Hearing this, the Krowonian envoy knew he could not hide anymore. He then moved to signal for help. Aria would not even let him use his poison needle, let alone call for reinforcements. She merely kept his face unbruised for photos as they needed records of these spies. The envoy thought she had dropped her guard since she was using her phone. Just as he nearly completed his signal, Aria struck his Frontal Acupoint. Instantly, the envoy collapsed. The others tried running, but Aria waved her right hand. Having released the southern barrier, she unleashed countless evil beings. They had nowhere to retreat. What was this Farshyan's background? Why was her magic so unorthodox? Why did these evil beings obey her? The Krowonian practitioners' eyes widened, but they could not outpace the surrounding spirits. With each step, spirits dragged them down as if saying, "You like earth-diving, don't you? Come join us underground!" Though both borrowed power, Aria's method differed compl
Back in the Clearwater Alley of Southbury, this young boy named Simon Barnes had been with a group of rough but decent kids. A man named David Simmons had stopped her and tried to teach her a lesson. Back then, Simon had stood silently in the corner. Aria raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Are you the beast of fortune?" She had sensed his uniqueness even then. Simon was found in the same garbage heap as Sam, though Sam was slightly younger. One could not speak, and the other could not walk. Simon recognized Aria. Despite his poor light sensitivity, his intelligence remained striking. When he saw Aria, he simply greeted, "Boss." His voice was incredibly weak. He was drenched in cold sweat, and his white hair was plastered to his fair face. He looked oddly pitiful. Since he had called her boss, Aria could not ignore him. She examined his wounds by first pressing several acupoints. Then she noticed needle marks on his wrists and ankles. One arm even bore beast-binding chains, which
Simon wasn't so much obedient as overly clever. "I'd follow even if you refused, boss." Lately, his pursuers had multiplied. He did not want to trouble David and the others. Raising him and treating his leg was hard enough already. He didn't seek employment at Heartbound Hall for the promise of wealth, though that had been David's initial reason for bringing him there. But after days passed with no word from David, Simon ventured out in search of him.He had planned to trade with Aria, who surprisingly refused his blood. Anxiety showed on his face. Aria glanced at him. "Is something else bothering you?" "Uncle David's missing." Simon felt indebted for the first time. She had saved his life, yet he was here asking another favor. But who else could he turn to? "Dr. Carver, could you help find him?" Simon's eyes shimmered gold. "I'll do anything if you find him." Aria's memory proved remarkable. "Are you talking about David Simmons?" "Yes!" Simon finally showed emotion fitt
On the other hand, the elderly spirits admired Aria's style. Maybe it was because of age or zodiac signs, but other arcane practitioners always hesitated with enemies. Not only that, they would constantly call upon divine powers. The spirits hated it when practitioners summoned powers against them. Right now, they even had to watch these Krowonians who dared disturb their people's peace! They had not bitten them to death only because Aria said turning them in would count as merit. Usually, merit meant nothing to evil spirits. But they could brag about this particular merit in the Netherrealm forever, so it was worth it! Though the evil beings did not show it, Aria sensed their good mood. Wasting no time, she took Simon's hand. "Your proposal works. The one I'm searching for is essentially like you." She placed the glass marbles she had found earlier in his palm. "Sense his location." Clever as ever, Simon did not question her comment and just closed his eyes. They were surrou
"Yes! That's us!" When the Special Mission Unit agents mentioned capturing Krowoian spies, the evil spirits stood proudly at attention, like receiving honors at a ceremony. Now, that was a sight for sore eyes. After years of hunting spirits, the practitioners from Mount Dracotigris had never witnessed anything like this. Most surprisingly, the spirits asked for nothing in return. The agent simply said, "We'll credit you officially." They then dispersed one by one, even clearing the residual vengeful energy before leaving. "Is this... normal?" A junior practitioner named Cilian Shaw asked his senior. Silence fell over the scene. Normal? Hell no. Usually, subduing evil spirits would drain them completely. Earthbound Manifestations were especially nightmarish. They would need every trick in the book just to escape those. Yet now the place was eerily peaceful, as if these spirits were harmless, which was pure nonsense. Take the spirit of that grandmother with a crooked neck, fo
