The words echoed in the enclosed luxury cabin of the limousine, repeated in Jonah's mind like a death knell.‘Benefactor? Alistair Reid is Isabella Heart’s benefactor?!’The sheer absurdity of it made his head spin. A rogue street healer from the lower districts of Haven, a man he had dismissed as a minor nuisance, was backed by the most powerful and ruthless woman in Riverdale.Every calculated move Jonah had made, every dark alliance he had forged with Master Malachi, every bribed official in the Bureau of Public Security—it hadn't just been monitored. It had been thoroughly permitted to happen, a string of rope Alistair Reid had handed him just so he could hang himself.“No… no, this is a mistake,” Jonah stammered, his fingers clawing desperately at the fine leather of the seat. He tried to force his racing mind to find a legal loophole, a piece of leverage, anything. “Lady Heart, you’ve been deceived! Alistair Reid is a dangerous radical! He’s associated with underground factio

“Did they say anything else?” Alistair asked. Adam pondered before replying. “They spoke about a coming age of darkness and a forgotten city buried underneath Haven.”Alistair’s golden eyes narrowed slightly, a profound stillness settling over his features.“A forgotten city buried underneath Haven,” Alistair repeated, the words tasting heavy and ancient on his tongue.The pieces of the puzzle were finally beginning to connect in his mind.Haven was not just a sprawling, modern metropolis of glass, steel, and high-stakes corporate warfare.It was built upon older bones.The geographical nexus of the city—the way the ley lines converged near the harbor and the northern mountains—suggested a massive spiritual sealing network that had long been dormant.“Master Reid…” Adam braced himself on his elbows, a slight tremor in his voice as he looked up at the young grandmaster. “Malachi... he wasn't speaking like a man who wanted wealth or corporate leverage. When he spoke of that city, his e

“The Beggar's Sect will mobilize immediately!” John proclaimed, his initial hesitation completely replaced by frantic urgency. “I will order every informant, street scout, and hidden practitioner under my jurisdiction to monitor the city’s underground networks, subway lines, and old sewer systems. If there is a breach in the terrestrial crust, we will find it!”“Do not engage them,” Alistair commanded coldly, his voice vibrating with an absolute authority that brooked no argument. “If they are true elders of the demonic path, your scouts will merely become nutrients for their arrays. Simply map their movements and feed the coordinates directly to my secure line. I will handle the extermination personally.”“Understood, Master Reid. May fortune guide your path,” John said solemnly before terminating the encrypted call.Alistair slowly lowered his phone, slipping it back into the pocket of his tailored trousers. He stood motionless for a moment, the golden qi beneath his skin humming l

Meanwhile, over at Connor Group, Sara was watching the news as well. In truth, she had doubted that Alistair was truly responsible for Adam's disappearance, but that didn't mean her shock was any less as she watched the news reporter read out the apology.What had happened in the span of a few hours for such a thing to happen?Instinctively, she picked up her cellphone and dialed Alistair's number.It rang for a while before it finally connected.“What is it?” Alistair asked. “I saw the news. What's going on? One moment you were being accused of kidnapping and now the biggest news houses in the city are apologizing to you. I don't get what's happening.”Alistair leaned back against the headrest of the taxi he had caught, staring out the window as the familiar, bustling streets of Haven rolled past. The line was quiet for a second save for the low hum of the traffic and the faint, tinny sound of the taxi driver's radio, which was—unsurprisingly—broadcasting the same public apology.

“Mister Reid, there are two pieces of news I thought I should inform you about.” Beggar John said. “Go ahead.” Alistair said. “The first concerns the demonic cultivators that snuck into Haven. According to the sect’s investigation, we have reason to believe that they have gone into hiding.” Alistair wasn't surprised by this piece of information as he replied. “It's to be expected. Their last act made quite a bit of waves in the city. They would be fools to keep acting with the way things are at the moment.”“Indeed. However, it doesn't seem like they are gone for good. I believe this act of theirs of hiding is only temporary.”“It is, at least until the reason they are here is gone for good. Don't worry, I'll handle the rest. Just let me know if you find any movements from them.”“Understood. Now for the second piece of news. The spirit painting competition I mentioned to you before is taking place tonight.”“The one where the eternal verdant heart lotus serves as a price?” Alistai