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墨書 Inktalez
**Chapter Two: Codes and Allies**
The door of the secret chamber slowly closed before my eyes, cutting off the figures of those mysterious individuals. I was left alone in this confined space, their mention of “Xia Mengxuan” echoing in my mind. This name shone like a light, illuminating a corner of my chaotic thoughts. Who was she? Why had she become the key to this chase?
I reignited the oil lamp, the flickering flame casting shadows over the stone table where the Star Map and formulas lay. These ancient documents seemed to conceal some kind of pattern, resonating with the symbols on the pocket watch. I began to attempt an interpretation but quickly realized that this required more specialized knowledge or... an ally.
I decided to leave the ancient tower in search of clues about Xia Mengxuan. At the base of the tower, I found a secret passage leading out of the city; it twisted and turned, ultimately leading to a tranquil bamboo grove. Moonlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows as I paused to catch my breath in this serene setting.
As I wandered through the bamboo grove, contemplating my next move, a figure suddenly appeared before me. She was dressed in a dark night outfit, her long hair simply tied back, her eyes revealing both vigilance and intelligence.
“Who are you? Why are you spying in the ancient tower?” Her voice was low and firm, her grip tight on a short sword, clearly not someone to be underestimated.
I stopped in my tracks and met her gaze. In this tense atmosphere, I knew that any misjudgment could lead to dangerous consequences. I chose to be honest, showing her the pocket watch and briefly explaining my background and purpose.
Her eyes widened slightly upon seeing the watch; the tip of her sword lowered slightly, indicating a shift in her demeanor. “I have been searching for clues about this pocket watch; is what you have... another one?”
I nodded in confirmation and asked her about Xia Mengxuan's identity. She paused for a moment before slowly speaking: “Xia Mengxuan is my mother; she was a renowned astronomer and also... one of the original owners of that pocket watch.”
This revelation struck me like a bolt from the blue; I hadn’t expected Xia Mengxuan to be such a pivotal figure with such deep connections to the pocket watch. Her daughter, this woman before me, was clearly also entangled in this temporal mystery.
“My name is Gu Shiyuan; I need your help,” I said earnestly. “We need to find Xia Mengxuan, uncover the secrets of the pocket watch, and stop those men in black.”
She scrutinized me for a moment before finally nodding. “My name is Xia Zhiqing; my mother has been missing for many years, and I have been searching for her as well. If your pocket watch can lead us to her, I am willing to accompany you.”
Xia Zhiqing’s presence brought me new hope and strength. We returned to the ancient tower together; she skillfully flipped through those documents, interpreting the Star Map and formulas. As she explained, the secrets of the pocket watch gradually became clearer—it was a key to opening doors through time and space, and Xia Mengxuan's disappearance might be linked to these portals.
We decided to join forces, utilizing the power of the pocket watch to trace Xia Mengxuan’s whereabouts while uncovering the true intentions of those men in black. In the night’s darkness, the shadow of the ancient tower stretched long behind us as our journey was just beginning.
**Chapter Three: The Prophecy of Time Portals**
Xia Zhiqing's fingers glided gently over the Star Map as her eyes sparkled with a thirst for knowledge and curiosity about the unknown. "These symbols," she pointed at some patterns in the documents, "are codes from ancient astronomy; they point to specific celestial alignments that match with the symbols on the pocket watch, indicating when time portals will open."
I gazed at those intricate patterns, feeling an inexplicable excitement swell within me. If Xia Zhiqing's interpretation was correct, then our pocket watch was indeed the key to opening time portals. But this also meant that those men in black were after the same goal.
Just as we were immersed in our interpretations, a sudden commotion erupted outside the tower. Xia Zhiqing quickly extinguished the oil lamp as we crouched by the window to peer outside. A group of men in black was rapidly approaching the ancient tower, torches in hand—clearly prepared for something.
“How did they find us here?” My heart raced; had our actions already been discovered?
Xia Zhiqing's expression turned grave. "We must leave immediately; this place is no longer safe." She quickly gathered up the documents as we made our way back down through the secret passage, preparing to escape.
However, when we reached the base of the tower, we found that the exit of our secret passage had been blocked by those men in black. They seemed to have anticipated our movements and prepared accordingly. We were trapped inside the ancient tower; our situation had become perilous.
I tightened my grip on the pocket watch, a bold thought flashing through my mind. "Xia Zhiqing, do you trust me?" I looked directly into her eyes. "We might be able to use the power of the pocket watch to open a gateway through time and space and escape from here."
Xia Zhiqing hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. "I believe you, but we don't know what lies on the other side of the gateway. It's dangerous."
"We have no way out," I took a deep breath. "Let's see where the pocket watch can take us."
We returned to the secret chamber, placing the two pocket watches side by side on the stone table. As our heartbeats synchronized, the watches emitted an even stronger glow, and the symbols on the Star Map began to rotate, forming a Vortex of Light. As the last syllable of the guardian's incantation fell, the entire underground space was filled with a powerful surge of energy. The pocket watches were positioned at the center of the glowing vortex, as if they had become the keys to unlocking the Time Rift, releasing dazzling light.
Xia Zhiqing and I held tightly to each other as an invisible force drew us toward the center of the Vortex of Light. The figures in black outside roared in anger, but they could not breach the energy barrier set by the guardian's power.
In that moment, not only our bodies but even our heartbeats seemed to synchronize with this force. I could feel the warmth of Xia Zhiqing's hand; it trembled slightly yet remained firm and strong. I turned to look at her; her eyes were tightly shut, her face displaying determination and trust. A surge of inexplicable courage welled up within me, as if nothing was impossible as long as we held hands.
"Don't be afraid," I whispered in her ear, my voice trembling slightly, "Follow the guidance of the pocket watch; we will traverse this storm of time and space together."
Xia Zhiqing slowly opened her eyes, and when our gazes met, there was a profound sense of trust and reliance in hers. She nodded gently, and we tightened our grip on each other's hands once more.
At that moment, a stronger wave of energy swept over us, pulling us into the Vortex of Light as we passed through the gateway of time and space. When we opened our eyes again, we found ourselves standing in a completely different world. The sky here was purple, with stars shimmering in strange lights, while unknown symbols and patterns covered the ground.
Xia Zhiqing's hand remained tightly clasped in mine as we exchanged smiles; although the road ahead was uncertain, at least we were not alone. We released our hands, ready to explore this new world together, filled with trust in each other and hope for the future.
I held onto the pocket watch tightly, knowing deep down that we had arrived in an unknown time and space. This place could be key to unraveling all mysteries or perhaps an even more dangerous trap.
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