Aria wondered if Landon knew of his image a century ago. Aria had a small smile. "I think we're more matched in the future.""It seems like I'll really have to take action." Smiling, Landon moved forward and came in front of Aria.His movements were so swift that even Aria reacted. His fingertips were already pinching her jaw.In the darkness, Landon, clad in a blood-red robe, lowered his gaze. Despite being in such an environment, he still had the most refreshing fragrance on him—sandalwood. "Relax. I'll be gen—"Before Landon could say the word gentle, Aria had already sealed off his colorless lips. She placed her hands on his waist, seemingly even more adept than him.The sudden tenderness caused Landon to forget what he wanted to do afterward. His deep eyes, which were usually devoid of emotion, showed surprise. Even the spirits under the ancient well were shuddering. Some of them didn't dare to show themselves, while the others managed to catch a glimpse.They were sur
The wounded Viktor let out a low roar with all his might.As Aria knew Viktor would bring along many men, she glanced at Landon. "I'll leave this to you. Till we meet again."She worded it nicely, but she was actually using the Krowonians to hold him off.Landon smiled. "You wish you could get away.""See you." Aria didn't waste any time getting out of there. By the looks of it, she might not make it out alive if he caught her.Since Landon could crush a wooden doll so easily, these Krowonians would only delay him for a few minutes. Aria could only tell herself to run fast.She had found Toto's soul. As long as she pulled the other spirits from the manifestation, everything would end, including the remnants of the Earthbound Manifestation.Landon obviously saw through her plan. However, the Krowonians streamed in one after another.It was against Landon to kill humans, but it was more than easy for him to drive them insane.He let the black mist surge from below the well, reve
There were about 20 people from the Carver family standing outside, waiting for Barron to emerge. They were all renowned fighters of Ludwiten. Despite being fresh out of jail and injured, Warren reacted quickly and didn't lag behind. He refused to take any pictures with Krowonians despite being coerced and threatened.The Krowonians planned to publish the photos from this gathering to the public. Their goal was simple—to seize control of Farshya's economic lifelines.The first step was to mislead the Farshyans to misunderstand the Carver family. What they really wanted to do came next.The photographer that came with Viktor tried his best to hide himself.Unbeknownst to him, Aria had ordered Nyx to place something on the photographer.The photographer thought he was safe once he left the Krowonian embassy and arrived at the Krowonian Intelligence Office in the Nobeetan Concession. He never expected Aria to follow him the entire way.Besides planning to destroy his camera, she a
Her stunning face stood out, and the mole under her eyes captivated others even more.Her white shirt was tucked into black jeans, and she wore a pair of women's military boots.She was bound to make a commotion, especially when she shouted, "Do you guys want money?"With a casual flick of her hand, money started raining down from above.Nobody could resist such a scene, and even those foreigners were in disbelief.She was scattering a lot of cash, and in another currency too!In an instant, the Nobeetan Concession exploded in an uproar.Even those usually well-mannered foreigners rushed out of the buildings. People attending parties and business meetings all turned their attention to the scene.An embassy staff member immediately called his superior after noticing something was wrong. Reporters, both local and international, scrambled to get to the scene.Aria tossed the cash casually. The bills mixed with the snowflakes slowly descended before hitting the ground. The entire
People in the Nobeetan Concession couldn't sleep soundly knowing the Krowonian devils in Farshya had done such things in the guise of humanity.It was as if even the heavens were bidding farewell to the young spirits. The snow descended even heavier when the Krowonian Embassy was destroyed.People said they had never seen such huge snowfall in Ludwiten before.On the ground, it was impossible to distinguish whose child's photo was lying there.Those who picked up the money froze in place, horrified by what happened.Human minds need to be awakened. If they were not stimulated, they would never understand that they were simply sheep waiting to be slaughtered if they were too weak.Those holding knives didn't treat them like human beings at all. In their eyes, one's politeness was because they were weak. Being hospitable to them showed how lowly one was.Only when they were strong could their virtues be acknowledged.Aria didn't know if these photos could awaken even a small frac
Amid the first snowfall and dense fog, Landon stood still, his gaze fixed on Aria. His dark pupils shone with a hint of indifference. Snowflakes landed on his shoulders, but he remained upright and proud. The chaos surrounding him did nothing to diminish the innate grace he carried. Instead, countless spirits circled him, drawn to his presence.The pressure he gave off fractured the manifestation, distorting its form as if on the verge of collapse.Sensing his intentions, Nyx was about to speak when he heard a low roar.Aria, astride her BMW Tomahawk, soared between the buildings, her appearance as striking and cool as when she had first arrived. Fearful of being left behind, Nyx quickly ducked into the copper coin and summoned his strength to follow Aria out of the manifestation.Aria found herself back at the Ander residence as her BMW Tomahawk landed. The scene behind her vanished, giving way to the familiar modern décor. A pair of embroidered red shoes fell to the side, but t
