The once wealthy and powerful Ryuuzen clan has been all but destroyed. Their misfortune began in 1960, when a majority of the family was wiped out when their vacation villa was buried under a landslide. However, search and rescue teams discovered something even more shocking: A majority of the bodies they discovered showed obvious signs of having been mu*dered before the landslide.... more>>

As though it were a trigger, what came to be known as "The Curse of the Ryuuzen Clan" spread throughout the descendants of the family's only survivor. By mu*der, by su*cide, by accident... it seemed none who held the name "Ryuuzen" could live to see the age of 35, and now, the family has been reduced to a single woman, lying in a hospital bed, days away from death.

Kamo Touma was once just another of the endless parade of sleazy tabloid journalists looking to exploit a prominent family's tragedy to sell magazines, but Ryuuzen Rena's kindness melted his frozen heart, driving him to quit his old job and become an investigative journalist specializing in overturning cases of false arrest. Eventually, he and Rena were married, but now, the curse threatens to steal away their happiness.

Kamo prays for a miracle, and his prayers are answered by the Hourglass of Miracles, an artifact spoken of in rumors and urban legends, said to grant one wish to anyone who obtains it.

"Meister Hora", a guide for those who obtain the hourglass, tells Kamo there is only one way to break the curse and save Rena: He must travel back in time to the year 1960 and catch the culprit of the original Ryuuzen Family massacre.

Who was the culprit of the mu*ders that took place almost 60 years ago? Why did they steal away the lives of the Ryuuzen clan? What is the true nature of the "Curse of the Ryuuzen Clan?" And perhaps most mysteriously of all... What is Meister Hora's goal in all this?

Winner of the 29th annual Ayukawa Tetsuya Award. <<less

A scientist who lost his wife in an unforeseen accident.... more>>

He set out to create a clone of his wife because of loneliness.

But just before the birth of the clone, he was converted and the clone was discarded.

But then for a while. Scientists who are subjected to guilt will receive unexpected punishment.

The runaway of the science which does not stop. The sci-fi short short of two men who are crazy for love, depicting their sins and punishments. <<less

There exist in this world a set of six daggers that carry a terrible curse: the ability to inflict a death beyond time. Those under the daggers' curse shall reincarnate without end, never able to know happiness and always drawn to die once more by the dagger. This is the story of "Raine" and "Marie", two souls bound by the daggers' curse to kill one another, over and over again.... more>>

France, 1243. Lapis Lazuli Castle is the name of an insignificant relay fort nestled away in a forest east of Carcassonne. Its ruler, Count Geoffroy, and his only daughter, Marie, are both believed to be insane. The root cause of their shared madness is the mysterious disappearance of Geoffroy's wife three years ago, which caused Geoffroy to grow detached from humanity and cast Marie into a deep depression. After three years of wandering in a state halfway to nonexistence, Marie works up the nerve to ask her chief bodyguard, Sir Raine, to investigate her mother's death, confiding that on the night of her mother's disappearance, she had witnessed something impossible. However, her investigation only prompts a new tragedy.

The French-German border, 1916. As World War I rages on, Raine and Marie's latest reincarnations live the life of a sub-lieutenant in the French army and a medic with the Red Cross, respectively. The two lovers are reunited at the site of the Battle of Verdun, but no sooner have they met then Raine finds himself faced with a barrage of impossible circumstances. An enemy soldier's head suddenly vanishes, right before his eyes. One of his subordinates reports the same thing happening to an ally. Four more headless bodies vanish from a flooded bunker in the minute he looks away. These baffling events are a prelude to the return of their old tragedy.

Northern Hokkaido, 1989. Kimiyo, age eighteen, is already dying, an inoperable tumor in her hypothalamus leaving her with less than a year to live. Refusing to despair in the face of her tragic circumstances, she spends her remaining days with her friends at "The Library at the End of the World", a private library so called due to its isolated nature. One day, a man named Kito approaches her out of the blue, regaling her with a story about a set of cursed daggers, knights in the 13th century, and the two of them being cursed, fated lovers. Naturally, Kimiyo is intensely skeptical, but the events that come next don't require her to believe in them.

