DEFYING FATE - Chapter 95: Stone gambling

Once upon a time, there was a makeup artist who possessed outstanding skills and top-notch aesthetic judgement. When he did makeup for various stars, he could embellish sharpness onto the smooth vases that lacked edges, and he could make models who exceeded the boundaries of aesthetics to appear delicate and soft, more approachable to people.

Male stars loved to request him, for he had a thorough understanding of masculine charm in particular, and the makeup he did was never garishly slathered in oils or powders, instead exuding a natural, dashing air of elegance.

Female stars loved to request him, because not only was he excellent in his skills, he was also everyone’s closest confidant; when they chatted, he could easily hold any conversation, and his mouth would be tightly sealed, never allowing anyone’s privacy to slip out.

Although this person was quite young, after getting by in the makeup industry the past few years, he was virtually considered as a distinguished personality in his profession, and would be referred to as a ‘master’ wherever he went.

But he had a terrifying secret. He needed to carefully tread on thin ice and couldn’t expose even the slightest traces; otherwise, nobody would invite him to work ever again, and nobody would apply to the classes he led anymore.

—He was a straight man.

- Description from Novelupdates

In a world where black holes, magical talents, and formidable hunters form the fabric of everyday life, Ethan Cross—a freshly graduated student with an uncertain future—once believed he would lead an ordinary existence like everyone else. However, everything changed when he awakened a seemingly feeble and inexplicable ability known as “Coexistence with Darkness.” No one took his talent seriously—until a catastrophic dimensional rupture unleashed terrifying creatures known as the “Demons of Corruption” upon him.On the brink of death, the pendant he had inherited from his father suddenly activated, summoning three dragon girls—beings of unimaginable power, yet with complex and rebellious personalities. Cursed in the past and trapped within that pendant, these three dragons have now become inexplicably bonded to Ethan. The twist, however, is that they neither recognize him as their master nor believe he is worthy of such a union.Now, Ethan must unravel the mystery of the darkness within him, learn to control his burgeoning powers, and find a way to tame these proud dragonesses—forces that could either aid him in his quest to conquer the underworld or lead to his ultimate downfall.A power that no one had believed in has become the key to mastering the shadows. Can Ethan harness it without being consumed by the darkness?

[Player Name: Qin HuaiUnlocked Illustrations: 0/12Skills:Dough Fermentation (Intermediate): Your dough fermentation technique has surpassed 99% of breakfast shop chefs nationwide. (0/10000)Stuffing Preparation (Advanced): Your stuffing preparation skill has surpassed 100% of breakfast shop chefs nationwide. (0/100000)...Evaluation: A novice just starting out]The moment he stepped into the cafeteria, the protagonist of this foodie novel welcomed the successful activation of his system.Qin Huai: A foodie novel, you should have said so earlier! I'm familiar with this!Later on—Qin Huai discovered that this system might not be purely about food.It seemed like some odd elements were added.Even his view of neighbors, friends, guests, and employees started to seem less human...But no problem.When in doubt, take a bite!-----------------------Game Instructions:1. This game has a very high degree of freedom; please explore on your own.2. This game will not interfere with any of the player's choices; please strive to unlock all illustrations.3. All explanations belong to the game.