The Cursed Red String

Into the Abyss

The tunnel swallowed them in darkness, its damp walls pressing close like the ribcage of a slumbering beast. Every breath was thick with the scent of wet stone and decay, and the faint sound of dripping water echoed like whispered secrets. Meiyu's fingers curled tighter around Weisheng's wrist as they moved forward, the flickering glow of Han Xun's lantern barely illuminating their path.

The air grew colder the deeper they descended, and the oppressive silence only amplified the eerie weight of the tunnel. It felt as if the passage itself was alive, shifting with their every step. Meiyu forced herself to stay focused, pushing back the unease curling in her stomach.

"Do you know where this leads?" Weisheng's voice was a hoarse whisper beside her, his body still weak from their flight.

Han Xun didn't turn as he answered, his voice low. "It used to be part of an old trade route, connecting the city to the riverbanks. Smugglers used it long ago, but it's been abandoned for decades."

"Abandoned," Meiyu repeated, glancing around warily. "Or forgotten?"

Han Xun's silence was answer enough.

They moved carefully, the lantern's light casting long, shifting shadows against the tunnel walls. It wasn't long before they encountered the first sign that they weren't alone.

A discarded sandal lay half-buried in the mud, its fabric rotted and covered in dust. Meiyu swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. The air felt heavier, charged with something unseen.

Weisheng tensed beside her. "Something isn't right."

Before Han Xun could respond, a faint rustling echoed through the tunnel. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but unmistakable—the sound of movement. Meiyu's breath hitched as she tightened her grip on Weisheng, her other hand reaching instinctively for the dagger tucked into her sash.

Han Xun extinguished the lantern in one swift motion, plunging them into absolute darkness. The sudden loss of light sent a spike of panic through Meiyu, but she remained still, listening.

The rustling grew closer, followed by a soft, wet scraping. Something was moving along the tunnel walls.

Then, a whisper—so faint it could have been a trick of the mind.

"Turn back."

Meiyu's blood ran cold.

Han Xun's grip on his weapon tightened. "Keep moving," he commanded in a hushed tone. "Slowly."

They pressed forward, their steps careful and deliberate. The air around them felt charged with unseen eyes, watching, waiting. Every instinct in Meiyu screamed to run, but she forced herself to keep going.

Then, Weisheng stumbled.

The sound of his foot slipping against the wet stone was deafening in the silence. For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then the whisper came again—closer this time. "Turn back... or be swallowed."

A gust of freezing air rushed past them, carrying with it the scent of something rotten and old. Meiyu clenched her jaw, forcing herself not to react. This place was trying to scare them. Trying to break them.

Han Xun didn't hesitate. He pulled Weisheng up, steadying him. "Ignore it," he murmured. "Keep moving."

They pushed forward, step by step, as the unseen presence pressed closer, the whispers growing more insistent. Shadows twisted in the corners of Meiyu's vision, shapes that flickered and vanished when she tried to focus on them.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the whispers ceased.

The tunnel widened ahead, opening into a vast cavern. At its center, an underground river shimmered beneath the faint light filtering through cracks in the ceiling. The sight of it sent a wave of relief through Meiyu's chest.

"We made it," Han Xun breathed. "The passage should continue beyond the water."

Weisheng exhaled slowly. "Then let's not waste time."

But as they stepped forward, Meiyu couldn't shake the feeling that whatever had whispered in the dark was still watching.

And it was waiting for them to make a mistake.