However, Viktor failed to find anything. His expression darkened as he whipped the person over and over again."Some Farshyan bastards must have sneaked inside!"Viktor turned abruptly, pointing the whip at Eddy. "You! Didn't you say the Farshyans' weaponry is limited and outdated? How the hell did they set fire from outside?"Eddy was at a loss. Desperately trying to piece together an explanation, he ventured, "Maybe... one of them studied abroad in Krowo and became familiar with our weaponry?""Studied abroad…" Viktor suddenly looked up. "Apart from our soldiers, are there any outsiders in our camp?"The deputy officer immediately replied, "There are some dancers and musicians here to entertain the troop.""Investigate them immediately!" Viktor ordered, his teeth clenched as his gaze fell on the scorched remains of their food supplies.At first, Viktor hadn't been too worried. He had dismissed the Farshyans as incompetent fools, incapable of such sabotage. After all, the Krowo
Since the soldier reminded Aria of the time, it meant that there would be a new code after 7:00 am.There was no way Aria would know the new code. However, if she showed any signs of hesitation, the other soldiers would start to suspect her. Worse still, she noticed the soldier reaching for the back of his gun.It was too late. Aria narrowed her eyes and replied. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't look at the time. Let's go over it again."The soldier kept his hand on the gun and was about to speak when Aria unleashed several silver needles with a swift flick of her hand. The needles shot out with a sharp whoosh, striking all 12 members of the two squads.In an instant, the soldiers stood frozen. Their acupuncture points had been precisely targeted. Though fully conscious, they were now incapable of speech or movement.However, leaving all 12 soldiers standing there would be too conspicuous. Anyone passing by would immediately notice something was wrong.Fortunately, the Krowonian soldiers
Aria's heart skipped a beat. A tremor ran through her as she touched the plaque, causing the black mist surrounding it to evaporate. The plaque, once at the center of the Soul Lock Manifestation, now rested in her hands."Isn't this too easy?" Aria muttered, lowering her gaze.As she held the plaque in her hand, fragmented scenes suddenly flooded her mind. The chaotic, turbulent images seemed to emanate from the plaque itself.In the visions, a sect was preparing for a wedding. Clouds gathered ominously, and heavenly trials loomed overhead. Aria, wearing a traditional wedding dress, observed as sect members from different clans gathered.Another scene showed her standing atop a mountain stream, her sleeves billowing in the strong wind. Before her stood numerous arcane seekers, accusing her of being a demon who had corrupted their minds.Aria raised an eyebrow at their accusations. "What nonsense," she thought. She didn't even practice the Decatorian arts, let alone involve herself
"They all know what our lineage practices. Our senior just can't receive arcane ascension.""It's because you're all too talented. Some people are afraid you'll gain an unfair advantage and ascend.""Don't just focus on us. I saw you fighting that lizard on the mountain just to catch some fish for her.""Our mentor told us to influence other creatures without using brute force. Don't let her see you behaving like that—I'm afraid she might follow your example.""We can't afford to be lazy either. Now that she's here, we need to work harder.""You're right. I've never liked the people from Mount Dracotigris. Why don't we confront them?""They wouldn't stand a chance if you got involved. But let's not be so harsh on the younger ones. And don't forget to keep your fortune-telling skills under wraps. Your bluntness has caused trouble before—why did you perform a divination on her marriage?""She rarely asks me for divinations. I was worried she might end up with someone unworthy of h
"It was my poor judgment that led me to take in a traitor to my sect," Brian said, his voice heavy with regret. "Because of my mistake, my apprentices and I have been trapped here for hundreds of years." Resentment flickered in his eyes, but he struggled to suppress it."I don't know where he learned the Decatorian Way," he continued. "You and I are both arcane seekers, so you must understand—the resentment lingers even after Decator energy dissipates. He deliberately stoked our bitterness to ensure an Earthbound Manifestation would form after our deaths."Aria regarded him intently. "I thought his manipulation of souls would reveal his motives to you. Wouldn't that realization free you from his control?""The plaque you carry plays a significant role," Brian admitted after a pause. "But that's only part of the reason. As you said, we can't let go of our resentment."His candid words made Aria lift her gaze."He knew exactly what we cared about—our regrets—and used them to provoke
