The Starting Point Together / Madam... Isn't That Pretty Good Too?~

When Maria arrived in this city, everyone was just prey...

And the prey... has no right to tell the Hunter who should be killed first!

Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Beginning Together

Maria disliked Rob and his so-called Wolf Pack.

But it must be admitted that Rob's appearance did indeed explain the doubts in Maria's mind.

Why is this city so chaotic yet completely unmanaged?

In reality, it wasn't that it was unmanaged... but rather that there were too many people managing it.

Here, there are no Law; the rules of each family are the law.

The Wolf Pack believed they controlled the actual family, then made them fight each other, and in the process of fighting, there were bound to be various murders... It is for this reason that Maria saw the current chaos in Columbia.

This made Maria very unhappy.

She couldn't understand why any creature would treat something like this as a game...

Peace and tranquility are precious gifts from life; how could anything crave chaos?

They should really go to Yharnam and play with those Hunter, to see what it means to live in perpetual darkness.

He shook his head and sighed.

Maria didn't take it too seriously.

Just as she had just reminded Rob, she didn't like the Wolf Pack's games, but she couldn't be bothered with them.

These guys should have realized this sooner rather than later, and then ended things with some dignity.

If they continue playing until they provoke Maria, then she will step in and help these guys end the game gracefully.

However, Maria's concept of dignity might be different from the people's understanding of dignity.

Lost in thought, Maria continued walking down the street.

Once they reached the city center, the chaos subsided somewhat... Although several families in Columbia were engaged in open and covert struggles, they clearly knew which actions were acceptable and which were not.

In the city center, people still need to maintain a basic appearance.

And it was here that she saw that familiar car parked by the roadside once again...

Although all cars are the same when they leave the factory, some cars are obviously designed to be special.

Although Maria didn't have a photographic memory, she wasn't so quick to forget what the other person looked like.

"That is..."

After examining it closely, Maria was certain that this was the car of the woman who had given her the umbrella not long ago.

Around the car, several thugs stood ramrod straight at the car door, coldly guarding their surroundings.

The ordinary people passing by, upon seeing these men who were clearly not to be trifled with, lowered their heads and carefully avoided them.

Clearly, there's little hope of getting involved with them here.

Maria remained silent for a few moments before turning her head away.

She could see that, besides the thugs guarding the car, there were also several people quietly observing the surroundings in the alleyway next door.

Clearly, some important person is on business in the alley...

Is she over there?

After thinking for a moment, Maria silently began to take a detour...

"Forehead..."

Inside the alley, a man clutched his abdomen, his face pale, and staggered backward.

Before him, the noblewoman whom Maria had seen during the day was silently approaching.

Several thugs were around her... but they weren't acting as guards; they were simply witnesses.

The noblewoman had now changed out of her ornate but cumbersome gown and into a comfortable, form-fitting outfit. She wore brass knuckles on her hands and looked down at the man before her.

"Deli ..."

"You were among the first members of the family to join when they first came to Columbia."

Even now, you are still not a member of the family, but we have never mistreated you.

"I still remember that day in a heavy rain, you knelt down in front of us, crying, seeking shelter for your younger siblings... and we gave them shelter."

"I dare not say how much the family has sacrificed for you, but I can at least say with my head held high that compared to what you have given to the family, the rewards the family has given you are significantly greater."

"What did I do wrong to make you choose to betray us?"

As the lady spoke, she took another step closer to the other person.

Her posture was so relaxed, yet the man dared not make any move to resist.

He had already witnessed the consequences of resisting the other party.

"The Poporo Winery is a crucial step in the family's expansion... I trusted you so much, just as a parent in Columbia trusted me. I entrusted you with signing the most critical contract, which was only for the duration of a performance... But what did you give me in return?"

"You handed over the contract you had already prepared to the Texas Family!"

"I don't understand, just how much did they offer to make you choose to betray your own family..."

The noblewoman approached the man once more, her eyes no longer revealing the gentle kindness of the past, but rather an utterly cold interrogation.

