The Voyage In The Blizzard - Chapter 43
As expected, a small well led into a stone tunnel that was directly under the house. The low ceiling and damp walls covered with water created an unpleasant smell that made them want to cough. Bending over and lighting one candle Lei quietly whispered as he walked forward, “It seems this tunnel leads nowhere.”
“Then let’s get out of here quickly.” Covering his nose with his hand, Longwei turned and walked back quickly.
Suddenly deaf voices were heard from somewhere.
When they stopped, listening to the strange sounds, they immediately realized that they were quiet cries for help.
Cries coming from out of nowhere sounded everywhere filling the narrow tunnel. Over time, the screams grew louder and louder until they died down altogether.
“What was it?”.
“The head of the Second Clan clearly has many secrets.” Lei replied and said, “Since we’re here, we need to find out what’s going on here.”
With his ear pressed against the wall, Longwei whispered, “It seems these voices can still be heard.”
Leaving the tunnel behind and reaching the door of the well, Lei pushed the door, but it did not succumb to his power. After trying again but getting the same result, Lei nervously said, “What is this.”
“Let me try.”
Hitting the door with his fist did not work either.
“Maybe the boxes fell on the door?”
“Get away.”
Grabbing the rope that hung from the ceiling, Lei swayed and lifted his legs and pushed off the door with all his might.
“Stop Lei. Looks like we’re stuck here.”
“This is a thin door, how can this hold us back.” Lei answered through the tension while continuing to kick the door.
Drawing his sword, Longwei said, “Try to make a hole with the sword.”
After several attempts to get out, it was clear that the door of the well was closed with something very heavy.
Despite the narrowness of the tunnel, it grew colder and colder there. A frosty wind pierced through the stone walls, interrupting strange, fading voices pleading for help.
Looking at the door on the ceiling, Longwei suddenly laughed out loud.
Lei looked at him with a serious tone and asked, “What is it?”
Trembling with laughter, Longwei could not answer right away. And only then, from Lei’s stern gaze, he stopped and said, “You and I, we continue to get into situations where we find ourselves in a closed space alone. How many times has it happened. For example, in that house in the forest where I found this sword, in your library, in the forest, in a cave that is not far from the battlefield, and now here. Under a strange house, in a strange tunnel with a single candle. Isn’t it mysterious?! I mean, what can happen now? What do you think Lei?”
Nudging his head slightly, Lei said with perplexity in his eyes, “Because of you, I lost all my calm and concentration on the mission.”
Drawing him sharply to himself, Longwei smiled slyly at close range. Noticing the beads of sweat on Lei’s forehead and a strange glow in his eyes, he whispered, “Don’t worry. I won’t do anything right now. I’m more worried about being stuck here.”
Lei leaning against the wall, lifting his head slightly smiling, said, “Looking at you, I feel confident. And why does it seem to me that I’m starting to change. Before, if I was in situation like this, I would have broken the walls long ago and would have gotten out. But with you, I don’t feel the need to rush at all. ”
Moving towards Longwei, suddenly raising his finger to his lips, he listened to the sound that came from somewhere.
“Do you hear that?”
“The sound is coming from above.”
Jumping up, Lei began to listen to sounds that resembled the sound of falling logs.
A minute later, when the sound died down, Lei pushed the door and it easily opened. Stopping Longwei with a gesture of his hand, he slowly looked out and then jumped to the surface.
Finally when they were on the surface, they faced the same darkness but one thing was changed. The door of the warehouse was open.
There was still no one around. Although it could be said that it was already late evening.
“And what next? Shall we sit here?”
“Everyone’s still in practice. I think we should get closer to Sun.”
“Will not work.” suddenly someone’s voice was heard from behind a heap of logs.
Grabbing his sword, Longwei looked at Lei.
“The head of the Second Clan is now in his gazebo. And if you want to sneak up on him, you better wait a little.”
The voice coming from behind the logs seemed surprisingly familiar. And then Longwei suddenly cried out and immediately shut his mouth.
“Brother Xue!”
Baofeng-Xue stood up from behind the logs and said, “Master Lei, forgive me. But I couldn’t stay at home.”
Grabbing his hand, Longwei said, “You have been following us all this time? And how long have you been sitting here? So it was you who closed the door for us with boxes!”
Nervously twisting his hand, Baofeng-Xue pointed at Longwei with his finger and whispered, “What kind of person are you?! Why can’t you avoid getting into troubles? Should I always follow you everywhere?” Looking at Lei Baofeng-Xue said, “Master Lei, you are a very respected person, and yet despite your intelligence and cold-bloodedness, you put my brother in danger.”
Turning away, Lei silently looked down. You could tell from his face that he was holding back a laughter, although at the same time his cheeks turned red out of shame.
Not knowing what to say, Longwei biting his lip looked at Brother Xue who, with displeasure in his eyes, stood right in front of them as if he was scolding them for disobedience.
“I think we should wait a bit and when Sun is heading home, quickly and quietly follow him.” breaking the silence said Longwei.
