With a thud, Pahana fell flat on the ground. He was utterly speechless. Why did Aria suddenly lash out at him?Aria regarded him with a calm yet piercing gaze. "You had a sly look on your face just now. What were you scheming?"Pahana was still far from being fully obedient. Since she had taken him in, it fell upon Aria to teach him the proper order.Pahana blinked, bewildered. This was simply how he looked—Aria couldn't blame him for appearing sly just because of his natural features."I'm merely admiring your skill," he ventured carefully, trying to appease her. "Your mastery of the Decatorian way is impressive." He was referring to how she used Landon's heavenly fortune to sever the binding contract.Aria could sense the subtle disloyalty within Pahana. Cunning was second nature to lizards like him, but with a contract binding them, it was of little concern to her. She glanced down at Pahana, who was sprawled at her feet and spoke coolly, "That's not all I'm good at. I'm also
It was a rare, honorable opportunity. If Pahana's worthless father could witness him now, he'd surely regret abandoning him and his mother.Pahana understood Aria could have chosen not to give him the merits. She could have chosen to continue enslaving him like the other fortune tellers. Yet, she chose to honor her promise, compensating him for his efforts.If all humans kept their promises like Aria, creatures like Pahana wouldn't harbor such deep hatred that they'd want to devour them.Approaching Aria, Pahana was ready to repay her generosity by renewing the blood pact. However, Aria stopped him. She wasn't interested in complicating things further. Who knew where she'd be a century from now? There was no point in binding herself to a lizard—especially when the river was so polluted.Her eyes darkened. "No need. Just stop eating humans and keep an eye on the river. You saw how I handled things. If you don't want to end up as grilled lizard meat, behave.""Ms. Carver, don't worr
Sam had always been by Aria's side during her bouts of self-doubt. That was why she had always prayed that Tobias' ominous prediction would never come true.Before he vanished, Tobias had warned her that if Chaos reemerged, it would wreak havoc across the world. And when that moment arrived, Aria would need to steel herself and eliminate it.But Aria disagreed. To her, Sam was like family. He would happily carry out her every request as long as he was rewarded with a bit of food. How could such an earnest and loyal companion be a threat?Sam was undoubtedly righteous, just somewhat slow to react. How could he possibly bring chaos to the world?Aria could only dismiss the grim rumors as baseless. Either that or Sam had been misled by someone else.Pahana had once told her that Sam had a previous master. He was still young then and couldn't yet distinguish right from wrong. It must have been that previous master who failed to teach him properly.The notion that Sam could be a dange
The old man glanced at William and spoke sharply. "What went wrong with the seal?"William bowed his head, unable to provide a clear answer. "The rumors about the Daley family emerged from nowhere. We tried to suppress the information while investigating the source, but all efforts were futile."Nobody knew who the Daley family had provoked, only knowing the higher-ups were the ones giving orders. Plus, the entire case was executed quickly and privately. It was as if someone was targeting the Daley family. "The case wasn't investigated using normal procedures at all. I can't reach out to the Daley family without risking exposure. I'm afraid someone might recognize me. "If I'm identified, all our hard work over the years will unravel. And now, the matter has already been brought to light online, putting us in a precarious position."They had used a lot of energy and time to ensure their plan was executed perfectly. Their actions had gone unnoticed for the past few years. Howeve
Furrowing his eyebrows, the old man moved his fingers as if counting something. "That's weird, then."It was the same issue as before—he couldn't predict anything about Aria. If she had some ties to Homer, he should at least catch a glimpse of it. At best, she would only be Homer's apprentice. Yet, she remained an enigma beyond his foresight, shielded from even his most refined techniques.If someone was backing her, how did they conceal her from his visions? And why?The recent downfall of the Daley family was equally perplexing. It had been executed so seamlessly that no one even noticed until it was too late. The Daleys had served the country well, earning enough merit to secure the higher-ups' protection. But despite this, they were wiped out overnight.This incident triggered a memory—the old man recalled an organization he had encountered in passing—the Special Missions Unit.The unit was not affiliated with any government, yet it was always a step ahead in hunting down spie
Something had fallen to the ground, and a small shadow began to stir behind the curtains."She's not only hindering you but me as well," came a voice that sounded like that of a little girl. Yet, it carried an unsettling, unnatural tone, more akin to the mechanical chatter of those dolls."How could she return?" Behind the curtain, the shadow's long hair seemed to extend at an unnatural speed, growing longer by the second.The entire mansion was cloaked in an eerie atmosphere. The butler at the door stood trembling, yet William appeared almost euphoric as he bowed low and said reverently, "Morwenna, you've finally regained yourself!"The wooden doll named Morwenna let out a mocking laugh. "Regained myself? Is this what you call recovery?"The shadow behind the curtain trembled, and the lights overhead flickered ominously."We anticipated years ago that she would disrupt everything, that the Carver family's plans would crumble," Morwenna hissed. "And yet, you let her return!"A l
