相爱相杀 Novels

The global large-scale highly dangerous unified examination, referred to as the Global Examination. In-person test-taking, passing means survival. The exam system is reformed monthly, occasionally at random. Synopsis: Two top experts bantering with each other. 1v1, Happy Ending, full of nonsense.

The down-and-out magician Zong Jiu transmigrated into a book. He found himself in a horror survival show novel, becoming the cannon fodder pretty boy who died tragically in the first round. This survival show was intriguing—only a hundred could debut out of thousands of participants, and the center position would earn a universal wish ticket. For others, this would be terrifying. But Zong Jiu wasn’t afraid at all. Instead, he thrived, pulling off one bold stunt after another. He survived unscathed, but in doing so, he made an enemy of the novel’s ultimate villain. Back and forth they went—today you scheme against me, tomorrow I strike back—each exchange strangely enjoyable. But no matter how reckless he was, eventually his luck ran out. Pinned to the ground by his nemesis, Zong Jiu lazily raised his eyes. “Just kill me if you’re going to. Stop wasting time.” Despite being at a disadvantage, he showed no fear, even provoking further. The man’s cold fingers traced his ear before pausing abruptly at his pulse point. “Pity. I’ve changed my mind.” — Once, he would have gladly killed Zong Jiu himself. He once regretted not carving his flesh or snapping his neck with his own hands. But now that Zong Jiu was truly in his grasp, a different, fiercer craving surged wildly. More than victory, he longed to see him gasping, pleading, with reddened eyes… [Original Title: The Thrilling Contestant] [Published Title: The Morpheus Contract] [Audiobook: Available on Maoer FM] [Please refrain from mentioning other authors' works in the comments of my story, and avoid referencing my work under other authors' posts. Thank you for your respect and cooperation.] [The escape room format of the Mad Circus arc is not my original creation—this was clarified during serialization. Some other common elements in the story are also widely used. [Please respect all hardworking creators.] Do not use my work to police other authors' stories, as it causes distress. Thank you for your understanding.]

Dramatic, Frustrating, Over-the-Top Dominant Top x Troublesome Bottom

Prince Ji Yue is the tyrant who makes the seven kingdoms tremble with fear, yet there is this one person, elegant and fragile in appearance, who dares to flaunt his power before him.The young emperor looked deeply into the eyes of the beautiful young man, with a cold dagger pressed against his own neck, speaking as if his words were frozen."Wei Lian, do you want to rebel?"Wei Lian smiled, affectionately brushing his lips: "If you treat me well, I will serve my lord. If you treat me poorly, I will slay my lord."_ — "I bring a nation as a dowry. I wonder if Your Majesty is willing?"— "I am willing to betroth with mountains and rivers."1. Violent outside, helpless against the shou vs. scheming and calm beauty shou2. Sweet story with a happy ending, not serious3. Purely fictional setting, dynasty invented by the author, no need for historical accuracy. Pretending to be weak to overcome the strong/ strong and strategic contest/ fighting side by side/ undying loyalty Trying to write the magical love story of two overlords

In Silver Hammer City, the notorious cyberpsycho Ning Zhuo met his match when he was slept with by his longtime rival, Shan Feibai, whom he had picked up off the streets. On the third day, Ning Zhuo finally cooled his rage and hauled Shan Feibai—who had been disassembled into spare parts—out of the scrap room. Ning Zhuo: "Never again. Or I’ll castrate you." Shan Feibai: "..." Ning Zhuo: "Say ‘yes.’" Shan Feibai: "Yes." ———————————————————————————— At thirteen, young master Shan Feibai of the Shan family was kidnapped. Mercenary Ning Zhuo happened to pass by and intervened heroically, nearly losing his life in the process. Three months later, Shan Feibai was disgracefully thrown out of his home. Not that he came out empty-handed—he left a lifelong bite mark on Ning Zhuo’s finger. ... On his eighteenth birthday, Shan Feibai reappeared in Ning Zhuo’s world— To lead a hired ambush against him. Grinning brightly, he asked with eager anticipation: "Big brother, do you still think I’m useless?" Three days later, Ning Zhuo, barely surviving, stormed back with injuries—and broke his leg. ... In their fifth year of mutual torment, The twenty-three-year-old Shan Feibai pressed a playful kiss to the scar he had left on Ning Zhuo’s shoulder. Ning Zhuo turned to him, seething: "Shan, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?" Shan Feibai grinned, unrepentant: "Yep, totally on purpose."

