Every Mafia's Favorite Girl novel Chapter 140

Chapter 140: "You’re Burning Up"

Jordan and Aren walked side by side through the darkness, finally leaving the chain-link maze behind.

One of Jordan’s hands trailed along the damp concrete wall while the other held Aren’s tightly, their fingers intertwined.

"Take a left here," Jordan said, recalling the directions he had overheard. "Then a right."

"Alright," Aren replied, following close behind him.

She tried to match his pace, but with every step, something felt increasingly wrong.

At first, it was only a faint wave of dizziness. Then, despite her skin remaining ice-cold after emerging from the freezing water of the flooded chamber, an uncomfortable heat began building deep inside her body.

’This isn’t good.’

’These feel like the symptoms of a reactive fever.’

She forced herself to keep walking steadily, careful not to let even the slightest stumble betray her condition to Jordan.

’No. I’ve got to hold on until we find the last coin.’

’I still have to get out of here and fight in the machete match.’

Unfortunately, no matter how carefully she concealed it, Jordan had already noticed the faint tremor running through the fingers intertwined with his.

He still remembered how cold her hands had been when she’d cupped his face earlier. When he’d pulled her into his embrace, he’d felt how thoroughly drenched and chilled her entire body was.

Having competed in the Marchetti Trials three times already, he knew all too well how often the organizers incorporated flooded chambers into the competition. It wasn’t difficult to guess where she had been before finding him.

Glancing back over his shoulder, he asked, his voice tight with concern,

"Ariana... are you alright?"

Aren startled slightly before forcing every trace of weakness from her tone.

"Um... yes. I feel fine. Why do you ask?"

Jordan didn’t believe her for a second. Even now, her fingers remained icy within his grasp, but he chose not to press the issue.

"I’m just checking on you," he said quietly. "You’re completely soaked. You must’ve been thrown into one of the flooded chambers earlier. Just promise you’ll tell me the moment you don’t feel well, alright?"

"...Alright," Aren replied, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

Satisfied for the moment, Jordan turned his attention forward again and continued leading them through the darkness.

One step after another carried them deeper into the corridors until they reached the left turn, followed shortly afterward by the right.

This passage stretched far longer than the others, and with every yard they covered, the dim crimson glow steadily faded. They were moving away from the route leading to the exit hatch and back toward one of the original drop points.

After several minutes of walking through the deepening darkness, Jordan suddenly felt his boot strike something entirely unfamiliar.

Clonk.

Both of them froze.

They exchanged a glance before looking down at the floor.

In the near-total darkness, they could barely distinguish concrete from metal, but the sound had been unmistakable — not merely metal resting atop concrete, but something hollow beneath it. The resonance lingered for a heartbeat, suggesting an empty space below.

"You think that was the metal thing you mentioned?" Aren asked quietly.

Jordan’s lips curved into a faint smile.

"Yeah... sounds like it." He tapped the spot once more with the toe of his boot. "And judging by that echo... there’s definitely empty space underneath."

Without another word, they both crouched and placed their hands against the floor. Just as expected, their fingertips met a surface that was cold and metallic, entirely unlike the dry concrete surrounding it.

"This has to be what that guy was talking about," Jordan murmured.

Running his hand outward, his fingers found two perfectly straight seams separating the metal plate from the concrete. He traced them until they formed a precise square.

Meanwhile, Aren felt a series of shallow grooves carved into the surface. Following them carefully, her fingertips slipped into a recessed cavity.

"Here," she said the moment she recognized it. "I think I found the handle."

Hooking her fingers beneath the recessed grip, she pulled upward until the handle rose from its slot.

Jordan’s hand immediately found hers in the darkness.

"Here, Ariana. Let me."

Taking hold of the handle, he planted his feet for leverage before pulling upward with both hands.

The heavy metal groaned in protest.

Grrrrrk...

With one final heave, the hatch swung open.

THUD.

A square opening yawned beneath them, revealing nothing but pitch-black darkness.

Aren narrowed her eyes, trying to make out anything below, but the blackness remained impenetrable.

Carefully, she lowered one hand through the opening into the void until her fingers brushed against rough concrete.

Reaching farther, she found another solid surface just below it.

"There are steps," she whispered. "I think it’s a staircase."

Jordan crouched beside her and reached into the opening as well. His fingertips quickly confirmed what she had discovered.

"It is." He turned toward her with a small smile. "Shall we go see what’s down there?"

Aren nodded without hesitation.

"Let’s go."

Together, they descended one cautious step at a time.

The farther they climbed down, the more the last traces of crimson light disappeared behind them.

The darkness below was nearly as absolute as when they had first been dropped into the maze. Even standing shoulder to shoulder, they could barely make out the outline of each other’s faces.

Neither of them knew what awaited beneath.

Water.

A trap.

Or perhaps another maze.

Every step was measured, deliberate, and painfully slow.

Fortunately, when they finally reached the bottom of the staircase, their boots met solid, dry concrete instead of water.

Tck... tck...

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