Aria put all her strength into a swift and decisive kick. Alistair was sent flying, his back slamming into the wall before he crumpled to the ground. The impact left him barely conscious, his threats reduced to incoherent gasps as he coughed up blood.The comments section fell silent.Kian, who was close to tears, stopped. "Has he already been dealt with?"The audience was all stunned. "This is probably the quickest hostage de-escalation I've ever seen.""Is he really a serial killer?""It's true! Look, the police have posted an announcement!"The show was still broadcasting and couldn't be paused due to certain situations, so the police revealed the criminal's personal information.The comments started flooding in rapidly."Player No. 5 is an undercover cop, isn't she?""She isn't afraid of ghosts because she's extremely righteous.""The police didn't mention Player No. 5's identity. She's probably a random person who happened to pass by.""Really? She's my idol now.""S
Only then did Landon look at Cooper. His exquisitely handsome face stood out against the dilapidated hospital. "How did you escape if the criminal was as evil as you'd said?"Lysander thought that Landon had a point. "The manifestation hasn't been dismantled yet. Why is it that you can go anywhere as you please?"Could this guy be another man favored by the heavens? Were there really so many of them?Lysander, who hadn't seen much of the outside world, went with his instinct to call for Homer. Homer had no time to pay Lysander any attention. He quickly dashed toward the second floor, where the densest concentration of vengeful energy awaited.Upon noticing that, Cooper attempted to run away again. However, Landon stopped him. "Which room is the criminal in? Lead the way.""There's a murderer inside the room!" Cooper was flabbergasted. Did Landon not understand human language?Landon said, "And that's who we're looking for.""What do you mean?" Cooper paled instantly.Landon s
Your fortune." Aria put a hand on the stair rail behind Landon and kissed the corner of his lips.They looked perfect together, and Landon gladly let Aria kiss him. They were both beautiful, albeit in different ways—his regal coldness and her devilish allure made for a pleasing sight.This was what Lysander saw when he came here to apprehend Carlos. His eyes were wide open—he didn't expect the man favored by the heavens to use his fortune in this manner. Shocked, Lysander exclaimed, "Mr. Bond!""Stop yelling. Take good care of Landon." Homer was busy thinking about how he should dismantle this manifestation. "Make sure the evil spirits don't get close to him."Lysander yelled, "What if one of them is kissing him?"Kissing? Homer had found Lana and was about to perform a spell when he heard Lysander's words, which led him to doubt himself. Did he target the wrong person? Was there a more powerful evil being downstairs? Who would dare to kiss Landon, of all people?While Ho
Aria took the Charm Coin back. Purple energy swirled in her palm. "Some parents only want sons but not daughters. To them, daughters can be sold or abandoned as they please. A father would even push his daughters down the stairs because the woman they had an affair with said she wouldn't get together with him unless his two children died."If the Divine Laws are genuinely effective, the gods should see what's unfolding with their own eyes instead of incessantly dictating laws for the mortal world. The sisters only want justice. They shouldn't be called evil spirits. Who do you think has committed evil, Mr. Bond?"The white-haired Homer was rooted on the spot, seemingly deep in thought. If someone could slash open the doors to Heaven with a sword, then it was possible to thoroughly understand the Divine Laws overnight.Homer didn't go downstairs and merely sat on the floor. With that, he'd basically given Aria an answer.…At the same time, Carlos opened his eyes. When he saw two s
The emerald pendant was forged in the image of Maelis, the goddess of mercy. The pendant unleashed a blistering light that seared the twins. They felt as though they had been cast into a vast inferno, the searing heat causing them to instinctively cover their faces with their hands.Aria was faster. She seized Carlos by the scruff of his neck and yanked sharply on his pendant."You refuse to regret your wrongdoings." Aria put her hands around his neck, her gaze dark. Carlos' face turned purple as his feet lifted off the ground. It looked as though he was on the brink of death. He knew that Aria was really serious about killing him, and so he said fearfully, "I'm sorry, I—""Too late." As Aria uttered those two words, the cloud of vengefulness in the corridor became more potent.Suddenly, a young girl's voice could be heard. "Let it be, Aria."Aria loosened her grip and looked down, only to see a young girl pulling on the hem of her shirt. "If you kill him, you'll end up going to
Lysander said, "A word of advice, seeing that you're a fellow practitioner. If you always carry spirits with you, you'll be impacted as well.""I'm not a practitioner," Aria said as she dragged Carlos out of the dark corridor.She intended to fulfill the twins' final wish, ensure Carlos faced legal consequences, and use edited footage from the variety show to reveal the truth.Lysander hesitated before jogging after her. "Are you serious? You're a natural! It's a waste not to harness your potential!"He continued, "This is the first time I've seen a spirit willingly choose a human as its master. Also, isn't that a wraithling on your shoulder? Why didn't it hurt you? Hello?"Aria didn't want to answer his question, so she prodded on his acupoints to shut him up.Lysander was amazed. He planned to tell Homer about meeting an acupuncture expert. …Landon was right outside. He knew what Aria had done but did nothing to stop her. He was managing the aftermath, preparing explanation
