As the music flowed, everyone was immersed in this wonderful atmosphere.
All of a sudden, David exclaimed loudly, "Let's play a game of Truth or Dare. It can help us understand each other better." Everyone thought it was a great idea, so they sat around together. David took out a small bottle and said, "We'll spin this bottle. Whoever the bottle points to will choose either Truth or Dare."
The first person the bottle pointed to was Hailun. After a moment of thought, Hailun said, "I choose Truth." David grinned mischievously and asked, "Hailun, when you were a muscular fitness guy, did you secretly like any girl?" Hailun blushed and replied, "Actually, there was one. She was a girl I often saw in the gym. Every time she exercised, she was very serious. I was attracted by her concentration. But I never dared to confess my feelings." Everyone burst into laughter, finding Hailun rather adorable.
The bottle started spinning again, and this time it pointed to Tim. Tim chose Dare. David thought for a while and said, "Tim, then go and imitate the most exaggerated pose you had when you were walking on the catwalk as a model." Tim stood up immediately and struck a highly exaggerated model pose, which made everyone laugh heartily.
Next, the bottle pointed to Amy. Amy said, "I choose Truth." Hailun came up with a question: "Amy, before today, did you have any premonition that you would have such a wonderful experience?" Amy shook her head and said, "Not at all. Everything that happened today is like a dream. Even now, I can hardly believe it."
The bottle continued to spin, and this time it pointed to Jack and Lucy. They looked at each other, and Lucy said, "We both choose Truth." David's eyes twinkled as he asked, "Then I'll ask you, when you were dancing just now, did you secretly make any promises about the future?" Jack and Lucy both blushed. Jack said, "Actually, we did. We hope that we can spend wonderful time together like this every year in the future." Everyone made envious sounds upon hearing this.
Finally, the bottle pointed to the butler. The butler was a little surprised, then smiled and said, "Then I'll choose Truth." Amy thought of a question: "Butler, you have been guarding this villa for so many years. What are you most afraid of?" The butler pondered for a while and said, "I'm most afraid of failing the mission of the family, allowing the secrets in the villa to be exploited by evil forces, and also being unable to protect the guests who come here. But seeing how united everyone is today, I don't feel that scared anymore."
After the game, everyone started chatting again. Jack said to everyone, "Although we successfully solved the puzzle today, I think there are still many mysterious things in this world waiting for us to explore." Tim nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, today's experience has made me realize that what we know is just the tip of the iceberg. Maybe there are more existences like aliens. We need to understand them in order to better protect ourselves and our planet." Hailun said, "But exploration should also have limits. We should also pay attention to safety. If it weren't for everyone's concerted efforts today, we might have been trapped here forever." Lucy said, "Yes, we can first learn more knowledge, make full preparations, and then explore the unknown." Amy said, "Well, and today we also found that the unity and trust among us are very important. No matter what difficulties we encounter, as long as we are united as one, there is nothing we can't overcome." The butler listened to everyone's words and said with relief, "You are all right. I believe you will be very successful in whatever you do in the future. And if you still want to explore mysterious things in the future, you are always welcome to come back to this villa. This will always be your home." Everyone was deeply touched by the butler's words.
...
As the night grew deeper, the fireworks gradually came to an end. Although everyone was a little tired, they were reluctant to end this wonderful night. David stood up and said, "Although today was wonderful, we still have our own lives to continue tomorrow. I think we should have a good rest and get ready for tomorrow." Everyone nodded in agreement. Thus, under the arrangement of the butler, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.
The next morning, the sunlight shone on everyone's faces through the windows. When everyone woke up, they found that the bridge had been repaired by the butler. The butler stood at the entrance of the villa and said to everyone, "The bridge has been repaired. You can leave safely. I hope your future lives are full of happiness and surprises." Everyone said goodbye to the butler one by one and then set off on their way home.
On the way home, Jack said to Lucy, "Lucy, although we are going to be separated, we can keep in touch often. I will miss you very much." Lucy smiled and said, "I will miss you too, Jack." Amy looked at them, and her heart was filled with warmth. She knew that although this adventure had ended, the friendship and memories among them would stay in their hearts forever.
The butler stood on a high place in the villa, watching everyone's leaving figures, silently blessing them in his heart. He knew that the world was full of unknowns and mysteries, but as long as there were brave, kind - hearted, and united people like Amy and the others, there was nothing to be afraid of.
...
Until the bus gradually drove away and finally disappeared completely at the end of the winding road in the villa area, the butler slowly tore off the exquisite mask on his face. As the mask was removed, an old face, exactly the same as Tom's, was revealed. The wrinkles on that face were like mysterious runes engraved by time, and each one seemed to hide countless unknown secrets.
