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"Hearts in the Dark: Between Doubts and Desires" follows the story of two friends and a criminal who are transported to a world where secrets from the past and fears of the future collide, shaping the destiny of men destined to "not" meet. Damián, a hardened ex-mercenary scarred by life's hardships, suddenly finds himself linked to Adam, a powerful Alpha Prime. But while Adam yearns to explore the possibilities of love and a new world, Damián finds himself trapped in a spiral of distrust and self-doubt. He doesn't believe in the promises of a different future, nor in the possibility of finding redemption in the arms of another man. As Damián and Adam struggle to overcome the barriers that separate them, their journey intertwines with the story of Aster and Callum, whose own romance blooms amidst the shadows of uncertainty. While Aster and Callum defy societal conventions and embrace the intensity of their forbidden love, Damián faces his own inner demons, struggling to find the trust needed to fully surrender to the other. As the paths of these two couples cross and intertwine, they discover that the true power of love lies in self-acceptance and the courage to trust the unknown. In a world where the past threatens to consume the present and the future seems uncertain, love reveals itself as the guiding light in their darkness, showing them that together, they can find the peace and redemption they so desperately seek.

《MY DAZZLING NEW LIFE WITH MY NEW HUSBAND》 《 Daily chapters everyday 》 Xue Guiying dies by his own hand. Born an illegitimate Omega into a family that treated him as a burden and a bargaining chip, he spent his first life enduring every cruelty they had to offer. When they finally found a use for him, it was the worst possible one: an arranged marriage to a man who broke him completely over five years. Abused, assaulted, and stripped of all dignity, Guiying chose the only exit he believed was left to him. Then he wakes up five years earlier, whole in body if not in spirit, with the full weight of everything he remembers. Before his family can lock him into the same fate, Guiying walks into a civil affairs bureau and marries the first willing stranger he finds. That stranger turns out to be Liu Liuxian, scion of the most powerful family in China and a top-class Alpha who is, apparently, just as eager to escape an arranged marriage of his own. What follows is a marriage neither of them planned, and both of them slowly begin to want. Behind Liuxian's cold exterior is a man of quiet, unexpected gentleness. For Guiying, learning to receive warmth without flinching is its own kind of battle. He did not come back to fall in love. He came back to win. Yet somehow, both things begin to happen at once. Because while Guiying is falling, he is also methodically dismantling everyone who destroyed his first life. And his former husband, unwilling to accept Guiying's new life, is making that task considerably more dangerous. In the end, every person who wronged Xue Guiying meets the ruin they deserve, and he finds himself standing in a life that is finally, entirely his own, with a man beside him who chose him back. This time, he does not have to die to be free.

"A quickie break?" One of the owners suggested during our walk in the forest. I immediately jumped to my feet and quickly removed my dress after I learned what a quickie meant. "...Which bastard taught her to undress so fast?" Madam questioned, watching me fold my clothes neatly on a nearby rock, "Now she makes sex look like a chore, a boring chore." All the nine owners shared a look before grinning at her. "Choreplay? That's new. Let's try that." I was pushed against the rock by one of the owners and got my back stroked by his scorpion tail. Another owner's snake tail joined him and he began to rub it in between my legs. The owners called it 'preparing a lamb for cooking' and I was 'the only ingredient they needed'. "C...cooking?" I asked. "Yeah, you are going to get cooked by the heat of our cocks." The head male grinned, and the others chuckled. I trembled at his words, remembering how some beastmen liked to play with their food before eating it. "Will Ma-madam...eat me too?" "...Eat you?" Madam coughed and clicked her tongue at the owners. "I'm going to eat them first for making you say shit like that, that's for sure. And no, I'm not eating you. I'm just going to fuck the daylight out of you, that's all." "Thank you, Madam," I sighed in relief, and the owners laughed at me. I didn't understand what was so funny. I just didn't want to be eaten by these apex predators who could swallow me whole and still have room for more. The last thing I wanted was to end up in their stomachs. ─────────────────────── Tags: harem, primitive world, beast world, polygamy, bisexual/pansexual harem (bxb, gxg, bxg), femdom, fluff, wholesome, comedy #NO-RAPE #Skippable-smut-scenes-warnings #NO-CHEATING ─────────────────────── A/N: This is a niche story, an experiment, you may call it, which means I don't really expect this to appeal to the masses. Thus the reason why I keep it free to read, with the updates being a bit slow. There's an option to buy faster releases, but really, it's not supposed to follow the regular paid novel schedule. Thank you for your patience in this fast-paced world. :) ──────────────────────── ☆Extra Chapter: 10/50 Coins in Gifts ☆Extra Chapter Slots Left: 3 (Max 3/Week) ──────────────────────── Discord (choose beast-world updates, that's my personal channel): https://discord.gg/JqxcESBCqB

