"No, you're not." The black mist surged, attempting to soothe Landon's ire. Yet, Landon paid it no mind. He spread his arms and reclined in the tranquil depths of the Dark River, the most secluded part of the Netherrealm. He always did what he wanted. No spirit dared to disturb him as he rested.The surge of greed that had emerged upon his entry into the Dark River dissipated before it could even touch him.That day, the evil spirits convened for a meeting."Is Mr. York in a bad mood?""Obviously!""What should we do? Should we still go out?""If you have no wish to remain even as a ghost, feel free to try.""I think I'll just stay here and continue sleeping."The river's surface rippled, its depth seeming boundless.Only Landon, clad in a red robe, appeared to be asleep. His handsome face exuded a grace that seemed naturally at home in the Dark River.…Earthbound Manifestations often left behind fragments of spirits' memories.Aria sought further insights from Nyx abo
The old man was caught off guard. Landon had unearthed a fragment of his soul—an event unpredicted by any divination.The old man was none other than Tobias Revelare. Finding it strange, he decided to pack up his things and delve into the mystery at hand. Tobias pondered if Aria was behind it. Given her well-known love for money, she was unlikely to venture to Janovin for any other reason.How could Homer fail to keep an eye on things when he was well aware of the threat in Janovin? Moreover, as a practitioner of the Decatorian way, it was his responsibility to address the threat. Tobias' anxiety was palpable. The young woman, still poring over her tarot cards, stood up as the lights went out. "Sir, what's happening? You said my relationship would go smoothly. Why is there a problem now?"The young woman feared that Tobias might bolt. Even though the reading cost just 29.90 dollars, it was still a notable expense. Young people cared deeply about getting their money's worth. Fu
In the Carver residence's living room, Leon watched as his boss made himself at home. He seemed more accustomed than Leon was.Not only did Landon order the butler to cook pasta, but he also took out some coffee beans to grind.At first, Leon was puzzled by Landon's actions. It wasn't until Aria returned and took a sip of coffee, casting a loving glance at Landon that Leon's confusion was finally cleared. Leon's expression became complicated.Percy was also holding a cup of coffee. He adjusted his glasses and squinted. "I don't remember your boss usually acting like this."Landon, resembling a househusband, presented an unusual sight. Could anyone from the York family picture their patriarch wearing an apron and grinding coffee beans?Aria seemed pleased, particularly by Landon's ever-changing expressions since his return from the Earthbound Manifestation. As she warmed herself, she asked, "Where's Grandpa?""The shareholders had many questions for him after the banquet ended."
Even Percy couldn't help but frown. Was the legendary Landon truly as shameless as the rumors suggested?Meanwhile, Warren had already pieced everything together.Just from the banquet, it was clear that the Carver family had been steadily declining over the years. The York family, on the other hand, was a different story. With Landon's backing, Aria's future would undoubtedly be much smoother.After entering the study, Warren turned around and motioned for Keith to close the door. Then, he strolled over to the bookshelf and moved one of the books. With a click, the bookshelf shifted.It was the first time Leon had ever known that there was something hidden behind Warren's bookshelf.Inside, there was a high-quality leather chest. On the wall were some newspapers from the special period, along with some documents and photos. Among these lay a well-preserved Charm Coin.Aria's eyes flickered when she saw the Charm Coin.Warren walked over and picked up the family portrait from th
Aria recalled Barron's wise demeanor during the manifestation. In those days, someone had to step up and make sacrifices, even if they went unnoticed.Barron had traded his life to safeguard the knowledge and influence behind him, ensuring that everyone believed he was merely a regular businessman.If Barron had anything of true value, he could have handed it over to save his own life. But the Carver family couldn't be sacrificed, and their businesses were far too important.Money was necessary for everything, and although Barron was known for his love of wealth, that same wealth had saved countless youths.Aria stepped closer, her fingertip grazing Barron's portrait. A soft breeze drifted through the room. In the faded newspaper clipping, Barron stood tall and proud."I've been waiting for you. I finally get to see you. Good girl. You didn't deceive me. Farshya is truly strong now. I can rest easy with you here."His words were inaudible to others. Aria knew all too well that th
But Landon had already destroyed the doll at the manifestation. Logically, if the coin could survive to the present times, the doll should have been destroyed. Aria wondered if she had missed something. She couldn't get the full picture from the newspaper clippings alone. Recalling Warren's capture by Viktor, Aria contemplated briefly before showing him a photo. "Grandpa, have you seen this before?"Warren's expression changed when he saw the photo. "Rainbow, where did you get this?"Aria knew she'd hit the mark when she saw how Warren had reacted. "I didn't take the picture. It's being sold online, and even Ms. Ander has one at home.""That doll is pure evil. Stay away from it." It was the first time Warren had shown such strong opposition. He furrowed his brows, continuing, "Why is this doll back on the market? Wasn't it banned for a time?"As a top idol, Leon knew what it was by a glance. "Grandpa, plenty of girls like this doll. Isn't it quite common? Why are you saying it'
