Wang Xiao, surrounded by a phalanx of guards clad in black uniforms, their automatic rifles at the ready, ascended the villa's grand staircase.
The soldiers, grim-faced and silent, formed a daunting barrier.
Yet, intriguingly, none of them followed him as he was ushered into the bedroom at the top.
The door shut behind him with a decisive click, isolating him from the armed entourage.
His world narrowed to the spacious room, where a lone figure awaited him. The man, stood with a mane of gray hair, eyed Wang Xiao with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
"Why do I feel like I've seen you before?" Li Zhiming murmured, slightly baffled.
Wang Xiao's red, glowing eyes seemed to stir a vague memory in him.
Wang Xiao's frown was brief, a shadow crossing his face.
He chose to remain silent, his mind racing, assessing this new player in the game.