Barkley followed Black through a long underground tunnel, the lights around him were dim and uncertain, and the air was filled with the smell of dampness and decay. Their footsteps echoed in the empty space, as if they were echoes from another world. Barkley's mind was still buzzing, trying to sort out everything he had just learned.
Who exactly is Black? Does the ancient organization he mentioned really exist? And does Barkley's own fate really, as he said, concern the future of the entire world? These questions circled in Barkley's mind, but he didn't ask them. Now, the most important thing is to escape the pursuit of the Shadow Council.
"There is a safe house ahead, we can rest there temporarily." Black whispered, breaking the silence of the tunnel.
Barkley nodded, his body had become numb due to the continuous running and pain, and he urgently needed to rest. But he did not relax his vigilance, and still followed behind Black at a certain distance. He didn't dare to completely trust this stranger, although Black's appearance did temporarily save him from danger.
After a long walk, they finally came to a dilapidated metal door. Blake entered a complex password, and the door slowly opened, revealing a dim hut inside. The room was simple and messy, but hidden enough. As soon as Barkley walked in, he collapsed on the floor, breathing rapidly, his legs weak, and finally had a moment of respite.
Blake walked to an old computer and began to enter commands. The screen flashed a few times, showing a map with several red dots marked on it. "These are the trackers of the Shadow Council. They haven't found us yet. However, they have blocked this area and will start a full search soon."
"What should we do?" Barkley leaned against the wall, trying to stay awake.
"We have to leave here, as soon as possible." Blake turned around, his expression serious, "But before that, there is something you must know."
Barkley frowned, his mind was still a little confused due to fatigue and pain, but he knew that what Blake was going to say next was very likely to be related to the core of his fate.
"Your parents' research," Blake began, his tone becoming deeper, "is not just about genetic modification. In fact, they have been studying something that goes beyond current human technology - a technology involving space-time structure."
"Space-time structure?" Barkley was a little shocked.
"Yes," Blake nodded, "The genetic information in your body was actually implanted by your parents in the process of trying to crack this technology. By manipulating genes, they found a way to make you a 'carrier' of space-time rifts."
"Space-time rifts? Carrier?" Barkley felt that he had heard a completely incomprehensible concept.
Blake paused, as if organizing his words, "In short, space-time rifts are a strange phenomenon that exists deep in the universe, and it does not conform to our existing laws of physics. Your parents' research found that through specific genetic coding, the human body can resonate with this rift to some extent. In this way, you can not only sense the existence of these rifts, but also-"
"Manipulate them?" Barkley couldn't help interrupting, his tone revealing incredibleness.
Blake nodded, "That's the theory, but the actual application has not been fully launched. Because when your parents' research was close to a breakthrough, the Shadow Council discovered the potential of this technology and tried to control it. In order to prevent the technology from falling into their hands, your parents chose to implant these core information into your genes and let you escape."
Barkley's brain was unable to digest this information for a while. He never thought that he was not only a pawn in the escape, but also a carrier of some kind of power beyond human understanding. This made him feel an unprecedented sense of oppression, as if the weight of the whole world fell on his shoulders.
"So, what you mean is... I am not only the target of pursuit, but also some kind of key?" Barkley barely sorted out his thoughts, his voice low and nervous.
"You can say that." Blake nodded, "The Shadow Council wants to use you to unlock the secret of the space-time rift. They know that you are the only one who can trigger that lock. And we-" He paused, his expression became more serious, "We hope that you will make your own choice, rather than being forced to become a tool in their hands."
Barkley was silent for a few seconds, with complex emotions in his heart. He never thought that his life would be related to any time and space rift. He was just a tax avoidance consultant who lived in the gray area and survived by actuarial calculation and prudence. Now, he was suddenly told that he had such a heavy destiny, which made him at a loss.
"What if I don't make a choice?" Barkley asked in a low voice.
"Then they will force you to do it." Blake replied calmly, "Their methods are not limited to hunting and threatening. If necessary, they will control you at all costs and even transform you into their tools."
Barkley's heart suddenly tightened. He thought of the scenes that appeared and disappeared in his dreams-endless darkness, disordered timelines, and those mysterious beings that seemed to be watching him from the depths. Do those dreams really indicate a fate that he can't escape?
