The passage narrowed as they descended, walls closing in until Rui's shoulders nearly brushed both sides.
Jade-infused stones illuminated their path with a soft green glow, casting long shadows ahead.
"How much further?" Rui whispered, ducking beneath a low archway.
"Not far," Ran replied, his voice echoing slightly in the confined space.
"These tunnels connect most major buildings in the Celestial City."
Kee Kee perched on Rui's shoulder, tiny claws digging into her robes.
"It smells like secrets down here," he muttered.
"And mold."
The tunnel curved sharply, then opened into a small chamber with several branching paths.
Ran selected one without hesitation, leading them upward along a gently sloping floor.
"We're beneath the city now," he explained.
They climbed a narrow staircase that spiraled upward, emerging into a wider corridor lined with silver-flecked stone.
Ahead, moonlight spilled through a small grate in the ceiling.
