There was a bakery near the company. Aria lugged a hefty bag of bread while observing the beggar. "Go on. Eat.""I-I can't eat anymore! Hic!" The beggar leaned against the wall, his mouth stuffed with bread that made him hiccup. He wasn't sure what Aria had put in it.On top of that, he couldn't stop laughing. "Hahaha! I'll tell you everything! I… Hic!""I don't feel like listening anymore." Aria handed him another piece of bread. "You should eat. It's not healthy to starve."The beggar felt like he might explode. "I… Hic! I was wrong! Y-Young lady, I…"Finally, Aria reached out and removed the needles from his body.The beggar slumped into the corner, gasping for air and sweating profusely.Aria's voice was indifferent. "I'm not a patient person, so don't beat around the bush. Speak.""I swear, I have no clue who gave me the box! I was lying down at the time and didn't see who it was. The person just told me to deliver it to Carver Group and offered me a thousand dollars." The
"The thousand dollars is just a deposit," Aria said, her eyes piercing and dark as a demon's. "You'll get the rest once you spread the word. You didn't think I'd believe everything you said, right? Rhabdomancy isn't widely understood.""I…I…" the beggar stammered, beads of sweat erupting on his forehead.This wasn't going according to plan. He'd figured even a sharp woman like her wouldn't see through his entire scheme. But here she was, right on the money.Aria raised an eyebrow, the mole beneath her eye a striking counterpoint to her composed expression. "I'll give you one last chance. Who put you up to this with the wooden box?""I don't know. The person wore a black coat and looked scary. Although the person used a voice changer, I could tell she was a woman. That's right. Just a… I'm guilty." There was something off with the beggar.Aria immediately reached out to check his arm.The beggar's expression. "God will definitely punish me. I've committed an unforgivable sin." H
The employees turned their gazes away from the mysterious box to focus on the stunning woman in their midst. Aria had a captivating figure, slender legs, and a radiant smile."It's indeed ominous." Aria handed the rhabdomancy sticks to Keith.Keith was fuming when he saw what was written on the sticks. "This is a hoax!"There was no way Aria was a jinx. Since her return, she had saved the company hotel and even improved the layout of the Carver residence. Plus, Warren would likely be in the ICU if it weren't for Aria. She had saved him multiple times.She had also rescued Jeffrey from the cellar. So, Keith was baffled by the message on the rhabdomancy sticks.Keith turned to his men. "Investigate where these rhabdomancy sticks came from!"Aria tucked the wooden box away. "I can handle the investigation. Mr. Watson, you just need to protect Grandpa.""Don't worry about the prediction. In the past decade, the best thing that happened to Mr. Carver Senior was having you back." Keit
In the past, Warren would never utter such heartwarming words. However, Aria's return had prompted a change in his approach. He'd become rather soft-hearted, openly expressing his concerns—the fear of his grandsons being harmed gnawed at him.Despite being over the phone, all the grandsons could feel Warren's deep affection for them.Celebrity Carver: "Grandpa, I'm currently filming a variety show in the suburbs. I'll head back once I'm done with the filming."Right after Leon finished texting, the director ordered them to keep their phones away.Thus, he missed out on the message Percy sent. "If you have too many haters, I can sue them for you."Leon was stubborn and disliked relying on family. Being a top celebrity meant having many fans as well as haters. Anything he did would be magnified.Just as Leon stood up, Clary introduced a new face. "This is your new assistant, Evelyn Charters.""My new assistant?" Leon's warmth was only reserved for family. On set, his demeanor and
High-definition drones buzzed discreetly overhead in the suburban filming location.What was supposed to be a simple costume fitting and walk-through turned out to be the start of the actual filming.The country's hottest variety show, "Survival of the Fittest", had captivated audiences since its debut season. Its blend of grounded, bizarre content had sparked endless online discussions. Naturally, news of its second season went viral.This season, the show broke from tradition by beginning filming immediately after notifying the celebrities, aiming to capture pure, unscripted moments.Leon, having just finished his shot, was about to head out when a voice called, "Mr. Carver, hold on a minute. Here's your mission card."Leon's eyebrows shot up. His striking blue hair accentuated his already captivating features on camera. The on-set director simply nodded.As Leon reached for the card, a line of real-time subtitles materialized on the screen. "Congratulations, you've been chosen
"I'd like to see if Leon will be as arrogant as he is now during the mission," a viewer commented.One of the biggest draws of "Survival of the Fittest" was its missions. Participants had to choose a non-celebrity partner to complete challenges in locations like ancient castles or schools. Each area had a backstory that participants had to unravel.The first location remained a mystery, and the participants would find out simultaneously with the audience, which made it extra exciting."I can't wait to see how the participants react!" someone commented."Who will be this season's MVP?" another asked.As online buzz grew, concerns surfaced. Lulu, a highly popular star for the past two years, was anxious. Recently hospitalized due to poor health, the "Survival of the Fittest" crew advised her to recover and return for the next season. However, Lulu was determined to participate and eager to dispel rumors. She could not let the world know she had been pregnant. Lulu clenched her f
