Lu Jinchen instinctively moved in front of Xia Yuqing protectively, his gaze turning cold as he stared toward the wooden door. His hand subtly shifted toward her side, shielding her behind him before he finally spoke in a low, guarded voice.
"Who is it?"
His words disappeared into silence. No answer came from outside.
Xia Yuqing unconsciously grabbed the sleeve near his arm, her fingers tightening slightly as unease spread rapidly through her chest. She exchanged a tense look with him just as another series of knocks sounded from outside the room.
This time, the knocking seemed slower, more deliberate. The strange rhythm only made the silence afterward feel even more unsettling.
Lu Jinchen's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who is it?" he asked again, his tone colder than before.
Still nothing.
No footsteps.
No voices.
Not even the sound of breathing beyond the door.
