Red Raven shared what he knew:"According to my master, after a thunderstorm, a massive hole opened in the temple floor. My master, some elders, and your father went down to investigate, but your father vanished like a ghost."
Mo Wen urgently asked,"What happened down there?"
Red Raven shrugged, spreading his hands in resignation."How would I know? I didn't go down. Later, they sealed the hole to the underground chamber, and no one's allowed down there anymore."
Mo Wen fixed him with an intense stare."Master, after this mission, can you take me to the underground chamber of the temple?"
Red Raven frowned and shook his head."It's sealed. Even if we went, you wouldn't be able to get in!"
"Then can you let me talk to the abbot?" Mo Wen's voice carried a hint of pleading.
"Hmm… that depends on your performance." Red Raven's eyes gleamed with a trace of cunning, seizing the opportunity.
Mo Wen stopped him,"Master, don't rush. Let me get a clear picture of the situation first."
Red Raven's eyes flashed with impatience."Get a clear picture of what? Tonight, under the cover of darkness, I'm heading to his office. The diary must be hidden there."
Mo Wen calmly continued,"Master, don't rush. Give me three days. I'll scout out their defenses and surveillance. It'll be safer that way."
Red Raven grumbled,"Fine, three days! You're responsible for food and drinks, but don't waste my time."
"Got it!" Mo Wen agreed quickly. He knew that to get more information, these small demands were manageable.
In the following days, Red Raven relaxed in the hotel, enjoying his leisure, while Mo Wen came and went mysteriously.
Whenever he got the chance, Mo Wen would press Red Raven for details about his father.
Setting down his teacup, Red Raven spoke at length,"Your father and my master's master were old friends, but he never bought our talismans. Said he was saving money for you. Yet he spent a fortune on a pair of jade ornaments! He never thought much of our talismans!"
Mo Wen suddenly recalled,"When I was a child, my father once hid a piece of jade in my pillow. Every night at the hour of the tiger, I'd wake up from dreams of another world…"
Red Raven nodded."The time your father disappeared, my master said there was a shattered piece of jade left behind on the ground."
"Oh…" Mo Wen didn't press further, but a storm of thoughts roiled in his mind as these fragments of memory and clues intertwined.
---
For days, Mo Wen had been hiding in the blind spot behind the warehouse's rear courtyard wall, safely out of sight from the surveillance cameras sweeping the warehouse entrance. Though the warehouse was nearly deserted during the day, the towering stacks of steel made it a labyrinthine maze. As night fell, the lights in the warehouse extinguished one by one, the darkness swallowing all light and sound.
With the night deepening, the warehouse became pitch black, an abyss of shadows. Mo Wen sat cross-legged behind a pile of steel, the dim glow from a few devices casting a faint light on his face. In his hand was a thumb-sized, cockroach-shaped robot, its glossy black shell barely visible in the gloom. This tiny robot was equipped with a camera and a small battery, its six-legged joints driven by miniature motors, moving as nimbly as a living creature.
He muttered softly,"Hope you bring me some good news."
With a light touch on the remote control, the insect-like robot activated, a faint glow flickering in its eyes, its body vibrating slightly as if preparing for action. Then, with agile speed, it slid along the ground, disappearing into the entrance of a cable duct, moving with the precision of a real insect.
Mo Wen's eyes were fixed on the terminal screen, which quickly displayed the robot's feed. The darkness within the cable duct was illuminated by the green glow of night vision, the blurred outlines gradually sharpening. The robot navigated the narrow space swiftly, deftly avoiding obstacles as it followed the winding path towards the research building.
Within the cable duct, the robot scurried like an indefatigable scout, crawling through the narrow, damp passageway. The surroundings were eerie and constricted, the walls marred with mottled water stains, the sound of dripping water and faint metallic clinks echoing through the duct like distant wails, evoking a sense of desolate seclusion underground.
"So far, so good," Mo Wen whispered, eyes glued to the screen. As his fingers deftly manipulated the remote, the robot maneuvered along the duct walls, the screen's images shifting constantly, the green-tinged corridor seemingly extending ever forward, all appearing under control.
Suddenly, the robot came to an abrupt halt. Mo Wen's heart raced, his eyes locked onto the screen. In the middle of the duct, a grid of electric wires stretched across, faint sparks flickering intermittently, resembling a lethal spiderweb, its cold brilliance stark against the night vision's green glow.
"Damn, a security grid," he cursed under his breath, brow furrowed. Though the grid's energy was not high, it posed a fatal obstacle for the tiny robot. Mo Wen quickly assessed the possibility of bypassing the grid, his fingers flying over the remote with every minor adjustment charged with tension and caution.
He attempted to maneuver the robot around the grid, but each time it approached the edge, the faint crackling from the robot and the interference lines on the screen made his heart pound. It felt as though every step closer brought him nearer to disaster, the faint sparks leaping like lightning through the darkness.
"Once more," he muttered through clenched teeth, holding his breath, trying again to pass the edge of the grid. Every slight movement sent sweat trickling from his forehead, his fingers stiffening on the remote, the screen's images alternating between blurry and clear, a life-or-death gamble unfolding.
In that moment, the screen flickered violently, as if struck by a blinding flash. The robot was instantly paralyzed by the grid's high-voltage current, the screen's glare quickly plunging into darkness.
"No!" Mo Wen let out a despairing growl, his fist clenching so tightly his nails dug into his palm. His plan had barely begun, but the crucial tool was already destroyed, the harsh reality leaving his heart cold.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and when he opened them again, a new determination burned within. He placed the remote back into his equipment bag, his gaze reflecting a mix of calm and resolve.
"This path won't work," he muttered to himself, his mind racing, rapidly devising a new infiltration plan.
As dawn broke, Mo Wen pulled out a thumb-sized motor from his pocket, his fingers swiftly assembling four tiny propellers, a concealed flying device taking shape. The exterior was coated with a silver optical layer, almost blending seamlessly with its surroundings.
Before long, the drone was gently hovering in the air, drifting like a breeze towards the research building. Mo Wen's eyes were glued to his phone screen, the live feed easing his tense nerves slightly. The new plan had begun, and he murmured to the image on the screen,"This time, I'll succeed."