Aria studied Landon's face. "Explain," she said simply.Landon’s voice was smooth as he wove the tale effortlessly, "Our tradition of crafting dolls reached Krowo ages ago. These dolls held special significance for a time, especially among Krowonian soldiers' families and royalty."They believed that the dolls had souls, and they could ward off misfortune and boost morale."Though Landon spoke casually, Aria picked up on the critical details. "Why did they come to believe the dolls had souls?""It's difficult to be certain, but there's an old tale," Landon spoke slowly, his voice weighted with the eerie lore. "In the story, an elder brother, fearing his sister's loneliness in his absence, gifted her a wooden doll. The girl cherished the doll so much that she would cradle it every night, set a place for it at the dining table at every meal, and even give it a name."Her devotion bordered on obsession. But soon after, the girl fell gravely ill. Despite efforts to save her, she passe
Leon furrowed his brow, confused. "Why would it be harder for us to deal with the doll just because it's been worshipped?""Guardian spirits are relics of the past," Aria said, her tone indifferent. "A doll steeped in offerings and prayers is bound to become difficult."She continued, her tone steady. "Spirits draw life from belief. The more worshippers they gather, the stronger they become. That same bond holds, even in something as lifeless as a doll."As Aria explained, Percy couldn't help but see her in a different light. "Aria, do you know how to tell fortunes?"Aria didn't hesitate. "A little. I know the basics, but there are some theories I haven't mastered yet. Still, I can handle day-to-day problems."Percy, a lawyer with Hemingway Legal Elites, never imagined his own sister had a knack for fortune-telling. It was both intriguing and unsettling for a non-believer like him. "Well then, I'll just send all my strange clients your way."Over the years, Percy had dealt with p
Aliya had never heard of the Special Missions Unit until today. But after seeing Pedro's panicked reaction, it didn't take long for her to realize that this was a group with more authority than even her father.Still, some people lived so long in privilege that they convinced themselves they were untouchable. Logic no longer applied to them.Aria was done entertaining Aliya's ignorance. With a flick of her wrist, she signaled someone to silence her. Then, she turned to Aliya with icy disdain."Don't worry," Aria said. "I'll take you with me when I pay your father a visit. Then we can ask him together what his name truly means in this state."Her voice was calm but sharp."You seem to have forgotten that his power—any power—comes from the people. And now, you're using that power to treat their lives like currency. To buy yourself a life of superiority."She stepped closer. "Organ trafficking is illegal here. That's the crime we've confirmed so far. But don't worry. We'll find the
When Pedro heard that it was the Special Missions Unit, his forehead was covered in sweat immediately. Even his mind had gone blank. At that moment, all he could think about was how doomed they were!Others might not have heard of the unit before. However, as a state official, there was no way Pedro wouldn't know them. In fact, the Special Missions Unit was something they had no control over.Technically, the Special Missions Unit had way more clearance than they did. After all, they were in charge of big cases. Sometimes, they would even work with the special troops.The Special Missions Unit belonged to the country, and they were extremely mysterious. Even people with high clearance wouldn't know who they were in real life.Pedro only managed to find his voice after a long time. As he wiped the sweat off his forehead, he chuckled awkwardly."Oh, this is all a misunderstanding. May I know who I am speaking to? I never expected the Special Missions Unit to be carrying out a missio
Aliya had never met Aria before, but this was the first time she'd seen a young woman more poised—and far more arrogant—than herself. That only fueled her rage. And the fact that Aria was stunningly beautiful didn't help either.Scoffing, she snapped, "Do you dare let us make our calls? Let's see if you still look so smug after that."The other wealthy attendees stiffened. None of them moved. With Aria in the room, they had the sinking feeling that calling in favors wouldn't end well.Aria merely tilted her head and smiled. "Of course," she said, then turned to her team. "Please hand this lady her phone. Let her make her call."The members of the Special Missions Unit didn't question her. They knew Aria well enough to understand what she was doing—she wanted the bigger fish. The call would be recorded, and with any luck, it would lead them straight to someone higher up the chain.Aliya was momentarily thrown off by Aria's easy agreement. But she quickly chalked it up to ignorance.
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