Just as Tiffany was about to laugh, the door flew open with a bang. Jenny's anxious voice called out, "The principal isn't here right now. Any questions will have to wait until she returns— "Ms. Wagar, why are you making such a fuss?" Tiffany stood up irritably. Looking up, she saw someone else besides Jenny at the door. Seeing it was a young woman, she did not bother hiding her arrogance. "Are you looking for my mom? She's not here. People these days have no manners when asking for favors." Tiffany examined her nails with disdain. She assumed this was just another person seeking her mother's influence. Aria studied the middle schooler before her. There was not a clean spot on her soul. She reeked of corruption and darkness that oozed from within. This kind of person was rare. Though the sacrifice did not know it, Pahana had the ability to amplify one's true nature. Someone as fundamentally evil as Tiffany was worse than the undead spirits in some ways. "I'm not here for
"Got it, boss. And so did Ms. Wharton behind me." The call had been connected the whole time. At the other end was Julia Wharton, the principal of Summers International School whom Aria had already arranged to be brought into a police car. She had been called in for questioning unexpectedly. But instead of an interrogation, they had simply placed a phone on speaker. At first, Julia did not understand what they were doing and stayed silent. She knew how to deal with such situations, so she waited for her lawyer as usual. But when she heard them mention her daughter's name, she started to panic. She tried to leave, but they locked the car doors. "A reminder, Ms. Wharton—our Highest Operations Unit answers to no local authority. Your connections mean nothing to us. If you hurt yourself struggling, that's on you." Julia regretted not getting out earlier. "This is entrapment!" Julia screamed toward the phone. "Tiffany, don't talk to her! Tiffany!" She screamed herself hoarse,
Hearing that, Tiffany felt her whole body go cold. "You have no right to take my phone, you—" Tiffany's protest was cut short as Aria pulled out her badge. "Undercover operation. I have every right to do so." That was when Tiffany realized she had been played. The officer was so young and carried herself more like someone from the streets than law enforcement. It was why Tiffany had not been on guard. Aria had provoked her on purpose to show her true colors. Knowing she was in trouble, Tiffany mimicked what she had seen in movies. "I need to contact my parents. I want our family lawyer present." "Go ahead." Aria was unfazed. "But first, you are a primary instigator of school bullying who systematically harassed and tormented Shirley Pollard. As a result, she suffered severe psychological trauma and took her own life. I have the legal authority to question you." When Shirley's name came up, Tiffany felt a moment of fear. But she quickly regained her composure. Everyone at scho
Despite being one of the Four Perils, Sam had his strengths and limitations. His vocabulary was not exactly expansive, so it was hard for him to describe what he found. So, he simply forwarded the chat logs between Radley and Tiffany to his boss. "You slept with that skank, didn't you?" This was Tiffany questioning Radley. He replied with a shrugging emoji, "You're imagining things." "Don't deny it. I saw all of it. The three of you even took pictures of her." Radley seemed annoyed. "Just drop it, Tiffany. Let me take you out for afternoon tea." "She's dirt poor, and you still went for her. Radley, don't forget you're still my boyfriend! Of all people, why Shirley? You know how much I hate her!" Then came Radley's attempt to coax Tiffany, "I was just having fun. She's already damaged goods. You should be happy about that." Aria gripped her phone tightly. Though she had expected things to be dark, seeing it firsthand still made it hard to contain her rage. "Find them all.
