Oot Bottles

A person carving out a path through life in a chaotic world. Zombies: Roar. Lin Fan: "We're all neighbors, why be so irritable?" Lin Fan: "I still need to go grocery shopping." Lin Fan, looking at the zombified Xiao Qing: "Xiao Qing, I bought a few bottles of water, and I've already scanned the QR code." Lin Fan: "Boss, I'd like to settle my wages." Sunshine District, the community where Lin Fan lived, swarmed with countless refugees seeking shelter. We should learn from Lin Fan, adhere to the law, work for money, and strive to buy houses and cars, becoming outstanding citizens in a city overrun with zombies.

Abandoned over his parents’ debt, Ren was taken in by a gang leader who molded him into a street thug. He hated the life, but he had no choice. The only light in his life was Nathalie, a girl he called his sister, though they shared no blood. He was able to endure it, if only a little, because of her. But when she was hurt, used, and taken advantage of by someone’s greed and lust, Ren snapped. Years of silent suffering and bottled-up rage exploded all at once. He came for blood. And he didn’t plan on leaving anyone standing. Sadly, one person can only do so much. Left for dead and bleeding out in an alley, a mechanical voice echoed in his head [Supreme Evolution System: Activated] From that moment on, he wasn’t just fighting to survive—he was evolving to dominate. Not a hero. Not a savior. Just a monster born of vengeance.

In a smoky basement in Queens, surrounded by empty bottles and broken dreams, 20-year-old nobody Liam "Zero" Kade stares at the last chip he has left. One more bet. One more loss. But then — [SYSTEM ACTIVATED] Probability Manipulation Unlocked. User Level: 0 | Status: Degenerate | Potential: ∞ From that moment on, the world shifts. Dice obey him. Cards fall just right. Guns jam. Coin tosses split fate. And behind the curtain of the underground, a legend begins to bloom — masked, ruthless, brilliant. They call him The Joker. And this is just the start of his game.

When there were strange signs in the sky, there must be demons lurking. Li Mo, who had studied antiques since he was young, had a strange change in his eyes after being struck by lightning. With a pair of divine eyes, he gained the ability to see through things and sense objects. He bought a gourd bottle for 500 yuan at a flea market and sold it for 230,000 yuan. A painting he casually bought turned out to be a genuine work by Xu Beihong, worth thirty to forty million yuan. The black double-eared bottle that came with the purchase of a set of gold jewelry turned out to be a genuine possession of the Ming imperial family. Ancient bronze ware, exquisitely crafted porcelain, calligraphy and painting with bold and vigorous strokes, and thrilling gambling stones came one after another. From then on, Li Mo's life underwent a revolutionary change. "I have divine eyes, and there are no treasures in the world that can escape my sight."

Claudia Araneta is the flawlessly composed CEO of Lueur Empire, the country’s most prestigious luxury fragrance brand. Every bottle with her name on it promises elegance and desire. But behind her perfect image lies a secret: she was born without a sense of smell. In an industry built entirely on scent, Claudia has spent years compensating with sharp business instincts, exquisite branding, and an iron grip on her public persona. No one suspects the truth. No one gets close enough to see the cracks. That is, until she’s forced into a fake marriage with Raphael, an infuriatingly perceptive man who sees right through her act. As their arrangement blurs the line between pretense and something dangerously real, Claudia finds herself confronting the one thing she’s never been able to control. Because love, like scent, can’t truly be captured—or denied.

-It began when a shrouded figure with hollow eyes came to claim the soul of a girl but instead got trapped in the mortal world- Marybeth would rather die than marry a man much older than her father, solely because he could potentially save her father's business, as he is considered one of the prestigious peers in society. In an attempt to escape the situation, Marybeth fled one night before the wedding to a club where men typically gathered to drink to excess and gamble. As she entered, her eyes scanned the clubhouse until they settled on her perfect catch. "Ah! There you are!" ::::::Except::::: "The dress…" he said, his voice low, "Take it off." But Mary just stood there, trembling, her eyes fixed on him as he sat with his legs crossed, cravat undone, revealing a smooth collarbone and a long neck. She tried not to stare at the way his long fingers traced the bottle of wine on the table beside him. Still, Mary couldn't bring herself to lift her hands and take off the dress. "Now… Beth." "The buttons…" she said tensely, "They're at the back of the dress. I can't… reac—h it…" Before she could finish, he stood and strode toward her, his boots hammering against the floor. He stopped right in front of her, letting his hand roam gently across her cheek. Mary flinched away from his touch. His glove was off now, and the feel of his skin against hers sent a flush of heat through her. "Scared?"

