"Stop talking!" Maverick finally shed his disguise completely. "I won't tell you who's backing me up—look for the answer yourself. You'd never find it!"He'd gone crazy. "The Farshyan people will never triumph against us. The memorial is just the beginning. You only learned about it because we failed to conceal it well."Maverick was exhibiting clear signs of madness as he rambled, "You're one of them Carvers, aren't you? Every single member of your family will die a miserable death!"Aria got up. "The memorial was only the beginning, huh? What's next, the babies?"Aria had obviously gotten it right, judging from how Maverick froze abruptly for a moment. She continued, "Even if you refuse to tell us anything, we can uncover parts of your plans through your records."We know that the person above you is currently in Janovin. He's quite knowledgeable in fortune telling, and he's an elderly person. You told me that I'd never find him. "I thought about it from another perspective, f
Everyone in the interrogation room fell silent upon seeing the name list. None of them would have expected those important figures, who should be servicing the people, to be guilty of harming them instead, motivated by their superstitious ideals.They would drink medicine for their bad livers and attempt to compensate for their ailing lungs by looking for a child with abundant positive energy. Certain politicians were among those mentioned, too. Even the members of the HOU were shocked to see those names, much less those police officers in charge of the interrogation. Had the enemy's influence really been spread so far and wide using those superstitious ideals? How long had it been since the beginning? Could Nymeria still be salvaged?Aria didn't waste any more time. She ordered the information about this to be locked down and the culprits arrested.Some of the people on the list valued their lives greatly. Upon noticing that something was amiss, they had already gone up to the
"Something went wrong with the batch of goods you wanted," the butler said tentatively, afraid of angering the other man. "The topic is also trending online. They're saying that a church was honoring invaders of our country."The hunchbacked old man clenched his fists tightly upon hearing that. His breathing became louder, audible even from a distance. "Leave, close the door, and allow no one to enter. I have some matters to attend to."The butler bowed slightly, saying, "Yes, sir." He ventured carefully, "What if the young master came? When he came to your study last time, he seemed to have—""My study? Why would he be there?" The old man stood up straight, looking at his butler with his sunken eyes. "Did he notice?"The butler shook his head. "No, no! I distracted him before he could enter the room."The old man was silent for a while. "Keep an eye on him and see if he's acting out of the ordinary recently.""Yes, sir." The butler took his leave. The old man didn't get back
At the same time, at the studio, the interviewer asked Leon, "To be honest, Kina, we're all curious about the reason you agreed to be featured in this variety show."The host, Jamie Morvan, sat across him, legs crossed. He chuckled as he continued, "As far as I know, you'll only experience the feeling of wonder if you have some degree of knowledge about ancient relics."The impressive cultural history of Farshya, spanning 5,000 years, will be exhibited in this show. As an idol, would participating in a show such as this be too difficult for you?"This question was surely meant to be a trap hidden behind a veneer of goodwill. Leon had been asked questions in this manner before, as his public image was still that of an uncultured idol with no background.He didn't mind it, but his fans didn't like it when he was asked these strongly biased questions. Clary, who was beside him, didn't want him to answer because his answer might be interpreted negatively.However, Leon seemed to have
Clary, an experienced manager, knew how to solve problems more efficiently. She quickly made a call to her boss.…On a train heading to Janovin, Clary's boss—Landon—was massaging Aria's waist. The first-class carriage was empty; no one dared sit in it.The head of York Group's Nymeria branch had practically booked a first-class carriage. They'd only known of Landon's arrival due to the incident happening at the church. Many people had requested them for their help in bailing their friends out. As if they'd dare do so!Who would dare bail someone out when their CEO was sitting right there? They didn't want to lose their jobs.They'd planned to treat Landon to dinner after the case concluded, but he wanted to return to Janovin immediately so they could only board the train with them.The three important men wiped their sweat. "Mr. York, uh—"Landon held his phone up, gesturing for them to wait so they shut up. "Yes, it's me. Please, go on." Landon poked a straw on the lid of
They finally knew why Landon valued her so highly. The man said a few more names before he seemed to remember something else. "Your cousin Marty was there too!""Yes, and he seemed to know Mr. Blooms really well.""We were surprised because one of them lives in Janovin while the other lives in the South. How did they grow to know each other that well? It's weird, right, Phil?"His colleague, Phil Chevron, thought, "Don't ask me that! Did you not realize that Mr. York is looking at us now? You sold yourself out!"As expected, Landon said, "Which means that all of you were there during that dinner too."Dan paused. He wanted to give himself a slap on the face. Landon said expressionlessly, "Tell me about that dinner. How did you become his pilgrims?"The men's backs were drenched with their sweat."His predictions are very accurate. He even managed to recount what happened to us during that time.""After we gave him some offerings, everything in our lives went smoothly.""We r
