LOGINSam crouched down and squeezed Aria's hands tightly. Burying his face against her clothes, he murmured, "Boss, you have to be okay. Please get better soon so you can take me out for good food again." Landon glanced down at him but didn't say anything. Right now, Aria could use someone whispering in her ear. Less than two minutes later, the roar of an engine came from somewhere down the road. A modified black SUV arrived at the entrance of the grove almost immediately. The tires shrieked against the ground as it braked hard and came to a dead stop in front of them. The driver jumped out immediately and yanked the rear door open. He spoke in a rushed breath. "The car's ready!" Landon didn't waste another second. He scooped Aria up against his chest and slid into the back seat in one fluid motion. He was quick but careful, as though even the slightest jolt might hurt her. Sam scrambled in right behind him and planted himself next to Aria's hand. He locked his fingers around hers
As Nunzio crossed the turbulent Slaining Demon River, every demon and spirit along the way shrank back into their nests. Sensing his millennia-old demonic power and the malice radiating from him, they didn't dare make a sound. Exhaustion mounted with every step. Nunzio felt darkness creeping at the edges of his vision, and his soul root throbbed with sharp, tearing pain. It was an unmistakable sign of the severe injury inflicted by Aria.He clenched his teeth, pressing the tip of his tongue against them. The metallic-sweet taste of blood filled his mouth. Sylas' warning echoed relentlessly in his mind. "If you can't succeed, withdraw immediately. Never linger in battle. Never put yourself in danger. Come to me. I will handle everything else."Only by reaching the place Sylas had specified could he finally lower his defenses and begin healing his fatal internal injuries.Nunzio ran for some time before finally reaching a mist-shrouded mountaintop. A secluded courtyard lay nestl
Nunzio understood what was happening at a glance. He slowly lifted his head, his dark eyes sweeping over Landon before settling on the hand pressed against Sam's shoulder, and finally resting on Aria. A half-smile, half-smirk curved his lips as he studied the scene in amusement."So that's how it is," Nunzio remarked softly. His voice was smooth and pleasant, yet it carried a chill that seeped into one's bones. He raised his hand and curled a finger toward Landon. A subtle wave of inky energy drifted toward him, brushing against his spirit barrier before settling on his shoulder.Landon froze. A ripple flashed through his eyes, and the dark mist surrounding him thickened severalfold. He grunted and took a sharp step back.Aria's chest tightened. Just as she was about to move forward, Nunzio raised his hand to stop her. "There's no rush. I'm not interested in either of you," Nunzio said lazily, glancing at her. When his gaze returned to Landon, a trace of caution flickered in h
The sinister energy that hurt Aria felt completely different from the way Sam experienced it. It flowed over his skin like a gentle stream. Instead of draining his life force, it was effortlessly absorbed into his body. A nearly invisible dark-gold glow surrounded him. Power surged from deep within, neutralizing the devouring force of the Soul-Locking Evil Manifestation and transforming its unholy energy and the spirits' resentments into nourishment for himself.Sam spun in a circle curiously. The decaying leaves beneath his feet crackled as they froze from the unholy energy, yet he felt completely at ease, as if soaking in warm water. He grabbed a strand of thick green-gray mist and sniffed it. His face lit up with delight as he murmured, "This feels so nice. It's way more fun than anywhere I've been before."The more violently the manifestation pulled and the thicker the mist wrapped around him, the more excited Sam became. He skipped through the fog, swatting at strands of u
Aria continued, "The Soul Lock Grove is spotless, as if no one has ever set foot inside the forest. The government has assigned me to take charge."She frowned slightly, her fingers tapping lightly against her arm as a sharp sense of unease crept into her mind. "This isn't an ordinary disappearance. No normal person could vanish without a trace. Even the search dogs refused to go any farther."There's only one explanation. A manifestation has been set there, and there may be evil spirits lurking in the shadows. Those young people weren't lost; they were taken. And they may already be dead."Landon remained calm. "We'll know once we see it for ourselves."Aria nodded. Knowing that seven lines were on the line, she wasted no time. She picked up her phone and called the Special Missions Unit. Her voice was crisp and decisive. "Notify all members to gather at Mount Grayburn's Soul Lock Grove in 10 minutes. Contact the local police and seal off all access routes into the mountains. "P
The mist was bone-chilling, unlike any ordinary fog. The instant it touched the group's skin, it seized their nerves, froze their blood, and locked their limbs in place. "Ah! It's so cold!" Lanzo screamed. He felt all the warmth drain from his blood, his limbs turning stiff and numb. His fingers refused to bend. His headlamp slipped from his hands with a clatter, immediately going dark as it hit the leaf litter. Wera immediately reached out to grab Matteo, who was beside her. But the moment she stretched out her hand, she felt a strange pulling force from deep within the white mist. The grip was so strong that it didn't feel human. It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed her soul and was dragging her deeper into the mist. Wera couldn't resist at all. Her body was lifted off the ground against her will, and the world spun around her. Her companions' figures blurred into distorted shapes. "Wera!" Linden yelled as he lunged toward her. But the moment he stepped into the mist,
Shale's voice turned serious. He said to Aria, "Ms. Carver, if you need our help, we're at your service." Seeing their determination, Aria pulled Shale, Lumen, and Fisk aside. "Things in Portfall have been getting dangerous lately. I need you guys to stake out the harbor for me. Someone's planning
Based on what Delton said, they weren't just riling students up at schools. It could be happening anywhere. Landon's voice was low. "Whatever you want to do, I'm with you." Aria smiled. "I do have an idea. Since they want to stir up chaos, let's find whoever's behind this. We'll cut off the head
Right now, Phoebe's urge to kill Wyatt was gone. All she could think about was why her husband would betray her. They'd loved each other so much. She had been by his side back when they had nothing, and she never once complained. All these years together, they'd never had time for a wedding, but s
Chauncey's words made everyone's eyes fill with doubt. "You're kidding, right? It's not that easy to crash Portfall's stock market." "Are you actually going to waste more time on stocks? When Athara and Krowo tried to crush Farshya's gold market, don't you remember how much money they lost? Fars







