Two black sedans were parked outside the quiet alley's entrance. The window of one car was wide open, revealing the person sitting inside.
The man in black respectfully made a welcoming gesture toward Aurora Sinclair.
Aurora Sinclair looked into the car with curiosity.
Inside sat a man wearing sunglasses. He had a high-bridged nose and thin, sharply defined lips.
When silent, he looked rather serious and faintly exuded an air of authority.
He wore a black suit and tie. His arm was casually draped over the car window, revealing elegant, slender fingers.
Aurora Sinclair suddenly remembered that Warner, who lived across from her, had once dressed the same way, saying he was going to a funeral. A brief flash of sympathy flickered in her eyes.
Through his sunglasses, Alvin Morgan carefully sized up the young girl opposite him. Her skin was fair, her features delicate, and her eyes beautifully shaped, but they held no emotion, making her seem somewhat cold.
Her frame was petite and frail, and she was dressed in an ill-fitting tracksuit. It was impossible to see how she had single-handedly dealt with five Level Three Killers from The Shadow Organization.
After all, killers from The Shadow Organization were wanted in countries all over the world.
They committed every evil imaginable, yet their Combat Power was astonishingly high. Even an ordinary killer could reach the Great Warrior Level.
And in Veridia, someone of that level could serve as the security force for a minor Great Family.
Alvin Morgan asked coolly, "Was it you who saved Dean Morgan?"
Aurora Sinclair thought for a moment, seemingly confused as to who Dean Morgan was.
Alvin Morgan added, "The one behind you who's been stabbed full of holes!"
Aurora Sinclair glanced back at the man who was re-bandaging his wounds, nodded, and her expression remained perfectly calm.
"What do you want as a reward?"
Alvin Morgan withdrew his arm and casually propped up his head, exuding a lazy aura.
Aurora Sinclair watched him for a moment, as if trying to ascertain the truthfulness of his words.
Alvin Morgan chuckled lightly. "You saved him, so naturally, we must repay you."
Aurora Sinclair nodded, a hesitant look in her eyes. She held up her hand, forming the number five with her fingers. "Can you give me money?"
Alvin Morgan paused, then the corners of his mouth lifted into a slight smile.
'I'd held her in higher regard because of her unknown Combat Power, but I didn't expect her to be so commonplace.'
'Oh well, money is the most practical solution!'
"Beta—"
The man who had been standing beside the car pulled a Golden Card from his pocket and offered it to her.
Aurora Sinclair glanced at the card but didn't take it. "Can you give me cash?"
Beta Morgan: ...
'Five million in cash?'
"That's too much cash to gather on such short notice. Just take the card! The PIN is six zeroes."
Aurora Sinclair looked somewhat confused and hesitated before speaking. "Then... would 20 dollars be okay?"
"..."
***
Alvin Morgan and his entourage of men in black silently watched her retreating figure, holding a 100-dollar bill and walking away with a light step.
Although she had remained expressionless the entire time, they could still sense an inexplicable happiness from her departing back.
"Beta... is your brother only worth 20 dollars?"
"..." 'Of course not!'
"Follow her—"
"Yes—"
With the money in hand, Aurora Sinclair first went to a supermarket and paid off her tab for two bottles of liquor.
Then she bought a pair of rubber gloves for dishwashing for her junior sister and a large bag of lollipops for her junior brother.
When she looked up, she spotted Beta Morgan peeking around from a reflection in a supermarket mirror.
Beta Morgan: ...
'I've been spotted!'
He rubbed his nose and walked out from behind a shelf in embarrassment. "Well, what a coincidence. We meet again!"
Aurora Sinclair wasn't one for talking much. She nodded, then suddenly picked up a stack of yellow and white joss paper from a nearby shelf and handed it to him.
Beta Morgan was dumbfounded, blankly accepting the bag of joss paper.
At the checkout, the cashier even said sympathetically, "My condolences, young man."
'What?'
With a look of utter confusion on his face, Beta Morgan clutched the joss paper and quickly chased after her out of the supermarket, but the girl was already gone.
'I actually lost her?'
***
Carrying the lollipops and gloves, Aurora Sinclair ran back as fast as the wind to the house holding the funeral, only to see a black sedan at the entrance.