In his dream, Mi Le kissed his arch-nemesis, Tong Yi, leaving him completely disoriented. The scariest part is... during the day they fight whenever they meet, but at night they’re in a romantic relationship in his dreams!!Until one day, Mi Le was sitting dazed at his desk when he encountered a drunk Tong Yi returning to their dorm, and he called him, "Mi's wife" and even kissed him. That term, he had only used in dreams...Tong Yi was worried that Mi Le hadn't read his insults on WeChat, so he sent Mi Le a red packet every day. Each packet had a title, and Mi Le accepting the packet would confirm that he had seen the insults. It had been a tirade for several months.Later, Mi Le discovered that the total amount of money in those daily red packets always added up to 521.At first, Tong Yi thought Mi Le was just a pain. But later, when he saw Mi Le lose his temper and scold the drama club members harshly, he laughed brightly, saying, "My Mi’s wife is still so lively and adorable."Mi Le: “Together we’re like the Condor Heroes.”Tong Yi: “What, are you going to be the Aunt?”Mi Le: “No, I’m the Condor, and you’re the Hero.”——————————School heartthrob; a picky and proud second-generation star (shou) × school heartthrob runner-up; school volleyball team captain, wealthy second-generation playboy (gong)[Strong × strong, shared dreams, school setting, sweet story, love-hate relationship, arch-enemies turned lovers, hilarious comedy]

"Rich and Powerful Families" is a trashy, over-the-top read. Qin Yi returns home from work to find his niece indulging in such nonsense. Being the upright person he is, he confiscates the book and orders her to write a 1,000-word self-criticism. He takes the trashy novel back to his room, but after flipping through it before bed, Qin Yi opens his eyes again— Only to find the world completely changed. He is abruptly thrust into the role of Su Qi, a seductive male supporting character in the CEO novel "Rich and Powerful Families" who relentlessly pursues the CEO, without even having a chance to finish reading the script. In the midst of his confusion, a system activates. However, the system's first words are: "Holy crap, why did someone as old-fashioned as you end up here?!" #Stuck with a lousy system# #What to do if the system grabbed the wrong person? Help! Waiting online!# A walking textbook, lover of motivational quotes, peace advocate, chatterbox, and emotionally reserved spouse (bottom) × A domineering, prideful, angst-ridden young CEO (top)

After transmigrating, Yan Zishu becomes the assistant to the main Protagonist Top‘s assistant. in a classic dog-blood abuse novel. This role is calm, self-possessed, and dutiful, almost tailor-made for him, yet ends up as a miserable cannon fodder.In the original plot, Assistant Yan is stuck between the Protagonist Top and Bottom, Fu Weishan, and Ji Chen, trying to sow discord in various ways. In the end, he is moved by the protagonist's kindness and dies taking a bullet for him. Even when facing such an ending, Yan Zishu, remaining professional, still proceeds according to the plot. The only variable is the scheming villain boss, Fu Jinchi. As an illegitimate child of the Fu family, Fu Jinchi was supposed to fall in love with the protagonist bottom while confronting the protagonist top. Yet for some reason, he extends a hand to Yan Zishu. For a moment, Yan Zishu wants to grasp his dry, warm palm. But in the ups and downs of love, the human heart is difficult to predict. Who is sincere, and who is pretending? Fu Jinchi smiles gently: "It's just an adult game, I thought you could play." Yan Zishu bows slightly: "Thanks for your high regard, Mr. Fu." Fu Jinchi, despite his cynicism, considers it his duty to cause trouble for the protagonist top, Fu Weishan. He initially wants to steal the "true love" little white rabbit cherished by him, but then discovers that it seems more challenging to win over the his ice-beautiful assistant. Unknowingly, he falls headlong into it. Later, he watches as Yan Zishu, gravely wounded, slowly falls backward into the sea. With his usual calm and composed expression, it looks like he mouths the words "Take care." That day, torrential rain poured from the sky, as Fu Jinchi knelt on the deck, more desolate than ever before in his life. After completing the plot, Yan Zishu gets to change identities and start a new life, only to find that the whole world is frantically searching for him. Including the once ambitious Fu Jinchi.

