Aria asked the lizard, "Now that you haven't fulfilled his wish, what are you planning to do next?"The lizard appeared confused until Aria reminded it, "You made a pact. Breaking it will have consequences. Just look at your claws."As the lizard glanced down, it noticed the skin on its hand starting to crack. Its eyes widened in horror. "My skin is cracking! That old coot deceived me!"Nearby, Sam scoffed, thinking the lizard was overreacting. Once Aria deemed it useless, he would have a fine meal. There was no need for the lizard to treat its wound. A sprinkle of salt, and it would make for a delightful dish—Sam had become quite the connoisseur in food preparation.The lizard looked at Aria helplessly, "Miss, please help me!"Aria replied calmly, "It's simple. Become my spirit vassal and sign a pact with me. You've seen I'm a billionaire CEO in this world. I'm much more open than the person pulling your strings. He's probably not as wealthy as I am."The majestic lizard began t
Landon had never ridden a Tomahawk before; he usually preferred the comfort of cars. Lifting one eyebrow in curiosity, he swung one leg over the bike and straddled it.Seeing his uncertainty, Aria reached out and placed his hands around her waist. "Hold on tight. I go fast."As Landon inhaled the fragrance of her hair, a smile crept onto his face. The engine roared to life, and Aria leaned forward, her back arching gracefully. Landon tightened his grip around her waist with one hand, breathing in her scent—it was nothing like the overpowering perfumes that usually gave him a headache; she smelled like rain in springtime.Waiting at a red light, Landon's gaze drifted down to Aria's exposed waist. His eyes darkened, and he instinctively tightened his hold on her.Aria turned her head, eyebrows raised in confusion, as if asking him what was wrong through the visor of her helmet.Landon chuckled, his voice low and magnetic as it whispered in her ear, "How do you plan on dealing with
The bodyguards didn't suspect Lily at all. They had investigated her whereabouts and confirmed she had never been to the northwest.The butler also confirmed her words matched the videos the Dark Shadow sent. However, Landon was still missing, and he wasn't in any of the white cars they stopped.Titus didn't fully believe Lily's words, but he knew she could be right. Thus, he needed to be on guard.He paced around his study with his walking cane. Suddenly, he realized something. "If the car accident really happens, the problem isn't on the white car but the truck. Go and investigate the truck driver's identity."It was daytime; if Lily was correct, the truck driver would be key to causing a major accident during daylight hours.As the roadblocks increased, a truck driver named Damon Kirch began to feel anxious. He didn't want anyone to discover that he had been drinking. The road he was traveling was usually deserted, so he couldn't fathom why there were so many roadblocks today
Damon was so angry that his eyes were red. He rolled down his windows to scold Aria, but she beat him to it. "What's that scent on you?"Upon hearing that, Damon seemed nervous. "What do you mean? Do you even know how to ride a bike? Do you know that you're blocking my way?"The commotion quickly gathered attention from the surrounding vehicles, creating a bottleneck of cars waiting for inspection due to the roadblock.A driver rolled down his window and called out to Landon, "Young man, you should get your girlfriend out of here. Don't let her cause a scene. You're lucky there's a roadblock; otherwise, it would be dangerous to act like this on the highway."Landon removed his helmet. "She's not a busybody; she's saving you all." He then looked at the driver. "You should thank her."The driver shook his head in confusion. "He's quite handsome. It's just that he's not in his right mind."A young child was sitting behind the driver. "Daddy, what are you saying? When will we get to
The officer stood in shock after Aria revealed herself as 001, the elusive commander of the Highest Operations Unit who had investigated Nymeria's church. Her identity was highly confidential and known to few. This revelation carried weight, and the officer immediately focused on checking on Damon.It quickly became apparent that Damon wasn't just drunk—he was also transporting private gas. A potential accident involving such volatile materials could be catastrophic. The surrounding drivers started to break out in cold sweats, realizing just how close they had come to disaster."Dad, what happened?" the young boy asked after seeing how terrified his father was."Nothing much. We've met our life savior, that's all," the father replied, realizing how fortunate they were. Their car would have been trailing the truck for some distance. He also remembered a notorious intersection prone to car accidents ahead. Fortunately, the young woman had prevented the truck driver from proceeding.
