I continued carrying Michael
I had no other choice but to take her with . I descended the stairs very slowly. I glanced back, and suddenly the door slamd shut on its own, making jump in shock.
"That bastard is starting to get on my nerves," I muttered softly.
On the ground, I saw no footprints or traces of blood, but my eyes accidentally caught George's handkerchief lying there. I picked it up and slled it. I was certain George had passed through these stairs, but I didn't know where they led.
Because the place was so quiet, every sound echoed through the underground. Several tis, I felt like soone was watching . I turned back—no one was there. Was it just fear… or was I really being followed?
A faint sound of crying could be heard.
I hurried toward the source of the sound.
And sure enough, behind a door, there was soone quietly crying.
"Help … Uncle George, I'm scared," the voice said softly.
I knocked on the door. Suddenly, the crying stopped.
"Are you still there?" I asked gently.
No response.
"W-who are you?" the voice asked.
"I am Xanders," I answered, but the person remained silent.
"Do you know George?" I asked again, but there was still no answer.
"Do you know where he is?" Still no reply. I knocked again.
"Tok… tok… tok…"
"Don't you want to answer ?"
"Fine. If you don't want to answer, I'll leave."
I prepared to walk away, but suddenly—
A soft knock ca from inside.
"Can you get out of here?" the voice asked hesitantly.
I cleared my throat.
"Do you know George?" I asked again.
There was a pause… then a hesitant answer.
"Yes… I know him."
"Do you know him too?"
I gave a short hum in response.
I grabbed the door hinge, but it was tightly locked. I had no choice but to break it.
"Step back. I'm going to force it open."
The person moved away. I kicked the door open—and in front of was just a small child who had been crying for hours.
His eyes were swollen red, and he looked at in fear.
"Will you help get out of here?" he asked.
I nodded, even though I wasn't completely sure. But I needed information about George. This child seed to know sothing.
"Can you tell what really happened?" I asked, lowering myself to his level.
He turned his face away, as if he didn't want to relive what had happened.
"Fine… if you don't want to tell , how am I supposed to find George?"
I was getting more curious. Honestly, I was confused too—how could everyone suddenly die without any blood or signs of a fight?
"Before this, we were invited to the palace for the annual banquet. My parents didn't want to go because they felt sothing bad would happen. But when we refused, a warning ca from the palace. If we didn't co, we would be accused and executed… so we went."
He spoke slowly, but it matched what I had heard before.
"And then?"
He tried not to cry again, though his eyes turned red.
"When we arrived, everything seed normal… but I heard the sound of snakes hissing. Because the hall was crowded, I didn't tell my parents."
"Suddenly, the doors and windows shut tightly. Everyone panicked and asked the soldiers, but they didn't know anything. We tried to break the doors."
"No one answered. Then suddenly, snakes appeared from nowhere… and started biting people."
He began sobbing again.
"Why did you end up here?" I asked.
"Screams and cries filled the room. My parents carried and told to hide inside a jar, but there were too many people…"
"A jar?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Yes, a large jar in the hall. My parents put inside."
"And then they were bitten too?" I asked.
He nodded again.
"How did you end up here?"
"After a while, everything beca quiet. The snakes slowly left. I stayed inside the jar for two hours, too scared to move. But it was cramped… I shifted, and the jar fell and broke."
"At first, I stayed still… then I saw everything."
"As you might expect… everyone had died. The snakes bit them all… even my parents."
"When I was crying, soone ca. An uncle. He ran to and asked what happened."
He suddenly stopped and looked toward the stairs.
"Did he tell you his na?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Yes. He said his na was Uncle George."
"Did anything happen after that?"
He nodded again.
"I don't rember clearly. I heard many voices. Uncle George didn't want to see… so he made unconscious."
"Unconscious?"
He nodded.
"Before that, did he say anything?"
"He said… if soone knocks, ask their na. If it's Xanders, then you can open the door. If it's not, don't open it."
I fell silent.
"How old are you?" I asked.
"I'm ten."
"Co with ," I said, reaching out my hand.
But he shook his head.
"What if the snakes find us?" he asked nervously.
"I don't think they will," I answered casually, though he still looked unsure.
"Are you really Xanders?" he stepped back, staring at suspiciously.
"I am Xanders. Stop doubting ," I said.
He nodded slowly… then finally took my hand.
We walked through the underground corridor, brightly lit. Then he noticed I was carrying soone.
"Why are you carrying her?" he asked.
I glanced at Mishael, still unconscious.
"She's poisoned," I replied.
He stopped walking and stared at her seriously.
"Can I take a look?"
I frowned slightly, then nodded.
I gently laid Michael down and leaned her against the wall.
"Did sothing happen outside?" he asked curiously.
"Is the poison dangerous?" I asked, rembering that Mishael hadn't woken up. The child checked her pulse and examined her hand.
"We need to treat her imdiately. Otherwise, the poison will reach her heart."
"Is it so kind of invisible poison?" I asked, recalling the strange symptoms.
"I think it's poison. I don't know what kind, but it spreads quickly."
Hearing that made instantly worried about Michael's condition.
"How long will she be able to hold on?" I asked.
Besides worrying about her condition, I was also confused—whether I should prioritize Michelle or George.
"She can last about five hours from now," he answered.
I fell silent for a mont, hesitant to believe the words of a ten-year-old child. But I had no other choice. I could only hope to find George as soon as possible and treat Michelle.
"Are we going to look for Uncle George?" he asked.
Before answering, I stared at his face closely.
"You're not from the Elf clan, are you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He stayed silent… his behavior slightly suspicious.
"You just realized that?" he said, moving his face closer to mine.
I imdiately pulled my face back and clicked my tongue softly.
"There's no way I'd be fooled by a child," I said.
He laughed widely.
"You understand the situation quite well."
User Comments
0 comments from readers