Inside the study.
The deep-red, viscous wine swayed gently inside the wine jar.
Bo Yi crouched in front of the jar, frowning at the liquid filling it.
What on earth was this stuff?
Judging by its smell alone, the liquid in the jar smelled like wine; but its color and texture made it clear that this was not "wine" as most people understood it.
Just as he was about to reach into the jar and dip out a little liquid to examine, two faint, agonized screams suddenly came from outside.
Had something happened?
Bo Yi's hand paused. He rose from in front of the jar, walked to the study door, and gently opened it a crack, peering outside with caution. Unfortunately, perhaps because the screams had come from too far away, he saw nothing that offered any useful clues.
Just as Bo Yi stood at the door, debating whether to keep searching the study or go outside to investigate, someone made the choice for him-Master Kang suddenly appeared at the end of the path and slowly approached the study, where Bo Yi was hiding.
Bo Yi snapped the door shut and began scanning the study for somewhere to hide. But the entire room was exposed at a glance. After looking around, he had no choice but to return behind the bookcase.
He put the lid back on the wine jar, then pushed it farther inward, trying to make more room. As he carefully pushed, he shuffled inward in a crouch. Yet after only a step or two, Bo Yi suddenly felt the floor give slightly beneath his foot.
Huh? He looked down.
His foot was now exactly where the wine jar had been, but that section of the floor had visibly sunk a little-
This section of the floor was