What happens when two strong-headed.who can't even stand each other's existence—are suddenly bound by the most sacred yet coldest bond of all… marriage? Welcome to the world of Tara Bansal, a smart, spirited, and emotionally rich girl with a sarcastic tongue and a heart that often hides behind her sass. And meet Vikram Suryavanshi, the cold, controlled, and commanding CEO who doesn’t just walk into a room—he owns it. Their wedding night wasn’t a dream—it was a disaster. No candlelight, no love, just icy silence, shared glances of irritation, and a mental checklist of regrets. They didn’t choose each other. Destiny—or rather, family drama, power games, and past secrets—chose for them. But what starts as a deal, slowly begins to crack open. --- Inside the Suryavanshi mansion, drama simmers behind every closed door. Tara, the new bride, tries to adjust between fake smiles and real heartbreaks. She isn’t here to impress anyone—not Vikram, not his Dadi, and definitely not the high-class whispers of society. Yet somehow, her natural warmth begins to thaw frozen hearts, even the one Vikram claims he doesn’t have. Vikram, despite being sharp and stone-hearted, finds his carefully curated world disturbed by Tara’s unexpected presence. Her words trigger him. Her silence haunts him. And her vulnerability—though she hides it fiercely—touches him in places he didn’t know existed anymore. Their chemistry is chaotic. They fight. They taunt. They draw pillow walls in bed. And yet… they wake up hugging each other without even knowing how it happened. --- But this isn’t just about a cold marriage turning warm. It’s about: Unspoken traumas Unintentional care Growing attachment masked as hatred The fear of love and the fear of losing it When Tara laughs with kids, Vikram watches. When Tara gets close to Prithvi—Vikram’s rival—Vikram burns with jealousy he can’t explain. And when almost-kisses turn into real confusions… the heartbeats grow louder. But just when things begin to shift—when stolen glances almost become confessions—life throws a twist. Prithvi’s growing closeness. Vikram’s bottled-up pain. And Tara’s unknown storm that still hasn’t hit the story yet… The journey from hate to hesitation, from awkward eye contact to sleepless tangled nights—is slow, spicy, and stunningly emotional. --- This isn’t a love story. It’s a battle of egos that falls into something dangerously close to love. It’s The Coldest Wedding Night— Where hearts collide. Secrets hide. And love… doesn’t knock. It breaks the damn door.

You’d think seeing the future would give me a head start on surviving the apocalypse. I had it all planned—until everything I knew shattered when my husband sacrificed himself to save me and our son. Now it’s just me, my three-year-old son Leo, and my cursed gift of foresight that only seems to kick in when it’s nearly too late. I’m doing my best to keep us safe, to find food, to make some kind of plan— “Mommy?” I glance down, trying to ignore the tug on my pant leg as I focus on our supplies. “Not now, Leo. Mommy’s thinking.” “Mommy!” I sigh and finally look down. My three-year-old is standing there, clutching… I blink. “Leo, where did you get a knife?” He shrugs, grinning like it’s the most natural thing in the world. My heart stutters. “No, really. Where did you find that?” I try not to laugh. I mean, he’s three. Maybe he just—found it somewhere? But the next day, it’s a water bottle. Then, a tiny flashlight, somehow with batteries still inside. I don’t even know what else; he’s pulling things out one by one with the pleased grin of a kid who’s just figured out his favorite game. Well, we may just survive this mess after all. Now, if only the universe could have spared me from him. I don’t even know his name, but I know his type: tall, broad, and annoyingly handsome, with an air of calm control that’s out of place in this chaos. Ex-military, if I had to guess, with a voice that’s just as infuriating as his smirk. The man has a habit of showing up at the worst—or best—possible times, with a gun at the ready and secrets buried as deep as those bright green eyes. I mean, he’s probably useful, but I’m trying to keep my eyes on the prize here: survival. For Leo and me. Because, foresight or no foresight, nothing is guaranteed in this new world—except the fact that people like him are trouble.