The three men nodded and hurriedly took their leave, clutching their briefcases. The train usually made short stops at stations on the way when a traveler or two would get in. For a moment, Aria couldn't distinguish between what was real and what was in her dreams. The desire for revenge consumed her, burning her throat and eyes.This went on until she heard Landon's voice through the din. "Don't overthink it. Take a nap."He spoke softly, and his hands were perfect for cooling Aria down. "If you really do feel bad, I'm here, aren't I? Your blood bag."Aria had realized last time that Landon could absorb some of the energy she released and that his blood was fatally tantalizing to her. Aria's eyes remained closed as she lay on Landon's shoulder, pushing her emotions down. She seemed to have done so once—many images flashed in her mind. Why was Landon in period clothes? In those images, Aria sat in a high chair, ordering Landon to wait as she bathed. She'd also said that Land
The journey from Nymeria to Janovin wasn't that long; it was almost dusk when Aria woke up. At dusk, the city was bustling with activity, but it was peaceful nevertheless. Perhaps it was because Aria had taken a nap, but she felt more relaxed now. It was as if the discomfort she felt due to the karma had been digested without her knowing. She hadn't known how to bring the subject of Ian's side of the family up to Warren, but she stopped feeling the need to hesitate.After what Fergus had gone through, she understood something—the sadness one felt after being betrayed was transitory; it was more important to evade risks. Also, Warren deserved to know the truth more than anyone else. Both the incident at the church and the stuff the Carver Group shareholders got up to in secret were heinous. Warren would feel sad upon hearing them, but letting him know was better than keeping it from him. Aria went to the Carver Group headquarters with Landon. The influencer who insulted Ari
Nova shrank timidly but murmured, "I don't want Luna to suffer."The scene was heart-wrenching.If Luna's family took her body away, the police might lose crucial evidence. Despite the officer's clear explanations, the couple seemed unable—or unwilling—to comprehend. Some younger officers began to grow restless.But did they truly not understand?Aria's gaze shifted to the phone tightly clutched in Nova's hand. The screen flickered repeatedly with incoming messages.Raising an eyebrow, Aria stepped forward. "Mr. and Mrs. Hanson, is it?"Nova frowned. "And you are?"Aria lied, "I'm Luna's classmate."At this, Nova and Nico exchanged wary glances. They'd heard that Luna's classmates had taken her to the bar, and hostility flickered in their expressions."Classmate? Students like you are nothing but bad influences!" Nova snapped. "All you care about is plastic surgery and partying."Aria remained silent as Nico interjected, his tone bitter. "Everyone knows Luna went to the bar l
A scene like this naturally drew a crowd. A middle-aged man sat on the ground, wailing loudly. "Come, everyone, see for yourselves! I can't even bring my daughter home. They even shoved me!"Dealing with people like him was never easy. In an age when anyone could record videos and spin narratives, law enforcers had to tread carefully. They couldn't afford to be too aggressive, especially when the other party had valid grievances.The commotion had already attracted onlookers snapping pictures and whispering among themselves."It's not that you can't take her back. The investigation is still ongoing," a law enforcer explained patiently.Nico Hanson's anger flared. "Ongoing? You brought us here to tell us she jumped off a building after partying at a bar. Everyone knows what happened, yet you're saying the case isn't closed? How could you treat us like this?"Poor people's lives mean nothing to you, huh? But do you have to torment us this way?"His fury stemmed from the suggestion
Sam was still fiddling with his keyboard. Looking up, he noticed Landon watching him with a piercing gaze. Instinctively, Sam adopted a defensive posture. Landon raised an eyebrow and pulled out his phone. At the sight of the familiar motion, Sam's eyes brightened.At first, Sam thought of turning around to let Landon scan his QR code. But then he realized there was no QR code on his shirt.Sam pursed his lips and signed for Landon to wait. He had neither his watch nor phone with him.As Langon glanced outside the bar, one of the York family's Dark Shadow guards immediately entered. "Boss, here is the new phone you ordered."Sam was overjoyed after getting a new phone.Landon stood there elegantly. "Go and take a walk."Sam started to leave but paused when he noticed the crow. His sharp eyes flicked toward it, contemplating whether to take it with him.Finally, Sam decided to bring the crow along, worried it might escape. If it did, he'd miss his chance to enjoy the roasted cr