The charming young celebrity Xiang Ke is wildly popular, but in his twenties, he finally meets his match — Cheng Zhengyan is taller, has better resources, and even the girl he has his eyes on worships him as her idol. Tension between the two reaches the point where their fans clash at meet-and-greets. Then one day, Xiang Ke lands a role in an arthouse film—a LGBTQ+ story featuring kissing scenes... and bed scenes. The other lead? Cheng Zhengyan. Goddess likes milk candy? Buy it! Goddess prefers clean-cut, mature guys? Shave leg hair, slather on lotion, groom to perfection! Cheng Zhengyan [during kissing scene]: "Why do you taste like milk candy?" Cheng Zhengyan [during ?? scene]: "You even shaved your leg hair... for me?" Cheng Zhengyan [suspecting]: "Do you... have a crush on me?" Xiang Ke: *fumes to tears*

1 In 2045, supernatural tales descended upon the world, and humanity learned to coexist with them. The World Religious Congress, held every four years, replaced the World Cup as the globe’s most anticipated grand event. With two years left until the opening ceremony of the 6th Tibetan World Religious Congress, regional religious competitions had already escalated into a feverish preliminary phase. The media erupted, the masses grew fanatical, and the spotlight centered on the star teams. In stark contrast were the play-offs, featuring a motley crew of mentally unstable fringe sects, their skill levels wildly uneven. Hungry for clout, they pulled outrageous stunts, earning infamy as their livestreams seethed with more malice than ghosts. Then, during a randomly featured community-friendly match, a newbie accidentally stumbled on camera and quipped: "My eyes are blind." Weak, helpless, and utterly pitiable. New script? Got it. The horde of internet trolls smirked, fingers flying across keyboards, launching another mundane round of cyberbullying against amateur cultists. The next moment—bread crumbs, jump scares, deep terror, negative space… countless horror techniques unfolded in a relentless crescendo, delivering audiences a top-tier spectacle and an outlet for life’s pent-up frustrations. And thus, the gears of fate began to turn... Post-match interviews with veteran fans (tearfully emotional): “My whole family adored that damn bastard. Brilliant, exceptional, the man I most wanted to ruin in my powerless youth. Worth every second of the obsession.” 2 Gu Zhuojiu, director of a mortuary, was tasked with retrieving the bizarrely disfigured corpse of a woman. Broke and resourceful, he opted to carry the body on foot—only to be shoved onto a subway by a gang of fixie riders late at night. Ding dong! The announcement blared— “Passengers, please abide by the Five Riding Rules of Liuxian Metro Line 5.”

Feng Lianchen, assistant to the president of the Tan Jewelry Group, calm and quick-witted, was personally promoted by the old chairman Tan Ru and regarded as one of his most trusted confidants. As everyone knew, the Tan family had two young masters, both harboring ambitions to inherit the family business. The two were locked in open and covert conflict, but their situations were different: The elder son, Tan Shizhang, arrogant and brooding, vindictive to the last, possessing some talent but not enough to shoulder the whole burden. The second son, Tan Haoyang, was clearly favored by the old man, who even had Feng Lianchen assigned to protect and support him. Feng Lianchen sided with Tan Haoyang. After Tan Ru’s death and the will being finalized, sure enough, the second son, who had the upper hand, crushed the elder son. After the funeral, Feng Lianchen pressed himself against the corner and saw two figures hiding on the other side. It was Tan Haoyang’s young lover, clinging to his neck and acting spoiled: “That dead-faced hanger-on of yours only knows how to look down on me and put on a sour face. He’s no longer useful. When are you planning to kick him away?” Tan Haoyang pinched his lover’s nose indulgently. “Can’t wait to take over yourself?” Feng Lianchen said nothing. When he got home, he deleted the chat records of Tan Haoyang’s passionate declarations of love, threw away all the clothes and daily necessities Tan Haoyang had left behind, and cleared away every trace of their relationship. —— When the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the rabbits die, the hounds are cooked. Now that Tan Haoyang held power, it was no surprise to anyone in the company that he would turn on the old guard. Feng Lianchen was the first target, but the notice he received was not a dismissal, only a transfer with demotion— Effective immediately, he would step down as president’s assistant and serve as Tan Shizhang’s private assistant. Tan Haoyang was killing two birds with one stone: this move both showed off his power to the loser and was meant to force him to leave on his own. Feng Lianchen leaned against the doorway of Tan Shizhang’s office and listened as the second young master inside toyed with his words, sowing discord and stirring up trouble. Inside, Tan Shizhang had listened for a long while as well. He smiled faintly. “So you mean Assistant Feng can be used however I like.” At that time, Tan Haoyang was riding high and did not foresee that much later, when he thought back on this day, all that would remain was a backdrop of regret. —————— The real top is the elder son Scheming, ambitious power player × an elegant beauty with strong control over the situation Reading guide: 1. The blurb is made up; the story is fundamentally not tragic. Abusing the scum √, pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger √, appearing to love and hate each other √, but underneath it is still an adult romance. 2. The title has been criticized for a long time; I really couldn’t come up with one. If I had to give it a formal name, it would be *The Humerus’s Trusted Minister*, also known as *Who Doesn’t Have Two Layers of Skin*. WB @Brass Revolver [The extra chapters will be released for free as bonus extras, but the work must first be changed to completed; only after settlement can the bonus chapter function be used.] [To avoid everyone accidentally buying or buying twice, the extras will temporarily be updated in the author’s note of the final chapter.] —————— Completed works → “Reborn Daily Life of a Wealthy Family’s Adopted Son” “Mind-Reading Game” “My Archenemy Always Wants to Marry Me” Upcoming → “A Wealthy Family Butler’s Work Handbook” (a heartthrob and a shuraba) “Offering Roses to the Cold Beauty” (plucking a single high-mountain flower) “Assistant Shen Teaches You Corporate Warfare, Step by Step” (real corporate warfare is pulling the circuit breaker)

