Map Appalachia

They thought it was just another school trip. Until the mist swallowed them. When a bus carrying 24 students breaks down outside a house that doesn’t exist on any map, the real nightmare begins. Trapped inside, they’re forced to play a horrific dice game one that decides who dies, and how. Sixteen-year-old Ava quickly realizes the rules of reality don’t apply here. The mist is alive. The house feeds on secrets. And each roll of the dice peels back another layer of madness. As betrayals mount and the death toll rises, Ava must outsmart the game before it devours them all. In Mistbound, you don’t win. You survive if the dice let you.

Mary just wanted to be herself—in a world constantly trying to shape her into someone else. Her life was quiet and simple, until the forest inside her began to whisper. Dreams long buried, fears long hidden, and voices too persistent to ignore. Amid daily struggles, a deep loneliness, and a silent battle between who she is and who she’s expected to be, Mary embarks on a journey not guided by maps, but by instinct. Mary and the Forest is a story of silent searching, hard decisions, and a world that can only be seen when you close your eyes.

I thought being laid off from my job was the greatest of my worries but I just had to wake up in a ship's cockpit after my space game crashed. Now I have no map, no friends and no money. But that's ok, I've started from the bottom before! With my starter ship I will scour through space as a Mercenary and maybe even start up a Mercenary Company while I'm at it! This ain't my first rodeo in space after all! Except... Apparently my crew members are weird? The guy who bumped into me yesterday was found sliced up and floating outside the space station. The girl who tried to honeytrap me was reported missing with only a finger found in an alley. And then that merchant who scammed me had his entire ship blasted into bits by unknown vessels the very next day. Some people say my crewmates were behind it but they must be mistaken, right? I only know one thing for sure... In space, no one can hear you scream... *** Notes: Any R-rated scenes will be denoted by a '*' followed by an 'R' with the number of 'R's showing how much of it is R-rated. '*R' would be around 25%, '*RR' would be about 50% and '*RRR' would most likely be the entire chapter. Also, gene splicing and cybernetics exist in this story. What does that mean? MC is a futa for one and there's going to be other futas showing up as well. You can join our discord through this link: https://discord.gg/CRrb56c

When Emily, a terminal cancer patient, took her final breath, she never expected to open her eyes again—especially not as a 7-year-old princess with soft, chubby cheeks and sparkling green eyes. Now living as Princess Evelisse of the grand kingdom of Florabelle, she finds herself surrounded by seven doting older brothers, each more protective than the last, and a kingdom that adores her every smile. But as she adjusts to her new life of frilly dresses, endless pampering, and royal feasts, a cute, chibi-like Fluff System suddenly appears, promising her a life of comfort if she completes weekly “Fluffy Tasks.” Tasks like: ✨ “Give your brothers a sweet, tearful smile (Reward: Extra pampering for the day!)” ✨ “Convince the grumpy Duke to carry you on his shoulders (Reward: Instant Kingdom-Wide Adoration Boost!)” ✨ “Unite two rival knights through a shared ‘baby sister protection squad’ meeting (Reward: Secret Passage Map to the Royal Kitchens)” However, hidden among the fluffy missions and sweet family moments lies a deeper purpose—uniting the fractured kingdom of Florabelle. To succeed, Evelisse must bring together not just her brothers, but also the cunning villains, misunderstood nobles, and even the eccentric court magicians, using the most powerful weapon in her tiny arsenal: OVERWHELMING CUTENESS and SMARTS. With her Fluff System guiding her and a heart determined to bring warmth to every corner of the kingdom, Evelisse sets out to become not just a pampered princess, but the heart and soul of Florabelle. After all, who knew that the key to uniting a kingdom could be as simple as a pouty lip, teary eyes, and a warm hug? [Chapter: Update Daily] [Update schedule: 10+ comments or 2 reviews=1 Bonus chapter]

