao did not cheat in the exam! Release him, innocent!”The civil and military officials couldn’t wait to echo, fearing that if they were too slow, Xu Yanmiao might spill more gossip.“Yes yes yes! Release him innocent!”“Long live Your Majesty!”“Your Majesty, please end the court session! Let Xu Lang go home and rest! You’ve tired him out by making him stand for so long!”The crown prince: ??Did Xu Yanmiao drug them with hallucinogens or something?