Desolate Era: Hatching a Phoenix at the Beginning - Chapter 164 - Another Divine Roc

After five years of being together, Gu Qingming thought it was love. Who would have thought it was simply an elaborate scheme? After learning the truth, she decided to exact her revenge on that pair of scumbags! Just as she was about to return and receive millions in inheritance, she died unexpectedly! When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to the moment when her parents kicked her out of the house. She was also pregnant with a fatherless child. She decided to return to her grandmother’s house in the countryside. There, she grew watermelons, peaches, and oranges…

Gu Qingming followed her grandmother to the field and saw a large plot with lush green plants. She asked excitedly, “Grandma, why is there so much leek planted here?” Her grandmother’s expression changed when she heard the question. With a smile, she explained, “Darling, that’s not leek. They’re rice seedlings! When harvest time comes around, they’ll turn into the rice that we eat every day!” Gu Qingming: “…”

An adorable toddler stood between the endless rows of crops, staring at his mother who was busy plucking watermelons. He balled up his tiny fists as he yelled, “Mommy, you can do it! You’re almost there! You can do it!” Everyone: “…”

A certain businessman was on the prowl for investment opportunities in the boonies when he bumped into a little munchkin. Their gazes met. The kid stared up at the bigger version of himself. The little kid clung to the man’s thigh and announced proudly, “This is the hill where my Mommy works. You can’t buy it!” The man picked up the kid and a slight grin broke across his face. “Well, that’s fine. We’ll get your mom to marry me, and you can call me Daddy. This hill, alongside all the assets under my name, shall also belong to your mommy. How’s that for a deal?” The boy: “…” That’s very tempting indeed! The little kid gulped, but he was determined not to sell out his mom! This is the story of a princess who hails from a small family of farmers, who goes on to become an expert farmer, and then an agricultural tycoon!

Blue sky, white clouds, lazily lying on the beach, while feeling the gentle breeze coming from the sea. Hounds at the side with marine animals chasing each other around. Cups of unrivaled wine from his personal winery with cuts of prime A grade steaks readily around. For others, life is all about pursuing money, power, and fame, but for Jiang Hai, this type of lifestyle is what he constantly dreamed of.

- Description from Novelupdates

His lips hovered near her ear, his voice a dark whisper against her skin. “You may fear me, little bride, but I will teach your body to crave me… to need me, until I am all you ever want.”---Belle was never meant to be the bride. But when her parents cried to her about how her beautiful sister could not be married to such a man, she was forced to take her sister’s place. To prevent war between the two worlds of humans and vampires, the kings decided to sign a peace treaty with a marriage, but the only man they could offer for this marriage was a vampire said to be mad and completely heartless. When they said heartless, they meant really heartless, but Belle, being a naive girl her whole life, had no idea what she was stepping into by agreeing to this marriage.At first, he appeared innocent, a man completely opposite to all the rumors around him, until she slowly began to realize every single thing said about the mad vampire was true, or perhaps even worse! He was a man who walked in the path of darkness. He knew no light and showed no mercy, even to those who were not his enemies. He had no heart to love, no emotions but dark ones to feel for anything or anyone. But all of a sudden, when he set his eyes on her, he decided he wanted to keep her, and Belle's naive world began to take a different turn because the mad vampire was hellbent on tainting her innocent soul.Expect“Now, can we forget this happened and enjoy the night?” He arched an amused brow at her, making Belle's heart drop to her stomach as she recalled the so-called wedding night.She hurriedly pulled away from him, her face flaming with embarrassment. From everything she had heard about this night, she was not ready to experience it with this man. The women whispering about it in Mr. Marchant's shop had said one would hate their husband's presence after it and be disgusted by the act. It was not an act meant for pleasure for any woman but torture.Now that she realized her husband would do the same with her, she swallowed hard and nervously clutched her dress. “I...I am not feeling well, My Lord, I—”“Rohan,” he cut her off with a tone of amusement. “Use my name when you address me, sweetheart. You looked quite energetic when you tried to go after the ring for someone who isn't feeling well, but,” he sighed softly, “I've always been a generous man. I won't let you stress yourself tonight.”Belle began to sigh in relief and smile in her mind that he wouldn't push her for the wedding night ceremony. She was even about to part her lips and agree that he was indeed generous and even offer him a thank you when he continued to speak, causing the momentary relief to be replaced by dread.“I will pamper you tonight, and you won’t have to lift a hand. I will give you all the pleasure since you are feeling unwell. Take it as the first lesson in my plan to make you forget love and welcome lust.”“...!”“Lie on the bed for me, Isa.”Belle felt her throat go dry at that strict command.“I...I...” She began but could not find any words to say to make him spare her tonight. What had she got herself into? Belle thought as a pit seemed to form in her stomach, a deep, gnawing dread.“Do you need me to carry you to the bed, or would you rather walk there yourself?” Rohan questioned with dark mirth in his voice and eyes as he watched her like a hawk. He could tell she was nervous, but what to do? She had brought herself into his world.Belle began to walk slowly to the bed at a snail’s pace, as if delaying it would help prevent the dreadful act from happening tonight. She could feel him following closely behind her. When she reached the bed, she used her shaky hands to move the drapes aside and carefully sat at the edge of it, her hands folded nervously on her lap. She felt his piercing gaze on her, but she dared not look up at him.“Lie down,” he ordered softly.MATURE CONTENT, NO RAPE!!

The royal bastard of House Vasquer, Argrave, changed after his stay studying magic at the Tower of the Gray Owl.

The sickly man's awkward posture and cruel behavior have been replaced with a neat dignity and acerbic wit.

Though once listless, he now strives towards his goals with a life-or-death tenacity.

Most come away thinking he seems to know too many details about too much. Few can claim to know his motives or his goals.

Yet behind that confident appearance, the primary contributor for an open-world RPG's wiki battles existential dread and things far beyond his ken as he struggles to adapt to a grim, gothic fantasy world mirroring his favorite game.

The prospect of fighting against a world-ending calamity loses all of its appeal when it transitions from entertainment to reality.

Argrave is spurred towards unwanted heroism to preserve his life as he struggles desperately to keep this sinking ship afloat.