Across the suite, Sam, tasked with guarding Fiona, bolted upright, his eyes gleaming with excitement.Fiona's brow furrowed. "What's gotten you so riled up?"Sam licked his lips, his gestures animated. "I'm hungry! There's a whole buffet out there, just begging to be eaten. But the boss told me to stay put and guard you."Fiona also heard the commotion coming from the living room. A hotel suite is typically spacious and should theoretically have good soundproofing. However, she could hear numerous sounds right now. It started with the tinkling of wind chimes, and now there was the sound of people running around.Thinking back, she often heard people speaking when she was asleep. When she told Owen about this, he always dismissed it as her condition worsening.Fiona also doubted herself, wondering why she could hear things others couldn't.When she saw Sam's reaction, she felt a connection. "You can hear the voices too?"Sam nodded and gestured, "A lot of them, and they're coming
Aria subconsciously checked her phone. It was exactly 9:00 pm. Earthbound spirits shouldn't appear at this hour.Narrowing her eyes, Aria looked out the window. Then, she spoke calmly. "You should get used to it and evolve your mindset to adapt."Philip was rendered speechless. Why was she telling him to evolve his mindset?Landon took a sip of his coffee and raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to get him to evolve to?""His constitution makes him a good fit to become a psychopomp." Aria explained to a confused Philip, "They're what movies call grim reapers. You guide people to their rightful place in the afterlife, and you get paid by the Netherrealm. Understand?" Philip's face turned pale. "I understand, but I don't think I'm cut out for that career. I don't have the guts, and it sounds dangerous.""True. I heard it's easy to get your soul sucked out if you're not careful," Aria replied seriously. "Though, I haven't actually seen a grim reaper."Philip was stunned. How co
The delivery man froze, taken aback by the unexpected response. Momentarily forgetting his following words, he clutched the plastic bag and glared at Aria, attempting to appear intimidating.Aria studied his face. His high, sharp cheekbones gave him a harsh appearance. Despite his forced professional smile, his spiteful demeanor shone through."Alright, I'll be more careful next time," the delivery man mumbled, then raised his hand. "This coffee is for Mr. Sweeney.""There's no Mr. Sweeney here. Why don't you come in and see for yourself?" Aria said, her voice lacking conviction. The delivery man appeared to have been waiting for her invitation. He entered the room with his wet shoes.His gaze fell, and his expression darkened. "Why do you keep complaining about my deliveries? Do you know how much those complaints cost me? Rich people like you don't care about how your actions affect our livelihood! You're trying to hide the fact that you live alone by using the name 'Mr. Sweeney
The delivery man wanted to escape, but Aria cornered him by the hotel room window. Upon seeing that, he stammered, affecting a pathetic tone, "Please, miss, I'm just here for a delivery. I wouldn't hurt a fly."Aria narrowed her eyes and took a step closer. "Really?" she said, her voice cool. "The first thing a supernatural phenomenon disrupts is communication."She pulled out her phone and opened a web page. "This app isn't one I use often," she explained, "but the moment I clicked on it, the homepage refreshed automatically to a news article from seven years ago.""It tells the story of a young woman who often complained about a delivery man, eventually causing him to break down and push her. This accident turned into an irreversible tragedy. When the incident was exposed, the delivery man's background ignited pity from others."He had some mental health issues. Moreover, the young woman lived in a luxurious residential area and often fought with others. Her neighbors noted tha
The delivery man's hair stood on end, his eyes darting fearfully around the room.Earthbound spirits within an Earthbound Manifestation became unkillable echoes, their existence an endless loop. Even potent talismans, imbued with cleansing energy, couldn't break the cycle. But the tide turned when Chaos itself seeped into the manifestation.However, an ancient beast like Chaos could consume an entire Earthbound Manifestation in a single, devastating act.Why was Chaos here?It shouldn't be here!Ancient texts documented how Chaos and Peril perished during the great avalanche on the snowy mountain. They were buried beneath 3,000 feet of ice. The heavens wouldn't tolerate such ferocious beasts, denying them reincarnation. Yet, there stood Sam. The delivery man's hands trembled. He might have missed the child as Chaos if not for his current form. After all, Sam appeared ordinary, a bit pale, but otherwise unremarkable. He even wore a Charm Coin and a magical copper bell, signifying