"What choice can I make?" Barkley stared at Blake closely. He knew he had no choice, but he wanted to figure out the way out at the moment.
Blake stared at Barkley, his voice became deeper and more powerful: "You can control this power, instead of letting it control you. The space-time rift itself is not a malicious existence, it is part of the universe, and you have the ability to understand it and even control it. Our organization will help you, but only if you are willing to accept this fate."
Barkley was silent. His heart was full of contradictions and struggles, as if he was facing an inevitable choice. Blake's words sounded tempting, but at the same time it also meant that he would never be able to return to his relatively ordinary life in the past. Whether to become a tool for the pursuer or accept the call of this fate, he must make a difficult decision.
Just then, a slight buzzing sound suddenly came from outside, interrupting the conversation between the two. Blake immediately became alert, quickly turned off the display, and walked to the door to be on guard.
"They are coming." There was a hint of tension in Blake's voice, "We don't have much time."
Barkley also tensed his nerves instantly, and his body instinctively entered a defensive state. He stood up from the ground, leaned against the wall, and looked around vigilantly.
"We have to leave immediately." Blake walked quickly to Barkley and whispered, "The pursuers are approaching, we can't let them catch you."
Barkley nodded. Although he was still full of doubts and fears, he knew he had to act. He didn't have time to continue to struggle. The most important thing now was to escape.
Blake led Barkley through the back door of the basement and into a narrower passage. The passage was filled with the smell of corruption, and the ground was covered with a layer of stagnant water, and there was a faint sound of water dripping. The two quickened their pace and passed through a series of complex forks, trying to get rid of the pursuers behind them.
"We are almost there. There is a secret passage ahead that leads directly to the outskirts of the city." Blake whispered as he ran.
Barkley did not respond. He no longer had the extra energy to think about these complicated escape routes. His leg injury made him feel as painful as a knife every step he took, but he gritted his teeth and insisted, not daring to slow down.
Just as the two were about to turn a corner, a dazzling white light suddenly flashed in front of them. Barkley instinctively stopped and raised his hand to cover his eyes.
"Oh no, they set an ambush in advance!" Blake cursed in a low voice, quickly took out a small device from his waist and pressed a button.
A strong electromagnetic pulse spread out instantly, and Barkley heard a sound of a metal object falling from the front, as if the drone lost its balance and fell after being disturbed. Then, the white light disappeared, and the surroundings returned to darkness.
"Let's go!" Blake grabbed Barkley and took him to another passage.
Barkley acted almost instinctively, and the dazzling white light of the moment just now was still echoing in his mind. He knew that this was only a temporary respite, they were still tightly bitten by the pursuers, and the trust between him and Blake was not really established. He didn't know whether this mysterious man was really helping him or using him.
The two quickly passed through several narrow passages and finally came to an exit. Blake pressed a button again, and the metal door opened silently, revealing a secret passage leading to the outside world.
"This passage leads to the outskirts of the city and can temporarily get rid of the tracker." Blake explained quickly, "I still have some preparations to make. You have to go on your own next time."
"What?" Barkley was stunned. Obviously he didn't expect Blake to let him leave alone at this critical moment.
"Don't worry, I will find you." Blake's voice was calm and firm. "What you have to do now is to find the next clue-the last piece of the puzzle your parents left for you."
Barkley hesitated for a moment, feeling uneasy, but he knew he couldn't delay any longer. The tracker wouldn't give him more time, and he had to keep going.
"Where to go?" Barkley finally asked.
Bark smiled and handed him a small electronic card with a coordinate point marked on it.
"Go there and you'll find the answer." Blake whispered, "Remember, fate always brings hope to those who dare to face it."
Barkley looked at the card in his hand, feeling complicated. He didn't know what was waiting for him ahead, nor did he know if Blake was really trustworthy, but he knew he had no way back.
"Okay." He finally nodded, took a deep breath, and walked towards the dark passage.
Blake stood at the door, quietly watching Barkley's back disappear into the darkness. When he turned around, there was a hidden light in his eyes, as if he had already seen through this game of fate.
And Barkley, with endless questions and uneasiness, embarked on a more dangerous and unknown journey.