The tunnel remained silent after the second vibration faded, but Mohit's senses refused to relax. The air felt thicker now, heavier against his skin, as if the space itself had become alert.
He slowly stepped back half a pace, keeping his balance steady. His phone's flashlight trembled slightly in his hand, casting long shadows along the cracked walls.
Calm down, he told himself.
Panicking will only make mistakes easier.
He focused inward again.
The thin thread of energy inside his body pulsed weakly, reacting to the unseen presence ahead. The reverse cultivation defect immediately began pulling that energy backward, weakening the flow — yet the sensation remained clear.
Something was resonating with him.
Not attacking.
Not retreating.
Observing.
A faint sound echoed through the tunnel.
Not footsteps.
Not breathing.
More like a deep hum, vibrating through stone and air at the same time.
Mohit swallowed slowly.
"This place…" he whispered, "it's not empty."
The hum grew slightly stronger, then softened again, like a heartbeat hidden inside the earth. The light from his phone flickered for a brief second, reacting to a sudden shift in air pressure.
Mohit steadied his grip.
His mind started analyzing automatically — distance, echo delay, vibration frequency. Even without instruments, his instincts translated the information into rough patterns.
The source is deeper… at least thirty meters ahead. Slow movement. Heavy mass. Stable rhythm.
His eyes narrowed.
Not hostile.
But definitely not harmless.
He took one careful step forward.
The vibration paused.
As if the presence had noticed his movement.
Mohit stopped instantly.
A strange tension filled the space between them — invisible, silent, but undeniable.
For a long moment, neither moved.
Then, slowly, the vibration resumed… weaker than before.
Almost cautious.
Mohit exhaled quietly.
It's reacting to me…
A sudden realization struck him.
This wasn't random energy.
This was a living entity.
Not a human.
Not a machine.
Something else.
His heart pounded harder now, but his mind stayed sharp. He didn't feel immediate danger — instead, he sensed curiosity coming from the other side of the darkness.
A cautious curiosity… just like his own.
"Easy…" Mohit murmured softly, unsure why he spoke at all. "I'm not here to harm you."
The hum softened slightly.
The air pressure stabilized.
Whether coincidence or response, Mohit couldn't tell — but the tension eased just enough for him to breathe more freely.
He didn't dare move closer.
Not yet.
This encounter was too unknown.
Too important.
After a few seconds, Mohit slowly took a step back, increasing the distance between himself and the hidden presence. The vibration weakened gradually, fading deeper into the tunnel.
Silence returned.
But it wasn't empty silence anymore.
It was the silence of something watching.
Something waiting.
Mohit turned toward the tunnel entrance, heart still racing.
"I'll come back," he whispered quietly.
As he stepped into the fading evening light, he knew one thing clearly:
This place held secrets far beyond his imagination.
And whatever lived inside the darkness…
It had already acknowledged his existence.