Alex was still sitting on the wall with Hannibal, slowly sipping his coffee. They were talking about various topics. Alex was curious to know how Hannibal had served with Price. During the story about serving in Task Force 141, Alex was surprised to learn that Hannibal also knew Chiquita, Lehm, as well as fighters like Wylie and Echo. Moreover, they even had joint operations together.

Alex wasn’t too surprised—Lehm really did have an impressive track record, so it wasn’t shocking that he had crossed paths with both Team A and Price himself. Joint missions made perfect sense.

“How did you even meet Lehm and the others?” Hannibal asked, taking a sip of coffee.

“You know that Lehm and the others used to work for Koko, right?” Alex clarified, glancing at his companion.

“Yeah, I’ve heard about that. Not surprised. Former military turning to mercenary work isn’t uncommon,” Hannibal nodded.

“Well, then it’s simple. When the first wave of the zombie apocalypse began, Koko and her team were at the airport. It just so happened that Shizuka’s friend was there too. None of them knew at the time that they were transporting a fragment of the Black Marker. And the ‘Evil’ Corporation was desperate to get their hands on that shard—they sent a horde to the airport. We had to save them. That’s how we met. We’ve been traveling together through this ruined world ever since,” Alex explained briefly.

Hannibal nodded, listening carefully. They chatted a little longer before Alex decided to head back—they had already spent more than an hour on the wall discussing various things. Pouring the coffee remnants over the wall, he said goodbye and made his way back to the barracks. He needed to make breakfast for the girls before they woke up. For him, the road to Anchorage had been boring, but for the girls, it was exhausting. Alex understood they’d definitely want a good meal in the morning.

As he approached the barracks assigned to their group, he noticed a few guys had stepped outside for some fresh air—it was Ryu, Ken, Jin, Zangief, and Sean.

“Up early again, guys?” Alex asked with a smirk, watching them begin to stretch.

“Yeah, something like that,” Jin replied, rubbing his lower back. “These cots are hell. Even my back hurts. And the one Zangief was on completely collapsed.”

“It’s not my fault the beds are so flimsy and old,” Zangief shrugged, starting to do push-ups. “I just sat down, and one broke.”

“That’s because you eat like a damn rhino,” Sean muttered, stretching his legs.

“That’s not fat, that’s muscle!” Zangief snorted and proudly flexed his biceps. “Look how solid they are! And you, kid, should really train a bit. No girl’s gonna go for a twig like you!”

“I don’t want to look like a muscular gorilla,” Sean grumbled and turned away.

“What did you say?! Get over here, punk! I’ll show you what these muscles can do!” Zangief roared and charged forward.

Sean didn’t wait—he bolted instantly, and Zangief, like an enraged bear, chased after him. Alex, Jin, Ryu, and Ken watched the scene with interest.

“Sean’s got one advantage—agility,” they all thought in unison. They even placed a few bets on how long he could avoid Zangief’s grasp. The answer came quickly. Despite his size, Zangief wasn’t just strong—he was fast too.

When Sean got caught in the hold, his face broke out in sweat. He realized — this was bad. Without wasting a second, Zangief jumped up and started spinning in the air. Sean’s head nearly touched the ground, but at the last moment, Zangief stopped the fall — just a centimeter from the concrete. Still, Sean was now sweating even more.

“Well, that was fast,” Ken said, crossing his arms. “I thought with all that training, Sean would last longer. Looks like I’ll have to increase his load.”

“You actually took him in as a student? You usually avoid that,” Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“What can I do? The kid’s persistent. Decided to give it a shot,” Ken shrugged.

“I wonder if he’ll ever surpass Kenichi from Ryozanpaku,” Jin said with a smirk.

“Not likely,” Alex replied. “Not because of Ken, but because of talent. Kenichi may be a hopeless idiot, but he’s got one thing — determination. You’ve seen how Sasaki, Akisame, Kensei, and Apachai push him. He spends more time in the clinic than the two of you combined. He’s covered in bruises every day, yet they still drag him to train in the morning.”

Alex paused, then added with a sly grin,

“Unlike you two, Ken and Ryu, Kenichi at least has people who care about him. You’re just a pair of stray dogs.”

