The rattling of the door echoed through the Midnight Pawnshop like a thunderclap, unsettling the stillness that usually blanketed the shop at night. The low hum of magical energy within the walls grew restless, as if the entire space itself sensed the impending danger. Mr. Shen stood unmoving, his dark eyes fixed on the door, watching as the shadows outside flickered and danced, their malevolent presence trying to breach the threshold.
Wei's heart pounded in his chest. He glanced at Mei Lan, who was still catching her breath from their narrow escape. Her face was pale, but her eyes were sharp and alert. "They found us again," she signed, her fingers moving with urgency.
"I know," Wei whispered, his voice shaky. The terror of the Shadow Sect's pursuit hadn't fully left his mind, and now, they were here, at the one place Wei had thought they couldn't reach.
"They can't enter," Mr. Shen said calmly, his voice low but firm. "Not yet, at least."
