A trap?!
The suspicion instinctively surfaced in Qin Ran's mind.
The timing of those footsteps was simply too convenient.
Every muscle in Qin Ran's body tensed. Like a leopard poised to devour its prey, he crouched slightly, ready to pounce.
But a moment later, he stopped.
He heard the sound of swords and sabers being set down.
Then came a chorus of snores from people fast asleep.
"What is this?"
Qin Ran froze.
Then he carefully pushed open the concealed door.
The snores grew clearer, and rows of triple-tier bunks appeared before his eyes.
Barracks!
Qin Ran surveyed his surroundings. Once he quickly confirmed what the former storeroom beyond the concealed door was now used for, he slipped into the barracks as nimbly as a cat.
Qin Ran carefully closed the concealed door.
A full handspan thick, it fitted seamlessly into the tunnel opening. From the outside, nothing looked out of place. It had clearly been specially crafted.
Then he examined the barracks before him again.
It measured roughly forty square meters, yet the triple-tier bunks allowed a full sixty people to be crammed inside.
The aisles between the beds were so narrow that anyone passing through had to turn sideways.
The tunnel's concealed door was tucked into a corner. Otherwise, the densely packed triple-tier bunks would certainly have blocked it.
Silently counting himself lucky, Qin Ran crept toward the barracks door.
By then, a small portion of the sun had risen above the horizon.
Light drove back the darkness, illuminating Thunder Fortress, which had been clamorous all night.
The morning wind swept along the Hell Mountains into Nameless Gorge and through Thunder Fortress.
But it did nothing to dispel the heavy stench of blood.
Instead, the smell spread even farther.
Standing before the barracks door, Qin Ran took a