She glanced at it in confusion, which was then replaced by a look of understanding.
"Senior Sister, where did you go? Your family is here looking for you!" Leigh Miles, who had been waiting at the entrance, beamed with joy upon seeing her and quickly ran out.
"Hm?"
"Oh! It's hard to explain. Come with me—" Leigh Miles grabbed Aurora Sinclair's arm and ran toward the back kitchen.
The two of them passed through an archway and a corridor, entering the courtyard where the back kitchen was located.
In the courtyard was a large stone table with four round stone stools beside it. Her master was sitting on one of the stools, talking with a woman.
The woman's face showed impatience as she glanced at the designer watch on her wrist from time to time.
"Dawn, you're back... Come quickly. The Sinclairs are here to take you back to Kingsford."
Sue Quinn followed Master Aerion's gaze and saw two girls in tracksuits and dirty aprons run in.
She had seen the one in front before. The one behind her looked familiar—that expressionless face undoubtedly belonged to the Second Miss, Aurora Sinclair.
It was just that her attire was truly shocking.
Sue Quinn sneered internally but showed none of it on her face. She stood up and spoke to her with a semblance of respect, "Second Miss, I am Sue Quinn, from the First Madam's side. Do you still remember me?"
Aurora Sinclair's somewhat hazy memories gradually became clearer. She walked over slowly, stood beside Master Aerion, and gave Sue Quinn a friendly nod.
Then, she pulled two bottles of liquor and the remaining few dozen dollars from her apron pocket and placed them on the stone table next to Master Aerion.
As soon as Master Aerion saw the bottles and the money, his face broke into a smile so wide it crinkled. "Good disciple—"
He reached out and patted Aurora Sinclair's head.
Sue Quinn watched all this with a cold eye, sneering inwardly: 'A perfectly fine Miss Sinclair has actually become the disciple of a countryside Daoist. Living on a mountain is one thing, but to run to such an unlucky place to work as a cook for someone?'
'She's completely disgraced The Sinclair Family!'
'I really don't know what the Old Master was thinking back then.'
'Even if it was exile, he shouldn't have just let her run wild like this, right?'
So she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Since the Second Miss is back, you should come back to Kingsford with us!"
Master Aerion stroked the beard on his chin, his expression profound and inscrutable. "Now is not the time! This humble Daoist has just divined by finger-calculation that it is most suitable for Dawn to leave tomorrow!"
Sue Quinn sneered. "How much is one table at this funeral banquet? I'll give you triple!"
Master Aerion coughed twice and immediately changed his tune. "Now is also an auspicious time! Let us depart at once—"
***
The group quickly packed their things and followed Sue Quinn out of the house holding the funeral.
For an auspicious funeral banquet in town, many people were usually hired to help, and everyone worked in shifts. Therefore, the host family didn't give them any trouble when they left, though they did dock half a day's wages.
"Second Miss, please get in the car—" The driver opened the rear door.
Aurora Sinclair looked back at Master Aerion. "Are we going together?"
The driver cut in, "Second Miss, we're going directly to the airport—"
It was obvious he didn't want Master Aerion and the others in the car.
But she quickly took two steps back and shook her head. "I'm going back to the mountain..."
"No—"
Sue Quinn could no longer contain her anger. Haughty and rude, she snapped, "Aurora Sinclair, don't you forget your identity! You are a member of The Sinclair Family of Kingsford. Your every word and action represents the family's honor, you're not some ignorant, crude country bumpkin..."
"Who are you calling a bumpkin? You want a beating?" Leigh Miles was so angry she rolled up her sleeves and was about to charge forward, but Master Aerion blocked her path.
"Leigh—behave yourself!" Master Aerion's expression turned slightly stern as he tapped her on the head.
Leigh Miles pouted, unconvinced. "Master, look at her—"
"Look at what? Your Senior Sister is already far away! If you don't hurry, you won't be able to keep up with her..."
Leigh Miles turned her head and saw that her senior sister had indeed already gotten quite a distance away.
The anger on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a smile. She hoisted Tiger onto her back and chased after her.
Seeing this, the driver was momentarily stunned.
"Matron Quinn, this..."
Sue Quinn's face paled and flushed in turns. She gritted her teeth. "What are you staring at? Go after them!"