Warren leaned on his walking stick for support. "Enlisting their services isn't as simple as it once was. After that incident, they're now working under the HOU.""They resurfaced three months ago," Frank whispered. "Word has it, their boss made the call, so now they're working for both the government and as a private organization."Warren's eyes gleamed. "Do it. As long as we can find Rainbow, I'm willing to pay whatever amount."This was what an old man was hoping—for his granddaughter to come home. …Aria raised a brow when she received this message. Bernard Morgan, the representative from Grand Construction Corp., was still talking. "Are we going to help them, Ms. Aria?"Aria was still in Clearwater Alley. She was wearing Bluetooth earphones. She smiled lightly. "I was just warned against doing business with the Carver family.""Hah," Bernard said, "and who might that dumbass be?"Aria spun her teacup absentmindedly. "You're the one in charge of the Dark Web Alliance now
It was obvious that Harry wasn't entirely happy with that. The reporter was dumbfounded. Everyone else seemed to find this situation awkward as well, particularly the Short family, who were also present. They'd always been the face of Southbury, and Christian had always been the focus of attention during grand occasions where outside guests were present. On the other hand, Harry told the Short family they were not as important as they thought. However, he was the second-in-command of Grand Construction Corporation, a company even the municipal authorities had to treat with respect, so the Short family could only hold their resentment in. …Sarah laughed as she watched this unfold on TV. "This man must be a powerful businessman. The head of the Short family wouldn't still be smiling otherwise."After Aria ended the call, she said in surprise, "Do you know the Short family personally, Ms. Johnson?""I don't know them that well. I'm closer to your grandma." Sarah harrumphed. "E
Aria said calmly, "He went on a business trip."Unexpectedly, Sarah came to the rescue. "I can prove that she isn't lying to you about this, Georgina. I saw him get in his car, which is super expensive, by the way. The car itself is worth six million dollars!"Aria didn't connect the dots between six million dollars and Landon's Maybach. She was currently sending a message to her overly handsome patient.The contents were simple. "I'm borrowing you for a while."Sickly Beauty: "What do you mean?"Aria: "I'll explain later."Sickly Beauty: "Sure."Only after gaining permission from the subject himself did Aria stop feeling guilty. Georgina was worried. "I didn't know he's from such a wealthy family. After getting together with him, would you be…"Aria said promptly, "He listens to me."Georgina was happy. "That's great, then!"Aria was about to sigh in relief when Georgina said, "Why do I feel like something's wrong here? The two of you have known each other only briefly, ri
Aria smiled. "Grandma was asking what you wanted for dinner. She'll make them for you for when you come back."Landon noticed how Aria was acting differently from usual. "Grandma?"Aria's gaze didn't waver as she said, "She's beside me right now."Georgina felt embarrassed after she was mentioned. She muttered, touching her nose, "I was worried that you were lying to me." Aria smiled. "Do you believe me now?"Georgina nodded, her eyes filled with happiness. There was word on the streets about how Landon was the smartest member of the York family. That was true, seeing as how Landon smiled after hearing Georgina's words. "What did she lie to you about, Grandma?"He didn't call Georgina Ms. Harris, but instead went with what Aria called her. That took Georgina by surprise. "I was overthinking things. Aria told me the two of you are in a relationship, but I didn't believe it.""In a relationship…" Landon's gaze fell on Aria's beautiful face as he enunciated the words slowly. I
Landon seemed to have picked up on what was on Solo's mind. While fiddling with his rosary bracelet, he said, "Have those gowns made and delivered to Clearwater Alley.""Oh! You're buying them for Dr. Genius!" Solo thought it was fine, as nothing was special with that. After all, Landon and Aria were good friends, with a deep and enduring bond between them. However, Landon added, "Leave a note saying this is from her boyfriend.""What?" Solo almost sank to his knees on the floor. Landon said coolly and casually, "How are you supposed to spy for Grandpa when you cannot even handle such news?"Solo thought about how he would gladly give the job to whoever wanted it, as he really could not figure out Landon. …Harry was currently on a commercial street in Southbury. A group of people followed after him, talking about their projects and investments in a bid to reel this wealthy man from Janovin into investing his money. Marshall was among them, but he did not get to be seated
Sophia added, "She's really popular. Do you want to take a look—"Karen interrupted her, saying, "Ms. Bush, I know you're close to Georgina, but I don't want to hear anything about them."She left promptly after that as if the mere mention of Aria disgusted her.Jane nudged Sophia, saying, "Why did you bring this up to her?"Sophia curled her lip. "I wanted to remind her not to set herself up for failure, but she refused to accept my kindness."The young woman Georgina had taken under her wing was competent, to the extent of getting on the Super Hot Trending List after live streaming for the first time. However, Karen hadn't considered that at all. She was as dumb as rocks, indeed. …It was evident that Karen would get in the car in a bad mood. "That damn girl's embarrassing me again. She could do anything, but she just had to start live-streaming. She is basically begging for money online. How humiliating!"Marshall's face was dark as he shut the car door. Noticing his disp
