Only the fallen torches in the passage were still burning, their flames dancing and casting mottled light and shadow on the ground.
Chen Pingping took a deep breath, turned around, and said to Fan Xian:
"Shadow testing you just now wasn't my idea."
At this life-and-death juncture, his first concern was still to explain himself to Fan Xian.
Fan Xian froze for a moment, not yet grasping what he meant.
"What test? Was everything outside fake?"
"It was all real." Chen Pingping looked at him with a gentle gaze. "Those people really do want to kill me. Those experts are real, too."
He paused.
"It's just that Shadow is an Upper Ninth Rank expert. Shadow alone is worth a thousand cavalrymen."
Hearing this, Fan Xian was momentarily speechless.
This was the first time he had personally experienced the weight of the Upper Ninth Rank.
Facing hundreds of experts, a single Upper Ninth Rank fighter had simply slaughtered his way out.
Those experts who sounded so troublesome to Fan Xian could leave nothing but a brief, anguished cry outside.
If the Upper Ninth Rank was already like this...
Then how terrifyingly efficient would those legendary Grandmasters who transcended the mortal world be at killing?
He could not help turning his gaze toward Zhou Cheng.
Zhou Cheng said, "What are you looking at?"
"N-nothing!" Fan Xian hastily shook his head.
Chen Pingping turned the wheels of his wheelchair with both hands to face Zhou Cheng.
He placed his hands on the armrests and looked straight into the eyes beneath the mask.
"Shadow isn't here." His voice was calm. "If you wish to strike, now is your best opportunity."
Fan Xian hurriedly turned toward Chen Pingping and opened his mouth, wanting to explain.
But Zhou Cheng had already spoken.
He lowered his head