Laurelian doesn't exist on any map. It's a secret country purposefully kept hidden from the world, where life is strictly governed by King Sora's cruel system, powered by lies and manipulation- where questioning anything could cost you everything. For hundreds of years, the citizens of Laurelian have been taught to obey without hesitation, their entire existence controlled by rules they can never challenge. The past is a story they're told to accept, and no one can ever dare doubt. But when a new student comes to a school where transfers are unheard of, some begin to see the cracks in a world they've always known. And the more they uncover, the closer they get to forces working to bring the regime to its knees. As whispers of rebellion begin to spread, a small group of students are pulled into a conspiracy that could expose the truth of their country. What's really hidden beneath the surface of Laurelian's laws? Who are the rebels quietly fighting for freedom? And what does King Sora have to do with the past that's been so carefully rewritten? -This story has multiple character POVs-

Lilac has lived a life of suffering. From being forced to disguise himself as a girl to survive, to being labeled cursed after failing to awaken his heavenly gifts that everyone else could, he is shunned by all. To add salt to his wound, before he turns 18, his father vanishes, and his uncle seizes the throne that should've rightfully been Lilac's as the eldest son. Before Lilac could successfully flee, he is caught and traded to the monsters beyond the kingdom—beasts so feared that no one who sees them returns. But instead of death, Lilac is claimed by Sloan. Born cursed, Sloan is a prince of the Enwulves, an extinct hybrid wolf species. Even though he is a prince, he has lived life as an outcast due to his curse that causes him to forcibly transform every full moon, thus losing his humanity. His life has been mapped out for him, but when he finds Lilac—battered, freezing, and terrified—something shifts. For the first time, his rage stills. It was just a glimpse, a scent, a tiny whimper of fright. And that was it. Humans are meant to be slaves. Enwulves are forbidden from claiming them. Keeping Lilac means war. But Sloan has never followed rules, and Lilac has never belonged—until now. ~~~ | ~~~ “Are you afraid of me, little human?” Sloan husked out, cold lips grazing my bleeding fingers before his lips parted slightly to release hot breath over them. I trembled, rooted in the spot with fright and unable to breathe. Was this a trick question? Of course I’m afraid of him! Everyone is! Who wouldn’t be? Slaves are never supposed to be in his presence, except they suddenly desire a quick demise. Am I supposed to respond honestly or lie? When cold lips closed around my finger, I gasped in shock, a rush of fright and dread engulfing me. He was gonna bite off my finger right now, wasn’t he? Just because my stupid brain couldn’t come up with a response? The rumors said he was a heartless psychopath, but I didn’t think it was actually true! However, a hot tongue swiped over my fingertips and I sucked in a sharp breath, exhaling shakily while my chest expanded and my brain tried to figure out what was happening, and why my fingers weren't bitten off yet— or why I’m still breathing in his presence. Next, cold, long fingers wrapped around my wrist and my hand was being tugged upward, then a nose was digging into my pulse point, and I almost fainted when cold lips dragged over the sensitive skin there. The sound of a deep inhale filled up my ear next. “Fuck. You smell so good.” Oh heavens. This was worse than I thought. Instead of killing me, was he planning to… eat me… literally???! What the fuck? *** R18+! Cover not mine!

When a nameless gutter-rat in the smog-choked City of Iron scrawls a stolen ley-map beneath Maiden Bridge, a single tram-spark ignites his chalk, and the hidden System awakens.   Status: Null Overtone (Stable)   Spectral Mass: 0   Constraint: Undefined   Paradox Risk: 97 % Instead of dying, the boy becomes Cipher, a living contradiction who can slip into the zero-gaps between atoms, borrow power he doesn’t own, and repay it as silence. The discovery paints a target on his back: gladiator bounty-hunter Brack Morrow, the all-seeing Concord of Twelve, and rival Spectra-lords who guard reality’s twelve colorful layers with bloody zeal. Thrown into underground arenas, clockwork graveyards, and sky-bridges where numbers themselves fracture, Cipher must: Anchor his unstable “Null Overtone” before the System unthreads his atoms. Out-riddle enemies who wield Pulse shockwaves, Echo memory edits, and Glyph reality hacks. Solve the Impossible Fraction : the cosmic equation that says zero can never equal infinity, before the Concord solves it with a firing squad. But every level he climbs rewrites the rules, and every rule he breaks echoes across the Spectra. If Cipher can master all twelve : Null to Infinity, he won’t just escape the slums; he’ll decide which laws of existence stay and which are erased forever. From nothing to god-tier, one loophole at a time. The ascent starts now. P.S. You might want to read the Prologue for a better understanding of the power system and the novel as a whole. *** The first few chapters might feel like a puzzle but if you stick with it, everything clicks into place. Release Schedule: 6:30 PM UTC | ≥ 2 chapters per update

