MTL - Age of Empires From Scratch - Chapter 13 Cold Winter Village was contracted by me, Laura

The world ended in 2012. Hao Xuan was transported to a new realm along with the rest of humanity. The novel follows his adventures through this vast new plane, fighting men and beasts alike, making friends, finding love, and etching out his own existence in the boundless universe all the while trying to unravel an insidious plot that he has unwittingly become a part of.Romance, humor, friendship, betrayal, loss, schemes, light, and darkness.All the creatures from your dreams, stories, and movies are real in this absurdly wonderous world.TLDR: A Xuanhuan Eastern High fantasy novel centered around a displaced teen from earth in a world of cultivators, mythical monsters, Archaic Demons, and Old Gods.Tags: Magic, Adventure, Cultivation, Martial Arts, XianXia, Romance, Futuristic, Story Buildup, Demons and Gods, Gore and Violence, Armies, Kingdom Building, mystery, exploration, sci-fi, Mech, World Jumping.Official Discord (contains all new reference images): https://discord.gg/AHdSBFQPatreon with the first 8 Privileged Chapters among other benefits: https://www.patreon.com/shinigami8671

Business tycoon Ji Lingchen swore not to take a wife. He didn’t even have scandals to his name.

Until one day, when a wife was forced upon him, Young Master Ji began a new chapter in his life!

Assistant Jiang: Young Master Ji, Madam trashed Zhang Manor. Ji Lingchen: Get more people to help her out. Assistant Jiang: Uhm…

Ji Lingchen: Wait, has she calmed down? Assistant Jiang: No. Ji Lingchen: Inform the board to start the project of acquiring Zhang Group!

Assistant Jiang: Young Master Ji, Madam beat up Young Master Wei, and now he’s hospitalized. Ji Lingchen: Has she had enough?

Assistant Jiang: Doesn’t seem like it. Ji Lingchen: Let her continue. One day, Ji Lingchen learned that Fang Xiaonuan had gotten into another fight. He slammed the table and got up.

“Fang Xiaonuan, are you asking for a beating?” Fang Xiaonuan retorted, “Darling, you’ve changed. You didn’t use to be this way…”

Ji Lingchen pointed to her protruding belly and said, “You were alone before this!”

To be fighting when she was seven months pregnant not only frightened her opponent, but she also scared the wits out of Ji Lingchen.

Yet, Fang Xiaonuan was feeling pleased that she managed to win without a fight!

Fang Xiaonuan’s anger subsided and she stared at Ji Lingchen with puppy dog eyes as if she had been badly bullied. “

You win. You rascal, can you wait until the little rascal is safely born before you go fighting again?”

Betrayed by the kingdom he bled for. Executed by the brother he once protected. Daemon died a war hero—branded a monster.But death isn’t the end. Not for him.Reborn on the day of his cursed birth, under the same blood-drenched eclipse, Daemon remembers everything: the lies, the poison, the crown soaked in his mother’s blood. This time, he won’t beg. He won’t protect.He’ll burn the empire from the inside out.His twin brother Gabriel—the golden child, the “righteous” king—stole everything. So Daemon will take it all back, piece by piece.The nobles who cheered at his execution? Dead.The soldiers who held him down? Ash.The kingdom that worshipped a fraud? Buried under screams.This isn’t about justice. This is about revenge, and Daemon’s not stopping until his brother’s skin hangs from the palace gates.The empire made a monster.Now it gets to meet him.

After being betrayed by her fiancé and cousin on her wedding day, Zara, reborn with memories of past mistakes, vows to rewrite her destiny. Impulsively, she marries a stranger to keep her ex at bay, not realizing Snow is far from a mere call boy.Snow Zephyr, a wealthy CEO and alpha of the Ivory Crescent Pack, needs a contract wife to appease his father and secure his position. When a bold, determined woman proposes a marriage of convenience, Snow agrees, unaware of the chaos she will bring into his life.Zara's defiant choice provokes her parents' fury, leading to her being cast from the company and forcing her to find work elsewhere. She lands a job at Aurora Conglomerate Inc., only to discover that her new boss is Snow, the very man she married—and her ex's uncle. Sparks fly as their mutual attraction grows amidst the darkness of his family's secrets and looming threats.Zara’s strength and independence captivate Snow, who begins to see her as the potential Luna his pack needs. Together, they face vengeful ex-lovers, kidnapping plots, and deadly rivalries. As Zara's powers awaken, she must confront the reasons behind her family's disownment, the hidden clauses in her marriage contract, and her ultimate role in Snow’s world.When their marriage of convenience deepens into a genuine partnership, a new challenge emerges in the form of a fated mate. Will Zara fight the dangers that await or embrace her true destiny?**EXCERPT**“I... didn't want to be late for work. You seemed busy, so I thought I'd get a head start.”Snow raised an eyebrow. “Really? Or is it because last night affected you so much that you couldn't stand being around me?”“Don't flatter yourself, Snow. You didn't affect me at all.”He smirked, stepping closer. “Is that so?”His fingers brushed my chin, tilting my face up. My pulse quickened. “We're at work,” I snapped, swatting his hand away. “This isn't professional.”“You're my wife,” he murmured. “You're supposed to obey me at all times.”I bit back a retort, a hint of rebellion flaring within. Slowly, I stepped closer, letting my fingers graze his chest. His smirk wavered for a second when his wolf reacted and Snow bit his lips.“Careful, Boss,” I purred seductively. “Don't hurt those lips. I'm sure plenty of girls would love to kiss them.”Snow leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. “And you? Are you dying for a taste?”Caught off guard, I hesitated, then regained my composure as I looked him in the eyes. “Unlike other girls, I have strong resistance against—”I didn't get a chance to finish when Snow's lips crashed onto mine with a fierce kiss that left me breathless.***************MATURE CONTENTParticipating in the Viral Book Call Contest. Kindly Support Me!