The Stone Grotto was unexpectedly deep. Sections of stone stairs spiraled downward beneath their feet. By the dim light, he could make out several tracks embedded in the rock walls on either side, likely meant for movable gates. But after years of disrepair, moss had clogged those grooves, while the stone slabs that had served as gates lay shattered everywhere.
Clearly, this was no ancient tomb or mausoleum. People had not merely passed through this place before—they had once stationed guards here.
After walking some twenty or thirty meters, Xia Fan suddenly heard a strange sound.
It was somewhat like the background static from a radio with no signal, a soft, rustling hiss.
Goosebumps rose all over his back.
A radio was a product of the electronic age. It could never have existed in this era, which made the sound all the more chilling!
Someone tugged at the corner of his clothes from behind.
"W-what is that sound?"
He had assumed it was Wei Wushuang, but when the other person spoke, he realized it was Shangguan Cai. A rare tremor had entered her voice.
"I don't know." Xia Fan turned back and gave her a surprised look. "Don't tell me you're scared?"
"Isn't it only human to fear the unknown?" Shangguan Cai replied through clenched teeth.
"But you weren't afraid of those ghosts earlier."
"They were merely tangible things. What was there to fear? If you can touch them, you can destroy them. This is completely different, all right?"
That actually sounded rather reasonable.
"Brother Xia, I'm a little scared too..." Wei Wushuang could not help chiming in. "This place just feels... terribly sinister..."
The rustling grew louder and louder, changing from faint and intermittent to omnipresent. The more he listened, the more it resembled electromagnetic static.
Even Xia Fan