Shen Jingqi's expression instantly turned grave. He knew very well what a time marker meant. It would be a specific point in time, a key moment where a mastermind might be hiding or taking action.
"Mr. Lin is here." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel·fiɾe·net
The young man came in to inform them.
Shen Jingqi picked up the book and the piece of paper, leaving the meeting room.
Li Baiyu followed closely behind.
At this moment, time was too precious for them. Every minute, every second could determine the course of history and the safety of countless lives.
They hurried to Mr. Lin's office and told him about their discovery. Upon hearing this, Mr. Lin's expression also became serious. He immediately gathered all the elites of the Time Administration Bureau, preparing to launch an unprecedented time-tracking operation.
Before the operation began, Mr. Lin looked at Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu, his eyes full of trust and expectation. "In this mission, you will be the key figures. You must find out the reason behind the time marker and ensure the correctness of history's course. It is a daunting task, but I believe you can accomplish it."
This time, Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu began traversing through different time nodes, searching for the source of that special time marker.
They stood in front of an ancient clock tower, their figures appearing both small and lonely under the dim light. The wind gently blew, bringing with it the rustling sound of leaves from afar.
Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, looking at the ancient compass in his hand. The needle on the compass kept vibrating. He turned to Li Baiyu, "Are you ready? We are about to enter that unknown time node."
Shen Jingqi took a deep breath and activated the compass. Instantly, the surrounding scene started to blur, and time and space seemed to lose their meaning at this moment.
When their vision became clear again, they found themselves in an unfamiliar time and space. Around them was a barren desert, with yellow sands everywhere, and the sun scorching like fire.
"This place is too desolate, is there any life?" Li Baiyu frowned, looking around.
Shen Jingqi shook his head, his gaze fixed on the compass in his hand. The needle on the compass was still vibrating, but its direction had changed.
"I don't know, but I'm sure we're near that special time marker. We must be careful, not knowing what dangers we might encounter."
The two carefully explored forward, the wind and sand in the desert making it almost impossible for them to open their eyes.
Suddenly, a deep roar came from the distance, rumbling in their eardrums. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu immediately stopped, their eyes vigilantly watching the direction of the sound. Just visible within the sandstorm was a giant silhouette, as if it were a ferocious beast.
"Be careful!" Shen Jingqi whispered a reminder.
Li Baiyu nodded, clutching his longsword tightly.
As the figure drew closer, they finally saw its form—a giant sand worm, its body massive like a small mountain, its skin as hard as iron, with sharp fangs exposed from its mouth.
The sand worm lunged at them with astonishing speed. Li Baiyu reacted swiftly, swinging his longsword, a brilliant Sword Qi piercing through the sandstorm, directly targeting the sand worm's vital spot. The sand worm, in pain, let out a roar, its body rolling in the air, dodging the strike.
Taking advantage of the moment, Shen Jingqi launched an attack, the compass in his hand glowing brightly, and a mysterious force surged from the compass, restraining the sand worm's movements. Li Baiyu seized the opportunity to swing his sword again, this time, the sword tip accurately piercing the sand worm's eyes. The sand worm let out a final scream, its massive body crashing to the ground.
Looking at the compass in his hand, Shen Jingqi said, "This compass is indeed extraordinary, able to emit such powerful forces."
They continued forward, crossing the desert and arriving at a dense forest. In the forest, the trees were towering, the foliage lush, with sunlight filtering through the leaves casting dappled shadows. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu carefully weaved through the trees, each step taken with extreme caution.
Suddenly, a sharp bird call came from above, immediately followed by a giant bird diving down from the sky, its sharp claws glinting coldly. Li Baiyu, quick-witted and swift, swung his longsword, forcing the bird back. Yet, the bird was relentless, continuing to circle in the sky, looking for another chance to attack.
Watching the bird, Shen Jingqi felt a surge of unease in his heart: "This bird isn't simple, it seems to be guarding something."
Li Baiyu nodded, his gaze fixed on the bird: "Then we must be even more careful, who knows, that special time marker might be nearby."
They continued forward and soon arrived in front of a cave. The entrance of the cave was tightly shrouded by vines and branches, making it difficult to spot unless observed carefully. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with expectation and tension.
Carefully, they entered the cave, their torches illuminating the path ahead. Inside, the cave was complicated, full of various traps and mechanisms. They cautiously navigated the traps, deciphering the mechanisms, each step taken with extreme difficulty.
Suddenly, deep growls sounded from ahead, accompanied by a strong stench of blood. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu immediately halted, their eyes vigilant, looking towards the direction of the sound. Before them appeared a giant cavern, in the center of which lay a massive beast, covered in scars and blood, its eyes glinting with madness.
To find that special time marker, they must defeat this powerful beast.
Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, activating the compass. Instantly, the compass glowed brightly, a mysterious power surged from it, enveloping them both.
Li Baiyu took the lead in attacking, swinging his longsword, a brilliant Sword Qi slicing through the air, directly targeting the beast's vital spot. The beast roared furiously, its body lunging forward in an attempt to evade the strike. But Shen Jingqi had already anticipated its movement, the compass in his hand flashing with light, a mysterious force binding the beast's actions.
The beast let out a terrible scream, its body frozen in mid-air. Seizing the opportunity, Li Baiyu swung his sword again, this time, the sword tip accurately pierced the beast's heart. The beast's body shuddered violently, then crashed to the ground.
The two exchanged smiles; though the process was filled with peril, they still managed to defeat the beast. Looking at the compass in his hand, Shen Jingqi felt a strong sense of accomplishment surge within him: "It seems this compass is much more powerful than we imagined."
Li Baiyu nodded, still vigilantly surveying the surroundings: "But we can't relax yet, that special time marker hasn't been found."
Continuing forward, they finally arrived in front of a gigantic stone door. The door was carved with various mysterious patterns and scripts.
"Behind this stone door might lie the special time marker's location."