Darnell's expression turned grim. "Tyler Harker? You're looking for him?" Aria raised an eyebrow. "That's right. I'm looking for him."Darnell turned his back to them. "I don't know him. I didn't expect you guys to be like him too. The exit is straight ahead, then to your right. I'll pretend we never met."Confused, Aria asked, "What do you mean?"Darnell's gaze hardened. "What else? Everyone knows Tyler is a drug dealer. A lot of people come here looking for him. I thought you guys were different, but I guess I was wrong."Darnell's hatred for drugs ran deep because of his father. What baffled him most was how people clung to the very thing that would destroy them. They'd resort to stealing, violence, or chasing down Tyler's stock just to feed the need. Aria smiled. "You're overthinking it. Do we look like we do drugs?"Darnell gave them a once-over. "You don't?"Aria replied calmly, "Nope. You said Tyler sells drugs. Do you know where he is?"Darnell shook his head. "I don
Aria looked over. "Did you say you have a feeling?"Iris nodded. "That's right! I think I saw a young woman lying there."Aria asked in shock, "How could you possibly see that?"Iris scratched her head and answered innocently, "Well, I just happened to see it."Aria gave her a long look before stepping toward the shabby-looking building. It seemed to be several decades old. The walls were mottled, the windows shattered, and the stairwell cloaked in darkness. The entire place reeked of mold and urine.The wooden stairs creaked beneath each step Aria took, as if they could give way at any moment."Iris, which floor and which room did you see the young woman in?" Aria held her in her arms as they moved through the dark corridor. Iris poked her head out and pointed to a room on the second floor. "Right there."Aria followed her gaze and saw the number 205 painted on the door."Sam, take Iris back to where we were earlier and wait for us there." Aria paused, addressing Sam befor
Aria said solemnly, "I know, but the only thing keeping Barin going is that hope. At the very least, he hasn't heard any bad news yet. Sometimes, no news is the best news.""Los Stratos is a messy place. The slums might hold some clues if we dig deep enough. But it won't be easy to trace something that happened over a month ago," Landon replied calmly, taking a sip of water.Aria shot him a sidelong glance. "As long as there are clues, we shouldn't give up. Nothing is certain until the very last moment."At that, Landon smiled and exchanged glances with her. "You haven't changed one bit.""Well, it's not the kind of belief that wavers easily." Aria seemed to recall something and turned to him with a smile. "Why don't you invest in this restaurant? It'd be a way to help him."Landon smiled. "I had the same thought. I already informed my subordinates. Someone will be here soon to discuss it with him."Propping her chin on one hand, Aria looked toward Barin, who was chatting with Ir
Barin's voice was filled with despair. "I've been searching for her in Los Stratos for a month. I've checked every college and every place she might have gone. I even made a police report, but there's still no trace of her."I ran out of funds, so I took over this restaurant to support myself while I continued asking around. But after all this time, there's still no news."I don't know if something happened to her. I'm so worried."Barin could no longer hold back. He crouched down on the floor and began to sob. His cries carried the deep longing and helplessness of a father missing his child—so raw and heart-rending that they broke the hearts of those who heard them. When Aria saw Barin crying, her gaze darkened. She walked over and patted his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll find her. Don't be too sad."The restaurant was empty except for their table, so Barin's sobs filled the air. Aria knew that any consolation would sound hollow at a time like this, so she said little and simply st
Aria's words seemed to have triggered something in Iris. The girl suddenly clutched her head in pain.Aria quickly leaned over. "Iris, what's wrong?""M-My head hurts so much." Iris whimpered, pressing her hands against her temples. It felt as if tiny needles were piercing her skull. Without hesitation, Aria drew a silver needle and precisely inserted it into the correct acupoint. Iris immediately went limp and fainted into her arms.While cradling her, Aria placed a hand on her pulse."Her pulse is normal, but judging by her reaction just now, something is clearly off," Aria observed with a frown. Landon glanced over. "She might have been triggered by something. Maybe something we said or did made her remember something."Aria lowered her gaze. "Perhaps. She got triggered when I mentioned a new outfit. Perhaps there's a clue on that pink dress she's wearing."She carefully leaned Iris against her shoulder and examined the dress, but after a thorough search, she found nothing
After Aria and the others stepped inside, the old man began explaining patiently. "In this first display case is a replica of the Henson Statue from Riverson. "I must admit that I couldn't tell it was a replica at first glance. Some experts even mistook it for the genuine article the first time they saw it."He moved on, gesturing gracefully. "Here, we have a black pottery eggshell bowl from the volcanic era. The craftsmanship speaks for itself. This piece was donated by a private collector."The old man carried himself with refined eloquence, reciting details of ancient civilizations with ease. Next to each display cabinet, small plaques marked the items as private donations or legal acquisitions.Aria feigned admiration. "These artifacts have been verified, I assume?"The old man nodded with a smile. "Of course. We enforce the strictest provenance checks to ensure every item complies with international conventions."Aria smiled. "But I noticed that most of the exhibits are rep