12 O'Clock Marionette - Chapter 77

Noah Carter wasn't special. A broke programmer working from his cluttered studio apartment, he spent his days applying for jobs, getting rejected, and scraping by with low-paying freelance gigs.One ordinary Tuesday, while debugging code at 3 AM surrounded by energy drink cans and ramen cups, Noah accidentally broke reality.He didn't mean to... it just sort of... happened.A system message appeared, floating in his vision. The Idle Tycoon System had chosen him. His first shop: a small bakery in a Magical Medieval world where demons, dragons and half-humans exist.Every sale generated automatic income, day after day. Every new world unlocked new opportunities.Noah brought it all back to Earth, selling what he could, keeping what he couldn't. One shop became two. Two became a hundred. A network spanning dimensions, time periods, and realities—all generating income while he slept.Countless years later, Noah raised his head from his pillow and realized something unexpected. The broke programmer who couldn't land an interview had become the richest man in the universe!

The youngest, silly fourteenth son of the Yan Emperor had reached the age where he should be given a separated territory now. He rejected the wealthy land, neighbouring the capital city, and instead chose the wildest land in the western region— Liangcheng. Everyone shook their heads and sighed. A fool is indeed a fool. If you go to Liangcheng, you will be killed by barbarians in less than three to five years.

One year later, the watermelon presented to the Emperor as the tribute from Liangcheng in the west was sweet and crispy. There was no one in the palace who did not love it.

Two years later, Liangcheng presented corn as a tribute to the Emperor. The yield was high, and the taste was good. No one in the country could resist liking it.

Three years later, Liangcheng defeated the barbarians and presented their prisoners in front of the imperial court. The people of Yan were excited and their morale was greatly boosted.

Four years later… Everyone said that the fourteenth prince Mingyu was a fool, while the little fatty Yu, who transmigrated with the golden finger, chuckled. Let’s see how you guys look at this fool build his own territory, then.

- Description from Novelupdates

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

Qiao Shao, who worked hard to stay up all night and study, was first in class — if you count from the bottom.

He Shen, who was able to get a perfect score even when he slept all day, in a rare display of kindness, bought a bottle of drink to comfort his stupid seatmate.

Then he saw the messages popping up on Qiao Shao’s phone—

Dad: Don’t panic, it’s okay if you didn’t do well in the exam. Dad just ordered a new sports car for you.

Granddad: Grandson, there’s no need to hurry. It’s alright even if you didn’t do well in your exam. Granddad bought a new yacht for you, come and take a break.

Grandpa: Grandson, don’t cry, it’s okay if you didn’t do well in the exam. Grandpa’s billions-worth of properties are all yours.

With a blank expression, He Shen threw his 2.5 Yuan worth bottle of drink into the trash.

Hold your horses! Comfort?

Dirt poor and highly intelligent Gong who left home X underachieving, test-failing, doted on and pampered shou

- Description from Novelupdates