Landon said calmly, "Tell us where she is first."Nyx didn't dare meet his eyes."Bellebrook, the place where my lord wanted to develop previously. There was some kind of travel agency inside. Although it looked like an ordinary company, it definitely isn't one. It reeked of blood on the inside, and it wasn't fresh. It smelled like it had been that way for a long time."Landon's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his gaze, as if a memory had surfaced. Casually, he asked, "Is the town heavily guarded?"Nyx nodded, nervous. "I don't even think the people who drove my lord were allowed inside the building."At that, Landon paused mid-step and turned to the side. "Hack the entire network in Bellebrook," he told Sam. "You shouldn't have a problem with that."This time, Sam would need to act—if they wanted to catch whoever was behind this, they'd need access.Sam understood immediately. This was exactly what Aria had hoped for. She wanted full control of Bellebrook's
Meanwhile, the students lay unconscious on operating tables in the company's basement.Dave examined them thoroughly, running various scans and tests more meticulously than any hospital doctor. Once he finished, he gestured for someone to carry them out."Tell the clients there's nothing wrong with the girls. If they're too impatient to wait, they can come today."In this company, Natalie clearly held little real power. She seemed completely obedient to the so-called doctor's orders. "Yes, sir. However, there are troubling rumors going around. I'm worried it might be difficult for people to show up.""The client specifically requested a rare gem like this. With the master involved, we have nothing to worry about. They'll come."Dave adjusted his glasses, his expression calm. The equipment he handled didn't resemble medical tools; they looked more suited for autopsies.A careful listener would notice something off about his speech. No matter how skilled someone was at assimilation,
Sam cared too much about Aria, so much so that he could easily be misled by false information. Aria had previously sent out her location to prevent herself from being exposed. At that moment, the cars leaving the village were merely a decoy from the enemy.No one had actually noticed anything unusual. It was standard for a few vehicles to roam around during times like these, serving as a distraction. If someone did come to investigate, they'd likely be too confused to focus on Bellebrook.This tactic only came to mind because someone from the state had been involved. Naturally, the insider who understood criminal investigations inside and out had orchestrated it. With someone protecting them, it was easy to cover their tracks.Unless the village was completely demolished, no one would find anything suspicious, especially with the right cleanup operation. And even then, the company could be used as a front. Staying under the radar was their safest option, and it had helped them avoid
The young girls huddled up together. None of them had imagined they would end up in a situation like this. They were all promising students who believed they had finally gotten a chance to pursue further studies.But now, they realized it had all been an elaborate trap. The interview was fake. The scholarship was fake. Even the student exchange program was all a lie.As the truth sank in, the girls instinctively reached for their phones. But of course, their abductors hadn't left them with those."They made us hand over our phones when we entered the building," one of them whispered. "I guess it wasn't really about the interview."They exchanged anxious glances. None of them were ready to give up."Our schools! They'll start worrying when we don't check in!"But one girl, sitting dazed on the cold floor, muttered, "I don't know about your schools, but mine won't care. I'm from a rural area. I barely had the money to study in the first place. My family's so poor that we couldn't ev
Right after Aria said it was time to move, Sam slammed his fingers on the keyboard. Instantly, the Special Missions Unit, disguised among the villagers, snapped to attention.The "electrician" was no longer just an electrician. He had transformed into a sniper, his rifle pieced together from parts in his toolbox. Meanwhile, the university students who had supposedly come to camp had vanished without a trace—no one noticed their absence.They didn't need to storm the building to be deadly. Like a pack of wolves in the dead of night, they moved fast and struck hard, aiming to take down their targets in one swift blow.Soon after, Aria made a quick hand gesture, instructing Sam to jam the bodyguards' walkie-talkies. Without hesitation, Sam launched a virus that disabled all their communications.Aria lowered her gaze and silently counted to three. Then she stood up in a flash, so fast that the four guards around her had no time to react. Before they could even reach for their weapons,
