Novels by Stherie Night

Mr. Hale kept Tyson with him until lunchtime.Not by force, but in a subtler way, through light conversation that felt more like a social obligation than an invitation.In the end, they had lunch outside the yacht, at a seaside restaurant where salty wind swept across the table, carrying the metallic scent of the docks.Tyson ate without saying much. Anna did the same.It was as if their bodies were present, but their minds had been left behind in the room before.When the meal was over, Mr. Hale was the first to stand.“I won’t keep you any longer,” he said as he straightened his jacket and set his cane upright. His tone was light, but his eyes were not.He shook Tyson’s hand once more, then gave a small nod to Anna.As Tyson and Anna walked away, Mr. Hale remained where he was, watching Tyson’s back slowly disappear into the flow of people along the pier.He let out a long breath.I can only take you this far, he thought.The rest… is no longer my concern.…The car drove away from

Tyson remained silent for a long time.His gaze lowered, not truly focused on anything in front of him. Mr. Hale’s words lingered in the air, soft, yet heavy, drawing something out from the depths of his memory, a place he rarely allowed himself to touch.He tried to remember his grandfather.Not as the Old Man De Leon known to the outside world, a man of great name, rigid principles, and an unyielding reputation, but as the only person in that family who ever gave him warmth.The only one.In the vast De Leon household, cold and bound by countless unspoken rules, his grandfather had been the exception. The one who never distinguished between him and his siblings. Who spoke his name gently, not as a tool, not as a variable.The one who stood in front of him when others saw him as an anomaly. Who sat beside him without questions, without judgment, when the world around him felt too narrow to breathe in.His grandfather would defend him. Would stay by his side. Regardless of what others

Tyson did not deny the remark outright, but neither did he nod in agreement.He simply looked at Mr. Hale with a calm, steady gaze, as if the words just spoken were not a confession, but merely a placement on a board where positions could still shift.“If that’s the case,” he replied at last, his voice measured, “then I’m only making sure I don’t step onto the wrong square.”There was no excessive ambition in his tone, no false modesty, only caution.Mr. Hale studied his reaction for a few seconds longer, then smiled faintly, like someone who had just confirmed something important.“Good,” he said briefly.He lifted his hand slightly, signaling toward the door. Without the need for further explanation, the assistant standing guard outside knocked once and entered, waiting quietly for instructions.“Have breakfast sent here,” Mr. Hale said calmly.The assistant nodded quickly and withdrew.Mr. Hale turned his attention back to Tyson.“There’s no need to rush into our business,” he said

The night passed quickly. The ship slowly approached the harbor, the subtle vibration of the engine shifting its rhythm. One by one, the guests began to gather themselves, straightening their jackets, checking their phones, preparing to return to the real world with carefully composed expressions back in place.Tyson did not join that club.He had already spoken briefly with Mr. Hale earlier. Their arrangement was clear, after the event ended, they would continue their discussion in a private cabin.So while most of the guests moved toward the exit and the gangway leading down to the harbor, Tyson remained behind, standing calmly at the edge of the room with Anna.Before heading to Mr. Hale’s cabin, however, Tyson approached someone else first.Mr. Lay was putting on his coat, his face noticeably more relaxed than it had been at the start of the evening. When he saw Tyson coming over, he looked momentarily surprised, then offered a small smile, as if he still hadn’t fully processed wh

Tyson was not in the state of mind to hold himself back.His thoughts were still crowded with fragmented conversations and explanations that had been cut short layers of unfinished truths pressing heavily against his chest. It was uncomfortable. Suffocating.And now, an excuse stood right in front of him.The system pulsed quietly within his consciousness, cold and efficient.[Target identified: Cade Brook.][Status: Illegitimate son of the Brook family.][Position: Partially acknowledged, no full rights.][Behavior pattern: Aggressive, validation-seeking, fragile ego.]Tyson did not even bother to scoff. The Brook name might carry weight in this city, but only when paired with the right qualifier. Cade did not have it.Cade staggered to his feet, his face flushed, whether from pain or rage was unclear. He spat to the side, the bitterness lingering in his mouth, and glared at Tyson with eyes full of hatred and reckless impulse.“Bastard,” he hissed. “Who the hell do you think you—”He

Anna was not the type of good girl, naive, innocent, and easily fooled. From the very first word that slipped from the man’s mouth, she caught the meaning behind it: the way his gaze swept over her body, the overly casual tone, the smile that carried too much confidence.To be honest, an old impulse stirred inside her.The urge to toy with him. Just like before, back in Pueblo, during the days when she treated self-important men as entertainment, until her name became tangled with a reputation she never truly bothered to deny.Anna almost opened her mouth, almost replied with a sweet, poisonous smile.But when she lifted her gaze, she caught sight of Tyson’s silhouette in the distance.He stood alone in the corner of the room, his back to the light, expression calm yet closed off. People knew. Everyone in that room knew she was with Tyson.And for the first time in a long while, Anna held herself back, not out of fear, not out of hesitation, but out of choice.Her reputation now also

