"I—" Liam Renner was still a young boy. Upon hearing Aria's statement about his health, his eyes started darting around nervously. Olivia said immediately, "He looks healthy, but he's still coughing a lot." She directed this next question to Liam. "Why did you come out, anyway?"Liam was having a cold—that much was true. He said nasally, "I missed my sister.""Okay, okay, let's go inside," Grant said with a smile, "It's time for Aria to taste our cooking."Olivia and Grant were both very astute. They entered the house together with Aria, holding a conversation all the while.Four generations of the same family lived together in the Renner home. Grant introduced them to Aria one by one, from her grandparents, uncle and aunt to Rainie Spencer, her sister-in-law.Everyone in that house looked relatively normal, save for Rainie. She looked about three years older than Aria and had a head of messy hair. She seemed to be spacing out as she held a baby in her arms.Aria had to call ou
"She knows that she shouldn't have done that now, Olivia. We can't let the baby go hungry, can we?" Geoff tossed a walnut into his mouth. "She's been beaten into submission at this point, so don't worry. We seized her from the town center, so now she knows that it's pointless even if she seeks help from the town authorities. She's given up. She told me that she wants to spend her life with me."Grant was annoyed. "I'm not trying to bring you down, Geoff, but why haven't you managed to subdue her? It's been three years since then.""She was a university student, you know. They're hard to deal with because they know more stuff." Geoff leered. "Speaking of this, the 'daughter' you've brought home this time looks pretty, Grant. She seems meek too. Maybe I can—"Olivia interrupted him, "No, you can't! You aren't allowed to lay your hands on her! The town chief—Mr. Barter—has set his sights on her, and they'll come over to take a look at her later, so you'd better keep your thoughts to yo
"Something else? I want to watch you do consultations!"Aria smiled. "We're not doing that today. Pay attention, everyone. I'm holding an anti-trafficking session today.""W-What?""Did I hear it wrong? Trafficking?""Damn! When did things get this exciting?""Hello? Hello? Why aren't you talking?"Aria didn't say anything more. She turned off her earpiece, leaving only the mic on. Olivia was still quite vigilant. Noticing that Aria hadn't come out, she called to her outside the door, "Are you done changing, Aria? We have guests. They've just arrived, and they want to meet you!""Wait. What?""Is this a drama?"Aria pushed the door open and left the room. Her camera was currently directly aimed at Olivia's face. However, Olivia seemed to have not realized that at all. She was satisfied with Aria's outfit. "Aria, your aunt heard that you're back, and she insisted on playing matchmaker. Let's see what the guy she matched you with looks like. It's fine if you don't agree on p
Rainie's eyes, which had lost their shine a long time ago, were rimmed with tears. She dared not cry out loud, so she could only push her emotions down. Aria had written "all of you" instead of just referring to Rainie alone, which meant that she'd caught on to what Rainie had hinted to her—she'd noticed the basement. Rainie stood beside the bed, her heart thumping fast. Liam entered, frowning. "Aria just told you to grab her bag for her. Why did you take so long in there? What are you looking at?"Rainie's scalp numbed. She suddenly grabbed his hand. "Take me out of here. Save me—""Bah! You're throwing another crazy fit." Liam didn't pay her any heed. He yanked the bag away from her and rummaged in it. Aside from a box of silver needles and a scrap of paper, there was nothing in the bag. Liam curled his lip. "She looks like someone quite well off, but she's actually quite poor."Upon hearing that, Rainie felt relieved. At the same time, she admired Aria for her attention to
Under the lights, Aria suddenly laughed. "I heard that you work for the town government.""That's right," Ollie replied, his eyes scanning Aria up and down. He wasn't really listening to Aria's question. Unexpectedly, Aria continued, "How would you handle it if I told you that I was kidnapped?""What are you going on about, you insolent girl?" Olivia exploded. She made to grab Aria, but Sue Barter, Ollie's aunt, stopped her. She was clearly unhappy with the unfolding events. "Did you not convince her to be Ollie's wife?""She wasn't like this before!" Olivia fumed, realizing Aria had been faking it their entire journey. What a good actor she was! Olivia feared the Barter family's anger, which would spell disaster for the Renner family. Luckily for her, Ollie was satisfied with Aria. His lecherous gaze never left Aria as he said, "It's fine if you aren't convinced now. We can marry first and develope our relationship later. Isn't this a trend in the city these days?"He steppe
Everyone reacted differently to Aria's words. Before Ollie could fly into a rage, Olivia's face turned red in anger—Aria was obviously doing this to ruin the Renner family's chances of getting wealthy!"Shut up!" Olivia barked, stepping forward to grab Aria by the hair. Sue didn't stop her this time. No one in Uludon would ever dare talk about the Barters in this manner—this young woman from the city needed a lesson. However, before Olivia could move, she felt dizzy, and her legs seemed to weaken. Thankfully, Liam was beside her. He caught her before she fell. "Mom, what's wrong?""She made me so angry that I'm feeling dizzy." Olivia shook her head. Ollie didn't throw a tantrum, but his gaze darkened. "She's hard to tame, but I like it—the more feisty she is, the better."He then turned to Olivia. "Olivia, perhaps I can consummate my marriage with Aria here tonight. We'll hold the wedding tomorrow."Ollie had never encountered a woman like Aria. She was cold and sharp, and he