"I remember her..." "Hush! Don't speak her name!" The senior priest cut Cilian off. She was someone even the heavens frowned upon. The fact that she could split the heaven's gate with a sword alone spoke volumes about how unconventional she was. Their admiration for her was genuine. If she appeared, they'd all kneel before her teachings. But her constant association with evil beings led to mixed opinions among the Dracotigris Order. Anyone who studied the ancient arcane texts knew the most common comment about herโnever borrow power from another being so carelessly as it might be tainted. Yet, to this day, the most widely used spirit-summoning techniques came from her lineage. They said when she was around, beasts of fortune frequently appeared on the mountain, all under her command. Homer technically practiced her arcane arts too, which made him part of her lineage. The members of the Special Missions Unit did not understand what the Dracotigris priests were discussing. Thei
Daemon did not stop William. With his ancient arcane mastery, he always had a few spirits at his disposal. "Master, there were too many evil beings at the plaza for us to get to its deepest corner, but the Dracotigris Order was there." The one who reported was someone in a black mist with a single, unsettling bloodshot eye. William hurried away at the mention of Dracotigris. He was worried about their people being exposed. Daemon asked carefully, "Who from Dracotigris?" None of their skilled practitioners had returned, which concerned him. "We couldn't get close. Someone set up a barrier." Daemon immediately thought of that reclusive prodigy whom the Dracotigris Order recently recruited. Had they finally emerged? He stood up. "They were captured. Where's the beast of fortune then?" The spirits exchanged glances. "The beast wasn't with the Dracotigris Order." Daemon frowned. "They wouldn't just let a beast of fortune go." He cared little about Krowo's situation. He just ne
While having interests in their pop culture was not wrong, freedom of expression came with responsibility, especially given Farshyan history. What would the hero think if they came back and saw the young ones dancing while wearing Krowonian fashion? They would have thought they had not accomplished their mission of protecting the country. The spy must have dared to act so brazenly, thinking he could deceive others with his outfit. Aria watched his demeanor shift once his female companion left. She followed quietly, noting the delicate tattoo on his hand. It was trendy enough to avoid suspicion, but she had seen the same mark on all the attackers at the plaza. It would not be too hard to recognize them. "That car is his ride," Simon observed while finishing his pancake. Aria hailed a cab to follow them. The excited driver perked up at the chance for a chase. He expertly kept pace with their target. He boasted proudly, "They can't outrun me." Simon was wearing the amethyst pend
With a loud bang, the woman's warning was abruptly cut off.The HR employee, Natalie Ferguson, entered the lounge with a well-groomed man in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses."Ms. Ferguson," Dave Lloyd said, "this employee's mental health condition makes her unfit to continue working. You may want to consider terminating her employment. I'm concerned she could harm someone."Natalie hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright, Dr. Lloyd. I'll take your professional advice. But go easy on her. She's still one of our own. I don't want our company's reputation to suffer.""Yes, of course," he replied.On cue, two bodyguards rushed in and forcibly escorted the distressed woman out of the lounge.Natalie turned to the group of students with an apologetic smile. "I'm terribly sorry about that. We didn't expect her to come running in like that. She used to work in HR. Ever since something happened in her family, she hasn't been the same."She often says strange things to student
No young woman would be able to resist such a lovely lounge. Soft cushions adorned every chair, and the entire space had the feel of a place where princesses might gather for afternoon tea.The dรฉcor was predominantly pink, and fresh flowers were placed throughout the room, making the food on the table look even more tempting.Anyone with corporate experience would know that most companies didn't offer such a beautiful lounge. At most, it would be plain and practicalโunless it was an entertainment company or something similar.But the students had no such experience. And now, the dream they'd long imagined was unfolding before their eyes. Of course they were enchanted.One student jogged around with an excited look on her face before turning to the others. "This place is just like what I see on TV! When I grow up, I want to work for a company like this.""Me too!" another chimed in.The girls were visibly thrilled, though a bit anxious as well."Can we really eat the food here?"
