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 her—never 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
Poeta had not heard from Fergus in ages. If not for his assistant's occasional flower deliveries, she would have worried he had grown suspicious of her. "Yes, that's right, he said he'd bring me to see you." She spoke with relief, "I wanted to let you know so you could prepare." "Why would he suddenly bring you here?" Ian's voice deepened, showing his years of experience in scheming against others. "Did you mention me to him?" Poeta hesitated. "He kept asking about my life abroad. I told him I happened to meet you, and you recognized me. You knew he had feelings for me, so you helped me..." Ian's expression turned vicious. "Who told you to say that?" He gripped his sandalwood beads. What an incompetent fool. How could his "genius" grand-nephew ever fall for her? He took a deep breath. "How did he react?" "He was grateful to you," Poeta replied, her impression of Fergus still stuck in their younger days when he had never doubted her. "He even said he wished his grandfather w
A Chamber of Commerce member advised Orion, "This seems like a major policy. Otherwise it wouldn't take this long." "Right, Mr. Draycott. Don't worry. Apollo is definitely unavailable during a meeting." During meetings, everyone would turn off their phones, and Orion knew that. He was puzzled as to why Tommy would not answer his calls. "Fine. We'll wait!" It was already midday. Everyone waiting here was the boss of their own companies, so sitting hungry here was seriously embarrassing! But thinking about what was about to be theirs made everything feel balanced. They continued reassuring each other that the meeting was still being dragged on. Finally, someone from Apollo's level, Manny Danson, emerged carrying a takeout container. Government offices typically ordered lunch delivery these days. Their faces immediately darkened. "Mr. Danson. Where are you going? Is the meeting over?" Orion was known as a charitable local businessman and a regular in their circles, so Manny
On the other hand, the land Orion bought at a high price wouldn't be developed or used for the next ten years. That was as good as useless! The policy could have landed on any piece of land. Why did it have to be the exact plot Aria wanted? Everything was totally over! Apollo couldn't control himself and tugged at his hair. He pretended to be unwell as he pressed his hand to his forehead. In reality, his mind was racing. A piece of land that had sat untouched for so long was suddenly being announced for development. Was heaven playing a joke on him? Danny finished announcing the news and set down his pen. "We've been incredibly busy lately, and some of our colleagues are inevitably tired. "When people get tired, they're prone to mistakes. So I want to remind everyone not to think they can get away with anything. "Alright, I have another meeting this afternoon. Have an internal meeting to digest this information and implement the development policy as soon as possible. Meeti
The relevant documents lay spread out before everyone. Apollo had just arrived, and his eyes immediately locked onto the sealed file. He knew better than anyone what was inside, and his gaze never wavered from the document. Someone beside him noticed his reaction and teased, "What's got you so worked up today, Apollo?" Apollo hesitated for a moment, worried about raising suspicion. He quickly waved his hand. "Oh, I've just been having some stomach issues lately." "You've got to take care of yourself at this age then. Health comes first." Apollo nodded quickly before reaching for the teacup on the table. Drinking water was just another way to mask the look in his eyes. He was well aware that the policy about to be announced was most likely related to the land Orion had secured. Now, he just had to wait for the announcement. Before long, a middle-aged man in a white shirt and black pants walked in. Everyone immediately stood to greet him. "Good morning, Mr. Arterton." Dan
The groom, Dirk Baugher, did not stop Leena. He just seemed a bit confused. After paying, they left the gold store. Leena spoke first, "Honey, it'd be amazing if we had just been a little earlier. The price of gold actually jumped 60 dollars per ounce in just a short while. But it's good news. "Don't be mad about me buying extra. I used my own money, and I'm sure gold prices will keep rising!" Dirk reached out and ruffled her hair. "No worries, Leena. Now that we're married, I'll let you handle these decisions for our family. There's no need to use your own money; I've got cash to cover it." The kind of husband who respected his wife like this truly deserved all the happiness. Not many men were this considerate these days, after all. After Dirk and Leena left, some jewelry and gold bars were completely sold out. Shoppers in the mall were stunned by the gold store's situation. About ten women approached the store manager. "You're the manager, right? We'll be back tomorrow; t
