37. Chen Gui Falls Into a Coma

Inside the tunnel, Yinghua and Yuanbin led the way, their torches casting flickering light ahead, while Yue'er and Haiming followed close behind. The tunnel was wide enough for two people to walk side by side—not exactly narrow, but shrouded in absolute darkness. Within these depths, there was no way to tell day from night; it was a realm of perpetual gloom, occasionally punctuated by the scurrying of rats. The oppressive atmosphere weighed on them. "Everyone, be careful," Yue'er cautioned. "There might be traps here." It seemed she had been overthinking it, as they walked for over ten minutes without encountering any mechanisms, but caution remained their best companion.

Suddenly, Yuanbin appeared to spot something ahead. He sprinted forward, and the others followed. Yuanbin found a man dressed in local attire lying prone on the ground, seemingly injured. As he lifted him up, he realized with a shock that it was none other than their comrade, Chen Gui. Chen Gui was unconscious. Yuanbin patted his face anxiously, calling out, "Chen Gui! Chen Gui, wake up! What happened?" It was a futile question; he was in no state to answer.

Yue'er produced an antidote powder she carried with her and held it under Chen Gui’s nose. Since there were no visible external wounds, she suspected he had merely been drugged. The powder was her own concoction. After inhaling it, Chen Gui’s eyelids fluttered open. He slowly pulled himself to his feet, looked at the group, and demanded, "Why are you so late? Do you have any idea how close you came to getting us killed?" He was frantic; he feared for his master’s safety. If not for their delay, they might have already captured those men, rather than ending up in this predicament.

Haiming, equally agitated, roared, "Do you think we wanted to be late? We had no choice when the local officials refused to lend us troops. It wasn't until Lord Xuanyuan produced the Emperor’s golden medallion that we finally secured reinforcements. We rushed here as fast as we could, but you were already gone. If you are here, where are my brother and the Prince?" His worry for them was palpable.

Yue'er intervened to calm Haiming. "Haiming, don't rush. We can only figure this out by letting Chen Gui explain." In truth, her anxiety was no less than his, but she knew that clarity was the only path to a solution. Chen Gui began to recount the events of the previous night.

On the mountain last night, Zhao Chengxian and his men had intended to wait for reinforcements, but when they saw a tall, burly man enter the hut, Zhao Chengxian knew that waiting any longer would mean missing their chance. He made an instant decision: "Follow him!" They peered through the window and watched as a secret passage opened. The man descended, and Zhao Chengxian, determined to track him, ordered, "Chen Gui, set off the signal flare up here so they know to come and support us immediately!" He then gestured for Haiming to follow, and the two of them slipped into the passage—an incredibly daring move for only two men.

Chen Gui had followed orders, launching the brilliant flare into the sky before waiting in the hut. But when Yue'er and the others didn't arrive after a while, and seeing the entrance to the tunnel about to seal, he acted on instinct and rushed down. As he entered, his hand brushed against the rock wall of the tunnel, and he suddenly inhaled a strange, fragrant scent before losing consciousness.

Back in the present, the group’s hearts eased slightly. They had feared Zhao Chengxian and the others had been captured, but it turned out they were merely tracking the targets. Yue'er turned to Yinghua urgently. "Go fetch Feishu immediately. If those men haven't realized someone has entered the passage, they will surely return to that hut. It’s too dangerous for Feishu to be there alone!" Yinghua dashed back, and shortly after, he returned with Feishu. Yuanbin and Haiming helped the still-weak Chen Gui as they pressed forward.

Where does this tunnel lead? Find out in the next chapter.