The bus was driving down the mountain road, but the vehicle began to shake inexplicably, and the shaking became more and more intense, as if an invisible force was pulling it. Amy was sitting on the seat and felt something was wrong. She noticed that instead of getting farther from the top of the mountain, the bus was being dragged by a strange gravitational force and was driving towards the top of the mountain. A strong sense of unease welled up in Amy's heart. She stood up, staggering towards the driver's position, wanting to find out what was going on. However, when she got closer, she was astonished to find that the driver's seat was already empty, leaving only the slightly shaking steering wheel, as if being controlled by an invisible hand.
Outside the window, the rain was pouring down like an enraged beast. Big raindrops hit the window hard, making a crackling sound, like countless demons knocking on the glass, trying to break into the vehicle. The rain curtain became thicker and thicker, and Amy could gradually no longer see the road ahead of the bus. The already unknown road ahead was now shrouded in darkness and fear. Amy held the silver bronze mirror tightly in her arms. The silver bronze mirror emitted a weak yet mysterious glow in this dim carriage. In her mind, she recalled the butler's instructions. The function of this silver bronze mirror was to reset time, but as for which time point it would reset to and how to control this time, the butler had only shaken his head helplessly, indicating that he didn't know. The butler had also seriously warned her that every time she was reborn, it meant a memory reset. She would forget all the people and things that had happened before, and this magical silver bronze mirror could only be used three times in a lifetime.
The others in the vehicle also noticed the abnormality, and fear spread among them like a plague. Jack was the first to react. He stood up, grasped the handrail beside him tightly, and scanned his surroundings vigilantly. He saw Amy's frightened eyes and moved towards her without hesitation. "Amy, don't be afraid. I'm here!" Jack shouted loudly, his voice full of determination, trying to dispel some of the fear lingering in the air.
Lucy also stood up. Her eyes were fixed on Jack, full of worry and complex emotions. She knew that she was deeply in love with Jack, but at this moment, seeing Jack desperately moving towards Amy to protect her, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart. At the same time, she was also moved by Jack's bravery and kindness.
The shaking of the vehicle became more and more violent. Suddenly, the vehicle tilted sharply towards the cliff. The people in the vehicle screamed in horror, and luggage and sundries flew everywhere. Jack exerted all his strength and lunged towards Amy. At the moment when the vehicle tilted, he used his body to protect Amy tightly. "Amy, if we can survive, we must be well!" Jack shouted in the chaos.
Lucy saw Jack's action and had mixed feelings in her heart. She knew that she might never be protected by Jack so desperately like Amy, but at this critical moment of life and death, she couldn't just stand by and watch them in danger either.
Just as the vehicle was about to fall off the cliff, Amy held the silver bronze mirror tightly, prayed silently in her heart, and then activated the time reset. Almost at the same time, Lucy also concentrated all her mental strength and activated the golden bronze mirror she was holding to pause time.
In an instant, the world seemed to stop functioning. Raindrops hung in the air, the tilted body of the bus was frozen, and the people in the vehicle maintained their horrified expressions, like a frozen horror picture. Amy and Lucy looked at each other. Their eyes were full of sorrow, but there was also a tacit understanding. It was a wry smile of helplessness towards fate and also a comfort to each other.
Then, everything spun. Amy felt as if she was caught in a huge whirlpool. Time and space twisted and deformed around her. When everything finally calmed down, Amy found herself back on a morning a year ago. The sunlight shone on her face through the gap in the curtain. She slowly sat up from the bed, her eyes full of confusion. She found that her mind was blank, and the only thing remaining in her memory was her friend Lucy.
In another corner of the city, Jack also forgot about the villa. Fate was like a naughty child. Due to some job transfers, he moved next door to Amy. One day, Amy went out to buy breakfast as usual. As soon as she opened the door, she saw a strange yet somewhat familiar face. "Hello, I'm Jack. I just moved next door. Please take care of me in the future." Jack extended his hand politely, with a gentle smile on his face. Amy looked at Jack, and a strange sense of familiarity welled up in her heart, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him before. "Hello, I'm Amy. Welcome to be my neighbor."
...
On the other side of the city, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, Tom had been transferred to a junior high school in New York for two years. These two years had slipped through his fingers like flowing water, but in Tom's heart, there was always an inexpressible longing. When night came, he hadn't heard the voice of that beautiful sister for a long time. That voice was like a distant song, which played in his heart from time to time, making his thoughts always drift to the past involuntarily.
Tom's sister Kelly was a delicate - minded girl. She soon noticed that her brother was a little down. One day after school, Kelly mysteriously pulled Tom's hand and said, "Brother, I'll take you to a super - fun place." Tom was curious and a little confused, but he still followed Kelly.
They came to a place. It was a very luxurious building, exuding a mysterious atmosphere. As soon as they entered, Tom was attracted by the sight in front of him. It was filled with strangely - shaped puzzles. He had never seen the shapes of those puzzles before, and each piece seemed to hide countless secrets.
