Aria clenched the newspaper with a dark look. Barron had something he wanted to give her.When she entered the manifestation last time, she had mentioned to Barron she was from the future. Thus, the thing he referred to was most likely in the present world.However, Aria was puzzled why Warren didn't tell her that Barron left something for her. Although Warren had shown her some family heirlooms that included Barron's belongings, none of them were to be specifically handed to her.A thought suddenly popped up in Aria's mind. The Earthbound Manifestation might be related to Barron. Every item in the manifestation was there for a reason. Plus, the entrance of the Earthbound Manifestation was placed near Ian's villa. Ian had been under the ancestral's protection too.When she thought of that, she carefully put the newspaper away. Although the others didn't understand why she cherished a newspaper so much, they didn't dare to ask and continued on their work.Although there was no si
The strangest thing about Grief Peak was that one couldn't hear another's shout from the other end. The mountain only had electricity in 2017, yet some professional adventurers remained fearful of challenging it.Plus, the woods were filled with poisonous snakes, insects, leeches, black bears, and a persistent miasma that wouldn't fade. Thus, despite the numerous stories about Grief Peak, people were kept from going inside.The most famous tale about it was the Everett family's treasures. It was rumored that countless treasures of gold and silver were hidden underground in their house.There were even some weird-looking patterns in their courtyard, which might be the map to start the treasure hunt.However, none of these tales had been verified. The historical records were more credible, and archaeological findings suggested that this area was once home to a multi-ethnic kingdom known as the ancient Grief Kingdom. However, due to the terrain, it had been extremely difficult for a
When Landon entered the spot with the most spiritual energy, the crow perched on a branch and cawed twice.Their calls pierced through the mist and rang through the entire Grief Peak. It was as if telling all the unborn spirits that their true owner was back.The "king" that the evil beings referred to was pacing around anxiously."He's back? Is he really back? Did he say why he's back? Go and send him the wild yarrows in the mountain. Wait. I think he doesn't like yarrows…"The evil being who came to report saw through its king's panic and tried guessing, "Perhaps he just came back to take a look. Chaos is also here. You should know him."Of course, he knew Chaos! The latter almost devoured him back then!"Chaos likes to eat staghorns. Go and send everything we have to him. We can't let him go hungry."Although the king's requests were reasonable, none of the evil beings wanted to be in charge of sending it.A while later, another evil being came to report, "The lord seems to
Aria knew the situation was more complicated than it seemed. If Simon felt uneasy, it surely signified something bad. Although Aria didn't insist on going alone, someone had to send the herbs back.There were many injured soldiers waiting for the antibiotics, and some injuries couldn't afford to be delayed treatment. Plus, Aria couldn't disguise herself with all the herbs she had.After thinking for a moment, she took out her amethyst pendant.The twins immediately appeared. Angie still looked a bit scary despite her soft and respectful tone. "Ms. Carver, do you need our assistance?"After filling them in about the delivery of medicine, Abbie ducked behind Angie timidly. "Ms. Carver, I'm afraid we might not succeed. What if they're afraid of us?"Aria pinched their faces. "Go and find Xander. Tell him you're with me. Don't worry. A soldier like him wouldn't be afraid of you all. Didn't you say only those who did bad things would be afraid of you all?"Abbie clutched the package
Looking at Angie's disheveled spirit, Aria reached out to ruffle her hair. "I'll find him. Go with Abbie to deliver the herbs first."Although this is just an Earthbound Manifestation, everyone here is a heroic spirit. I'm sure you and Abbie want them to not have any regrets. Leave the rest to me. I'll find out who he is and bring him to you all."Angie's soul had been soothed. Although there was still resentment in her, the twins would listen to Aria unconditionally and treat it as the most important task. This was usually how spirit vassals reacted. While other souls might not be willing to be controlled, the twins allowed it as Aria had been taking care of them.If the twins couldn't do something as simple as delivering herbs, they would be useless to Aria. Thus, the twins exchanged glances and nodded obediently. In their true spirit form, they didn't have much strength, so they would often use their resentment to help.Albeit their obedient appearances, the twins were famou
Just as the twins wondered what to do, Xander thought for a moment before asking Benedict, "Where are they? Here?"Benedict suppressed his fear and replied, "A little bit further."Xander stretched his hands forward. Upon coming into contact with Angie, he could see the twins before him. Abbie was particularly looking at him shyly.Paggie once said ghosts didn't exist; only guilt would trick one into believing it. Growing up in the village, he had heard various stories from his household.However, Xander wasn't concerned about any kind of soul. All of them were Farshyans. Xander's sister would be about the same age as them if she were still alive. Since he arrived there, he rarely had any relatives visiting him.However, he would often dream of his sister, but he woke up to the sound of gunfire and bombs."Don't be scared. If you guys are hungry, I'll go and take a look to see if there is any canned food we managed to seize." Xander turned around.Angie didn't touch him, only