“Hey, don’t remind me!” Ken grimaced. “I still dream of kicking Kenichi’s ass just for being surrounded by girls who baby him. It’s disgusting!”

“That’s jealousy, Ken,” Jin laughed. “You’re just jealous someone has a girlfriend. Or maybe even a few. And you’re still alone.”

Jin and Alex continued teasing Ken about being single and how he still couldn’t get himself a girlfriend. They especially poked fun at how his brain was just one big muscle. The jokes gradually reached a boiling point — Ken started getting genuinely pissed.

He was about to punch them both when Alex lazily raised his fist and warned with a grin,

“Go ahead. I’ve got a ‘fist of love’ ready just for you.”

Ken flinched instinctively, decided to let it go, and turned his irritation toward Jin instead. But Jin wasn’t about to be a punching bag — he immediately fought back, fully engaged in the brawl.

Watching the scuffle, Alex chuckled with satisfaction. He didn’t even try to hide that he was pleased his teasing had triggered a fight. Waving goodbye to Ryu and throwing his hands behind his head, he headed toward the barracks, quietly laughing to himself. A more peaceful mission awaited him — breakfast for the girls.

First, he checked the room where he’d spent the night with them. Seeing that they were still asleep, he nodded, gently closed the door, and headed to the kitchen. In one of the empty rooms, he began unpacking everything he needed from his inventory and got to cooking.

But as soon as he started, the “hungry trio” came rushing in — GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. They instantly sat down at the table, eyes wide and eager, clearly starving. Alex glanced at them with the expression of someone who had seen too much: these three only behaved themselves when they were being fed.

He prepared three servings and placed bowls of cereal with milk and milkshakes in front of them.

“Eat. And don’t make noise,” he muttered.

“Fiiine,” they chorused and started devouring the food enthusiastically.

Alex watched as Stitch literally poured cereal and milk straight into his mouth. One of Alex’s eyes twitched at the sight. Without the girls around, these three completely forgot all manners. But as soon as even one of the girls showed up, they’d turn into perfect little angels. They were just too afraid of embarrassing themselves in front of their “mommies.”

Deciding to ignore the barbarity, Alex returned to preparing breakfast for the girls. He turned on the coffee machine, and soon the room was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Once he finished, he asked the trio to wake the girls.

GIR, MIMI, and Stitch immediately dashed off to carry out the task. Alex was just setting the table when he heard sleepy groans — a sure sign the girls had woken up and were now zombie-walking toward the smell of food and coffee. He wasn’t wrong: soon the girls began to shuffle into the kitchen, swaying slightly and with half-closed eyes. Only Valmet and Chiquita looked somewhat alert, though faint traces of sleep still lingered on their faces.

“You could’ve let us sleep a bit longer…” Shizuka groaned, resting her head on the table. “I’m never going that far again. It’s boring and exhausting.”

“I’ll open a portal next time,” Alex promised with a smile.

“Would’ve been better if you did that from the start,” Revy grunted, sipping her coffee. “My ass can’t handle another trip like that.”

“Seriously,” Nobuna pouted. “We could’ve arrived here yesterday morning if you’d just opened the portal right away.”

“But didn’t we enjoy the scenery?” Alex remarked philosophically, raising a finger. “As Buddha once said — we must cherish each moment of life, admire the landscapes and small things. Who knows if we’ll ever have that chance again?”

“You really shouldn’t have hung out with that candy thief,” Rebecca chuckled. “You’re starting to spout the same nonsense he does.”

Alex just laughed without saying a word. He sat nearby, watching the girls eat breakfast. Everyone already knew Buddha was his friend, so his lofty speeches didn’t surprise anyone. The aroma of coffee and food was now spreading throughout the barracks, stirring hunger in other residents.

“You’re having breakfast without us? How shameless!” came Juri’s voice from the doorway.

“You just came for a free meal?” Chun-Li lazily remarked.

“Maybe,” Juri smiled playfully. “Depends on whether your husband is willing to share.”

“Take a seat,” Alex said with a slight smile. “There’s enough for everyone.”

“Then we’ll join too,” Shino replied, dragging Mari behind her.

“Is there more coffee? I wouldn’t mind a cup,” Claire asked as she entered with a smile.

“Me too,” Moira added.

