Xi Family Estate, 10:05;
Xi Yuan descended the timeworn staircase—its wooden frame solid despite its age, its handrail etched with intricate carvings passed down through generations.
The further he moved into the depths of the estate, the darker it grew. Shadows clung to the stone walls like secrets unwilling to surface. At the base of the stairs, the passageway stretched into a dim corridor lined with heavy iron-barred cells. Prison doors groaned faintly as the air shifted.
Behind him, Xi Fang, Xi Chongkun, and Li Jungah followed in silence, their eyes slowly adjusting to the lack of light. Each step they took was steeped in caution, though they knew this place well.
