Hard Enough - Chapter 9: Training, and stories for siblings

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.

Arthur got randomly transported to another world. Some people would find that terrifying, but not for him, who was tired of his old life; it was an opportunity.

And, after having bad luck all his life, the tide changed.

It was a world of magic where wizards fought side-by-side with their familiars. Arthur got summoned to be one of these so-called familiars.

He was furious. The thought of becoming a pet was not something he liked. Well, that changed when he saw who his master was.

A hot-woman. And, to make everything better, Arthur was inside the Frostpeak Magic Academy, which only had women students.

“This is heaven. All familiars are beasts, but I'm different. I'm a good-looking man inside a place filled with hot girls.”

When he thought his luck could not get better, he unlocked a system that helped him with everything. Of course, he used the system for a greater good, like getting girls.

Li Yi once lived the dream of every pro gamer. He was at the top of his game with the best equipment, the highest stats, and everything a gamer could ever hope for. However, he soon realized that none of his ill-gotten gains for his to keep when he was branded Public Enemy Number One and killed in the biggest battle of the ages.

Those Years I Opened a Zoo

Duan Jiaze, who was poor, inherited a private zoo after graduation, and was forced to download a “hooligan” APP called “Ling Xiao Hope Project”, which ushered in other “animals” such as Luya (golden crow), Daji (nine tailed fox), Bai Suzhen (white snake) and Black Bear. App will punish if he fails to complete its business-related tasks regularly.

In this way, Director Duan was like ”a duck driven onto a perch”, and began his journey of unifying the world’s demons while journeying on a road to be becoming famous.

- Description from Novelupdates