“How many of you are there?!” Nobuna exclaimed, lifting her head.

“Just three. Me, Sherry, and Rebecca,” Jill replied, pulling Sherry and Rebecca Chambers into the room.

Alex sighed lightly as he looked at all the girls drawn in by the smell of food and coffee. He had invited them himself — and now he had to cook breakfast for eight mouths. Deciding not to hide his inventory anymore, he began pulling out ingredients right in front of the newcomers. At first, no one paid it any attention — the girls were chatting among themselves, discussing how the night went. But soon someone noticed Alex’s hand occasionally disappearing and reappearing with food in his palm.

“What the hell kind of food magic is that?!” Moira exclaimed, pointing at Alex in shock.

“Spatial inventory,” he replied calmly, not even turning around as he continued chopping vegetables.

“Spatial… what?” Shino echoed, staring at his back.

“Spatial inventory,” Saya chimed in, explaining, “Simply put, it’s a separate dimension connected to a person — like in games. You can store tons of stuff and pull it out at will, like from a backpack.”

Alex silently gave a thumbs-up, approving her explanation. Rebecca, not missing the chance to show off, began pulling weapons from her own inventory, theatrically twirling a pistol in her hand.

“So that’s where you hide all this,” Moira smirked, glancing at her.

“She’s not the only one,” Saeko added, nodding toward GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. “You didn’t really think they manage to change into different costumes every time without anyone noticing, did you?”

“I see…” Mari murmured, as if finally getting the answer to a question that had been bothering her.

“Alright, ladies, enough questions. Breakfast first, then talk. We’ve got plenty to do in this city today,” Alex said, setting plates down in front of the girls who had come for a free meal.

“So, what are your plans?” Claire asked, taking a sip of her hot coffee.

“We need to scout the city,” Alex replied. “Yesterday Saya and I spoke with Hannibal and his people. They claimed to have seen demons in the city. And today, by the walls, I spotted an Imp. I think there might be nests around, and it’s better to destroy them in advance.”

He sat down next to Rebecca — his favorite gremlin with green hair, who was already comfortably settled beside him. The girls nodded and started eating breakfast, sipping coffee and lazily chatting as they slowly woke up.

Alex pulled out his phone and decided to check the latest reports collected by GIR and MIMI, connected to hacked satellites around the world. Seeing what he was doing, Rebecca immediately climbed onto his lap, wanting to look at it together. Alex scrolled through the data but didn’t find anything particularly new… except for one interesting radio broadcast calling for resistance and unity against the Corporation. He smirked — he already knew whose handiwork it was. Chris Redfield seemed to have started acting seriously.

“I think I heard Chris’s voice,” Claire remarked, turning her head.

“You’re right,” Alex nodded. “It’s him. Like we thought, he’s gathering people and organizing resistance. A true leader in these apocalyptic times.”

“That’s Chris for you. He’s always been like that,” Claire said with a light smile. “Good thing he got smarter after our last meeting. Before, he was just muscle and no brains.”

“Don’t say that,” Jill chuckled. “Back then, Chris was… well, just ‘ugh.'”

Alex glanced at the two girls with a smirk, unable to stop himself from thinking: good thing Chris wasn’t here right now — he’d probably take a serious morale hit after their words. Especially since one of them was his own sister. Soon, Moira joined their little “anti-Chris” club, happily confirming Jill and Claire’s opinion, knowing Chris only from their father’s stories.

Alex just sighed. He was already glad Rebecca Chambers had decided not to join the conversation — otherwise, the other girls would have learned even more compromising details.

But his joy was premature. Rebecca Chambers couldn’t resist either and, smiling modestly, decided to add a couple of stories about her “less-than-perfect” brother, Claire.

Alex stopped listening to the conversation and turned his attention back to the data collected by GIR and MIMI. He hoped to find out how far Chris had advanced in his campaign to build resistance against the “Evil Corporation.”

Unfortunately, there was little new information. However, even from these data, it was clear — Chris was managing. He truly knew how to inspire people, like a hero from old legends leading an army against a common enemy.

Alex, unable to hide his ironic smile, shared this with the others. The girls listened attentively and nodded in agreement, acknowledging that Chris, despite all his “past sins,” was indeed doing a good job.

