Lin Jiangxian, Po Zhenzi, Old Zheng, Lu Chengwen, and another Elder Council expert no one recognized arrived together at a spacious old house.
The ground-floor hall felt rather eerie.
Outside, it was pitch-dark. Gusts of wind swept past, moonlight cast the trees' shadows against the tall windows, and the rustle of leaves sounded unusually clear.
The interior had old-fashioned decor and plenty of space. The tables, chairs, and stools were all Western European in style, but very worn.
The floor tiles bore outdated patterns. Some had cracked, and there were even grass roots in the gaps, making it clear the place had only been hastily tidied up.
The entire villa smelled of mildew, an odor that made everyone uncomfortable.
Lu Chengwen covered his nose as the group sat around an oval table.
Lin Jiangxian rested with his eyes closed, utterly unruffled; Po Zhenzi sat there looking irritated, one hand resting on the table, his fingers tapping incessantly; Old Zheng was ill at ease, sitting on the sofa with his brow tightly furrowed, anxious and agitated, nervously glancing at the people beside him; the man no one recognized sat with his legs spread, one foot in a combat boot propped on the table, smoking a cheap cigar and filling the room with its smell.
Lu Chengwen covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief and looked toward Ugly Slave and Bu Ersun.
The two sat at the head of the table, looking as though they had everything under control.
Martin Boots lowered his foot and rapped his knuckles on the table. "Hey! Elder Ugly Slave, what exactly did you summon us all here for?! I've got plenty of work, and I'm an undercover operative. I can't show my face in public! Didn't the Dean tell you?"
Ugly Slave smiled faintly. "Please