Adam's life has been a huge disappointment. Growing up, he was a shy kid with no confidence; he had no ambition; he had no plans for the future. He didn't realize the time flowing by until one day he hit rock bottom. His wealth was taken away from him. He had nothing. Now he lives in a single-room apartment, he is making barely any money; he has no friends, no family, and no lover. He is all alone living a pathetic, miserable life. He is so pathetic that he died in his own apartment, slipping on a beer bottle. But fate has other plans for him. He didn't die but ended up back in the past with an upgraded body. Now, with another chance in life, he is determined to strive for greatness. ____________________ A/N - This is a smut-focused story. Expect a lot of sexual scenes.

I am Racist. … I mean, my name is Racis T. I swear. Please don’t cancel me before chapter 1. Anyway, I was a stand-up comedian. Not the good kind who gets Netflix specials. The kind who gets hit with beer bottles and told to “Meet me backstage. You’ll get one more mic.” One night, I was performing in a bar so shady, even cockroaches walked in with bodyguards. It was full of tattooed bikers who drink engine oil, smoke burnt rubber, lick silencers, cry over their exes, and still believe their fists are a valid debate technique. And there I was—trying to make them laugh using yo mamma jokes and dark humor so black it should’ve come with a flashlight and some cotton. They didn’t laugh. I kept going. One of them pulled out a gun. I cracked a joke. He cracked my skull. Bullet. Brain. Curtains. Boom. But here’s the funny part: I always wanted to be a successful comedian. Maybe get a standing ovation. But what I got was Uncontrollable Blood Ovulation. Still, I had dreams, man. Big dreams. Make people laugh. Marry someone who doesn't need two chairs to sit. Eat three meals a day, Own a yacht (the humble kind with a helipad) I wasn’t greedy. I would have donated 0.01% of my wealth to charity. I only wanted 99% of everything. But fate, karma, God, or probably the trends of Webnovel had other plans. Because instead of resting in peace… I woke up in another world. A fantasy world full of monsters, heroes, magic, kingdoms, war… And zero comedy clubs. Just my luck. So now I’ve got a second life, a rude system, and maybe a power or two. But being a Hero is secondary. First, I am gonna roast dragons, clown on kings, incest—invest, I mean invest and make the whole world laugh until they cry—or kill me again. Either way… Welcome to the story of the most dangerous thing in every world— A man who won’t shut up. ——— ——— ——— Support Me - ko-fi.com/khyaal Join My Discord For Reference Arts and much more - https://discord.gg/zmUcswM2N5

In a world where humanity sleeps to let Earth heal, one boy chooses to stay awake — and steal their memories. Ten thousand years ago, the Earth was broken by technology. To save it, humans chose a radical solution: global stasis. No motion. No thought. No memory. Just sleep — until nature could recover. But one boy refused to be forgotten. Mocked for his ideas and dismissed by society, he discovers a way to bottle memories — and hatches a plan to awaken as the only person who remembers the past. While the world sleeps, he’ll find their minds, take their truths, and build a future ruled by his voice alone. Now, millennia later, a teenage girl wakes up into chaos. Tribes have formed, unity has shattered, and those she loves are being torn apart. When she and her friends cross paths with the mysterious stranger who promises to fix everything, they agree to help — unaware they’re walking into the very dream he’s trying to control. But the real danger isn’t forgetting the past. It’s trusting the wrong person with the power to remember.

Rylin thrives on the vibrant chaos of the rodeo circuit. Traveling alongside Wyatt's girlfriend, Cassidy, makes the experience even better, filling their journey with laughter and shared purpose. She sees Rob as another older brother, a steady presence amidst the whirlwind of competition. Rylin's skill shines in barrel racing, and she dedicates herself to caring for the horses they travel with, ensuring their well-being is always a top priority. Life on the road is a dynamic balance of competition and companionship for her. Meanwhile, Jase Hunter, son of Max Hunter, is wrestling with a different kind of chaos. His last relationship ended abruptly when his girlfriend was caught cheating on him, a painful discovery made while he was preoccupied with yet another of life's "ordeals." The betrayal cut deep, pushing him towards the numbing comfort of alcohol. Now, he's usually too drunk to care about girls or the whispers and judgments of the other cowboys. His focus has narrowed to the bottom of a bottle, a stark contrast to Rylin's vibrant engagement with the rodeo world. How do Rylin and Jase's paths eventually cross on the circuit, and what kind of initial interaction do they have given their very different current states of mind?