Suddenly, Aria smiled at the delivery man. "Did you think I read that message for no reason?"Upon hearing this, the delivery man froze. He seemed to have realized something and frantically tried to back away.She didn't give him the chance to retreat. "No spirits trapped in the Earthbound Manifestation would dare speak of the conjurer. Angering them has unimaginable repercussions. But your behavior suggests you're not afraid. You know the conjurer won't appear while you're here."You murdered someone and got away with it. The young woman who died was discussed for a long time, and you used your story to gain sympathy. The Earthbound Manifestation can trap many spirits, not just the dead but also living souls, and even wrongly killed animals. Some individuals with strong fixations get lured inside, unable to escape."Every time you bring meals and insist on entering the door, it's not your fixation but the conjurer's. The conjurer is reminding everyone who enters the manifestation'
Philip looked around, not entirely understanding what was happening.Suddenly, a voice came from the corner of the room, "Thank you."It was a young woman's voice, soft and low, as if she was speaking right next to his ear.Philip felt a chill down his back and immediately hid behind Aria.Landon looked at him with obvious disdain and coldness in his eyes.At this moment, Philip could no longer care about offending anyone. He was scared that there would be more danger. "Aria, what's happening?"Aria ignored him and instead looked at the television in the living room.The delivery man appeared flustered on the TV. He was moving the young woman, and the keys in his pocket fell out when he bent down.Aria noticed this scene and looked at the void again. Her voice was calm as she said, "You've taken your revenge; it's time to let go of your resentment. You need to let go of this manifestation willingly."The only response was the frantic rattling of the cup and the TV screen flick
Aria clearly didn't want to take Landon along.Upon seeing this, Landon raised an eyebrow and looked at Philip. "Mr. Wagner, do you want to go for a walk?""No!" Philip quickly shook his head. "Mr. York, let's listen to Aria and watch over Mrs. Carver. It's too chaotic outside!"Landon twirled the rosary bracelet on his wrist. He didn't say a word. It was hard to make out his expression as he stood in the dark.Compared to Philip, he had many questions in his mind.For example, he wondered why the delivery man seemed to recognize him.The night outside grew darker.Countless earthbound spirits fought to escape.The good ones were trampled underfoot by the malicious ones, and a large group had already ripped open a passage to reality.At this moment, Sam appeared. He swallowed large swaths of black mist to block the exit and keep them from getting out.All evil spirits rose to the surface, leaving the subterranean vacant but for a sacrificial altar.The word "altar" felt like
Landon cast a glance at Aria, curious about how much she actually knew about the stock market. She had always been modest about her knowledge, but he suspected there was more to her than she let on. The only one oblivious to Aria's true capabilities was Jett. Yet, he dared not refuse any request she made. Without hesitation, he tapped into his social circles, pulling strings where needed.Less than an hour later, Orion received word. A slow, chilling smile spread across his face. "So, the Grisham family wants to dip their hands into real estate too?"Arlo handed him a report. "Just as you predicted. It's not just real estate—Ms. Carver's making moves in the stock market as well. Fortunately, you already set a trap for Mr. Jett in advance."For the first time in days, Orion’s tension seemed to ease. A dark glint flickered in his eyes. "Fine. Let them struggle their way in. I don't care how they do it, but make sure the Carver family is crushed in the stock market.""Understood." A
Jett asked, "What exactly are you after? There's no need to bring down the Draycott family so quickly. It's not like you can win. Didn't you join the Chamber of Commerce to take things slow? You just arrived in Ludwiten. Why the rush?""Am I in a rush?" Aria asked. She wasn't after the mastermind behind the Draycott family. If she were, she would've tied Orion to the financial building and let people take pictures all day—no need for mind games.The situation was too tangled, too many people involved. The Draycott family had managed to cover up something as blatant as that incident at the bar. Someone had to be cleaning up after them.Finding a few scapegoats would have been easy, but Aria wanted more. She wanted to uncover everyone who had spread rumors about Fiona in the past.And for some reason, despite their focus on the Grisham family, it felt like they were up against the Carvers. Whoever was behind this didn't want the Carvers to regain control of the Chamber of Commerce.
