The factory air felt like an invisible net, suffocating Livia as it wrapped tightly around her. Her hands were bound behind her back, tied to a cold, unyielding chair. The coarse rope bit into her skin, but her expression remained composed, her eyes sharp and unyielding. Beads of cold sweat trickled down her forehead, glistening under the dim, flickering light overhead.She couldn’t discern the exact conversation of the kidnappers, but her keen ears picked up the faint sounds of footsteps and the occasional clatter of objects outside. As a seasoned thief, she quickly deduced that they were setting something up around the factory—possibly traps or methods to destroy evidence. Her mind raced through countless possibilities, but one conclusion stood out, chilling her to the core: they didn’t plan to let her leave alive.These kidnappers weren’t mere street thugs. Their precise movements and clear division of labor indicated training and discipline. They seemed more like professional sold
Under the veil of night, the sharp crack of gunfire shattered the stillness of the forest. The mingling scents of gunpowder and damp wood filled the air as Marcellus, Elias, and Mark spread out into a fan-shaped formation, silently advancing to eliminate the guards stationed outside the factory.Mark moved like a seasoned predator, swift and precise. His first shot struck a guard’s shoulder, disabling him instantly. Before the second guard could react, Mark had already repositioned and fired twice in quick succession, dropping him to the ground.On another flank, Marcellus crouched behind an abandoned vehicle for cover, his gun steady and trained forward. When a cautious enemy peeked out, searching for targets, Marcellus fired a single, clean shot. The guard collapsed, a bullet in his forehead. Marcellus remained expressionless, his calm demeanor making the act seem like a routine task.Elias, though a bit more reckless, was no less efficient. He darted through the forest like a shado
Elias knelt on the ground, his fists pounding the dirt as his emotions spiraled out of control. His forehead rested against his clenched hands, and his voice was hoarse with despair. “Why did I let her go back alone? Why!” The weight of his decision bore down on him like an invisible shackle, suffocating him.Nearby, Marcellus clenched his teeth, his eyes blazing with anger and pain. Suddenly, he spun around, grabbing Elias by the collar and hauling him to his feet. “Why did you let her go alone?! What were you thinking?!” His roar shattered the silence of the night, the echo stirring the leaves around them.“I…” Elias attempted to respond, but his guilt caught in his throat. He couldn’t meet Marcellus’s eyes, where anger mingled with a profound, unspeakable sorrow.“What was it all for?!” Marcellus’s voice cracked as his grip tightened, then slackened. He finally released Elias, collapsing to the ground. He buried his head in his hands, as if trying to suppress the storm of emotions
Livia had just emerged from the woods when a figure suddenly lunged toward her. Marcellus pulled her into a tight embrace with such force that it felt as though he wanted to fuse her into his very being. His body trembled, and hot tears soaked into her shoulder.“I can’t bear to lose you again…” Marcellus’s voice was hoarse and shaking, as though pulled from the depths of his chest, filled with endless remorse and deep emotion. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”Livia froze, caught off guard by his unguarded vulnerability. She had never seen Marcellus like this before—the man who was always calm and calculating now appeared like a lost child, laying bare his fragility in front of her.“It’s okay. I’m fine,” Livia said softly, patting his back with a gentle hand, her voice tinged with an unexpected tenderness.Elias, who had been standing nearby, couldn’t hold back his excitement any longer. He stepped forward, his eyes reddened, his tone brimming with suppressed joy. “Livia, you’re really saf
As the three of them stepped into the dungeon, the damp, bone-chilling air sent shivers down their spines. Livia stood silently at the entrance, her gaze fixed on the traitor bound to the chair in the center of the room. Behind her, Marcellus stood with his fingers slightly curled, barely containing his simmering anger. Elias, however, strode directly to the chair, his eyes blazing with fury, ready to launch into questioning.Unexpectedly, before the interrogation even began, the traitor, Allen, broke down. His voice, trembling with fear and regret, burst forth, “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me! I didn’t know things would turn out like this!”Allen’s sudden outburst left the three momentarily stunned. Livia instinctively glanced at Marcellus, while Elias frowned deeply, his sharp gaze locked onto Allen, clearly distrustful of his words.“You’d better start from the beginning and explain everything. If you don’t, you won’t like the consequences.” Elias’s low voice carried an
Allen’s explanation was logical but full of self-justification: “As you said, I passed on your information because I was tempted by benefits and threatened at the same time. But I swear, I didn’t lie. I only reported who you met and what you did. Today, out of sheer curiosity about Livia’s true identity and who you were talking to, I took the risk of eavesdropping. When Lord Marcellus suddenly appeared, it made the meeting seem even more unusual. After all, you and Lord Marcellus rarely meet in public, let alone in your secret stronghold. So, I made up my mind to listen in and pass the information to the commander. As for the kidnapping today, I really don’t know anything. I only provided information—I wasn’t involved in anything afterward.”Allen looked utterly innocent, even pitiable, but his words failed to dispel the doubt in the room.At that moment, a thought struck Livia like lightning. Something must have happened recently to prompt Eryx to take action, and the most notable ev