Ji Chenli and Ming Lang got divorced. Having long faded from the spotlight, she shouldn’t have caused much of a stir—except that the person she divorced was Ming Lang. News of the former Best Actress’ suicide was shared hundreds of thousands of times, surpassing even the buzz of Ji Chenli winning the award years ago. When Ji Chenli woke up again, she found herself seven years in the past, back on the first day of her marriage to Ming Lang. Calmly accepting her rebirth, her first act was to have a divorce agreement drafted and presented to her newlywed partner. “Let’s divorce.” Ji Chenli smiled, watching the woman she once loved turn ashen-faced, feeling nothing but relief. [Reading Guide] 1. Same-sex marriage is legal; proceed with caution if this bothers you. 2. Ming Lang (top) x Ji Chenli (bottom). 3. Melodramatic tropes; read at your own risk. 4. Happy ending (HE).

Wang Dian found himself transported to another world—dressed in a suit and gripping a bottle of red wine. To his left stood a group of fierce, sword-wielding generals, and to his right, robed officials with billowing sleeves, cold and unyielding. They all knelt in unison, addressing him as "Your Majesty." Clutching the wine bottle, Wang Dian muttered, "Rise." Starting off as an emperor wasn’t so bad—until he entered the palace bedchamber and saw a man who looked exactly like him. "Who knew such a marvel existed in this world?" The man raised an eyebrow and smirked. *"I aimed to seize the moon from the heavens, yet ended up drunkenly sprawled atop the clouds—because of you."* **A decisive, hardworking tycoon × A lazy, mercurial tyrant-emperor** *A royal love story between the modern and ancient versions of domineering CEOs.* *The ‘me’ from a past life meets the ‘you’ of this life.* **Warning: They look identical.** ----

The man leaned down, looked at the dying him, and a sardonic smile filled his charming eyes. "In this life, in the afterlife, you will always be the one who fails, Gu Pinglin." Driven into hell by a lonely genius, he died with an obsession over winning and losing, and woke up with the same obsession. Past events feel like a dream, his path wavers, but he can never rid himself of this obsession. Reborn, he vows to fulfill his obsession and prove the true path once again! —I have arrived, my archenemy. Story Setting: Demonic Seductive Top X Proud and Forbearing Bottom(Strong vs Strong, Love-Hate Relationship, Main Bottom), Character prototypes originate from the Jin Guang Puppet Show CP Shen Gu Wen Huang X Chi Yu Xin Zhi Jie, This is not a revenge story. To "Archenemy" Who cares for the lonely figure, The eternal fame of drifting winds. The past is never truly over, Our gathering and parting always because of you.