Summoned to a kingdom that never wanted him, Ren is cast into the Wasteland with no magic, no class, and no way home. Until a vanishing shop grants him a map only he can read. Forgotten technology. Hidden wells. Ruins waiting to rise. He starts with one house, one field, one tool at a time. He is not here to conquer. He is here to build something the world can’t ignore.

[Slayer: You can see the health bars of all beings. Every attack is guaranteed to deal damage—no exceptions, not even Mystics or Gods!] [Stalker: Lurking in the shadows, forever forsaking the light.] [Arbiter: Now… it is time for judgment.] … “Come on! Let me slash you just once!” “Can’t die? Doesn’t matter—once your health bar hits zero, you’re dead!” “As long as there’s a health bar—Mystics, Gods, whoever—I’ll kill them all. Watch me.” The world’s dark side… cloaked in mysterious fog, riddled with shattered maps, corrupted by the Aberrants of the Abyss, entangled in unanswered enigmas. Ahead, the mist is too thick to see a path forward. Behind, there’s no light to return to. Some chose to believe in the light. Some chose to extinguish it. Some surrendered themselves to the abyss. But those caught in between—what choice do they have? … The Abyss descends. The Aberrants invade. There is no light. And the gods? They do not die? A young man looked up at the starry sky above. Up there—he saw it. A health bar. A long one. “Gods, Mystics… that glowing thing just now—was that your health bar?”

Six friends. One camping trip. And a secret each one swore to take to the grave. When Zayan, the most unpredictable of the group, goes missing deep in the forest, the search leads them to an eerie, abandoned mansion — one not found on any map, standing untouched yet alive with whispers of the past. Inside the mansion, the rules are simple: Once you enter, you cannot leave... until you complete the tasks it gives. Each task is personal. Each punishment, worse. The walls breathe your guilt. The mirrors reflect what you’ve buried. And the house doesn’t just want confessions. It wants to destroy. As tension rises and the group begins to unravel, someone is declared dead. But nothing is what it seems. Because the friend who vanished never left at all. He’s watching. Controlling. And he’s not the only one playing the game. Beneath the horror lies a truth darker than the mansion itself — a betrayal that began long before the camping trip. A sin that demands retribution. And a secret someone will kill to keep buried. In the end, the mansion will let only one walk free. But freedom always comes at a price. And some doors… should never be opened. ---

During the Warring States Period in China, there emerged a great emperor - Qin Shi Huang, who conquered the six states and unified China. After he gained supreme power, due to his obsession with power and dissatisfaction with the natural laws of birth, aging, illness and death, the aging Qin Shi Huang began to build the huge Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor as his tomb and sent an official named Xu Fu to search for the elixir of immortality in various places. It's a pity that many years have passed and Xu Fu still hasn't brought back any news of the elixir of immortality. It is said that before Xu Fu set out, Emperor Qin Shi Huang had sent someone to draw a secret map of the underground palace of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. This was a key to opening the mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. Emperor Qin Shi Huang hoped that one day Xu Fu would send someone to the tomb with the elixir of immortality to resurrect himself, so that he could continue to govern a vast empire. Legend has it that Xu Fu and his men eventually arrived at a place called Donghuang Island. But for some reason, they vanished from the island. No one has known the whereabouts of Donghuang Island throughout history. It is said that if one can find Donghuang Island, they will be able to find the map to open the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and obtain the treasures cherished by the First Qin Emperor in the tomb. This has also attracted adventurers throughout history to pursue it relentlessly.

