The people still waiting in line looked on with envy, their thoughts unanimous: Why couldn’t something like that happen to me? Three thousand dollars—a sum that, for many, equaled a month’s salary—was handed over so easily. "You’re really something," Joseph remarked, watching Alice as she stood in line. His tone was half-amazed, half-admiring. "It’s just a fair trade!" Alice stuck out her tongue playfully, flashing him a cheeky grin.Thanks to Alice’s bold maneuvering, the two of them managed to buy their tickets in under ten minutes. Not only that, but Alice’s extravagance didn’t end there—she purchased tickets for almost every major attraction in the park. Watching her spend money so carelessly, Joseph couldn’t help but feel a fleeting thought cross his mind: Being a kept man doesn’t seem so bad after all."Let’s go! Come on!" Alice grabbed Joseph’s hand and led him into the amusement park, her excitement palpable.Meanwhile, the young man who had just pocketed $3,000 lingered

"Yes! I really want it!" The little girl nodded eagerly, her face lighting up with hope."Consider it yours," Joseph said with a kind smile before raising the rifle again. "Bang!" Another balloon popped—the one marked “23.” "You hit it! You hit it! You’re amazing, big brother!" The little girl squealed with delight, jumping up and down in excitement. "Say thank you to him!" Her guardian nudged her, and the girl immediately turned back to Joseph with a bright smile. "Thank you, big brother! Thank you so much!""Alice, could you help her grab the prize?" Joseph asked, glancing at Alice with a playful grin."On it! Joseph, you’re seriously my hero!" Alice laughed as she helped the little girl collect her Barbie doll."Hey, man! Can you go for the Lego set on balloon 42?" A voice called out from the crowd."Sure," Joseph replied casually, taking aim again. Another shot—a perfect hit. "Holy crap! He’s a sharpshooter!" "One shot, one hit—this guy’s a legend!" "That booth owner i

At that moment, a tall, sharply dressed woman hurried over. "Hey, where did you run off to? One second you're here, and the next you're gone. You’re unbelievable!" she said, half-scolding, her tone a mix of annoyance and concern. "Mandy, do you remember me telling you about that mission I once took on the northwest battlefield? The one where we had to escort a high-profile individual?" The man pulled the woman aside to a quieter corner and lowered his voice. "Of course, I remember. What about it? I was supposed to go with you on that mission, but I got reassigned at the last minute. Honestly, I still regret not being there with you to witness that moment you said changed your life." "Not to mention, you nearly didn’t make it back from that mission. You were this close to dying a hero’s death," the woman replied, her expression darkening as she recalled the harrowing memory. "That mission... our objective was to escort an incredibly important individual across the border and back

"Think about it. Over the years, so many renowned doctors have examined your grandfather, yet none of them have attempted aggressive treatments. That suggests they didn’t have enough confidence—they wouldn’t dare act rashly without fully understanding the cause of his condition." "But Charles Martin is different. He’s overly ambitious and too focused on success and recognition. He might take dangerous risks just to prove himself," Joseph analyzed, his voice calm yet firm. "You’re absolutely right, brother-in-law! I’ve always felt that Charles Martin is someone with questionable intentions," Heidi said emphatically, fully agreeing with his judgment. "Maybe we can take this opportunity for me to personally check on your grandfather. The old man has been asleep for so many years—it’s about time he woke up," Joseph said, his tone carrying a deeper meaning. "I think so too. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to my grandmother and see if she’ll let you take a look at him," Heidi said with a nod. "The

After nearly an hour of chatting, the sisters finally came downstairs to find a full table of "dishes" laid out in the living room.  Maria Long and Stephen Cooper, however, had retreated to their rooms, leaving only Charles Martin to admire his "masterpieces."  "Uncle, Aunt, Fiona, Heidi—dinner’s ready!" Charles called out, his face flushed with both pride and embarrassment.  "Wow, that was quick! Charles is so efficient—much faster than Joseph ever was," Maria said as she and Stephen emerged from their room, followed by Fiona and Heidi descending the stairs.  But the moment they saw the "feast" on the table, everyone froze in place.  There were over ten dishes on the table. The problem? Every single one of them was pitch black.  "Come on, everyone, have a seat. I apologize if the food isn’t perfect, but I