Fergus sighed deeply. "Enough about her. Let's discuss our matter." He was playing his part perfectly for Aria's plan by doing things he would normally avoid. "Granduncle Ian, Grandpa has always disapproved of Poeta. Only you can persuade his stubborn mind." After some thinking, Fergus still decided not to hold Poeta's hand when he told Ian, "I want to marry Poeta." Poeta's heart raced with excitement. She could barely conceal the greedy gleam in her eyes! "Ferg, you finallyâ" Catching Ian's warning glance, Poeta quickly changed course, "Bringing up marriage now will only strain things with your grandpa. I can wait, so don't fight with him because of me." Fergus gazed at her deeply. "It's not for you. It's for myself." He left those words hanging. He had to thank Aria for letting him witness everything firsthand. Ian had always protected them from Warren whenever Warren was being strict, even saving Fergus from drowning once. This planted a good impression of Ian in Fergu
Ian set down his teacup as if making a grave decision. "I'll talk to Warren. But stay calm and don't argue with him. Mind his healthâhe's had difficult years. "Aria has only just returned, so there's much to handle inside and out." Ian added casually, "Some shareholders think she's too young to manage things. As you know, they are all seasoned businessmen. Will they really accept Aria? I doubt it." Ian sighed. "Warren must worry about this too. I need to ask him why he'd give such a huge enterprise to Aria instead of you." Ian patted Fergus's shoulder. "I know your struggles overseas. You're best suited for business in the Carver family. Regardless of whether you want to lead Carver Group, Aria would be overwhelmed by having control over so many employees. She's still just a child." He sounded concerned with the bigger picture, but he actually aimed to stir conflict between the siblings, just as he had done with Owen before. But he overlooked one thingâFergus was not the same a
Anywhere with water needed energy-gathering features such as water wheels, rock gardens, or circulation systems. Aria inspected the pond where three fish swam beneath an ornate fountain. It all seemed normal enough. But she realized something was off as she looked higher. The water's path carried strange protective energy. She glanced beyond the wall. Bracing her leg against a tree trunk, she threw her chain over the top. The chain had a function of disrupting the electricity. With professional agility, she perched on the wall and looked down at Simon. "Follow me." Follow? The supposedly mighty beast of fortune was not exactly graceful at wall-climbing. When Simon finally landed, the sight stunned him. What a vicious formation. Not only was it blocking the entire district's fortune, but it was channeling negative energy toward another location. This meant someone else was bearing the consequences of Ian's evil deedsâWarren. Aria's eyes darkened as she looked in that directi
"Why are there two more over there?" A voice could faintly be heard amidst the sound of gunfire."Stay hidden, you guys. I'll go over to take a look!" When Aria turned around, she saw a male soldier with his face covered in ashes. He quickly dragged her and Simon away."Come with me! The enemy might ambush us anytime. Follow me to stay hidden."The soldier pulled them away forcefully. He was afraid the two children might not make it out alive if he didn't.Aria didn't resist, even picking up a sniper when he was dragging her along. It was clear a battle had just ended there. There were sounds of gunfire not far away, signaling there might be a second wave of attack soon. Aria needed to find the conjurer or the object forming the Earthbound Manifestation in a short amount of time. The soil around the battlefield was crumbling as the fighter jets roared above them. Just as it was about to fall on their heads, the male soldier pushed them away at the right time. Ariaâs e
However, Xander had a gun now, and it was the most advanced one.Xander said excitedly, "This is the enemy's sniper rifle. It has excellent accuracy and is said to be equipped with night-time silencing and infrared vision.Suddenly, Xander became a bit depressed. "I don't really understand the specifics, but this is the gun that injured Mr. Gagnier. Thankfully, he dodged in time. He only hurt his arm. Miss, where did you get this gun from?""I picked it up just now, thinking you guys might need it." Aria was from the Special Missions Unit and carried out missions at the border. Thus, she knew guns from the back of her hand. Naturally, her photographic memory was to thank as well. Upon hearing that, Xander asked again, "Are you really giving it to me?"Aria looked into his eyes and smiled. "Based on the calluses on your hands, you've trained a lot. A good sniper is important to have in a team. However, not everyone can become one."While your outgoing personality may not suit the
The female student glared at him. "What are you saying? Evander, it's fine if you've forgotten. Stop running your mouth."Evander Fenwick also realized how insensible his words were. "Of course, we won! Plus, we had a perfect victory!""Yes! The Krowonians even admitted defeated by themselves. I remember this well," the female student chimed in.Upon hearing that, the female soldier's eyes lit up. She immediately asked, "Will the Krowonians really admit defeat? It's currently 1940. Will they surrender this year?""I think so." They realized how little knowledge they knew when they really needed it. They seriously couldn't remember.The female student wearing a Krowonian traditional outfit, Astrid Storme, remembered a little. "I'm pretty sure it's not this year. Let me recall back."The hope in the female soldier's eyes dimmed. Xander couldn't stand it and stepped in. He questioned harshly, "How could you not remember? It's such an important incident for us. IâĶIâĶ" His eyes reddene
