Chapter 024: Purpose of the Outing

Seraphina drove herself out.

Her destination was the old district of Sea City.

Most residents here were migrant workers looking to make a living; the conditions were naturally not great.

Fortunately, Sea City was a top-tier metropolis, so even in the aging districts, the roads were navigable.

However, a car like the one Seraphina was driving was a rare sight in this neighborhood.

Seraphina hadn't intended to be high-profile, but there was no helping it—none of the Pierce family's cars were "ordinary." The one she had chosen was the most modest one they owned.

It was getting late. Even though the old district had decent infrastructure, it wasn't as bustling as the commercial center.

Once the sun went down, few people were out walking.

Thus, her arrival didn't attract too much attention.

She drove into a narrow alley and stopped in front of a house at the very end.

Stepping out of the car, she walked up and knocked on the door without hesitation.

After three knocks, a woman's voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

To the untrained ear, it sounded normal.

But a careful listener could detect a sliver of alertness in that casual tone.

Seraphina didn't answer and continued knocking.

The sound wasn't loud, and the frequency was steady—one knock at a time.

"Who is it?" The second time, the voice was more guarded.

Nevertheless, footsteps approached the door.

Seraphina knew the person was coming because she could hear them.

The three-meter-high walls and the weathered wooden door weren't exactly soundproof.

The door creaked open, and someone peered out.

It was a woman around thirty years old.

The light was dim, making it hard to see her features clearly.

However, her reaction the moment she saw Seraphina was not lost on the younger woman.

The woman was very tense.

She glanced at the car parked in the alley behind Seraphina, then back at Seraphina herself, her expression strained. "May I ask who you are looking for?"

"Miss Fawn, a pleasure."

The moment the words left Seraphina's mouth, the woman’s eyes widened. "Who are you?!"

She moved to strike, but Seraphina was faster.

In the blink of an eye, she was forward, the dagger pressed against the woman's throat.

The woman didn't dare move. Having spent years living on a knife's edge, she knew exactly how skilled the person before her was, and more importantly, how dangerous that dagger was.

In that split second, the blade hadn't even touched her skin, but because of the sheer speed, the rush of air had caused a thin, warm trickle of blood to bloom on her neck.

If the wind of the blade alone could slice skin, its sharpness was terrifying.

The opponent’s skill was also exceptional.

Truly a master among masters.

For someone like her, who considered herself quite capable, to have no chance to fight back was staggering.

Up close, the woman could see her face.

She was stunning!

And very young.

By her appearance, she looked like a refined, gentle beauty.

There was almost an ethereal, otherworldly quality to her.

First impressions would never suggest this was a dangerous person.

The woman had initially thought it was an acquaintance—or rather, an enemy.

Now that she saw her, she realized she was wrong.

She didn't know this woman.

Of course, it was possible she was a colleague sent on a mission to find them.

Seeing her expression, Seraphina knew what she was thinking. "Miss Fawn, there’s no need to be nervous. I mean no harm."

The woman glanced at the dagger that hadn't moved a fraction. "You have a strange way of showing it."

"A necessary measure. Given your skills, if I hadn't struck first, I’m afraid I wouldn't be standing here right now."

It wasn't a lie.

To someone like Fawn, who had lived by the sword, a life meant very little.

If she hadn't moved before the other could react, even Seraphina wouldn't have been guaranteed a win.

After all, Fawn wasn't the only skilled person behind that door.

"Since you didn't take my wife's life immediately, you must have another purpose. Speak plainly." A man walked out from the courtyard.

As the wooden door opened wider, Seraphina saw his face.

He was staring directly at the dagger at Fawn's throat, his body tense. He was clearly terrified for his wife’s safety.

Yet, despite his fear, he remained rational enough to analyze the situation and get straight to the point instead of acting on impulse.

Seraphina’s estimation of him rose.

It seemed she had found the right people.

Truthfully, she wasn't familiar with them. Even in her past life, she had only heard of them by chance later on.

A family of three, found dead in their home.

Being around Silas Sterling meant she inevitably learned things.

She had heard of the couple's true identities.

She had felt a deep sense of regret over their fate.

It wasn't that she was particularly sympathetic; her own experiences in her past life had hardened her heart into stone.

She regretted their end because they clearly had the means to save themselves, but because they couldn't abandon their loved ones—because they weren't selfish enough to sacrifice family for self-preservation—they had died.

They were people of honor and blood.

Even if many had died by their hands in the first half of their lives.

She hadn't been sure exactly where they lived in her past life, only that they were hiding somewhere in Sea City's old districts.

Since her rebirth, she had been tracking them down.

That was why it had taken her until now to find them.

They weren't ordinary people. Since they had managed to evade their original organization, finding them required significant effort.

"Mr. Eagle is a straightforward man."

Whether it was Fawn or Eagle, these were codenames.

The fact that Seraphina could name them both made them even more wary.

"I’ve come to discuss a business deal with you two."

"If it’s business, please come in and we can sit down and talk." Eagle stepped back, clearing a path for her, but his eyes never left the dagger at his wife’s throat.

A few drops of cold sweat were visible on his forehead.

Seraphina glanced at him.

She felt a flicker of emotion.

But after all she had been through, she wasn't supposed to be someone who was easily moved.

She retracted the dagger.

The movement was swift and clean.

"I had no intention of hurting you, but the blade is sharp. Please forgive me." Seraphina didn't lower her posture, but her words were sincere.

She truly felt a hint of apology.

But she didn't regret bringing such a sharp weapon or using it immediately.

She knew very well that if she weren't skilled enough to restrain them instantly, these two wouldn't have shown her any mercy given that she had identified them and found their lair.

They weren't "kind" people, and they had someone to protect. Her finding them was a massive threat to their life in hiding.

Fawn’s face remained cold. There was no sign of a grudge in her eyes, only lingering caution. Seeing that Seraphina truly seemed to mean no harm—and knowing they weren't certain of a victory against her—she thought of her five-year-old son inside. With that in mind, she had no intention of attacking.

Fawn raised a hand to wipe the blood from her neck, seemingly unfazed by the pain. She didn't even flinch. "Since you know who we are, your move was only logical."

"Being injured was a result of my own lack of skill."

"Please, come inside."