Shadow Perfect

On the seventh day after my daughter goes missing, I kidnap an entire kindergarten. I lock away all 27 students and two teachers in a classroom. I tell the police that if they can't find my daughter, I will kill a kid every 30 minutes. The principal falls to her knees, wailing and begging, "It's not my fault that your daughter is missing. Why should other children pay for it?" I glance at my watch. "29 minutes left. Find her." I know she's in this kindergarten.

My entire family could hear my thoughts. In my previous life, I was switched at birth with Victoria Harrington. I was reunited with my family 18 years later. It was the early 1920s, when owning a bicycle or a radio was still rare for most families. I had always dreamed of having one of those precious things. However, after I came home, Victoria would constantly brag right in front of me. "Mom told me that I'm the only one who deserves this fancy watch," she said with a sweet smile. "And look at this gorgeous bicycle Dad got me for my birthday! Oh, and when I mentioned wanting a radio, Daniel bought it for me immediately." Then came the real knife twist. "I know you're their biological daughter, Bernice, but let's be honest. When it comes to love, I'm their real daughter. Daniel definitely prefers me as his little sister too." Her words ate at me. I could not stop the bitter thoughts that flooded my mind about my parents and brother. The problem was that my family could hear every single one of those thoughts. Slowly, they began to resent me. Eventually, they threw me out into the cold, and I died alone in the winter streets while Victoria lived happily within the warmth of their love. When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I had been reborn. As I watched Victoria putting on her usual show, my thoughts took a delicious turn. 'Victoria thinks that Mom is such a cheapskate for only buying her a cheap watch instead of something expensive. She even calls Dad stingy behind his back because he didn't get her a pricier bicycle.' 'And she constantly complains about how ugly and crude Daniel is, saying that he embarrasses her. I wonder if I should share these thoughts with my family?'

My sister-in-law, Esmerelda Black, hates that her mother, Ruth Jennings, favors me. To make things worse, she has the ability to hear Ruth's thoughts. And she uses that gift against me. When I tell Ruth to have more vegetables to stay healthy, Esmerelda says, "Clara is such a cheapskate not to buy you meat. She doesn't ask her own mom to eat more vegetables." When I encourage Ruth to exercise more to build strength, she says, "Mom, you're already old. You should be taking it easy. Clara wants you to work yourself to death." Slowly, Ruth grows to hate me. In the end, Esmerelda acquires the family business, seizes the fortune, and trafficks me to North Maldia to die. However, when I open my eyes again, I have her gift too—I can also hear Ruth's thoughts.

"Ms. Summers, are you sure you want to terminate this pregnancy?" Solana Summers has been lost in thought, but the repeated questioning suddenly snaps her back to reality. She stares wide-eyed, as if she can't believe what she is seeing. When the doctor, Aidan Bates, urges her again, she realizes she has been reborn. In her previous life, it was on this very day that she discovered she was pregnant and made a choice that cost her dearly. Aidan urges her once more. "Ms. Summers?" "Yes!" Solana answers firmly, her voice trembling ever so slightly. This time, she won't make the same mistake again.

Jiro! seorang pemuda yang dipilih langsung oleh Cahaya, untuk menghapus Kegelapan dari dunia ini. Kelahirannya mengundang bencana, yang dikenal sebagai 'Masa Kekacauan'. Hidup di alam tersembunyi yang indah dan damai, tidak membuatnya menjadi anak yang lemah dan manja. Ia berlatih setiap harinya di dalam hutan dan melawan binatang buas, membuatnya sering kali berada diambang kematian. Namun, keadaan itu justru membuatnya menjadi pejuang yang hebat suatu saat nanti, seperti seorang pahlawan manusia yang selalu diceritakan oleh ibunya setiap menjelang tidur. Kasih sayang Ibu dan Bibinya, membuatnya bertekad menjadi pejuang terhebat di dunia. Hingga pada suatu hari, di malam yang gelap, ratusan ras iblis berhasil masuk ke dalam alam rahasia, dan membumihanguskan alam serta desa tempat ia dibesarkan. Dengan keadaan yang mengharuskannya untuk bersembunyi, sedangkan Ibu, Bibi, dan orang-orang desa bertarung melawan ras iblis, membuatnya dilema dan merasa tidak berguna. Dalam kesendiriannya di tempat persembunyian, sebuah takdir yang hebat datang padanya. Tentang kekuatan yang diwariskan dari para Leluhur, membuatnya sangat percaya diri untuk memusnahkan seluruh ras iblis. Namun takdir berkata lain, ketika ia melihat desanya yang telah rata dengan tanah. Tanpa adanya seorang pun yang tersisa, membuatnya merasa putus asa dan tidak memiliki keinginan untuk tetap hidup. Hingga ia teringat kembali tentang ucapan Ibunya, yang mengatakan bahwa ia akan menjadi pejuang hebat yang akan mengalahkan kegelapan dan membawa perdamaian bagi manusia. Membuat tekadnya membara, dan berjanji pada dirinya sendiri, bahwa ia tidak akan mati sebelum memusnahkan seluruh kegelapan dari dunia ini. "Aku, Hikaru Jiro! Berjanji akan memusnahkan segala bentuk kegelapan dari dunia ini! Jika seluruh dunia diselimuti oleh kegelapan, maka aku akan mendatangi seluruh tempat di dunia untuk menjadi penerang, dan memusnahkan kegelapan!" Sumpah yang telah disaksikan oleh langit dan bumi, akankah Jiro berhasil melakukannya?

