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
The mother and son conspired to bring misfortune upon happy families. The old woman believed a daughter-in-law from a fortunate background would be ideal.There were no real demons, only the darkness that lurked within human hearts, twisting desires into temptations, which led to the manifestation. Only a single object remained with the Earthbound Manifestation shattered and vengeful spirits trapped within a Charm Coin by Aria. It was a simple candle jar, a customary offering to Gaia in times long past. However, this practice had become increasingly uncommon with waning faith in Gaia.Ever the pragmatist, Aria retrieved the jar, recognizing the value of even the most ordinary loot. As the remaining trapped spirits surged toward the surface, one among them cried out, searching for her daughter.Stepping forward, Aria inquired, "Is your daughter the seventh in line with the surname Carver?"The spirit, its consciousness fading, confirmed, "Yes, she was abducted. She wore a tiger ha
A lone candle jar on the east side of Daemon Grimlock's study exploded.His face contorted in shock, a stark contrast to his previous composure while studying the fortune. He stared at the shattered glass in disbelief. A violent cough erupted from his lungs, expelling blood as his blood pressure spiked.The commotion alerted the secretary outside, who attempted to enter. "Mr. Grimlock?""It's nothing!" Grasping his cane for support, Daemon clutched another candle jar tightly. His voice, aged by a decade in a mere moment, rasped, "Send someone to check on Owen. I need to know what he's doing right now.""Yes, sir!" The secretary promptly complied.A sinister glint flickered in Daemon's eyes.He struggled to understand what was happening. The Carver family's fortune, which he had painstakingly amassed, was inexplicably slipping away, trickling back to its rightful owners."Wait," he croaked, halting the secretary. "Ask Blake if Owen still trusts him implicitly, like before."Daem
The manager nodded."I've read about it in martial arts novels. It's pretty impressive!"Aria said calmly, "That man's robes are from Mount Dracotigris."Upon hearing this, the manager froze. "What do you mean?"She raised her chin and stated, "He's a real cultivator. Whoever kicks him out will be unlucky."The manager's jaw dropped. "No way, Ms. Carver…""Bring him back quickly. Cultivators aren't just in novels," Aria said casually. "Haven't you seen the videos online? There was even a recent cultivator conference.""What conference?" The manager jerked his head up, unsure if such fantastical things existed in reality."It's true," she said, showing him a page on her phone. "It was an academic conference. Judging by his attire, he likely holds a high position among cultivators."The manager immediately rushed to stop Homer from being ejected."Sir, I apologize for the misunderstanding!" the manager exclaimed hurriedly. "You're here for the cultivator conference, aren't you?"
Upon hearing this, Homer's eyes lit up. "Take me there quickly!"He was confident that this Mr. York was the apprentice he'd been searching for. However… "It's you?"Disappointment creased Homer's face as he stared at Landon in the posh hotel suite. "Why are you staying here instead of York Residence?"Aria watched the scene with amusement. When it came to York family gossip, most of it was true. For instance, Landon was blessed with such good fortune that even the esteemed wise sages of Mount Dracotigris were envious.Landon coughed awkwardly a few times, maintaining his composure. "Mr. Bond, it's been a while. You seem to be as vigorous as ever."Homer rolled his eyes and turned to Aria. "So this is the Mr. York who supposedly borrowed the fortune from the heavens?"She nodded. "He's practically Heaven's favored child. He has no need to borrow fortune at all," Homer said. "Mr. Bond, you exaggerated," Landon said with a chuckle, pouring Homer a cup of coffee.Then he glan
The ease of online exposure these days kept Homer, a recluse, hesitant to leave his mountain sanctuary.Even the Carver Group's PR department was caught off guard by the sudden publicity. Their hotel had skyrocketed to the top of trending topics, an unexpected stroke of good fortune that left them bewildered. Three of the top trending topics were all about their establishment!The most popular one read, "Shocking! I won the lottery! The wise sage's words are true! Hurry up and get a room!"Prior to this, the hotel's rating had dipped to a mediocre 4.3 stars. Worse, business conferences had dwindled at the ageing five-star establishment. Comments were rife with complaints about guests frequently falling ill during their stays, encountering rude and passive-aggressive staff, and experiencing inexplicable bad luck after their visits. Some even dismissed any chance of good fortune and accused Homer of being a fraud hired by the hotel for a publicity stunt.Learning of this, the hot
