patrolling the borders

Thirteen Veins: Stars and Crescent – Brotherhood Across Borders In the shadows of global finance, geopolitics, and ancient alliances lie the Thirteen Veins—the invisible arteries connecting wealth, power, and survival across continents. This monumental epic saga weaves together the destinies of men from vastly different worlds: a European noble and jurist, a Southeast Asian strategist, a mountain tribal chieftain, a master of overland and maritime routes, a Middle Eastern tycoon, and an heir to steppe clans, among others—each holding a piece of an enigma that no single man could ever decipher alone. Bound by an ancient oath of brotherhood (Fair and Square), yet tested by ruthless commercial rivalries, political conspiracies, and secrets buried for centuries, they navigate between the opulence of imperial auction houses and the deadly peril of clandestine docks and isolated mountain gorges. What begins as a struggle for control over strategic resources and global trade routes soon transforms into a far deeper journey: the true meaning of camaraderie, loyalty, and unwavering trust. From the galleries and opera houses of Paris to the rugged peaks of Yunnan, from the Gulf deserts to financial hubs and the dark waters of imperial ports, each volume unveils new layers of conflict, wit, and sheer resolve. The Thirteen Veins are not merely financial networks or trade routes—they are the bonds of blood and honor that tie their fates together through every storm. Crafted with sharp precision, financial intrigue, and visceral combat, Thirteen Veins: Stars and Crescent – Brotherhood Across Borders is far more than a story about power and fortune: it is an epic of wisdom, presence of mind, and unbreakable fraternity, proving that even when the world demands you walk alone, true brotherhood never lets a brother fall.

That day the sun set and never rose again...

In the blood-soaked shadow of Partition, two nations went to war—and never stopped fighting.** PART I: KASHMIR’S BLOODY DAWN (1947–1948) As the British Empire collapses, India and Pakistan are born in a frenzy of communal slaughter. Trains packed with massacred refugees crisscross Punjab, while in Lahore, **Jawaharlal Nehru** and **Muhammad Ali Jinnah** duel over Kashmir’s fate. When tribal raiders storm Srinagar, the Hindu Maharaja signs away his kingdom to India in exchange for salvation. But Pakistan strikes back—capturing Skardu Fort in a brutal siege and igniting the first war over the Himalayas. Amidst the chaos, a young Sikh farmer, **Kartar Singh**, loses his family to a Muslim mob and joins the Indian Army, vowing revenge. As the UN draws ceasefire lines, Kashmir lies divided, and the seeds of eternal hatred are sown. PART II: CLASH OF TITANS (1965) Eighteen years later, Pakistan launches *Operation Gibraltar*, infiltrating Kashmir to spark rebellion. When India retaliates, full-scale war erupts. In the skies, PAF legend **MM Alam** destroys five Indian jets in 30 seconds—an unmatched feat—while **Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Rafiqui** leads a suicidal raid on Halwara airbase. With guns jammed, Rafiqui stays airborne as a decoy so wingmen **Cecil Chaudhry** and **Younus Hussain** can escape, sacrificing himself to Indian flak. On the ground, **Major Raja Aziz Bhatti** defends Lahore’s BRB Canal for 120 hours without sleep, falling to a sniper’s bullet. As tanks burn at Chawinda and navies clash off Dwarka, both nations claim victory—but the Tashkent Agreement leaves Kashmir still bleeding. PART III: BIRTH OF BANGLADESH (1971) East Pakistan explodes in revolt. After Pakistan’s *Operation Searchlight* massacres Bengalis in Dhaka, India trains the *Mukti Bahini* guerrillas. At sea, Pakistan’s submarine *PNS Ghazi* mysteriously sinks on its own mines while hunting the INS Vikrant, and *PNS Hangor* avenges it by torpedoing the Indian frigate *INS Khukri*. In the skies, trainee pilot **Rashid Minhas** thwarts a hijack by Bengali defector Matiur Rahman, crashing his T-33 rather than let it reach India—earning Pakistan’s only air force Nishan-e-Haider. On the western front, 120 Indian soldiers hold off 3,000 Pakistanis at Longewala using jeep-mounted guns. When Dhaka falls, 93,000 Pakistani POWs surrender—humiliating a nation and birthing Bangladesh. PART IV: FROZEN CONFLICTS (1984–1999) In the icy hell of Siachen Glacier, India seizes the world’s highest battlefield by stealth. Soldiers freeze solid in their bunkers as Pakistan fuels insurgency in Kashmir. After Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards and her son Rajiv falls to a Tamil bomb, nuclear tests in 1998 push the rivals to the brink. Then, in 1999, Pakistan infiltrates troops disguised as militants into Kargil’s peaks. **Captain Karnal Sher Khan**, the “Tiger of Tiger Hill,” decimates Indian assaults until an artillery shell tears him apart. **Lalak Jan**, a Pakistani soldier, fights alone for 24 hours with a machine gun, killing 12 Gurkhas before succumbing. When India storms Tiger Hill at point-blank range and the U.S. forces Pakistan’s retreat, soldiers are abandoned on the mountains—their bodies rotting in no-man’s-land. As General Musharraf seizes power in Islamabad, the war ends unresolved, leaving behind frozen graves and a question: *Will the next war go nuclear?*