1. Two private high schools merged, and the students from both schools disliked each other, engaging in constant rivalry and competition. The athlete looked at Sui Houyu: Quite good-looking, but why such a bad temper? You should be the school belle, not the heartthrob. Sui Houyu looked at the athlete: Quite handsome, but unfortunately, a jerk. 2. Sui Houyu suffered from mania and severe insomnia, but suddenly discovered that he could fall asleep as long as he was near Hou Mo. From then on, a feisty little monster appeared in Hou Mo's bed. 3. From arch-enemies to indispensable doubles partners in tennis. "Can't Sleep" and "Can't Wake Up" is an inspirational story. [Double Big Shots, Double Academic Aces, Athletes][Tennis Doubles Partners][Childhood Friends][Each Other's Most Special Bond] Note: - Daily trivialities, full of fluff. - No real-life prototypes. Series book: "Why Aren't You Consoling Me [Entertainment Industry]" features the protagonists Ran Shu and Sang Xian. Weibo: Sleepy Moxike.

["You are a failed canary—lowly, foolish, and spiteful. In your past life, you lived in poverty, owning nothing. Despite exhausting all schemes, you never won your patron’s favor. Their love always belonged to someone else."] "...And then?" ["I’ll give you a chance to be reborn."] [Approach him.] [Make him love you.] "And then?"[Dump him.] ["I’m not a god—I’m a demon. I thrive on devouring the pain and despair of those abandoned by their beloved. It brings me joy."] ["Whatever you desire, I can fulfill it. Everything you failed to obtain in your past life—wealth, fame, status…"] "But I want his love." This is a tale of a wicked little system and its endless battle of wits with countless hosts. ———————— Let me play a love game with you—let’s see who falls first this time. The filth-covered is me, and the untainted is also me. I’ll wear a gorgeous mask, hiding my schemes, Supporting you gently when you stumble, embracing you tenderly in your disgrace. I want you as my captive, helplessly drawn like a moth to flame. I want you to love me—with no way back. I’m not a rose. I’m a rabid, rotten mutt—yet I still demand your true heart. In this gamble of love, one of us must stake everything. Last life, it was me. This time, It’s **you**.

Spin-off: Qin Yi, known as the ethereal diva of the music industry with a heavenly voice, suddenly lost her voice at the peak of her career during her golden years. Like an angel stripped of her wings, she spent her days at home in anguish, struggling on the brink of despair. Her company and family anxiously sought one psychological expert after another to treat her, yet each arrived full of confidence only to leave shaking their heads. Qin Yi buried her heart, forbidding anyone from getting close. Six months later, she could no longer even stand, relying on a wheelchair to get by. A year later, her fame faded, and she was gradually forgotten by the entertainment industry. Those around her gave up, casually assigning a part-time working student, Mu Xiaoxiao, to care for her. At first, Xiaoxiao saw nothing but hostility and resistance in Qin Yi’s eyes. Xiaoxiao sang her old songs for her, massaged her atrophying muscles, and coaxed her into stargazing together. She embraced her under the starry sky. She kissed her under the moonlight. She gathered the shards of her broken heart. Xiao Xiao spent a year healing her—while Qin Yi spent a lifetime repaying her. A story of mutual redemption and healing. --- **Mini Theater Version Synopsis:** After Qin Yi came out publicly, she once gave a media interview. The host was a fresh graduate who, after seeing Mu Xiaoxiao’s photos, asked in confusion, *“I heard that when you and Mu Xiaoxiao got together, she was just an ordinary college student. Everyone knows your status and position, Miss Qin. And as we Chinese say, ‘Marry someone of your own rank.’ Didn’t this cause friction between you?”* In the past, Qin Yi would have disdained to answer such a question. But this time, she smiled calmly at the camera. *“From a worldly perspective, I might have more than Xiaoxiao. But only I know what she gave me.”* As if remembering something, Qin Yi lowered her head and smiled softly. Fans watching the livestream erupted in excitement—*Wow, is this really the cold, stoic Miss Qin?* Xiaoxiao gave her a warm home. Gave her the courage and determination to believe in life again, to be reborn. And most importantly, she gave her a heart—hot and beating. When she raised her head again, Qin Yi gazed into the camera, eyes brimming with tenderness, every word laced with deep affection. *“From beginning to end, it was always me who reached beyond my grasp for her.”*

Xi Jianglan, the top spoiled brat in the Thirteen Prefectures, was pampered and overindulgent, offending countless powerful figures yet remaining unscathed under his family’s protection—until the day his entire clan was slaughtered. The sole survivor, Xi Jianglan lost all cultivation and became a sickly invalid who coughed up blood every few steps. *** With his downfall, old enemies gleefully piled on, eager for revenge. —Through sheer trickery and feigned madness, Xi Jianglan managed to hide his identity and survive. But when a certain powerful figure (whose grudge he’d long forgotten) held a blade to his throat, Xi Jianglan improvised on the spot: “Sheng Jiao is head-over-heels for me! He’s peerless in cultivation, the strongest in the Thirteen Prefectures! Harm me, and you’ll regret it.” Sheng Jiao: “…” Withdrawing his sword, Sheng Jiao remarked coolly, “Oh?”