The aged voice was filled with indifference. "It seems like she reached a dead end."Amos sneered. "I don't understand why these peasants like staying in the city. Still, it's fortunate for us. Otherwise, it'd be hard to get our hands on them.""Amos," the person cut in sharply, as if reminding him of his place.Amos only dared to speak so harshly when no one was around. If word got out, his image as the perfect secretary would be ruined.He quickly calmed down and fell silent. The caller didn't press the matter, simply saying, "You need to change the way you speak and act from now on."Since she's already agreed, give her the money. Don't treat her requests as a nuisance. The more requests they make, the less likely they are to cause trouble later."After picking her up tomorrow, send a few men to check if her grandparents need any help. Make sure everything is done properly."Amos nodded. "I understand. You always see the bigger picture. We'll continue looking after them."Poo
"I promise it won't happen again!" To an outsider, it might've sounded like Amos was talking about the cafeteria mishap. But the truth was much darker. What Amos really meant was that incidents like this could continue, just never publicly. Once the media's attention died down, they could go back to doing whatever they pleased. But for now, the performance had to be flawless.The man on the other end of the call seemed satisfied. Though his voice was flat and monotonous, there was a noticeable shift; it was now less stern."She's been manipulating the stock market," he said. "It's caused major damage to several of Luwditen's corporations. We can't let her walk free."Amos removed his glasses, a grim look on his face. "That's exactly what I told the Securities Regulatory Department. It doesn't matter who comes to plead on her behalf. Even if she's the late Mr. Barron's heir, she has to face the law."She's confessed. No one's going to let her off the hook now. You know what jail'
At first, Eden didn't understand what Aria meant. But as night fell, Aria lowered her head and started fumbling with something. When she looked up again, Eden was stunned—Aria looked exactly like her.Eden's eyes widened in disbelief. She'd only seen something like this in movies. But now, it was unfolding right in front of her. So there really was such a flawless disguise technique in the world."Aria, you…""Since I'm using your identity, I have to be you," Aria said with a soft tug of her mask, smiling. She had always been bold, yet precise. Working in the Special Missions Unit meant secrecy was second nature to her—this part was routine."Stay home and rest tonight. I'll leave first thing in the morning. Once I'm gone and the coast is clear, take your grandparents and leave."Eden opened her mouth, unsure of how to respond. She didn't even know when the people watching them would leave."My team will come get you," Aria reassured her. "What's important is that your grandparent
Eden nodded. "Okay. I'll do as you say, Aria."She sent the text just like Aria instructed. Moments later, her teacher replied—everything had been arranged. A car would pick her up from home. There was no need to return to school.A cold shiver ran down Eden's spine. They knew where she lived. They'd been watching all along. Not just the school—they were everywhere.Eden didn't linger at school. Outside the entrance, the main topic of conversation was the officials' arrival for an investigation and the school's public exposure.Everyone knew the cafeteria was a mess. Students had complained countless times, but each time inspectors came, the food improved just long enough to pass the checks. Then it would all revert. It had become the norm—something they were forced to accept.Eden was no different. She just wanted to get home. She needed to see her grandparents. She feared something might happen to them next.Every step on the way home, she stayed alert, scanning her surroundings