The West Coast, bathed in its free air, greeted me with a brutal awakening. One moment, my world was familiar; the next, I was an 'urban explorer' – a homeless man – cast onto the unforgiving streets. I opened my eyes to nothing. No dog, no identity, no tent – not even shoes on my feet. Just beach shorts and the harsh concrete beneath. My only stroke of luck: the Daily Intelligence System, inexplicably tied to my phone, a lifeline in this new, desperate existence. The messages flashed: [Daily Intelligence:] The club at 134th Watson Street has a trove of recyclable cans and transparent beverage bottles in the green trash can in the alley. [Daily Intelligence:] There are unfinished hamburgers, 7 flowers, and an unopened bottle of Pinot Noir in the red trash can at 96th Street. [Daily Intelligence:] Your neighbor Jesse has a scratch card worth $5,000 in his tent! [Daily Intelligence:] Mike's Scrap Collection Station sells a 1976 GMC Hiking RV, parked in the suburbs for 20 years, for a low price of $200. Details: Someone at Old Pick's Auto Repair Shop can repair it. Shit! This wasn't life; it was a goddamn scavenging game. From the raw, unforgiving streets of America, Alan resolved to play the game – and fight for a better tomorrow.

After losing his family and comrades in war, Mike retreats to a lonely Pacific island, drowning in alcohol and guilt. One day, he finds a century-old drifting bottle with a dying letter from a Chinese girl named Mei, a survivor of a 1918 shipwreck. Obsessed with the mystery, Mike teams up with his friend George and translator Jane Chen to uncover the truth. But as dreams of a forgotten village and a sorrowful girl begin to haunt him, he realizes the letter might not be just a cry from the past—but a call from his own soul. A story of fate, reincarnation, love, and redemption that spans over a hundred years. Can two souls lost in time find peace in the present?

She was meant to be a sacrifice. He made her a queen. In a future ruled by vampires, humans are no more than slaves and sacrifices—bred, barcoded, and broken. Each year, the Vampire Lords hold a brutal tradition known as The Offering—where the most beautiful human girls are gifted as blood-brides to the aristocracy. None ever return. When Aria Vale, a defiant human girl with fire in her eyes and revenge in her heart, is chosen, she expects pain. Death. Or worse. What she doesn’t expect… Is for the Vampire King to fall to his knees. Damon Serath, cold-blooded and cruel, is feared across every vampire kingdom. He drinks only from the vein—never bottled, never mercy. He has destroyed empires and enslaved thousands. But the moment he sees Aria, something ancient ignites. She’s rude. Untamed. Furious. And he wants her. Keeping a human is forbidden. Loving one is treason. But Damon doesn’t care. He protects her from his court. Feeds her beside nobles who feast on blood. Kills anyone who dares look at her wrong. He would burn the world for her. Even if she’s only here for one reason… To kill him. But as their war of hate turns into a dangerous pull, Aria must ask herself— Can you destroy a monster who’s willing to die just to keep you breathing? “You brought a human to the Blood Moon banquet?” The voice came sharp and silk-smooth. It belonged to Lady Virelle, the High Matron of the Eastern Court, dressed in black stitched with veins of gold. Her mouth was still stained from a recent kill. “What’s wrong with you, Damon?” she hissed. Her glowing eyes narrowed on Aria. “She looks too fresh to waste. I could drain her where she stands.” Aria’s spine locked. Her hands curled into fists. “She’s with me,” Damon said calmly. But the air trembled. Zack, a smirking lord from the Southern House, leaned forward, fangs glinting. “Then tell us, little human—what do we call you?” He rose, steps slow, predatory, as he approached her side. Aria didn’t flinch. She glared at him like she wanted to slit his throat. Before Zack could reach her, Damon’s voice sliced through the hall, “Touch her, Zack—” His tone dropped to ice. “—and die.” Silence. The music stopped. Dozens of vampire nobles froze, staring at their king, who now stood at Aria’s side—cold, tall, and impossibly still. His hand rested lightly at her back, claiming her with one small, lethal gesture. Zack slowly stepped away, his smirk wiped clean. “She is mine,” Damon said, his voice echoing like thunder. “And no one touches what belongs to me.”