The moment Allen’s words fell, the room was enveloped in a tense silence. Livia lowered her head, her mind racing to recall the name she’d just heard—Emma, the General of the Seventh Army Group.Who was Emma?Emma’s name resounded throughout the military like thunder. Though she came from humble beginnings, she quickly rose to prominence through extraordinary intellect and unmatched ability. Despite her youth, she earned the trust of her soldiers with her decisiveness and composure. At the same time, she became a figure of interest among the military elite. The Seventh Army Group under her command was renowned for its discipline and precision, and Emma’s talent for devising meticulous strategies led to several major victories. Within the ranks, she was privately hailed as a “rising star of the future.” However, her background remained shrouded in mystery—no one truly knew her origins. She seemed to have emerged from nowhere, an inexplicable yet dazzling force in the army.As Livia lis
The room was filled with a suffocating tension, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Before long, Edgar strode in with his usual commanding presence, prompting everyone inside to instinctively stand straighter.His gaze landed on Livia first. He scrutinized her carefully, ensuring she was unharmed. Aside from her slightly pale complexion, she appeared fine. Only then did he exhale an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. Yet, he betrayed no emotion as he turned his attention to Marcellus, his voice deep and heavy:“When I reached Emma’s residence, she was already gone.”“What?!” Marcellus’s face darkened instantly, his voice tinged with shock and fury. “So it really was Emma! I was still holding out hope it was a misunderstanding, or that Allen was lying again.”Edgar let out a cold snort, his brows furrowing as his anger simmered beneath the surface. “Hmph. You’ve really outdone yourselves—allowing someone to infiltrate your home without a clue. If my daughter hadn’t b
Alia inwardly rolled her eyes.Why was everyone speaking in riddles? They always stopped halfway, as if afraid of revealing too much and giving away the upper hand. But in the end, what truly mattered was never what the “Grail” could do, but rather—who would find it first and claim control over it.“You don’t seem surprised at all about the ‘Grail.’ Looks like someone has already told you about it.” Emma raised an eyebrow, choosing not to answer Alia’s question directly.Alia nodded calmly. “Elias once mentioned some things about the ‘Grail’ to me. I knew it was important, but I didn’t expect… that they would go to such lengths and pay such a heavy price for it.”She hadn’t stated it too definitively, but her words were enough to make Emma realize that she wasn’t entirely an outsider.Emma paused briefly, then let out a low chuckle. Her gaze darkened slightly, as if recalling something, and there was an almost imperceptible weariness in her tone. “Yes… everyone has gone mad, willing t
“Hiding myself? Something unexpected?”Alia knew very well that all of this was only because she had reincarnated into Livia’s body. Without this reincarnation, the original Livia might have indeed been nothing more than a noble lady sheltered too well—naïve, ignorant, and completely unaware of the intrigues of the world.She didn’t refute Emma’s speculation, nor did she offer any explanation. Instead, she simply looked at her in silence, waiting for her to continue.Seeing that Livia did not respond, Emma didn’t seem to mind. She continued speaking at her own pace, “It seems you don’t believe I was the one who ordered your kidnapping. Otherwise, you would be more flustered right now.”Alia finally spoke, her tone calm and unwavering. “Indeed. I know about your relationship with my mom. Ever since the kidnapping, I have been trying to figure out who was behind it. I don’t believe you are someone who would be ungrateful. Even if you were involved in the kidnapping, I don’t think you wo
Despite maintaining a calm facade, Alia’s heartbeat skipped a beat.She had deliberately refrained from using her true abilities to avoid exposing her identity, yet the person before her had still managed to suppress her movements with uncanny precision. That alone was enough to tell her that this was no ordinary assassin, but a highly trained expert. Alia clenched her teeth inwardly—given the current state of this body, even if she fought with all her might, she stood no chance.But she had no intention of giving up so easily.Slowly, she raised her hands, placing them obediently on her lap while discreetly glancing at the nearby desk. Fortunately, the handgun wasn’t too far from her seat. As long as she found the right opportunity, she might still have a chance to fight back.Yet, to her surprise, although the other person had immobilized her, there was no true killing intent. The dagger’s blade pressed against her neck, but without exerting force—it was merely a threat. And within
