The Newt and Demon - 7.18 - Doubling Down with Infusion

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.

In an alternate modern world, where people could summon their own beastly companions, His journey was anything but ordinary.As the college entrance exams loomed, He found himself the subject of ridicule for his choice of a companion – a small, seemingly inconsequential snowball known as an ornamental pet.“”Little Snowball? Merely a decorative trifle, utterly useless.””“”Why bother with a pet that lacks the capability to evolve?””“”Its potential is pitifully inadequate. It’s destined to remain stagnant for its entire life.””“”Dreaming of the Familiar Academy? Utterly impossible.””He was bombarded with questions, scorn, and derision.But what they didn’t know was his unique ability – he could unlock the maximum potential of any Beast Evolution!With a calm demeanor, he gazed at the pet panel, visible only to him.“”Hidden evolution route!””“”Queen’s Path: a route of boundless potential. It can ascend to the regal King class.””From Little Snowball to Ice Crystal Soul, from Snow Girl to Ice Blue Girl, and ultimately, the formidable Extreme Ice Queen… the transformation was breathtaking.Now, armed with the power to unleash the fullest potential of any beast, he faced his doubters with a bold challenge.“”Who dares to call my Snowball useless now?””The stage was set for an extraordinary journey, where potential defied expectations and a small snowball could ascend to royal heights. Who would have the last laugh in this tale of evolution and triumph?

Xie Changgeng, the governor of Hexi, married Mu Fulan, the princess of Changsha.

Xie Changgeng, who had not even seen what his bride looked like on their wedding night, finally returned home after more than half a year only to find that she had returned to her parents’ home.

Although very dissatisfied, he could only chase after her.

- Description from Novelupdates

There was once an innocent little boy who was about to graduate high school. But suddenly, a truck ran him over before he could step foot in adult life.From his cruel twist of fate, he learns that after a person dies, they simply go to a result screen—a simple score system based on how publicly known they are.Being the nobody, he only had enough points to use the wheel spin—three shots that would determine his upcoming life.The wheel first landed on females, crushing his hope of keeping his gender. But he wasn't just going to give up so easily as the male section remained.The next spin didn't land on what he hoped for.With one last shot, he slammed the button and prayed. A miracle, almost as if god answered his prayer, appeared right before his eyes as it landed on a male.“Thank you, god! I knew you'd never give up on me like that——Wait, what do you mean that's a bug?”Before he could say anything, he was reborn into a fantasy world where magic and cultivation coexist.Want to find out what he got for his upcoming adventure? Well, let's just say he experiences the three stages of grief with his awful luck.