Qin Shuli’s gaze darted around the courtyard, finally coming to rest on a stack of firewood in the southeast corner. He walked over, tossed the wood aside in a few quick motions, and suddenly broke into a smile.
"Well, you have to hand it to them—they’re truly cautious. Instead of keeping the tunnel entrance inside the house, they hid it in the most conspicuous place in the yard."
Qin Shuli swept away the camouflage covering the entrance and pulled back the hatch. He peered inside: a hole about 50 centimeters wide and long, dropping straight down at least three meters. A gap this small was likely meant only for the mistress of the house to navigate. Fortunately, Qin Shuli was lean and agile; he used the small footholds carved into either side of the shaft to slowly descend to the bottom.
Chapter 328