#slow burn Cast into a bottomless waterfall as an infant, Zaliyah was supposed to die. Instead, the hybrid abomination born of a forbidden celestial and demon affair was hidden away, raised as the fragile, cherished young master of the human noble house. He lived a luxurious life, existing only for his protective elder brother, Karas. But when Karas is left at death's door, Zaliyah strikes a desperate bargain with the ruthless King of the Underworld, Malachi: his hand in marriage in exchange for his brother's life. He expected a cold political arrangement. He didn't expect a bloodbath of an honorary banquet, a brutal exile to the northwest territory, or the two devastating secrets that would change the Underworld forever: Zaliyah is a celestial, and he is pregnant. Years later, the fragile "White Lotus" has returned to the palace. With his powers mastered and a heart turned to ice, Zaliyah is feigning amnesia and playing the submissive consort to win Malachi's favour and attention. He has a court of betrayal, poisons, and ancient wars to navigate. Now, he’s going to burn Malachi’s kingdom to the ground — starting with the throne itself.

***WARNING!!!! 21+ AREA! BE WISE TO CHOOSE WHAT YOU READ!*** Title: I Was Sent To Another World As A Villain. Category: BL (Boy's Love) Genre: Fantasy Rating: Mature (21+) Tags: •Another World• , •Adventure• , •Harem• , •Super Powers• , •Sword and Magic• , •Romance• , •Overpowered• A man realized that he had found himself in the world of a game he had once played. In this world, contract symbols appear in various colors, signifying different states: •Black Symbol: Engraved when a couple has sexual relations outside of marriage. •Yellow Symbol: Engraved when a couple has sexual relations while engaged. •White Symbol: Engraved when a couple has sexual relations after marriage. •Red Symbol: Engraved on a person who kills their own partner. •Blue Symbol: Engraved on a person whose partner has passed away. •Broken Black Symbol: Engraved on a rapist. Consequently, the perpetrator must be setenced to death. The symbol is permanent and cannot be hidden. Even if someone recklessly cuts off their hand to get rid of the symbol, the mark will reappear on the perpetrator's forehead as a warning to everyone. Therefore, no one dares to commit sexual crimes or kill their own life partner. And the most absolute law of nature: Anyone who violates the Life-and-Death contract, such as divorcing a loyal partner without a justified reason, lies, or because of an affair, then that person will die instantly on the spot. However, Besides Allen (The Hero), there are many other characters who are the romance targets. They're all so cute! But in this world, I became a villain who will destroy the world. And I was asked to change my bleak future. I am determined! No matter what happens in the future, my goal is to protect my family! A new life as Arvin Vedegra began. And then... Please read it by yourself... v^.^v

After a simple extraction mission, Kenneth makes a dire mistake that wipes out his entire team. Left alone and bleeding out, Kenneth has no choice but to pray to a higher being in hopes of getting a second chance at life. Luckily for him, his prayers are answered as he finds himself in the body of a man who has the same name as him! Now, faced with a strange world he is unfamiliar with, all he can do is follow the previous owners' wishes to enter the infamous military academy Toleran and become a renowned Anchor. The problem is finding a Striker to pair with. In comes Lucien Saint-James, the captain of the third division and a high-class Striker with whom he has the highest compatibility. The problem is, whenever Lucien is around, he gets this uncontrollable urge to bring him to his knees, not to mention that he doesn’t care for his arrogant attitude either. Now, Kenneth faces a dilemma. If he ever hopes to make it out of this academy alive and realize the dreams of the original Kenneth, he will have to suck up his pride and learn to hide his urges if he wants to make it out in one piece. Oh, and did he mention he had to deal with monsters and mystical beasts too?! ****************************************** Excerpt: “Kiss me.” Kenneth blinked. “What—“ “You heard me. Do it. Now.” Anger flashed in his eyes yet his body moved before his brain could tell him to stop. He reached for the Striker and their lips met. Kenneth poured his energy into Lucien, filling the barren pit inside his mind, giving him enough juice to keep going. The two pulled away, and Lucien’s steely eyes met his, holding him in place. “You always look like you hate anchoring me, but then you get that blissful look on your face that screams ‘I want more’. It’s cute.” Kenneth felt an unbearable urge to slap the smug smile off his face. But since now wasn’t the time to commit acts of violence against his pair. He held himself back. He would deal with him properly later. “Eat shit, captain.” Was all he said before sending him off. ****** A guideverse story with a little twist, hot and cold romance with a whole lot of slow burn (emphasis on burn because the MC refuses to admit his feelings, the stubborn fool). TW: Trauma, survival’s guilt, and violence