Gordon laughed incredulously. "You couldn't stop them? This is a school! It's crucial exam season now! Who's going to take responsibility if this disrupts the students?" "Yes, you're absolutely right, but the investigator..." the principal hesitated. He did not quite know how to describe someone he had not met but whose presence was incredibly intimidating. Gordon scoffed. "No one can conduct investigations like this by completely disregarding the consequences. Let's see who's being so disrespectful of protocol!" Just as he finished speaking, he rounded the corner and saw a man drinking tea outside the classroom. A pear tree below the building was shedding its blossoms onto the ground. When Gordon recognized the man, he froze mid-step. Before he could react, Landon barely lifted his eyelids. His voice was cold yet melodious. "It's been quite a while since I've left school, so I don't really know the school protocols. "Perhaps you could educate me on how to abuse one's posit
Even on the day Shirley jumped, the officer had provided Tiffany with a counselor during the interrogation and treated her mother, Julia, with respect. Today, they seemed to have thrown all the protocols out the window. "I'm going to report you! You're disrupting my classes! You can kiss your badge goodbye!" Pahana's influence was not all bad. Rainy days could affect emotions, and the rainwater contained elements that brought out one's deepest thoughts. That was exactly why Aria had brought Pahana along. Earlier, Tiffany had been sweet-talking the officers with evil intentions. She revealed nothing throughout the questioning and showed no cracks. Unlike now, when her screaming nearly gave Gordon a heart attack! Gordon clutched his chest. He did not need to look at Landon's face to know he was finished. They had not revealed their identities and interrogated Tiffany at school. It was clearly all to prevent any leaks and bait him into coming to rescue her. The moment he arrived
"Shut your mouth!" Gordon nearly died of rage at Tiffany's words. He slapped her again. This time, the force knocked Tiffany to the ground. "Grandpa, why are you afraid of her? Shirley chose to jump, so how is that my fault?" Tiffany screamed, having lost all emotional control. "Who cares if some low-class nobody dies? Everyone's coming after me like I pushed her or something!" Gordon could barely breathe hearing Tiffany's words. Aria's eyes darkened. "Since Mr. Karken wasn't here earlier, I'll repeat myself. I'm handling this case on behalf of the Pollards. As for those conditions Mr. Karken mentioned, the Pollards' demand is simple—a life for a life." "Hahaha! That's hilarious! A life for a life? She killed herself!" Tiffany's eyes turned vicious. "I'm a minor. How exactly do you plan to make me pay for that worthless life, huh?" Aria looked at her, softly clapping her hands. "How fascinating, Ms. Karken knows her law. So it wasn't thoughtless behavior after all. You've c
Tiffany looked like a hollow shell. She was experiencing genuine fear for the first time in her life. She crawled forward and clutched at Aria's clothes. "I'm sorry. I really am! Please give me another chance! I'll never be like that again. I'm begging you! "Don't go after our family. Please let my grandfather go. If you want revenge for Shirley, slap me instead! I'll let you!" Aria ignored her. She turned on her phone to send several videos to Sam. "Post everything online, including what you found. "And since you've hacked their hard drives, email them all individually, especially that group Tiffany was chatting with. Remember to follow regulations and blur faces in the videos." Sam replied quickly, "Got it! They're spilling the truth so fast, it's hardly fun anymore." "Target their parents for maximum impact, and don't release all videos at once. Space them out every few minutes." Aria's instructions were precise. Sam understood. She wanted to frighten them. Just like h
"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
It was obvious how great the view at night would be. The hall had built-in wine racks and various essentials for hosting parties. The view from the hall was truly remarkable. When one looked out, one could see The Bay. Gazing down, one would feel like a king gazing imperiously over the entire bar below.However, the police could only furrow their brows as they couldn't find any clues. Just as they contemplated their next course of action, Aria arrived. "Where is my friend?" Initially, she just wanted to know Landon's actual location. After all, Landon's call didn't go through several times, which surprised her."They're in the corridor downstairs, not here." The investigator was wearing disposable shoe covers while checking the scene. As Aria was going to look for Landon, she suddenly paused. It was only then she noticed the view from where she was. She could see everyone and everything in the bar, especially as the bar stools lit up when someone sat on them. When Aria reca
Orion's primary concern was securing control of the Chamber of Commerce. "You truly understand these poor people the most," he instructed his secretary. "Go and settle this. Handle it flawlessly, or it might jeopardize the Chamber of Commerce's voting."Aria, a potential threat, was disregarded, as were the ethical protocols Orion was undoubtedly familiar with. It seemed that once wealth was acquired, human life became a mere inconvenience. Aria knew the rules. Confronting the names Haisley had mentioned would only alert their enemies. In this critical situation, she desperately needed an ally. As she reviewed her notes, a police officer began, "Ms. Carver, we're uncertain about the actions of your companion. We cautioned him against interfering with the crime scene, but he seemed intent on investigating. And there's a child with him, a surprisingly strong child."Aria smiled at the thought of Sam. "He won't contaminate the crime scene," she assured them. "I believe he's searchin
Aria signaled Adrian to go ahead. However, her gaze revealed nothing. Although Adrian felt he had been played, he didn't have any evidence, so he decided to visit Ronan. The boss dispatched Adrian to instruct Ronan on what he could and couldn't say. Ronan had already made a costly mistake, and another slip-up could easily be exploited by the police. Andrew knew he had to be cautious; these detectives were sharp. As Adrian settled into the visiting room, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The surveillance cameras loomed large in his mind, and he wondered how to extract the necessary information without alerting them. Yet, Ronan seemed nonchalant and showed no signs of worry. Adrian decided to check in with him. "Mr. Belmont, how are you feeling? Did they ask you questions that you don't know the answer to? You may direct it to me and stay silent for the time being. Perhaps you may provide any clues to the police."Adrian carefully crafted his question, pausing s