Heavens' Laughter - Chapter 29: Failure

—Book 2 of 9 in the Quillverse—

Given a second chance at life, Oli’s soul was whisked away through the cosmic void. He opens his eyes to a purple sky with three suns and two moons. Oh yeah, and his parents are gorillas.

However, to Oli’s pleasant surprise, those gorillas raise him with more love and care than his previous parents ever had. That is, until Oli’s father dies defending Oli from a dragon. Oli is then gifted his father’s secret treasure to rampantly boost Oli’s cultivation, also discovering his father to be a wanted criminal.

Oli and his gorilla clan decide to seek a territory of their own, and proudly take control of the nearby beast clans to form a town. With his bombastic uncle leading the clan and his uncle’s feline, best friend creating a cultivation academy, Oli can finally focus on his own growth!

But… That defeated dragon reveals the whereabouts of Oli’s gorilla clan. Spies are sent to investigate everything, while powerful mercenaries are hired to betray and slay the gorillas.

In the midst of the mayhem, Oli is kidnapped! But not by his enemy… Oli is awoken by a mysterious man, a man who claims to be an old ally of the gorilla clan and the one responsible for Oli’s reincarnation into this world.

Oli makes a deal with him, whether he wants to or not, dragging the entire world into chaos, genocide, and all-out war! Everything is for a greater cause, in order for Oli to become the world’s strongest divine beast.

He is the world's number one 'wanted criminal', causing havoc globally, and specifically targeting the black and white underworld.He is talented in everything and is a man of mystery.With the aim of finding various famous flowers, he roams the city known for its indulgence, carving out an exciting life in this extravagant city!

In a galaxy ruled by warlords, guilds, and ancient tech cults, Kai Zareth is just another debt-ridden scavenger—until a legendary system descends upon him.“One Trader per 10,000 light years. One chance to rise.”Selected by the Cosmic Trade Nexus, Kai becomes the sole wielder of the Galactic Exchange System, a multidimensional platform that allows him to buy and sell across parallel worlds, forgotten realms, and alien civilizations.With only 12 hours to complete his first trade—or lose everything—Kai scrambles to make deals in a universe where information is power and one wrong barter could cost your life.From selling enchanted goblin toothbrushes in toxic slums to outwitting rival system users and forging alliances with forgotten races, Kai must build his empire item by item, realm by realm.But in a galaxy where traders kill for profit and system users are hunted like prey, being the Merchant Sovereign might be a bigger curse than a blessing.

Three rejections. Three shattered dreams. That was Layla’s reality, all because she was different—a half-shifter in a world obsessed with purity. Ostracized, shunned, and finally sold off like a pawn to the most feared ruler alive—the Lycan King. He was ruthless, a king with a graveyard of brides, each one a ghostly reminder of a fate worse than death.Layla loathed him. Hated the way his gaze cold and fathomless, held no warmth for her. Hated how his touch, both thrilling and terrifying, sent an uninvited chill down her spine.---“I hate you!” I screamed, hands clenched so tight my knuckles ached.He sighed, a smirk curling at the edge of his lips, his tone mocking as he closed his book with a deliberate snap. “Stressed, are we?” he asked, strolling toward me, each step reminding me exactly who held the power here.“Lucky for you,” he drawled, rolling up his sleeves as he stopped just inches away, “I know exactly 70 ways to ease those nerves.” His fingers brushed my cheek, a touch that seemed to burn into my skin. “The first… a hug.” His voice dropped to a rough whisper as he leaned in, breath hot against my ear. “And the rest... well, that's 69? what do you say about that?”I swallowed hard, my heart thudding wildly as he tilted his head, waiting for me to react, that insufferable smirk still in place.“What’s the matter, darling?” he murmured, a taunt lingering in his gaze.---A Dangerous ObsessionCan she resist the pull, or will she dance into the flames of her own destruction?A dark dive into obsession, raw need, and the razor’s edge between desire and devastation.---LYCAN KING CASSIANI will tear her apart piece by piece, feeding the wildfire that grips her with each shuddered breath. Like air to flame, I’ll claim every inch, drawing heat from her skin until it sinks into her bones.Her pulse will race under my hands, her breaths shallow, pleading. Her eyes may scream, but her lips will still murmur my name. That first taste of fear will only feed something deeper—a need that burns through her veins, molten and fierce.And just when she’s too far gone to turn back, I’ll twist the knife, giving her the pain she’s learned to crave.She’ll be the moth to my flame, helpless against the very thing that will consume her.