Hard Enough - Chapter 209: Diplomacy

For five years, I've lived the life of a failure. Smashing my hands against the wooden target in hopes of entering a meditative state; a necessary step to becoming a cultivator.For five years, I've faced nothing but disappointment, looks of pity, and meager attempts at encouragement.But everything has to come to an end. An end, that for me, became a new beginning!Circuits, wires, and capacitors? Or maybe spirit powder, Spricur crystals, and Qi gathering formations?In a world where cultivation is, for most, merely a hobby and the worlds of mysticism and science are divided, I shall be the one to craft a bridge between the two!Why rely on ancient arrays to harness dense Qi? Isn't it easier to buy one of my converters, plug it into the wall, and be done with it?Is your gaming console malfunctioning, yet no tech shop can find the cause? Have you tried this the exorcising swatter 3.0?And you! Yes, you, the one whose reflection appears on the screen on your phone once you block it! Why would you buy static figurines if you can come to my shop... And get your hands on waifus that will actively flirt with you?Come all ye troubled souls, and allow this God to craft a solution to all your problems!

By the time I reached thirty, I hadn't managed to provide any of the happiness I wanted for my wife.I also still couldn't become the support my parents relied on.At this turning point in my fate, my income suddenly began to increase randomly.(A daily life tale in a wealthy family setting, featuring a single female lead and no harem.)

Carlos Valois thought dying once was enough—until he woke up as a 10-year-old in the world of “The Dark Era,” a game he'd mastered in his previous life.Born as the last heir of a fallen noble house, Carlos discovers he's destined for a tragic fate: in six years, he'll be manipulated into joining the dark forces and killed by his own childhood friend. But this time, he has the ultimate cheat code—memories of the future.While other kids play with toys, Carlos hunts for divine legacies. Using his game knowledge, he performs an ancient ritual and steals a Demigod Mark from the thousand-year Sacred Oak—a power that should have remained hidden for decades.At 15, Carlos awakens as a Death Herald with broken stats that shouldn't be possible. Most Death Heralds are fragile summoners hiding behind weak skeletons. But Carlos combines his necromancy with stolen divine abilities, creating a hybrid build that turns him into an unstoppable force......[Skeleton Warrior has successfully evolved into Purple Thornblade Skeleton Guard!][Purple Thornblade Skeleton Guard has activated Bond: Glory of the Purple Thornblades!][Twelve Purple Thornblade Guards have formed an Undead Armored Knight Legion!].....His skeleton warriors aren't cannon fodder—they're elite undead legions enhanced beyond normal limits through secret evolution paths that took thousands of players years to discover.Every “coincidental” encounter is actually Carlos farming legendary opportunities. While his sister thinks he's just a lucky genius, Carlos systematically raids every hidden treasure, secret technique, and forgotten legacy he remembers from the game. Ancient bloodlines, divine artifacts, mystical cultivation methods—if it exists, he's taking it.With his infinitely evolving undead legion, Carlos set out on a path to rewrite destiny and become the supreme Death Herald legend.

“....She was his drug, he was her water...”.............Arissa had always been an avid fan of freedom. She hated nothing more than being tied down to a relationship, especially when she was still in her early twenties. Yet, her parents had come up with an ultimatum marriage proposal.Strong-willed, confident, independent, and wild Arissa was forced to be humble to her parents and grant their wish of doing something extreme to her to save the life of someone she loves to a fault...And let's not forget, she lives for that person.Fast forwarding to Nicklaus Wyatt, we have a successful, cold-hearted, and Dominant CEO. On the outside, he is the most successful man on planet Earth and the most eligible bachelor but on the inside, he is an extremely damaged and broken soul of no repairs.His mysterious Aura also made it extremely hard for anyone to come close so, they just admired him from a distance.He only has one wish and that is to expand his empire more and not some stupid marriage proposal. So, do we think he would accept the marriage deal??.......“I'm your wife and yet, we live like strangers do!” Arissa seethed, gripping his tie in her fist as she tried to support herself. “Of course, it would eventually result in something as ridiculous as a cheating scandal. We aren't even acting like a normal couple should!” She emphasized lowly.Bringing her hand to wrap around his neck, she suddenly missed her footing again and then, she braced herself for the fall about to come but surprisingly, a strong arm for the second time in a night, held her waist firmly.Arissa smiled drunkenly as she made herself comfortable in his strong arms. Bringing her both hands to his checks, she gave them a pinch.“You were scared I would fall?” she asked him with a drunken smile. Yet, that smile was quickly replaced with a frown when she met with nothing but a cold gaze in reply.She pouted and brought her hand to his mouth. Tracing his lips with her slender fingers, “We don't even kiss” she complained with a smile, and at the same time, unknown tears slipped from her eyes.Nicklaus stared at her tears and down at her plump-tinted red lips. He stared at her face again and at her eyes that are already fully stocked with tears and without a second thought, he bent slightly and gave her a light kiss on her lips.SPOILER ALERT::Don't expect a fast romance. Romance would come late because both ML and FL are hard to tame.Their relationship would also go through numerous ups and downs, including occasional break-ups, aggressive ex-girlfriends, attempted murderers, and more.But, would their love strive through all the obstacles or would a few blows and manipulation crumble themDisclaimer: cover is not mine.Daily update, 14 chapters a week. Bonus chapters when pleased.I need all the support I can get from you all I also promise to put in my best.Thank you for reading and supporting sweethearts.....