A single moment can change everything. When Alessandra Hernandez travels to Shanghai in search of freedom, she never expects that one accidental collision in Disneyland will lead her to Ben—a mysterious stranger with a life far more complicated than he lets on. Bound by a thirty-day agreement, they journey across China, discovering not only breathtaking places but also the parts of themselves they never had the chance to explore. With each passing day, their connection grows deeper—effortless, unspoken, real. But some stories aren’t meant to stay simple. As reality catches up with them, secrets unravel, and choices must be made. In a world divided by expectations, family, and distance, Alessandra and Ben must decide: Is love enough to cross every border? Or are some hearts destined to remain worlds apart?

# swords and magic 100 years ago, Hoer was a great sorcerer. To protect the peace of the Empire, he resolutely decided to safeguard the borders of the Empire and deter the invasion of the undead forces. Thanks to him, the empire lived in peace for 100 years. Hoer grew old and frail at the borders. As a result of spending years fending against the dark powers, he became corrupted by it, even his Bloodline Origins were corroded. In order to not create trouble for the empire, he chose to spontaneously disintegrate to avoid becoming an undead creature. In the final moments of his life, he chose to return to the empire and visit his clan. With 100 years of peace, his clan should have been able to thrive. Yet when he reached his home, Hoer couldn’t believe his eyes. He found out that his clan was framed and branded the Dark Race. As a result, every single member of his clan had been executed, burnt alive by those noble shams. Hoer went into a frenzy as he learned about what had happened. His heart died and turned into ashes just like his clan, he willingly transformed into the undead. He swore to destroy this empire which he had protected for 100 years with his own hands! “I shall use this flames of the undead to destroy this foolish, useless sham of a government!” “Rise, Undead Army!”

General Kesey Schwarz is the captain of the Second Reconnaissance Army Division and former wife of Captain Rivaille Wyatt. The two met as children, and both were raised and nurtured by Kyan Wyatt; one fine day, suddenly, there was no news of their guardian. Time passed, and both grew up, Rivaille kept his promise to Kesey, that time 12 years old, and married her. Until, they realized that both of their lives were radically changing and they parted from the future they had prepared since childhood, not taking into account that the game of destiny had yet to begin.

Nathaniel Chance Villarta . . . . A 30- year old bachelor and chairman of a famous ship line company in Washington. Eight years ago, he settles there for good, together with his true love Juliana and his brother Ryan, leaving all the bad memories in the Philippines. . . . . . . A story of dreaming, and flying, of choosing between family and love, a story of heartaches, letting go, acceptance and faith, where love deserve a second chance.

NEW CHAPTERS SOON ALSO ON ROYALROAD Two people from culturally distant, long-divided nations—can they fall in love? Will it survive the weight of history, or more importantly… will it ever be allowed to succeed?

Nathaniel Chance Villarta . . . . A 30- year old bachelor and chairman of a famous ship line company in Washington. Eight years ago, he settles there for good, together with his true love Juliana and his brother Ryan, leaving all the bad memories in the Philippines. . . . . . . A story of dreaming, and flying, of choosing between family and love, a story of heartaches, letting go, acceptance and faith, where love deserve a second chance.

John suddenly finds himself reincarnated in the world of his ex-girlfriend's favorite novel. With prior knowledge of the plot, he ventures on a journey full of surprises and challenges as he attempts to navigate an unknown universe. Between intrigues, mysteries and unexpected encounters, the protagonist must face his new reality and discover the purpose behind his transmigration. Will he be able to find his place in this story and change his destiny, or will he be doomed to follow the course of the original novel?