The Little Night had long since become Luka’s home. A place where he could hide behind the bar counter like a shield, pretending this quiet life would last forever. But on one perfectly ordinary evening, he noticed a man in a flawless suit, asleep at the bar and unbothered by the noise around him. Luka found himself intrigued, and sometimes even a small spark of curiosity is enough to change everything and reveal what was meant to stay hidden.

He was the world's most feared assassin—codename Phantom, ranked number one globally, living behind countless identities and masks. But when a mission goes catastrophically wrong, he dies in the arms of the one person he could never admit he loved, whispering a final wish: "If there's a next life... let me be ordinary." His wish is granted. Sort of. He wakes up as Lin Yuer, a sixteen-year-old scholarship student at an elite all-boys academy—except this body is everything Phantom wasn't. Overweight, plain, bullied relentlessly, and so overlooked that his own sister poisoned him without anyone caring. The original Lin Yuer died wishing for just one thing: to be beautiful. Now trapped in this new life with a bizarre "Beauty Restoration System" that rewards kindness with attractiveness, our former legendary assassin must navigate high school hell while desperately hiding his trained instincts. But staying hidden becomes impossible when a video of him defending others goes viral, catching the attention of four powerful men—each connected to Phantom's past life, each searching desperately for the assassin they lost three years ago. Xie Yunlan, the obsessive CEO who was Phantom's handler and who held him as he died, promising to find him across lifetimes. Kai Zhen, the ruthless military general who once fought beside him. Shen Rui, the dangerous underground king who owes Phantom a life debt. And Adrian Wolfe, the golden-haired international billionaire who loved Phantom from afar. They all suspect. They all investigate. And slowly, impossibly, they begin to realize the truth—that the beautiful boy with trained movements and haunted eyes might be the ghost they've been mourning. As Lin Yuer transforms from overlooked victim to devastating beauty, he's caught between his old identity and his new life, between four men who loved Phantom and want to claim Lin Yuer, and between the peaceful ordinary existence he craved and the dangerous extraordinary destiny that won't let him go. Because Phantom's death wasn't an accident. The Organization that created him isn't finished. A mysterious figure called "The Master" is hunting for him with obsessive determination. And the four men circling Lin Yuer with increasingly possessive intensity might be his only protection—or his greatest weakness. In a world where his past won't stay buried and his present is spiraling into chaos, Lin Yuer must decide: keep running from who he was, or embrace both identities and become something entirely new—someone strong enough to survive whatever's coming, beautiful enough to captivate four dangerous men, and brave enough to finally accept the love Phantom always thought he didn't deserve. After all, dying was easy. Living? Living is the real challenge.

