Chandler went upstairs after saying that, with the others following. Lulu, her face ashen, dared not glance at the delivery room.Aria and Leon lingered downstairs. Aria's eyes fixed on Lulu's shoulder, and her brow tightened in concern. The dark spirit clinging there was deeply entrenched, its removal demanding more than the usual effort. She couldn't help but wonder if the production team was aware of the shift in the storyline's dark currents.Kian hadn't noticed any issues as the changes were subtle. Besides, surprises would keep the audience engaged. Aria inspected the camera equipment to ensure it was in proper working order. She needed to keep the supernatural entities hidden from view, as their presence would quickly become a focal point.She turned toward the dark corridor. The fallen signboard of the delivery room, bright and colorful, seemed to beckon them inside. Why would such malevolent, vengeful energy align with the production's designs? If this was the will
The scream came from the second floor. The cameras positioned there showed nothing but darkness. Despite Kian's orders to activate night mode, the equipment malfunctioned at this crucial moment.While Leon and Aria continued to rack up points on the first floor, the participants on the second floor struggled to see anything. Only Alistair had picked up the flashlight provided by the crew; the others had neglected it.Kian's brow furrowed. "Where's the production assistant? Why is the light off so early?"Nothing was going according to plan, but the participants remained oblivious.Chandler, who had been brashly confident earlier, now appeared almost laughable in his fear. He grabbed Alistair's flashlight and tried to project calm. "Mr. Franco loves to cut the power on this show. There's no need to panic.""Chandler, we only have one flashlight now," Anthony said, his regret evident. He would have chosen a male partner if he'd known Helen would be so inept.Sensing Anthony's conde
With a sharp click, the door was locked from the outside, followed by eerie laughter that echoed through the room.Panic erupted instantly. "Who locked the door?" Lavender yanked at the handle desperately, her eyes darting to the cameras for answers.Evelyn, unconcerned about breaking the rules, fumbled for her phone's flashlight, only to realize with growing dread that it was dead.Helen was frightened. She clutched Anthony's shirt, hoping he would protect her. Yet, Anthony was equally shaken. He desperately fought the urge to quit the show.Chandler shouted, "Leon, is it you? Stop fooling around!"The voice outside responded with a roar, "Leon? Who's Leon? You trespassers are being punished for coming to the hospital's second floor without permission!"Relief washed over the group as the voice sounded normal, but doubts soon crept in. "Isn't this hospital abandoned? Why is this person calling us trespassers?" Anthony wondered aloud.Chandler reassured him, "It's just an NP
When everyone heard that one of them had to go to the nursery alone, they exchanged silent glances. It was clear no one wanted to go.Chandler was scheming something. "We finally have a lead, so one of you should go while I search for other clues. After all, I'm more familiar with the production crew's gimmicks."Everyone knew he was putting on an act.As an award-winning actress, Lavender could put on a good show too. "Chandler, as the one who got the clue, you should be the one to go."Lana got angry and punched the door when she realized they were taking their time deciding. "So who's coming with me?"Even the audience could feel something amiss by how frustrated Lana was. However, they couldn't pinpoint what exactly."This NPC is an excellent actress," someone commented."She makes it sound like whoever goes out will die," another said.Lana giggled. "Since you can't decide, I'll choose. Whoever I pick must go with me obediently. Let's see. One, two, three, four... I'll pic
The robotic voice sounded again after Aria read the card. "Congratulations, Player No. 5, for finding the clue and saving all the players."Player No. 5, you can choose to hide the clue or reveal the clue. Here's a tip. You'll have a better chance of winning if you keep the clue a secret. After all, there's no need to split the score among all the players."Just then, the lights on the second floor came back on, revealing the participants' expressions on camera.Chandler and Anthony looked panicked. They hadn't found a single clue since arriving and had been saved by the very person they looked down on. Nothing could be more humiliating than this.The fans who had been staunchly defending Chandler and Anthony at the start of the challenge fell silent in the comments section.Almost all the viewers could now see Leon in a new light, though Aria remained the standout. The fact that a non-celebrity participant was shining in a show full of celebrities caused the viewership to skyrock
"I'm a student from Janovin Medical University," Helen said, glancing at Aria as if to imply her own superior education. Amused, Aria turned to Lana. "Are you happy?""Absolutely. I love meeting people in my field," Lana replied, her eyes sparkling. "Doctors and nurses are my favorite."Suddenly, she clapped her hands as if remembering something important. "How could I forget? Didn't you say you could help our hospital find the missing child?""Yes, but we need your help," Chandler immediately replied. "All you need to do is answer a few of our questions."Lana nodded with a smile. "Okay."Chandler continued with his first question, "Were you the one who took the baby away from the delivery room after the woman gave birth?"Lana answered, "Yes."Anthony butted in, "Did someone take the wrong baby home? Was that why the woman in the story couldn't find her baby?"Lana shot him a mocking look. "Nope."Helen didn't believe it and continued asking, "How could it not be? Are you
