"She severed her raven locks, concealed her feminine form—yet could not hide her dazzling brilliance. A forged eunuch's decree hurled her into the palace's bone-devouring depths. When the Crown Prince's all-seeing gaze pinned her in place, she knew: in this lethal game of gender and power, to lose was death... but to win might be far worse."

[Intellectual Property Legal Notice — Joint Protection]

This work is an original literary creation, officially under contract and registered for copyright protection. It is protected by the following laws and international treaties:

The following actions are strictly prohibited and constitute serious infringement:

Upon confirmation of infringement, the following legal actions will be taken immediately:

This work is under active monitoring by international digital tracking firms as part of the Infringement Control Program (ICP). All suspicious IP addresses and user activities are permanently logged and preserved as legal evidence, unaffected by account deletion, platform removal, or VPN masking.

This statement is a formal legal notice. From the moment of publication, any unauthorized use shall be deemed a deliberate infringement. Legal action will be pursued without negotiation. All consequences will be borne by the infringer.

Authorized Legal Representatives (International):

Mr. Lin Haoyue — Black Lotus Legal Affairs (Taipei)

Ms. Chan Yingshan — Obsidian Law Group (Hong Kong)

Ms. Noor Aisha — Malaya IP Legal Consultancy (Kuala Lumpur)

Contact: [email protected]

The bullet hit the brickwork above my head. The twanging whine of the ricochet echoed down the alley. These goons meant business. I was up to my neck in it this time.

It started with a call from a local music retailer. “Mr Wright my name is Harold Greene, I am Manager of ‘Music Land’ in Burbank St. If you are available, I would like to employ you to do some investigative work for us. Can you come and see me?”

“Sure, how about Monday morning 9 am.”

“That suits me fine. I’ll see you then.”

Staff at Music Land had spotted a stall holder at the Market Precinct in the City, offering CD’s, DVD’s and other music related products at low prices.

“Many of the products he has on sale are identical to the stock we sell,”  Harald Greene explained. “Our HQ has given me permission to look into the matter further. We want to know if his products are genuine, and if not, locate the source of his supply.”

Micro Taggants, microscopic identification particles on every Music Land product, mark it as a genuine article. The laser pen the Manager handed me activates when near the taggants up to a distance of one metre. No flashing light, no genuine product.

I was certain the job would be straight forward. The technology for duplication of media products is within easy reach of anybody who has a mind to do it, these days. If the products were illegal it was just a matter of finding the amateur impresario and giving Harold Greene the lowdown on the production location.

Tuesday, I hit the Market Precinct. A mid-twenties Asian man with a perpetual smile presided over a comprehensive selection of CD’s DVD’s and Music Video’s. With the laser pen taped to the inside of my wrist, a slight turn of my hand provided a view of the indicator light. I looked at the guy, “Are these all authentic products?” The smile remained but it was obvious that was too much English for him. “These,”  I said sweeping my hand over the display, “not fake?”

“Oh! no! no! not fake. All good All good.”

I smiled and nodded.

I handled various items from different areas of the display under the pretence of interest .The indicator had not flashed once. It was possible the Asian gentleman was the producer as well as the seller of the illicit media. The only avenue to determine that was by monitoring his movements over time.

Late that afternoon I sat in my car watching him pack up the stall and place everything under lock and key in the security lockers provided by the Market Administration. I tailed his vehicle to a small stucco house in an Asian neighbourhood. I knew it would take time. The stall was popular. He was selling items every-day. Hopefully, that meant he would need more stock soon. It required me to stake out his house early morning and the stall at finishing time. If he was not making the copies I would be on his tail when he visited his supplier.

Apart from a two hour visit to a local pokies venue Wednesday evening, my quarry kept to an unvarying routine. An early start at the stall and a late evening return home. Friday morning he caught me by surprise, pulling out of the driveway at the usual time and motoring off in the opposite direction from his usual route. I kept up with him until he turned into a factory car park in an industrial area. It was obviously a distribution centre. The place was a hive of activity. Cars pulling in, people loading boxes into their vehicles and driving off.