Arriving at the scene of these three tragedies is Snowy, an enigmatic figure of indeterminate gender who claims to be "a detective charged with managing the world's chaos". <<less

My first meeting with him was in the hospital’s ICU.... more>>

Before I laid my eyes upon him, I thought that the legend of Snow White was simply a fairy tale. How could someone with hair dark as ebony, lips red as blood, and skin white as first snow exist in this world?

I began to believe in fairy tales that very day. <<less

In the remote Oak Town, a broken corpse lay in the bushes. The person who reported this crime was the dream man of the town’s ladies—Mr. Arthur. His graceful and expensive-looking gray coat was dyed with striking stains of blood. The day after the mu*der, Sheriff Lynn’s records, along with the corpse, disappeared without a trace, only leaving behind the man’s memories which were filled with the smell of blood…... more>>

A year later, the details of the crime sank into the dense fog as time passed, but the daughters of the two single fathers grew closer and closer with each passing day. Although Arthur seemed impeccably perfect, his overly forceful actions to conceal something and his great loathing of anyone digging into his secrets made Lynn feel that the other person hated him like he was a reptile.

What Lynn didn’t know was that he and Arthur were unexpectedly very similar—both of them were runaway desperadoes who had given up everything to protect their loved ones. <<less

Even if trapped in darkness, one will always search for the light.... more>>

This is a story of a young police officer searching for the answer to “Who am I?”

Xie Lanshan was an undercover drug enforcement officer who made his way inside the Golden Triangle’s most feared armed organization as the right-hand man of drug lord Mu Kun. After successfully returning to his post from the operation, an accidental case of police misconduct triggered a series of unexplainable headaches and hidden memories that began haunting him.

While investigating the truth behind his father’s death many years ago, Xie Lanshan utilizes his unique and sharp thinking from the perspective of a psychotic mu*derer to solve difficult cases around him. Plagued by this growing change and instability of both his mental health and personality, he will later meet a mysterious forensic sketch artist named Shen Liufei. Together, the two men will maintain a strange relationship; as friends and enemies, they solve mysterious cases one by one.

But, perhaps, there was another motive for the forensic artist to approach the young officer… <<less

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gaming industry has seen an explosion in popularity. One of the most popular games ever released is Mystery Maker, a VR RPG where players can create baffling puzzles in a virtual space and challenge other players to solve them.... more>>

As a promotional stunt for the game's upcoming sequel, eight real life great detectives have been hand chosen by Kurata Chikage, executive director of MegalodonSoft, to challenge each other to a match in a demo of Mystery Maker 2. Among them are Kamo Touma, a magazine contributor well known for his investigative work overturning false convictions, and his wife's cousin Ryuuzen Yuki, a recently debuted mystery novelist.

However, on the day of the demo event, the detectives are all drugged. When they awaken, they find their smartwatches are locked to their wrists and they are shown videos of their families and loved ones being held hostage. They are contacted by a Gamemaster, who tells them that if they wish to save themselves and their families, they must play a death game called "Delicious Death for Detectives".

As scheduled, the eight of them will play Mystery Maker 2's demo, and the Detectives will challenge the mu*der puzzles created by the mu*derer. If the Detectives are not able to reveal the mu*derer and their tricks before the time limit, all players will be killed. However, if the mu*derer is exposed, both they and their hostages will be killed. And if a Detective makes an accusation but gets even the tiniest detail wrong, they will be mu*dered by the Gamemaster's secret accomplice, the Executioner.

Now the only way for the eight detectives to survive is to expose the mu*derer and Executioner lurking among them, even if they must risk their lives and those of their compatriots to do so.

