Chained Hearts: From Slavery to Sovereignty - Chapter 10 - : A Deal with the Devil

Hope Lauren has read her share of comics. She’s seen supers around her city and even been saved by some on occasion. And she always hoped that she’d be able to join them. With Jack, her grizzled older mentor with secrets that could shake the world, and Pantheon, a new team of heroes, Hope will have to fight against monumental odds to save Oleander City. In a world of action, comedy, tragedy, and adventure, there’s plenty for a new hero to do.*Readers can expect a mostly adventure-themed superhero journey that will include a slice of life, action, and hopefully exciting world-building. It will also contain a slow-burn GL/Yuri plotline, which I'll eventually get to when I feel like it, I guess. This will be a very long story with many arcs*

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

SSS Beast Apostle System and Survival Racing in Apocalypse.

When the aliens invaded earth, they didn’t come for its resources as many doomsayers had proclaimed throughout the years.

Instead, they came for fun.

They came, flattened earth’s biggest cities and turned the world into a planet-sized stadium for their civilization.

The sport?

Survival Racing.

Ferocious alien beasts were unleashed upon the ruins of the world along with thousands of alien death-row fugitives who were only told one thing: Kill the humans, survive the year and regain your freedom.

Elliot was a survivor. He died right before he entered the final 15 days of the Games.

But as his consciousness began to slip away, a metallic voice rang out within his soul.

Mission failed.

Activating sponsor’s Boon: Reverse Time Walk.

Activating sponsor's Boon: Beast System.

Welcome to the Beast System. My name is Hawk, your AI.

EXCERPT from Chapter 1:

Elliot screamed in absolute exhilaration as he smashed his foot on the brakes, just enough to fully utilize the power of his ceramic brakes but not so much that his tires locked up. He went from two hundred miles an hour to forty miles an hour in a heartbeat.

He entered the sharp corner from the outside at the maximum entry speed and skillfully brought his car to the threshold of his tire’s grip.

SCREEE!!

He took the corner at record speed like a professional racer and then floored the pedal to the metal once more!

Mu Yao is wearing a book.
When she woke up, she became the dark, stupid, arrogant female supporting role in the book.
The male protagonist is deeply disgusted by the stupid and ignorant fiancée Mu Yao who comes out of the mountains and often jumps in front of him.
Until one day, Mu Yao took the initiative to ask him to dissolve the engagement.
The male protagonist thought that he could get rid of Mu Yao’s troubles from now on, but unexpectedly, he somehow became the ugly and stupid dog beside Mu Yao.
From then on, during the day, the aloof male lead sneered at Mu Yao.
At night, after becoming a stupid dog, the male lead curled up the dog’s body, and was pitifully hugged by Mu Yao in Xiangruan’s arms, looking up at the dog’s head, begging to be petted.
The heroine will be beautiful, and the hero will wear his soul on the dog raised by the heroine after dark

Fragment:
Everyone knows that the hero has a fiancée who grew up in the countryside. She is said to be ugly and ugly, and she is extremely disgusted by the hero.
Until in the box, everyone saw the hero squatting on the ground, holding the snow-white slender ankle, carefully putting on shoes for the girl who looked like a fairy, and asked in a hoarse voice: “Yaoyao, when will you follow me?” Am I re-engaged?”
Dumbfounded guys: “…”
Damn dirt ugliness! Damn dislike!

1. The heroine is ugly in the early stage, beautiful and squeamish in the later stage, sprinkled with sugar, and the text is so sweet that toothache
2. If you don’t like beauties, please click X, you don’t need to love, please don’t hurt ~ everyone is a soft and civilized beauty. Declined to pick up the list!
3. The author’s scarf will be worn outside the episode: Beauty Wushuang

Content tags: rich family sweet text wearing books cool text
Search keywords: Protagonist: Mu Yao ┃ Supporting role: Next book: “The Rabbit Spirit Who Became a Terminally Ill Male Supporting Partner”, “The Overlord Hiding in the Female Supporting Pocket”, click on the author’s column to collect it ┃ Others: Daily update, sweet sweet
One-sentence introduction: After the hero is dressed as a dog, he chases his wife every day at the crematorium

- Description from novelbuddy