"Hello, Mr. Channing. Our lady would like to have a word with you," Frank said politely outside the interrogation room.However, Aaron was an arrogant person. He held his case files and refused, "I don't know your lady. There's nothing we can talk about either."No matter how influential the Carver Group was, they wouldn't be given special treatment here. Thus, they shouldn't try to pull strings.Just as Aaron was about to walk past Frank, the latter replied smartly, "But our lady knows you. Why don't you hear her out first?"Aaron still didn't put it to heart. However, he took the phone since Frank had already worded it this way. The moment he pressed it to his ear, regret washed over him."Have I been gone too long, or did you lose your touch?" Aaron recognized that familiar lilting drawl. In fact, it was a nightmare come to life for him.An outsider had broken his record of being number one for many years. Plus, this person never really made an appearance, either. The only dif
Aria said coolly, "You'll know when I bring her over. Just wait and see."Even after hanging up, Aaron remained skeptical. He turned to Frank. "Your lady is No. 1! Why are you still so worried about Mr. Elijah?"No. 1? What was he talking about? Frank was puzzled. Being primarily engaged in the business world, Frank was not well-versed in criminal investigations.Aria was renowned for solving many unsolved cases as No. 1. Additionally, she was an expert in supernatural cases. She founded the Special Missions Unit and held the position of No. 1. No matter the case, Aria could solve it quickly if she wanted to.Just as Aaron was contemplating how to face No. 1, Frank took back his phone in confusion.Frank had only one realization—this notoriously aloof crime specialist who typically ignored everyone seemed to heed Aria's words. Furthermore, he was known to be unapproachable and insensitive to money. Frank suddenly had a feeling as he looked at the phone in his hand. Perhaps Aria'
"What are you trying to do?" Fanny glared at Aria.Although Fanny couldn't tell what was wrong with Sam, she felt a sense of danger she had never felt before.Aria lowered her eyes. "Didn't I say I'm here to return something?" With that, Aria showed her a bag with a strand of hair in it. "Did you forget you left this behind?"Looking at the item in her hand, Fanny was obviously flustered. "It's just a strand of hair. What evidence do you have that it's mine?""It doesn't matter if you won't admit it. We just need to run some tests." Aria raised her eyebrows. "Did you already use the thing you stole?"Fanny's eyes wavered. "What thing? You're such a weirdo! Who do you think you are to question me—"With a bang, Aria kicked open the door and looked at her from above. Meanwhile, Sam closed the door in one swift movement.The receptionist initially wanted to come up and check, but she figured nothing would go wrong and decided against it.There was a smell of rust in the air. Ar
With a whoosh, a matchstick flew past Fanny's ear and landed right behind her. A large part of her long hair was singed, leaving her momentarily speechless.Aria scratched her ears. "I'm sorry, but I can't stand listening to your complaints. You're someone who constantly blames others for your misfortune. "Just because he didn't help you, you hated him and even spread rumors about him. Really? Who is obligated to help you? They aren't even your parents!"Sure, Elijah's looks have contributed to his fame, but his films wouldn't have been a hit if he had no acting skills. Do you think the market is that shallow?"As for your appearance, I'm sure you'd be happy as a female lead. However, have you considered the audience's feelings? "Actors should align with their roles. Beautiful women play roles meant for beautiful women, while those with less conventional looks can take on other parts. "You insist on playing the role of the most beautiful woman despite not meeting those standar
The wooden doll would never forget its time at Nobeetan Concession—it had nearly ceased to exist. Back then, it was like a rat on a spit, despised and ignored, forced to skulk in shadows. It clung to a strand of hair, attached itself to other objects, waiting for someone to find it.The experiences of that time fueled its anger. The wooden doll believed the country would soon fall to the Krowonians, waiting for that day to come. Unexpectedly, Krowo was defeated. The wooden doll, already unhappy, needed to rely on lowly citizens for worship.The doll would have been lost forever without Farshya's fortune to restore its power. It desperately missed its homeland.The wooden doll could soon revive all its subordinates after absorbing a bit more resentment.The wooden doll controlled its replica and tried to move. However, Sam bit it hard. Sam wouldn't have even gone near the wooden doll if not for Aria.Although it was just a replica, the wooden doll felt unprecedented pain. It want
Aria didn't even turn around. She just swerved and kicked Fanny in the knees, sending her crashing to the ground. Fanny hit her head, and blood trickled from the impact. "I'm going to sue you. Mark my words!"Aria ignored her, only ordering someone to take care of it. After all, the police would soon be there to take Fanny away.Fanny was unwilling to accept this outcome. "Elara is already dead. What does the entire thing have to do with me? Elijah is the suspect, not me. Everyone on set knows he's the last person who saw Elara.""He's the last one?" Aria chuckled. "How about you? You've always followed Elara around when she was sleepwalking, yet you didn't the night she was killed. That doesn't make sense at all. After all, you told me you saw her sleepwalking a few nights in a row."Seeing Fanny faltered, Aria said slowly, "Don't worry. Lie detectors are very accurate nowadays. We'll soon know enough if you're telling the truth." Upon hearing that, Fanny knew she was doomed.