Chi Yu's sister died under mysterious circumstances, and the prime suspect is Ran Jin—her sister's ex-girlfriend, who seized control of the Chi family’s empire. Six years ago, when Ran Jin, an enigmatic outsider, was first brought into the Chi family by Chi Yu's sister, Chi Yu sensed she harbored dark secrets. Over those six years, Chi Yu's sister doted on Ran Jin, nurturing her and giving her everything she had. Beautiful, brilliant, and seemingly flawless, Ran Jin ascended to the pinnacle of fame and adoration, hailed as "the favored creation." Only Chi Yu knew that beneath that unparalleled beauty lay a rotten heart. Now, Chi Yu abandons her life abroad and returns home. She vows to expose Ran Jin’s true nature, reclaim what was stolen, and avenge her sister. Ran Jin: "My heart is indeed filthy—its only sin is craving you."

#Endlessly provoking my demon ex-boyfriend, too lazy to survive# #Wait, why is he putting down the knife to kiss me?# Transmigrator Lucian happily faked his death after completing his mission—posing as the human Saint and deceiving the feelings of this world’s protagonist (and others)—before moving on to the next world. Before his death, he revealed his half-succubus bloodline, exposing his dark history. Overnight, his image shifted from a pure, flawless white lotus to a scheming, venomous black moonlight, thoroughly maximizing everyone’s hatred. Flirting and then running away—so thrilling. After all, he wasn’t coming back ^+^ ...Until one day, he woke up disconnected from his system, back in the very world he’d left. Around his ankle was a chain sealing his magic, his succubus bloodline half-awakened, marked by demonic sigils, white hair, and crimson eyes. Worse, he was trapped in a windowless tower inside a castle. And the castle’s master? The very protagonist who was determined to take revenge, destroy him, and kill him. —For some reason, after his fake death, his body hadn’t decayed. Instead, it had been preserved alive but unconscious by that man in the castle. Lucian: ...Is there still hope for me? Just as he breaks the magic seal to escape, the protagonist—alerted to his movements—grabs him by his long hair and seizes him by the throat. “Little liar, when did you come back?” the protagonist asks. His eyes burn with murderous intent—until he sees Luxian, who had been shamelessly unrepentant mere moments ago, suddenly curling up in pain before him. Protagonist: ? “My succubus bloodline... is awakening again,” Lucian gasps weakly. “I think... I’m growing horns and a tail.” Protagonist: ... “You brought this on yourself by breaking the seal,” the protagonist sneers. Just as Lucian resigns himself to being the most humiliatingly killed transmigrator in history— “Let me touch your tail,” the protagonist says hoarsely, “and I’ll let you go this time.” Lucian: ? Something’s wrong with you. “Can... it be the horns instead?” * After nearly being strangled to death by his blackened protagonist for the third time, Lucian finally goes all out. Since death is inevitable anyway, he decides to embrace his role as a spoiled, dramatic brat. When the protagonist calls him over to massage his legs, Lucian sprawls on the sofa and complains his hands hurt. When the protagonist orders him to play the piano, Lucian curls up in the pool and claims a headache. When the protagonist demands he crack walnuts, Lucian burrows into a blanket and whines his stomach aches. Fed up, the protagonist grabs his arm and drags him into the bedroom. “You twisted my ankle,” the white-haired succubus teases, eyes crinkling with mischief. “It really hurts.” Red-rimmed eyes, a soft voice laced with tiny hooks. Yet to his utter shock, instead of killing him, the protagonist silently kneels and massages his swollen ankle. “Still hurt?” he murmurs. Lucian: ? * When Lucian faked his death, the protagonist hated him. Day after day, as he preserved Lucian’s lifeless body with his own heart’s blood, the protagonist swore—if that traitor ever woke up, he’d make him bleed, make him weep. But when Lucian finally opens his eyes,uninhibited and smiling like a blooming flower, dozing against the throne like a lazy cat, the protagonist’s outstretched fingers freeze. Only one thought remains: —He must never let him find out. He loves him. ◆Cold, insane demon lord (tsundere jealousy bucket man-child) × beauty-wields-as-a-weapon black lotus