"Is this the main point?" Evander didn't understand Ingrid's thoughts.Ingrid said excitedly, "Of course, this is the main point. I want to know who she is in real life. Once she comes back, I'll ask for her number."She's way too capable, you know. Even our lecturer can't be exactly sure about the herbs' proportions. She must be someone renowned in the medical field!" Ingrid admired Aria a lot.However, Astrid was still displeased. "If she's as capable as you say, she wouldn't have kept herself hidden. We've already introduced ourselves when we came here. What about her? She didn't say a word and lectured us the moment she arrived."She's nowhere to be seen now. Plus, do you think she's a good person by how she can order ghosts around?"Astrid didn't dare to say this before Aria, so she could only complain behind her back. "Perhaps she's too scared to show her face in real life. That's why she's acting so high and mighty now that we're living in the past."Well, now that the her
Aria's confidence grew as she ventured deeper into the woods. Everywhere within the manifestation, personal burdens were woven into the fabric of reality, distorting the environment and affecting all who entered. These abnormalities could only be controlled by heroic spirits.A popular saying on the internet warned that anyone wary of encountering ghosts should visit Martyr Cemetery—where evil spirits dared not venture.Heroic spirits had protected civilians during wartime, and they continued their watch even in death. Their power was such that, with a weapon in hand, enemies became nonexistent.Aria eyed the abnormalities, then glanced at Simon. "Can you handle this?"Simon replied flatly, "It doesn't affect me, but you might be vulnerable. Humans have their seven deadly sins. I'm sure you have a weakness. If your dark side surfaces, nobody will leave this manifestation alive."Aria raised her phone, snapping a picture of the terrain and enemy troops. She grinned. "You know, befo
The aged voice was filled with indifference. "It seems like she reached a dead end."Amos sneered. "I don't understand why these peasants like staying in the city. Still, it's fortunate for us. Otherwise, it'd be hard to get our hands on them.""Amos," the person cut in sharply, as if reminding him of his place.Amos only dared to speak so harshly when no one was around. If word got out, his image as the perfect secretary would be ruined.He quickly calmed down and fell silent. The caller didn't press the matter, simply saying, "You need to change the way you speak and act from now on."Since she's already agreed, give her the money. Don't treat her requests as a nuisance. The more requests they make, the less likely they are to cause trouble later."After picking her up tomorrow, send a few men to check if her grandparents need any help. Make sure everything is done properly."Amos nodded. "I understand. You always see the bigger picture. We'll continue looking after them."Poo
"I promise it won't happen again!" To an outsider, it might've sounded like Amos was talking about the cafeteria mishap. But the truth was much darker. What Amos really meant was that incidents like this could continue, just never publicly. Once the media's attention died down, they could go back to doing whatever they pleased. But for now, the performance had to be flawless.The man on the other end of the call seemed satisfied. Though his voice was flat and monotonous, there was a noticeable shift; it was now less stern."She's been manipulating the stock market," he said. "It's caused major damage to several of Luwditen's corporations. We can't let her walk free."Amos removed his glasses, a grim look on his face. "That's exactly what I told the Securities Regulatory Department. It doesn't matter who comes to plead on her behalf. Even if she's the late Mr. Barron's heir, she has to face the law."She's confessed. No one's going to let her off the hook now. You know what jail'
At first, Eden didn't understand what Aria meant. But as night fell, Aria lowered her head and started fumbling with something. When she looked up again, Eden was stunned—Aria looked exactly like her.Eden's eyes widened in disbelief. She'd only seen something like this in movies. But now, it was unfolding right in front of her. So there really was such a flawless disguise technique in the world."Aria, you…""Since I'm using your identity, I have to be you," Aria said with a soft tug of her mask, smiling. She had always been bold, yet precise. Working in the Special Missions Unit meant secrecy was second nature to her—this part was routine."Stay home and rest tonight. I'll leave first thing in the morning. Once I'm gone and the coast is clear, take your grandparents and leave."Eden opened her mouth, unsure of how to respond. She didn't even know when the people watching them would leave."My team will come get you," Aria reassured her. "What's important is that your grandparent