This was more than I had anticipated. Way beyond being a small one-man operation. After an hour, my man came out with boxes which he loaded into the back seat of his car. He went back inside twice reappearing with more boxes until the rear seat of his vehicle was stacked to the roof.

To my mind this place was a wholesale distribution centre. It was not the production centre. A few days surveillance here might get me a lead in that direction.

Two men in a black BMW X5 SUV visited the factory daily. A couple of hard looking characters. Both were tall. One lean and hawk-faced, the other large and Muscular with a black beard. Both wore dark brown leather Jackets and dark trousers. After a few days I pegged them as the owners of the business. If an illegal operation can be called a business. Shadowing them would get me to the base of operations.

I had an eerie feeling I was getting into deep water with these two Gorilla’s. They looked like professionals. The type who would spot a tail if I was careless.

The size of the operation puzzled me. I called Walter. My 18-year-old nephew is a University student living at home with his Parents. His computer skills have become an essential part of my business. I pay him for time spent on his computer for me.

“It’s research, this time Walter. Get me some facts on counterfeiting of  CD’s, DVD’s and Video. On counterfeiting in general, and who is doing it.”

“ No problem Uncle Charles.”

“ Email me a summary of what you come up with. And be sure to note how much time you spend.”

“Ok.”

It was afternoon on the day I followed them. I kept five cars behind in traffic. My odometer indicated 40 kilometres, as they turned into an abandoned industrial area, pulling up out front of one of a group of old Warehouses. The place had no windows. Nothing of the building's exterior gave any indication of what went on inside. The one loading bay might have given some view of the interior. For the present, the roller door was down.

It was imperative that I verify whether this was the counterfeiting centre before passing the location to Harald Greene. A brief foray inside was my only choice. My stomach was informing me of the need for food. I had a few hours before darkness. I drove back to the MacDonald’s, passed during the pursuit, for a leisurely meal.

10 pm I left my car half a kilometre from the warehouse and approached on foot. There appeared to be no security cameras on the building. I would have to brave whatever security was in place. My intent was a quick entry, a quick look around and a quick exit. A large padlock secured a side entrance door. I made quick work of that with the Private Investigators friend, a small set of locksmith’s lock picking tools.

Once inside my torch beam revealed what I was looking for. A bench beside a large offset printing press with set up runs of CD and DVD covers. Stacks of clear plastic CD, DVD and Video cases. Machines surrounded by evidence of being product duplicators. Evidence enough.

Loud voices and torch beams erupted from my entry door. I crouched down behind the printing machine. In the dark I had a good chance of getting out. Unfortunately, someone had begun to switch on the lights. My only chance was to make a run for it now. I bolted for the side door. I made it, but more shouts and torch beams told me they had seen me.

The bullet hit the brickwork as I raced down the alley between the buildings. The whining echo of another followed it. They were firing blind into the dark. I plunged ahead. My only thought was to get to my car. They were coming fast behind me. A shout went up each time a torch beam picked me out. Thankfully, I had not locked the car. I slid in behind the wheel, started the vehicle, and put my foot down. The last I saw of my pursuers was torch beams dancing around the rear of my vehicle. Trying for the numberplate?

Walters email that evening cleared up a lot of questions for me. Counterfeiting of media, prescription drugs, car parts, aviation parts, clothes, shoes and much more is a $600 billion industry. The biggest players are the Mafia, Chinese triad gangs, Irish Republican Army, Korean criminals, and terrorist groups. Which of these groups I had upset I did not know. I did know it was way above my pay grade. The battleground of Government agencies.

The sight of the shattered glass panel of my office door the next morning, prepared me for what was inside. Nothing in the office had escaped unscathed. Everything was smashed, slashed or beaten into uselessness. I guess they picked up my number plate. It was a warning. ‘Stay out of our business.’

I was philosophical. I could remedy the situation. Items could be replaced. The office repaired. It could have been much worse. Much worse !!