After breakfast, Alex cleared all the dishes and kitchenware back into the inventory, not wanting to leave a mess. The girls were once again amazed by his spatial storage—they couldn’t understand how so much stuff fit inside it. Alex briefly explained the size and principles of the inventory, but that only fueled their curiosity further.

As they headed outside, chatting and bombarding Alex with questions about the contents of the inventory, he suddenly noticed one person was missing.

“Shino, where’s Itami? Wasn’t he coming with us?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

“How do you know? That idiot suddenly started talking nonsense, saying he needed to stay — ‘the settlement would fall without him,’ ‘he’s needed by the people,’ and all that crap. In short, he refused to come,” Shino replied irritably.

Mari silently nodded, confirming her words. Alex ran his hand over his face, barely restraining his irritation. It was hard to believe how quickly Itami had slid into complete irresponsibility. But deciding not to waste his nerves, he took a deep breath and focused on the briefing.

“All right, ladies and gentlemen. Looks like you’ve all had a good rest. But we’ve got work today. Yesterday, I hope you talked with Soap, Ghost, and Price, so you know the general situation. Briefly: from my observations, there may be demon nests in the city. This morning I saw an Imp by the wall. That means one thing — there could be a source of infection inside the city. Our task is to find the nests and destroy them. Same as usual,” Alex said, scanning the gathered group.

He paused, then, as if remembering something, added:

“Oh, right. I have something for you so you don’t have to wander around basements blindly.”

“Gifts? Or costume modules?” Toji asked, looking at Alex with interest.

“You guessed it. These are new modules. I quickly put together devices that react to demonic energy. Now you’ll be able to detect nests from a distance,” Alex said, pulling a heavy box from the inventory and carefully setting it on the ground.

“New tricks with boxes appearing out of thin air? Stylish,” R commented, giving a thumbs-up.

“Yeah, I’m all special and cool, I know. Okay, grab the modules, upload the update, and work as usual. If there are no nests — at least we’ll clean the city of zombies. If you find survivors — bring them here. And don’t forget to mark useful locations with supplies. I restocked the warehouse yesterday, but as you know, food doesn’t grow on trees. I suggest taking someone local as a guide.”

While everyone unpacked the modules and connected them to their battle suits, Alex approached Rebecca Chambers, Mari, and Shizuka.

“Ladies, head to the medbay. Check the wounded, get the infirmary in order. While we’re here, you can help those who aren’t doing well.”

Shizuka nodded happily, took Mari and Rebecca Chambers by the hands, and led them in the right direction. Meanwhile, Alex was dividing the team into groups but didn’t notice how the girls… had ditched him. They had already formed their own “girls’ squad” and were chatting cheerfully.

“Hey, did you just ditch me?” Alex asked, stunned as he looked at them.

“Sorry, darling, today we’re going out just as a girls’ company. We need to catch up among ourselves too. Don’t worry, I’ll comfort you later,” Chiquita replied with a smile, giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Sorry, cupcake, you just took way too long to get ready,” Rebecca winked at him with a mischievous grin.

Alex looked at the girls with a blank expression. They just kissed him briefly on the lips… and left, leaving him standing alone. He silently watched as they got into the transport and drove off with the others. It was irritating. But what annoyed him even more was how the valkyries burst out laughing inside his spiritual space, endlessly repeating:

“They ditched you.”

Alex sighed irritably but said nothing.

Suddenly, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder — as if trying to comfort him. Turning his head, he saw Kota, Takashi, and Jonah. They had stayed behind too. None of them had left.

“Don’t worry, you’re not alone. You still have us,” Kota said with a wide grin.

“And what are you guys doing here?” Alex muttered, brushing off Kota’s hand.

“Yuki didn’t want to go. I didn’t insist,” Takashi shrugged.

“Merna and the others decided to stay too,” Kota added, crossing his arms.

“Your girls just didn’t want to be shaken around in the transport for so long,” Jonah added monotonously.

“That’s just details, don’t dwell on it. So, Alex, come with us. Take a ride with your son like a real dad,” Kota smirked, chuckling.

Alex gave him a blank look and barely held back from punching him. But Takashi did it for him — he was already fed up with the endless “father and son” jokes. Takashi was struggling to accept that Alex had become his stepfather twice over, and now Kota was just pouring fuel on the fire.