Which is an especially big problem for Kamo, because he's the one who's been chosen as the mu*derer! <<less

Hatou Manabu has a very odd friend at school named Marii Yukari. Yukari has purple eyes and a bizarre way of looking at the world: she sees all living things as robots. This has not always worked out well for Yukari, even costing her a best friend when she was younger. However, Yukari insists that the things she says she sees is true, and her vision seems to give her insight into the abilities of others.... more>>

Manabu thinks she's just weird, but she soon realizes that Yukari has unexpected talents. Her eyes allow her to view the world in a different way, and even the police come to hear her insights. Eventually, her eyes also get Manabu wrapped up in dangerous plots, and force Manabu to not only step up and take a much more proactive role in her own life, but also to question what being a human or a robot actually means. <<less

Luke has transmigrated to the United States, but eventually realizes that this United States is different from the United States of his previous life. Here, the superpowers and characters from the movies in his previous life actually exist. How will Luke fare in a world where such terrifying superpowers exist?... more>>

Fortunately, he has a cheat – the Super Detective System.

Join Luke on his new journey toward becoming a detective. <<less

Yuto Lennix, a former DEA investigator was arrested by a false accusation of killing his own partner. The FBI agents gave him a special deal, to look for a particular criminal hiding in the same prison. By the time he was detained in the Schelger Prison, he got to meet his cellmate, d*ck Burnford, who didn’t show signs of being kind and welcoming upon his arrival. Will he ever be in good terms with his inmates, especially to Dick?... more>>

Volume 1: Deadlock

Volume 2: Deadheat

Volume 3: Deadshot

Deadlock Side Story – Tooiyoake

Deadlock Side Story – Tsuyoki Mono, Nanji no Na wa Onna

DEADLOCK Side Story – Love begets love <<less

To be is to have a soul. The soul begets a will. Wills accumulate into mysterious psychic forces, weaving secret domains within the fabric of reality.... more>>

Li Yiming, a gentle and kind-hearted person, was embroiled in this secret facade of reality against his will. Was it a coincidence, or was it preordained by fate? Dao techniques, artifacts, fantastic beasts, supernatural abilities… Within these secret domains governed by Heavenly Laws, his true identity incites great suspicion from all. A plan concocted for millennia — will he be the one to derail Heaven’s laws, or the one to sunder Nature’s fetters? <<less

An antique shop, ten-year-old bones, a mu*derous nursery rhyme, a mountain villa haunted by a ghost, a cave skeleton . . .... more>>

Every single culprit behind these bizarre cases will fall into a tight, inescapable net. This net, sown by Su Yunkai and Ming Yue, is cast without missing anyone . . . <<less

Gu Nianzhi had no idea how to get the aloof and handsome Major General to fall in love with her.... more>>

His eyes were dark and serious. "...Seduce me. If you can do it, I’m yours."

Gu Nianzhi: "!!!" <<less

As an undercover agent, Xie Li is sent to Fish Island Prison with the mission to get intel on Chang Guanshan, the leader of the biggest illegal organization in the coastal city, Hong Fang(Harbor city), through his son, Chang Xiaojia. It is rumored that Chang Xiaojia was imprisoned for an alleged involvement in the r*pe/mu*der of a female police officer. He has a strange and stubborn personality and is not as easy to approach as Xie Li initially imagined. However, at this moment, Chang Xiaojia starts showing an unusual interest in Xie Li’s body.... more>>

The main couple is Xie Li x Chang Xiaojia, with a plot that may potentially involve drama and intense scenes. There might be some plot twists and misunderstandings, with the background setting being fictional.

The inspiration for this story comes from “Line Walker 4,” borrowing some character concepts but not entirely derived from it. The characters’ personalities are different. Please refrain from associating real actors with the characters since the author does not have specific visual images while writing; they are simply drawn to the background setup.

The story is expected to be relatively short and it will have a happy ending. <<less

“Do you want to be normal?... more>>

“Have you begun to doubt the definition of normal?

“Do you hate the world that doesn’t accept you?

“Do you want to change? This world won’t change for you so you can only change yourself.

