"Where is this? How did I end up here?" Shen Jingqi asked in a flurry.
Li Baiyu smiled and explained, "This is the future world. You were transported here by the Time Maze. But don't worry, I've already found a way back to the real world."
Shen Jingqi regained his senses. Had he really gone through so many bizarre and dangerous situations? Was he truly transported to the future world?
Li Baiyu grabbed his hand and said firmly, "Follow me, I know how to get back."
Shen Jingqi followed Li Baiyu through the bustling urban streets, arriving at a seemingly ordinary alleyway. Li Baiyu gently pressed on a wall in the alley, and a hidden door opened slowly. They walked in, and the door closed quietly behind them.
Shen Jingqi followed Li Baiyu through a long corridor into a room filled with a technological aura. In the center of the room was a giant circular device, emitting a soft glow. Li Baiyu walked up to the device and started operating it.
"This is the Time Travel Machine," Li Baiyu explained, "As long as we input the correct coordinates and time point, we can return to the real world."
Shen Jingqi felt a surge of excitement and anticipation in his heart. He finally had the chance to return to the real world. He watched Li Baiyu operate the Time Travel Machine intently, afraid of missing any detail.
However, just then, hurried footsteps and shouts suddenly came from outside the room. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu exchanged a glance, seeing the tension and unease in each other's eyes.
"Not good, they're catching up," Li Baiyu's expression changed as he quickly pressed a button on the Time Travel Machine, and the entire room began to shake violently.
"Quick! Grab my hand!" Li Baiyu shouted, reaching out towards Shen Jingqi.
Shen Jingqi immediately reached out and tightly gripped Li Baiyu's hand. At that moment, a strong force abruptly pulled them into a dark vortex.
When Shen Jingqi opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the real world. He looked around and saw the bookstore's entrance still standing quietly as if nothing had ever happened.
"Are we back?" Shen Jingqi asked somewhat incredulously.
Li Baiyu smiled and nodded, "Yes."
"Now close your eyes."
When Shen Jingqi opened his eyes again, he discovered he was back in the villa. The book "Secrets of the Time Axis" lay quietly on the table, as if it had never been opened. Shen Jingqi felt a sense of disorientation, uncertain whether everything before was just a dream or an illusion. But when he opened the book and saw those profound and mysterious theories, he realized it was all real.
Shen Jingqi's hand trembled slightly, his fingertips lightly grazing over the cryptic and difficult text on the pages. It was as if he could feel the pulse of another world through these characters, a power that transcended reality.
"How... how is this possible?"
Li Baiyu walked to his side, "I know you're a bit confused, but we've both been through it. Those scenarios, those experiences, they all truly existed."
Shen Jingqi looked up at Li Baiyu, his eyes filled with doubt and inquiry, "Did we really travel through time? To that so-called 'future'?"
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He closed his eyes, those strange images reappearing in his mind: the old bookstore, the mysterious old man, the futuristic time machine... all of it felt like a dream, yet it was so real.
"But..." Shen Jingqi hesitated, an unspoken question still gnawing at him.
"You want to know if we can return to that world again, don't you?" Li Baiyu seemed to see through his thoughts.
Li Baiyu gently shook his head, "I don't know. The theories in that book are profound, but they're also filled with unknowns and mysteries. We're fortunate enough to have come back this time."
Just then, the phone in the room suddenly rang, breaking the quiet atmosphere.
Shen Jingqi frowned and picked up the phone curiously, "Hello?"
A deep and powerful voice came from the other end, "Mr. Shen Jingqi? I'm an observer from the Time Administration Bureau. We need to talk to you."
Shen Jingqi was startled. He never expected to receive such a call. Time Administration Bureau? It sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie.
"What do you want with me?" he asked tentatively.
"We have some questions regarding your recent experiences," the agent's voice was calm and serious.
A sense of unease rose in Shen Jingqi's heart. He looked at Li Baiyu, who also showed an expression of surprise and concern.
"Alright... okay, where are you? I'll come find you," Shen Jingqi tried to keep his voice steady.
The agent gave him an address before hanging up.
Shen Jingqi put down the phone and looked at Li Baiyu, "What should we do? How do they know about our experiences?"
Li Baiyu frowned, "It seems our actions have caught their attention. But don't worry, we haven't done anything wrong. Just answer their questions honestly."
Shen Jingqi nodded, though he still felt some apprehension.
They drove to the address given by the observer, a secret organization hidden within the bustling city. At the entrance, there were stringent security measures requiring identity verification to access.
Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu were led to an interrogation room where a middle-aged man sat, dressed in a neat suit, his face serious and authoritative.
"I'm an observer from the Time Administration Bureau and also the head of the agents. You can call me Mr. Lin," the middle-aged man introduced himself.
Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu nodded in respect.
"Regarding your recent experiences, I hope you can tell me the truth," Mr. Lin said straightforwardly.
Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu exchanged a glance and then began recounting their time travel experiences. They tried to describe every detail as accurately as possible, including how they discovered the book, how they built the time machine, and what they saw and heard in the past world.
Mr. Lin listened attentively, occasionally nodding or taking notes. After they finished recounting, he paused before speaking slowly, "Do you know? Your actions have violated the regulations of the Time Administration Bureau."
Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu were startled. They hadn't realized their time travel might breach the law.
"However," Mr. Lin continued, "we don't intend to hold you accountable. Your actions have not significantly impacted the timeline."
Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu breathed a sigh of relief, but their confusion only deepened.
"Then... why did you want to meet with us?" Shen Jingqi asked cautiously.
Mr. Lin looked at them, his gaze full of meaning, "We sought you because you have the potential to change the future."