A man and a woman met in a mass grave.
It was like singing by a tombstone, dancing on a coffin.
Such a meeting could never lead to something good.
Merrick tried to recall the position where he and the contact had stood earlier. They had been so far apart that it was impossible to have been seen. For a young woman to climb a tree like that was truly bewildering.
Arabella was scrutinizing Merrick.
He was the man she had seen that day, a fleeting image that had left a lasting impression. If she encountered him again on the street, she might even consider taking him back with her.
But in this moment, in this place, she had developed murderous intent instead.
He resembled to Cyrus too much, the timing too perfect, and the location entirely unsuitable.
Arabella scoffed at the idea of fate; she was naturally suspicious, cunning, and ruthless.
As she constantly schemed against others, she also kept a constant guard against being schemed against herself.
For instance, someone who looked like this might show up, delivering a person right into her hands.
"I'm watching the sky. Do you want to join me up here?" Arabella planned to remain still, using the bait sent to her to lure the mastermind out and eliminate them all at once.
"The tree is dangerous. How did you climb up there?" Merrick also planned to stay still, probing into her background.
"Didn't you climb trees when you were a child?" Arabella's smile radiated from her eyes as she dangled her legs from the branch and extended a hand, inviting him.
Merrick carefully examined the sturdy tree in front of him. Its branches were thick and lush, not particularly difficult to climb, but the key was having the strength and skill to scale it.
However—he examined the woman sitting on the branch. She seemed slender, but her strength was surprisingly remarkable.
"Fine. How could I refuse an invitation from such a beauty?"
Merrick casually tossed his jacket over his shoulder, placed a foot on the tree branch, grabbed hold, and swiftly leapt upwards with agility.
Climbing higher did indeed offer a broader view. Merrick instinctively looked back toward the path he had taken, but all he could see was a dense, endless sea of green, making it impossible to discern anything below.
He relaxed.
Arabella's eyes glinted with murderous intent as she casually swept her gaze in the direction of Merrick's line of sight.
She held her breath and focused, hearing no sounds of gunfire.
An interesting bait with no backup.
Arabella smiled with malicious intent, resting her head on her hand as she asked, "The view here is nice, isn't it?"
Merrick lowered his gaze, observing the devastation around him without revealing his emotions.
"Quiet. A place of death isn't necessarily frightening. A peaceful place of death—what's wrong with the view here?" Arabella added, pressing the question when he didn't respond.
Merrick was moved by her words.
He nodded and smiled, the hidden sharpness within him like a sword sheathed in its scabbard—only when it slightly left the sheath did it reveal a cold, gleaming light.
"Is it because the mundane matters weigh on your mind? That's why you seek a quiet place?"
Arabella shook her head, giving Merrick a meaningful smile. "Because the dead don't reveal the secrets of the living, do they?"
Merrick was suddenly startled. As his eyes met Arabella's, he realized that beneath her constantly smiling and seemingly carefree demeanor, there was a dangerous glint in her eyes that couldn't be hidden.
"May I ask your name, miss?"
Arabella chuckled lightly, teasingly asking, "Are you sure you don't know who I am?"
Merrick was taken aback. After scrutinizing her carefully, he ran through his memory, but still had no recollection of her.
The subtle expression on his face as he racked his brain caught Arabella's eye, only deepening her curiosity.
How had the mastermind trained this bait so perfectly, so seamlessly, and so naturally?
A strong sense of wariness rose in Arabella's heart towards the mastermind behind it all.
The bait was nothing more than a trinket, insignificant and unworthy of mention.
Arabella suppressed the playful intent, reined in the killing intent that had flared between her brows, and effortlessly descended from the tree.
Merrick was taken aback. He hadn't expected the other party to leave just like that, without making any hostile moves.
"Miss, are you leaving already?" Seeing the person already heading for the trees, Merrick couldn't help but ask.
Arabella waved her hand without turning around and left.
Merrick sat on the tree, stunned for a while, and only exhaled deeply after he confirmed the person had gone far.