Eden listened closely, her brow furrowing. Her teacher wasn't speaking Farshyan. School was no longer a safe place, and Eden didn't know who she could trust. Her classmates were too caught up in mocking Aria to notice anything was wrong, all assuming Eden was lucky to have been chosen.She considered calling the police, picking up her phone, but then paused. What could she even say? That there was a mole at school? Her face turned pale as she remembered how close the principal was to influential people. The authorities might not believe her, or worse, they might be involved.Despite the headlines claiming Aria had been arrested, Eden felt a spark of hope. Aria had promised she'd show up if Eden ever needed her. Taking a deep breath, Eden dialed the number Aria had given her.She didn't expect anyone to answer. But then came a cool, familiar voice. "Eden? What's wrong? Did someone give you trouble again?"Eden's heart soared. "You're not arrested! The news is fake, isn't it? I knew
Lucas gave Amos a sidelong glance. "In that case, let's do as Mr. Lune suggested—punish everyone involved."Announce to the public that Oakvale Academy will be used as a test case. We'll be conducting surprise inspections in all middle and high schools."As for why Mr. Kelsey encountered two completely different scenes during his visits—well, that's easy to explain." Lucas' gaze swept across the room. "Someone tipped off the school before your visit. If any other school received advance notice, every one of you will be under scrutiny."Though Lucas spoke with a smile, none of the seven present—including the three officials—could return it. The smile, in this context, was more chilling than rage. This was a warning. Amos, in particular, felt deeply unsettled. He had come intending to redirect Lucas' attention away from Oakvale Academy. Instead, the incident had blown up. With public attention turning toward the school, transferring Eden would soon become impossible.Still, Amo
Now that Miguel, who was an expert in covering up, was gone, the long-standing issues in the school were exposed.The group stood frozen as they watched a cafeteria worker pour something into a large pot. A closer look revealed it was leftover mushroom soup. But that wasn't the worst of it. The soup reeked, clearly spoiled, yet it was still being reheated for the students.Things only got worse when they entered the kitchen. Hygiene standards were appalling. Not a single chef wore a mask, and some were even smoking while cooking.Amos' expression darkened immediately, even before Lucas could react.One of the chefs noticed them and slammed his ladle onto the counter. "What are you doing in here? Outsiders aren't allowed in the school—don't you know that?"Unlike other schools, Oakvale Academy had somehow always slipped through the cracks during routine inspections. When required to present something, they staged it well enough to fool a camera.So, the staff never expected a surp
Aria understood that this was all the person could offer. The real mastermind would never reveal himself so easily—not even to his most trusted subordinates.Those in power never needed to explain themselves. Those who understood them would earn their favor; those who didn't were destined to remain at the bottom.Her thoughts raced. She needed hard evidence to capture whoever was behind Amos. Baseless accusations would only alert the enemy and push them deeper into hiding.Allowing herself to be arrested had been part of Aria's plan. She needed the mastermind to lower his guard. After all, she had been too visible in Ludwiten lately. With eyes constantly watching her, she couldn't make any real moves. But she couldn't let the incident at Oakvale Academy go unresolved. Her instincts told her it was the key to everything.Before Philip found his family, she had to act—and that meant changing her identity to save Even.Just then, the person's phone buzzed. He turned the screen towa
"Boss!" Weston rushed over the moment he finished dealing with the other officers. Aria arched an eyebrow, flexing her wrists. "He's the mole?""Yes." Weston nodded. The Securities Regulatory Bureau, dispatched by the Securities Regulatory Commission, was tasked with auditing listed companies—particularly sniffing out insider trading and market manipulation.While not everyone in the bureau could be corrupt, it was common for a few to be compromised.The officer who had been interrogating Aria was of a minor rank, but the one Weston had just exposed held real power.Aria looked over at the trembling man. His legs had given out, sending him to the floor. His phone lay discarded beside him as he shook uncontrollably.They had met before—at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. To him, Aria had just been a clever heiress with some market luck, thanks to Landon's influence. No one would have expected her to single-handedly bring down the Draycott family.No one would logically believe