Kota, after receiving a kick in the butt, just laughed loudly and, it seemed, laughed even harder. Alex and Jonah exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison. Then both silently headed to the Humvee and climbed inside.

“Hey, you two! Stop running around. Get in, or we’ll leave without you,” Alex shouted, turning to the others who were left behind.

Takashi shot an irritated glance at Kota, stopped the bickering, and quickly climbed into the Humvee. Kota, still giggling, followed him.

Once everyone was in their seats, Alex started the engine. The vehicle moved off, and they headed toward the city — on a reconnaissance mission. On the way, Alex pulled out his phone, attached it to the dashboard, and started looking at the map, searching for possible places where a demon nest might be hiding.

Finding the most promising spot, he stepped on the gas and turned the wheel, following the route.

“So, Takashi… How are things with Yuki? Planning kids already?” Alex asked with a sly grin.

Takashi choked on his breath and stared at him like he was crazy. Jonah and Kota burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.

Alex, on the other hand, was enjoying the situation — Takashi’s expression was priceless. Moments like this probably made the whole effort of finding him, the former David, worth it. And ahead of them was still the meeting with Gloria, where Takashi would get a fresh dose of awkward questions… from his second mom.

“Are you serious?” Takashi grumbled, turning away. “You yourself said it’s too dangerous right now. We haven’t even thought about it… and besides, there are certain stages you have to go through first before… well, having kids.”

“Alright. Have you told her yet? You know what I mean,” Alex asked lazily, glancing at him.

“No, not yet. I couldn’t find the right moment,” Takashi admitted with a slight sigh.

“Better not delay. Yuki needs to know beforehand. Otherwise, if the truth comes out later, she’ll think you didn’t trust her. And that could ruin your relationship,” Alex said seriously.

Takashi nodded. But despite the advice, he still didn’t know how exactly to tell Yuki the truth — about himself, about his past life. Unlike Alex, he couldn’t just blurt it out or drop a hint. He was afraid of her reaction. Afraid she’d think he was… crazy.

Kota and Jonah exchanged looks — their eyes full of confusion. They were clearly trying to catch the gist of the conversation but didn’t see the meaning yet.

“What are you even talking about? What is he supposed to tell Yuki?” Kota asked, shifting his gaze between Alex and Takashi.

“Well, you can practice on these two. You’re friends anyway,” Alex smirked, pointing to the back seat where Kota and Jonah were sitting.

“Listen, it’s not that simple… I don’t want to be considered a psycho,” Takashi mumbled, rolling his eyes.

“Wait, wait…” Kota waved his hands. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand a thing! And why should we think Takashi’s a psycho? He’s just a depressed idiot. But definitely not crazy!”

Alex chuckled softly.

“Kota, use your brain, please. Just once, think a little deeper. Why does Takashi always wear the same jacket? Why did I give that jacket only to him and not to someone else?”

Kota stared intently at Martinez’s jacket that Takashi hadn’t taken off since the day he got it from Alex. Noticing that Kota still hadn’t caught on, Alex gave him one more hint — he played the song I Really Want to Stay at Your House on his phone.

As the music started, a wave of sadness overwhelmed Alex. Even though he had saved Gloria, Rebecca, Lucy, and Kiwi from their terrible fate, he still couldn’t calmly watch the original story. He wanted to erase that timeline from the face of the world, to destroy it so their fates would never repeat — not in any branch, not in any universe.

Takashi closed his eyes, resting his head against the glass, sinking into the melody. He knew how it was all supposed to end. He had watched that anime, seen what awaited him if he had survived instead of his mother — Gloria. And he knew where it would all lead.

Alex glanced at Kota. He was no longer trying to hold back tears as he listened to the words of the song. At that moment, Alex realized — he was not alone. Someone else felt the same pain, the same nostalgia, and the same loss.

“That can’t be…” Kota muttered, wiping his eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re…”

“Yes. I’m David,” Takashi quietly replied, opening his eyes.

“You’ve got to be kidding…” Kota sighed and ran his hand over his face. “So you got isekai’d and ended up here… Damn, man, your luck really sucks. First Night City, now a world full of zombies and demons… You can only feel sorry for your luck.”