The neighbors in the alley said that the family was unlucky. The mother had passed away, while the eldest daughter had been sold off.When the mother passed, her body smelled so foul that her husband refused to pay for a proper burial. Instead, he wrapped her in a mat and disposed of her carelessly.This was Toto's fifth time entering the dream.Initially, he tried to ignore the summons and avoid entering the dream altogether.He often felt drowsy in class and was a bit anemic, prompting his mother to worry about his health.Yet, haunted by the thought of the young girl being alone and neglected, Toto ventured into the dreamscape for the sixth time. This time, he brought snacks, hoping to comfort the girl who might be distressed by her mother's death.But when he saw her again, she was barely alive, dragged into a small, dark room.Toto followed, discovering that this place was not a school but a site for human experiments. He had read about it in children's books.Toto planned
Toto nodded. "Okay!"Verona hugged her son, her heart filled with gratitude.They were so fortunate to have met Aria.However, Toto's curiosity remained. "I still want to ask about the young lady."Verona prompted him to elaborate, and Toto recounted everything he had seen in the yard and his dream.It was then that Verona understood the true danger lurking at their home. Aria was still there! She was about to rush back when she received a text message. "I received word from Mr. Lowe Senior that Toto has already awakened. You should remain at the hospital for a few days; the house needs to be cleansed by professionals." Aria's message was clear and direct.Verona exhaled in relief. "Alright. I'll take your advice."After sending that message, Verona typed another. "I heard everything from Toto. Thank you so much, Aria."From Toto's description, Verona sensed the dream wasn’t ordinary. The more she listened, the more it seemed connected to historical events. Krowonians were in
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
Amos was too stunned to react. One side of his face throbbed with pain, and fish oil clung to his hair, glistening from the dish he had been slammed into.He had always eaten fish a particular way—only one side. No matter how expensive the fish, he refused to flip it over, believing that leaving it untouched brought good fortune.But today, that superstition had been smashed—along with his pride. Pinned to the table, Amos hadn't even found the time to get angry. Confusion flickered in his eyes as he struggled to rise.Then Lucas spoke, his words crashing down like a stone wall."Amos Lune, you conspired with the Draycott and Fitzroy families to crush honest entrepreneurs. You've abused your position shamelessly."Lucas didn't stop. His tone cut sharper with each sentence."We also have evidence linking you to a human organ trafficking ring in Bellebrook. You've disgraced the people who supported your rise—and the country that invested in you."Lucas had been suppressing his ange
Lucas shook his head steadily. "Not yet."Amos, still basking in the glow of his "victory", had no idea what was coming. He answered Durand's call with a smug smile. On the other end, Durand's laughter rang out loud and triumphant."Mr. Lune, you should've seen the Grisham brothers' faces! I bet they never expected to be abandoned like that!"You played it brilliantly. One quiet move, and boom—the Grisham family's out of the Chamber of Commerce. From here, it's just a slow bleed. They'll lose everything."Amos kept his tone cool. "This isn't enough. Keep pushing the online chatter. The narrative needs to focus on how their precious granddaughter cost so many investors their savings. And don't forget her carefully crafted persona—it's about to unravel."He paused, voice crisp. "Reach out to the other businessmen. Now that the Grishams can't offer any benefits, it's time for everyone to take a bite. You understand, don't you, Durand?"Durand took a moment, then replied, "Right. Got
Cormac even thought of leaving some of his influence behind after retiring. This way, he could still have some power over decisions. He thought he could remind Lucas that not just anyone could do his job well. Therefore, Cormac remained calm after receiving the note. He was already so used to handling his daughter's troubles.Cormac strode into his lounge and asked Pedro, "Is it drunk driving again? Don't you know how to handle it?""It's not drunk driving." Pedro still seemed out of it.Cormac's expression darkened. "It's not drunk driving? Was she on drugs again? I already reminded you numerous times to get someone to keep an eye on her. Which stage of the process is she at right now? Call the people from the drug-testing institution.""No. That's not it." Pedro took off his glasses and his badge.Cormac finally realized that Pedro seemed off. "What happened? Just tell me. I doubt she'll kill someone. Although my daughter is troublesome, she won't do something like that. I kno