Under The Veil of Night - Chapter 53 Learning Cooking

Themes: Black Market Trading, Global Crime Networks, Boundaries of Human Nature and Morality, The Struggle Between Truth and SurvivalStory Background:In a modern metropolis, the surface level of prosperity conceals the darkness and corruption lurking beneath. Ethan, a highly skilled detective, spends his life navigating the shadowy corners of the city, uncovering the hidden secrets buried beneath the mundane facade of everyday life. When he is drawn into what initially seems like a simple suicide case, he becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving the global black market, power struggles, and transnational crime.Main Characters:Ethan (Protagonist): A seasoned, calm, and intuitive detective who excels at finding the truth in complex cases. On the surface, he is a quiet, solitary man who prefers to avoid social interaction, but deep down, he is haunted by unresolved cases from his past. Faced with dark forces, he is both determined and full of doubt.Lila (Female Protagonist/Key Ally): Ethan's investigative partner, an intelligent and resourceful intelligence officer with a mysterious background. Her past is also shrouded in secrecy, and she seems to have an undisclosed connection to the “Black Angels” organization. She provides crucial assistance in Ethan's investigation, but her motives remain unclear, casting suspicion on her true intentions.Victor Saville (Antagonist/Main Adversary): A charismatic yet dangerous businessman, who appears to be a successful entrepreneur but is, in fact, one of the central figures of the global crime syndicate “The Black Angels.” Cold-hearted, clever, and ruthless, he controls a global black market network, overseeing arms trafficking, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. He is not only a key figure in Langley's death but also the biggest obstacle in Ethan's investigation.The Mysterious Woman (Key Character): An elusive woman who repeatedly appears during Ethan's investigation, warning him not to delve deeper into Saville and the “Black Angels” organization. Her identity is unclear, but it is evident that she holds vital secrets about Saville and his network. Her appearances leave Ethan bewildered—whether she is an enemy or his only ally remains uncertain.

[The criteria for unlocking the system have been fulfilled.][System synchronization with host commencing.][Synchronization complete. Congratulations. You have been given a chance to become the most desirable human in this world, just as you wished.]“This isn’t what I wished for.”[What seems to be the problem?] the voice asked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.“I asked to be the most desirable human, not a woman!” he exclaimed, frustrated as he cupped his newfound breasts.Sylvester Lancaster, a dedicated and kind-hearted unactractive policeman, often dismissed and treated like a doormat, snaps after discovering his newlywed wife in bed with his best friend. Consumed by rage, he goes on a violent rampage, only to realize the horrific extent of his actions when the blood cools—he has committed murder. Panicked, he attempts to flee but is struck by a car and meets his untimely death.However, death is far from the end. Sylvester awakens in a morgue, only to find himself in a bizarre alternate universe—trapped in the body of a stunning young woman named Cara Bolton.In this new world where Sylvester has transmigrated to, vampires, werewolves, witches, and other supernatural beings coexist in a fragile balance with humans, their uneasy peace marked by underlying tensions and hidden conflicts. Among the supernaturals, vampires reign supreme as the most dominant and influential. The system reveals to Sylvester that he now wields two new skills: the power to read minds and the ability to detect lies, skills inherited from Cara, the body’s former inhabitant who was a fairy.The system assigns him quests to complete, allowing him to level up and gain all remaining skills a fairy possesses. Many of these missions involves sex, manipulating and exploiting people, as well as infiltrating the vampiric council.

Cal was the pride of his guild, the one that other Initiates looked up to. Then he died. So did his guild.His understanding of the world shattered before his death. His guild was nothing compared to others, which meant he was the best of the worst.When Cal was given a second chance, he wouldn’t repeat his mistakes. Who cared about being a [Mage] when it would just mean death? He would survive, even if it meant being something he sneered at in his previous life.A [Farmer].Of course, when did anything go according to plan? Never.

In a world where Classes, Stats, and Levels are the everyday norm, Reivyn has a secret.He was unusually aware of his surroundings from an incredibly early age, and Skills and Stats were acquired easily. He was just the son of an ordinary village family, and nothing appeared out of the ordinary on the surface. But below the surface, dreams of another life help shape his mentality and growth. Why does he have some remembrance of a past life, and what is his purpose in this new one?“Soul of the Warrior” is what I call a Semi-Isekai LitRPG. I say “semi,” because Reivyn's past life is remembered like a dream, and very incomplete. It is still Isekai, though, as he remembers enough that it directly shapes his personality and his sense of self.The System that governs the world of “Soul of the Warrior” is a combination of modified versions from Selkie's “Beneath the Dragoneye Moons” and Kosnik4's “Magic Smithing.” I have changed enough of these Systems and combined them in a way that is unique that I'm mostly sure it's fine, but I still have requested permission to use these ideas. They have both graciously granted me permission.Winner of the April Writathon Challenge.