Eden nodded. "Okay. I'll do as you say, Aria."She sent the text just like Aria instructed. Moments later, her teacher replied—everything had been arranged. A car would pick her up from home. There was no need to return to school.A cold shiver ran down Eden's spine. They knew where she lived. They'd been watching all along. Not just the school—they were everywhere.Eden didn't linger at school. Outside the entrance, the main topic of conversation was the officials' arrival for an investigation and the school's public exposure.Everyone knew the cafeteria was a mess. Students had complained countless times, but each time inspectors came, the food improved just long enough to pass the checks. Then it would all revert. It had become the norm—something they were forced to accept.Eden was no different. She just wanted to get home. She needed to see her grandparents. She feared something might happen to them next.Every step on the way home, she stayed alert, scanning her surroundings
Eden listened closely, her brow furrowing. Her teacher wasn't speaking Farshyan. School was no longer a safe place, and Eden didn't know who she could trust. Her classmates were too caught up in mocking Aria to notice anything was wrong, all assuming Eden was lucky to have been chosen.She considered calling the police, picking up her phone, but then paused. What could she even say? That there was a mole at school? Her face turned pale as she remembered how close the principal was to influential people. The authorities might not believe her, or worse, they might be involved.Despite the headlines claiming Aria had been arrested, Eden felt a spark of hope. Aria had promised she'd show up if Eden ever needed her. Taking a deep breath, Eden dialed the number Aria had given her.She didn't expect anyone to answer. But then came a cool, familiar voice. "Eden? What's wrong? Did someone give you trouble again?"Eden's heart soared. "You're not arrested! The news is fake, isn't it? I knew
Lucas gave Amos a sidelong glance. "In that case, let's do as Mr. Lune suggested—punish everyone involved."Announce to the public that Oakvale Academy will be used as a test case. We'll be conducting surprise inspections in all middle and high schools."As for why Mr. Kelsey encountered two completely different scenes during his visits—well, that's easy to explain." Lucas' gaze swept across the room. "Someone tipped off the school before your visit. If any other school received advance notice, every one of you will be under scrutiny."Though Lucas spoke with a smile, none of the seven present—including the three officials—could return it. The smile, in this context, was more chilling than rage. This was a warning. Amos, in particular, felt deeply unsettled. He had come intending to redirect Lucas' attention away from Oakvale Academy. Instead, the incident had blown up. With public attention turning toward the school, transferring Eden would soon become impossible.Still, Amo
Now that Miguel, who was an expert in covering up, was gone, the long-standing issues in the school were exposed.The group stood frozen as they watched a cafeteria worker pour something into a large pot. A closer look revealed it was leftover mushroom soup. But that wasn't the worst of it. The soup reeked, clearly spoiled, yet it was still being reheated for the students.Things only got worse when they entered the kitchen. Hygiene standards were appalling. Not a single chef wore a mask, and some were even smoking while cooking.Amos' expression darkened immediately, even before Lucas could react.One of the chefs noticed them and slammed his ladle onto the counter. "What are you doing in here? Outsiders aren't allowed in the school—don't you know that?"Unlike other schools, Oakvale Academy had somehow always slipped through the cracks during routine inspections. When required to present something, they staged it well enough to fool a camera.So, the staff never expected a surp
Aria understood that this was all the person could offer. The real mastermind would never reveal himself so easily—not even to his most trusted subordinates.Those in power never needed to explain themselves. Those who understood them would earn their favor; those who didn't were destined to remain at the bottom.Her thoughts raced. She needed hard evidence to capture whoever was behind Amos. Baseless accusations would only alert the enemy and push them deeper into hiding.Allowing herself to be arrested had been part of Aria's plan. She needed the mastermind to lower his guard. After all, she had been too visible in Ludwiten lately. With eyes constantly watching her, she couldn't make any real moves. But she couldn't let the incident at Oakvale Academy go unresolved. Her instincts told her it was the key to everything.Before Philip found his family, she had to act—and that meant changing her identity to save Even.Just then, the person's phone buzzed. He turned the screen towa
"Boss!" Weston rushed over the moment he finished dealing with the other officers. Aria arched an eyebrow, flexing her wrists. "He's the mole?""Yes." Weston nodded. The Securities Regulatory Bureau, dispatched by the Securities Regulatory Commission, was tasked with auditing listed companies—particularly sniffing out insider trading and market manipulation.While not everyone in the bureau could be corrupt, it was common for a few to be compromised.The officer who had been interrogating Aria was of a minor rank, but the one Weston had just exposed held real power.Aria looked over at the trembling man. His legs had given out, sending him to the floor. His phone lay discarded beside him as he shook uncontrollably.They had met before—at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. To him, Aria had just been a clever heiress with some market luck, thanks to Landon's influence. No one would have expected her to single-handedly bring down the Draycott family.No one would logically believe