"Huh?" The person on the other end of the line made a double-take, unable to believe Aria was going through with the delivery. But that was precisely Aria's intent as she handed Marna back her phone."Based on what you just said, the recipient will contact you," Aria replied dismissively. "As someone in this profession, you should know when to expect his call. I noticed you've deleted all your recent calls. How often do you contact him?"Marna hadn't expected that question. "They call us every three hours." She glanced at Bart. "If they can't get ahold of Bart, they'll contact me."As if on cue, Bart's phone began to ring. Marna's face drained of color.Aria raised an eyebrow. "Answer it and say something came up. Mention that someone encountered a few ghosts in their dreams, but it won't affect the delivery."Marna wanted to refuse, but fear held her back. She knew that the ghost children would come after her if Aria left. So, she reluctantly took the call.An annoyed voice
Aria was familiar with Nymeria. In fact, she liked the city a lot. Nymeria had plenty of oak trees, making the place more romantic, and even the breeze felt gentler here. Its Southern charm and rich history also made it stand out. Devon buzzed with excitement as they disembarked from the train, his eyes brightening at the familiar sights. "It's here! I still remember the bakery over there!"Aria motioned for Sam to handle the luggage while she headed into the staff room. "Prepare for the delivery as we discussed."Marna's face was pale after her prolonged detention. The ghost children had only vanished with the dawn, and despite her fear of Aria, she hesitated to betray her organization."I-I can't. If Sir finds out I betrayed him, I'm finished!"Aria wasted no time. "Louis Sinclair. You're ruthless to other children, yet you dote on your own. Sending him to school in Janovin must be quite a feat, considering you even rented a place nearby."Marna shot to her feet at the mention
Marna had no intention of revealing the true power of her fortune-teller to Aria. Deep down, she still clung to the hope that the fortune-teller—and the gods—would shield her from danger and grant her an escape.It was true that Marna had never seen the fortune-teller's face. Yet, ever since she had received the pendant, she had come to regard the fortune-teller's words as divine commandments.Marna was painfully aware of the sins she had committed as a human trafficker. The fortune-teller had assured her there was a way to cleanse her soul. All she had to do was return to Nymeria every year to pray.After years of operating her grim business, Marna had begun to believe in a higher power, though uncertainty now clouded her faith.She pressed on, Aria close behind her, and with the baby in her arms, there was no way she could escape.Aria had no intention of letting herself be trapped either. She had strategically matched the number of policewomen to the young women carrying childr
Seeing Marna frozen in place, the man furrowed his brows. "Did you hear what I said?""Y-Yes!"Marna had hoped the receiver wouldn't arrive today. But now that everything was going smoothly, she could only go with the flow.Meanwhile, Aria exchanged glances with the female police officers behind her, and they shuffled toward the plaza's west, their postures hunched.At the same time, Sam and Landon sat together. Sam was furiously coding while adjusting Aria's gear, sending the photos he captured to the Special Missions Unit.In stark contrast, Landon was enjoying fried chicken with two children, one of whom was a spirit.Devon, feeling anxious, wondered if someone was waiting for him, but he couldn't recall where they had planned to meet. Eager to search Nymeria for clues, he felt restless.Devon couldn't understand why Aria insisted on pursuing other matters first until Sam voiced his support for her more than anyone else—they had to prioritize human lives, especially those of
Fortunately, Marna was well-prepared. "Ever since the trouble we had in Southbury, they've been hunting us down. I can't continue to use the same women. The cameras would catch them easily. I've been searching for other women throughout the year. They're all in this for the money."The man glanced at the middle-aged women, their faces partially obscured by scarves. Aria had expertly applied enough makeup to enhance their appearances."It's good that you're all here for the money. The best part of our line of work is the quick cash! Just be obedient and follow our rules. Don't look at what you're not supposed to see, and don't ask about anything out of line. If you do that, the money will be in your account by tonight."Aria said after the man finished speaking, "How much can I get? Marna mentioned we earn extra for performing well.""Don't worry. I won't underpay you."The man would be more worried if they didn't ask any questions. He only started the car after Aria's inquiry. Nat
Aria threw open the car door, her excitement bubbling over. "Marna, the perks you arranged are incredible! We even get to travel for free!""Huh? Oh, you're right. It's all on us," Marna replied with a forced smile. The two men in charge of the delivery were satisfied with Aria's reaction. Dumb country bumpkins like her were easy to manipulate.If they stayed in the car, the men would get suspicious.As such, the female police officers stepped out, their enthusiasm palpable, seemingly unconcerned about the fate of the babies.Once they were out, the men swiftly exited the tourist area through the back.The officers opened their mouths to speak, but Aria raised her gaze, silently indicating the surveillance cameras nearby.She then checked her watch, signaling for them to stay calm, as a tracker had been installed in the car. With Nyx and the twins nearby, no one could harm the babies.Aria redirected her focus to the tourist site, pulling out her phone for a selfie while subtl
Marna felt a wave of guilt wash over her, leaving her particularly anxious. "I do. I've sent goods here before, but I've never actually been inside."She lowered her gaze, feigning a search for something. In reality, she was avoiding Aria's eyes, terrified of revealing her true feelings.Upon hearing that, Aria raised her eyebrows and grinned. "You're a firm believer, yet you're telling me you didn't go inside and pray. Marna, don't you think it sounds illogical?"Seeing Marna stiffening, Aria said slowly, "Did you get the pendant from there?""I told you I got it from a fortune-teller on the train," Marna insisted. Aria nodded. "So, you still come here to express your gratitude. I wonder which god you prayed to."Marna's face drained of color at that question.The other female officers had initially been puzzled by Aria's fixation on the pendant; after all, the children's safety was their priority. But as they observed Marna's reaction, realization struck. The human trafficker
The voice coming from the little girl didn't sound like hers at all. It was as if she had been possessed.Aria's eyes darkened as she studied the girl's face. How could this be? The child was supposed to be the reincarnation of a heroic figure destined for greatness, at least according to her features.The crowd quickly gathered around, murmuring, "Sir, let Mr. Blooms take a look at her."The man mumbled a short prayer before replying, "Mr. Blooms is preparing for a class now. Everyone can remain outside and pray for this little girl."If she doesn't improve after the prayers, it means the gods above have not blessed her. She must atone for her past life's sins. Please do not make this difficult for us."With that, the man clasped his hands together and shut the hall doors. Though it seemed like advice, he was clearly leaving the girl to fend for herself.The old woman stumbled forward, tears streaming down her face. "My granddaughter is kind-hearted. Her parents are useless, so