The carpenter arrived early with his apprentices, their boots leaving faint prints in the sawdust that still coated the shop floor. Feng Yun guided them with calm, precise instructions.
Behind the counter, they fitted a new row of shelves, each board sanded smooth and oiled until it gleamed faintly in the morning light. At first glance, it was an ordinary fixture. But if one leaned close and tapped the back panel, the hollow echo hinted at the space beyond.
A false back. A narrow compartment running the length of the shelves.
Feng Yun watched as they secured it with a discreet sliding latch — nothing visible from the outside, but easy to trigger if you knew where to press.
Upstairs in the loft, the carpenter measured along the back wall while Feng Yun marked the space with chalk.
"This part here", Feng Yun said, tapping lightly. "It must be flush. No seams, no edges. It should look like the rest of the wall."
The man squinted. "A hidden door?"
