Keeping her head bowed and her hands tucked deep inside the pockets of the oversized sweater, she moved briskly up the stone steps and through the revolving glass doors into the bank's grand marble lobby.She felt like a ghost haunting her own life, avoiding eye contact with the security guards and patrons alike.Spotting an open teller window toward the private accounts section, she hurried over.The accountant behind the desk, a middle-aged woman with sharp glasses, looked up. "Welcome to Central Commerce. How may I assist you today?"Cassandra reached into her pocket, pulling out her high-tier platinum black card along with her government ID, sliding them across the marble counter. "I need to make a maximum emergency cash withdrawal from my primary vault account, please."The accountant swiped the card and typed in the account number.A moment later, the woman's brow furrowed.She tapped a few more keys, her expression shifting to one of confusion and subtle distress."I'm sorry, m

"Human trafficking under the guise of glamour," Alistair murmured, his voice dropping into a register of terrifying, calm absolute authority. "A foul sickness hiding behind a polished mirror.""I barely managed to escape that night," Cassandra continued, her voice trembling slightly as she relived the memory, though the steady presence of Alistair kept her grounded. "While trying to find a way out of the compound, I stumbled into one of their private administrative offices. I found a physical, encrypted ledger detailing their clients, their distribution routes, and every high-ranking official protecting their operations."She looked out the window as the coastal breeze began to sweep through the city, the tall yachts of the Haven Marina appearing in the distance beneath the twilight sky."That's why they froze my accounts, why they hired mercenaries, and why they crashed my car," Cassandra said, turning her head back to face him, her jaw set with newfound grit. "They aren't just tryin

With a final bow to Alistair, Isabella escorted Cassandra out of the living room, leading her toward a tinted, unregistered luxury SUV parked out of sight near the side entrance.Once the double doors closed, leaving only Alistair and Adam in the quiet room, Adam stepped forward, his expression turning grave."Master Reid," Adam spoke in a lowered tone. "If high-ranking politicians in Haven are truly involved in this ring, tomorrow night won't just be about reclaiming a ledger. It could spark a confrontation with the major factions in the state."Alistair walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out at the glittering lights of Haven under the night sky.His golden eyes flickered with an ancient, terrifying radiance."Let them come, Adam," Alistair murmured into the quiet room. "Whether it is a corrupt scion in Haven or a power broker... anyone who feeds on the innocent will find out that their authority means nothing in my presence.”“I'll head back now to make the necessar

Unlike Elder Zhao and the other two elders who acted subservient to the righteous sect delegation, Master Xie had no reason to do so. Only those that were part of a sect would have to bow. But as a wandering cultivator, he had no such obligation. In the first place, he genuinely looked down on the sects of the righteous path. He believed that they had begun to stray from the path of righteousness, causing more members of these top sects to be consumed by arrogance. Only a Sage like Alistair Reid was worthy of his respect. The only reason he was here was because Alistair had told him to watch over things once the representatives of the righteous sects arrived in Haven, to ensure that nothing went wrong. Long Tian’s eyes narrowed into sharp, hostile slits, the temperature in the private lounge dropping as a suffocating aura of spiritual pressure erupted from his body. Behind him, the twenty-three disciples from the other five sects shifted into aggressive stances, thei

Long Tian stared down at his twitching hand in sheer disbelief before glaring at Master Xie, his eyes burning with intense humiliation and rage. "You old dog! You dare strike an envoy of the six sects for the sake of a common mortal?!""Brother Long, let me cut him down!" the female disciple from the Ice Queen Palace hissed, pulling a translucent, frost-covered thin-sword from her scabbard."Stop! All of you, stop!" Elder Zhao finally yelled, practically throwing himself between the two sides.Sweat dripped down his brow as he bowed frantically to Long Tian, his hands trembling. "Young Master Long, please! I beg of you, do not act recklessly here! That young lady is Miss Elizabeth Bolton—and more importantly, she is an acquaintance of the noble Senior who single-handedly suppressed the demonic threat in Haven!"The declaration hung in the air like a falling anvil.Long Tian’s eyes narrowed slightly, though his pride prevented him from showing any sign of retreat.He thought Elder Zhao