Noel Arden just wants to disappear. As a member of a prestigious and influential family known for producing powerful espers and guides, Noel’s D classification is an embarrassment. Determined to work as a guide despite his father’s opposition, Noel spends his days in the D-suite of Halo, the largest, most successful Paradigm agency in the country, keeping his head down and enduring the less pleasant aspects of his job. It’s not a bad life; he likes his coworkers, he doesn’t have to rely on his increasingly hostile father, and he’s almost never deployed to Fray sites. As long as he steers clear of his S-class esper half-brother, he can just melt into the background and pretend to be a normal, low level guide, just one of hundreds in Halo’s bottom ranks. Invisible and unremarkable. Exactly the way he wants it. Then an emergency situation during an unexpected deployment forces Noel to shatter his quiet, boring life with his own hands and thrusts him directly into the notoriety he’s worked so hard to avoid. When he witnesses Jade Ransom, Halo’s star esper and one of the only S-classes in the country, melting down from corruption overload, Noel has no choice but to use the ability he swore to never reveal in order to save both Jade and the city from destruction. Jade, desperate after a life of guiding intolerance, latches onto Noel as the only guide he’s ever properly synced with and insists on being exclusive partners. With his back against the wall and his pesky conscience whispering in his ear, Noel agrees. Struggling to balance his secret, his normal job, and his connection to Jade, Noel finds the stable life he worked so hard to build crumbling around him. And as he and Jade grow closer, Noel has to reckon with the vast differences between them and decide if he’s prepared to burn himself out just to let Jade shine. #GUIDEVERSE #ESPER #SLOWBURN [ADULT LANGUAGE AND SUBJECT MATTER] *original cover by me

Being transmigrated wasn't in Reis's bucket list. Being so in an unpredictable world with danger lurking everywhere? Not even in his nightmare journal. So he definitely isn't thrilled when his soul is literally dragged out into a void and forced into a foreign body. Or about the blue screen of doom, trying to convince him that everything was exactly how it was supposed to be. Like hell it was right for him to be in line for the throne. Surely, Reis had run out of luck. But that didn't mean he was foolish enough to play hero. No. Why must he sacrifice his peace for something so foolish? Reis just had to wait. Until the royal family let their guard down, and he had enough money to escape far away. Just enough to escape heaven's eyes. And someone promised to help. Someone who didn't even know how to hold a human right side up. The fearsome guardian, who, for some reason, picked the weakest human to bother. It cost Reis half his mortal soul and a bit more, but what can he do? Escaping the throne is more important than dignity. Once the trouble's off his shoulder, he'd find a peaceful land to settle in and spend the rest of his mortal life lazing away. The perfect escape plan. But how is he supposed to escape from this so-called guardian again, at least before losing himself entirely? Well, not anytime soon. *** Antihero, bitter MC X Villainous, transcend level ML.

Blue, a nine-hundred-year-old vampire, has spent centuries searching for something he was told could never exist for his kind—a mate. While vampires are believed to be incapable of forming true fated bonds, Blue refuses to let go of the possibility, especially after witnessing his werewolf family find theirs. The absence of such a connection leaves a quiet but persistent emptiness in him, one that drives his relentless search across the centuries. Everything changes when Blue senses the unmistakable pull of a bond in a small town high school. There, he finds Mason Carter—his mate. However, the discovery comes with an immediate and troubling complication: Mason is only thirteen years old. Unwilling to interfere in Mason’s life too soon, Blue chooses to remain in the shadows. For years, he watches over him from a distance, ensuring his safety while suppressing his own desire to step in. As time passes, Blue becomes intimately aware of Mason’s life—his quiet nature, his insecurities, and the emotional damage inflicted by those around him. Mason grows up in an environment devoid of support. At school, his best friend Caleb slowly destroys his confidence, reinforcing feelings of worthlessness and shame, particularly surrounding his sexuality. At home, Mason faces emotional neglect and a lack of acceptance, leaving him isolated and vulnerable. Over time, the weight of these experiences erodes his self-worth. By the time Mason turns eighteen, Blue is still holding himself back, determined to respect the boundaries he set. However, Mason’s situation worsens. His internal struggles deepen, and his belief that he is unlovable becomes firmly rooted. The turning point comes when Mason gathers the courage to confess his feelings to Caleb, only to be cruelly rejected and humiliated. Witnessing this breaks the last of Blue’s restraint. The years of watching, waiting, and enduring Mason’s suffering become unbearable. Driven by both love and long-suppressed possessiveness, Blue finally steps out of the shadows. He inserts himself into Mason’s life, determined to protect him, support him, and undo the damage that has been done. As Blue claims his place beside his mate, he also sets his sights on those who hurt him. What begins as protection quickly blurs into something darker, as Blue’s centuries of patience give way to a more ruthless side. Those who contributed to Mason’s pain must now face the consequences.