Marshall was annoyed by Georgina's stubbornness. "Mom! It's been 20 years since you'd caused the death of a patient, and they finally stopped paying attention to that, but you just had to draw everyone's attention to you again! You're bringing misfortune to our family!""How dare you!" Georgina raised her walking stick, about to bring it down on Marshall. However, Marshall gave her a bank card, saying, "You're already old, Mom, so stop being so stubborn. I know you don't like hearing what Karen says, but she's my wife. You should understand where I'm coming from, right?"Georgina bit out, clenching her fists, "I'd rather I didn't have a son like you.""Mom, please refrain from expressing sentiments you don't genuinely feel." Marshall supported her as she stood. "Did the York family return the Whisperwind Herb to you? Mom, listen to me. My company's not doing well right now, so can you give it to me again?"Georgina's chest was rising and falling from her deep breaths. "And I wond
Sam believed that the fish were too weak and that their deaths were not his fault at all. Georgina was perplexed too. "Why does something always happen to the living beings in the market whenever you go there?"Sam looked up with the pork burger between his teeth. Georgina changed his outfit for him. "Whatever. It's just a few buckets of fish."Aria raised a brow, looking at the crabs coughing up white foam. "It's probably not just a few buckets of fish, Grandma."Georgina felt a headache coming on. She pinched Sam's arm. "Look at you! You should hide now lest Ms. Weaver catches sight of you."As if that'd work—Edith showed up a mere few minutes later, asking, "Where's Sam?"Edith looked especially intimidating with her plump figure standing akimbo. Sam wanted to make an appearance, but Aria pushed him down calmly. Sam gestured, "What if she bullies Grandma?"Aria looked at him. "They're good friends, so they're just gonna banter for a while. This gives Grandma something to
"I'll ask Boss if she needs a bellboy!"Harry hadn't changed a bit. With his flashy gold chains and oversized watch, he was always quick to jump at any opportunity to make money. If Aria invited him to meet other businessmen, he'd be on board without hesitation.Everyone who did business with Aria shared a common trait—they would get addicted. Every entrepreneur dreamed of growth. The longer they toil in the market, the stronger their desire to expand. It was a universal truth among business leaders.For these dreamers, an investor like Aria was a godsend. She thrived on improvement, making her an ideal partner.Harry, as enthusiastic as ever, bombarded Aria with messages. Aria had planned to visit Ludwiten before, but things kept happening, delaying her trip. Her frequent nightmares and the unresolved tension between her mother and uncles weighed on her mind. Now, with Barron leaving some important items for her in Ludwiten, she had no choice but to go. Sneaking there was neve
"Honestly, you shouldn't let Boss go to Ludwiten. If she insists on going, at least send me along! It's not as if you're unaware of how messy their business circle can be. This isn't Janovin we're talking about!"Harry's voice rang loud and clear as he slammed his palm on the CEO's desk, a bold move no one else at Grand Construction Corp would dare attempt. The employees outside exchanged curious glances, whispering among themselves. What could have dragged Harry back from his vacation in such a state?Harry was worried. "We have plenty of employees. How could you let a lady like her go over there by herself? What if she gets harassed? At least here, our influence can protect her. People would think twice once they know who she is. Stop sipping that coffee and answer me already!"Tavian Montague, the vice-CEO, sighed and powered off his computer. He removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Harry, calm down. Do you really think Aria got this far on luck? Don't let her lo
The eight figures sat together, ostensibly discussing Aria's arrival. In truth, their agenda was far less noble—they were determined to keep the items they had long appropriated, refusing to return what rightfully belonged to others. After holding onto these possessions for so long, they had convinced themselves they were entitled to them.Their plan was to maintain a façade of respect toward the Carver family to avoid public scrutiny. However, they were equally resolute in protecting their own interests. They intended to demonstrate the influence of Ludwiten's business elite on Aria. It would be much better if she could be persuaded to invest billions in their ventures.It was a strategy they'd employed before, notably with Owen, and found it amusing.Yet Percy, despite his youth, was not so easily deceived. His calm demeanor and precise legal arguments left little room for manipulation. The Carver family's resilience, after all, stemmed largely from their grandchildren.Sti
