The cold, expressionless face was a stark contrast to the blazing fury in his ice-blue eyes.
His fist, clad in a black leather glove and clenched as if to burst, directed its wrath towards the knight who couldn’t finish his last word.
Everyone froze, unable to utter a word. Especially the knights who had spoken out of turn, trembling and collapsing on the spot.
It was utterly one-sided. His mercilessness rendered his opponents powerless, using nothing but his fists. Although their lives were spared for the moment, his cruel, bloodthirsty demeanor mirrored that of the feared Black Reaper from the battlefield, known for plunging his enemies into deep despair.
One by one, the foul-mouthed men’s mouths and noses burst, teeth scattering. That was just the beginning. Once a face was mangled, the rest of the body was next.
A knight, pale and terrified, screamed at the elite knights supposed to restrain Roderick’s frenzy, “Why aren’t you stopping him!”
The subordinates, who had been calmly watching Roderick, spat on the ground. “That bastard. Trying to show some conscience now.”
“Why should we?”
“The nerve of that guy. Lucky his tongue isn’t cut off.”
No one sympathized with them. They just watched. The terrified knight attempted to flee.
“Please, save me… cough!”
But escape was not permitted. No one could elude the beast-like senses of Roderick.
Interestingly, he wasn’t seized by frenzy. He didn’t crave or desire blood, clearer-headed than ever, which made him feel the intense disgust wrapping around his body even more.
His realm being violated added to his displeasure. The enthralling curse among them made him even more ruthless, but nobody knew.
Amid the swirling curse, his punches, fueled by rage, never ceased.
“Phew-”
Nathan, standing at a distance, whistled as he watched Roderick in action. “Still alive, huh? The Black Reaper.”
“Aren’t you going to step in?”
Felice, expecting Nathan to rush in with his sword, asked in surprise at his inaction.
“Why should I? If I step in, they’ll die instantly.”
Nathan was restraining himself in his own way. It was someone else’s family, and if he spilled real blood in Diana’s castle, he’d surely be reprimanded.
He left it to Roderick for now. Once they stepped outside the castle, it would be his turn.
“He’s meticulously breaking every bone. I can’t be bothered to do all that.”
Was Diana influencing Roderick to this extent? Nathan grimaced, finding the situation distasteful. Still, he couldn’t allow it. That man…
“Mad, right? Who does that? Just end it with one strike.”
Felice nodded in agreement, visibly intimidated by his brother.
Clearly sane, Roderick was not lost to frenzy. That’s why his subordinates just stood by. It wasn’t a dangerous situation. If it had been, they would’ve intervened if Roderick hadn’t timely appeared.
“Wow, never seen the captain this angry.”
“Shut up. The captain’s probably listening. We should keep quiet at times like this.”
“But those guys had it coming.”
Only Roderick, Nathan, Felice, and his direct subordinates truly heard the entire conversation of the Second Knight Division. The rest were clueless about the situation.
After some time, the groans of pain ceased. The men lay strewn like corpses, battered and bloodied.
As he removed his blood-soaked gloves, Roderick spoke softly, “All troops, assemble.”
“Assembly!” Everyone assembled at the training ground, echoing the command. Roderick, having put on new gloves, tilted his head slightly, accentuating his thick neckline. His gaze first settled on Felice Schwarz.
“Felice Schwarz.”
Felice, like a soldier freshly drilled into discipline, responded in a rigid posture. “Yes!”
“You haven’t been managing the castle properly.”
“I apologize.”
The honorifics slipped out naturally. Felice bit the inside of his cheek, mulling over his mistake.
He had been too late in preventing the words from reaching Roderick’s ears. Unbeknownst to him, there had been troublemakers among the servants and knights alike.
“You’ll report to me later.”
Roderick’s words sent a shiver down Felice’s neck as he looked over his bowed head.
Felice looked up, startled, only to find Roderick had already turned his back. He watched his brother’s back, his face falling.
‘No, not “later.” That’s terrifying…! Oh no!’
He would’ve clung to Roderick’s legs and cried if not for the presence of the knights. Better to be punished here and now.
Roderick’s gaze then moved to the captain of the Second Knight Division. He neither spoke nor reprimanded.
The captain, drenched in cold sweat, had heard his subordinates’ words. He couldn’t dare defy them for touching his men.
“Any complaints?”
Interpreting that fleeting expression, Roderick asked. The startled captain answered.
“No, sir. Sorry.”
“For what?”
“Not managing my subordinates properly.”
“Then you have no complaints.”
The captain’s puzzled response was met with Roderick’s gaze now falling on Nathan, standing apart from the formed knights.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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