At the broadcasting headquarters, Landon was still exchanging polite words with Reginald Tarson, the director of the TV station. One couldn't tell who was keeping who company. Reginald was still speaking with a smile, and Landon would nod along occasionally. Despite the smile on his face, he looked like an employer supervising operations at the store, although Reginald was of high status as well."You've recovered a lot. Your grandpa won't have to worry about you the whole day now," Reginald said."Yes, Mr. Tarson." When Landon talked to someone more senior than him, he did so politely. "My fiancée," Landon said with a chuckle, "the young woman onstage. She saved me."The calm, serene smile on Reginald's face showed signs of cracking upon hearing Landon's words. When he wasn't smiling, he became more intimidating than before. "I didn't know your fiancée was so good at what she does.""Yes, she is, Uncle Reginald." Only after confirming that no one was nearby did Landon refer to R
Someone said that the perpetual bad weather was the result of the Dragonlock breaking down. Forged long before the founding of Farshya, those chains had anchored the west of the country. Now, dark clouds roiled above, a shroud of gloom suffocating the sky."Did you hear about what happened behind the TV network's headquarters?" a passerby asked."Yeah. That alley... you always felt like someone was following you whenever it rained, didn't you?""Exactly. One of my colleagues came down with a fever after walking through it. It's been days, and it won't break. He keeps muttering about how he answered the wrong question.""We should leave now. Let's not wait until the afternoon. Something is seriously off.""You think Mr. Tarson would take that route?""Probably not. Even the guys working in the building across from us are taking a longer detour." "Good," the employee thought. It was unlikely anyone would venture into that alley today. But optimism was a fickle thing. Landon str
Landon said nothing. With a subtle shift of his umbrella, he cast a downward glance, cold and menacing.Draco's eyes gleamed with the thrill of a predator as he studied Landon's flawless features. "Do my eyes look like a dragon's to you?"Landon's stare swept over him briefly before turning away as if the majestic lizard were beneath his notice. His voice was frigid. "No."The black fog swirling around Draco thickened, and scales began creeping up his neck. Thunder cracked across the sky as he asked again, his voice sharper, more demanding, "Do my eyes look like a dragon's to you?""No." Landon didn't even deign to look at him this time.The majestic lizard's fury ignited, causing Draco's fingernails to darken to a sickly green-gray, and the black mist slithered menacingly toward Landon's legs as if preparing to consume him. "I'll ask you one last time. Do my—""You talk too much." Landon didn't give the majestic lizard a chance to finish. With a flick of his left wrist, he sen
Landon glanced down at the majestic lizard, raising a brow. "Do I look that stupid to you?"The majestic lizard, trembling on the ground, had no idea why Landon asked such a question. It lay prostrate, barely breathing, fearing even the slightest movement.The crow cawed. Its master was the smartest man in the world, after all, unmatched in both wit and cunning. Evidently, no one could outdo the crow in the art of flattery.Landon said slowly, "Why did the lizard lie to me?"The majestic lizard shuddered, its fear escalating as it saw lightning about to descend upon it. It screamed frantically, "My lord! Please hear me out! I-I was forced out by humans! "If they hadn't dumped toxic waste into the sea, disturbing my peaceful existence, I would've never needed to consume human spiritual forms!"Someone summoned me to harm you—that's why I emerged from the sea! I swear it's the truth!"Landon's gaze grew colder, more distant as if the majestic lizard's words held no meaning to h
Landon cast a sidelong glance at the crow, which understood his unspoken command. It fell silent and reverted to its simpler form, a bird whose only sound was a caw.Tasked with notifying the right people about Landon's disappearance, the crow waited patiently for the heavy rain to relent before it took flight from the shadowy alley.Meanwhile, the bodyguards stationed at the alley's entrance were plagued by worry. Their anxiety deepened when they heard the crow's cawing. Despite the risk of angering Landon, they decided they must investigate. However, as they ventured deeper into the alley, they were struck by an eerie stillness cloaked in fog, with no visible end in sight.Realizing the gravity of the situation, they pressed on, only to find that Landon was nowhere to be seen. Their eyes fell upon a lone Charm Coin resting on the ground, and despair washed over them.…Instead of an extravagant residence, Don called an ordinary neighborhood in Janovin home. However, the neighb
Without saying a word, Aria lifted the earrings from the box and examined them closely. She didn't detect any lingering presence of vengeful spirits attached to them. However, she knew that items from ancient Occidentia could harbor hidden dangers, often tied to customs that could not be officially recorded."Where exactly did you go?" she asked, determined to gather more information about the local environment. "Did anything unusual happen during the excavation?"Don retrieved a map, his finger tracing a circle around a specific area. "There are still some aboriginal residents living there. The excavation itself went smoothly, nothing out of the ordinary on that front."He paused, contemplating his next words. "However, there was one strange occurrence. The local residents seemed particularly fixated on a young lady from our team. They never argued with us, but they followed her around everywhere. At first, they were kind, giving her fruit and food and advising her to avoid getting
Don sighed deeply. "I'm not well-versed in business management, but I've noticed many corporations are shifting toward a new direction. The voices of change are becoming louder. "Mr. Carver Senior faced significant challenges recently, and people of our generation often struggle to keep pace with these changes. We're all still learning along with everyone else. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have realized that my subordinates were mistreating those students. In our industry, it's rare to find individuals committed to their work. Many traditional crafts are fading away because no one is willing to inherit the knowledge and skills."Often, we find ourselves filled with regret when we reflect on past events."Don waved a dismissive hand, attempting to lighten the mood. "I've been rambling. But truly, your words today were impactful! The Carver family will undoubtedly reach new heights in the future!"Aria met his gaze seriously. "If you hold the Carver family in such high regar
As Aria was deep in thought, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, hinting at something ominous in the distance, as if some creature was undergoing a trial. She was just about to focus on it when her phone rang. Leon's voice came through, hurried and anxious. "Aria, are you with Landon?"…Leon still had makeup on as Clary stood beside him. His popularity had skyrocketed lately, and Clary couldn't contain her excitement. Her admiration for Aria was growing by the day. Clary had been planning to get Leon on a live broadcast, but Leon's casual mention of Landon had caught her off guard. She froze. Even if Leon had Aria's support, he shouldn't have addressed his boss so casually.Upon seeing Clary, Leon immediately shifted his gaze and turned in another direction.…Unaware of what was happening on Leon’s side, Aria shut the window. "No, I'm at Mr. Hendricks' place. I believe Landon is with Mr. Tarson right now."Leon's voice dropped to a whisper. "He's not. The York famil