Tobias once said that Aria was the most gifted person in the Decatorian way. Yet, for all her supposed talent, she couldn't use the Emperor Coins just by casually throwing them on her first attempt. She had to study them before she could wield them effectively.Thankfully, Leon chose the entertainment industry. If he had chosen to be inducted in the Decatorian way, the disciples of Mount Dracotigris would have been disheartened. "Leon, have you ever considered going into another industry?" Aria asked. Leon shook his head, a rebellious smirk on his face. "Aria, look at me. This face was born to be a celebrity. It'd be a crime to waste it."Aria sighed, accustomed to his narcissism. It was hard to argue—Leon's rebellious charm and striking looks had won over both women and men. Yet, his popularity brought challenges of its own."I still have Emperor Coins with me," Aria said, pulling out a beaded bracelet adorned with the coins and securing it around Leon's wrist. "Take it. For yo
Warren's eyes reddened as he gazed at Fergus, the grandson he had once hoped to raise personally. In that moment, he felt his life had been worthwhile. As one grew older, they came to understand a fundamental truth—if their descendants could grasp their thoughts, rather than dismissing the ways of the past as irrelevant, it was something to celebrate. Warren could now pass on everything to his grandchildren, finally feeling worthy within the Carver family.…Meanwhile, Leon furrowed his brows in the second-floor bedroom. "What are they talking about?""It's probably about Ludwiten. They have some business to settle. Why?" Aria had intentionally given Fergus and Warren some time to talk. As for her, she stayed with Leon in his room, playing games and snacking.When she heard his question, she smiled. "Are you interested as well, Leon?""I'm not cut out for business." Leon couldn't sit still and kept pacing back and forth. His silver hair, falling perfectly, made him look like a
That night, Warren stood before the memorial hall and spoke to his ancestors."Aria will be returning to Ludwiten tonight. Things will be different this time. There will be many obstacles ahead of her, but we must return eventually. Aria will finish what I couldn't. Please protect her."The Carver family was forced to shift their business from Ludwiten to Janovin at the time. And back then, they believed they could return at any moment. Yet, over 70 years had passed since then.Both Warren and Stephen were sentimental individuals, always hoping to return to Ludwiten. However, circumstances had shifted over the years. Moreover, the business landscape in Ludwiten had grown increasingly complex, with rising foreign investments. Their commitments in Janovin, especially after Owen married Fiona, kept them from returning.Warren had expected Owen to stay in Ludwiten, as he had promised the Grisham family. But Owen broke that promise.Warren's greatest wish had always been to return to
Although the crow was unsure of its owner's thoughts, it was indeed afraid of the dagger made out of Oracle bones.In fact, it wasn't made of ordinary animal bones. It was from the Oracle, one of the Four Perils. Most importantly, it carried spiritual energy from heaven and earth.Back then, the crow didn't expect the insignificant sect, which was consistently at the bottom of each tournament, to have the purest spiritual energy. Plus, all of their members were not to be underestimated. The crow would have never believed it if it hadn't come to live in the mountains with Landon. After all, Landon was bewitched to become the woman's boy toy. He stayed behind only because he liked the sect's spiritual energy. At that, the crow shifted its body and didn't continue to disturb Landon. Since Landon mentioned he needed the knife sheath, the crow would go and get it. Apart from the curved dagger in the wooden box, there was also a somewhat inconspicuous emerald and a turtle shell-lik
The box included a protective membrane. Carrying bones around would raise questions in modern days. Even Aria worried about inspections. Sometimes, Tobias acted just like those arcane seekers from Mount Dracotigris. When her fingertips touched it, heat surged through her bloodline. The blade felt like it belonged in her hands; even its tassel was exquisitely crafted. But she remembered something when she entered the manifestation and got the Soul-Summoning Plaque. She had been an arcane seeker in her past life, hadn't she? Could an arcane seeker use a blade? She had mostly seen them wielding swords, just like those TV shows with flying swordsmen. Perhaps she had to use a blade because she came from a smaller guild. As Aria traced the bone blade, her initial attraction grew into fascination. Tobias wouldn't leave her just any blade. Since she'd encountered it in the manifestation, it must be connected to her. "Do you like it?" Suddenly, Landon's voice came close. It was low,
Breaking the Eight Trigrams Manifestation required precision instead of force. The path led from the East Gate of Life through the Southwest Gate of Rest, finally striking through the North Gate of Opening. But this was not just about breaking a manifestation. The lock had eight marks—Life, Rest, Harm, Block, Vision, Death, Awakening, and Opening. These were the eight gates within the manifestation. As Aria studied the corresponding numbers, she was suddenly struck with inspiration. Following the sequence, she pressed them. The lock then opened with a click. She raised an eyebrow, recognizing the familiar combination. "0715, my birthday." Aria casually opened the box. "Typical of Mr. Revelare to choose that date." She knew she was born on Twilight Hallows, a day when parents would urge children home early. Owen had always believed Aria's birth signs were not the best, and he thought this was likely because of this day. People considered it the Day of Spirits. On this day, a