There was a square seam in the deck. When they lifted the section along that seam, a staircase leading below appeared.
The passage was dimly lit, and the stairs descended into darkness too deep to see through, like a bottomless lair.
After hesitating for half a second, Li Xian stepped inside.
The first thing he noticed upon entering was the damp smell of mold. The stairs were also rather steep, so Li Xian carefully made his way down with a hand against the wall. The dark, cramped space made it hard to breathe.
As they descended deeper into the passage, the damp smell was gradually overwhelmed by a fishy stench. About a minute later, Li Xian and Ji Xie stepped into the corridor beneath the deck.
A few dim, yellow lights hung from the ceiling, barely illuminating the space. The layout was simple, though: just one straight corridor and two doors.
Two figures came into Li Xian's view, accompanied by hushed conversation.
Hoodie Woman and the bearded man stood before the iron door farther from the entrance, apparently trying to figure out how to open it.
"Tsk... can't pick the lock."
Hoodie Woman spoke as she examined the keyhole.
The bearded man beside her narrowed his eyes, trying to peer inside through the gap beneath the door.
They were so focused, and Li Xian and Ji Xie's footsteps had been so quiet, that neither noticed their arrival at first.
Li Xian deliberately made his steps heavier. His soles struck the floor firmly, sending echoes down the corridor. Startled by the sound, the bearded man looked up and Hoodie Woman straightened, both turning toward its source.
Then they exchanged a glance. Apparently deciding that further attempts would be pointless, they went into the other, unlocked room instead.
The corridor fell silent