His companions begged, "Miss, please let him go. He just has a foul mouth. He doesn't mean anything bad."Aria raised her eyebrows. "Oh? The words one says without thinking are the truest reflection of one's inner thoughts. I don't care if he means harm or not. If he continues taking bullshit before you guys return, I'll make him stay here forever."It was at that moment the students realized Aria's attire clearly meant she wasn't from this era."Look at her shoes! It's a limited edition!" Astrid exclaimed.Even at this moment, the only thing she cared about was whether Aria's shoes were limited edition.Aria always thought people have different values in life. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many twisted criminals or people proud to be homewreckers in this world.However, Aria hated these people the most. She glanced over at the female student. "The Krowonians would love someone with your make-up and attire. Why don't I send you over to buy us some time?"Astrid turned pale. "W
Paggie could barely conceal the excitement on her face. "Miss, is everything you said true?" she couldn't help but confirm.Aria nodded. "That's right. They came here first. I'm sure they had already filled you in about future events."Paggie smiled. "That's right. They told us Farshya would have airplanes and cannons that are more advanced than those outside our country in the future."When our unit saw these students, we were quite stunned. We couldn't understand some of the things they said, like mouse, laptops, and the internet. They said they got here while surfing the internet, and honestly, I don't know what they're talking about."Their clothes do seem quite fashionable. I thought they returned from overseas when I first saw them. When they said they came from the future, we all thought they weren't in their right minds from the bomb blastings."I already talked with them before you came here. I still think it's quite unbelievable they're from the future."Paggie handed a
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 wayâwith 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 usâit 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 peopleâthat 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 purposeâto 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 instinctâflee.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,
The woman's interest in the man was obvious when she approached him. But he simply glanced at her and asked coldly, "When did the rules here change?"Before she could respond, a nearby bodyguard stepped forward and said, "Ms. Fox, please return to your seat. The auction is about to begin.""Very well," the woman replied, brushing her hair back. She wasn't particularly young, but her figure was striking. "It's fine, as long as he didn't just stumble in here. I just thought he didn't look like he came to buy anything."At that, the bodyguard checked the guest list and found the crow-masked man's name. "This gentleman is here for the same reason you are.""Oh? How peculiar," she said, casting another glance at the man. It was easy to tell when someone had moneyâthe way they held themselves, the air they carried. And the man in the crow mask exuded elegance and cool detachment.Ms. Fox tried to place him. If he had been one of her business partners, she was certain she would've remembe
When Aria got up to leave, the girls looked at her with concern. She seemed to be about their age, and they couldn't help but worry about her safety."It's too dangerous for you to head out there by yourself."They didn't know exactly how many people were lurking outside, but they were smart enough to know none of them could be trusted. Even the security guards had proven to be dangerous.Aria was slightly surprised by their concern. She'd completed many missions, but it was rare for anyone to care about her well-being. Still, she figured the girls were just looking out for one another.With a smirk, Aria tossed a bodyguard aside and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just stay here a little longer. In half an hour, someone will come to rescue you. The secret code is 'up above the world so high'.""Isn't that from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?" one of them asked, both confused and surprised. It was the strangest code phrase they'd ever heard.Aria simply chuckled. That line was pa
Right after Aria said it was time to move, Sam slammed his fingers on the keyboard. Instantly, the Special Missions Unit, disguised among the villagers, snapped to attention.The "electrician" was no longer just an electrician. He had transformed into a sniper, his rifle pieced together from parts in his toolbox. Meanwhile, the university students who had supposedly come to camp had vanished without a traceâno one noticed their absence.They didn't need to storm the building to be deadly. Like a pack of wolves in the dead of night, they moved fast and struck hard, aiming to take down their targets in one swift blow.Soon after, Aria made a quick hand gesture, instructing Sam to jam the bodyguards' walkie-talkies. Without hesitation, Sam launched a virus that disabled all their communications.Aria lowered her gaze and silently counted to three. Then she stood up in a flash, so fast that the four guards around her had no time to react. Before they could even reach for their weapons,