Monster Factory - Chapter 322: The Press Conference Begins

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

As a rising Formula One race car driver, Ye Ci had always been criticized.

“Aloof and indifferent, unable to be reasoned with.”

“Suspected to have a mental illness, is this person really suitable for the track?”

“He doesn’t really love the sport, racing is just his way of venting his violent emotions.”

Huo Tinglan’s demeanor was always elegant and protective in front of the media, and he said that his husband was just quiet and introverted. After five years of marriage, they respected each other and were quite harmonious.

It was not until Ye Ci died unexpectedly during a race that Huo Tinglan gradually realized . . . . . .

He wasn’t quiet and introverted, but instead lifeless. Before finding his refuge, Ye Ci had gone through too many dark and painful moments.

After enduring years of suffering and longing, Huo Tinglan was unexpectedly reborn. Ye Ci was only eighteen years old this year, and everything was within reach.

Huo Tinglan was cheeky and went directly to his door to ask for a kiss.

- Description from Novelupdates

Chi Yue had never thought that the man she provoked while drunk would bring disaster upon her; if possible, she would rather have never met him at all.—“The day I'm released from my sentence, I'll marry you.”Chi Yue, dressed in a red dress, smiled seductively, “Fine, as long as you have the heart to send me there, as long as you can marry me on that day.”He personally had her incarcerated; the day he was released, all he received was her urn.

Duke Jiu Qiansui, Du Gu Wu, was forced to marry the rejected woman Feng Bailin due to illness, causing an uproar in the court.The princes came to “congratulate”: Although Feng Bailin is ugly, incompetent, and from a declining family, she does not fear his reputation of being a wife-killer and impotent, and even conveniently lets him be a cheap father. Worthy of congratulations.Du Gu Wu, thinking of the talentless, unattractive, and unvirtuous woman, coldly said: After one year, I will divorce.One year later, Du Gu Wu booked the largest restaurant in the world, invited friends to prepare for the divorce.Unexpectedly, the restaurant owner directly offered three days for free, saying it was to celebrate the divorce. When the first beauty who was mingling with heroes from all roads burped, she said: “You think I'm after his body, I just crave his imperial fortune.”After Duke Jiu Qiansui was divorced,In the first month, a plague swept the whole city, and the medical deity appeared, it was actually Feng Bailin.In the second month, famine was everywhere in the country, the richest man provided disaster relief, once again it was Feng Bailin.In the third month, an alliance of nine dynasties besieged the city, and ten thousand beasts defended it, it was still Feng Bailin.In a certain month, Duke Jiu Qiansui traveled across the nine provinces and eight wildernesses to pursue his wife: Ancestor, please let me marry in.The two cute children said in unison: Father King, you have to wait in line!