The Son Of Monkey King (On Pause)

3

With his heart pounding like a drum in his chest, MK quickly darted into the passageway, his movements erratic due to his panicked state. As he closed the bookcase back in place, he hoped that it would be enough to keep his mentor from discovering his whereabouts.

MK held his breath, his heart hammering in his chest as he heard Monkey King's footsteps coming closer. He could hear the concern in his mentor's voice, his desperation to find him.

"MK! Where are you...?"

MK dared not make a sound, pressing his back against the wall, praying that Monkey King wouldn't notice the displaced bookcase.

MK could hear Monkey King's footsteps growing nearer, the sound of his mentor's voice calling out his name only escalating his anxiety. He remained still, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

"MK...!"

Monkey King's voice was right behind the bookcase now, the footsteps stopping momentarily as if his mentor was standing there, just inches away.

MK could almost feel himself trembling, his heart in his throat. The fear of being discovered was almost unbearable. He could envision Monkey King's puzzled and possibly disappointed expression.

But then, the footsteps resumed and slowly faded away. MK let out a small, shaky sigh of relief, still in disbelief of the situation he'd gotten himself into.

With Monkey King now gone, MK cautiously stepped further into the passageway, shining the light on the ground in front of him to avoid tripping.

The air grew colder the deeper he ventured into the passageway, and the silence was almost eerie. He could only hear the sound of his own footsteps and the soft breaths he took in an effort to stay calm.

As MK reached the bottom of the stairs, he found himself in front of a pair of large, heavy stone doors. The doors were old and weathered, covered with moss and lichen over the years of disuse.

MK could feel the weight of history in the air, and he couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay behind these daunting doors.

But before he could open the doors his phone rang.

The sudden ring of his phone startled MK, causing him to jump in surprise. He fished his phone out from his pocket, glancing at the screen. Mei's name flashed across it, and he hesitated momentarily.

"Mei, now's not a good time..." MK whispered into the phone, his voice echoing slightly in the empty passageway.

"Sorry, MK but—wait!" Mei's voice was soon cut off by Pigsy's bellowing voice coming from the other end of the phone.

"MK!!! Where are you?!" Pigsy's yell made MK flinch, the loud roar piercing his ears. Pigsy had stolen the phone from Mei, and he didn't sound pleased.

"Uh...I'm uh..." MK stuttered, struggling to find an explanation for his absence. He glanced around the desolate passageway, knowing that he couldn't reveal the truth to Pigsy. "I'm...a little sidetracked?"

"Sidetracked?! That's no excuse!" Pigsy barked back. "You've got orders to deliver, and you're not even near the location! When I find you, you're in big trouble!"

MK gulped, the weight of Pigsy's words sinking in. He knew he was already in hot water with his mentor and now he had Pigsy to deal with too. "Okay, okay, I'm coming! Just give me a minute!" MK hastily said, desperate to end the call.

"You better hurry, MK!" Pigsy's voice was stern, and with that, the call ended.

MK let out a deep sigh, shaking his head in frustration. He had gotten himself into a real mess. Monkey King was already searching for him, and now he had Pigsy's wrath to face.

He gazed at the heavy stone doors, the allure of secrets still pulling at him. But he knew he couldn't afford to get into more trouble.

Turning around, he sprinted back up the stairs of the passageway, away from the stone doors and the secrets they held. He had to get back to delivering those noodles and face Pigsy's wrath. The mysteries of the passageway would have to wait.

As he hurried out, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was still being watched. He glanced around nervously, but all he saw was the darkness of the night. Dismissing it as his overactive imagination, he steeled himself and headed towards the Pigsy's Noodles, silently bracing himself for the scolding he was about to receive.