Lyra memberikan hadiah terbaik yang dapat diberikan: datang ke pernikahan Axe, sang tunangan, dengan hati yang hancur. Meski telah berjanji akan selalu setia, nyatanya pria tersebut malah meminang gadis lain dan mencampakkan Lyra yang telah menjalin hubungan selama empat tahun dengannya. Saat mengira tak ada hal yang lebih tragis, gadis malang itu terbangun di kamar hotel dengan pria asing, tanpa memakai selembar busana pun. Akankah Lyra selamat dari rentetan ironi yang menerpa dirinya?

Qin Shan, seorang Anak Yatim Piatu, ia kehilangan Ibunya sewaktu ia dilahirkan ke Bumi. lalu setelah itu menyusul Ayahnya. Qin Shan yang baru saja lahir ke Dunia itu, sebelum ayahnya meninggal, Sang Ayah yang tidak lain adalah Sang Kaisar Iblis Surgawi mengorbankan dirinya dengan memisahkan Kristal Jiwa miliknya sendiri dari dalam Lautan Kesadaranya itu. Kristal Jiwa tersebut lalu ia tanamkan ke dalam Lautan Jiwa milik Qin Shan, Bayi nya sendiri. Sang Kaisar Dewa Iblis Surgawi berharap suatu saat setelah Qin Shan sudah beranjak Remaja, Kristal Jiwa itu dapat ia serap sepenuhnya dan dendam nya yang Abadi itu dapat terbalaskan. Namun takdir berkata lain, setelah Qin Shan berhasil menerobos batas dalam berkultivasi menjadi Iblis Surgawi dari generasi yang baru, Qin Shan malah terjebak menuju ke Zaman Modern disaat dia menjelajahi Dimensi lain. Qin Shan merasa sangat penasaran pada satu dimensi yang menggantung dan terlihat berbeda dengan bintang-bintang yang bertebaran di angkasa. Kehidupan baru didalam dimensi lain yang sangat modern dan berbeda dengan kehidupan didunia tempat nya berasal, membuat Qin Shan menjalani kehidupan yang baru. Akankah Qin Shan dapat membalaskan dendam Sang Ayah dan kembali lagi ke dunia tempat asalnya untuk pergi ke Alam Atas di Alam Para Dewa itu... meruntuhkan Langit, merobek Ruang Hampa dan memporak-porandakan Negeri Kayangan...? "Tetaplah disini, mari kita mulai untuk menceritakan tentang Perjalanan Hidup dari Qin Shan...!"

Ang anak ng first love ng tatay ko ay nagdusa sa heatstroke dahil iniwan ito sa sasakyan, kaya itinali niya ako sa galit at ikinulong ako sa loob ng kotse. Tinignan niya ako nang may labis na pagkamuhi at sinabing, “Wala akong malupit na anak na tulad mo. Manatili ka rito at pagnilayan mo ang sarili mo.” Nagmakaawa ako sa kanya, humingi ako ng kapatawaran sa kanya, at nakiusap na palabasin niya ako, pero ang nakuha ko lang bilang kapalit ay ang kanyang malupit na utos. “Maliban kung mamatay siya, walang sinong pwedeng magpalabas sa kanya.” Nakaparada ang kotse sa garahe. Walang makarinig sa akin kahit gaano kadaming beses akong sumigaw. Makalipas ang pitong araw, sa wakas ay naalala niya ako at nagpasyang palabasin na ako. Gayumpaman, wala siyang ideya na namatay na ako sa loob at hindi na muling magigising.

