Rise of the Nightmare Crestmaster - Chapter 23 Toll

Set on a giant, almost finished bridge between Sadogashima and Niigata. Abandoned by the government, the bridge, and the giant man-made floating island at the center, has become a city of criminals and societal drop-outs.

Set in the same world as Durarara, but 15-20 years later. There is almost no overlap between Etsusa Bridge and the other novels.

Qiao Jinniang's parents passed away the moment she came of age.For the sake of inheriting a restaurant, she had no choice but to ‘recruit’ a husband who would take her family name.Who knew that her husband, who looked like a banished immortal, was an ingrate? He snatched her child away and left behind a divorce letter.Qiao Jinniang became the butt of every joke in Lin’an City. Seeing that her uncle was about to take her parents' blood, sweat, and tears for himself, the son of the Prefect of the Superior Prefecture wanted to take her in as a concubine.However, a horse carriage sent from the Marquis arrived in Chang'an City. An old lady servant clad in an embroidered robe walked up to her and called her "Young Miss".It was only then that Qiao Jinniang realized that she was the eldest daughter of the principal wife of Marquis Anyuan. Back then, when the marchioness gave birth to her, she encountered a robber. At that time, a jealous concubine switched out her daughter with the chef's daughter.Therefore, a divorced female chef who had already given birth entered the capital. Everyone was waiting to see this real heiress make a fool of herself.They were secretly guessing when the real heiress would be abandoned by the Marquis.Yet, they failed to expect Qiao Jinniang to open up a restaurant in Chang'an using her amazing culinary skills. Even His Majesty showered her with praise. She was pampered by everyone in the Marquis' residence.Those long-tongued women in Chang'an City said sourly, "So what if a woman gets pampered at home? She's long past the age of 18 and has already given birth. Who will marry her?"The Marquis found Qiao Jinniang quite a few husbands. However, despite many marriages being in discussion, none of them went smoothly.As the marchioness's face was covered in tears, the fake daughter said she wanted to give Qiao Jinniang her husband instead.Qiao Jinniang took the rolling pin and kicked open the Eastern Palace's main door. "Since you've already divorced me, why are you still ruining my marriage?"A certain crown prince said, "How can we let the mother of the royal grandson marry someone else?!"

When he stayed at her home and one night, he took her body in a drunken stupor. From then on, he had been a constant fixture in her life. How adamant he was in forcing a marriage was how adamant she demanded for a divorce. “I’m not staying married to you! I’m not staying married to you! I’m not staying married to you!” After she repeated such an important proclamation three times, he finally tossed her the divorce paper. She thought she had finally escaped him alas… After the divorce, he still snuck into her room every night… Finally losing her patience, she yelled, “We are already divorced!” He glanced at her and set down the divorce paper before her. On it, it was written clearly: After the divorce, the car is hers, the house is hers, the company is hers, their child is hers, he… is also hers?

Living in this apocalyptic world full of zombies and monsters, the rich rely on technology and the poor rely on mutation.

Shen Shanwu, 13 years old in appearance but 31 years old in reality, is a mutant that can alter his own appearance. Although he looks like a child on the outside, his wisdom is not very good. One day, he was just passing by when he was suddenly forcibly adopted by a major general, whom he didn’t know where he came from.

He resisted, but when he looked up, it turned out to be an old acquaintance.

The little boy, who could only hide behind him and cry, transformed into the unsmiling, cold, and tough man in front of him. And that expression of seeing a dead beloved is really unsightly…

Shen Shanwu: Can you smile?

Jing Huan: After Shanwu died, I couldn’t smile anymore.

Shen Shanwu: …Who? Who do you think is dead?

It took a long time before he found out about it. He found Jiang Huan crying and holding Shen Shanwu’s nameplate in the middle of the night and told his adopted son how good Shen Shanwu was… All of this…was seen by Shen Shanwu himself!

Jiang Huan (raising his gun): Since you have seen my embarrassing side, then I can only marry you or kill you.

Shen Shanwu: …

Shen Shanwu: Marry, marry, marry! I will recruit 800 zombies to carry you home!

- Description from Novelupdates