The soul that Draco was gripping tightly didn't understand why Aria, who had previously stopped him, now allowed Draco to hurt others. Even Draco noticed this and turned to her. "Aren't you going to stop me? Didn't you say you would make me disappear if I didn't return?"Aria replied nonchalantly, "That was before. I treat those with merits differently. I can still make you disappear after you finish taking your revenge. But I'll tell you this—it's not worth it to waste your merits on a bunch of idiots."Draco's grip loosened slightly as he pondered her words, but the anger in his bloodshot eyes hadn't subsided. "They aren't innocent."Aria looked at him and replied, "I know they're not innocent. I'm just saying they're not the ones who bullied your daughter. You'll be making a huge mistake by killing them."The soul whom Draco was gripping quickly nodded. "She's right. Draco, we were wrong to spread false rumors online and do that to you. We're really sorry. Since we're all coll
"I'll eat them! We can talk this out. It's just eating a few people. I can do it! Once they return, I'll be waiting for them at their homes." The lizard was determined to prove its worth to Aria.The souls felt their feet going numb after hearing that, but Aria didn't spare them a glance. She turned to look at Draco instead. "When you wake up tomorrow, seek me out at Carver Group's. Does that sound good?"Draco thought for a moment before replying, "I believe in the Carver family."Then, he walked toward the Soul Lock Manifestation with half of his resentment gone.After he was gone, the other souls could finally move. None of them wanted to stay there, so they hurried forward and disappeared.Peace was finally back. The fog was also not as thick as before, and the skies in the city turned clear."It finally stopped raining." An elderly woman in the market sighed in relief, glad that the downpour had ceased. Continuous rain had made her joints ache, and she feared for the riverba
Aria asked the lizard, "Now that you haven't fulfilled his wish, what are you planning to do next?"The lizard appeared confused until Aria reminded it, "You made a pact. Breaking it will have consequences. Just look at your claws."As the lizard glanced down, it noticed the skin on its hand starting to crack. Its eyes widened in horror. "My skin is cracking! That old coot deceived me!"Nearby, Sam scoffed, thinking the lizard was overreacting. Once Aria deemed it useless, he would have a fine meal. There was no need for the lizard to treat its wound. A sprinkle of salt, and it would make for a delightful dish—Sam had become quite the connoisseur in food preparation.The lizard looked at Aria helplessly, "Miss, please help me!"Aria replied calmly, "It's simple. Become my spirit vassal and sign a pact with me. You've seen I'm a billionaire CEO in this world. I'm much more open than the person pulling your strings. He's probably not as wealthy as I am."The majestic lizard began t
Landon had never ridden a Tomahawk before; he usually preferred the comfort of cars. Lifting one eyebrow in curiosity, he swung one leg over the bike and straddled it.Seeing his uncertainty, Aria reached out and placed his hands around her waist. "Hold on tight. I go fast."As Landon inhaled the fragrance of her hair, a smile crept onto his face. The engine roared to life, and Aria leaned forward, her back arching gracefully. Landon tightened his grip around her waist with one hand, breathing in her scent—it was nothing like the overpowering perfumes that usually gave him a headache; she smelled like rain in springtime.Waiting at a red light, Landon's gaze drifted down to Aria's exposed waist. His eyes darkened, and he instinctively tightened his hold on her.Aria turned her head, eyebrows raised in confusion, as if asking him what was wrong through the visor of her helmet.Landon chuckled, his voice low and magnetic as it whispered in her ear, "How do you plan on dealing with
The bodyguards didn't suspect Lily at all. They had investigated her whereabouts and confirmed she had never been to the northwest.The butler also confirmed her words matched the videos the Dark Shadow sent. However, Landon was still missing, and he wasn't in any of the white cars they stopped.Titus didn't fully believe Lily's words, but he knew she could be right. Thus, he needed to be on guard.He paced around his study with his walking cane. Suddenly, he realized something. "If the car accident really happens, the problem isn't on the white car but the truck. Go and investigate the truck driver's identity."It was daytime; if Lily was correct, the truck driver would be key to causing a major accident during daylight hours.As the roadblocks increased, a truck driver named Damon Kirch began to feel anxious. He didn't want anyone to discover that he had been drinking. The road he was traveling was usually deserted, so he couldn't fathom why there were so many roadblocks today
Damon was so angry that his eyes were red. He rolled down his windows to scold Aria, but she beat him to it. "What's that scent on you?"Upon hearing that, Damon seemed nervous. "What do you mean? Do you even know how to ride a bike? Do you know that you're blocking my way?"The commotion quickly gathered attention from the surrounding vehicles, creating a bottleneck of cars waiting for inspection due to the roadblock.A driver rolled down his window and called out to Landon, "Young man, you should get your girlfriend out of here. Don't let her cause a scene. You're lucky there's a roadblock; otherwise, it would be dangerous to act like this on the highway."Landon removed his helmet. "She's not a busybody; she's saving you all." He then looked at the driver. "You should thank her."The driver shook his head in confusion. "He's quite handsome. It's just that he's not in his right mind."A young child was sitting behind the driver. "Daddy, what are you saying? When will we get to
The officer stood in shock after Aria revealed herself as 001, the elusive commander of the Highest Operations Unit who had investigated Nymeria's church. Her identity was highly confidential and known to few. This revelation carried weight, and the officer immediately focused on checking on Damon.It quickly became apparent that Damon wasn't just drunk—he was also transporting private gas. A potential accident involving such volatile materials could be catastrophic. The surrounding drivers started to break out in cold sweats, realizing just how close they had come to disaster."Dad, what happened?" the young boy asked after seeing how terrified his father was."Nothing much. We've met our life savior, that's all," the father replied, realizing how fortunate they were. Their car would have been trailing the truck for some distance. He also remembered a notorious intersection prone to car accidents ahead. Fortunately, the young woman had prevented the truck driver from proceeding.
Silas Braune, the usually composed butler of the York family, hurried inside with his phone, an uncharacteristic look of excitement on his face as he approached Titus. A few CEOs from the York family's business partners were there to fish for information about Landon. Their expressions shifted drastically upon hearing the news. They couldn't believe Landon had been located so quickly, especially given that the abductor's identity was still unknown. Exchanging knowing glances, they shared a common motive—to observe how the York family would handle the situation. If Landon was truly missing, they would have needed to consider adjusting their business terms with the Yorks. Naturally, they didn't dare to confront Titus directly, but they were prepared to pull some strings behind the scenes. This was why they came to York Residence to find out Landon's situation. However, their boldness now seemed ill-advised, and they regretted coming. They wondered if it was too late for them to
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