Having steadied my mind, I carefully rose to my feet. Gazing around the cave in the light filtering through the vines above, I saw that one side of the cave was naturally formed, while the other appeared to have been manually expanded. Looking at the moss on the walls, it seemed no one had been here for a long time. I remembered I had a flashlight in my space. With a mere thought, it appeared in my hand.
This cave would have been nearly impossible to find if I hadn’t fallen in by chance. Not only were there vines concealing it from above, but no one would believe a cave opening, especially a vertical one, could exist on the edge of a cliff. Who would believe it if I told them? Thinking about it, I was lucky to have survived. If the vines hadn’t cushioned my fall, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Following the flashlight beam, I saw a passage ahead. Should I explore the cave further or go after those people above? I debated. They seemed to be searching for something. It couldn’t be *that* coincidental, could it? A guess suddenly formed in my mind. My heart began to race, and a hint of excitement tingled within me.
Without hesitation, I walked down the passage, but the deeper I went, the heavier my heart felt. It was clear at a glance that this was not a good place. After walking for more than a hundred meters, I came across several rooms sectioned off by iron bars, much like a prison. The space opened up further as I continued, and more rooms appeared. Some were empty, while others held one or more skeletons, either lying down or leaning against the walls. The more I saw, the more enraged and horrified I became. If I hadn’t experienced the Ancient Feudal Dynasty and hadn’t had blood on my own hands, this sight might have frightened me to death.
Moving on, the area became slightly more spacious. The few rooms ahead were ransacked, clearly the handiwork of those people as they evacuated. I didn’t go in, merely peering from the doorway before turning and continuing toward the back. The room immediately adjacent was locked, and the door seemed very sturdy; whatever was inside was completely out of sight. One didn’t need to think hard to guess that this place contained either top-secret documents, hazardous materials, or valuable assets. I didn’t try to open it myself. After all, I had already decided when I first prepared to explore this place that I would report it after leaving.
There was another long passage ahead, and I continued deeper. This area was similar to the previous rooms, but the conditions seemed slightly better; there were beds and bedding. As I continued toward the back, I noted with relief that these rooms were devoid of skeletons.
The passage eventually turned. However, this section was clearly excavated later. After walking about ten-odd meters down this new passage, it split into left and right branches.
I went to the right first. There were three artificially excavated rooms here. The outermost one was larger and contained simple tables and stools, likely a dining area. The middle room was a storeroom, still stocked with items like rice and flour. The innermost room was a kitchen. Light filtered in from an opening at the top of this room, probably an air vent carved out for ventilation. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel•fire.net
After inspecting this area, I exited and headed down the left passage. Three rooms had also been carved out on this side. The first two were tidy. Much like the rooms on the right, these also lacked doors and stood wide open. Only the last room on the left, the one furthest in, was fitted with a barred gate. It wasn’t locked; the padlock merely hung on it, and the gate itself was ajar. Inside were numerous boxes. Several were open, their contents—jewelry and gems—scattered across the floor. They must have been in a hurry to escape, leaving everything in such a mess.