In the poison‑choked wreckage of a once‑blue Earth, every breath is rationed, traded, or stolen. Only a scattered few known as Bonders can share their souls with relics steeped in trauma and distill clean air from memory itself. Nineteen‑year‑old Erno Linx carries the last keepsake of his mother: a cracked, war‑era gas mask that whispers with her fading voice. Each time Erno draws on the mask’s power he carves a pocket of purified wind, but the price is a vertigo of grief—he must relive her final breath, suffocating moments. Whispers speak of the White Ring, a glittering citadel where oxygen flows like water and the sky shines the color of forgotten mornings. Erno sets out across the Gray ruins and into the Red Wastes to reach it, hunting hope while hope hunts him. Harvesters flay memories for profit, the Black Lung Guild traffics in bottled anguish, and a phantom called Bleak stitches children’s dying breaths into weapons of song. Allies are no easier to trust: a time‑fracturing street fighter who counts loyalty in seconds, a medic whose sterile pendant is erasing her humanity, a wandering bard whose laughter splinters into fear. Their motives orbit Erno like moons—bright on one side, shadowed on the other. Why do some bonds awaken on the brink of death while others devour their wielders whole? What secret did Erno’s mother seal inside the mask before she fell? And if the White Ring truly is an oasis, why does its oxygen taste faintly of ash? To uncover the truth, Erno must decide whether to shoulder the burden of every memory he purifies or break the chain and watch the world choke in silence.

**MATURE Themes, Language, & Content** “Wait, this has to be a joke... I’m expected to share a dorm room with a man? I was supposed to room with other women!” She screeched while holding the sides of her head. “A man?” The male eyed her up and down, “Did you think I was human?” “Of course, you’re human. Things like vampires, werewolves, demons, fairies, and such don’t exist. So, what else could you be other than a human being?! Don’t be preposterous!” “Last I checked, demons exist,” he coldly replied, looking offended. She snorted as she crossed her arms in disbelief, “What? You expect me to believe that? Yeah, right... Are you trying to tell me that you’re like a demon or something?”. “LIKE a demon? No, no... I AM a demon, and my name is Xinith,” he lowered his voice as he crossed the room toward her. She stepped back until her back was against the door, “That is utter bullshit. Now back up, you creep!” “No,” he said in a much lower tone, “not until you believe me. Do you want proof? Then say that magic word you humans like to use so much to find us.” One of her hands was reaching into her back pocket, where she kept a small pepper spray bottle. He noticed her hand and gripped her wrist tightly, enough that he overpowered her and pinned not just one, but both of her wrists overtop her head. “You shouldn’t have done that, little one,” he growled, his face nearing hers. The room suddenly felt like it was closing in on her. Her heart was racing, and it felt like it was in a pinball machine, causing physical pain in her chest. Her lungs felt like they were drowning, and her eyesight kept fading in and out. She immediately tried thrashing herself around but to no avail. She was having a panic attack, and he was the cause of it. --- Alex was ready to start the next chapter of her life: College! Little did she know that the administration would mistake her for being a male student and place her in the men’s dorm because of her name. She gets stuck with the single suite that has only one bedroom but two beds! Even worse, she finds out that her dormmate is a demon?! What would happen if the two had a budding romance? Is her demon dormmate just using his powers to lure her in, or is she feeling something real? Only time will tell...

Seventeen-year-old Han Jiho never expected a spilled drink to ruin his life—or maybe improve it? One accidental sip from Kang Minjae's bottle turns into the wildest rumor at Haewon High: Jiho and the school’s golden boy are secretly dating. But instead of denying it, Minjae leans in with a smirk and says, “Sure, why not?” Now Jiho is stuck in a fake relationship with his longtime crush. Between dodging classmates, managing his chaotic emotions, and trying not to die every time Minjae smiles like that, Jiho’s life becomes a whirlwind of confusion, awkward tension, and maybe… just maybe, something real. But love isn’t all cute glances and accidental kisses. Enter Hyunwoo—the school’s intimidating bully leader who seems way too interested in Jiho’s life lately. Harsh one second, almost soft the next, Hyunwoo’s attention is the kind Jiho doesn’t know what to do with. And in the shadows of it all stands Soobin, a mysterious figure from Hyunwoo’s past. Their history is raw, unresolved, and painful. Soobin left when Hyunwoo needed him most—and now he’s back, hoping for a second chance. But Hyunwoo is no longer the same boy he once knew. As Jiho’s light-hearted chaos unfolds with Minjae, Hyunwoo and Soobin’s story simmers with regret, anger, and a love that never really died. Because while some love stories are messy and cute… Others are the kind you survive. ---