,

,

"Supreme bone dug out? Then I shall devour all the spiritual bones under heaven, and let the flames of the Holy Land's wrath burn away this false heavenly law!"

[Intellectual Property Legal Notice — Joint Protection]

This work is an original literary creation, officially under contract and registered for copyright protection. It is protected by the following laws and international treaties:

The following actions are strictly prohibited and constitute serious infringement:

Upon confirmation of infringement, the following legal actions will be taken immediately:

This work is under active monitoring by international digital tracking firms as part of the Infringement Control Program (ICP). All suspicious IP addresses and user activities are permanently logged and preserved as legal evidence, unaffected by account deletion, platform removal, or VPN masking.

This statement is a formal legal notice. From the moment of publication, any unauthorized use shall be deemed a deliberate infringement. Legal action will be pursued without negotiation. All consequences will be borne by the infringer.

Authorized Legal Representatives (International):

Mr. Lin Haoyue — Black Lotus Legal Affairs (Taipei)

Ms. Chan Yingshan — Obsidian Law Group (Hong Kong)

Ms. Noor Aisha — Malaya IP Legal Consultancy (Kuala Lumpur)

Contact: [email protected]

Beaten Demon Lord's Secret Life: Undercover in a Shady Corp, "Dark Magic" vs. Toxic Boss (Truth Serum FTW!), Hero HR Wants His Evil Talent.

[Intellectual Property Legal Notice — Joint Protection]

This work is an original literary creation, officially under contract and registered for copyright protection. It is protected by the following laws and international treaties:

The following actions are strictly prohibited and constitute serious infringement:

Upon confirmation of infringement, the following legal actions will be taken immediately:

This work is under active monitoring by international digital tracking firms as part of the Infringement Control Program (ICP). All suspicious IP addresses and user activities are permanently logged and preserved as legal evidence, unaffected by account deletion, platform removal, or VPN masking.

This statement is a formal legal notice. From the moment of publication, any unauthorized use shall be deemed a deliberate infringement. Legal action will be pursued without negotiation. All consequences will be borne by the infringer.

Authorized Legal Representatives (International):

Mr. Lin Haoyue — Black Lotus Legal Affairs (Taipei)

Ms. Chan Yingshan — Obsidian Law Group (Hong Kong)

Ms. Noor Aisha — Malaya IP Legal Consultancy (Kuala Lumpur)

Contact: [email protected]

Masashi Kishimoto's manga series "Naruto" follows Naruto Uzumaki's journey to become a respected ninja. The manga was adapted into an anime series (2002-2007) and dubbed in English (2005-2009). This book analyzes each episode of the anime series, from Season 1 to Season 5, going beyond a simple summary.

©2023 by Sarah Mkorongo. All rights reserved, and all characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Copyright © 2023 by Sarah Mkorongo

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-without the prior written permission of the author.

This story tells about a boy named Berry who adopted a stray puppy inside a box in the street and named her Toffee, which then later grow older together. The adventure start when there is a girl named Shea who is going to the vet as the same time with Berry and Toffee while Toffee having a checkup because she is often get sick in his old days, while Shea fallen from the stairs and the next thing happened, she become Toffee at night?....

Plot:AtMoonlight High,a school veiled in secrets and shadows, nine students findthemselves entangled in a storm of betrayal, lust, and buried truths. When a new girl arrives, old rivalries resurface, forbidden attractions ignite, and a dangerous mystery threatens to shatter the fragile masks everyone wears. This isn't just high school—it's a battlefield of power, secrets, and survival.

Characters

Isabel– The mysterious and seductive new girl. Her past is cloaked in silence, but her presence stirs everything up. She pulls people in without trying, yet her secrets could destroy them all.

Samantha– The intelligent observer who keeps her pain behind books and silence. She’s hunting for the truth behind the strange disappearances tied to the school—but is she ready for what she’ll uncover?

Karoline– Bubbly and magnetic, always in the center of attention. But her sunny personality hides a dangerous addiction, and when she stumbles upon a secret, she becomes a target.

