The mine tunnels under Changping County were so low one had to stoop to pass.
Madam Lu held a lamp that never went out and followed the triangle marks as she walked.
Chen Ji noticed that at every crossroads there were three kinds of marks — circle, triangle, and cross.
For anyone who came down here ignorant of their meaning, it seemed the chance to come out alive was only a little over thirty percent.
At each junction they passed, Madam Lu wiped every mark clean.
She walked on and casually reminded Chen Ji, “The Three Mountains Society’s secret routes must have their marks erased. Don’t worry about later people not being able to use them — those at the Cangshen Temple already have the routes memorized. If the Office of Ceremonies doesn’t find the Cangshen Temple, someone will come back down and mark them again sooner or later.”
Chen Ji said in a low voice, “I don’t have Qi Gong’s seal.”
Madam Lu’s tone remained unruffled. “Then knock the temple guardian out and pick your own marks in your heart; at least your odds of living stay at thirty percent. If you’re cruel enough, you can interrogate the guardian. If that won’t do, kneel and beg; some temple guardians are soft… they’d rather live without shame.”