In gaslit Paris, a perfumer’s magic could save her sister or doom her soul. Élise Dubois creates dangerous perfumes. With a drop of her blood, she steals grief from broken hearts and traps it in bottles sorrows sold as Souvenir de Marriage to wealthy widows. But her power has a cost: scars cover her hands, and her missing sister Clémence is held hostage by Paris’s ruthless Vampire Court. When the Court’s leader, the Vicomte de Sanglac, demands an impossible perfume forged from a queen’s legendary tears Élise must break into Notre Dame’s cursed crypt. There, she’s captured by Dr. Lucien Thorne, a surgeon hunting vampire kind. He knows her perfumes fuel the Court’s cruelty. He also knows pain: he killed his own sister when she became a monster. Lucien offers a brutal bargain: wear an iron cuff that blocks her magic and shocks her when she lies. Pose as his wife at the Vicomte’s masquerade blood ball, where humans are prey. Find the tears. In return, he’ll save Clémence. But in the crypt, Élise discovers a terrible truth. Her blood is poison to vampires. The Vicomte wants to weaponize it and Clémence is his bait. Worse, Lucien betrays her, planning to trade Élise’s life for the Court’s destruction. Now Élise must Unleash a perfume that erases vampire memories, Trust the hunter who left her for dead, Bleed her own life force to destroy the Vicomte, Choose between saving Lucien from turning vampire or letting him die human Her victory leaves her hair white and magic gone. But when a black rose arrives signed "V," Élise knows the Court survives. And with Lucien at her side, she’ll hunt them through the shadows of Paris no matter the cost.

When a lazy, drunken goddess accidentally drops a celestial wine bottle on Earth, crushing a salaryman, she sheepishly grants him reincarnation in a fantasy world—with an apology, a “God-tier” magic affinity, almighty comprehension, and a chance to live the life of a noble. Reborn as Lucien von Eisenhart, the 6th child of Duke Arcturus, he’s considered a minor child with no real succession rights. That is until the royal family discovers his absurd magical aptitude. Hoping to keep such a "dangerous genius" out of the capital’s tangled politics, they assign him an “unimportant” fief— The Hollow Sands, a desolate wasteland cursed and scarred by ancient magic wars, home to powerful relics, hidden races, slumbering beasts, decaying magical constructs, and ruins of forgotten civilizations. Everyone expects him to fail. But Lucien sees opportunity. With his knowledge, creativity, and hunger for magic, he decides to do the impossible: Build a new kingdom from the world’s garbage heap.

[Intelligence 1: In the trash can outside the wholesale market, there is an iced black tea bottle cap that can be scanned into an iPhone worth 4,399 yuan! ] [Intelligence 2: In the trash can at the entrance of the village in the city, there is a Longines Mini Dolce Vita series ladies watch worth 13,300 yuan in the interlayer of a light green women's down jacket! ] [Intelligence 3: The enamel basin you eat in will usher in a wave of traffic in the next week, and the price will skyrocket! It is recommended to stock up! ] [Intelligence 4: The coconut snail in the water tank of the Pangge Seafood Barbecue Stall in the village in the city contains a Melo Pearl worth 120,000 yuan! ] [Intelligence 5: A certain payment software can enjoy a 20% cash reduction for any transaction between 14:35 and 14:40 in the afternoon! ] [Intelligence 6: The beef rolls sold in the live broadcast room of a fitness anchor are synthetic beef, and you can get a compensation of 10 times the price of fake ones. ] [Intelligence: 7: A cold wave will appear in a week and last for a whole month. The price of fox and raccoon fur will rise sharply. It is recommended to stock up! ] [Intelligence 8: This year, Jiangjiazhuang has good weather and good harvests. Sweet potatoes will have a super bumper harvest, and the price will rise steadily! ] [Intelligence 9: A beef cattle sold in the livestock market has a natural bezoar weighing 1,000 grams! ] [Intelligence 10: Xiaoshahe Urban Village will be demolished in half a year! ] Relying on various money-making intelligence provided by the daily intelligence system. Jiang Tao has gradually achieved financial freedom from debt!

There exists a space between moments—a breath between memory and dream, dusk and dawn, departure and arrival. In that space lies the In-Between. Neither here nor there, it is a place of lost maps, whispered truths, and turning points too quiet for history to notice. Tales from the In-Between is a collection of forty standalone stories set in this liminal realm, where doors appear only when you're not looking and choices echo louder than footsteps. Within its pages you’ll find a cartographer who maps forgotten regrets, a lighthouse keeper who bottles the voices of the dead, a train conductor who ferries passengers between lives, and an inn that only exists for those who’ve left something behind. These stories blend quiet magic with emotional resonance, surreal landscapes with intimate struggles—each one a meditation on what it means to change, to linger, to cross thresholds both physical and spiritual. Whether you are standing at a crossroads or searching for a way back, the In-Between has a story meant for you. Step gently. Some roads only remember those who believe in them.

