Chapter 175

175: The Cellar

Following ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the guidance of the "An" characters, Evelia and the others made their way to the green belt near the clock tower at the northeast corner of the orphanage.

And ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍there, the "An" character marks disappeared, replaced by an arrow pointing straight at the clock tower.

"Sure ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍enough... the problem is in the clock tower?"

Lina ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍narrowed her eyes slightly, looking with some caution at the white clock tower standing before them.

For ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍some reason, she had a feeling that something very bad was hidden there.

"...Looking ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍at these marks, our earlier guess was probably wrong. It wasn't the Descent Faction actively making a move on An An. That kid probably ran into their operations again by accident and got discovered while secretly following them. Sigh, that girl... I clearly told her to call me first if anything came up!"

Evelia rubbed her forehead helplessly. She really didn't know whether to say An An was brave or just too mischievous. How could she go alone when encountering something like this? After finding her, she would definitely have to scold her severely!

"Lina, when you came before, which places did you search?"

"Last time... I mainly searched through the top floor of the clock tower. After all, I didn't know that key was for opening a secret room back then. I thought it was for some small box or something, so I even opened up the mechanical clock up there and searched through it, but still came up empty-handed."

"Mm-hmm... so that means there shouldn't be any place in this clock tower to hide people, right?"

"Indeed, unless..."

"It's underground!"

After confirming the direction of their search, the three didn't dare hesitate. They hurried into the clock tower one by one, preparing to look for anything like a secret passage.

But the moment they entered the clock tower, Amya was shocked by the clutter piled up in a mess before her eyes, covered in a thick layer of dust.

The corner of her mouth twitched slightly as she asked with some reluctance, "This much?"

Her angelic obsession with cleanliness was about to kick in!!!

There was no helping it. Saving someone was the priority now. No matter how many imaginary alpacas were galloping in Amya's heart at this moment, she could only steel herself and move aside the dust-covered clutter one by one, searching as thoroughly as possible for the existence of any mechanism like a hidden door.

"Over here!"

Just then, Lina's voice rang out like a savior's prayer in Amya's ears. She hurriedly threw down the clutter and garbage that had been tormenting her endlessly, rushing to Lina's side at nearly instantaneous speed.

"Where, where!"

Amya and Evelia looked down at the ground. There, on the floor beneath some old wooden crates, stood a metal handle. Lina tried moving the crates pressing down on top, and a cellar door leading underground was immediately revealed to everyone.

"Wait!"

Evelia had just wanted to reach out and pull the handle on the ground, but Amya suddenly grabbed her hand, stopping her action.

"Eve-Eve, your constitution is weak. Be careful. Let me do it."

Saying this, Amya pulled open the cellar door on the ground. Instantly, a foul smell of decay and dampness rushed forth, making Amya immediately pinch her nose.

At the same time, Lina pulled out several Black Keys from her bosom. With the infusion of magic power, the blades began emitting a soft white glow. She tried throwing one of these Black Keys down as a light source.

In less than two seconds, the sound of the Black Key hitting the ground came from below. The faint white light it emitted could even be seen from above.

"Not very deep. Shall I go first?"

"No, I'll take the lead. Eve-Eve second, and Lina, you bring up the rear."

"Alright."

After simply assigning the order, Amya completely ignored the rusty straight ladder nearby and jumped directly down from above.

"Thud!"

Not long after, the sound of Amya landing came from below.

"I think... I'll just climb down the ladder obediently."

Evelia glanced at the bottomless darkness below, subconsciously swallowed, and said with some helplessness.

With a pit this deep, if her small frame jumped directly, she'd probably fall apart on the spot!

……

"Phew~ Perfect landing!"

The moment she landed, Amya raised her hand, and a palm-sized ball emitting brilliant white light immediately appeared in her hand.

The ball had a small white wing on each side, floating beside Amya with a gentle flutter.

She had used this little spell when she first met Evelia. This thing had no offensive capability, but it worked very well as an automatic pathfinding illumination tool.

"Squeak!"

Just then, a faint sound suddenly came from not far away from Amya. Her eyes immediately sharpened. She kicked up a scattered Black Key from the ground, gripped it in her hand, then turned and threw the Black Key in her hand with precision.

"Whoosh!"

The pure white sword light flashed through the air. The Black Key pinned the object that had just made the sound to the wall with perfect accuracy. Amya moved a bit closer to look and discovered it was actually a somewhat fat big black rat.

"...Scared me. It was just a rat..."

But why would there be rats in a place like this?

Wouldn't they starve to death?

Amya looked around and discovered that this hidden cellar was basically built from old grey bricks. Most of these bricks were now covered in moss, emitting an odor of age and dampness.

The cellar's interior was very simple, containing only a wooden table that had been eaten full of holes by insects, and a few decrepit chairs.

But what was strange was that on that wooden table which clearly hadn't been used in years, there sat a half-burned candle. This candle had clearly been newly placed there by someone, without a speck of dust on it.

"What's wrong, Amya?"

At the same time, Evelia slowly climbed down from above along the straight ladder. The moment she came down, she saw the big black rat pinned to the opposite wall by a Black Key piercing through its body.

"Wow! Poor little mousy!"

"A rat? There are rats in a place like this?"

Lina also jumped down from above. After hearing Evelia's words, she also looked over with some puzzlement.

"Indeed, something's not right. This place is very well sealed. If there were rats, they should have starved to death long ago."

"This means that this place is likely not completely enclosed. There might be hidden passages or secret rooms."

As she spoke, Lina keenly detected that the air faintly contained a trace of blood scent and the smell of corpses.

As a former Executor of the Church, she was all too familiar with this scent.

Following the source of the smell, she arrived at the wall directly opposite the exit and tentatively knocked on it.

"Thud thud!"

Unfortunately, since the wall was built from thick grey bricks, this knocking method couldn't determine whether there was a space hidden behind it.

However, Lina still keenly discovered that in the entire cellar room, only this one wall's grey bricks had no moss growing on them.