When Aria got up to leave, the girls looked at her with concern. She seemed to be about their age, and they couldn't help but worry about her safety."It's too dangerous for you to head out there by yourself."They didn't know exactly how many people were lurking outside, but they were smart enough to know none of them could be trusted. Even the security guards had proven to be dangerous.Aria was slightly surprised by their concern. She'd completed many missions, but it was rare for anyone to care about her well-being. Still, she figured the girls were just looking out for one another.With a smirk, Aria tossed a bodyguard aside and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just stay here a little longer. In half an hour, someone will come to rescue you. The secret code is 'up above the world so high'.""Isn't that from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?" one of them asked, both confused and surprised. It was the strangest code phrase they'd ever heard.Aria simply chuckled. That line was pa
The woman's interest in the man was obvious when she approached him. But he simply glanced at her and asked coldly, "When did the rules here change?"Before she could respond, a nearby bodyguard stepped forward and said, "Ms. Fox, please return to your seat. The auction is about to begin.""Very well," the woman replied, brushing her hair back. She wasn't particularly young, but her figure was striking. "It's fine, as long as he didn't just stumble in here. I just thought he didn't look like he came to buy anything."At that, the bodyguard checked the guest list and found the crow-masked man's name. "This gentleman is here for the same reason you are.""Oh? How peculiar," she said, casting another glance at the man. It was easy to tell when someone had money—the way they held themselves, the air they carried. And the man in the crow mask exuded elegance and cool detachment.Ms. Fox tried to place him. If he had been one of her business partners, she was certain she would've remembe
When Sasha heard the man mention the rare gem, her eyes narrowed slightly. Very few people knew about it. Only Dave and a handful of higher-ups were aware. She immediately wondered who had leaked the news.But the man's words had already ignited excitement across the auction floor."What? A rare gem?""It's been ages since we've seen one! I can't believe there's actually one today!"To these people, a rare gem referred to someone whose body was considered exceptionally valuable, blessed with natural fortune, vitality, and unmatched physical condition. It was believed that such a person couldn't fully harness the luck they were born with. But if someone else could acquire it...Not only could they preserve their youth and beauty, but their careers and fortunes could be transformed. The idea sent a thrill through the room, and their greed quickly became impossible to hide.Sasha realized the situation was slipping out of her control. She reached for her communicator to contact Dave,
While a few suppliers' suspension wouldn't affect the Grisham Group much, such a large-scale disruption severely impacted the company's production.Some of the Grisham Group's stockholders were displeased to see the stock plummeting. "Mr. Grisham Senior, the company's stocks have plummeted because of your family matter. Do you think this is acceptable?""I heard the Grisham family has been kicked out of the Chamber of Commerce, too. Mr. Grisham Senior, you should try to find a way to save your reputation. While we can afford to wait, your employees can't."In reality, the two who spoke had already colluded with Durand. They only stayed in the Grisham Group to flame the fire. There were even those who wanted to sell their stocks.Clyde didn't bother answering them directly. Instead, he quietly instructed Eamon to acquire the shares. He was to buy them back at the market price from the first half of the day.When Durand caught wind of the Grisham Group buying its own stocks, he bu
Some clients, reassured by Clyde's presence, decided not to push any further. "Nothing bad has ever happened during all our years working with the Grisham Group," one man said, his tone settling. "I'll wait for updates before making any decisions.""Same here," another echoed.From a business standpoint, keeping a steady partnership with the Grishams had always been a golden ticket. While the recent headlines made them uneasy, cutting ties too quickly would only hurt them. Still, the online rumors lingered—claims that the Grisham Group was too proud and could barely cover their dues.Yet, not everyone chose patience.A handful of clients had already made up their minds and weren't shy about showing their hostility.One particularly loud, heavy-set man stepped forward. "Mr. Grisham Senior, no offense, but this isn't about respect. Business is business. You've got no proof Aria's innocent, and she's already detained. What more are we supposed to wait for? I demand an answer now."