Silas Braune, the usually composed butler of the York family, hurried inside with his phone, an uncharacteristic look of excitement on his face as he approached Titus. A few CEOs from the York family's business partners were there to fish for information about Landon. Their expressions shifted drastically upon hearing the news. They couldn't believe Landon had been located so quickly, especially given that the abductor's identity was still unknown. Exchanging knowing glances, they shared a common motive—to observe how the York family would handle the situation. If Landon was truly missing, they would have needed to consider adjusting their business terms with the Yorks. Naturally, they didn't dare to confront Titus directly, but they were prepared to pull some strings behind the scenes. This was why they came to York Residence to find out Landon's situation. However, their boldness now seemed ill-advised, and they regretted coming. They wondered if it was too late for them to
Another CEO quickly praised Lily. "Dude, do you know who you're talking to? That's no ordinary young lady. She is the remarkable Ms. Kent, the one who read the Furler family's fortune.""She's Ms. Kent?" Several CEOs looked excited upon hearing this."Honestly, I've always wanted to seek your help. It's just that the Furler family refused to reveal your identity. I'm lucky to have met you today. "My company needs some fortune-telling as well. I'm not like the others; I'm straightforward. I'll offer a million dollars to have my fortune read.""I'll give two million! Ms. Kent, could you prioritize mine? It's urgent."Surrounded by CEOs, Lily remained composed. She enjoyed being the center of attention, but she still remembered the lesson from the previous time.She had been too humble in the past. It didn't matter how exceptional her medical skills were. The sons and daughters from prestigious families hadn't viewed her as an equal. Aria, who had always seemed quiet and inferior
It was the first time Lily had heard that fortune-telling could affect one's destiny. She realized she needed to be cautious and learn more about it. When Titus saw Lily in the spotlight, a mix of emotions stirred within him. He had to admit he'd been somewhat prejudiced against her when she first sought him out. After all, the Southbury incident had indeed happened. The Gunther family, a clan of doctors, showed a callous disregard for human lives. Their practices were deplorable, treating patients with negligence and cruelty. Since Lily was a student of the Gunthers, Titus felt he had to remain guarded, especially given her prior attitude. Besides, if she could truly foresee the Furler family's fate, why hadn't she predicted the fall of the Gunther family?Questions about Lily lingered. Titus had only ordered someone to bring her back to York Residence because he was worried about Landon. Titus had approached the situation like a seasoned detective. The abductors were the mos
Those who witnessed the situation all said that Yonah pampered Philip. On the surface, it seemed like he had truly been "spoiled" by Yonah throughout his life.Yonah never pressured him to be like Kenny. He was free to do whatever he wanted, and his studies didn't matter. But wasn't this just another form of neglect? To Yonah, he was expendable.That was why Philip was so drawn to bars and street racing—anything that offered a thrill. Since Kenny was the exceptional one, he figured Kenny could take charge. He would just play the flashy second-generation heir, hoping Yonah would feel more at ease with him.Why was Philip like this? Because, at times, he still felt warmth from Yonah. But recently, that warmth had completely disappeared. And then, there was the incident he witnessed this time.Certain memories surfaced from the deepest corners of his mind, repeating themselves over and over. He couldn't even tell if they were memories anymore.Every night, he had the same dream. The
Philip looked tortured, his hands clutching his head, his eyes red and swollen.Perhaps it had something to do with his broken family and losing his mother too early. Because of this, Philip placed immense value on his family.Growing up, Kenny was always better than him. Jack had always been proud of Kenny. Only Yonah treated him with unconditional kindness.When he was a child, Yonah often said, "My good grandson, you don't need to be exceptional—just be healthy in the future."Philip vividly remembered a time when he had a high fever. Jack wouldn't even bother to care for him, and the household staff kept their distance. The doctor recommended isolation because the fever was caused by a highly contagious and dangerous bacterial infection.But Yonah stayed with him the entire time, patting his shoulder and telling him stories."My good grandson, don't be afraid. I'm here with you. You'll be fine. You'll get better. Tell me what you want to eat."Philip couldn't believe that su
They only believed others were worth helping if there was something to gain.The last time, the crow and Landon witnessed an elderly man fall. A passing student helped him up, even calling an ambulance, concerned for his well-being.However, when the elderly man's family arrived, they insisted the student stay, demanding to know if the man had fallen because he was bumped into. The student initially believed that everything would be cleared up once the old man regained consciousness.But no one expected that when the man opened his eyes, he nodded and firmly claimed that someone had indeed bumped into him, causing him to fall.As a result, the student not only lost his time but also had to prove that he wasn't responsible for the fall. The complexity of the situation was beyond imagination.They said that heaven was blind, but perhaps it wasn't—maybe heaven's eyes were open, and human actions shaped the world. Eventually, even heaven might grow disappointed.The crow flapped its
