Chapter 58: Venomous Scorpion Serafina

The next morning.

The Rosenberg Mansion.

"Mr. Ashford, someone delivered a gift box specifically for you."

The butler handed Leo an elegant black gift box.

Leo took the box and casually opened it.

Inside were only two items.

An Ace of Spades playing card.

And a photograph.

The photo showed Lily's profile as she sat by the window watching the snow.

The angle was extremely tricky, clearly taken from inside the estate, no more than thirty feet away.

Leo's eyes instantly turned ice-cold.

"Leo? What's wrong?"

Chloe had just come downstairs. Seeing Leo's expression, she immediately walked over.

When she saw Lily in the photograph, her face instantly went pale.

"This... this was taken inside the estate..."

Chloe trembled all over, her voice shaking, "They... they've already gotten inside?"

"Don't be afraid."

Leo put away the photograph and pulled Chloe into his arms, comforting her softly, "I'm here. No one can hurt you."

But the killing intent in his eyes was almost tangible.

Nightfall.

They dared to threaten his people.

Ten minutes later.

"Olivia!"

Leo called out sharply.

"Here!"

Olivia emerged from the shadows and saluted.

"Did you catch the person who delivered the box?"

"Already caught."

Olivia said in a serious tone, "But it was just a courier who was paid to do a job. We followed the trail, but they used cash. Haven't found anyone yet."

"Keep looking."

Leo handed her the photograph, "Strengthen security at the estate, especially around Lily. Any strangers - shoot to kill."

"Yes!"

Leo released Chloe and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the snowy scene outside.

"Leo..."

Chloe looked at him worriedly, "What are you going to do?"

"Tonight, I'm going to see an old friend."

Leo's lips curved into an icy smile, "Since Nightfall wants to play, I'll play with them to the end."

That evening.

Lower Manhattan is a newly opened underground fight club.

This was a gray area of New York's underworld.

By day, it was an ordinary warehouse, but at night, it transformed into a gladiatorial arena for desperados.

Blood, violence, money.

These made up everything about this place.

Leo walked into the fight club with his hands in his coat pockets, a cigar in his mouth.

Under the dim lights, two shirtless men were fighting brutally in the cage ring.

Fists pounding flesh, blood splattering everywhere.

The surrounding crowd was screaming wildly, waving cash to place bets.

Leo glanced at the ring and walked straight through the crowd toward the VIP boxes deep inside the club.

"Stop right there!"

Two burly guards blocked his path, "VIP area, you can't enter without an invitation..."

Before they could finish.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two dull thuds.

Before the two guards could react, Leo knocked them both out with one punch each.

Leo continued forward without looking back.

The door to the box was pushed open. Inside was a luxuriously decorated lounge with leather sofas, crystal chandeliers, expensive Persian rugs... forming a stark contrast to the bloody fight club outside.

On the sofa, a woman was lounging lazily.

She wore tight black leather that showed off her explosive figure.

Wine-red curls cascaded loosely over her shoulders, and her delicate features had an alluring, seductive quality in the dim light.

Most striking were her long, upturned eyes with slightly hooked corners, dangerous like a feline predator.

The woman licked her red lips, excitement flashing in her eyes, "Reaper, long time no see. Still so rude that you don't even knock. What brings you to my little place?"

"Venomous Scorpion, your 'little place' is harder to get into than the Pentagon's own intel center."

Leo closed the door and sat on the sofa across from her, lighting a cigar, "You're living pretty well these days."

The woman's codename was "Venomous Scorpion." He only knew she called herself Serafina.

What her last name was, where she came from - Leo knew nothing.

She was one of the top intelligence brokers in the underworld, and also the owner of this fight club.

Rumor had it she had unclear connections with several ancient European royal families.

So her intelligence was much more reliable than Victoria's, but Leo still preferred dealing with women like Victoria.

He didn't like dealing with people of unknown origin like Serafina, unless absolutely necessary.

"Can't help it."