Deep in thought, Alia’s attention snapped to the sound of approaching footsteps outside. She instinctively lifted her head, her gaze sweeping toward the door. A soldier passed by in the corridor, his steps unnaturally light, barely making a sound. This detail made her frown—typically, a soldier’s boots would produce some noise against carpets or marble floors, yet this man moved with an almost deliberate silence, as if intentionally concealing his presence.Even more suspicious was the way he wore his military cap—pulled low over his face, casting heavy shadows under the flickering candlelight. It obscured his upper features, making it impossible to discern his expression. This was highly unusual among the disciplined castle guards. Under Marcellus’ strict training, every soldier was expected to maintain proper posture and bearing, and none would deliberately lower their gaze to hide their face.Alia’s instincts flared—something was off about this soldier. Her fingers unconsciously ti
The night was deep and heavy, and the castle’s lights cast flickering shadows over the tense, busy figures in the grand hall. Marcellus, his expression grim, rose to his feet and immediately summoned all the guards, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.“Gather everyone at once. Mark, begin screening the castle guards—I want absolute certainty of their loyalty.”Mark, the butler, understood the gravity of the situation and promptly carried out the order. He meticulously examined the guards’ backgrounds, past records, and recent movements, overlooking not even the slightest irregularity. Within the castle, the guards were questioned and screened one by one, and a stifling sense of pressure filled the air. Marcellus’s thoughts aligned with Elias’s—when facing an army head-on, numbers were secondary. The true priority was ensuring there were no traitors among them.Meanwhile, security outside the castle was also being reinforced. Upon learning of the situation, Edgar dispatched a con
The scenery outside the car window grew increasingly desolate, with raindrops sliding down the glass like silent sighs. Eryx leaned against the seat, his long fingers tapping lightly on his knee as his deep gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The car slowed to a stop in front of a run-down little house. He didn’t get out immediately; instead, he scanned the surroundings to ensure there were no suspicious figures lurking nearby. Only then did he push open the door and stride steadily toward the entrance.He knocked lightly a few times, hearing faint footsteps inside before the room fell silent again. Waiting a few seconds and confirming there was still no one around, he pushed open the door and stepped into the hidden safehouse.The interior was dimly lit, with simple yet neatly arranged furniture. Eryx moved with practiced ease, lifting a corner of a worn-out rug to reveal a concealed hatch. He frowned slightly, knocking three times on the wooden panel and waiting for a response. Momen
Inside Edgar’s dimly lit secret chamber, the air felt thick and suffocating, as if it had solidified under the weight of tension. The flickering candlelight cast erratic shadows across the heavy oak table at the center of the room.With a sharp crack, Edgar’s palm slammed against the tabletop, making the candleholder tremble. The flames flickered wildly, casting jagged silhouettes on the stone walls.“You’ve heard what happened, haven’t you?” His voice was low but brimming with restrained fury, his sharp gaze piercing through the stillness like a blade. “You’d better give me a damn good explanation.”Opposite him, a tall man in a dark coat stood with his hands calmly clasped behind his back, his expression indifferent. Edgar’s anger seemed to slide off him like raindrops off a stone.“I didn’t expect Emma to go that far,” he said, his tone smooth and unruffled, as though discussing an irrelevant matter. “I only shared information with her, knowing that she had a stronger motive to see
Elias swiftly gathered his most trusted men—people who had fought alongside him through countless life-and-death situations. If an enemy still lurked among them, then there was nothing more he could do.In the dimly lit meeting room, candlelight flickered, casting shadows over the solemn and contemplative faces of those present. Elias’s gaze swept across the room, his expression cold and severe as he finally spoke—“You are the men I trust most. I do not doubt you.”“But we have a breach. My base was infiltrated. Today, it was Livia who was kidnapped. That is something I will never tolerate.”There was no rage in his voice—not even a hint of emotion. His tone was disturbingly calm, yet everyone instinctively tensed.“Our enemy is stronger and more cunning than we anticipated.” His sharp eyes scanned the room as he continued in a low, steady voice, “So, from this moment forward, I will restructure my forces.”He paused, his gaze as sharp as a blade, his tone unwavering—“Each of you wi
The morning sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, casting a soft halo that outlined Livia’s delicate features. She slowly opened her eyes, her long lashes quivering slightly, as if still immersed in the lingering emotions of the night before. Sitting up, the thin blanket slipped down, revealing her smooth, bare shoulders. The morning light caressed her skin, lending it a warm, luminous glow.Marcellus’s eyes opened, his gaze immediately drawn to her. A flicker of fascination crossed his deep-set eyes. Propping himself up, he watched her intently, his eyes tracing the curves of her back as though trying to etch this moment into his memory forever. Slowly, he reached out, wanting to pull her back into his embrace, to feel her warmth once more, to taste the sweetness that lingered between them.But just as his fingertips were about to touch her wrist, Livia suddenly spoke.“Can you really not tell me everything?”Her voice was soft, yet it carried a restrained sorrow, as if