From the moment the man chose to hand over the contract to the Texas Family, he ceased to be a member of the family, but became a traitor, a betrayer!

Regardless of family background, the most serious rule, without exception, is betrayal!

She lifted the man's collar with one hand, her sharp, vertical pupils revealing a hint of murderous intent.

"But none of that matters anymore. Every member of the family needs to pay the price for their actions... Are you ready to pay your price?"

As the lady spoke, she gradually increased the pressure on her arm.

The man's breathing gradually became labored.

Even so, there was no remorse in his eyes, only an insane and vicious resentment.

"You don't understand... you've never... understood."

He spoke with difficulty, his face growing increasingly pale, but a growing madness seeped into his pupils.

At the same time, his chest began to flash intensely.

In an instant, everyone understood what was going on.

This man... this Deli, is an Infected!

He's about to self-destruct!

Almost as if electrocuted, the noblewoman threw it away.

But an explosion was clearly unavoidable.

The surrounding family members rushed forward instantly, trying to protect the noblewoman.

But their speed was clearly insufficient to trigger the explosion.

The man's flesh and blood were instantly purified; within a few meters of the woman, everything was already prepared...

No time to react, no time to resist...

The noblewoman's pupils suddenly contracted, and a complex emotion surfaced on her face.

As he watched himself become the next Infected...

A black figure suddenly landed in front of her.

Good evening~

"My dearest wife..."

The dark figure spoke in a low voice...

Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Madam... isn't it quite nice too?

"Bang--!"

The sound of the explosion instantly reverberated throughout Columbia.

The billowing flames began to surge upwards.

The thugs who heard the commotion practically witnessed their 'head of the gang' being thrown out of the alley before the explosion, landing on top of other brothers who had been thrown out earlier.

They rushed forward immediately to protect him.

"Madam, are you alright?"

One of the thugs tried to help the other person up, his face showing some concern.

But after a moment of stunned silence, the lady avoided the other person's help and stood up on her own.

"I'm fine."

As she spoke, her gaze remained fixed on what was in front of her.

Soon, from the burning alley, the woman in black hunting attire emerged calmly.

She remained exactly as she had been when she first met her: elegant and mysterious, her composure seemingly etched into her very bones, even amidst the chaotic circumstances.

When faced with the bewildered noblewoman, she lowered her tricorn hat, gave a slight bow, and then prepared to leave without uttering a word.

The lady gave me an umbrella... Although the umbrella itself was useless, it was undoubtedly an act of kindness.

And she was naturally happy to reciprocate with a gesture of kindness.

At this point, the two of them were even.

The thugs standing nearby frowned, and wanted to step forward to pull the other person aside and ask what was going on.

But the noblewoman beside them silently stopped them, then turned her head to look at the departing Maria.

"This is really too harsh on a woman."

She patted her skirt, brushed away non-existent dust, and silently gazed at Maria before her.

Maria just kicked her out.

"I'm sorry about what we did, but at that time, it was the best course of action."

Maria stopped and turned to look at the other person.

"Of course I understand... but this dress of mine is very expensive." The lady nodded, but continued.

"A dress like this is impossible to find a second one in Columbia..."

"... Feel sorry."

"No need to apologize, Mysterious Miss. I am still very grateful for your help. However, I think we need to discuss the damage assessment for this dress."

"..."

"I have some evening tea that I've just prepared at home. I wonder if you have time?"

The noblewoman squinted, once again displaying her gentle demeanor, and looked at Maria with a beaming smile.

The skirt she just mentioned was something she made up on the spot.

Her ultimate goal was to invite Maria to talk.

Maria, of course, couldn't possibly miss such a little trick.

She simply turned her head and looked at the other person calmly.

The grey eyes seemed to be trying to see more.

Before the noblewoman could think further, Maria nodded silently.

"It is my honor, madam."

The noblewoman chuckled softly, bypassed the warnings of the surrounding thugs, and quietly approached Maria, taking her arm in hers.