Ruth frowned in annoyance, but then breathed a sigh of relief. She asked once again, "Why are you sneaking around, huh?Luca, who was a little behind Ruth and couldn't see clearly in the dark, asked, "Who's there? I can't see very well.""Who else? Your friend Dash, huh!" Ruth's tone was filled with complaints.Dash hobbled over to them, wide-eyed and with his hands clutching his flat stomach. He had a tired and slightly pale face as he said, "I'm starving. You guys left no food on the table."Hearing that, Luca lightly patted his forehead and chuckled, "Ahh, I've eaten everything. I forgot there were still people here.""Hmm. Come on, I'll make something for you to eat. Luca brought a lot of vegetables earlier," Ruth said as she led them out of the storage room and into the kitchen.They sat at the dining table while Ruth struggled with the vegetables and cooking utensils."Where did you get vegetables in the midst of this world chaos?" asked Dash, looking at Luca in confusion.Luca

Luca carefully looked around, but stepped recklessly. He didn’t know if this was the space inside the ancient jade stone called Ruth or not? All he saw was a dense forest, with no land for houses, gardening, or anything else. Looking around again, Luca felt that something was wrong with the place. It may not actually be a space in the jade stone. As he walked, something fell right in front of him. He looked down and saw a rolled-up piece of paper. Luca examined the rolled-up paper and opened it. There was writing on the ancient paper roll. Paper Roll: This is a truly private and relaxed place, just for you and your partner. You can customize it as you please and make it your own. Frowning and casting a mocking glance. “Is this a joke? Do I have to handle it myself too? I’ve had enough dealing with madness in my life!” Doesn’t anyone behind the paper roll know that the world he currently lives in is already filled with exhausting chaos, and he has to manage this place too? “Okay,

He could hear the sound of fast and noisy footsteps in the distance. A crowd of ferocious-looking, blood-soaked zombies were rapidly approaching their base.“The zombies are coming!”Luca, who was inexperienced in dealing with zombies in the last days, looked a little nervous and worried. Fortunately, he kept his cool, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to survive for long if the zombies made it in.Ruth looked very calm, as if she was used to hearing Luca’s words. She rushed out and looked carefully in the direction of the settlement in question.In the distance, she saw several figures moving slowly and irregularly. They looked human, but there was something strange about their movements, which were too stiff and staggered.“Pretty fast. I thought they would come in half an hour,” Ruth muttered, trying to justify what she saw.“Unfortunately, reality speaks otherwise,” Luca replied, raising his weapon. “We must be prepared to face them.”Luca pressed a button, making a hole open in

Luca and Ruth are two people who are always cautious in their actions, especially in a world full of dangers, like the world they live in now. Through the surveillance camera, they saw a familiar man standing outside the gate. It was Dash, Luca’s friend.Although they wondered why Dash had gotten here, they didn’t discuss it right away. There was still time to ask about it, anyway.Ruth let out a long sigh of relief. “It is Dash. Come on, go down and check it out!”Nodding lightly, Luca responded, “Bring weapons. We don’t know what’s going on down below.”They got ready to go down and check on Dash. In fear of zombies following Dash, they decided to dress up with weapons. Luca took his M16 rifle while Ruth carried a pocket knife and a pistol.They walked out of the house carefully, ready to face the danger. The streets around their house were quiet and dark, with only dim street lights illuminating the streets.“Dash!” called Luca.Dash, outside the gate, heard his name being called by

Ruth remained silent and continued her work, as if reluctant to answer. This made Luca even more curious. “Tell me, how do you know General Hugo?” Luca asked again and would ask until he got an answer. However, Ruth didn’t want to answer. She just clenched her mouth and walked into the living room. Luca followed along like a chicken, but his mouth kept making noises. “We were comrades in arms before and until the end of the world came, but you kept secrets from me. This is outrageous!” Ruth stopped walking, turned back, and looked at Luca. The expression on her face did not look good. After a few moments of staring at the man, she let out a light snort, then said, “You’re so noisy, like a woman in heat.” “Hey, what are you saying?” Luca interrupted irritably. If it weren’t for his curiosity about Hugo, he wouldn’t have said so much. Turning her face away and resuming her steps, Ruth said, “Didn’t I tell you that I can predict the future, and this Hugo is in it?” “So you don’t k

Luca was the last to rise from his chair, so he saw Ruth faint and swiftly caught her body. Cold sweat was seeping down the girl’s back as if she had taken a shower, her face pale and slightly hot. Luca took Ruth to her room, laid her down, and took care of her. He patiently wiped away her sweat. In the evening, Ruth still didn’t wake up and her body had a severe fever. It was so hot that it could cook a sunny-side-up egg. The sunlight did not change, it became more like blood day by day. More and more people fell ill, and the chaos intensified. Luca stayed at home. He monitored the situation on the monitor, watched the news channels, and took care of unconscious Ruth. Fortunately, there was an IV that could help her. As for Luca, from his dreams, he knew he was just an ordinary person. That’s why he tried hard to train his physical strength, agility and accuracy of attacks were also necessary. Tired of having no one to talk to and not knowing what to do, Luca turned on his lapto