Rivers of the Night - Chapter 272: Desire

The paramount existences among daemons are known as ‘Great Sages’.

A young man leaves the mountain village and wanders the world, entering the legends step by step, becoming a part of mythology itself.

“Even in oblivion, you all shall tremble at the demon that lies beyond...”---Beaten, betrayed, discriminated against, and then sent into hell. Those were the words that defined Khan's life, if he ever bothered to think about it.In a cold world where the hearts of people surged in preparation for the next cataclysm that had the potential to wipe out the entire world, who had the time to care for a feeble, golden-haired anomaly with no memories of his first ten years?Sent away from the orphanage with the mission to end his life, fate was still not satisfied with punishing him enough.He found himself in front of a demon god who raised children into killing machines, known to complete every mission irrespective of the danger.Among a group of madmen, he was the maddest, given the name “The Hollow” due to his unfeeling attitude.But in essence, all he ever needed was a place he could call home and when his life flashed before his eyes and he awakened his memories, he embarked on that path.-----“My origin might be ten thousand light-years away from Earth, but even if I have to walk on the corpses of a million to reach it, then so be it...”-----But now he won't be walking this dark path alone:[Congratulations, the Host has successfully fused with the system.][Congratulations, Host has awakened The Bio-Nanotech System!]--------[Also Check Out My New Novel: Infinity Guardian System]

Caleb Zane was a genius geneticist from Earth living a normal life until he met an unfortunate accident that claimed his life.But as fate would have it, he was given another chance at life in a magical world he could only imagine.Unlike what he saw and read in popular literature, he didn't score some rich family who would give him a good starting point.He did, however, get the ultimate gift of all....................[Host Detected...]“What...?”[Analyzing magic potential of host][#Error... #Error. No potential detected. Analyzing past memories...]Caleb watched with bated breath as the system did its thing...[Past skills analyzed. Creating suitable skill...][Skill created: Congratulations, host has awakened the skill: Genetic Manipulation.]“The fuck?”..................Armed with a skill unlike anything ever seen before, Caleb must explore its limits and carve a path for himself in his new world.He discovers shocking secrets of his new world and the origins of his transmigration as well as the reasons he got the genetic system.....................First thing first...This is a passion project of mine so updates will be inconsistent and will only be updated as and when I have time.If you find this novel interesting and wish for more chapters, show your support and maybe, I can write more.

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.