CHAPTER 283: THE HIDDEN CHAMBER

You’re working hard, aren’t you? he thought.

Apparently, soldiers were the same in any world, if command and discipline faltered, an army would collapse before a battle even began.

The maid, he noticed, had a calm and steady nature.

Her thoughts were clean, almost empty of unnecessary distractions.

She knew a guest was present but chose not to question it, faithfully carrying out her duties.

She must have been one of the queen’s most trusted attendants, which was why Shiao Yi could extract almost no useful information from her mind.

The guards, too, were excellent.

As the queen’s personal protectors, they were focused, cautious, and unwavering in their alertness.

Hidden among the garden shrubs, Shiao Yi held his breath, motionless.

He would act only after the queen left.

The people here must have had full confidence in the barrier that concealed Dominic completely.

If the queen had gone this far to seal off every trace of him, thoughts, sounds, rumors then they probably felt no need to even post guards near him.

Shiao Yi reminded himself that patience was key.

He was so close now.

Just a little longer and he could finally rescue Dominic.

If he made one careless move now, all his effort would be wasted.

Still, it was taking far too long.

What’s going on in there? Are they just eating?

Since he couldn’t see what was happening inside, unpleasant thoughts started to creep into his mind.

He didn’t believe for a second that Dominic would fall for that heavily painted woman, but still... the queen was dangerous.

Her magical power might even surpass Dominic’s.

He was surely resisting her, but everyone had their limits.

What if she was overpowering him and using her magic to manipulate or restrain him?

What if just maybe Dominic started thinking a woman’s body was better after all?

Shiao Yi shook his head violently.

No! Stop thinking like that!

Dominic had sworn that he was his one and only.

If Shiao Yi didn’t trust that, who would?

Dominic would never lose to a woman like her, he told himself fiercely while clenching his fists.

Now that Shiao Yi thought about it, he remembered overhearing someone in the kitchen saying they had prepared food for two or three guests.

Was that for Dominic? Why did Dominic need that much food? What on earth were they doing that made him so hungry?

Stop it. Stop it, Shiao Yi. Don’t start imagining unnecessary things.

He shook his head. I’ll just ask Dominic directly when I see him.

While he was lost in restless thoughts, the guards suddenly moved. The door opened and the maid entered the room.

Moments later, the queen came out, followed by the maid pushing the food cart.

He waited until their figures disappeared behind the corridor pillars and made sure no one was approaching.

Luckily, this building was far from the main complex. It was secluded enough that no one came here unless they had a reason to.

Shiao Yi crept down the corridor and tried the door handle. It was locked, but there was no barrier over it.

A simple cylinder lock, easy to open with telekinesis.

Inside, the room looked like a reception area, with sofas and tables neatly arranged.

There seemed to be several rooms beyond this one.

It was likely that the queen used this entire large building for herself.

He pictured the exterior layout in his mind and began checking each room carefully, searching for anything strange or hidden.

The decorations and furniture meant nothing to him.

What mattered were the walls and the sealed doors.

He inspected each one with deliberate attention.

At the far east end, he found a room that looked like a small library.

On one wall, there was a stone slab embedded into the surface and in that stone, a fist-sized indentation.

Comparing it with the building’s exterior, the room’s size didn’t make sense.

It was too small for where it should have been.

He’d found it.

The passage must be behind this wall.

When he tried to touch the indentation, something invisible and elastic pushed his hand back.

A barrier. Of course.

Barriers and his abilities didn’t mix well. So, this time, he’d use force.

He reached into the storage pouch on his utility belt and took out several flat, round metal orbs, each about three centimeters across.

Small on their own, but when grouped, they packed a serious punch.

He’d made them during his spare time, one of his few hobbies, really.

Can’t help it, he thought bitterly. Making bombs is about the only thing I’m good at.

He lined them up at the base of the stone door.

If he could create even a small hole in the barrier, then he could use telekinesis or even teleportation to get through.

What worried him was that he couldn’t warn Dominic.

He could only hope Dominic wasn’t standing too close to the door.

Stepping back, Shiao Yi took out a bundle of metal needles, each about five centimeters long.

There were twenty of them.

He scattered them in the air before him and made them float with telekinesis.

Something felt... off.

There was a strange delay in their movement, a slight time lag.

He frowned, confused.

But he ignored it. There was no time to worry about that now. He had to focus.

If only he had stopped to think about what that strange sensation meant.

But he was desperate, he just wanted to make sure Dominic was safe.

With precise control, he directed the needles, striking each bomb dead center.

Inside each one was a small amount of initiating explosive powder.

The sharp impact from the needles set them off in quick succession.

BOOM! BANG! KRA-KRA-KRA-BOOM!

More than a dozen small bombs exploded almost simultaneously.

The stone door shattered and the barrier broke apart with it.

"Ugh—! Ah, damn it! Aghhhh!"

At that exact moment, an unbearable pain shot through Shiao Yi’s head, like his skull was being split open.

He clutched his temples and groaned.

He’d been careless.

A wave of chaotic vibrations had struck directly at his brain.

He had been hit by a dissonance pulse meant to disrupt mental functions.

The sharp pain made him dizzy and his legs gave out.

Unable to resist, Shiao Yi collapsed to the floor, his vision flickering at the edges.