Just as Leon was about to say something, a group of reporters swarmed toward him, asking, "All the other guests told us that they witnessed some phenomena they had no scientific explanation for. What can you tell us about this?""The screen faded to black several times during the filming. What happened?"After that, the reporters flocked toward somewhere behind Leon, seeming to have set their sights on a more valuable target."Player No. 5, congratulations on winning Best Player this episode. You did amazing!""You tackled all those riddles so efficiently, and you were so accurate!""Do the twins really exist? The NPC actress seemed out of sorts.""All the other guests were spooked. I heard that arcane seekers from Mount Dracotigris have also come here. Is this true?"The cameras weren't just pointed toward Aria but also Landon, who gave the reporters a sweeping glance. "All of you—" he started."Compared to other rumors, shouldn't you focus on the truth?" Aria fiddled with her
Homer rose from his seat, deep in thought. Lysander said in shock, "Mr. Bond, that's… That's—""The Grand Pilgrimage," Homer interjected, a sudden smile lighting his face as he glanced downstairs. "The malevolent spirits have been transformed into holy ones capable of saving humanity in crucial moments. Excellent, excellent! This apprentice of mine is truly a prodigy in the arcane arts, as expected!"Lysander, still confused, responded, "Your apprentice? But she said she isn't a practitioner, Mr. Bond."Homer paid no heed to that. If he were determined to make someone his apprentice, nothing would stand in his way.…To maintain order, the HOU had already asked the reporters to leave.The celebrities, who had been revived by the chilly wind, began waking up one by one. As soon as Lulu opened her eyes, she grabbed her assistant's arm. "Issue a statement denying my abortion and make it public. Do whatever it takes, no matter the cost."The assistant hesitated. "The show was alread
Durand's expression darkened; Eamon was right. Amos and the official from the state had originally wanted to work with the Grishams, especially Eamon. That was why they used the Fitzroys as a bridge to approach him. Unfortunately, Magdalene had failed to establish any rapport with the Grishams.Instead, she kept criticizing Eamon, claiming he followed Laura's every word, and insisted they had plenty of ways to manipulate the Grishams. In the end, the divorce erupted into a scandal, and the entire Fitzroy family was imprisoned.Ironically, Eamon's actions only impressed the state official more. Durand had even heard Amos say that their leader hoped Eamon would continue working with them as his involvement would ensure their plans progressed smoothly.That knowledge burned Durand with frustration. No matter what he did, he could never measure up to Eamon."It looks like you still haven't grasped the situation, Mr. Grishman. Mr. Grisham Senior has begged everyone, but where did it le
"I'm happy to take over the Grishams' responsibilities," Durand said.Waymond scoffed coldly. "You're not worthy of it.""Mr. Lincoln, it seems someone's not too happy with you."Durand, dressed like a gentleman as always, adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, "Waymond, you've been in this business long enough to know how things work. The Grishams have gained a lot over the years. It's not up to you to decide whether to hold on to it."Leonardo stood, trying to ease the tension. "There's no point in arguing. Let's settle this the traditional way—with an anonymous vote. Everyone, write down whether you think the Grishams should step down. Let the vote speak for itself. That way, it'll be fair."He instructed someone to bring in a box, paper, and pens. Each member was handed a set. It was more for show than anything else; everyone already knew how the vote would go.Eamon saw right through their performance, his gaze turning cold as he sat silently. The votes were quickly cast an
"Mr. Grisham, how long your niece stays locked up isn't up to us—it depends on the severity of her crime," Durand said. "As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you should understand how serious the situation she's stirred up really is. Haven't you read any of the online news?"People are now hoping the Grisham family goes bankrupt. They're even demanding that we, the Chamber, investigate this matter ourselves!"His words made those who had previously wanted to side with the Grishams start to hesitate. With the Draycotts and Fitzroys already doomed, the Grishams had seemed like the next best option. But no one had expected Aria to make such a critical mistake.Public sentiment had turned sharply. The Chamber of Commerce was now being blamed for enabling an economic disaster. What angered the public most was Aria's carefully crafted image. If she'd shown her true colors from the start, they might have ignored her. But pretending to be righteous, only to betray the common people—that w