Aria removed her helmet and noticed a camera overhead. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Sam hadn't mentioned this was a filming set.While Sam remained excited, Aria considered approaching the crew members. The directors and audience watched as Aria perched atop her motorcycle. Her one foot casually braced the ground, the other resting easy on the bike's belly. Her grip on the handlebar was a casual command while her free hand danced effortlessly across the phone screen, seemingly texting someone. Not receiving a reply, her fingers drummed impatiently on the handlebar. Her profile appeared flawless under the lights. She was stunning, with an indifferent allure. Her dark, depthless eyes and a small mole beneath one eye added to her mystique.She was a masterpiece of casual seduction, a femme fatale on two wheels. The camera refused to pan away from her. When she looked up, the comments section buzzed."I want to know everything about her, now!""Is she a new celebrity fro
The season's celebrities were scattered across different areas of the set, blindfolded until they arrived. The non-celebrity guest participants, however, were guided in without any blindfolds by the production assistants.Evelyn's eyes widened at the filming location. Lily had been right—the first challenge this season was set in an abandoned children's hospital! Although Evelyn was from Janovin, she had never known such a hospital existed in the suburbs.The dilapidated building and overgrown grass suggested it had been abandoned for years.While the show used real locations, the hospital's interior had been refurbished. However, the exterior remained untouched, giving the building a haunting, time-frozen appearance.Lavender Erikson, an award-winning actress, was the first celebrity to arrive. Removing her blindfold, she surveyed the building with a teasing remark, "Are they trying to scare off the newbies before we even start?"Chandler Lucson, standing beside her with a confid
"But he does look familiar." This was the first time Morwenna had such a feeling. It was as if the man from the York family was even more noble than her. Before him, she felt like a nobody. The idea of that provoked Morwenna. She was a deity from Krowo, so who was he to make her feel this way? "I think you should find a chance for me to meet that guy from the York family sometime." Morwenna met the old man's eyes. "The Yorks are the true noble family when it comes to protecting the nation. They've just been focused on commerce for the past century, which made us overlook them. The Yorks might be helpful to us." "I'll look into it." The old man glanced aside. "But why haven't you completed the tasks I assigned?" William stepped forward and said, "Sir, I came to bring good news. We've located the celestial essence you sensed earlier. Rest assured, we'll present it to you soon." "Good." This was the first time the old man showed satisfaction in days. "Before you bring it, inve
The child's fate was not merely at odds with his own—it actively threatened it. On that fateful day, the old man had been plagued by dreams from a distant past, visions long buried in the sands of time. It became clear that his unnatural existence, suspended between life and death as a half-human, half-ghost, was tethered to the very essence of that unborn child.A shadow crossed his eyes as he clenched his fists. "Perhaps I should have altered my perspective earlier. It's time to take a proper look at that child... the one I couldn't read, no matter how hard I tried."Morwenna's voice, filled with venom, cut through the silence. "The Carvers have always been a thorn in our side. They were a problem then, and they remain one now. We should've eliminated that woman before she could interfere."The old man shot her a sidelong glance. "You need to keep your presence hidden in Farshya. Stop drawing attention by appearing in their churches. I've told you before not to provoke the Farshya
Something had fallen to the ground, and a small shadow began to stir behind the curtains."She's not only hindering you but me as well," came a voice that sounded like that of a little girl. Yet, it carried an unsettling, unnatural tone, more akin to the mechanical chatter of those dolls."How could she return?" Behind the curtain, the shadow's long hair seemed to extend at an unnatural speed, growing longer by the second.The entire mansion was cloaked in an eerie atmosphere. The butler at the door stood trembling, yet William appeared almost euphoric as he bowed low and said reverently, "Morwenna, you've finally regained yourself!"The wooden doll named Morwenna let out a mocking laugh. "Regained myself? Is this what you call recovery?"The shadow behind the curtain trembled, and the lights overhead flickered ominously."We anticipated years ago that she would disrupt everything, that the Carver family's plans would crumble," Morwenna hissed. "And yet, you let her return!"A l