Before everyone could register who Aria was talking to, the comments started flooding in. "111!""1! Don't worry! We'll complete our mission!"Aria was still smiling, but there was no hint of warmth in her gaze. "I'm going to commit an act of legitimate self-defense soon. This isn't something suitable for broadcast, so I'll end the stream here.""What?""Holy shit! Don't act so rashly! You'll be in danger!""@UludonTravels, why are you still keeping quiet? What are you doing?"Aria yanked off the button camera. Ollie didn't know what was happening. Confused, he said, "Is something wrong with your brain? Were you talking to yourself?"Olivia seemed to remember something. "You damn girl! She was livestreaming!""Yep." Aria bit on her candy. "Thanks to all of you, a lot of viewers flocked in."Ollie frowned. "What livestream?"Grant also didn't know much about it, so he turned to ask Olivia. A pale-faced Olivia was about to say something when she spat out a massive glob of blo
Geoff warned, "Give us the antidote now, or you'll never get to leave Perry Town!""Who said I wanted to leave?" Aria smiled. "I'm planning to take him to the town later."The dismissive tone in her voice was directed at Ollie, even though no one in Perry Town would dare to get on his bad side. Rainie was dumbfounded from the beginning. She hadn't managed to react to what was happening. Aria had moved so fast and had incapacitated Ollie with just a kick to his knee.Ollie, who usually exuded brutality, couldn't even stand. When Aria fought, she didn't just do so with skill—she also took note to aim at the other person's acupoints. Ollie glared at her viciously. "Do you really think you'll emerge unscathed? I'm a government official! Do you think you won't be arrested after doing this to me?""Oh, I adore police stations," Aria said, her gaze fleeting over him as if he were something repulsive. She smiled. "I wonder how much you're worth. Though, I don't think they pay well fo
Landon's sudden appearance wasn't just a coincidence. With Aria's intelligence, she would figure something out soon—he knew that. He hadn't planned on revealing himself like this. But something that belonged to him was here, and the demonic energy in this place… Aria couldn't face it alone.She studied him from head to toe, her hand still in his. His grip was firm, protective."There's a lot of mist ahead," he said quietly. "We'll need to tread carefully."Aria tilted her head. "You speak like you know this place well.""I do," Landon replied with a calm honesty. "I was deathly ill once. My soul wandered into a place just like this. Homer pulled me back."His voice made it sound like a distant memory, and Aria gave a soft laugh, tightening her hold on his hand. "You really are full of surprises. I guess it's true—handsome men are the most dangerous."But Aria's thoughts were racing. Why had he come after her like this, knowing it would reveal parts of himself he'd tried to keep h
Landon was still handling the stragglers behind Aria when he paused, his gaze flicking upward. Cameras were mounted in every corner—too many eyes. Vanishing without a trace wasn't an option.He glanced in Aria's direction, then lowered his head. His lips moved in a whisper, but the sounds were incomprehensible—something rhythmic, otherworldly. It was less like a speech and more like a chant—an exorcism.Meanwhile, Dave descended into the underground, calm and unrushed. That place reeked of foul energy, dense and suffocating. His master had cast a spell over it—one designed to kill anyone who dared to enter, no matter their strength. Dave wasn't afraid. He had more pressing priorities—destroying documents, erasing traces, minimizing damage.His bodyguard stayed close, watching for anyone who might try to stop them.Aria, moving swiftly, reached the lower floor—only to halt. Mist curled along the ground, thickening with every step. The air turned icy. And the corridor behind her…
"Why would there be people outside?" asked Dave. He had been disguising himself as a doctor for years, and that was the first time he looked so anxious. After all, if someone did approach their building, the villagers would have informed them about it. However, they received no news this time.Dave wondered what was going on."Dr. Dave, what should we do now? I think we're surrounded!"He was still in his coat as he slightly clenched his fists. "Let's move out. Bring the girls in the basement with us.""T-They're not in the basement."When Dave heard that, he looked furious. "What do you mean they're not in the basement?""Someone took them away, and I'm guessing it was her fault!" The bodyguard pointed at Aria, who was standing on the highest point, showing off her skills. With swift, lethal kicks and a taser turned weapon, no one dared get close.Whoever touched Aria would die, and no one dared to approach her at all.As for Landon, he still had his mask on as he stood behind