Those Who Cannot Die Book I: The Fall of Dharma Seven were chosen to live forever. Now someone is trying to erase them from time itself. In the deserts of Rajasthan, a boy named Arjun is born under a silent sky — marked with a scar shaped like a broken bow, and burdened with memories that do not belong to him. He doesn't know who he is. But he remembers things no one ever taught him. Dead languages. Forgotten maps. Visions of bloodied wars from ancient Yugas. And a spiral symbol that keeps appearing everywhere — in dreams, in sand, in scars. Unknown to him, a deeper cycle is reawakening. Thousands of years ago, at the end of the Mahabharata war, seven beings were cursed with immortality — not out of mercy, but necessity. They were to remain alive until the end of time, protectors of Dharma when the world forgets how to stand. But the world has moved on. Dharma is bleeding. And someone — or something — is hunting the Chiranjeevis, determined to wipe their existence from the fabric of memory. Now, Arjun must follow cryptic signs across deserts, ruins, and shifting timelines to uncover who he truly is… and why one of the immortals is calling to him. As old prophecies crack and forgotten weapons stir, Arjun is forced into a race not just to find the undying, but to decide whether they deserve to remain. Because immortality was never the blessing it was believed to be. And some things were meant to die.

Jack thought he was just a normal kid in an Afro inspired futuristic generation, minding his own business, until everything changed when he found a cosmic map... now he embarks on a journey of self acceptance embracing the chaos of the unknown and fulfilling his destiny as the son of legend in a world beyond the stars.. follow Jack as he face tough challenges both, physical and meta physical, a fantastic adventure with epic twists and high fantasy Welcome to the Forgerverse

Hidden in the heart of New York City is a school that doesn’t exist on any map. Empire High trains the gifted, the powerful... and the cursed. Sixteen-year-old Seraphina Cole never asked to be chosen, but when her mother disappears and a letter arrives sealed in black wax, her fate is sealed. Shadows whisper her name. Mirrors crack when she walks by. And a legacy older than magic begins to stir. In a school ruled by bloodlines and secrets, Sera must uncover the truth—or be consumed by it. Because this year, the curse has chosen her.

In the tale of history and the shrouds of darkness , who was watching ?, who was calling? The Voices of the unseen watching from the rifts awaiting their time of calamity. In the Shadow of the gods and monsters , nestled between nations lies a placed not marked on any official map, A place known only to those who need it most. They call it the House of Red-Hill To the mundane, it's a charitable home for war orphans and lost children. A quiet estate just beyond the edge of the Nation of Aegis , run by a woman once hailed as the brightest mind but Red-Hill is no sanctuary . beneath its warm halls and shared meals , the children are trained in silence, secrecy, and survival. They are taught not to pray but to act, to kill , to protect. Each child is raised to not just face the monsters lurking in the shadows but to be bought , licensed, and employed by those afraid to relay on divine mercy alone. Some call it salvation, Others call it exploitation. But to the children of Red-Hill, its just home. And every night , when the rifts groan , they lie awake in their beds.... waiting for their next assignment.

