"Come with me."
The girl turned and walked away, her pace unhurried, the black veil fluttering lightly behind her. She gave no introduction, exchanged no pleasantries, and said nothing more. Luo Chen stood up and followed.
Beyond the hidden door lay a passage leading downward. It was so narrow that only one person could pass through at a time. Glowing ore was embedded in the walls on either side, casting a dim light. The air was damp and heavy with the smell of rust. The farther down they went, the stronger the stench of blood became. The girl walked ahead in silence, her footsteps making faint sounds on the stone steps that echoed through the narrow passage. Luo Chen said nothing either.
After about the time it took to burn a stick of incense, the passage opened up.
A vast underground city appeared before them. Black buildings of every height crowded together, and people came and went along the streets. Above them stretched a murky gray canopy; it was impossible to tell whether it was rock or fog. There was no sun, no moon, no stars—only eternal gloom. The air reeked of blood, decay, and some sour, putrid stench that was hard to describe.
"The outer city." The girl's voice was as flat as if she were reciting a lesson. She didn't even turn her head. "There aren't many rules. Pay two cups of Bloody Mary each month, and you can stay. If you can't pay, no one cares whether you live or die."
She led Luo Chen through the outer city. Along both sides of the streets were weapon shops, leather armor shops, and food stalls, but the faces of those buying things were expressionless, like the living dead. As they passed a tavern, the sound of a cup