The guards stood by the door, watching them with an indescribably strange look in their eyes.
When Shadow and Zhou Cheng stepped out of the carriage, the guards' gazes turned wary.
By all rights, they should have been warier of Zhou Cheng, the stranger who had suddenly appeared, but at that moment, more of their wariness was directed at Shadow.
The three entered the Overwatch Council under their scrutiny, yet the guards did not so much as question the unfamiliar Zhou Cheng.
Fan Xian's heart sank.
Shadow said nothing and strode inside. Fan Xian followed behind with Zhou Cheng.
They headed deeper inside, passing through familiar corridors, and soon reached the room where Chen Pingping was.
The door stood open.
Chen Pingping sat in his wheelchair, leisurely nibbling on a piece of fruit, a game piece pinched in his other hand as he studied the board by himself.
Sunlight slanted through the window lattice, casting dappled light and shadow over him. Not a trace of tension showed on his aged face.
Hearing movement behind him, Chen Pingping turned his wheelchair around.
His first glance fell on Fan Xian.
"You're here." He greeted him with a smile.
His second glance fell on Zhou Cheng.
His gaze lingered briefly on Zhou Cheng's attire.
Then he looked at Fan Xian and Shadow and asked in puzzlement, "Who is this?"
Fan Xian could see no sign of tension on Chen Pingping's face, and the stone weighing on his heart lifted a little.
He smiled faintly and strode over to Chen Pingping,
then looked back and said,
"I heard something had happened at the Overwatch Council today, so I specially found myself a new bodyguard!"
He placed particular emphasis on "bodyguard," then stole a glance at Zhou Cheng to see how this lordship would react.