Jett grew more agitated as he spoke, waving his hands as if he wanted to tear Owen apart. Aria promptly stopped him. Otherwise, passersby might think he was an escaped patient from Ludwiten's mental asylum.Owen had done many foolish things, which Aria only discovered after arriving in Ludwiten and conducting her own investigation. Warren carried guilt toward Clyde because of Owen. And while Jett was normally timid, his words weren't wrong.When Owen first came to Ludwiten, he thought he could make it big, recklessly using the Grisham family's funds and resources. But he had been deceived by several people and lost everything.Not only was he foolish, but he was also malicious—leaving behind a disaster for the Grisham family to clean up. "Jett, calm down," Aria said. "I know Owen dragged the Grisham family down. He's already been punished and won't be coming out anytime soon."You and I both despise him, but let's stop dwelling on the past. He's not worth it."Jett had never
With Landon monitoring the stock market, Aria could walk right into Orion's trap. This way, Orion would let his guard down. When people felt confident, they invested more. Aria, well-versed in the stock market, understood this all too well. She had never intended to get rid of Lily. However, things were different this time. There was a limit to how much one could withstand another's viciousness. Aria doubted Lily could predict the market flawlessly—it was impossible, just as it was impossible for her to know everything.The logic was simple. If something fell outside one's area of expertise, even the most attentive observer would only grasp the outcome, not the details. Thinking it over, Aria realized Lily only knew about major events. The smaller ones seemed to escape her notice.If she put herself in Lily's shoes, it was like remembering which lottery would have a winner but not the exact numbers drawn.After all, no one knew when they would be reborn. The only way to acce
Malcolm did not know why Aria was asking, but he remembered the details clearly. "It was after that day." Aria tapped on the desk. "No wonder the Draycotts suddenly changed their market strategy. I get it now." What was she talking about? Before Malcolm could ask, Aria continued, "Some people are trying to cheat the system. Keep an eye on things, but stay safe. If anything happens, come to me first. "Like you said, they've got deep connections. Don't bother with the police—just keep the evidence." "Got it." Before hanging up, Malcolm asked, "Should we still watch the stock market?" Aria smirked. "Yes. They're not the only ones who can play dirty." Lily had probably been reborn too. But whatever Lily knew, Aria knew as well. She had never thought to use that knowledge this way before since it hadn't seemed necessary, but things were not the same now. If her dreams were real, then in her past life, Lily had only made it to Janovin. She had played the star medical student at
After being together all this time, Aria suddenly had a thought. Were she and Landon too distant from each other? No, "distant" was not quite the right word. It was more like they did not know each other well enough. Landon always felt just out of reach, like there was a fog between them. Simply put, he was not being straight with her. The thought left her feeling uneasy. Before she could say anything, her phone rang. It must be news about the Draycotts. It had to be something big for them to call so urgently. Aria glanced at the pair. Landon smiled. "If you have questions, Jett, feel free to talk with my manager, Ms. Virelle." Manager? Seraphina caught on quickly. "Mr. Grisham, shall we step outside?" Jett was still trying to process everything. "Wait." Balancing business and personal matters as usual, Aria held her phone up and said, "I heard Ms. Virelle used to work at the Draycotts' club. Let's have a chat later." Seraphina froze, glancing at Landon. Seeing his bl
Seraphina could not let her mind go there. Maybe she should've stayed in Netherrealm for a few more years. It was not so bad down there anyway. Landon barely spared her a glance, keeping his eyes on Jett with polite interest. "Won't you sit, Jett?"Sit? Jett could barely remember why he had come in the first place. Landon's voice snapped him back. "I... Mr. York, excuse me for asking, but what's your relationship with Ms. Virelle?""She works for me." Landon glanced at Seraphina. "Ms. Virelle? That's a new title."Jett stumbled over his words. "She works for you?""Yes," Landon said casually, like it was the most obvious thing. "Isn't it obvious?"Jett could not imagine the Yorks being in that kind of business. From Jett's expression alone, Landon could guess what kind of mess his people had made in Ludwiten. Since he had been dragged into it now, he figured he owed the Grishams an explanation. "I planted her in the Draycott family. The Yorks need a foothold in Ludwiten."So
Getting out of there wasn't going to be easy. Aria did not waste any time. She moved fast behind the suite divider, her laugh carrying a different note than usual. "What a shame."Landon's hand paused as he fixed her hair, his voice as smooth as ever. "I could have them leave.""Bad timing. My cousin's out there." Aria glanced at him, taking in that perfect collarbone of his. No wonder they used to call him the untouchable one, with all those socialites dying for just a smile.She had never given much thought to that kind of thing before. All those times working with patients, she had kept things strictly professional. But things felt different now, and she couldn't quite put her finger on why. Her gorgeous fiancé had a way of making her lose her head.Landon pulled his hand back while looking down. "We should meet with your cousin. I hear the Grishams like to evaluate their in-laws.""Huh?" That had not crossed her mind. He did not seem like someone who would care about app
Aria felt something wild coming off him. It was not hatred, but something close. She was too caught up to figure out what it was. She had never felt anything like this before; it was like she was floating. Her eyes were open, but she could not focus. Even his breathing felt like an invasion, starting at her ear and spreading through her whole body. When his fingers pressed into her waist, instinct made her try to push him away. That was a bad move—it only made things more intense. He lit her up like a match, heat spreading from her neck downward till she had to tilt her head back just to breathe. It reminded her of that hazy dream, the one in which she had been caught between sleep and waking, her pulse racing and her skin on fire. But it did not feel exactly the same because what she was feeling now was real. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of the river through the massive windows. The view was blurry, but it was enough to remind her where she was. Unable t