To which Bao Fengxue, with a grin on his face, said, “What a stupid plan! They’ll notice you. Better to get inside through the roof.”
“Through the roof?”
Approaching Lei, Baofeng-Xue said with a condemning look, “Master Lei, has love really changed your sharp mind? How did you not come up with the idea that you can get everywhere through the roof of this house? There is even a staircase around the corner that leads directly there.”
Returning to his former state, Lei straightened his shoulders and raised his head and as if remembering who he was said, “And you dare to reproach me. When we return, you will run all night.”
Approaching him, Bao Fengxue, casting off all his fear and accuracy, which had previously been his main feature, with complete seriousness, and even aggressively said, “Now, I am not afraid of you. I am more afraid about your carelessness. I think you should know what can be with him if everyone finds out about your connection? I didn’t think you were so selfish. ”
After stopping him, Longwei added, “Brother Xue! Don’t act like that!”
“Are you out of your mind? There are already dozens of rumors that are circulating about you two. The two of you are still lucky that I heard everything. What if it was someone else? What then?” Raising his voice, Bao Fengxue hit the wooden box with his fist.
“Hush, you.”
Looking ferociously at Lei Baofeng-Xue said, “If you continue to behave like this with my brother, then I will not pity you. I lost him once, and I am not going to lose him again.” Pointing his finger at Longwei, he continued, “Make me run as long as I can, but it won’t change what I heard, nor will it change the fact that I will always want to protect my brother.”
Having said this, he went away hiding behind the logs.
The iron staircase leading directly to the roof of the house, in truth, was holding on with the last bit of strength. With each step up, it made a quiet grinding and it seemed that it was about to collapse.
With the arrival of darkness, quickly climbing up, they found themselves on a spacious roof, which was a flat stone surface in the middle of which there was a ledge with a small round door.
Lei went to the door and pushed it but the door was tightly closed.
The frosty wind on the roof felt painfully. As if piercing the skin with millions of needles, the wind grew stronger and colder.
Longwei, noticing that Baofeng-Xue was slightly shaking, took off his cloak and casually threw it at him.
“Put it on. I don’t want you to die out of cold.”
Throwing the cloak back, Bao Fengxue said, “I don’t need your dirty cloak.”
“What did you say? Why would my cloak be dirty!” Walking closer to him, Longwei continued, “How difficult it is with you. You have always been like this.”
“Like this? Finish the sentence!” Baofeng-Xue shouted loudly, standing right in front of him.
Longwei exhaled loudly and said, “If you come to fight, you are wasting your time. Now I do not intend to waste time on you.”
Turning away, Longwei walked towards Lei.
“If I start fighting him then stop me.” he whispered.
Lei replied, looking around, “This one, your brother Xue, I didn’t know what kind of person he is.”
“He’s an idiot.”
“He is just worry about you. In this world, it is hard to find such an honest and caring person.” Lei said and walked around the ledge with the door. “We need to get inside.”
“Move away, I’ll break down that door.” Longwei said and stepped aside. Catching Baofeng-Xue’s disgruntled, evil glance, he said, “If you came to help us, then help. Don’t just stand there.”
Longwei was just about to break the door, but Bao Fengxue stopped him.
Showing a small key on a rope, he said, “If you want my help, you should at least know what I was doing in this village.” Throwing the key at him, Baofeng-Xue looked at Lei who was looking at Longwei with full seriousness.
“Where did you get this from?”
“From one of the soldiers. Here, everyone is so weak. As soon as I jumped out in front of him, he immediately lost consciousness.”
Trying not to smile, Longwei said, “Of course, with that face of yours, you can scare anyone.”
Finally, finding themselves inside the Main House, or rather on the top floor where there were no windows, but from which they could hear conversations coming from below, the three of them immediately heard Sun’s voice.
The wooden floor under their feet, making a sound from every movement, prevented them from going further. Frozen in place, Longwei, noticing a narrow gap in the floor, he sat down on the floor and bent his head.
Through the crack one could see someone’s hands pouring tea. By seeing the sleeve, they could tell at once who it was.
Sun, sitting in the spacious room, took a few sips and then said to someone, “So this is true. I knew it.”
“Yes Master. After trying everything, we gave it one of those animals with thick fur and within minutes the beast already ate it.”
Looking at each other, Longwei whispered, “This is what Sun is doing.”
“And how does it behave now? After it has had its fill.” Sun asked as he poured more tea.
“Now the beast has calmed down. But when we enter, it starts to growl and want to rush at us.”
“So the chains can still hold it.” laughing said Sun.
“Yes Master.”
“Well that’s good. Well done, you can go.”
Clenching his hands into fists, Bao Fengxue whispered, “And what is this Sun up to.”
Continuing to watch him until he got up and left the room, they immediately came to the same idea.
“Lei, do you think about that too?” Longwei asked.
And then suddenly the door opened with a bang and several soldiers rushed inside.