Bellebrook provided the perfect cover for the company. Even if the Special Missions Unit made a move, the company would be alerted the moment they reached the outskirts.By the time they arrived, there would be no trace of evidenceโnothing suspicious, nothing out of place.Everything about the company appeared legitimate. Besides the students there to complete their applications, it operated like a proper agency offering overseas servicesโhandling travel visas, work permits, and even providing guidance on choosing study-abroad institutions.They even had access to boarding arrangements at some prestigious schools. It was clear someone with real influence backed the company.Aria worked quickly, gathering as much information as she could before her phone was taken. As expected, the HR employee appeared the moment she headed left after finishing her first-round interview."Eden," the HR employee said, "you'll be interviewed in two different languages later. Due to our confidentiality
The HR employee glanced over at Aria and spoke with a hint of cockiness. "Eden, I called your name twice. You should pay more attention next time. You can't act like this during the interview. Otherwise, you might not even complete the application."The cockier she sounded, the more convinced the students became that the scholarship program was legitimate. Their wariness gradually faded.Noticing the students' reactions, Aria walked over to the HR employee.The woman said nothing more. She looked Aria up and down, glanced at the red mark on the paper, then turned and led Aria to the innermost roomโher heels clicking sharply on the floor.Aria knew she was their real target. Others had arrived before her, but they were ignored until she showed up.Inside, the interviewer was a middle-aged man. He gestured for Aria to sit. Without much expression, he asked, "Eden, will you be able to adjust to foreign cuisines? What are your expectations for your future school? What are your plans af
After entering the building, Aria discovered there were at least ten other students around her age. Some had been picked up from rural areas. All of them believed they were there for a language test in Angladian, and many were busy practicing their speaking skills.The leader gestured for his subordinates to push Aria forward. "Off you go. Try your best to nail it on the first shot."Aria walked inside without resistance. She noted that surveillance cameras had been installed in every corner, even at every hallway turn. It was clear all the students were under strict observation.She had to admitโthe company was much more professional-looking than expected. If she hadn't disguised herself as Eden or known in advance that the company was suspicious, she might have believed this was a legitimate organization."Alright. Next student, come with me," called one of the HR staff.Everyone seemed busy. Employees sat at desks buried under piles of documents, each preoccupied with their ow
Those who dedicated their lives to protecting others didn't care about how people viewed them, because a greater purpose drove them.Just as Brent had said, no one would help people like them without expecting compensation. And if anyone did, it could only be the Farshyan soldiers.At that moment, the train to Janovin began to move.โฆMeanwhile, Aria, disguised as Eden, sat quietly in the car with her eyes closed, appearing to be asleep. She didn't react when the man sitting next to her gently tapped her arm. He leaned closer and whispered, "Sir, doesn't she seem different from usual? Do you think she's car sick or something?"The driver frowned, holding up an ID photo and glancing back at her."Maybe she's just used to us now. Probably has everything figured out by this point. Anyway, our job's just to drop her off. What happens after that isn't our concern. Once they pick her up, we'll get our money."Unbeknownst to them, Aria was wide awake, listening to every word and memor
Ordinary people understood the harshness of reality. Brent, having lived in poverty for most of his life, had been looked down on more times than he could count.Poor people like them could die unnoticed at home, and no one would care, let alone offer help without expecting something in return.If something really happened to Eden, Brent doubted he and his wife could do anything to save her. Judy was a prime example. Her father, Alec Lanez, had even given up selling bread just to look for her.Every time Alec went to the school, he was met with the same cold response."It has nothing to do with us. Your daughter ran away and refuses to acknowledge you. So why are you coming here? Peasants like you should know your place. Without us, people like you could only dream of going overseas. How filthy!"Brent had heard the school's representative say those exact words when he accompanied Alec. Both of them could only stand there, humiliated and speechless.Alec's back was sore from how m
Eden immediately opened the windows after hearing that. "Did Ms. Carver send you here? Is she in any danger? I'm really worried about her. Should I call the police? I'd feel horrible if anything happened to her."Weston remained calm and indifferent. "Calling the police will only make them suspicious. My boss is amazing, and there's nothing she can't handle. She has a plan. Right now, my priority is to bring all of you to Heartbound Hall in Janovin so your grandfather can receive treatment."The respect in Weston's voice when he spoke of Aria was unmistakable."Pack up your things and come with me," Weston ordered.Their team had already checked the surroundings and ensured nothing would go wrong. Anyone watching would think Eden's grandparents were simply collecting bottles and preparing lunch as usual, not leaving the house until the afternoon.Without wasting time, Weston picked up the elderly couple's luggage. His most important task now was to get Eden and her grandparents to
"We followed the address, so this must be the place. Sir, isn't that the girl?" It was the same group of people as before. After failing their last mission because of Aria, they were being extra cautious this time."We can't afford any more mistakes. Treat her kindly so that she won't suspect anything.""Yes, sir."When they saw a young woman in a school uniform appear right on time, they were convinced she was the right person. After all, Aria looked exactly like Eden.They rolled down the car window and waved. "Ms. Bohmer, over here."Aria looked up and recognized several familiar faces. She grabbed her bag and walked toward the car."Ms. Bohmer, we meet again," The driver greeted Aria warmly. "Let's go."The team had prepared for a difficult encounter. They'd even been authorized to use force if necessary, as long as they avoided surveillance cameras. But to their surprise, Aria simply opened the car door and got in without resistance.Aria glanced at their puzzled expression