MTL - The Leisurely Countryside of the Farmer’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 17 I am the master of my territory

Capital is power. The more you invest, the greater the power.

- Description from novelbuddy

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

Sylas Gray returns to his hometown in the countryside for a winter vacation to his ancestral home, only to find himself caught in the midst of an apocalyptic outbreak. The world descends into chaos as the undead overrun everything, and the small town he grew up in is no exception.With hope dwindling and death lurking around every corner, Sylas witnesses unspeakable horrors—brutal killings, betrayals, and the darker side of human nature. Yet, amidst the despair, Sylas refuses to give up. Determined to escape the town and reach the capital, he is thrust into a shocking revelation.A mysterious change occurs within him, granting Sylas the ability to sense and control space. He discovers that he possesses a pocket of space within his own body—a power that could be his key to survival.Follow Sylas as he embarks on a perilous journey, fighting to survive, uncovering the truth behind the apocalypse, and discovering the true potential of his newfound abilities.

While playing the online game “Convergence of Ten Thousand Realms,” Yan Luoyue suddenly found herself transmigrated into the body of a newly hatched baby turtle in the cultivation world of the turtle clan.Fortunately, her system account had come along with her, and the skill books and equipment in her inventory were still intact.However, there was a bug in her account information.Year after year, Yan Luoyue watched as her health bar grew infinitely longer.Every year on her birthday, an extra zero was added to her health bar.In the first year after her transmigration, Yan Luoyue used all her divine artifacts to ensure her fragile self wouldn’t choke to death on her own saliva.By the tenth year, she removed all her equipment and casually strolled through the forbidden grounds of her clan.The sealed demons and monsters surrounded her, hacking away for three days and three nights, until they collapsed, foaming at the mouth.A hundred years after her transmigration, Yan Luoyue looked up and realized her health bar now spanned the entire continent.Someone once asked Demon Venerable Yan, “Does being invincible make you lonely?”Yan Luoyue kindly replied, “Silly child, how could being invincible be lonely? It’s absolutely amazing.”Synopsis Two:Wu Manshuang was covered in poison, the last of the Teng Serpent (celestial serpent) lineage in the world.The closer anyone got to him, the deeper the poison would affect them.So, Wu Manshuang wrapped himself up tightly. He hid in a pitch-black cloak, avoiding all living beings. He thought his life would pass in solitude, until—A young girl’s slender, warm hand touched his cheek.“Your health-draining debuff is pretty strong, huh?”Wu Manshuang quickly pushed her hand away. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”“Relax,” the girl said with a carefree smile. “I’m way stronger than you.”From then on, the little serpent gently coiled around the turtle’s shell.And then…The world gained the divine beast Xuanwu.Reading Tips:1. This is my take on cultivation with personal world-building, possibly a lot of it.2. A long, slow-burn progression story with a gradual narrative style.3. A cultivation story with an ensemble cast.