The duo weren't part of the SMU from the start. They joined much later, so they had no idea that the woman standing before them wasn't just anyone—she was their top commander, No. 1.Their plan was to hypnotize her, but just as they lifted their watches, Aria opened the door. "The receptionist is looking this way. Everyone who stays here is in the entertainment industry, so the news spreads fast. Are you sure you don't want to arrest her first?"How did she know the procedure better than them? The duo didn't dare to hesitate, immediately cuffing Fanny and bringing her away.Those who came to watch the scene kept quiet after seeing that. Even if they knew about the case, they wouldn't suspect anything supernatural was involved.As for the things Fanny was shouting, they just assumed she'd gone mad from chasing fame.Many stunt doubles worked hard to earn a living. They loved acting. Even if acting wasn't their passion, they could at least earn a living with it.They had never once
Percy was a lawyer, so there was no way he could have missed the signs. He just hadn't had the chance to ask Aria yet.Elijah, who had been locked in the interrogation room, looked tired. Yet, he remained as graceful as ever.Just as he got prepared to answer their questions, they suddenly notified he could leave.His assistant, Theo Aceto, outside was the happiest out of everyone. After all, many brands had called to ask what happened to Elijah throughout the day.Theo was on the verge of breaking down. He couldn't afford to offend any of the brands. If they called off the endorsements, the internet would be in a frenzy with different rumors. But none of that mattered now that Elijah was freed. Theo let out a sigh of relief, wanting to reply to all the brands' messages at once. "Boss, it's all thanks to Ms. Carver. You don't even know…"Theo thought it would be good to get close to the Carver family of Janovin. But he never expected Aria to walk up and say, "Hey, brother."Bro
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,
The young girls huddled up together. None of them had imagined they would end up in a situation like this. They were all promising students who believed they had finally gotten a chance to pursue further studies.But now, they realized it had all been an elaborate trap. The interview was fake. The scholarship was fake. Even the student exchange program was all a lie.As the truth sank in, the girls instinctively reached for their phones. But of course, their abductors hadn't left them with those."They made us hand over our phones when we entered the building," one of them whispered. "I guess it wasn't really about the interview."They exchanged anxious glances. None of them were ready to give up."Our schools! They'll start worrying when we don't check in!"But one girl, sitting dazed on the cold floor, muttered, "I don't know about your schools, but mine won't care. I'm from a rural area. I barely had the money to study in the first place. My family's so poor that we couldn't ev
Sam cared too much about Aria, so much so that he could easily be misled by false information. Aria had previously sent out her location to prevent herself from being exposed. At that moment, the cars leaving the village were merely a decoy from the enemy.No one had actually noticed anything unusual. It was standard for a few vehicles to roam around during times like these, serving as a distraction. If someone did come to investigate, they'd likely be too confused to focus on Bellebrook.This tactic only came to mind because someone from the state had been involved. Naturally, the insider who understood criminal investigations inside and out had orchestrated it. With someone protecting them, it was easy to cover their tracks.Unless the village was completely demolished, no one would find anything suspicious, especially with the right cleanup operation. And even then, the company could be used as a front. Staying under the radar was their safest option, and it had helped them avoid
Meanwhile, the students lay unconscious on operating tables in the company's basement.Dave examined them thoroughly, running various scans and tests more meticulously than any hospital doctor. Once he finished, he gestured for someone to carry them out."Tell the clients there's nothing wrong with the girls. If they're too impatient to wait, they can come today."In this company, Natalie clearly held little real power. She seemed completely obedient to the so-called doctor's orders. "Yes, sir. However, there are troubling rumors going around. I'm worried it might be difficult for people to show up.""The client specifically requested a rare gem like this. With the master involved, we have nothing to worry about. They'll come."Dave adjusted his glasses, his expression calm. The equipment he handled didn't resemble medical tools; they looked more suited for autopsies.A careful listener would notice something off about his speech. No matter how skilled someone was at assimilation,