Chapter 287: Secret passage
"You said there is a place no one could reach unless they already know where it is?" Thea asked, crossing her arms as the five of them stood inside what had once been Roxanne’s room, but now served as nothing more than a storage space.
Luke shared her concern.
Not only was this house close to the market and widely known as the former Chief’s residence, but it also had far too many vantage points from which assassins could watch or attack. It was anything but secure.
"Compared to this, we were safer in that rented room," Thea muttered.
As bitter as her words sounded, Luke couldn’t deny they were true.
Yet Roxanne remained calm.
"I wouldn’t have brought you all here and insisted on staying after everything that happened outside if I didn’t have a reason."
With that, she stepped toward an old, unused hearth.
"Luke, would you help me?"
Though puzzled, Luke nodded. He gripped the heavy hearth and effortlessly dragged it aside.
Roxanne knelt where it had stood and began carefully unstitching the thick woven fabric covering the floor.
"What are you doing, Roxanne?" Monica asked curiously, already moving closer to help if needed.
Roxanne smiled.
"Every Chief’s house has an escape route, but its location is only passed down to the eldest child."
As she spoke, she slowly peeled away the thick woven fabric while Luke helped pull it aside.
A cloud of dust rose into the air, making Laila cough.
Once the dust settled, dark wooden planks hidden beneath the fabric came into view.
A faint smile appeared on Roxanne’s face.
"My father trusted me with very little. But in his final moments... he told me where his treasure was hidden."
Thea’s eyes lit up.
"There’s treasure under this?"
Roxanne chuckled softly.
"I used most of it to support my family and donated the rest to the village."
"..."
Thea’s smile vanished.
What a foolish woman.
Ignoring her reaction, Luke turned to Roxanne.
"This leads to a safe house?"
Roxanne nodded.
"Yes. Beneath this is a tunnel leading to an underground shelter. It has enough supplies for four people to survive for quite some time. We’ll still need to bring fresh food and water, but everything else is already there."
Luke couldn’t hide his surprise.
He had read in history books that medieval kings always kept secret escape routes in case their kingdoms fell. Even in modern times, governments built underground bunkers where leaders could take shelter if war or a devastating pandemic broke out.
It seemed the Chiefs of this village had followed the same principle.
So yes, seeing such a well-prepared arrangement here was both surprising and admirable.
Still, Luke remained cautious.
"Before we use it, I need to inspect it from the inside."
"Should I come with you?" Monica offered. "It’ll be easier if someone helps carry things."
Luke gave a thoughtful hum.
"Are you sure? There could be rats, snakes, or all kinds of creatures down there."
Monica flinched for a brief moment, her uneasiness showing plainly.
But she quickly took a deep breath and steadied herself.
"I... I’ll be fine. Besides, you’ll need someone to hold the torch while you’re inside."
A faint smile tugged at Luke’s lips.
He didn’t refuse her kindness.
"Alright. We’ll go check it out. The rest of you should get some rest in the meantime."
Thea let out an exhausted groan.
"I need a fresh set of clothes and something to eat before I can even think about sleeping."
Laila scratched the back of her head.
"But we left everything back at the paid room."
"I’ll go get it tomorrow morning," Luke assured them. "Can you manage for just one night?"
Roxanne answered immediately.
"Mila is already preparing dinner, and I still have some old clothes you can wear."
Thea grimaced as if she had just heard something offensive.
"Your clothes? Please. I’d rather not."
Luke rolled his eyes.
"Then stay naked. Roxanne, don’t waste your time arguing with her."
Roxanne looked mildly surprised by how coldly Luke treated Thea.
But judging from Thea’s indifferent reaction, it was obvious she was already used to it.
Before long, the group split up.
Luke browser through the Shop, bought a lantern, and lit it before turning towards his mate.
Monica took it from his hand as he crouched beside the opening and gripped the hidden hatch.
Creak...
The old wood groaned loudly as he pulled it open, revealing nothing but darkness below.
Luke took the lantern back and leaned forward.
A flight of stone steps descended into the earth. Fortunately, it wasn’t very deep.
"Stay close," he said before carefully making his way down.
He adjusted the lantern’s wick, brightening the flame so Monica could clearly see each step.
At the bottom, Luke lifted the lantern and looked ahead.
A narrow tunnel stretched into the darkness, disappearing far beyond the reach of the light.
"Don’t get too close to the walls," he warned. "We have no idea what might be hiding in the cracks."
Even as he spoke, he heightened his senses, remaining alert in case snakes, insects, or other creatures had made this place their home.
Monica stayed close behind him, lightly gripping the edge of his shirt as they advanced with cautious, measured steps.
After several moments, another door emerged from the darkness ahead.
Thick spider webs covered most of the door.
Luke drew his dagger and carefully burned them away before placing his hand on the weathered wood.
Creak...
The door slowly swung open.
"Waah..."
Monica let out a soft gasp at the sight before her.
Thin streams of moonlight slipped through several narrow gaps in the roof, casting pale beams across the room and illuminating countless dust particles drifting through the air.
The shelter was roughly the same size as Luke’s bedroom, with sturdy wooden walls and a simple but practical interior.
Luke quickly realized it was an underground chamber.
It was a cleverly concealed pit, designed so that anyone passing nearby would never notice its existence.
The tunnel leading here was intentionally narrow. If enemies discovered the entrance, they could be held off with ease. A single person could block the passage, and with the heavy door locked from the inside, forcing their way through would be difficult.
Even if the situation became desperate, the roof looked fragile enough to break through, providing another escape route.
Luke activated his special eye and examined the structure.
The roof was only about ten inches thick.
Breaking through it would not be difficult.
The small openings above also allowed fresh air to circulate freely, solving any concerns about ventilation.
It was an excellent hiding place.
Now he could set traps throughout the house without worrying.
Even if intruders managed to get inside, Monica and the others could retreat here and remain safe until the danger had passed.
Yeah, this could work.
It was far from perfect, but it was significantly better than the inn, which had countless entry points for those assailants.
"Hmm. This is better than nothing," Luke murmured as he slowly surveyed the room.
"Look, Luke. There are so many things in here."
Monica crouched beside a wooden chest and pulled it closer before lifting the lid.
Inside were folded blankets, medicinal herbs for treating wounds, spare knives for self-defense, and various other emergency supplies.
Just as she was about to search through the rest, a strong arm slipped around her waist.
Before she could react, Luke gently pulled her back against his chest.
"Hmm?" Monica smiled playfully. "Are you suddenly having certain thoughts, my dear?"
Luke rested a soft kiss on her shoulder.
Then, in a quiet voice, he said,
"Monica... I want to talk to you."
The warmth in his embrace remained, but the seriousness in his tone made her smile slowly fade.
Her heart skipped a beat.
What could be possibly the matter?
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