Furrowing his eyebrows, the old man moved his fingers as if counting something. "That's weird, then."It was the same issue as before—he couldn't predict anything about Aria. If she had some ties to Homer, he should at least catch a glimpse of it. At best, she would only be Homer's apprentice. Yet, she remained an enigma beyond his foresight, shielded from even his most refined techniques.If someone was backing her, how did they conceal her from his visions? And why?The recent downfall of the Daley family was equally perplexing. It had been executed so seamlessly that no one even noticed until it was too late. The Daleys had served the country well, earning enough merit to secure the higher-ups' protection. But despite this, they were wiped out overnight.This incident triggered a memory—the old man recalled an organization he had encountered in passing—the Special Missions Unit.The unit was not affiliated with any government, yet it was always a step ahead in hunting down spie
The old man glanced at William and spoke sharply. "What went wrong with the seal?"William bowed his head, unable to provide a clear answer. "The rumors about the Daley family emerged from nowhere. We tried to suppress the information while investigating the source, but all efforts were futile."Nobody knew who the Daley family had provoked, only knowing the higher-ups were the ones giving orders. Plus, the entire case was executed quickly and privately. It was as if someone was targeting the Daley family. "The case wasn't investigated using normal procedures at all. I can't reach out to the Daley family without risking exposure. I'm afraid someone might recognize me. "If I'm identified, all our hard work over the years will unravel. And now, the matter has already been brought to light online, putting us in a precarious position."They had used a lot of energy and time to ensure their plan was executed perfectly. Their actions had gone unnoticed for the past few years. Howeve
Sam had always been by Aria's side during her bouts of self-doubt. That was why she had always prayed that Tobias' ominous prediction would never come true.Before he vanished, Tobias had warned her that if Chaos reemerged, it would wreak havoc across the world. And when that moment arrived, Aria would need to steel herself and eliminate it.But Aria disagreed. To her, Sam was like family. He would happily carry out her every request as long as he was rewarded with a bit of food. How could such an earnest and loyal companion be a threat?Sam was undoubtedly righteous, just somewhat slow to react. How could he possibly bring chaos to the world?Aria could only dismiss the grim rumors as baseless. Either that or Sam had been misled by someone else.Pahana had once told her that Sam had a previous master. He was still young then and couldn't yet distinguish right from wrong. It must have been that previous master who failed to teach him properly.The notion that Sam could be a dange
It was a rare, honorable opportunity. If Pahana's worthless father could witness him now, he'd surely regret abandoning him and his mother.Pahana understood Aria could have chosen not to give him the merits. She could have chosen to continue enslaving him like the other fortune tellers. Yet, she chose to honor her promise, compensating him for his efforts.If all humans kept their promises like Aria, creatures like Pahana wouldn't harbor such deep hatred that they'd want to devour them.Approaching Aria, Pahana was ready to repay her generosity by renewing the blood pact. However, Aria stopped him. She wasn't interested in complicating things further. Who knew where she'd be a century from now? There was no point in binding herself to a lizard—especially when the river was so polluted.Her eyes darkened. "No need. Just stop eating humans and keep an eye on the river. You saw how I handled things. If you don't want to end up as grilled lizard meat, behave.""Ms. Carver, don't worr
With a thud, Pahana fell flat on the ground. He was utterly speechless. Why did Aria suddenly lash out at him?Aria regarded him with a calm yet piercing gaze. "You had a sly look on your face just now. What were you scheming?"Pahana was still far from being fully obedient. Since she had taken him in, it fell upon Aria to teach him the proper order.Pahana blinked, bewildered. This was simply how he looked—Aria couldn't blame him for appearing sly just because of his natural features."I'm merely admiring your skill," he ventured carefully, trying to appease her. "Your mastery of the Decatorian way is impressive." He was referring to how she used Landon's heavenly fortune to sever the binding contract.Aria could sense the subtle disloyalty within Pahana. Cunning was second nature to lizards like him, but with a contract binding them, it was of little concern to her. She glanced down at Pahana, who was sprawled at her feet and spoke coolly, "That's not all I'm good at. I'm also
Back then, those fortune tellers were blind to Landon's true identity and insisted on sealing him away underground. Landon must be seeking revenge for what happened back then.That explained his pursuit of Aria.To Pahana, Aria was an enigma. Her skills were average, yet she possessed undeniable talent and a unique approach that defied the traditional Decatorian methods he knew.Fortune tellers were rarely bound by the conventional, their minds trained to think in ways others could not fathom. Pahana could also feel the hidden strength within Aria, a power she kept buried deep.Landon must have noticed that and sought to consume her soul.Yet Pahana found no trace of a binding contract between Landon and Aria.There were rumors, however, that Landon had once made a pact with a woman who was as infamous as she was beautiful. She was a woman of no redeeming qualities, a heartless temptress who reveled in tormenting others. Her disrespect for people was unmatched, yet Landon had