At this time, they saw a bearded uncle. He was holding a strange instrument and fiddling with a wooden straw man on the bed. The instrument flickered with a幽绿 light and made a slight buzzing sound. The bearded uncle was concentrating, his eyes fixed on the straw man without blinking. Suddenly, he pressed a button on the instrument, and a blue ray shot at the straw man. Soon, the wooden straw man slowly sat up. "Go!" The bearded uncle gave an order to the straw man, and the straw man walked a few steps like an obedient puppet. Seeing this, the bearded uncle laughed excitedly. The laughter echoed in the empty room, making people feel a little creepy.
Kelly quietly pulled Tom's clothes and whispered, "Brother, this bearded uncle is doing a great experiment. This experiment is amazing. It can even affect human life and death." Tom's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Kelly. Kelly continued, "I signed a contract with the bearded uncle. Look." Saying that, Kelly extended her finger, and Tom saw a strange mark on her finger, like the trace of dried blood. "I signed the contract with my blood. The bearded uncle promised to help me get full marks in every exam and that no one would dare to bully me anymore. If anyone dares to bully me, that person will disappear from this world without a trace. Brother, I think you should also join."
Tom was frightened by Kelly's words. He took a few steps back, waving his hands and said, "No, Kelly, this is too terrifying. I don't want to be involved in this kind of thing."
The bearded uncle's originally excited face immediately darkened when he heard Tom's refusal. He slowly raised his head, his eyes cold, staring at Tom tightly, as if trying to see through him. The bearded uncle slowly said, his voice low and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against a wooden board: "Young man, don't be so quick to refuse. Don't you want to know the secret behind this experiment? This is a chance to change your fate."
Tom forced himself to suppress his fear and said, "I don't want to know. It sounds very dangerous. I just want to live a normal life."
The bearded uncle sneered: "A normal life? Do you think your current life is normal? Don't you want to hear the voice of that beautiful sister again? Maybe, this experiment can help you fulfill this wish."
Tom was startled. He didn't expect the bearded uncle to know about the beautiful sister. A hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, but soon he became firm again: "No, no matter what, I won't participate."
Kelly said a little anxiously: "Brother, think about it again. This experiment is really amazing. The bearded uncle is not a bad person."
Tom looked at Kelly seriously and said, "Kelly, I know you mean well, but I can't do something that goes against common sense. Moreover, don't you think this experiment is very strange? How can you be sure that he won't harm you?"
The bearded uncle heard Tom's words and laughed again, but this time the laughter was full of sarcasm: "Humph, ignorant boy. Do you think what you see is all there is? The world is far more complex than you think. This experiment is not something you mortals can understand."
Tom frowned and said, "No matter what, I won't change my mind."
The bearded uncle suddenly became serious. His eyes were fixed on Tom as he said word by word: "You will regret it, boy. What you are refusing is not just an opportunity, but a brand - new possibility, a possibility to explore the mysteries of the universe."
Tom was a little curious about the mysteries of the universe mentioned by the bearded uncle in his heart, but he still turned around firmly, pulling Kelly and said: "Kelly, let's go."
Kelly followed Tom reluctantly. When leaving, Tom couldn't help but look back. He saw the bearded uncle standing among those strangely - shaped puzzles. His figure seemed a little lonely, but his eyes were shining with a firm light, which made Tom feel an inexplicable unease.
Tom and Kelly walked on their way home. Along the way, neither of them said a word. Tom's mind kept replaying the bearded uncle's words and that strange experiment. He always felt that there was a huge secret behind this matter, and this secret seemed to have some connection with aliens. He remembered that on those strangely - shaped puzzles, there were some strange patterns that looked like alien creatures. Also, the way the wooden straw man stood up and walked was not like ordinary mechanical movement at all, but more like being controlled by a mysterious force.
Kelly was also thinking about her own affairs. Although she had signed a contract with the bearded uncle, she was also a little worried now. She looked at Tom's side face and said softly, "Brother, do you think the bearded uncle will be angry because we refused him today?"
Tom comforted her: "Whether he is angry or not, we can't do things against our conscience. Kelly, you should also be careful in the future. I always feel that this contract thing is not reliable."
Kelly nodded: "Yes, I know, brother."
...
When night came again, Tom lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. In his ears, it seemed that the voice of that beautiful sister rang again. That voice was like a call from the distant starry sky, carrying a mysterious summons. He didn't know whether his decision today was correct, but he knew that he had to stick to his bottom line.
In another corner of the city, the bearded uncle stood alone in that luxurious room. His eyes were fixed on the wooden straw man on the bed, and he murmured: "Humph, boy, do you think you can stop this experiment? This is a grand plan across the stars. The power contained in those alien creatures is far beyond your imagination." After that, he picked up the mysterious instrument again and started a new round of operations on the straw man. In an instant, the slight buzzing sound echoed in the room again. That sound was like the whisper of an unknown creature in the dark, slowly spreading.
...
After Tom learned that his sister Kelly had joined that mysterious organization, he was very worried. He decided to tell his eldest brother Jack about this. The two brothers were talking in low voices in the room, completely unaware that their stepfather Steve was approaching quietly