After doing some more research I'm beginning to lean towards going the slighly more expensive route and taking up the particle board and replacing it with OSB . . . which the manufacturer (Mannington) says is suitable for underlayment. I figure for a little more than $100 and some time I will have piece of mind.
I'll bring my jackhammer and cutting torch!!
Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.