Chaos erupted at the auction. For all their pride and arrogance, the wealthy clients' expressions had twisted into pure panic the moment something went wrong.So, their first reaction was to seek a staff member."The power's unstable!" Dave spoke into the microphone, trying to project calm. "Everyone, stay calm. There's scheduled maintenance in town—it's just affecting the electricity. Nothing's wrong."He genuinely believed that. It was what he'd been told.But Aria knew better. The blackout wasn't random. It was a signal. Sam had tracked down the source of the call. With the exits sealed off, Aria had everything she needed to act.A faint smirk curled on her lips. Without hesitation, she grabbed Landon and swiftly took Aliya hostage. Her movements were sharp, practiced, so fast that no one around her even had time to react.Then came the needles.Aria flicked her wrist, sending a series of acupuncture needles flying. The rich guests closest to her froze in place, locked in stu
Tony's accusation stirred a ripple through the room, and it didn't escape Dave's attention. With a subtle flick of his wrist, he signaled to someone nearby.Aria caught the movement. Her fingers tensed, ready to slip free of the rope she had already loosened. But before she could act, she heard a smooth, composed voice glide through the air."I need her to boost my luck," the man said coolly. "I've done my research. She's the ideal bride for someone like me."Dave stopped in his tracks, and it seemed like he was telling someone else to verify what Landon had said."Sir, it checks out," one of the staff murmured after a brief consultation. "Mr. Crow's fate is complicated. The master said only a spiritual match could extend his life. Otherwise, he won't make it past his next birthday."Dave let out a low chuckle, visibly relaxing. "Well then, Mr. Crow, it seems you've come to the right place. Please—carry on, everyone."Aria listened in stunned silence. Landon hadn't lied. His life
Aria couldn't tear her eyes away from Dave.He was still quietly speaking to the man on the screen, their exchange shrouded in secrecy. No one nearby could hear what they were saying—but Aria could guess. It had to be a deal of some sort, something about her. Everything about Dave's posture, the glint in his eyes, told her this wasn't just business. It was personal.She glanced up at the clock again, nerves coiling in her chest. Something was wrong. Sam was taking longer than usual. That wasn't like him.The auction was nearing its close. They couldn't miss the chance to strike. Sasha, glowing with excitement, clapped her hands and declared, "Six million! It looks like no one else is bidding—congratulations to our newest member, Mr. Tiger—""Ten million dollars."The voice sliced clean through the noise, calm, clear, and cold.Everyone turned toward it.A man stood at the edge of the crowd, dressed in a sleek tuxedo dusted with black feathers, his mask intricate and dark.T
Aria had once told Sam to avoid chaos if he could—but she'd also said that when desperation knocked, rules could bend.Now was one of those moments.Sam hesitated only briefly before diving in.He had to know who was behind this. Who kept targeting Aria? Who was pulling the strings in the dark? And once Sam decided on something, there was no turning back.Without Aria by his side, he breached the system, knowing full well the other side had already alerted the police.The firewall he faced wasn't just tough—it was nearly impenetrable. It filtered everything, controlling access with surgical precision. But Sam wasn't interested in the broader network. He narrowed his focus and cut straight to the source, filtering out all the noise to lock onto the actual IP.The auction raged on aboveground. The man behind the screen, confident in his usual routine, remained calm and unaware that the mask he'd worn for years was finally slipping. He'd always stayed out of sight, appearing only
While Aria discreetly signaled to move, the auction hall was buzzing with excitement. Laughter echoed, wine glasses clinked, and the room pulsed with greed.Sasha's voice came through the mic, smooth and cheerful. "While everyone's enjoying themselves, let's welcome our latest arrival of the evening."She glanced at the man beside her—her bodyguard—who immediately stiffened under her gaze.To the crowd, it looked like he was escorting Aria to the stage under control. In truth, Aria's hand was already pressed lightly against his chest, right over a poisoned pressure point. He knew better than to resist—he'd seen what she was capable of.And she'd made her warning crystal clear—if she was exposed or captured, he wouldn't live to see morning.The guests didn't notice a thing. All eyes were on Aria, their expressions hungry. They saw value in her—fresh, young, healthy. To them, she wasn't a person. She was premium merchandise.She was brought to stand beside a young woman who had alr
Eamon and Waymond had just been thrown out of the Chamber of Commerce. Waymond's face was flushed with fury, his eyes red. "Eamon, why didn't you let me speak earlier? Mr. Lincoln was being unreasonable!"Eamon, ever perceptive, shook his head. "Mr. Lincoln's been bribed. He was never going to take our side."Wise and strategic, Eamon had always been top of his class—but now, he was even sharper when it came to reading a room."I'm guessing Aria found something during her investigation that made them nervous," he continued. "Durand couldn't have controlled Lincoln on his own. There's more to it."Waymond frowned, still struggling to piece things together. "But who could bribe Mr. Lincoln? Not even the mayor has that kind of sway. He's—""What if it's someone from the state?" Eamon cut in, eyes flicking back toward the building. "We need to tell Dad. There's no point in staying here, but there is someone we can talk to.""Who?" Waymond asked quickly. "Lucas Murray—the new secr