Hollow Ascension - Chapter 124: Subtle Manipulation

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.

Dilan, 21-years-old, was anything but ordinary. He sought adrenaline wherever he could.

Life didn’t feel worth living on the small blue planet he was born on.

However, it was a seemingly ordinary night on new year’s eve that everything changed!

A raging storm manifested on the mountainside he had climbed on to feel free, to escape the ordinary world that bored him to death.

And death was what awaited him eagerly as he was flung through the air, just to be pricked by an old, seemingly ancient tree trunk.

Not even a miracle would be enough to save him anymore.

But it was just at this moment that something much bigger than a miracle happened.

Every single existence on the blue planet got connected to the Log of the Ancient, something most would label as “Status”.

The ordinary and mundane world changed forever, turning into a bloody and merciless battlefield as the Primordial Ascension unsealed the shackles that weighed on the planet for millions of years.

Mythical mana was unleashed, animals began to mutate, zombies emerged, and monsters known from fairy tales appeared out of Gates.

Follow the journey of a man, who seeks adrenaline, who embraces pain, who overcomes death itself …a man, who will become an Undying existence!

The existence of a magician is to understand the truth of the real world. Saleen Metatrin, an ordinary magician, initially wanted to change one’s mind and destiny. During this, he went through many situations and phases in his life.

When Bai Zhen Zhen woke up, she had actually become the main character of your typical Mary Sue novel.

Car crash, miscarriage, amnesia… In order to fight with her for the male leads’ affection, those vicious women would stop at nothing.

Bai Zhen Zhen said: Who wants a bicycle! Only by walking the way of Buddha I can live a life free of worries till my old age!

As a result, she resolutely avoided the first, second and third male leads, and found a passerby to sign a contract marriage.

The day after obtaining the marriage certificate, shocking headlines stunned the world:

The only grandson of the world’s richest Huo family, Huo Xiang, who had been missing for 22 years, has finally been found!

Bai Zhen Zhen: Such coincidence? His name is exactly the same as yours!

Huo Xiang: Darling, it’s me.

Bai Zhen Zhen: ?

On a certain day after the marriage, Bai Zhen Zhen took out several sheets of paper from the bottom of a box. It was the noninterference agreement they had signed before getting married.

On the cover, a string of gilded bold letters almost burnt her eyes –– 《Bai Zhen Zhen x Huo Xiang’s True Love Filling 10,000 Years of Sweetness and Love Premarital Agreement》 ––

Meow meow meow???

//Male Lead’s version//

On a certain day, Huo Xiang was suddenly bound to a “Saving the female lead” system, and he transmigrated into a book with the mission of rescuing the female MC who was on the verge of experiencing a life full of suffering and torments.

Side quest 1: Find the female lead. If the mission is completed successfully, your health will be restored.

Side quest 2: Marry the female lead within a week. After the mission succeeds, a new identity will be unlocked.

Side quest 3: …..

Besides completing the side quests that pop up from time to time, he must do his best to love the female lead and let her reach 100 points of happiness.

As a result….

Huo Xiang: Darling, I have cut the fruit for you, let me feed you, ok?

Bai Zhen Zhen’s happiness points: +0.1.

Huo Xiang: Darling, the green tea bitch2 that came to pick up a fight with you has already been driven out by me.

Bai Zhen Zhen’s happiness points: +1.

Huo Xiang: Darling, I will be busy these days, you will have to play by yourself.

Bai Zhen Zhen’s happiness points: +10.

Huo Xiang: ???

- Description from Novelupdates