#### **I. REBIRTH IN BLOOD (Ghana to America - The Mortal Crucible)** Born from betrayal-both ancient and mortal-the being once known as **Scorpio King Adjo** awakens in the modern world as a **cursed child**, his cleft lip a scar of his parents' failed abortion. Raised in the shadows of Bronx gang wars and Ghanaian juju, he claws his way from the gutters to the pinnacle of **human evolution**: - **Street God (1980s-90s)**: By 18, he controls NYC's underworld, his **Scorpio-enhanced reflexes** making him untouchable. Bullets curve around him; enemies choke on their own blood. - **Astral Awakening (2000s)**: After a near-death shootout, his spirit **projects into the astral plane**, where he battles **dimensional parasites** feeding on human suffering. - **Corporate Ascension (2010s)**: He launders his empire into a **tech conglomerate**, using AI to map **interdimensional rifts**. #### **II. THE VIRTUAL UNIVERSE COMPANY (Luo Feng's World - Cosmic Gambit)** When a rogue experiment tears a hole into the **Swallowed Star universe**, the Virtual Universe Company detects an **anomaly**: a human whose soul burns with **prehistoric wrath**. - **Summoned as a "Specimen"**: Dragged into Luo Feng's timeline, he's labeled a **mutant relic**-until he **breaks containment**, crushing a star-level cultivator's spine with his bare hands. - **Defying Cosmic Laws**: - **Bloodline Power**: His Scorpio King heritage lets him **absorb venom from any dimension**, evolving his cells faster than the universe can erase him. - **Weapon Fusion**: Osebo's Fang **merges with Luo Feng's Blood River Crystal**, becoming a **reality-rending scythe**. - **Peak Supremacy**: He storms the **Virtual Universe's core**, not to conquer, but to **hack the system**-inputting his own code: *"Death is a door.

When Lei Xing booked a luxurious cruise as a graduation present to herself, she expected to have plenty of well-deserved rest and relaxation with an ocean view before jumpstarting her career. What she did not expect was to be the unlucky person who would fall overboard to a miserable watery death… or so she thought. To her astonishment, she opened her eyes to find herself in an ancient setting, a different body, and a new life as the eldest daughter of a high court official. {...Okay, at least I'm rich...I can still live happily and freely, it's still a golden opportunity at a second life. I can live it well~...maybe go travelling, start a business, or something…It definitely could be worse...} To Lei Xing’s horror, her new host was scheduled to enter the palace to compete in the concubine selection for the new Emperor. {...What?! I am definitely not interested! Of all places, it’s that viper pit! I’m not built for any Royal BS or harem fights. Please keep your scheming lives to yourselves and leave me the hell out of it, NOT INTERESTED!!!... Can I not go, please? T_T)...No? Nevermind then, failure is always an option... Failure is the only possible outcome. Bring it on! Hahahaha…} While Lei Xing was making plans on how to skip out of town, fate was also very busy working out its own plans for her, mapping out its own course for her life behind the scenes... Poking holes in her plans to her confusion and outrage. "...Little chicken, as long as I'm alive you won't die." "Nonsense, if anyone is going to cause my death, it would be you!!" *** "Do you really feel nothing after all this time?" He asked as he looked at her with searching eyes, trying to see into her soul... "...Who...would..." she mumbled under her breath... *** "When things go against nature, there will always be a price that must be paid..." |||~~~~~~~~~~~||| Author's Note~~ Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the read as you go along! Please VOTE and COMMENT as you read along and I will be sure to respond~~ Thank you again and HAPPY READING! ~~And If you have the wonderful urge to ever buy me a coffee. Here are the gateways and some love ʕづ•ᴥ•ʔづ♡♡♡ ko-fi.com/miraisaesang patreon.com/MiraiSaesang

Adam was meant to be among the chosen. Having just graduated from school, he, like others, awaited the start of a new life—a future brimming with possibilities. But instead, the heavens tore open. His classmates were ripped from reality. They were granted powers, a path, a destiny. While they awoke in a new world, he opened his eyes in silence. Amid wreckage, corpses, and rust. Without a gift. Without a map. Without explanation. On a planet where even the air kills, where the darkness whispers with a thousand dead voices. In a world that died long ago—and was never truly alive. A place where no one awaited him, and from which no one emerged unchanged. Now he walks. Through pain, fear, and emptiness. He seeks not power. He seeks truth. Even if it means traversing Hell to find it. Yet this world is but a mask. Reality—a thin, trembling veil over a gaping abyss even gods dared not face. Beneath it lies a whispering darkness, a distorted truth, and a cycle that devours itself… until someone dares descend and shatter the spiral from within.