Fated Fragments (Updates - Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday) "Not yet perfect, but perfect for each other." Dear Toffee (Part 1- Completed) Forgotten memories, forgotten promises. It is always them... From further away, a voice called out, "Phi... Phi Artit..." Artit looked back at him. Seeing Toffee's smile, he whispered, "Don't hate me. Don't run away from me... don't miss me... don't die before me. Don't worry, I will do anything for you..." Maybe this time, the threads which were long lost will connect... but how long? How long do they need to wait? A story of two souls finding each other. First And Only (Part 2- Ongoing) "Kao... tell me, did you truly love me?" The words resounded inside him. Mok forcefully pulled his hand away. Without turning back, he walked out into the middle of the quiet, moonlit road, leaving Kao standing there alone. Tears fell from both of them. "I am not perfect for you, Kao. You deserve someone better than me..." "Don't leave me, Mok..." They are lost, trying to find their way home, trying to find their warmth. In the middle of it all, they lost their love and their choices. Yet, hope still remains, because to each other, they are perfect. "It's for you, Mok... my first and last." The destiny of two, where they must overcome and find what their night is. Note: Fated Fragments consist of four parts in total. Parts 1 and 2 will be combined into one book because they are connected, while Part 3 and Part 4 will be released as separate books: The Only Haven (Part 3) and Borrowed Light (Part 4).

An alpha without a pack is like a house without a roof. Theodore Pembroke has lived for years with only vengeance in his heart. As the last of his kind, he knows the dark forces that destroyed his pack will come for him one day—and when they do, he’ll be ready. But even the best-laid plans will often go awry. The enemy he’s been preparing for turns out to be an unexpected ally, and a sudden and fragile spark of hope makes a mess of everything. While fighting Ryder Asherman of the Luna’s Sentinels, Theodore uncovers a series of deeper truths: his true enemies remain hidden, there might still be a way to restore his pack, and the cold hunger for revenge burning inside him evolve into something else entirely. All of this ought to bring him focus and clarity. If only fate didn’t have such ridiculous demands, like mating with a clairvoyant who looks like he barely weighs a hundred and twenty pounds sopping wet, and partnering with a human guardian who was meant for another pack. It’s as if Theodore Pembroke is destined for hand-me-downs and becoming the butt of this absurdly attractive skinny pup’s jokes. If this is his fate, then clearly, something is very wrong. And fate might want to rethink things.

"If you steal my cat! I will steal your heart!!! MR. NEIGHBOUR!" NEIGHBOUR X NEIGHBOUR. The bridge is the Cat and rival in love too. Xu Jin, a reckless second-generation young master, runs away from his wealthy family in a burst of stubborn rebellion. Determined to prove he can live independently, Liang Chen, a gentle literature professor, lives quietly next door with his lively grandmother. Their home is calm, tidy, filled with tea fragrance and old books — the opposite of Xu Jin’s chaotic new life. Their paths collide in a pet shop when both try to buy the same white kitten. A ridiculous bidding war ends with Xu Jin winning the cat, much to Liang Chen’s frustration. Neither realizes they will soon be neighbors — until moving day brings the shocking discovery that they live separated by only one wall.

“You incompetent god! I should’ve been the Alpha with big di*k, not some pitiful Omega!” — Cherion’s death was… not heroic. Winning the lottery only to die of a heart attack five minutes later was the definition of cosmic irony. But fate wasn’t done laughing at him yet. He woke up inside a tragic omegaverse novel he once read, right in the body of the pitiful omega doomed to be rejected, humiliated, and die alone. Still, he thought, “Fine. I’ll just avoid the main plot.” Except the main plot avoided him. But the script suddenly changed! Instead of being cast aside, Cherion was married off to Zarius, the empire’s greatest war hero… and the man destined to become the villain everyone feared. A cursed Alpha, praised as a savior but fated to die by the Crown Prince’s hand. Married to the future villain? Doomed. Married to a cursed Alpha? Double doomed. No, no doomed at all! He had a plan. A brilliant, flawless, absolutely desperate plan… but still a plan! “I said I’ll help you break your curse. In exchange, you let me go. Do we have a deal or not? Or are you too insecure to trust an Omega?” “Careful, little Omega. That sharp tongue of yours is daring me to test how it tastes.”

