The passage ahead seemed endless.
Under the dim glow of an oil lamp, the three of them pressed onward. The passage before them appeared to spiral downward, and no matter how far they walked, all they could see were the slope ahead and the stone walls.
"I'm telling you... we should go back."
Sayu felt a little uneasy.
"This is some secret place of the shrine, right? It doesn't seem right for outsiders like us to be here..."
"What are you talking about? We've already come this far. Isn't it too late to say we should turn back now?"
Hearing Sayu's words, Fang Zheng shrugged. Asagiri Kaname, meanwhile, was clearly somewhat hesitant. After all, unlike the other two, she lived here year-round. If Fang Zheng and the others were caught trespassing in the shrine's hidden passage, at worst they would be thrown out. But she had to keep living here. If she were discovered... Still, the thought only flickered through Asagiri Kaname's mind. Her curiosity about the mysterious thing before them ultimately won out.
"Mr. Fang Zheng is right, Miss Sayu. We've already come this far, so there's no turning back now!"
"Uh..."
Was that really so dramatic? It wasn't like they were going to fight a Demon King...
At that moment, the group finally seemed to reach the end of the passage. Fang Zheng shoved open the wooden door in front of them and strode inside without hesitation. Sayu and Asagiri Kaname hurried after him, entering this secret place beneath the shrine.
"Whoa..."
Once they saw what lay before them, the girls' eyes widened as they gasped in amazement.
Beyond the door was a massive mountain cavern. Sunlight streamed down through an opening overhead, bringing illumination to the otherwise dark cave. A lush green meadow covered the ground, while