“Welcome to Cotidianus, a place that can make you normal.” <<less

We follow the story of Song Lang, a genius in the police field, who due to unfortunate circumstances caused by his mortal enemy, now assumes... more>> the identity of a driver named Chen Shi. Although he had wanted to live out his days as an ordinary citizen, fate has other plans in store him. Finding himself in the position of prime suspect to a case, he assists a police officer to uncover the truth. Follow the adventures of Chen Shi as he is plunged back into the world of bizarre homicide investigations. Will he be fated to meet his enemy once again? <<less

When she first met Seokju, she was so afraid and couldn’t save him.... more>>

When she met him the second time, she had been too immature in love and lost him.

However, this time was different.

Seokju, I will never give up on you.

When he first met Jiwon, she was such an idiot that he couldn’t help but worry about her.

When they met again, he couldn’t help himself and fell in love with her.

He would have been better off if he had just lost the ability to feel.

If only I had known that my life would be turned upside-down because of you… <<less

Sin Woo-hyun – The third head of a syndicate, living his life through inertia. He visits the older sister of the man who drove his younger sister to her death and meets Yoo-hwa there.... more>>

Kim Yoo-hwa – A life full of wounds. She meets Woo-hyun while in deep loneliness and loves him.

Even if it’s not love,

Even if you don’t mean it,

It’s all right.

Because it’s you.

Because you were affectionate to me, who was hungry for affection. <<less

What was meant to be a quick breakage of their sibling’s relationship, brought about a lingering memory of Xiao Li’s piercing gaze, imprinting itself in Qi Xiu Yuan’s heart. Several encounters later, friendship was the underlying word to start off their relationship, yet for Qi Xiu Yuan it had always been something more. Something stronger. For Xiao Li, who had only known the criminal world, how will he take on feelings that he had never felt before?... more>>

The bold line that separate the gang member–Xiao Li and the teacher–Qi Xiu Yuan, which path will allow them to meet in the middle? <<less

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.... more>>

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’‽” <<less

Unwilling to accept a business marriage arranged by the family, Wen Ruan, the precious daughter of a wealthy family knew that she had to be independent, so she left home carrying a stack of credit cards.... more>>

Unfortunately, she got entangled with a few human traffickers as soon as she stepped off the train but luckily she was rescued by a handsome man. Obsessed with pretty boys and captivated by his looks, she pretended to be poor, clung to him, and wormed her way into his house.

“I am from out of town. I’m poor, lonely, and helpless and the traffickers are keeping their eyes on me. If you drive me away, I’ll be sold.”

Fu Zhihuan glanced at the limited edition red Hermes suitcase that Wen Ruan was carrying and fell silent.

Wen Ruan: Isn’t a five thousand dollar dress considered cheap?!

Wen Ruan: I only bought two bags this week……only two bags! ! <<less

Intellectual Villages are old fashioned rural villages recreated with cutting edge technology. Those villages attract the Japanese monsters known as Youkai.... more>>

The high school boy Jinnai Shinobu lives in one of those villages and has a Zashiki Warashi living in his house. He tends to run across Youkai with unnerving frequency and this often leads to trouble for him. <<less

"...Will I get thrown in jail?"

Childhood, upbringing, family background, social relations, traumatic experiences…... more>>

We keep reviewing and seeking out the motives of criminals, exploring the subtlest emotions driving them. It’s not to put ourselves in their shoes and sympathize, or even forgive them; it’s not to find some reasons to exculpate their crimes; it’s not to kneel down before the so-called “complexity of human nature”; nor to introspect social conflicts, much less to alienate ourselves into monsters.

We just want to have a fair trial – for ourselves and for those who still have hope for the world. <<less

Shaodi Yu, an orphan, is adopted as a result of of a mu*der case involving the deaths of his entire family. Because of some painful... more>> experiences, he refuses to speak. However, he has sharp insight; moreover, he becomes under the care of a pair of twin brothers in the police force, who also have a child currently in university. Yu Yin possesses yin-yang eyes, which allow him to see things ordinary people cannot. The two brothers happen to complement each other, and together they investigate various inconceivable incidents. <<less