In a world where all of humanity is mysteriously transported into the game Albion Online, David and his friend James must adapt quickly to survive. Armed with a unique wish granting him enhanced map abilities, David leads a small group in gathering resources, fighting dangerous creatures, and navigating the treacherous zones of the new world. Along the way, they encounter other survivors, some friendly and others potentially dangerous, as they prepare for the ultimate challenge of reaching the resource-rich but deadly black zones. The group’s survival depends on their ability to gather powerful gear, train allies, and outsmart both enemies and monsters. As they push deeper into the unknown, David is determined to build a new life, even if it means risking everything.

In the grand halls of power and the dark alleyways of forgotten cities, everyone wears a mask. But none wear it as well as Ash-a charming, sharp-tongued spy with a haunted past and a smile that lies as easily as it breathes. When a high-ranking ambassador is found dead with a silk ribbon knotted around his throat, Ash is pulled from his comfortable exile and thrown into a deadly game of politics, betrayal, and secrets buried beneath centuries of silence. The key to stopping a brewing war lies in a coded map, a missing painting, and a trail of crimson silk that always seems to end in murder. As enemies close in and old ghosts rise, Ash must navigate a world of double agents, false alliances, and a truth he's spent his life running from. The only problem? He might just enjoy the danger a little too much. Stylish, thrilling, and laced with wit, Shadow in Silk is a psychological spy drama where nothing is ever what it seems-and the most dangerous man in the room is the one who never stops smiling. Follow and support me

Post-apocalyptic psychological horror meets mythic fantasy In a world where cities have crumbled and maps no longer lead anywhere, a fractured generation awakens-each carrying pieces of a memory too ancient to be theirs. They are not survivors. They are echoes of something the world tried to forget. Haunted by symbols etched onto their skin and guided by roads that shift with thought, seven wanderers journey through dream-warped landscapes, crumbling realities, and sentient ruins. But the further they walk, the more they realize: they are not reading the map… they are becoming it. Across four broken cycles, they must confront the cities that remember them, the shadows they once were, and a point of no return where language dies and only memory remains. What if you weren’t just lost in the world-but were the map the world is trying to erase?

In one life, his mind commanded steel and concrete. In this new one, he was forged in the shadows to become a weapon. Reborn into a legendary ninja clan, he learned to kill in the silence and live by the rules of the dark. But when a bloody betrayal wipes his clan from the map, he is forced to flee, carrying the burden of lost techniques and a unique power: the ability to see the hidden truths and weaknesses in all things. Now, living under the guise of a common adventurer, he only wants to forget the past. But in a world ruled by sword and sorcery, secrets never stay buried for long. And the ghosts of a shattered clan cry out for answers.

Alfred, a history teacher on Earth is suddenly thrown into the body of Prince Alfred Lindonfall, the twelve-year-old prince and heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Ammar. With the abrupt death of his father, the responsibility to rule a Kingdom falls on his shoulders. Having to navigate a medieval court and world, his journey to creating an empire and putting his knowledge into practice sees him become a man he never knew he could be, being shaped by the new world and unique circumstances he faces. There are many characters who get a lot of focus and can be called a lead in their own right, but I won't put their character descriptions in as it would be too much of a spoiler for chapters in future. A map of the main continent in in the comments of the first chapter. Just know its not a commissioned work of art but something rough I made so readers will have an understanding of the worlds borders and design. Cover Art: not mine so here is the credit. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/351912463658203/

In a shattered world stitched together by fragile maps and broken memory, only Cartographers can define reality. After the cataclysmic Inkfracture, the Earth fragmented into Shards—disconnected pieces of geography drifting through uncertainty, held together by ancient glyphs and living maps. To navigate, survive, or even exist, every village, forest, and soul must be anchored by Ink—sentient, powerful, and dangerously hungry. Elian Vale, an unbound Cartographer haunted by a past he no longer remembers, discovers his home is vanishing—not destroyed, but erased. When a forbidden glyph pulls him into an unmapped white void, Elian emerges with a horrifying truth: someone is initiating a Remapping, a process that can overwrite entire Shards… and rewrite reality itself. Now hunted by Ink Reapers, betrayed by false cartography, and armed only with a Codex that steals his memories in exchange for power, Elian must journey to the mysterious Spindle, where a mythic entity—the Cartographer of Ash—has awakened. But the deeper he delves, the more he questions what’s real, what’s rewritten, and whether maps were ever meant to guide… or to cage. > What would you sacrifice to redraw the world?

