Wildness and Masks - Chapter 48 – Goodbye, Thran

Amidst much anticipation, the virtual reality game Dark Land, a decade in the making, has finally launched. However, its steep price has caused many long-time fans to hesitate. Meanwhile, an obscure game has gained massive attention, cleverly capitalizing on Dark Land's popularity.Qi Sheng: ”I've got a link to a cracked version of Dark Land! Free and legit!“

Athen had always lived a solitary life, as without any family or friends, he struggled to survive in his poor, forgotten hometown. The only escape from this grim reality came in the form of tales of magic told by rare visitors from the distant capital.That was, until one day, Athen discovered that magic wasn't just a dream. It was within him.With his newfound power, Athen completed a desperate heist, stealing a priceless diamond. But his triumph was short-lived when he realized the diamond was a fake.Yet... what seemed like a cruel trick turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for the fake diamond held the key to unlocking Athen’s greatest desire: the chance to truly learn magic.

After being torn from the only life she knew, 16-year-old Margo is forced into a new home with strangers who call themselves her parents. Haunted by memories of her past and consumed by feelings of isolation, she struggles to adapt to her unfamiliar surroundings. School offers little relief—until she meets Lucien, a mysterious boy who appears just when she needs a friend the most.Gabriel is everything Margo needs: kind, attentive, and always ready to whisk her away from her troubles. Each night, he invites her to secret places—an abandoned playground, a fog-choked garden, a crumbling train station at the edge of town—each more unsettling than the last. Yet with every chilling rendezvous, Margo feels more alive... more seen.But something isn’t right. Gabriel never comes to school during the day. Her adoptive parents never see him. And when they catch her talking to thin air, their concern deepens into fear. They say Gabriel isn't real—that he’s a figment of her imagination. Margo wants to believe them, but Gabriel feels real. More real than anything else in her life.As the nights grow colder and more twisted, Gabriel’s true nature begins to surface. Shadows move where they shouldn’t. Time warps in his presence. And the places they visit seem to echo with whispers from another world. Margo is forced to ask herself: Who—or what—is Gabriel? Why does he only want her? And what will happen on the final night he asks her to come with him?As the line between reality and delusion begins to crumble, Margo must make an impossible choice: stay in a world where she feels loved, or return to one that barely feels real.But one thing is certain—some friendships never let go.

Two-way crush, tough guy attack, chicken suffer [You read that right! doge
The company is particularly down-to-earth this year, giving each person a live chicken that year.
Du Xiao looked at the hen whose neck was too fat in other people’s hands, and then looked at the skinny pheasant in his own hand: “…”
Chairman: “Don’t carry your wings, it will make him uncomfortable, so he should hold it in his arms.”
Du Xiao: “…”
Chairman: “Remember to bring it when you visit relatives and friends, don’t bore him at home, and treat him well.”
Du Xiao: “…”
Chairman: “Go home, happy Spring Festival!”
Du Xiao: “…Why didn’t I see the young master today? I haven’t said goodbye to him yet.”
Chairman: “Cough cough… I don’t know, I probably ran away from home.”
Du Xiao: “…”
Du Xiao: Hormone burst decathlon, taciturn, loyal dog bodyguard attack
Zhou Zhan: I am addicted to life and can’t take care of myself
Sweet sweet!

Content tags: sweet text, special liking, near water towers, ghosts and monsters
Search keywords: Protagonist: Du Xiao, Zhou Zhan ┃ Supporting role: ┃ Others: Zodiac

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