MTL - Seeking Happiness - Chapter 43 Waist drop

Eric Maddox, a 70-year-old American retired football coach once hailed for his tactical brilliance, now forgotten by time—closes his eyes for what he believes is a normal nap in his quiet Florida retirement home.But when he opens them, he's not staring at ceiling tiles, instead, he's on a touchline.Wearing boots in the rain.With players running on the pitch, fans jeering behind barriers, and the smell of cheap turf pellets in the air.“What the hell is this?”He’s twenty-five again, but it’s not Earth. It’s a world where football reigns supreme. A world where the sport is religion, its practitioners, deities in cleats. Coaches are revered, players are worshipped, and even the kit man gets treated like royalty.But there's one catch: none of it is familiar. The clubs, the players, the leagues, the competitions, and even the currency—they're all different. Alien. Like waking up in a dream where the rules are the same, but the language is foreign.As if that wasn’t enough, the body he’s now in? A youth coach with a laughable win record, a looming divorce, and a measly fifty thousand in the bank that his ex-wife is fighting tooth and nail to take. All of it.Just when the spiral seems inevitable, a monotone chime pierces the noise.[Initiating Golden Finger…][…45%… 75%… 100%][System Integration Complete.][Welcome, host. You are now bound to the Pro Manager System. Objective: Dominate the Football World. A new era begins]From washed-up has-been to chosen one of destiny, Eric Maddox is about to trade arthritis pills for tactical boards, and shuffleboard for Prestigious Cup glory.Because in this world, tactics are power.And on this touchline, he’s about to become a god.

She was never supposed to love him, he was the one person she despised, but for how long could she deny the flutter and Sparks he made her feel.*******She is an assassin, the princess of the witches, sent to marry the Vampire King with one purpose—to kill him and secure her clan’s victory in a war that has raged for centuries.He is Rhydian, the brooding king burdened by his father’s bloody legacy, forced into the alliance to protect his people from the looming Dragon Empire.Rhydian distrusts the witches, while Seraphina resents the vampires, but neither is prepared for what fate has in stall. As they face palace intrigues, ancient prophecies, and brewing rebellion, their indifference begins to shift into something neither expected—love, an emotion they both try to deny, but is impossible to ignore.I won't call this an enemies to lovers because she is the only one who hates him, also...this will contain R18 scenes, I'll always highlight that on every chapter so you can skip if you want.A/N: I hope you all will stick with me till the end, feel free to check out my other book, I'm in love with a grim reaper, you might like it, I hope you do.Excerpt;Her fingers brushed against his forehead before he could react, her warm palms cupping both sides of his face as she studied him intently. His breath hitched at the sudden intimacy, his heart giving an involuntary stutter.What the hell was she doing?His gaze traced over her face, mapping every detail—the sharp glint of her violet eyes, the delicate curve of her nose, and her lips... God, her lips. Plump, red, slightly parted as she assessed him. He wanted to taste them again, to claim them fully.“Your fever seems to be coming down,” she murmured, tilting her head slightly. “My blood really did the trick, I see...”His jaw clenched.Did she have to check his temperature this way? There were plenty of other ways to do it—ones that didn't involve tempting him with that mesmerizing face of hers.She started to pull her hands away, but before she could, he caught her wrist, stopping her.She looked up at him, startled.“If you wanted to check my temperature, you could've done so in a simpler way,” he said, his lips curving into a playful grin. He tugged her closer, his grip firm but gentle. “Are you trying to seduce me, Purple?”Her heartbeat stuttered against his chest. He could hear it. Feel it.Then, to his surprise, she didn't pull away.Instead, a slow, wicked smile spread across her lips. She leaned in, her body pressing against his just enough to make his muscles tense.“What if I am?” she whispered, deliberately biting her bottom lip.Rhydian's breath caught.The last of his control snapped.“You asked for it,” he growled.In the next second, he crashed his lips against hers.The kiss was deep, desperate, consuming. His hand tangled in her hair, tilting her head to deepen the angle as his tongue swept into her mouth, claiming her fully. She responded instantly, matching his hunger with equal fervor.She wasn't perfect at kissing yet—he could tell she was still learning—but she made up for it with pure intensity, and damn if it didn't make his blood boil.His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him as his lips moved against hers with feverish need. His tongue tangled with hers, teasing, tasting, drinking her in as if she were the only thing that could satiate him.He bit down softly, drawing a gasp from her, and that little sound sent a violent pulse of arousal straight through him.He was already rock hard, aching with need.He hadn't touched a woman since the marriage arrangement was made. Maybe that was why he was losing control so easily. Or maybe it was just her. Maybe it had always been her.

# consume

Lu Yu, a foodie, transmigrated to a parallel world where all living beings on Earth had awakened to superpowers.

Fearsome Beasts rampaged everywhere and the lives of mankind were threatened.

When they came of age, youths would awaken their talents at the various martial arts dojos. They would then use their talents to protect their homeland.

Lu Yu awakened the power of Gluttony, an SSS-class talent.

His strength would increase every time he consumed the flesh of Fearsome Beasts. His spiritual soul would grow stronger every time he consumed their cores.

In other words, he was what he ate and he grew stronger by eating.

Apparently, the effect of Gluttony would even intensify when he consumed more high-end raw ingredients and better cooking methods.

As such, he embarked on the journey of becoming stronger through eating.

[Ding! Detected that host has consumed the flesh of a B-class king cobra. Acquired: Attribute of Poison Immunity.]

[Ding! Detected that host has consumed the heart of an A-class firebird. Obtained: Skill of Erupting Lava.]

[Ding! Detected that host has consumed the nerves of an SSS-class white dragon. Acquired: Talent of Endless Rebirth.]

While the others wailed, “The monsters are here! Run!”,

the monsters howled, “Lu Yu is here! Run!”

Lu Yu thought, “Standing at the top of the food chain feels nice!”

"In her previous life, she is used by her first love to send her own company into the tiger's den. She becomes bankrupt, gets kicked out of the house by her father, and becomes the target of ridicule by the family. Worst of all, she believes her best friend's lies, thinking that everything was done by her ‘husband’. Under her best friend's ploys, she almost kills him and is ultimately sentenced to prison, where she dies of depression.