She has lived countless lives—always aware, always searching. He has walked beside her through time—sometimes at her side, sometimes as a stranger. Bound by fate and severed by time, Zhang Minyue and Zhang Zilin are caught in a cycle of reincarnation—meeting again and again in different lifetimes, torn between love and duty, surrounded by war, betrayal, and buried truths. In every life, the world changes—but the ghosts of their past never rest. With assassins lurking in shadows, thrones stained with secrets, and a prophecy whispering of a girl cloaked in moonlight and fire, Minyue must navigate betrayal, war, and fate itself. Some will bow. Others will betray. But she has never been one to follow fate. Even if she must make him fall for her all over again. > “No matter how many lifetimes pass, I know I will always find you.” “Foolish,” she smiled. “I was never lost. You just needed to remember where to look.” “Even if the whole world turns against you, I will stand by your side.” “And if you fall, I will fall with you—only to rise again together.” “I don’t need the heavens to bless me,” he whispered. “You are enough.” “Then let me be your prayer,” she replied. “One that never fades.” A love that defies time. A truth buried beneath lifetimes. And a promise that nothing, not even death, can silence. Disclaimer: This story is the product of my vision and voice. Every word is written and shaped by me, the author. At times, I’ve used AI tools to assist with martial arts choreography or sharpen the pacing of action scenes—just as one might consult a map to better navigate a vast world. But every name, choice, emotion, and heartbeat in this story remains deeply personal and entirely mine. Its soul is human. Always. Cover concept and rights belong to the author.

Where warriors are born A novel about sisterhood, struggle, and secrets. Deep in the forests of the kingdom, where no map dares to point, there is a village invisible to the eyes of the world. There, nameless, homeless girls are trained to become the Guardians, a secret sisterhood of warriors whose only duty is to protect... and protect each other. Yuli, an orphan marked by her past, arrives at this sanctuary unaware that she is about to forge a new life, a new family, and a destiny that will confront her with buried truths, invisible alliances, and an enemy lurking in the shadows. In this sacred place, ruled by an elderly woman as wise as she is indomitable, known as La Tía, more than just strength is cultivated: the courage of those who decide to fight for love, for loyalty, and for those who can no longer do so is sown. Because here, where warriors are born, steel blossoms from the heart.

Prologue: The Shattering Before time had names and stars had maps, the world was whole—one great land cradled by the eternal light of the Emberheart, a radiant core of power that pulsed at the world's center. It gave rise to all things: wind, flame, storm, and beast. The ancient peoples revered it, drawing wisdom and might from its fire. But even light casts shadows. A god fell. His name was Varnak, once guardian of balance, who grew bitter with envy of mortals who shaped their fates with free will. He cracked the Emberheart and stole a shard of it, twisting its power to make himself eternal. The world shattered. The lands split and drifted into the sky, becoming floating continents called the Driftlands. Magic surged wildly. Monsters were born from raw chaos. And the Emberheart dimmed. A prophecy whispered through the ashes: "When fire sleeps and stars forget, one shall rise with the storm in his steps and flame in his soul. The Emberborn shall awaken the Heart."