"Go and remind Priscilla to send some gifts to the Gibson family," Orion ordered disgruntedly. "We can't afford to turn enemies with them, especially since we were once in-laws. My ex-brother-in-law is fortunate, though. With the higher-ups at odds, he's been promoted significantly."He's quite useful for our current project. Once we secure it, the Chamber of Commerce will be ours. Tell my foolish sister to fix the mess she made with the Draycott family. She knows exactly how she got her medispa."His secretary, Arlo Finch, nodded. On the surface, Ludwiten seemed unchanged as the Carver family prepared to return. Yet, some small merchants had subtly shifted, though it was hard to pinpoint the exact nature of the changes.Arlo sensed that the Carver family still held some lingering influence, but he wasn't sure how to broach the topic with Orion. After all, the Draycott family would be in trouble if the police found any evidence at the bar.Thankfully, everything seemed under cont
The insidious wave of online comments, designed to sway public opinion, threatened to bury the truth forever. In most investigations, such a barrage of negativity would undoubtedly hinder the police's progress. However, Aria's rapid understanding of the intricate web of corruption within Nocturne and her discovery of the influential individuals orchestrating the cover-up had prompted a swift escalation of the case's confidentiality level to the highest degree.Beneath the surface of a seemingly tragic suicide lay a massive scandal, a tangled web of collusion between powerful officials and unscrupulous businessmen. Not only had the Special Missions Unit been dispatched, but even the Supreme Court was poised to intervene.Meanwhile, the orchestrated public outcry continued to simmer, fueled by the relentless dissemination of fabricated information.Orion, however, remained unfazed, his focus solely on the desired outcome. His secretary, ever efficient, delivered the news. "Mr. Drayc
The passage was short. Aria reached a door after walking about 60 feet. When she was about to open it, she realized it was locked from the other side.In most situations, one would instinctively search for the lock mechanism and attempt to unlock it. However, Aria, ever vigilant, paused, her senses alert. A faint sound, a muffled whisper, emanated from the other side of the door, indicating a presence within.She raised her hand to signal Landon to pause.Aria, well-versed in criminal psychology, knew that criminals often returned to the crime scene, whether to dispose of evidence or for other, less discernible reasons."It's just as you said," a voice whispered from within, "no one has investigated this place. I knew I could trust you. See you tomorrow at the Chamber of Commerce."Aria knew she couldn't intervene immediately. However, she had confirmed the presence of someone within, a crucial piece of evidence.These individuals were arrogant, believing the surveillance cameras
The crow, despite its limited understanding of Chaos' words, sensed a growing unease. It feared Landon's lies and carefully constructed disguise might soon unravel. The crow was uncertain how Aria would react if she discovered Landon's true identity. Landon, seeking a missing fragment of his soul, had come to Ludwiten. This fragment resided within the city, making it crucial to ensure Landon's safety.As these anxieties weighed on him, Landon approached, his demeanor casual. "Mount Dracotigris," he explained, "possesses a sacred ground dedicated to the Decatorian way. Surrounded by dense woods and imbued with potent spiritual energy, it remains largely unexplored by humans due to the presence of various beasts. I believe Sam was there."Aria raised her eyebrows. "There is a place like this in Mount Dracotigris?""Yes. It's just that it was never made public."When Aria turned to Sam, he nodded, confirming his recollection of the place. Suddenly, a memory surfaced, and he swif
Aria, who just came over, was stunned by the scene. Landon's pose reminded her of the man covering his nose with a white handkerchief in a manifestation in Ludwiten, but the person seemed more wicked than Landon. For some reason, Aria felt it wasn't a coincidence they were brought to Ludwiten. In fact, they were led there. Sam shook his head indifferently as he examined the surveillance cameras. When he saw Aria, however, he immediately dropped everything in his hands and fled to her side. He seemed to have a lot of things to say to Aria. He stretched out his hands and kept gesturing. Aria raised his face and squished his cheeks with one hand. She then glanced at his teeth. "Not bad. You didn't simply consume anything."Sam puffed his chest out proudly as if saying he had listened to her words.Relief washed over Aria as she enveloped him in a tight embrace, stroking his hair and grounding herself in his presence.Aria's bond with Sam transcended the ordinary. It was an unbr
In the meantime, an expressionless small figure was moving things in the first-floor corridor. He would occasionally look up at Landon as if asking when he could meet Aria. The officers were bewildered by Sam's presence, completely taken aback by his extraordinary strength. The child seemed unable to speak, communicating only through gestures.The wine barrel beside him was undeniably real, yet he effortlessly lifted it with a single hand. It defied all logic as if the laws of physics no longer applied. Was this some kind of superhuman feat? Was he perhaps a god?Sam ignored the eyes on him. He remembered awakening in a hot spring deep in the woods. It felt comfortable, but he was hungry.Sam stamped his feet on the ground, then leaned over the water to inspect his reflection, meticulously checking his teeth. Only after this self-assessment did he begin to survey his surroundings.There was nobody else other than a bunch of souls. When he backed a step away, the souls would follo