The storm is brewing, and the wind fills the tower.
Under the warm rays of the morning sun, a rugged off-road vehicle slowly made its way toward a small town in Zhou Lan.
As it approached a checkpoint, four Ghost Officers stood guard.
The vehicle came to a halt, and after presenting the necessary documents, the Ghost Officer examining them suddenly widened his eyes. As he returned the documents, his gaze briefly caught sight of the tall, elderly man in the backseat, dressed in a sharp suit with an air of arrogance.
The four Ghost Officers immediately stood at attention and saluted!
The vehicle passed through the checkpoint and continued toward the town.
Soon, a massive spatial gate, dozens of meters tall, came into view, standing at the heart of the town.
Twenty thousand elite Ghost Officers stood ready, stationed around the spatial gate.
Looking down from above, the streets, rooftops, hills, and trees were filled with a sea of people, all solemn and full of fighting spirit!
They had already received word of Jie Congrong's arrival. As his vehicle slowly stopped in front of the spatial gate, their composed exteriors masked the storm of excitement brewing within.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the storm is brewing, and the wind fills the tower," Jie Congrong declared as he stepped out of the vehicle. "We have no time to waste."
"You know the purpose of my visit—to eliminate the internal threat."
"I'm a man of action, not words. Now," Jie Congrong tilted his neck, producing a series of cracking sounds, and stepped into the spatial gate, "Kill!"
"Kill!" Instantly, the town was engulfed in a tidal wave of battle cries.
The spatial gate in Zhou Lan had been open for five years, and they had been stationed there for just as long. From an initial force of forty thousand, only a little over twenty thousand remained.
The deaths of comrades in countless conflicts had built up a deep reservoir of anger within them.
Countless Ghost Officers surged into the spatial gate.
Now was the time to unleash their fury and seek vengeance.
At the same time, in Fuyu, Ghost Officer Commander Pei Jun received the news. With a wave of his hand, thirty thousand Ghost Officers, already prepared and brimming with determination, entered the spatial gate in an orderly yet formidable manner.
They had to eliminate the enemies lurking within the spatial gates, which posed a threat to Huaxia, before disaster struck.
This was a moment of do-or-die.
...
Noon.
Xiao Hanhan (Little Cutie) woke up in a warm embrace, lifting her head slightly to meet the gentle, deep gaze of Su Ze.
Uesugi Akizuki's innocent eyes sparkled, her lips curving into a happy smile as she said in her simple way, "Want to be naughty!"
"...No being naughty."
"Want to be naughty!" Uesugi Akizuki clung to him, her expression stubborn.
"...Alright."
As their lips met, Xiao Hanhan melted into a soft, tingling sensation.
Su Ze's face flushed, a mix of exasperation and shyness as he sat up.
Yesterday, Uesugi Akizuki had been insistent on being naughty, and he was worried she might turn into a little pervert.
Xiao Hanhan, now satisfied, happily waved her arms on the bed, "Hug."
The words 'naughty' and 'hug' had been taught to her by Situ Jiajia. Before, she would never have made such requests of Su Ze.
But after yesterday's events, these words had opened up a whole new world for her.
"Adorable," Su Ze couldn't help but be charmed. He leaned down, gently pinching her soft cheeks, and picked her up.
Uesugi Akizuki clung to him like a koala, happily nestling her head against his chest.
As Su Ze was helping her put on her shoes, Xiao Hanhan, with her face buried in his chest, suddenly murmured, "Don't leave."
Su Ze was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to remember.
After their last separation and reunion, she had asked the same question, but he hadn't been able to give her an answer at the time, unsure if he would have to leave her again.
"I won't leave. We'll always be together," Su Ze whispered softly.
It was a promise, one he would strive to keep with all his might.
Su Ze carried her to the bathroom.
"Time to get down. Brush your teeth," Su Ze said as he squeezed toothpaste onto her brush.
Xiao Hanhan reluctantly let go, but even while brushing, she kept one hand firmly holding onto Su Ze. Her tall frame bent slightly as she let the foam fall into the sink, her wide miko sleeves held up by Su Ze. The little miko tilted her head, her eyes never leaving Su Ze.
Xiao Hanhan was noticeably clingier than usual. She seemed to sense that their relationship had deepened, that they now shared something akin to a marital bond, though she didn't fully understand what that meant.
All she knew was that Su Ze was hers now!
The thought made her smile. After rinsing her mouth, before even wiping the foam off her lips, she waved her arms, "Hug, want to be naughty."
Her eyes sparkled with childlike innocence, as if she were simply a child asking to be picked up.
She wrapped her arms around Su Ze's waist, standing on tiptoe, her foam-covered lips seeking his.
"Little pervert," Su Ze chuckled, pressing his forehead against hers. Though Uesugi Akizuki was around 5'7", she was still shorter than Su Ze, who stood at 6'1". No matter how much she strained, she couldn't reach his smiling lips.
Uesugi Akizuki was indeed a bit spoiled. She listened to Su Ze because she relied on him and trusted him completely.
Most of the time, she was obedient, even if it was something she didn't particularly like, as long as it was for Su Ze's benefit, she would do it.
But this time was different. All she wanted was a little 'naughty,' and what was the harm in that?
She stepped back, then suddenly wrapped her arms around Su Ze's neck, pulling his head down. Su Ze was startled, but then their lips met.
The red-haired miko, standing on tiptoe, kissed him with her foam-covered lips.
The fresh scent of lemon, mixed with a hint of sweetness from the toothpaste, filled his mouth. It was the natural fragrance of Xiao Hanhan herself.
Su Ze's cheeks flushed slightly.
He was well aware of Xiao Hanhan's spoiled nature. That night, to show him how comforting it was to sleep close together, she had pressed her body against his back and held him for half the night.
Well, half the night—he had managed to escape by the second half.
After breakfast.
"Want to be naughty."
While playing games.
"Want to be naughty!"
During a walk.
"Want to be naughty!"
Su Ze looked at the red-haired Xiao Hanhan, who, despite her innocent and childlike demeanor, seemed to have a one-track mind.
How could she be so pure yet so mischievous at the same time?
Her requests for 'naughty' were as natural as asking for food or water.
"No more being naughty," Su Ze refused.
Uesugi Akizuki shook her head vigorously, clinging to his waist, her face stubborn as she looked up, "Want to be naughty!"
Su Ze could tell that if he refused again, she would throw a tantrum. He gently tapped her forehead, "We can't do it so often, okay? You're turning into a little pervert!"
Uesugi Akizuki seemed to ponder this for a moment, then nodded, standing on tiptoe once more, "Want to be naughty."

] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"

lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...

ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!

rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!