Yet, no matter how closely Aria observed him, Cormac's expression showed genuine confusion. If he had truly orchestrated the trafficking operation, he was either a master actor or he was just as clueless as he claimed.If that was the case, why did the GPS tracker point to his office? Aria needed time to think and confirm her assumptions.…Meanwhile, Durand and the others decided to make things difficult for the Grisham family.Eamon and Waymond were dealing with some company affairs when a group of people appeared before the entrance. The bodyguard failed to stop the crowd and urgently phoned reception. "There's a group of angry clients outside. They're accusing us of deception—something about canceling their contracts."The receptionist wasted no time alerting Eamon, who immediately made his way downstairs with Waymond.The scene at the entrance was loud and confrontational. A small crowd had gathered, their voices rising in tension until one man spotted Eamon."There he is
In that moment, Cormac couldn't afford to care about pride or appearances. His survival depended on severing all ties, especially with a traitor."I don't have a daughter like you!" he snapped, slapping Aliya again. "Do you even realize what you've done? Trafficking human organs—do you think that's something you can walk away from?"Aliya collapsed to the floor, stunned. A chill unlike any she'd ever felt seeped into her bones. She stared up at her father in disbelief, watching as he bowed his head respectfully toward Aria, the very woman she had just mocked.In Aliya's world, her father was the state government. She had grown up believing that their family controlled everything, that Cormac Windham's influence extended far beyond his office, even as retirement loomed.But all of it was crumbling before her eyes.Outside his office, word had already begun to spread. Though muffled, the sharp sound of a slap echoed faintly through the corridor.Everyone understood what that meant—
The group dared to be reckless as Amos was Ludwiten's lieutenant governor. They were peas in a pod and did corruption together.However, they didn't know that their support had already collapsed. Aria was not in a rush to capture Amos' lackeys as her target was in the state government. She didn't go alone either, for Aliya also went with her.Shortly after, Aria issued a new command. "Seal the premises. No one is to leave. Tell everyone to remain in their seats."A request like that, especially directed at the state level, would typically require an exhaustive process—dozens of forms, layers of red tape. Even in cases involving fatalities, senior officials were rarely detained on the spot.But Aria followed with a second message, one that sent chills down spines. "This case involves foreign infiltration. Someone has betrayed the country."Those words landed like a thunderclap. No one dared raise an objection. No one wanted to be associated with treason—not ordinary citizens, and
"Grandpa, it's not convenient for me to get in touch with all of you right now. Remember to take your medicine on time. I have to pretend that I'm locked up. Uncle Eamon and Uncle Waymond have to seem fretful so that the enemy wouldn't be alerted. I'm sorry, Grandpa."Aria didn't reveal what she had encountered in the message. This was because the Special Missions Unit was bound to a confidentiality contract when making decisions. What Aria said was almost pushing the limits.Aria only agreed to get locked up just to see how people would react when the Grisham family was in trouble.When the opponent placed their attention on this incident, they would let their guard down and give Aria a chance to secure evidence of their crimes.If the Grisham family retained its usual influence, the mastermind wouldn't show himself so easily. As Aria felt sorry for her family and worried about Clyde's health, she immediately sent a message to apologize after the auction. However, she couldn't s
There was no way Aria didn't know that the conviction was unfair. Furthermore, Percy specialized in handling economic cases. He knew there was no way Aria would be locked up so quickly. Yet, her crime had been publicly declared without prior warning. Percy was absolutely furious. He tugged his tie and declared the system was corrupted. While Fergus was also helping to find connections, Warren had just landed from Janovin.Clyde had sought out all sorts of connections, even his ex-colleagues in the education field.Fiona clenched his hands. "They promised to help Dad look into it." "They're just trying to fool Mr. Grisham Senior. Their higher-ups have already warned them about it." Nisa suddenly lowered her voice. "They're trying to make his health relapse again. If that happens, the Grisham family is done for."At this moment, a low voice sounded from the door. "So that's what happened. I was wondering why there was no progress with Aria's side after a whole day."It was Eamon.
Because Amos' arrest was part of a covert operation, the news didn't reach anyone outside the circle. That meant Durand remained completely unaware. He was still riding high on the thrill of his plan, blinded by the pleasure of watching the Grisham family fall.That night, he raised a glass of wine in early celebration, his mistress seated beside him. He didn't know that the move he'd made would become the greatest regret of his life.Elsewhere, Nisa couldn't bring herself to be as heartless. That was why, under the quiet cover of night, she made her way to the Grisham residence—not to see Clyde, but to speak with Fiona. She knew Clyde would shut her out immediately, but Fiona… Fiona might just listen.They weren't close. Not the way Fiona was with Priscilla. But they had once shared a few polite meals, floated in the same social circles. Enough to warrant a conversation—barely.When they sat down, Fiona's expression was cool, even distant. She hadn't forgotten the things Nisa had
Lucas could hear the pride in his mentor's voice for Aria. After all, his mentor had taken Aria in Southbury and even owed her his life. Lucas didn't dare to inform his mentor that Aria was being suppressed in the political world. He understood his mentor well. He was devoted to the country and couldn't stand such injustice.Therefore, Lucas didn't tell the truth to prevent his mentor from worrying. If someone with his position made a move, it would become a huge issue. That was why Lucas hid the truth from him. The former had to play along with the other politicians and endure them spouting empty promises. Before Lucas set out, his mentor stood on top of Old City and looked at the vast mountains. "Do whatever you need to, just like what you had done in Southbury. I'll be waiting for you and Aria's return at Janovin."These people didn't deserve his mercy at all!"You used your authority to disregard people's lives." It was the first time Lucas had shown his emotions so open