༺❘✦ (18+) ✦❘༻ Ryo thought moderating online fan drama about Llewellyn, the world's most famous hero, was the worst part of his job... What he didn't expect was the System deciding his online arguments counted as combat experience and dropping him into a magical apocalypse with Llewellyn himself! He also didn't expect the Internet to start shipping them! And he certainly didn't expect the System's idea of "combat partner" to involve an absurd amount of physical contact disguised as Healing Bonuses, shared body heat, Dungeon environments that look like dates, or being randomly teleported onto Llewellyn's lap! Llewellyn might be the strongest person on Earth, but he has no one to watch his back. Luckily for him, Ryo has had to deal with his unhinged online following for years… and he is more than willing to get his hands dirty in person. ━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━ What you'll find: BL | Magic | System | 18+ - Night-shift comment moderator x Reclusive overpowered hero - Mutual "I'd die for him" energy - Protective ML whose love language is pinning him down - Slow burn that doesn't feel like slow burn - Only one bed - Competence k1nk - Mutual attraction - Banter as forepl4y - Non-toxic yaoi that's still unhinged - Rope that ties itself (iykyk) - The System is a Shipper! - A penguin! - Accidental domesticity - Found family - Everybody ships them including Grandma - The strongest hero alive, possessive over one man - Spice level: MAX ━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━ Content Note: The rating goes up a lot as the story progresses! Expect mutual attraction, sexual tension, only one bed trope, and explicit scenes between consenting adults. This story also features fantasy combat, monster attacks, and action-based injury typical of the genre. Nothing too graphic overall, but blood appears in fight scenes. ━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━ Webnovel updates: Mon / Fri Early access is available on Patreon (25+ chapters ahead and increasing). Thank you so much for your support! ━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━ BL, Fantasy, System, Romance, M/M, Magic, Action, Character-driven, Feral Partnership, Idiots in Love, Getting Together, Slow Burn, Smut, Ropes, Humor, Banter, Dungeons, Distorted Realms, Magical Apocalypse, Internet Drama, VR Games, Elemental Cafés, a Penguin.

The sequel to Hunting the Field Guide. Kellen thought that his troubles were over. He'd dealt with the issue of the Poison Gate, he'd saved his sister, and he found out the location of where his trusty fellow Field Guide was located. As far as he was concerned, things were finally looking up for him. He could finally, finally live out the peaceful life he'd wished for when he'd first left the Front Lines. But then the E.A.G. reared it's old head. A hydra, a beast that just wouldn't die, Kellen was at his damn wit's end. All he wanted was to live out the life he'd literally carved out for himself. He just wanted to be happy with his Captain. Why was it so damn hard? ~ Meanwhile, Brent Jameson just wanted to be left alone. A man who knew he could have exceptional talent, Brent just wanted to do what he loved. Sleep around, escort people through Gates, and drink his problems away whenever he wanted to. He did not want to be the new Head of a Guild. That sounded like the exact opposite of what a man like him would want to do. He also didn't want to be attached. Maybe Kellen was right and he had a type, and maybe he avoided that kind of person, but hey, he was just a guy. He couldn't be with someone when he was worried at any minute that he could be teleported away from them and dropped into the ocean. Hell, it was dangerous for him to even have friends. Now that he was back 'home' with his lovely, wonderful family, he knew that he had made the right choice. Brent was better off alone.

Xiao Shou transmigrates into a cultivation world and discovers he is only a minor supporting character destined to be used and discarded in the main plot. To survive, he awakens a special ability called Absolute Fusion, which lets him combine items to upgrade them into higher-level treasures. Avoiding the dangerous main storyline involving the heroine and a transmigrator, he quietly cultivates in a hidden location. By fusing spirit stones, pills, techniques, and rare treasures, he grows stronger at an incredible speed. As powerful cultivators and fate itself begin to close in, Xiao Shou refuses to become cannon fodder. He will use his fusion ability to rise step by step and change his destined ending, becoming strong enough to control his own fate.

A journalist faces threats towards his family forcing him to dive into a dangerous mission of money laundering, drug and human trafficking. Torn between embracing a criminal life or fleeing away and never look back, he must make a choice.

Before meeting Shen Xu, all Zhen Yuan wanted was to seek the dao and cultivate to the peak. After meeting Shen Xu, he thought the dao was important, but his wife was the most important. When Shen Xu transmigrated into a book, he mistakenly believed that Zhen Yuan was not a character in the original story. What he didn't expect was that his husband was the most mysterious and powerful unnamed character in the original novel.