That made Anthony shut up. Everyone else was stunned as well. Lulu, who'd been silent prior, paled even more. "You aren't an NPC? What are you, then?"Lana said animatedly with a grin, "Didn't I tell you? This is our hospital, and I'm a nurse here, and that's Ms. Wenn to you."As she spoke, the lights flickered. With a hint of concern, Lana warned, "Players, you have two minutes left. If you keep asking the wrong questions, you'll be eliminated."Anthony's voice shook with fear. "W-What's going on here, Chandler?""Don't ask me that. I don't know either." Chandler couldn't even protect himself, much less care about anyone else. He repeatedly hit the SOS button, but nothing happened.Everyone else, except for Leon and Aria, began to panic. Lavender clutched Leon's hand in fear. "Have your partner show everyone the clue she found, Leon. We can work it out together."Lavender hadn't spoken up when Leon had been sidelined earlier. However, she had helped him land his first movie role
The other participants were dumbfounded. Lulu, who was standing in the corner, was the only one who seemed out of it.Aria raised a brow and asked a shocking question. "Is the person who had an abortion among us right now?"The comment section erupted as the audience reacted in disbelief."Now that you asked that question, I'm wide awake!""An abortion? Did I hear that right?""She's a famous female celebrity, my friends! There are only two of them in the show!"No one expected to hear something so shocking while watching a variety show."Is it the famous actress Lavender Erikson or Lulu Charters?""Lavender, definitely. I heard rumors about how she always met her directors at night.""No, it's Lulu! She was covering her tummy often."The audience watched everything from an outsider's perspective and saw everything clearly. Anthony and Chandler were still giving Lavender and Lulu looks when Aria asked the fourth question in succession, "This is just one of the stories. But
Aliya squinted at the unmasked man beside Aria. Now that his face was fully visible, something about him sparked a flicker of recognition. She lowered her gaze, trying to recall where she'd seen him before.Then a sharp gasp cut through the air."He's from the York family… Janovin's York family! Wait—was he Mr. Crow? Were they working together the whole time?"Even though they were all wealthy people, they weren't in the same ranks. No one dared to mess with the York family at all.If the circumstances were different, the arrogant, wealthy people from earlier would've tried to exchange contacts with Landon. That way, they could've partnered up in the future. However, with what had happened that day, those people were in a daze.Meanwhile, Aria knew those people still had no idea what was going on. So, she just removed her disguise and showed them who she really was.Aliya was stunned by what Aria had done. When she saw who the latter truly was, her gaze was filled with jealousy.
The wealthy clients that were left behind at the auction had connections to powerful people, and Dave didn't think Aria was capable enough to deal with every one of them. Although Farshya was well-developed, it had always been a country that focused on connections.Power meant everything, and Dave wanted to see how Aria and her team would deal with his guests. If he remembered correctly, Aliya was the daughter of a great leader in the state. She wanted a womb from a young lady because she wanted to have children.Before the clients got what they wanted, Aria had offended a lot of big shots. Dave thought about it for a second and hoped Aria would suffer as much as he did.Dave was right about one thing. Aliya wasn't anxious at all when someone infiltrated the auction and took control of the event. She was only stunned for a moment at first. Once everything had settled down, she calmed down and even looked a little proud."I suggest you talk to your leader first before deciding to cu
Dave had escaped, but just barely.He'd saved his life, nothing more. The documents he needed to destroy were still intact. Everything had gone completely off script.Every exit had been sealed. If he hadn't killed a villager and disguised himself with a spell, he would've died at the auction. He didn't receive any news about the ambush and was caught entirely off guard.He wasn't in Janovin, and security was that tight there. With his connections, he could've found out what was going to happen in advance. However, that wasn't the case at all.Slipping into a grimy back alley, Dave cursed his luck. Most of his men had been rounded up in the village. He could only hope a few had managed to slip through. But with sirens wailing in the distance, he knew hope was thin."Who the hell was that?" he muttered, wiping dirt off his face with a shaking hand. Normally a stickler for cleanliness, Dave was too rattled to care. "And where's the real Eden?"His mind snapped into action. The scho
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