In Jing Chen's previous life, he always thinks that he is but an ordinary man living an ordinary life. And after drinking a bottle of green tea that became his meng po soup to death, his short life came to an end. But, when he opened his eyes ready to see the after life, he was shocked to see.. pink, pink and PINK everywhere. Where is this, is death supposed to be like this? Cutesy and...pink? ps: I've made a mistake! this should be in my draft I won't update this until I finish the whole story. I don't know how to delete the story in webnovel. I only have two chapters of this so please don't read this yet. I'm very sorry.

“I was just a delivery guy. One weird bottle, one wrong knock… and now I’m married to a vampire queen.” Liam Ross thought it was just another late-night gig—deliver a mysterious bottle of vintage wine to a mansion he’d never heard of. Next thing he knows, he's waking up in a gothic castle, covered in blood, with a glowing sigil on his wrist… and a dangerously beautiful vampire queen declaring him her husband. Bound by an ancient blood contract, Liam finds himself thrust into a deadly underworld of vampire politics, ancient courts, and supernatural assassins. He has three days to prove himself or die—and if he dies, his new bride dies with him. Survive the bond. Learn the rules. Or burn in the eternal night. But there’s a problem: Liam is human. Mortal. Untrained. And some vampires would rather see him dead than let a lowborn outsider sit beside their queen. Now, it’s not just his life on the line—it’s hers too.

"Really? Sweets? You're taking this 'food is the way to a man's heart' a little too seriously." Kwon sneered. He went to grab a cookie from the pile but Luna moved the plate away from him. He raised an eyebrow, probably thinking that she was acting childish. Reaching with his left hand, he made a move toward the plate. What she didn't see was that his right hand was in position with the plate moving right towards it. "Better luck next time." He smiled as he took a bite of the heart-shaped cookie. Adam came back and grabbed another cookie. As he ate, he looked around. "No water?" An idea hit Luna. She fished in her bag for the spare love potion that she had stored in a water bottle. It was completely full and the lid was tightened enough that it could pass as a brand new, unused bottle that she just got out of the machine. "Here you go. I just happened to have an extra." He gratefully accepted the water then he and Kwon walked off toward the coach. Luna slammed the plate into the arms of a confused Carl. It worked. The plan actually worked. She was so excited that she could start dancing at any moment. "Don't celebrate just yet." Isaac pointed to where Adam and Kwon stood talking to the coach. Kwon unscrewed the lid to his water and took a drink. Fear seeped into her. She was positive that Kwon did not have a water with him earlier. She looked down at Adam's hands and saw that he no longer had the bottle filled with love potion. "No!" . . . "Luna? Why are you looking at me like that?" Kwon asked, his expression turning funny the longer she stayed silent. "Why were you watching me?" Why did she ask that question?! There were a million questions floating in her head, and that one wasn't anywhere near the top ten. Kwon unfolded himself from the wheel. Running a hand down his face, he avoided her gaze by looking out the window. "Because it's hard to not watch you." His voice was steady even though he had seemed reluctant to answer her.

I have to keep my difficulties within because that is the only way I can physically prevent myself from trying to commit suicide. Is it not preferable to be physically dead but mentally dead? I am currently accustomed to being mentally dead, and no one would know unless I made an effort to tell them otherwise. If being deported means leaving this world, I should keep my true emotions and personality hidden from this world and act as if everything is well when it is not. Verbally, emotionally, physically, and mentally. My entire identity was ruined. My understanding of reality was destroyed.

The man I once loved the most Sebastian, the youngest judge in history was the one who sentenced me to prison. Three years behind bars stripped me of everything: my pride, my future, and the life I once knew. When I was finally released, I had nothing left. My family had fallen, and with nowhere to go, I was forced to survive as a bar hostess. Then fate twisted the knife. Sebastian walked back into my life colder, more ruthless than ever. His eyes darkened as they raked over my skimpy uniform. Gripping my waist, he growled, "Gloria, who gave you permission to work in a place like this?" I gave him a sultry smile, masking the ache inside. "Buy a bottle, sir… and I’m all yours tonight."

