I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun - Chapter 309: Ice and Fire

【Pure Romance + Marriage before Love + Mind Reading + Feel-Good Story + Entertainment Industry】

Shen Tang, a struggling actress, finds herself transported into the pages of a book as the contracted wife of the domineering CEO, Gu Huai’an.

She doesn’t have to fulfill any wifely duties or do much of anything. All she needs to do is occasionally attend family gatherings and create the illusion of a loving couple. In return, she receives a monthly payment of 5 million yuan and stands to gain 200 million yuan when they divorce.

Shen Tang can barely contain her laughter. Could there be such a good deal?

In the book, Shen Tang falls in love with Gu Huai’an and foolishly hopes to turn their contractual marriage into a real one, but in the end, she gains nothing.

Thinking about this outcome, Shen Tang shakes her head and sighs. What a naive girl, unable to see things clearly.

Wouldn’t it be great to live a stable life and walk away with 300 million yuan after two years of marriage?

Shen Tang decides to fully embrace a carefree life.

·

Gu Huai’an gets a second chance at life.

He remembers how Shen Tang messed things up in their previous life.

However, he waits and waits, but Shen Tang remains silent.

He asks the butler, “What has my wife been up to lately?”

The butler awkwardly smiles and says, “Madam spends her days shopping and admiring handsome men.”

Gu Huai’an: …

By a stroke of luck, Gu Huai’an discovers he can hear Shen Tang’s thoughts.

But wait, wasn’t she supposed to be head over heels in love with him? Why has she become…

Initially, Gu Huai’an only wanted to endure the two-year contract period and divorce this woman.

However, later on, he kneels down and humbly pleads, “Tang Tang, can we not get divorced?”

Xia Xiaoluo never expected that a takeout delivery would change her life forever.

Kim Hyun Woo lived the life of the wealthy thanks to his parents. But one day, he received a phone call informing him of a traffic accident which involved his parents. His father had died and his mother was hospitalized in critical condition. The normal life he once knew, collapsed…

They sold their house, cancelled various insurance plans, and moved to a one room apartment. And after a few years, Hyun Woo spends four to six hours tending to his mother and worked to pay for her medical bills.

One day, one of his Instructors recommended him for position in a company called Global Exos, who made an announcement of making history with the newest technological invention.

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.