The three of them walked along the stone-slab streets of the Inner City toward the Branch.
Gas Lamps lit up one by one in the night, stretching the shadows on the stone slabs long and short.
The air was cold. The white mist of their breath flashed beneath the lights before dispersing.
The River of Light still glittered overhead, its pale violet radiance covering more than half the sky as it flowed slowly onward.
Conrad walked at the front, moving quickly.
Hogger and Lu Yuan walked side by side behind him, neither saying a word.
After leaving the Baron's Residence, Hogger had not mentioned that remark again.
Lu Yuan had no intention of explaining anything.
Hogger clearly had no intention of asking, either.
The three maintained a tacit silence as they crossed two streets, turned into Minting Alley, and walked on for a while before finally seeing the outline of the Branch's main building in the distance.
The Branch's gates stood open.
The Night Watcher on duty nodded when he saw them and asked no questions.
But Lu Yuan noticed something.
There were two extra horses beneath the portico.
There were no crests on their saddles, but the quality of the tack was obviously expensive.
The bronze buckles had been polished to a gleaming shine, while the leather bore fine embossed patterns.
They were clearly not Night Watcher mounts.
The three entered the main building together.
They headed upstairs.
Before they even reached the second-floor meeting room, light spilled through the crack beneath its door.
Judging from the brightness, at least six or seven lamps had been lit inside. It was far too bright for the middle of the night.
Faint voices also drifted out.
There were more than one or two people inside.
Lu Yuan exchanged a look with