The hidden passage groaned as it opened fully, ancient stone grinding against stone with a sound like the earth itself was protesting. A cold wind surged from the depths below, sharp and metallic, carrying the faint tang of old blood and forgotten secrets. The darkness beyond the entrance seemed to pulse, as if alive, beckoning Charles and Mia into its maw.
Charles stepped inside first, his body taut, every muscle coiled for action. The faint glow of the Lust Sync interface illuminated the narrow corridor, but its usual vibrant pulse was dimmer, flickering like a candle in a storm. The system, his constant companion and guide, felt... cautious, as if it, too, sensed the weight of what lay ahead.