"The government meeting will wrap up this morning, and then they'll announce the land requisition," Lily spoke quickly, worried that Orion would find her no longer useful. Orion was a profit-driven businessman. Hearing this, he instantly changed his tone. "I was too hasty earlier. Don't take it personally, Ms. Kent. "Christina, make some extra soup for her. Maybe a good mood will help her remember more details." Lily was sharp. Knowing her predictions held weight, she seized the moment and said, "I've had too much soup. I want to go out, walk around, and clear my head." After some investigation, Orion found out that Lily was vain to her core, loving to shop and show off. Coming from her background, she needed photos to brag on her social media feed. He wasn't opposed to it. For long-term cooperation, Lily was his golden ticket in business. "Go ahead. Whatever you want, put it on the Draycott Group's check." Her face lit up. She had made good money playing stocks, but who wo
Arlo pushed open the door with a grim expression. Seeing his face, Orion furrowed his brow. He quickly hung up the phone and turned to Arlo. Arlo glanced around the room. He made sure the only ones here were people they could trust before speaking up. "Mr. Draycott, we've got a serious problem. The gold stocks aren't dropping." The members of the Chamber of Commerce erupted before Orion could respond. "What? That's impossible." Arlo wiped sweat from his forehead. "It's true. They're holding steady." The group looked ready to explode. "Ms. Kent guaranteed gold would tank. We even coordinated with overseas capital to make sure this would happen. How could the stocks not drop?" "Calm down, Rex." Orion was caught off guard too. His champagne suddenly felt undrinkable. "So there's no movement at all, right? What about the other three stocks?" Arlo mumbled softly, "Same thing. They're exactly where they closed on Friday." "Well, that's normal." One of Orion's bootlickers jump
At the top of the corporate tower, Orion had Arlo keep watch of the time. He wanted Arlo to drop by his office and update them the moment the market started. At half past nine in the morning, the trading floor in Ludwiten buzzed with investors waiting for the market to start. Someone yelled, "We're live! The market's open!" Cassy, who had jumped in on Aria's stock tip, bolted to check on gold. Her friend said, "It's moving! My stocks are doing something!" Cassy looked over at her friend. "What's up? Is the gold taking off?" "Gold? Not even close," the friend replied. Cassy went pale; this was a serious bet. Back on Thursday, she had heard rumors about gold tanking. She had been ready to bail, but seeing people flash cash made her think gold might actually spike. Gold prices were climbing everywhere else. So why was the stock market playing dead here? Worried sick, she contemplated for a bit before calling Aria. "Aria, these gold stocks are just sitting there." Aria's tone
One of the members of the Chamber of Commerce said, "Mr. Draycott, Rex and I came this early just to tag along and see what's happening!" "Hahaha! Don't worry. When it comes to making money, we're all in this together." Orion laughed heartily. In the office, the group was already planning their champagne celebration for the evening. Little did they know, something weird was brewing by eight-thirty that morning across shopping centers citywide. Before stores even opened, lines were already forming. The entrance to Golden Valley Mall—the most famous mall in town—was especially crazy. People were holding boxes and had credit cards stuffed in their pockets. The place was buzzing with excitement.Half an hour later, security guards finally opened the doors. The crowd of shoppers outside was ready to storm in. The guards scratched their heads in confusion; the weekend crowds hadn't been nearly this intense. What was going on? The shoppers charged in with laser focus, heading str
"They want me to pull out my investment, don't they? Not a chance!" Jett said as he slumped on the leather couch, already half-drunk. He tilted sideways, mumbling like he was lost in a memory. "I have a little sister now, and her name is Aria. She wears this cute tiger-themed hat. But Leon wouldn't let me near her, always saying she's his sister and not mine." Aria stood nearby. Her hand froze when she tried to wake him, so she took his card instead. A slight smile crossed her lips as she whispered a promise. "I'll invest for you. After Monday, no one will think of you as just another useless member of the Fitzroy family. "You're Jett Grisham, the eldest grandson of the Grisham family." His steady snoring was the only response. And outside the window, the night sparkled with scattered lights. …Monday arrived in the blink of an eye. The trading floor buzzed with excitement as everyone waited for the market to open. Orion woke up in high spirits. Their plan for the gold mar