Tales of the Endless Empire - Chapter 1: A New Dawn

This story is set during the end of the Sui Dynasty, a time where multiple powers struggled for supremacy and power.

Into the fray enters two orphans Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling; these two youths by many chances and luck obtain ‘The Secret to Long Life’ allowing the two to obtain profound martial abilities and a chance to rise to the top in this age of turmoil.

That year…

Zhou Yang, an honest man who just got his driver’s license, crashed the camera of the Caotai crew. With no money, he could only sell himself to the crew to do odd jobs. I originally thought that if I worked until the film was finished, I would be able to regain my freedom.

However! ! !

When the swindler director ran away with the assistant director, and he was almost regarded as a fraud accomplice by the long-legged beauty investor, the honest Zhou Yang was dumbfounded.

“I’m on top? What do I take on top?”

“God, my major is electronic information technology. I’m just connected to wires. I don’t know anything about making movies…”

“…”

- Description from novelbuddy

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.

What if your own father and his mistress were behind your mother’s death? What if you were about to be sold if to a scumbag?