Serafina stood up and walked to the bar in her high heels, pouring herself a glass of whiskey, "Not like some people who are always dancing on a knife's edge. I heard you've been making some pretty big moves in New York lately?"

"Can't compare to you."

Leo exhaled a puff of smoke, "Running an underground fight club, doing arms deals, selling intelligence on the side. You've really diversified your business."

"You found out."

Serafina turned around, leaning against the bar edge, gently swirling her glass, "So tonight you came to me to buy weapons? Or..."

She paused, a meaningful look flashing in her eyes.

"Want to get something from me?"

"Depends."

Leo said flatly, "Depends on whether you have what I need."

Serafina laughed, her body shaking, "Reaper, since when did you become so cryptic? The old you never beat around the bush."

She walked up to Leo and leaned down, hands on the sofa armrests.

Her red lips almost touching his ear.

"Cut the crap. Same old rules - beat me, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Then Serafina turned and took a pair of red boxing gloves from the weapon rack behind her, tossing them to Leo.

Leo didn't speak. He just took off his coat, unbuttoned his shirt cuffs, revealing his muscular forearms.

He caught the gloves and put them on, his lips curving into a playful smile.

"After the fight, we'll talk."

"You sure?"

"What? Reaper, afraid of losing to a woman?"

Serafina smiled provocatively, "Or... are you getting old?"

"Let's find out."

The two left the box and came to the club's private ring.

This was an independent cage ring, specifically for VIP clients to have private matches.

No audience around, only dim yellow lights.

Leo took off his coat, revealing the tight black shirt underneath.

He flexed his wrists and put on the gloves.

Venomous Scorpion's eyes flashed with excitement as she took a fighting stance.

Though she was a woman, her skills were exceptional.

"Come on, let me see if Reaper's skills have gotten rusty."

Serafina launched her attack, her figure flashing ghost-like to Leo's side, a whip kick viciously sweeping toward his ribs.

Leo raised his hand to block.

"Bang!"

The glove collided with her shin, making a dull sound.

"Nice strength."

Serafina's lips curved into a smile. She used the momentum to retreat, then immediately followed with a rapid series of attacks.

Fists and feet came down like a relentless downpour.

But Leo handled them with ease, deflecting all attacks effortlessly.

"My turn."

Leo suddenly counterattacked, a straight punch aimed at Venomous Scorpion's face.

Serafina's pupils contracted as she barely dodged to the side.

The punch grazed her cheek, breaking a few strands of her hair.

"So fast!" Serafina was shocked.

She didn't pause, immediately launching a counterattack.

The two fought intensely inside the cage.

Fists pounding flesh as they drove each other back step by step.

Ten minutes later.

Serafina was panting, her forehead covered in sweat.

Leo's breathing hadn't even changed.

"Give up," Leo said flatly.

"Tch..."

Serafina gritted her teeth and suddenly launched a final attack.

She leaped up, her knee driving hard toward Leo's chest.

Leo shifted, dodging the attack, and grabbed her wrist in one smooth motion, pulling hard.

Serafina lost her balance and fell into Leo's arms.

"You lose."

Leo let go.

Serafina sat on the ground, panting as she looked up at Leo, her eyes full of frustration.

"Still can't beat you..."

She smiled bitterly and took off her gloves, "Alright, talk. What do you want?"

Leo walked to the edge of the cage and picked up his coat, draped there, casually throwing it over his shoulders.

"Intel on Nightfall."

He turned to look at Venomous Scorpion, still sitting on the ground.

"The location of their European headquarters, and detailed information on Mourner."

Serafina froze for a moment, then laughed.

A very seductive laugh.

"Reaper, you've gotten yourself into big trouble."

She stood up and grabbed a towel to wipe her sweat. "Intel on Nightfall doesn't come cheap."

"Name your price," Leo said flatly.

"I don't need money."

Venomous Scorpion walked up to Leo and ran her finger lightly across his shirt.

"Come with me. The intelligence is in my room. As for payment..."

She licked her red lips, heat flashing in her eyes.

"Tonight, you stay with me."