Liang Shu sent his people to Baihe Village and ordered them to discover what Liu Xian’an hated the most.... more>>

Several days later, his people returned with the information. Firstly, Second Young Master Liu hates copying books, and secondly, he hates you, my lord.

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Liang Shu (gong) x Liu Xian’an (shou) <<less

Physically confronting your abusive superior might be cool and satisfying when it happens in a drama, but, as Kazuo Sugishita is learning, it's less cool when you're sitting at home afterwards, terrified to learn how you'll be punished when you return to work the next day. The sentence he faces sounds surprisingly lenient - just a temporary reassignment to the company's entertainment department while things blow over. But he changes his mind when he gets the specifics: Kazuo has been assigned as manager-in-training (read "servant") to Shiro Hoshizono, the "Star Watcher": A pompous, showoff-y, completely insufferable talent with no actual talents except using his sickeningly sweet words and foreign model looks to seduce lonely middle... more>> aged women into paying for the privilege of hearing him speak.

The day after his new assignment, Kazuo and Hoshizono leave for Saitama Prefecture, where Hoshizono has been recruited to become an image character for a campground in the mountains, alongside a group of other colorful characters, including a romance novelist with the looks of Cleopatra but the personality of someone's grandpa and a UFO obsessed conspiracy theorist.

But the morning after their arrival, their host is found strangled to death in his lodge, the road back is buried in an avalanche, and... you can probably see where this is going.

Turns out, despite how he comes across normally, Hoshizono is actually a genius detective!

The novel features a unique chapter naming scheme where each chapter is titled as a three to four sentence summary of its own contents, focused upon what information about the case is discovered and what evidence appears, for ease of reference.

A nominee for the 50th annual Mystery Writers Association of Japan Award, long story category. <<less

Ling Hua'an possessed peculiar eyes. He couldn’t see the living, but he has the ability to see ghosts. He runs a small supermarket with his profit obviously earned from the living people. But in fact, his massive income actually comes from finding out the cause of death of the wronged souls and helping them enter the cycle of reincarnation.... more>>

There is a saying that has been circulating in the Underworld:

The grocery store’s door is open. Ghosts must not come in if they have no money!

Jiang Chengyan is the captain of the criminal investigation team of Yuncheng Municipal Bureau.

He is busy everyday, and often works overtime. His dinner would mostly be instant noodles he had bought from the supermarket near the gate.

But every time he went out shopping, he would always sense the gloomy atmosphere surrounding the market. But he’s a firm atheist, so it‘s reasonable for him to go. (Actually, I think the supermarket owner is quite a good-looking fellow and has good disposition.)

By an incidental chance, Ling Hua'an suddenly received a huge order. If he could do it, he will no longer have to worry about food and clothing in his lifetime. But it’s quite difficult, thus, Ling Hua’an naturally approached Jiang Chengyan.

Afterwards, Jiang Chengyan who is a firm atheist, had his three views broken, and it was really sweet… <<less

He uses desire to ensnare others, he uses blood as temptation, he uses his appearance as a disguise. Like a wolf, he hunts for prey in the shadows. He is among the FBI’s most wanted list of serial killers. He lives by his own law, the Lex Talionis. He does things his own way, independent and reckless. He gave himself his own name: Sha Qing... more>>

————

The first time the two officially met:

“The purpose of the prison is not to destroy people’s lives; it’s meant to replace the broken chains of law and morality, to bind the beast in their hearts again, until it is completely subdued,” said Leo.

“Everyone has beasts in their hearts, agent, and so do you.” Sha Qing extended an index finger and pointed at Leo’s heart.

“Yes, but unlike you, I will use those iron chains to lock it tightly in a cage.”

“It’s not as easy as you think, Leo. Things are always changing, and often beyond your control …”

With his blood-stained lips, he suddenly kissed the stunned FBI agent.

The salty bloody taste spread in their mouths and the fiery contact was enough to burn the tips of their tongues.

Leo’s eyes suddenly felt heavy, but his face did not show any irritation from being calculated upon.

“Have you foreseen this in your plans ?” He raised his wrist with effort, then slowly closed his eyes.

Sha Qing looked down and saw that a pair of steel handcuffs had fastened his left wrist with the other’s right arm.

He lowered his head and kissed the sleeping man’s wet, dusty hair, and said in a soft voice:

“Goodbye, brave young lion.”

He then dislocated his own hand to remove the shackles that bound them together.

Sha Qing stood up and walked away, until his figure disappeared into the darkness… <<less