She truly was a strange and special woman.
But with constant wars and turmoil, the women here are indeed tougher and more indifferent than elsewhere.
Perhaps she was someone wanting to escape the noise, a person with troubled thoughts, hiding here to mourn her sorrows.
Thinking this way, Merrick felt that he might have disturbed her.
After sitting in silence for a moment, Merrick swiftly climbed down from the tree after organizing his thoughts.
He remained highly alert on his way, checking carefully to make sure no one was following. Only after confirming he was not being tailed did he casually purchase some everyday items before heading back.
Arabella watched from a distance as the person entered the villa. She rubbed her nose, rolling her eyes in self-disgust, muttering to herself, "My subordinate?"
The person had been highly cautious the entire way, clearly afraid of being followed.
His skills were decent, and his wariness was high.
But his opponent was Arabella.
For someone considered a skilled fighter in the eyes of ordinary people, they were no match for anyone on the combat ranking list. Let alone Arabella, ranked number one—there was a huge disparity in strength.
Arabella moved silently, her actions and speed in overcoming obstacles swift and precise. Without needing to follow closely, she was able to firmly lock onto the person's movements and track their every step.
But the further the person went, the more familiar the route seemed to Arabella.
After confirming the person entered the villa without incident, Arabella was momentarily stunned.
She had a sharp memory and excellent logical abilities.
In an instant, she deduced the person's identity.
A few days ago, Raven had reported that AE had crossed the line and sent someone to escort the goods.
So the person was the one who had been sent.
Arabella didn't follow him back. On this day, she preferred to stay away from people and find a quiet place to be alone.
Once she confirmed the person's identity, Arabella no longer felt rushed.
As long as the person was in her grasp, they wouldn't escape.
Arabella shook her head, losing the desire to return to the chaotic graveyard.
She decided to choose a secluded little bar, go inside, have a drink, and pass the time.
To her surprise, this place, was so small that she ran into an acquaintance.
Julius was wearing a black clerical robe, holding a scripture, standing at the entrance, attempting to preach to every person entering the bar.
Arabella felt somewhat disappointed. She wasn't in the mood for playful games today.
She turned to leave, but to her surprise, she heard footsteps chasing after her, "Miss—"
Arabella paused for a moment, considering climbing up the nearby building to leave undetected. But then she remembered the disguise she had put on in front of this "rabbit." With no other choice, she reluctantly turned and fixed her gaze on the approaching figure.
"Miss, it's really you. I've been looking for you on the streets for days. I went to your house several times, but you weren't there."
"Did you need something?" With her usual teasing mood gone, a hint of coldness appeared in Arabella's brow, and her smile faded.
Julius kept his head lowered, unaware of what was happening. He merely bit his lip awkwardly, opening his mouth several times but unable to find the words to speak.
Arabella turned to leave. Normally, when pretending, she might entertain this "rabbit" with some innocent play.
But today—whoever crossed her path wouldn't fare well.
Arabella was about to leave, but Julius grew anxious.
He had always been in a passive state, unaware of the person's name. The address he had was clearly just a temporary place, with no sign of anyone residing there permanently.
If she left today, he had no idea when he might have another chance to meet her.
In his panic, he forgot the difference between men and women. Reaching out, he grabbed Arabella's hand.
"Miss, I have something I'd like to give you."
Arabella glanced at her wrist where he held her, then looked up and said, "I'm Arabella."
Julius immediately felt a rush of joy, like golden light shining brightly. After knowing the woman for so long, he had finally learned her name. He couldn't help but smile widely and repeatedly said, "Yes, yes, that's great. Arabella, let me introduce myself again. I'm Julius."
Arabella took note of his happy and natural reaction, but her gaze quickly shifted back to the wrist he was holding. She couldn't quite figure out how Julius had managed to grab her hand just now.
If she hadn't intentionally let him, there was no way anyone could easily get that close to her.
Julius had been quick to catch her hand, his speed almost on par with hers.
Could it have really been by accident?
There were too many coincidences today.