Rose–Beautiful, cold, and calculating. The queen bee of Moonlight High. She thrives on control, and Isabel’s arrival threatens to crack her perfect image. She’s not ready to lose her crown.

Pearl– Soft-spoken but deadly. People think she’s the nice one, until they cross her. Pearl is clever, manipulative, and always watching. She hides behind kindness, but she’s the most dangerous one of all.

Mark–The charming bad boy with a tortured soul. He hides his feelings behind sarcasm and rebellion, but Isabel starts breaking through his walls—until she gets too close to the real him.

Andrew– The golden boy jock with the perfect life—or so it seems. He’s popular, confident, and hiding a secret that could end it all. He’s drawn to Isabel, but he’s playing with fire.

Ryan– Ruthless, unpredictable, and obsessed with control. His fixation on Pearl is dark and consuming. He doesn’t know how to love without hurting, and his jealousy might ruin everything.

Adam– Wealthy, untouchable, and emotionally detached. But Isabel unlocks something dangerous in him. Their passionate, secret relationship threatens to pull both of them into chaos.

Stay tuned for chapter 1

Author FangTing, Editor LuoYeh, hope you like our story. I didn’t write this. I dreamed it. Every night, I close my eyes, and the story keeps going— chapters I don’t remember writing, characters I’ve never met… but somehow, they know me. Sometimes I wake up with lines already in my head. Sometimes I open the file and there’s a new paragraph, like the story wrote itself while I wasn’t looking. I stopped questioning it around Chapter 12. I think this might be someone else’s memory.Or maybe it’s mine… just from the wrong version of Earth. Anyway. If you're into time loops, lost identities, parallel timelines, or just mildly haunted content: welcome to the weird side. Updates daily, unless the dream skips. ​​​​​​​Not explained, Not entirely conscious

Coral Enchanted Voyage talks about a female humanoid who has somewhat strange mysterious connection to a lost prestigious warship in deep blue ocean. The female humanoid now named Helen started to seek out what happened to the warship and her strange appearance in another world.

This is a short story about a teen girl who had lost her mother a few years back and this story focuses on how she grieves emotionally after losing the one thing that reminded of her mother “the locket”

"Sever him at once! Unless you wish to witness his death before your very eyes—from you, in the year 2033."

When Lin Xiaxia received this bizarre text, she was nestled with her boyfriend Xu Yuan on the sofa. She scoffed, until her phone abruptly initiated a video call—the woman on the screen was her spitting image, save for a scar above her eye.

"Listen here, you fool," her future self said icily, "Every choice you make now is leading to his demise."

—Yet, as Lin Xiaxia tried to escape fate's grasp, she discovered that the most terrifying thing wasn't the paradox of time, but that her future self seemed to have fallen for the very man she was supposed to "let go"…

[Intellectual Property Legal Notice — Joint Protection]

This work is an original literary creation, officially under contract and registered for copyright protection. It is protected by the following laws and international treaties:

The following actions are strictly prohibited and constitute serious infringement:

Upon confirmation of infringement, the following legal actions will be taken immediately:

This work is under active monitoring by international digital tracking firms as part of the Infringement Control Program (ICP). All suspicious IP addresses and user activities are permanently logged and preserved as legal evidence, unaffected by account deletion, platform removal, or VPN masking.

This statement is a formal legal notice. From the moment of publication, any unauthorized use shall be deemed a deliberate infringement. Legal action will be pursued without negotiation. All consequences will be borne by the infringer.

Authorized Legal Representatives (International):

Mr. Lin Haoyue — Black Lotus Legal Affairs (Taipei)

Ms. Chan Yingshan — Obsidian Law Group (Hong Kong)

Ms. Noor Aisha — Malaya IP Legal Consultancy (Kuala Lumpur)

Contact: [email protected]

Don't we say that the wife is a source of tranquility for her husband, a haven of peace in the storm?

But for her, this union is not a refuge.

On a fateful night, she crosses her destiny... or maybe the devil himself.

-What do you want from me in the end?

-That you marry me, Treasure.

Because even the devil sometimes needs peace.