"Are you okay?" Billy asked.
"Thanks for your concern, boss, I'm fine." Night Orchid replied with a smile.
"Good," Billy nodded and then glanced at the man standing next to her, Bob Stokes, and a faint smile crept onto his lips.
Shortly after, Bob leaped off the stage and approached Billy with a composed expression. Onlookers stepped aside, many of them wearing expressions of glee.
"The King of the West dares to be insolent at Central Sky Office, he's in big trouble now!" they thought. They couldn't even wait to see these two face off, wondering who was the stronger martial artist.
"Boss, be careful!" Azure Fang and his companions furrowed their brows slightly and stood in front of Billy. Although they couldn't sense Bob Stokes's martial aura, their instincts told them that he was dangerous.
Night Orchid, who had been staying at Central Sky Office for the past few days, also wore a serious expression. She had some understanding of Bob Stokes's abilities, and he was definitely a formidable opponent, though perhaps slightly inferior to Billy. The difference between them shouldn't be too great.
"You guys are no match for him. Step aside." Billy said to Azure Fang and the others with a faint smile.
"Boss, he..." Azure Fang hesitated.
"Don't worry." Billy waved his hand dismissively.
While they were talking, Bob Stokes had already reached them.
To the astonishment of everyone, Bob Stokes knelt down in front of Billy without any hesitation. Then, with suppressed excitement, he looked at Billy and said earnestly, "Boss, long time no see!"
Chins dropped all around the square, and everyone was collectively stunned.
What on earth was going on here?
The newly arrived figure from Central Sky Office, Bob Stokes, actually knelt before the King of the West. A sense of panic surged through many people. Even Azure Fang and his companions looked at the scene with disbelief. They had followed Billy for years but had never heard of Bob Stokes before.
After a moment of confusion, they thought of that old man. It was probably someone from that old man's side. They didn't know much about the old man, as Billy rarely talked about him. They only knew that the old man played a crucial role in Billy's success and had high hopes for him. But they didn't know much about the other people in the old man's circle.
"You managed to keep this from me too!" Billy laughed and reached out to help Bob Stokes up.
Before coming here today, Billy had no idea that the newcomer from Central Sky Office was Bob Stokes, who had come to the capital without giving him a heads-up. Billy thought Bob Stoles deserved a good scolding. Besides, Billy understood now why Central Sky Office had forcefully intervened in this case-it was because Bob Stokes was here to protect Night Orchid.
"I wanted to surprise you!" Bob Stokes grinned and scratched his head, behaving like a follower.
The members of Central Sky Office were flabbergasted once again. They couldn't believe that this guy was the same aloof and authoritative Bob Stokes.
"Did that old man send you?" Billy asked with another smile.
"Yeah," Bob Stokes nodded vigorously. "He said that recently, there have been more and more disturbances both inside and outside the borders, and he's worried that you're spread too thin. So, he sent me to help you out a bit."
"That old man is considerate," Billy smiled and nodded. He understood the old man's intention-it was to pave the way for him to take control of the capital city. Central Sky Office was one of the core agencies in the capital, and having it under his control would make many things much easier in the future.
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