Aria smiled faintly. "Don't worry if it's too boring. This is just one of the many things you'll experience. After all, you know how long you've been suppressing our heroes. "I hear you guys like nails. Enjoy them. And let me tell you something else—no one in our country wants you invaders walking free."Our citizens are different. We appreciate our soldiers as we wouldn't be here without them. That's why countless people pray for our heroic spirits in Farshya. Trash like you? You belong exactly where you are." Others couldn't hear Aria's words, but the spirits—Terry and Devon included—could. They had heard many prayers while stuck in the Netherrealm, most of them asking for forgiveness and to move on.Some people, with saintly hearts, always preached forgiveness and letting go of the past. This left the heroic spirits disappointed.They had paid with their blood, so why did people nowadays forgive those Krowonian soldiers so easily?Terry didn't understand, and his breathing w
It was really her! When Terry was about to make his way forward, he spotted Landon standing beside Aria.He paused. "You're here too, sir?"Nothing on Landon's face let slip that he knew Terry. "You seem to have mistaken me for someone else."Terry laughed. "I'd never. I'd never mistake the two of you for someone else." He said, "I'm glad that both of you have reincarnated as mortals."Terry wanted to touch the top of Aria's head, but he was a spirit after all, and he was worried that he'd negatively affect them. Sensing what was on Terry's mind, Aria pushed Queenie forward. "Look at her. Does she look familiar to you?""She's the daughter of that new recruit in the army—" Spirits could see one's soul, which lay beneath their appearance. Terry's eyes reddened. "This is great—she's old enough to go to school now!"Aria bent down with a smile, saying to Queenie, "Tell him about your grades, Queenie.""I'm an excellent student, Grandpa. Governmental funding is now covering where
Stephen tended to micromanage Sam, but he also spoiled him, and Sam could basically eat whatever he wanted. Sam's honesty made the heroic spirits laugh. Despite knowing those people couldn't see them, the spirits stood single file and saluted the people who'd rescued them. Sunlight fell on them, as if covering them with a thin layer of gold. Queenie watched as the spirits slowly became transparent under the sunlight. They differed from what she'd once witnessed; they were all smiling, surrounded by golden light.One of the smaller statues beside their memorial fell. No one knew what had happened, but at that moment, they felt something. A breeze blew past them, and it'd never felt so good. Some felt like they'd heard someone else's words of gratitude. Some said they saw silhouettes in military uniforms under the sunlight. Queenie looked up, asking Aria, "Have they all disappeared, Aria?""No. They went where they should've gone." Aria caressed her head, meeting Ellie's gaze
The simpler the words, the more they touched people's hearts. Ellie froze while recording everything. She'd been observing Queenie and Aria's interactions, and she'd managed to obtain some information from listening between the lines. It seemed that Queenie's past incarnation was related to those heroic spirits and that her people's ancestors from previous generations were now back. Why would someone say that they wanted to protect the people if not for that?Ellie had seen someone on the Internet talk about how people had lost their dreams and aspirations in an age of consumerism. Doctors and teachers alike didn't carry out their responsibilities well—there were many recorded occurrences of teachers hitting their students in the face. Also, more and more people started to opt for higher-salary positions. It was hard to say if this was right or wrong when the economy was worsening because both survival and earning money were vital.However, many hoped for the emergence of a g
Warren took the phone. He was furious, close to losing his composure. "I heard about what happened in the church, Aria. To think that this memorial was there—how preposterous! "You must look deeper into it, Aria. Who on earth would sell out our country like that? What motives do they have?"You need not worry. Even if this happened in Nymeria, the Carver family would still have your back as long as there was a reason behind it. If we really can't do anything, Fiona's brothers can be of help too!"They'll surely take your side if they hear about this." Warren's voice deepened. "This isn't just a matter of who was hurt. We must be wary of this happening while also making sure that the perpetrators receive the punishment they deserve, regardless of who they may be or how complicated the situation in Nymeria is!"Warren saw through everything. For this to have happened in a church, a mere priest's efforts weren't enough. He was surely supported by donors and bolstered by his connectio
"This is great! Our child is back again, honey!" The prospective father hugged his wife, his eyes reddening. He'd been most worried about how his wife would be sad after the results of her pregnancy check-up were revealed. She had suffered a lot during her pregnancy, including frequent bouts of sickness. Her physical condition caused him to seriously consider the doctor's suggestions despite his reluctance to say goodbye to this new soul who had come to exist after various tribulations and difficulties. It was the product of their lovemaking, after all. Everything was headed in a better direction now. "Do you think it's related to the comment I left today?" The woman quickly pulled out her phone and added a comment under her original one, informing everyone about this. As if fated, the heroic spirits were able to return to where they were supposed to go. The relevant authorities in Nymeria were held accountable, but this wasn't the point. On the same afternoon, a few sets o
As if anyone would just accept this! No one would! Not a single Farshyan would let that happen!The police officers were furious, but Lorna behaved like a madwoman, unable to be reasoned with, which put them at a standstill. At this moment, Aria walked in, saying coolly, "Did the deity you believe in tell you that the authorities could access records of you accepting a foreign permanent resident card and money through bank transfers?"Lorna suddenly shifted her posture, but she looked up and smiled at Aria. "I'm not Farshyan anymore, that's true. However, we members of the diaspora community have done a lot for the sake of this country these years.""Are you sure about that?" Aria pulled a chair over and sat down opposite Lorna. "The usual process of acquiring a resident card differs from yours. "You came to the city from a small fishing village, and you participated in some activities when you were at school. I won't go into the specifics, but everything is included in the info