Everyone has, at some point, quietly admired someone from afar—watching, learning, even changing, just for the chance to be noticed. This is the story of a boy who fell in love not just with a girl, but with the idea of being someone she might love. From a single bottle of water handed over during gym class to months of silent devotion, he built his world around her shadow. Yet, as time passed and reality crept in, he faced a quiet but powerful question: Was he truly in love with her—or with the version of himself he created for her? This is a coming-of-age reflection on infatuation, identity, and the quiet strength it takes to choose yourself.

‘Careful, when it gets dark, bad things tend to happen!’ That's what Ethan's mother always tells him when he was still a child that makes him scared of darkness, that's why he always comes back home on time. “Senior, let's drink one more bottle!” After his promotion for the senior manager position, he got a bit drunk and decided to go home late for the first time. Waking up, sober, he realized that the world around him changed as he was in a movie set of Victorian London. ‘If you can't wake up from a nightmare, maybe you aren't sleeping.’ Figuring out how he suddenly transported to this new world, he realized that he needs to survive this harsh world where being normal is not an option. ‘This... it's magic!’ In this parallel Victorian World where wielding magic powers is possible, how could he possibly survive and find his way home? “Human?!” the woman sneered, “you‘re not even close.” And with his new body, comes new challenges. Darkness he once feared will become his ally. “Am I... becoming a Zombie?!”

Three days before the wedding, Seraphina Vale thought she was living a fairytale. Julian’s penthouse smelled like citrus and cedarwood, the kind of scent you could bottle and name Success. He stood by the kitchen island in sweatpants and no shirt, hair still damp from the gym, smiling at her like she was the prize he never had to chase. “You’re staring,” he teased. Sera smirked over her coffee. “I’m just trying to remember why I said yes.” Julian crossed the room in three long strides, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her like a man who always got what he wanted. “Because I’m devastatingly handsome and your mother loves me.” “Mm, two things I may soon regret.” She laughed, but it caught somewhere in her chest. Everything about her life looked perfect from the outside—magazine-worthy engagement, New York socialite status, a fiancé with flawless teeth and a startup about to go public. Her wedding hashtag had trended for two days straight. But something in Julian had changed in the last few months. He was still charming, still doted on her in public, still gave her everything she asked for. Everything except... presence. His kisses landed like rehearsed lines. His touches didn’t linger. And worst of all—he was always texting. Constantly. Smiling at his phone when he thought she wasn’t looking. Swiping it away too fast when she was. Sera asked once, lightly, “Who’s got you so entertained?” Julian had smiled and said, “Work, babe. You know how it is.” And she did. She wanted to believe him. She needed to. Because the alternative was a truth too ugly to say out loud. --- That afternoon, she met Madeline for dress fittings. Madeline had been her best friend since prep school—the kind of friend who held your hair back while you puked and swore she’d take your secrets to the grave. She was tall, magnetic, unapologetically wild. If Sera was the grace, Madeline was the chaos. “You’re glowing,” Madeline said, adjusting the bust of her lavender bridesmaid dress in the mirror. “You’re going to ruin every woman’s self-esteem on Saturday.” Sera looked at herself. The silk gown shimmered like a dream. But all she could see was a girl pretending not to notice how fast her world was unraveling. Madeline leaned in, voice low and teasing. “You sure you’re ready for monogamy? One man for the rest of your life? No more flirty brunch waiters or sultry European getaways?” Sera raised an eyebrow. “Who said anything about giving up flirty brunch waiters?” They both laughed, but Sera caught the flicker in Madeline’s eyes. A flash of guilt? Or just her own imagination turning shadows into monsters? She told herself not to be paranoid. She had no reason to be. Madeline had been there through everything—every broken heart, every public failure, every bottle of rosé drunk at 2 a.m. in their twenties while crying over boys who didn’t deserve them. Julian was hers. Madeline was her best friend. What could possibly go wrong? --- Later that night, lying in bed with Julian’s arm thrown over her waist like a lazy anchor, Seraphina stared at the ceiling and whispered, “You still love me, right?” Julian didn’t move. “Of course.” “No hesitation?” He chuckled, half-asleep. “You’re just having wedding nerves, babe. It’s normal.” She wanted to ask about the texts. About the long nights at the office. About why he kept turning away from her in bed. Instead, she closed her eyes. And dreamed of waves crashing and silk burning.