"Kairos, how can you blame yourself for this? You've always protected us, and we grew up together. Who could have known he would suddenly change like that?""Kairos, don't blame yourself. It's my fault for not realizing he had ulterior motives for practicing the Decatorian Way."Brian glanced at Aria again. "If our dying wish is truly affecting the war, we would not rest in peace."The fortune tellers had descended the mountain to save the citizens. Yet, not only were their sects annihilated, but they were also used as catalysts for the Soul Manipulating Manifestation.Now, they had become fuel for the very manifestation they sought to prevent. If Aria were in their position, she, too, would be consumed by hatred. She wished she could kill the traitor herself."Miss, I believe I know what our regret is," Brian said softly, his gaze lingering on his peers."I have an apprentice, Marek Crespo. He's only five years old and a bit mischievous. I didn't tell him we were leaving the mou
Brian looked at Aria with earnest eyes. "What's done is done. He has borne this injustice for so many years. I humbly ask for your help to clear his name and bring the truth to light."Aria raised her eyebrows upon hearing that. "Clearing his name isn't a problem. The challenge lies in finding him. "Based on what you've said, he must have been ostracized by the other sects. Everyone believed him to be a murderer and wanted him dead. He must have concealed his identity—perhaps even changed his name. Without any clues, it will be difficult to track him down."She paused, then added thoughtfully, "Perhaps you can sense which sect he was originally from? That might help me narrow it down by age."Brian chuckled. "It's not as difficult as it seems. My apprentice joined our sect relatively late, so he never revealed his ordination name to the public."However, I assigned him one. It's a secret shared only between us. Knowing his determination, he'll find a way forward even if the other
Brian's eyes glistened with tears. "That's great! With the sect's seal and my handwritten letter, no one will dare to slander him."All my peers know he didn't join any sect because he wanted to return to Mount Mystic. Please, deliver this to him. It will only be useful in the present world; it has no value here."Aria nodded. "Okay."The fortune tellers gazed at her as though they were seeing the long-lost Marek through her.Aria understood their intentions and didn't shy away from their looks. Instead, she addressed them one by one."That's right. I was confused before. You're all my seniors," she said with a small laugh.The presence of laughter during the manifestation began to influence the effect of the Soul Manipulation Manifestation.Brian didn't hesitate. "We have no more unfulfilled wishes. All we hope for now is a safe and peaceful future for our country."As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead and sat cross-legged in mid-air. He started chanting, preparin
While a few suppliers' suspension wouldn't affect the Grisham Group much, such a large-scale disruption severely impacted the company's production.Some of the Grisham Group's stockholders were displeased to see the stock plummeting. "Mr. Grisham Senior, the company's stocks have plummeted because of your family matter. Do you think this is acceptable?""I heard the Grisham family has been kicked out of the Chamber of Commerce, too. Mr. Grisham Senior, you should try to find a way to save your reputation. While we can afford to wait, your employees can't."In reality, the two who spoke had already colluded with Durand. They only stayed in the Grisham Group to flame the fire. There were even those who wanted to sell their stocks.Clyde didn't bother answering them directly. Instead, he quietly instructed Eamon to acquire the shares. He was to buy them back at the market price from the first half of the day.When Durand caught wind of the Grisham Group buying its own stocks, he bu
Some clients, reassured by Clyde's presence, decided not to push any further. "Nothing bad has ever happened during all our years working with the Grisham Group," one man said, his tone settling. "I'll wait for updates before making any decisions.""Same here," another echoed.From a business standpoint, keeping a steady partnership with the Grishams had always been a golden ticket. While the recent headlines made them uneasy, cutting ties too quickly would only hurt them. Still, the online rumors lingered—claims that the Grisham Group was too proud and could barely cover their dues.Yet, not everyone chose patience.A handful of clients had already made up their minds and weren't shy about showing their hostility.One particularly loud, heavy-set man stepped forward. "Mr. Grisham Senior, no offense, but this isn't about respect. Business is business. You've got no proof Aria's innocent, and she's already detained. What more are we supposed to wait for? I demand an answer now."