Lorna was obviously panicking. She didn't know how the authorities had managed to unearth her participation in certain demonstrations. Lorna was from Chershia, which was connected to another city outside the mainland through a bridge. Hornwell was known for its elite universities. Lorna had joined at first because she wanted to assimilate herself into the local community, but she later realized that the students there were way more progressive than those on the mainland. She joined demonstrations and protests but was quickly stopped by her grandfather who learned about it. No one could have found information on that, surely!Lorna told herself to calm down. Everything would be resolved nicely once her grandpa arrived. Wayne Chester—Lorna's maternal grandfather—worked in one of the first government-backed companies, which made him very well-connected. The Chesters also owned assets worth an enormous sum of money.Lorna hadn't done anything that problematic; she'd just given
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
Durand's expression darkened; Eamon was right. Amos and the official from the state had originally wanted to work with the Grishams, especially Eamon. That was why they used the Fitzroys as a bridge to approach him. Unfortunately, Magdalene had failed to establish any rapport with the Grishams.Instead, she kept criticizing Eamon, claiming he followed Laura's every word, and insisted they had plenty of ways to manipulate the Grishams. In the end, the divorce erupted into a scandal, and the entire Fitzroy family was imprisoned.Ironically, Eamon's actions only impressed the state official more. Durand had even heard Amos say that their leader hoped Eamon would continue working with them as his involvement would ensure their plans progressed smoothly.That knowledge burned Durand with frustration. No matter what he did, he could never measure up to Eamon."It looks like you still haven't grasped the situation, Mr. Grishman. Mr. Grisham Senior has begged everyone, but where did it le
"I'm happy to take over the Grishams' responsibilities," Durand said.Waymond scoffed coldly. "You're not worthy of it.""Mr. Lincoln, it seems someone's not too happy with you."Durand, dressed like a gentleman as always, adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, "Waymond, you've been in this business long enough to know how things work. The Grishams have gained a lot over the years. It's not up to you to decide whether to hold on to it."Leonardo stood, trying to ease the tension. "There's no point in arguing. Let's settle this the traditional way—with an anonymous vote. Everyone, write down whether you think the Grishams should step down. Let the vote speak for itself. That way, it'll be fair."He instructed someone to bring in a box, paper, and pens. Each member was handed a set. It was more for show than anything else; everyone already knew how the vote would go.Eamon saw right through their performance, his gaze turning cold as he sat silently. The votes were quickly cast an
"Mr. Grisham, how long your niece stays locked up isn't up to us—it depends on the severity of her crime," Durand said. "As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you should understand how serious the situation she's stirred up really is. Haven't you read any of the online news?"People are now hoping the Grisham family goes bankrupt. They're even demanding that we, the Chamber, investigate this matter ourselves!"His words made those who had previously wanted to side with the Grishams start to hesitate. With the Draycotts and Fitzroys already doomed, the Grishams had seemed like the next best option. But no one had expected Aria to make such a critical mistake.Public sentiment had turned sharply. The Chamber of Commerce was now being blamed for enabling an economic disaster. What angered the public most was Aria's carefully crafted image. If she'd shown her true colors from the start, they might have ignored her. But pretending to be righteous, only to betray the common people—that w
Dave smiled, clearly enjoying the desperation on Lewis' face. "Also, you won't be getting any more orders. Your supervisor is going to help us delete every report you've ever submitted. What a shame, Lewis. You risked your life on the front lines, only for someone else to reap the rewards behind your back. If I were you, I'd stop being so loyal. Wouldn't it be better to join us?"He was trying to manipulate Lewis, planting doubt and betrayal like poison. As Aria listened, her fists clenched slowly. Nothing crushed a person's spirit more than destroying their belief in what they stood for. They had exposed Lewis on purpose—to break his faith in the uniform he wore.The masked clients settled back into their seats, returning to their arrogant ease. They were reminded that they were above the law within these walls. No one from the outside could enter the premises, and if someone did, they wouldn't leave intact.These people had powerful connections. To them, the undercover cop was a
Aside from Aria, who had initially refused the food, everything had seemed normal to Stephanie. After all, Aria eventually accepted a drink, and nothing else appeared out of the ordinary.But the more Stephanie thought about it, the deeper her frown became. A sense of unease crept in, and she instinctively lowered her microphone, ready to rush to the basement to check things for herself. Seeing her reaction, the wealthy clients began to panic.The woman in the fox mask stood up, clutching her bag tightly, and made for the exit. She feared she would actually be arrested if she stayed any longer. She had no intention of ending up in jail just for attending an auction, especially one like this. Most importantly, she couldn't afford to have her reputation tarnished.Like her, the rest of the crowd shared the same instinct—flee.Meanwhile, Aria narrowed her eyes as she subdued a bodyguard with one hand. She maintained firm but measured pressure with her left hand, ready to act the moment
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,