Dave smiled, clearly enjoying the desperation on Lewis' face. "Also, you won't be getting any more orders. Your supervisor is going to help us delete every report you've ever submitted. What a shame, Lewis. You risked your life on the front lines, only for someone else to reap the rewards behind your back. If I were you, I'd stop being so loyal. Wouldn't it be better to join us?"He was trying to manipulate Lewis, planting doubt and betrayal like poison. As Aria listened, her fists clenched slowly. Nothing crushed a person's spirit more than destroying their belief in what they stood for. They had exposed Lewis on purpose—to break his faith in the uniform he wore.The masked clients settled back into their seats, returning to their arrogant ease. They were reminded that they were above the law within these walls. No one from the outside could enter the premises, and if someone did, they wouldn't leave intact.These people had powerful connections. To them, the undercover cop was a
Aside from Aria, who had initially refused the food, everything had seemed normal to Stephanie. After all, Aria eventually accepted a drink, and nothing else appeared out of the ordinary.But the more Stephanie thought about it, the deeper her frown became. A sense of unease crept in, and she instinctively lowered her microphone, ready to rush to the basement to check things for herself. Seeing her reaction, the wealthy clients began to panic.The woman in the fox mask stood up, clutching her bag tightly, and made for the exit. She feared she would actually be arrested if she stayed any longer. She had no intention of ending up in jail just for attending an auction, especially one like this. Most importantly, she couldn't afford to have her reputation tarnished.Like her, the rest of the crowd shared the same instinct—flee.Meanwhile, Aria narrowed her eyes as she subdued a bodyguard with one hand. She maintained firm but measured pressure with her left hand, ready to act the moment
When Sasha heard the man mention the rare gem, her eyes narrowed slightly. Very few people knew about it. Only Dave and a handful of higher-ups were aware. She immediately wondered who had leaked the news.But the man's words had already ignited excitement across the auction floor."What? A rare gem?""It's been ages since we've seen one! I can't believe there's actually one today!"To these people, a rare gem referred to someone whose body was considered exceptionally valuable, blessed with natural fortune, vitality, and unmatched physical condition. It was believed that such a person couldn't fully harness the luck they were born with. But if someone else could acquire it...Not only could they preserve their youth and beauty, but their careers and fortunes could be transformed. The idea sent a thrill through the room, and their greed quickly became impossible to hide.Sasha realized the situation was slipping out of her control. She reached for her communicator to contact Dave,
The woman's interest in the man was obvious when she approached him. But he simply glanced at her and asked coldly, "When did the rules here change?"Before she could respond, a nearby bodyguard stepped forward and said, "Ms. Fox, please return to your seat. The auction is about to begin.""Very well," the woman replied, brushing her hair back. She wasn't particularly young, but her figure was striking. "It's fine, as long as he didn't just stumble in here. I just thought he didn't look like he came to buy anything."At that, the bodyguard checked the guest list and found the crow-masked man's name. "This gentleman is here for the same reason you are.""Oh? How peculiar," she said, casting another glance at the man. It was easy to tell when someone had money—the way they held themselves, the air they carried. And the man in the crow mask exuded elegance and cool detachment.Ms. Fox tried to place him. If he had been one of her business partners, she was certain she would've remembe
When Aria got up to leave, the girls looked at her with concern. She seemed to be about their age, and they couldn't help but worry about her safety."It's too dangerous for you to head out there by yourself."They didn't know exactly how many people were lurking outside, but they were smart enough to know none of them could be trusted. Even the security guards had proven to be dangerous.Aria was slightly surprised by their concern. She'd completed many missions, but it was rare for anyone to care about her well-being. Still, she figured the girls were just looking out for one another.With a smirk, Aria tossed a bodyguard aside and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just stay here a little longer. In half an hour, someone will come to rescue you. The secret code is 'up above the world so high'.""Isn't that from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?" one of them asked, both confused and surprised. It was the strangest code phrase they'd ever heard.Aria simply chuckled. That line was pa
Right after Aria said it was time to move, Sam slammed his fingers on the keyboard. Instantly, the Special Missions Unit, disguised among the villagers, snapped to attention.The "electrician" was no longer just an electrician. He had transformed into a sniper, his rifle pieced together from parts in his toolbox. Meanwhile, the university students who had supposedly come to camp had vanished without a trace—no one noticed their absence.They didn't need to storm the building to be deadly. Like a pack of wolves in the dead of night, they moved fast and struck hard, aiming to take down their targets in one swift blow.Soon after, Aria made a quick hand gesture, instructing Sam to jam the bodyguards' walkie-talkies. Without hesitation, Sam launched a virus that disabled all their communications.Aria lowered her gaze and silently counted to three. Then she stood up in a flash, so fast that the four guards around her had no time to react. Before they could even reach for their weapons,