Yet, no matter how closely Aria observed him, Cormac's expression showed genuine confusion. If he had truly orchestrated the trafficking operation, he was either a master actor or he was just as clueless as he claimed.If that was the case, why did the GPS tracker point to his office? Aria needed time to think and confirm her assumptions.…Meanwhile, Durand and the others decided to make things difficult for the Grisham family.Eamon and Waymond were dealing with some company affairs when a group of people appeared before the entrance. The bodyguard failed to stop the crowd and urgently phoned reception. "There's a group of angry clients outside. They're accusing us of deception—something about canceling their contracts."The receptionist wasted no time alerting Eamon, who immediately made his way downstairs with Waymond.The scene at the entrance was loud and confrontational. A small crowd had gathered, their voices rising in tension until one man spotted Eamon."There he is
In that moment, Cormac couldn't afford to care about pride or appearances. His survival depended on severing all ties, especially with a traitor."I don't have a daughter like you!" he snapped, slapping Aliya again. "Do you even realize what you've done? Trafficking human organs—do you think that's something you can walk away from?"Aliya collapsed to the floor, stunned. A chill unlike any she'd ever felt seeped into her bones. She stared up at her father in disbelief, watching as he bowed his head respectfully toward Aria, the very woman she had just mocked.In Aliya's world, her father was the state government. She had grown up believing that their family controlled everything, that Cormac Windham's influence extended far beyond his office, even as retirement loomed.But all of it was crumbling before her eyes.Outside his office, word had already begun to spread. Though muffled, the sharp sound of a slap echoed faintly through the corridor.Everyone understood what that meant—
The group dared to be reckless as Amos was Ludwiten's lieutenant governor. They were peas in a pod and did corruption together.However, they didn't know that their support had already collapsed. Aria was not in a rush to capture Amos' lackeys as her target was in the state government. She didn't go alone either, for Aliya also went with her.Shortly after, Aria issued a new command. "Seal the premises. No one is to leave. Tell everyone to remain in their seats."A request like that, especially directed at the state level, would typically require an exhaustive process—dozens of forms, layers of red tape. Even in cases involving fatalities, senior officials were rarely detained on the spot.But Aria followed with a second message, one that sent chills down spines. "This case involves foreign infiltration. Someone has betrayed the country."Those words landed like a thunderclap. No one dared raise an objection. No one wanted to be associated with treason—not ordinary citizens, and
"Grandpa, it's not convenient for me to get in touch with all of you right now. Remember to take your medicine on time. I have to pretend that I'm locked up. Uncle Eamon and Uncle Waymond have to seem fretful so that the enemy wouldn't be alerted. I'm sorry, Grandpa."Aria didn't reveal what she had encountered in the message. This was because the Special Missions Unit was bound to a confidentiality contract when making decisions. What Aria said was almost pushing the limits.Aria only agreed to get locked up just to see how people would react when the Grisham family was in trouble.When the opponent placed their attention on this incident, they would let their guard down and give Aria a chance to secure evidence of their crimes.If the Grisham family retained its usual influence, the mastermind wouldn't show himself so easily. As Aria felt sorry for her family and worried about Clyde's health, she immediately sent a message to apologize after the auction. However, she couldn't s
There was no way Aria didn't know that the conviction was unfair. Furthermore, Percy specialized in handling economic cases. He knew there was no way Aria would be locked up so quickly. Yet, her crime had been publicly declared without prior warning. Percy was absolutely furious. He tugged his tie and declared the system was corrupted. While Fergus was also helping to find connections, Warren had just landed from Janovin.Clyde had sought out all sorts of connections, even his ex-colleagues in the education field.Fiona clenched his hands. "They promised to help Dad look into it." "They're just trying to fool Mr. Grisham Senior. Their higher-ups have already warned them about it." Nisa suddenly lowered her voice. "They're trying to make his health relapse again. If that happens, the Grisham family is done for."At this moment, a low voice sounded from the door. "So that's what happened. I was wondering why there was no progress with Aria's side after a whole day."It was Eamon.
Because Amos' arrest was part of a covert operation, the news didn't reach anyone outside the circle. That meant Durand remained completely unaware. He was still riding high on the thrill of his plan, blinded by the pleasure of watching the Grisham family fall.That night, he raised a glass of wine in early celebration, his mistress seated beside him. He didn't know that the move he'd made would become the greatest regret of his life.Elsewhere, Nisa couldn't bring herself to be as heartless. That was why, under the quiet cover of night, she made her way to the Grisham residence—not to see Clyde, but to speak with Fiona. She knew Clyde would shut her out immediately, but Fiona… Fiona might just listen.They weren't close. Not the way Fiona was with Priscilla. But they had once shared a few polite meals, floated in the same social circles. Enough to warrant a conversation—barely.When they sat down, Fiona's expression was cool, even distant. She hadn't forgotten the things Nisa had
Lucas could hear the pride in his mentor's voice for Aria. After all, his mentor had taken Aria in Southbury and even owed her his life. Lucas didn't dare to inform his mentor that Aria was being suppressed in the political world. He understood his mentor well. He was devoted to the country and couldn't stand such injustice.Therefore, Lucas didn't tell the truth to prevent his mentor from worrying. If someone with his position made a move, it would become a huge issue. That was why Lucas hid the truth from him. The former had to play along with the other politicians and endure them spouting empty promises. Before Lucas set out, his mentor stood on top of Old City and looked at the vast mountains. "Do whatever you need to, just like what you had done in Southbury. I'll be waiting for you and Aria's return at Janovin."These people didn't deserve his mercy at all!"You used your authority to disregard people's lives." It was the first time Lucas had shown his emotions so open