“Get lost. As if I don’t know. One crap replaced by another — not funny at all,” Takashi grumbled, rolling his eyes.

“Alright, whatever… Better tell me — do you have any cheats? A system? Bonuses from gods?” Kota asked excitedly, noticeably brightening up.

“He’s my cheat,” Takashi said calmly, nodding toward Alex.

Kota and Jonah simultaneously looked at Alex, who was lazily smoking a cigarette with his hand out the window. Kota thought for a moment, started connecting the dots… and suddenly realized what Takashi meant. His eyes lit up.

“I knew it… Damn, I knew from the start you were the Demon King!” Kota said excitedly. “So Rebecca is the real Rebecca, and Brunhilda is the actual Brunhilda?! No way! I’m riding in the same Humvee as the Demon King himself and, damn it, David Martinez — my friend! Anime characters have become reality and ended up in our world. That’s insane!”

Alex glanced at Kota, who began muttering incoherent phrases about isekai, parallel worlds, and other fantasy under his breath. He silently looked back at Takashi, who gave a mute message:

“I told you so.”

Takashi just rolled his eyes, not needing any comments. Only Jonah still seemed not to fully understand what was going on or who here was still sane.

“Wait…” Kota suddenly frowned, “then where did you get that jacket? Something doesn’t add up…”

“Gloria gave it to me,” Alex answered with a slight smirk. “You could say I’m Takashi’s father. Twice over.”

“But… well, you know…” Kota stammered awkwardly, unwilling to say aloud what had happened to Gloria.

“Different timelines — different events. In one, David died, and Gloria survived,” Alex said calmly.

“I get it… It’s just…” Kota lowered his eyes. “It feels awkward to talk about someone’s death in the family with Takashi around. Or should I call you David?”

“Right now, I’m Takashi,” he replied with a light sigh, as if regretting revealing the truth at all. “So you can call me what you used to.”

“Alright, let’s leave all this isekai stuff for later…” Kota suddenly raised his hands theatrically. “Oh, great Demon King, Alexander Voldigoad, tell us what such a powerful man is doing in our shabby world?”

“That’s just my job,” Alex yawned, as if the question was about the weather.

“If you’re really as strong as this fat guy keeps bragging about,” Jonah said coldly, “then why haven’t you wiped out all these demons and creatures yet?”

Alex turned to him, irritation flashing in his eyes, along with a hidden rage.

“Because behind all this filth, there are two…” he said in a restrained voice. “Two very powerful beings. And if they realize I’m interfering directly — there won’t be anyone left to save. Or do you really think I don’t want to smash those bastards into the ground right now?”

Jonah fell silent. He noticed the anger burning in Alex’s eyes — real, not fake. Behind that lazy mask was a man who knew too much… and felt even more. He alone understood what was happening to the souls of the dead. He felt their pain, their suffering, their eternal agony. Some of them wouldn’t even be able to reincarnate.

Alex sighed deeply, suppressing that furious, almost animalistic feeling of guilt inside him. He convinced himself that when the time came—when the Minister of Monoliths and Davoth were dead—the souls would find peace. They would move on to a brighter, more peaceful world, where suffering had no place.

Noticing the change in Alex’s mood, Kota quickly changed the subject.

“So what was it like… Night City? In reality? I mean, I played the game and watched the anime, but what did it really look like?”

“A total shit city,” Takashi grimaced.

“And that’s putting it mildly,” Alex added with a tired chuckle. “I worked with the Edgerunners, and I’ll tell you straight—reality is way darker than what the game or anime shows.”

“You… you worked with Main and the others?” Kota leaned forward like a true fan.

“Yeah,” Alex smirked. “It was fun with them. Lucy suspected me from the start, but we quickly found common ground. Kiwi… she even pointed a gun at me after our first mission together. Heh. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.”

“What else did you do there?” Kota pressed on, swallowing his emotions and switching into fan mode.

“Well, for starters, I busted into Arasaka Tower three times. The first time—to hack their servers and paint an entire floor acid pink. The second—to ‘have a polite chat’ with Hanako Arasaka. And the third…” Alex chuckled, “I kidnapped her.”

He leaned back, grinning as he recalled the details.

“Basically, nothing special.”

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep