Against The True Gods - Chapter 174: Visions of Horror—The First

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 hearse with the weird odor slowed to a stop before the entrance. The sound of pebbles could be heard bouncing on the ceiling. There were footsteps coming from the corridor, and there seemed to be someone sawing next door. The door knob to the room rattled slightly, and the faucet in the bathroom kept dripping even though it had been screwed shut. There was a rubber ball that rolled on its own underneath the bed. Wet footsteps started to surface one after another on the floor. At 3 am, Chen Ge held a cleaver in his hand as he hid beside the room heater. The call he was trying to make was finally answered. “Landlord, is this what you meant by ‘the house can be a little crowded at night’!?”

Where there is light there shall be darkness

Hero? Nahh I'm the demon.

In a world where the demons are looked on as the incarnation of evil, the human-demon war raged on across the whole continent.

The Seraphims, protector of humanity, and the Demon lords who rule across all demonkind. Amidst all the chaos, Simon was reincarnated as the lowest ranking demon noble.

A brutal world where the strong feeds on the weak, eat or be eaten, kill or be killed. A demon far off from humanity….a dream unfulfilled in his previous life will be achieved in this life. Taking on the moniker of Laplace, he destroys all his enemies and rise over them.

“The missing ingredient is a test subject with Royal Blood...”Raven Kyzer, a Commoner boy, grew up in an orphanage along with his twin sister, after losing their mother at a young age, having never met their father.After being discovered to possess Royal blood, the twins are abducted by the Church of Persona. Raven is used as a test subject in an ancient form of Forbidden Magic, known as the Homunculus Ritual, while his sister goes missing in the clutches of the church.The Homunculus Ritual is conducted to turn Raven into a powerful but mindless Monster, a loyal weapon for the church with no sense of free will...but something goes wrong, the ritual fails to destroy Raven's mind and he escapes the clutches of the church.Furious at being turned into a Monster, Raven swears revenge against the church, determined to make them pay for what they did to him, as well as to rescue his sister from their clutches.But there's only so much he can do by himself, even with the new powers he gained through the Homunculus Ritual...that's when he has a fateful encounter with the nation's most wanted criminals, a group known as The Irregulars, who, like Raven, have their own reasons to despise and go after the church, as well as the corrupt Nobility that oppresses the Commoners.With their goals aligned, Raven decides to join The Irregulars, taking the first step on his long, arduous path to revenge...