"Someone prepared this," Thomas realised, his pulse quickening.
With the mortar removed, the rock became a loose tooth in a stone jaw. He pulled it out, setting it silently on the flea-ridden mattress. Behind it lay a small, dark crevice. Tucked deep inside was a scroll, sealed with a strip of pale, blood-red fabric.
Thomas worked quickly, returning the rock and the fake mortar to their positions to hide his discovery. He sat on the bed, shielding the scroll with his body as he unfurled the fragile parchment. It felt like it might crumble into dust at any moment.
"I know I didn't do anything wrong," the letter began, the ink faded but legible. "I just got lucky enough to find a Qi mine. I don't belong to any villain factions, nor am I a powerhouse. I just wanted to sell the information and live comfortably. That was my only crime, and it became my downfall..."