"Oh?" Landon's expression remained indifferent, clearly unconvinced by Aria's words.Her credibility with him was low. Back on the mountain, she had claimed she wasn't interested in the sect across from them, yet in the end, she still ended up in his backyard.Landon knew he shouldn't carry that kind of emotion with him, but sometimes, it was inevitable. As his past memories grew clearer, he found himself wanting her to look at him—and only him.A man like Landon was like lava flowing from a mountain—calm on the surface, but beneath, a constant simmer. His deep eyes, impeccably tailored suit, and red rosary bracelet on his wrist drew attention, projecting a cold, ascetic aura. No one could guess what he was thinking.But the truth was, someone as burdened with karma as he was couldn't escape being affected by those he cared about. Once he became attached, his possessiveness grew stronger than anyone else's.Simon could sense the change in him. Upon meeting Landon for the first t
If Percy were here, his reactions would have been even more exaggerated.Everyone in the family had a protective streak when it came to Aria. Even Stephen, who wasn't keen on seeing her marry so early, believed that a man like Landon was indeed worthy of Aria."Ms. Carver specifically mentioned to me that Mr. York's stomach handles noodles better," Stephen said warmly as he placed a bowl of chicken noodle soup in front of Landon.Aria, mid-bite of her braised pork, froze momentarily upon hearing this.Landon turned his gaze toward her, his voice calm but probing. "You specifically told Mr. Warsaw that?"Aria glanced between Stephen and Landon before nodding. "Of course, I mentioned it." Whether or not it was "specific" was up for interpretation, and she decided to let Stephen manage that narrative.A faint smile tugged at the corners of Landon's lips, and he murmured just loud enough for her to hear, "At least you still have some heart."Stephen chuckled knowingly. He understood
Aria didn't notice the subtle shift in Philip's expression. The influx of information was overwhelming, and she needed a moment to sort through it.Philip being possessed wasn't a surprise to her, but Ashton's behavior left her unsettled and full of questions."Leon, contact Ignatius and let him know you're taking me to visit the Furler family," she instructed.Philip immediately grasped her intent. He lowered his head, appearing calm, yet a shadow of unease lingered as though he was hiding something."Now or tonight?" Leon asked.Aria wanted to go right away but noticed Philip's apprehension. "Tonight is fine," she conceded.Assuming Philip was still shaken, Leon instructed, "Mr. Warsaw, arrange for Philip to get some rest."Stephen entered the room carrying a tray of tea. "Leon, no need to worry. Mr. Wagner's room has already been prepared; it's right next to yours."Turning to Aria, Stephen added, "Ms. Carver, you've been busy all day. Please, have some tea. The kitchen has
Tobias had always said Aria was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy in spiritual cultivation, but Leon's ability to effortlessly channel the power of the Five Emperor Coins was both baffling and unsettling.Although Aria had marked the coin with her imprint to serve as a protective charm for Leon, the outcome had far surpassed her expectations.Because he was her relative, Aria had attempted to deduce more about him based on his facial features, but nothing came to her.As she touched the now-charred coin, the lingering heat revealed the intensity of the force that had been exerted upon it.No one knew what exactly had happened.Aria didn't believe Leon was lying to her. He truly didn't understand these matters and had his own dreams and ambitions. Perhaps it was from his past life unless the Leon in this life had tapped into the power of the Five Emperor Coins.Ever since her experience in the manifestation, Aria had been driven by an urge to uncover more about the Carver family's
Philip added, "Aria had warned me to be careful because of my constitution. That's why I didn't reveal myself. I pretended not to notice anything. If Ignatius hadn't been hogging the bathroom, I wouldn't have had to use the restroom in the Furler residence's family hall."The strange thing was that it wasn't even very late, but there wasn't a single servant in sight at the Furler residence. It was as if they had all been deliberately sent away. I was already uneasy, but after I finished in the restroom and came out, I saw that scene."The memory of that moment was seared into Philip's mind.He had tiptoed back, heart pounding as though it might burst, terrified of being discovered.When he returned, he immediately asked Ignatius if Ashton had been acting strangely lately.Ignatius, still engrossed in his game, barely looked up. "What could be strange about my grandpa? The old man just keeps nagging me to hang out more with the Carvers boys. Do you think I'm cut out for that? Oh, r
At that moment, it felt as though something had seared his hand.Philip's eyes flickered wildly with disbelief as he stared at Leon, the one who had thrown the copper coin."How could this ordinary man—mediocre in both fortune and fate, even marked for a short life—know how to wield the power of the Five Emperor Coins?" he thought.The black mist clouding Philip's gaze retreated swiftly, recoiling in fear. He realized that the Five Emperor Coins would incinerate him beyond recovery if he lingered even a second longer.It had been years since he had endured such agony.This wasn't just any force. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. Not even the Dracotigris Order had delivered a power so unrelenting, so consuming. If he stayed, he wouldn't merely suffer—he would be obliterated.The Carvers weren't as straightforward as they seemed.Even someone he thought he understood, someone as seemingly inconspicuous as Leon, could wield the Five Emperor Coins.Leon, who ap