At the broadcasting headquarters, Landon was still exchanging polite words with Reginald Tarson, the director of the TV station. One couldn't tell who was keeping who company. Reginald was still speaking with a smile, and Landon would nod along occasionally. Despite the smile on his face, he looked like an employer supervising operations at the store, although Reginald was of high status as well."You've recovered a lot. Your grandpa won't have to worry about you the whole day now," Reginald said."Yes, Mr. Tarson." When Landon talked to someone more senior than him, he did so politely. "My fiancée," Landon said with a chuckle, "the young woman onstage. She saved me."The calm, serene smile on Reginald's face showed signs of cracking upon hearing Landon's words. When he wasn't smiling, he became more intimidating than before. "I didn't know your fiancée was so good at what she does.""Yes, she is, Uncle Reginald." Only after confirming that no one was nearby did Landon refer to R
Someone said that the perpetual bad weather was the result of the Dragonlock breaking down. Forged long before the founding of Farshya, those chains had anchored the west of the country. Now, dark clouds roiled above, a shroud of gloom suffocating the sky."Did you hear about what happened behind the TV network's headquarters?" a passerby asked."Yeah. That alley... you always felt like someone was following you whenever it rained, didn't you?""Exactly. One of my colleagues came down with a fever after walking through it. It's been days, and it won't break. He keeps muttering about how he answered the wrong question.""We should leave now. Let's not wait until the afternoon. Something is seriously off.""You think Mr. Tarson would take that route?""Probably not. Even the guys working in the building across from us are taking a longer detour." "Good," the employee thought. It was unlikely anyone would venture into that alley today. But optimism was a fickle thing. Landon str
Landon said nothing. With a subtle shift of his umbrella, he cast a downward glance, cold and menacing.Draco's eyes gleamed with the thrill of a predator as he studied Landon's flawless features. "Do my eyes look like a dragon's to you?"Landon's stare swept over him briefly before turning away as if the majestic lizard were beneath his notice. His voice was frigid. "No."The black fog swirling around Draco thickened, and scales began creeping up his neck. Thunder cracked across the sky as he asked again, his voice sharper, more demanding, "Do my eyes look like a dragon's to you?""No." Landon didn't even deign to look at him this time.The majestic lizard's fury ignited, causing Draco's fingernails to darken to a sickly green-gray, and the black mist slithered menacingly toward Landon's legs as if preparing to consume him. "I'll ask you one last time. Do my—""You talk too much." Landon didn't give the majestic lizard a chance to finish. With a flick of his left wrist, he sen
Landon glanced down at the majestic lizard, raising a brow. "Do I look that stupid to you?"The majestic lizard, trembling on the ground, had no idea why Landon asked such a question. It lay prostrate, barely breathing, fearing even the slightest movement.The crow cawed. Its master was the smartest man in the world, after all, unmatched in both wit and cunning. Evidently, no one could outdo the crow in the art of flattery.Landon said slowly, "Why did the lizard lie to me?"The majestic lizard shuddered, its fear escalating as it saw lightning about to descend upon it. It screamed frantically, "My lord! Please hear me out! I-I was forced out by humans! "If they hadn't dumped toxic waste into the sea, disturbing my peaceful existence, I would've never needed to consume human spiritual forms!"Someone summoned me to harm you—that's why I emerged from the sea! I swear it's the truth!"Landon's gaze grew colder, more distant as if the majestic lizard's words held no meaning to h
Landon cast a sidelong glance at the crow, which understood his unspoken command. It fell silent and reverted to its simpler form, a bird whose only sound was a caw.Tasked with notifying the right people about Landon's disappearance, the crow waited patiently for the heavy rain to relent before it took flight from the shadowy alley.Meanwhile, the bodyguards stationed at the alley's entrance were plagued by worry. Their anxiety deepened when they heard the crow's cawing. Despite the risk of angering Landon, they decided they must investigate. However, as they ventured deeper into the alley, they were struck by an eerie stillness cloaked in fog, with no visible end in sight.Realizing the gravity of the situation, they pressed on, only to find that Landon was nowhere to be seen. Their eyes fell upon a lone Charm Coin resting on the ground, and despair washed over them.…Instead of an extravagant residence, Don called an ordinary neighborhood in Janovin home. However, the neighb
Without saying a word, Aria lifted the earrings from the box and examined them closely. She didn't detect any lingering presence of vengeful spirits attached to them. However, she knew that items from ancient Occidentia could harbor hidden dangers, often tied to customs that could not be officially recorded."Where exactly did you go?" she asked, determined to gather more information about the local environment. "Did anything unusual happen during the excavation?"Don retrieved a map, his finger tracing a circle around a specific area. "There are still some aboriginal residents living there. The excavation itself went smoothly, nothing out of the ordinary on that front."He paused, contemplating his next words. "However, there was one strange occurrence. The local residents seemed particularly fixated on a young lady from our team. They never argued with us, but they followed her around everywhere. At first, they were kind, giving her fruit and food and advising her to avoid getting
Don sighed deeply. "I'm not well-versed in business management, but I've noticed many corporations are shifting toward a new direction. The voices of change are becoming louder. "Mr. Carver Senior faced significant challenges recently, and people of our generation often struggle to keep pace with these changes. We're all still learning along with everyone else. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have realized that my subordinates were mistreating those students. In our industry, it's rare to find individuals committed to their work. Many traditional crafts are fading away because no one is willing to inherit the knowledge and skills."Often, we find ourselves filled with regret when we reflect on past events."Don waved a dismissive hand, attempting to lighten the mood. "I've been rambling. But truly, your words today were impactful! The Carver family will undoubtedly reach new heights in the future!"Aria met his gaze seriously. "If you hold the Carver family in such high regar
As Aria was deep in thought, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, hinting at something ominous in the distance, as if some creature was undergoing a trial. She was just about to focus on it when her phone rang. Leon's voice came through, hurried and anxious. "Aria, are you with Landon?"…Leon still had makeup on as Clary stood beside him. His popularity had skyrocketed lately, and Clary couldn't contain her excitement. Her admiration for Aria was growing by the day. Clary had been planning to get Leon on a live broadcast, but Leon's casual mention of Landon had caught her off guard. She froze. Even if Leon had Aria's support, he shouldn't have addressed his boss so casually.Upon seeing Clary, Leon immediately shifted his gaze and turned in another direction.…Unaware of what was happening on Leon’s side, Aria shut the window. "No, I'm at Mr. Hendricks' place. I believe Landon is with Mr. Tarson right now."Leon's voice dropped to a whisper. "He's not. The York famil
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