The child's fate was not merely at odds with his own—it actively threatened it. On that fateful day, the old man had been plagued by dreams from a distant past, visions long buried in the sands of time. It became clear that his unnatural existence, suspended between life and death as a half-human, half-ghost, was tethered to the very essence of that unborn child.A shadow crossed his eyes as he clenched his fists. "Perhaps I should have altered my perspective earlier. It's time to take a proper look at that child... the one I couldn't read, no matter how hard I tried."Morwenna's voice, filled with venom, cut through the silence. "The Carvers have always been a thorn in our side. They were a problem then, and they remain one now. We should've eliminated that woman before she could interfere."The old man shot her a sidelong glance. "You need to keep your presence hidden in Farshya. Stop drawing attention by appearing in their churches. I've told you before not to provoke the Farshya
"But he does look familiar." This was the first time Morwenna had such a feeling. It was as if the man from the York family was even more noble than her. Before him, she felt like a nobody. The idea of that provoked Morwenna. She was a deity from Krowo, so who was he to make her feel this way? "I think you should find a chance for me to meet that guy from the York family sometime." Morwenna met the old man's eyes. "The Yorks are the true noble family when it comes to protecting the nation. They've just been focused on commerce for the past century, which made us overlook them. The Yorks might be helpful to us." "I'll look into it." The old man glanced aside. "But why haven't you completed the tasks I assigned?" William stepped forward and said, "Sir, I came to bring good news. We've located the celestial essence you sensed earlier. Rest assured, we'll present it to you soon." "Good." This was the first time the old man showed satisfaction in days. "Before you bring it, inve
Orion slammed his phone onto the table, his fury so intense that it was giving him a headache. "Didn't you say that everything was going smoothly? How did the couple end up getting arrested?"The meeting earlier had already put him on edge. Investors who had previously committed to increasing their funding suddenly claimed they needed more time to decide.Orion couldn't understand it. What other family could possibly compete with the Draycotts? Their discussions had been progressing well—why the sudden hesitation?The reason for his anger was obvious, but what puzzled him more was one investor's cryptic question. "Did you offend someone recently?"Offend someone? If anything, people should be afraid of offending the Draycott family, not the other way around.Of course, there was still the Carver family to consider. Orion had already looked into them.Fergus Carver, the eldest son, was a rising star in Parker Street's investment scene. He was renowned for his unbroken streak of su
The room fell silent as Nova's unrestrained yelling echoed, leaving everyone stunned. Her vicious words about Luna were far more venomous than anyone had expected from a mother.Meanwhile, Aria remained calm the entire time. She even responded to Nova, "She wouldn't have died if she had no dignity. You asked what she was after. Of course, she thought she could give you all the money."You claim to treat all your children equally, yet you gave your son a thousand dollars a month while Luna only got a hundred. Isn't that the difference?"Nova gritted her teeth. "My son eats more. Why can't I give him more pocket money? And yes, Luna did give us money, but we never forced her.""You didn't force her?" Aria's calm tone didn't waver. "Yet you constantly complained about regretting sending her to school. You even said women were better off marrying as soon as possible."Nova was completely baffled by her words.The truth was now painfully clear to everyone. The couple had always favore
The Hansons' theatrics were clearly an attempt to garner pity from the crowd. However, Aria's question quickly brought everyone's thoughts back into focus. "I noticed Mrs. Hanson's phone ringing repeatedly. The calls were from the insurance company," Aria stated plainly. Her extensive experience with similar cases had taught her that when financial interests were involved, people's actions often revealed their true motives."Did Luna take out an accidental death insurance policy?" Aria stepped closer, her voice steady. "Now that she's gone, the insurance company is likely calling to inform you about the compensation. Is that why you're in such a rush to claim her body?"Her words struck a nerve. The Hansons' expressions shifted dramatically, their unease palpable. Nico and Nova exchanged a nervous glance, and their anxiety deepened when they recalled that Aria had been Luna's classmate.Had Luna confided in her? How else would she know about the insurance?The murmurs among the o
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