Aiden: A Monster Who Craves to Devour, or a Shattered Soul Seeking Salvation? In a world dancing on the edge of madness, Aiden, a police officer with a dark past and a tormented soul, finds himself confronting his inner demons and buried family secrets. Haunted by the memory of a mysterious crime, Aiden seeks redemption, but fate throws Sera into his path, a girl with deep sorrow in her eyes, pursued by voices from the past and threats from an unknown killer who has placed her "on the map." As their destinies intertwine in a vortex of danger, Luna, a deranged woman who claims to love Aiden in a deadly way, emerges to further complicate the scene. In the shadows, a new maniac lurks, seeing Sera as his next prey, planning to possess her at any cost. Can love blossom amidst this madness? And will Aiden be able to protect Sera from the enemies who lie in wait for her, and from himself? Immerse yourself in a story full of mystery, love, madness, and a struggle for survival, where every decision could be the last.

In the late Trần Dynasty of Đại Việt (ancient Vietnam), the kingdom is in turmoil. The royal court is weakened, and threats from the Champa kingdom loom at the borders. The martial world is shaken by the legend of the Long Tàng Secret Manual, a martial arts scripture hidden beneath the waters of Lý Sơn Island. This manual not only contains supreme martial arts techniques but also a map of the nation’s dragon veins — knowledge that could either save the country or bring it to ruin if it falls into the wrong hands. Phạm Quang Minh, a young disciple of the Thiên Vân Sword Sect, carries the sorrow of his exterminated clan and becomes the sole keeper of the secret manual. Wandering to the shores of Lý Sơn, he encounters Nguyễn Bích Thủy, known as the Bích Hải Dragon Maiden, the daughter of a former naval commander wrongfully executed for treason. Initially enemies, Quang Minh and Bích Thủy gradually come to understand each other, realizing they are both children of men betrayed by the court. They join forces against the sinister Huyết Kiếm Sect, led by the formidable Lê Hồng Liêm, who seeks the manual to sell its secrets to Champa and dominate the martial world. Their struggle entangles other factions: Cửu Lạc Society, a neutral but cunning group. Kim Xà Sect, spies serving Champa. Hoàng Tùng Lâm, known as “The Lone Sword of Đại Lý,” a righteous warrior from the Tày ethnic group, harboring a vendetta against Huyết Kiếm Sect. Through treacherous battles across beaches, mountains, and hidden caves, Quang Minh and Bích Thủy’s bond deepens, yet they remain torn between love and the debts of family and nation. In a climactic battle atop Lý Sơn, Bích Thủy sacrifices herself to save Quang Minh. With her dying breath, she entrusts him with the Bích Hải jade pendant, the only proof of her father’s innocence. Devastated by her death, Quang Minh destroys the Long Tàng Manual, refusing to let it fall into any faction’s hands. He then defeats the Huyết Kiếm Sect, but the kingdom remains unstable. Choosing to leave the martial world behind, Quang Minh retreats to the Bạch Mã mountains, becoming a legend whispered among rivers and seas. It is said that on moonlit nights over the waters of Lý Sơn, one can still hear the mournful flute of the Bích Hải Dragon Maiden echoing across the waves.

In a post-apocalyptic world where multiple energy systems coexist, a group of game players obsessed with endless grinding emerges. Every day when Cheng Shaofeng wakes up, his first goal is to make this world… a little more like a video game. [Clone Production Chamber], [Loot Generator], [Attribute Conversion Tower], [Smartwatch Communication Station]… Toxic knife storms cutting through zombies, the Black Skeleton Legion employing the classic “Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao” strategy, and storm totems automatically grinding tentacles… one creative player move after another. Flame Assault Troopers, Summoning Mystics, Whirlwind Dancers, Dual-Pistol Tacticians, Celestial Archons… with hundreds of unique professions created. The players exclaim: “This game is so grind-heavy! I find new materials every day!” “There are tens of thousands of skill combinations, and I can even learn skills from random passersby. I’m going to max out the skill wall at the base!” “Enough talk, the Lord just announced a new map has opened. I’m going to speedrun the dungeon and write a guide for the others to farm it!” “The world boss has appeared, everyone, let’s grind it together!” Watching the players grind until their eyes turn red, Cheng Shaofeng shrugs: “You can see for yourself, it’s not that I want to rule the apocalypse—it’s just that they can’t stop grinding!”