Nang dumating ang college admission notice, bigla akong nagkaroon ng mataas na lagnat at napilitan akong manatili sa kama. Ang aking kapatid na babae ay sangkot sa isang kidnapping habang nasa daan upang tulungan akong kunin ang notice, at ang kanyang buhay ay hindi tiyak. Galit na galit sa akin ang mga magulang ko. Matapos punitin ang aking admission notice, pinilit nila akong talikuran ang aking pag-aaral at magtrabaho sa isang pabrika. Nang maglaon, nakaranas din ako ng kidnapping. Pagkatapos makatakas, nagtago ako sa isang abandonadong pabrika at nagpadala ng mensahe para sa tulong. Tinawagan ako ng tatay ko at walang pigil na sinigawan ako, “Lena, tao ka ba? Paano mo nagawang magbiro sa amin sa memorial day ni Jessica!” "May ideya ka ba kung gaano namin hinihiling ng nanay mo na ikaw ang namatay noon?" Sa mga huling sandali ko bago mamatay, umalingawngaw sa aking pandinig ang kanilang mga pang-iinsulto. Ako ay tinorture at pinatay, naging isang halimaw, at ang aking katawan ay itinapon sa isang mabahong kanal sa loob ng tatlong buong araw. Kahit na ang aking ama, ang pinaka experienced na forensic expert, ay hindi ako nakilala. Nang umuwi ang aking kapatid na babae kasama ang lalaking kasama niya ilang taon na ang nakalilipas, pinanumbalik ng aking ama ang aking hitsura sa pamamagitan ng teknolohiya. Lumuhod sila sa harapan ng naaagnas kong bangkay at umiyak hanggang sa mawalan ng malay.

Ikakasal na ang pinakapopular na babae sa amin noong high school. Inimbitahan niya ang lahat sa aming klase para sa kaniyang kasal. Gusto kong kumilos na parang hindi ko nakita ang message na ipinadala niya sa akin pero walang tigil niya akong tinag sa group chat. “Nagkunwari kang mayaman gaya ko noong high school, pero hindi kita masisisi sa ginawa mo. Sa totoo lang, iniimbitahan kita sa kasal ko bukas para makita mo kung paano maging isang tunay na mayaman.” Agad na nagsalita ang iba naming mga kaklase. “Napakabait mo talaga, Haley. Kaya hindi na ako magtataka kung paano mo nagawang pakasalan ang isang miyembro ng pamilya Baumer. Hindi ako makapaniwala na mapapatawad mo ang isang materialistic na kagaya ni Emma!” “Ano ba ang deserve ng isang kagaya ni Emma Larkin para makaattend sa kasal ni Haley? Masyado siyang mayabang.” Habang tumitindi ang mga pangiinsulto, umabante si Haley Stockwell para mapanatili ang kapayapaan sa chat. “Sige na, kalimutan na natin ang mga hindi maganda nating nakaraan. Hindi na ako naaapektuhan sa mga ito dahil masyado nang matagal mula noong mangyari ang mga iyon. Anyway, huwag na tayong maghinanakit kay Emma dahil masyado na itong mahirap at pangit.” Walang tigil na umulan ang mga papuri sa kaniya ng lahat sa group chat habang tinatawag siya ng ilan sa amin na mabait at inosente. Napasinghal ako sa aking nakita. Si Haley ang babaeng nagkukunwaring mayaman sa amin—ako ang tunay na tagapagmana ng isang mayamang pamilya pero pinalabas pa rin niya na sinungaling ako. Ginawa niya akong target ng mga pangiinsulto ng lahat. Tiningnan ko ang digital wedding invitation para makitang gaganapin sa aking villa ang kaniyang kasal. Mukha ring pamilyar ang kaniyang groom—hindi ba’t ito ang driver ng aking asawa? Ngumiti ako nang maisip ko ang mangyayari. Sumagot ako sa chat ng, “Sige! Kailangan kong umattend ng kasal mo!”