After David transformed back into Terry's appearance, he followed the compass's direction, venturing deeper into the cave. The path twisted and turned, leading him through a labyrinth of tunnels until he reached a three-way intersection. He paused, glancing at the compass in his hand. The needle remained stubbornly fixed, pointing directly at a solid wall.
*Is this compass broken?* David wondered, tapping it lightly. The wall before him showed no signs of being anything other than solid rock. He frowned, recalling how Tariq had opened hidden passages by tapping the walls with his wand. David mimicked the gesture, but the wall remained unchanged.
"Open Sesame?" David muttered, half-jokingly, as he tapped the wall again. A few specks of dust fell from the ceiling, as if mocking his efforts.
Frustrated, David examined the compass more closely. As he moved it closer to the wall, he noticed a small, faintly glowing indentation in the rock. It was just the right size for the compass. *Could this be it?* he thought, carefully placing the compass into the indentation.
The wall shuddered slightly, and cracks began to form, spreading horizontally and vertically until they outlined a door. David pushed against it, and the clay-like material slid open, revealing a hidden chamber.
"You're a bit slow," a voice echoed from inside, speaking in fluent, ancient-sounding Chinese. The tone was laced with sarcasm.
David's wand shot up instinctively. "Who's there?"
"Do you think there's anyone else here who can speak besides me?" the voice replied, dripping with disdain.
David's eyes landed on Bai Ze, the mythical creature lying in a corner, far from the other magical animals. Its white beard twitched as it regarded David with a look of mild annoyance. Unlike the other creatures, Bai Ze wasn't confined to a cage or bound by chains.
"Are you… talking to me?" David asked, still processing the situation.
"Do you see anyone else awake in this room besides you and me?" Bai Ze retorted, its voice tinged with exasperation.
David blinked, realizing the absurdity of his question. "Then you…?"
Bai Ze snorted, a small bubble forming in its mouth before it spat out a piece of food. "My strength has returned. Escaping that cage was child's play. The idiots around me are all drugged, but I saw through their plan from the start. That little fatty—Tariq—didn't seem malicious, so I played along. But I didn't expect to be stuck here with these unwashed creatures." Bai Ze shot a disgusted glance at the other magical animals, scooting further away from them.
David's mind raced. "You can read thoughts?"
"Of course," Bai Ze said, its tone matter-of-fact. "I can read memories too, though I usually don't. The Celestial Master forbade it, said it would make me the enemy of the world. But who cares? If I hadn't been careless while eating, those fools would never have caught me."
David's respect for Bai Ze grew. "So, you're saying you let yourself be captured?"
Bai Ze yawned lazily. "Pretty much. Now, are you going to get me out of here, or do I have to do it myself?"
David hesitated. "I need to find my grandfather first. He's outside."
Bai Ze stood, stretching its limbs. "Fine, but I'm not staying here any longer. Don't worry about me—I can handle myself. A hundred of you wouldn't be a match for me."
David raised an eyebrow, skeptical but unwilling to argue. As Bai Ze strode past him, David followed, only to realize he had no idea how to navigate the maze of tunnels. He summoned a Cat Raccoon, hoping it could guide him out.
The creature appeared, rubbing affectionately against David's legs. "Take me home," David instructed. The Cat Raccoon chirped and began leading the way, its movements confident. David followed, retracing his steps until he recognized the scorch marks left by the fire lion. Confident he could find his way now, he dismissed the Cat Raccoon and hurried toward the exit.
As he approached a brighter section of the cave, David heard a voice call out, "Who's there?" accompanied by the unmistakable hum of magical energy.
"Don't shoot! It's me!" David shouted, stepping cautiously into the light. He found himself face-to-face with Dumbledore, Newt, Charlie, and John. Newt lowered his wand, relief washing over his face.
"David?" Newt asked, though David was still disguised as Terry.
Dumbledore, however, remained wary. "Polyjuice Potion?" he inquired, his eyes narrowing.
"No, a disguise," Newt explained. "Similar to what Grindelwald used."
Dumbledore's expression shifted to one of intrigue. "Impressive."
David reverted to his true form, his height shrinking noticeably. "Professor, what are you doing here?"
Dumbledore smiled. "We received word about this base from a group that's been assisting us. They claimed the R organization was operating here. We didn't expect to find you."
David quickly explained his infiltration and the discovery of the hidden magical animals. "They left them to me," he said. "Tariq—the R organization's leader—didn't want them falling into the hands of the group that's been helping you."
Newt's brow furrowed. "Why wouldn't they want that?"
"I think the group helping you might be part of the research organization," David said. "They've been using you to gather magical animals without raising suspicion."
Dumbledore and Newt exchanged glances. "That's a serious accusation," Newt said. "Do you have proof?"
David nodded. "Bai Ze can read memories. It confirmed that the people who captured it are the same ones who've been helping you."
Newt's face darkened. "If that's true, we've been played."
David gestured for them to follow. "Come with me. Bai Ze can confirm it."
They returned to the hidden chamber, where Bai Ze lay lazily, its eyes half-closed. Newt's excitement was palpable as he approached the legendary creature. "This is Bai Ze? Incredible!"
David explained the situation to Bai Ze, who reluctantly agreed to read Newt's memories. After a moment, Bai Ze confirmed David's suspicions. "The ones who drugged me are the same people who've been helping you."
Newt's expression turned grim. "We've been deceived."
Dumbledore placed a reassuring hand on Newt's shoulder. "Now that we know, we can act accordingly. David, you've done well."
David nodded, though his mind was already racing ahead. "We need to protect those magical animals. They can't fall into the wrong hands."
As the group prepared to leave, Bai Ze stretched lazily. "Finally, some action. Let's get out of this stinking place."
David couldn't help but smile. With Bai Ze on their side, they stood a much better chance of uncovering the truth—and protecting the magical world from those who sought to exploit it.