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Chapter: 09
“But how?” Laeretia spoke in a worried tone
“I already have a way…..you don't need to worry abt that” Laeretia sigh as she looked at lu Guang with soft eyes “okay…as you say”
After few hours
The three of them stood in silence, the gravity of their task weighing on them
Lu Guang’s voice broke the stillness, his tone steady and calm “Our rule?”
Cheng Xiaoshi said with the seriousness, replied “No changing the past.”
Lu Guang nodded “Our goal?”
Laeretia the final piece of the puzzle finished “To find the truth.”
Cheng’s eyes briefly closed his hands glowing faintly as he concentrated “Time needs to be turned back.”
Lu Guang held the photograph of Long Xhishi in his hand, focusing on the image “The photo needs to be fixed”
With those words the world shifted, time folding and bending until they found themselves standing outside the house of Long Xhishi
Lu Guang waited outside, his gaze scanning the street as Cheng and Laeretia joined him Laeretia had taken on the form of Xhishi blending seamlessly into the past
Laeretia looked around, scanning the street cautiously, then glanced at Cheng. “Lu? Who’s this?”
“That’s Cheng” Lu responded flatly.
Laeretia snorted “Cheng? Pfft.”
Cheng scoffed. “Yah! Don’t make fun of me! At least I’m not stuck in an fat man’s body tch.”
“Shut up, both of you,” Lu Guang said sharply, silencing them. “Now… let’s go somewhere quiet”
As they walked down the street, Cheng and Laeretia tried to unlock Xhishi’s phone. Laeretia tried a few combinations before turning to Lu with an exasperated expression “Hey, Lu Guang what’s the birthday of Xhishi’s girlfriend? I mean the body I’m in.”
“I don’t know,” Lu responded, clearly irritated
“What? Stop kidding around and just give me the password” Cheng grumbled
“I said I don’t know. Why do you keep asking me?” Lu’s irritation simmered beneath the surface
“Geez, what’s wrong with you?” Cheng muttered, still fiddling with the phone
Finally, after a few moments, Cheng’s face lit up as the lock screen disappeared. “It’s open! Finally!”
Laeretia cheered, “OMG, Cheng, you’re so smart!”
Lu’s eyes widened, and he instinctively reached for the phone, but Laeretia playfully pushed him back “What are you doing? Let us check it first!”
They opened the messaging app, and their expressions shifted immediately A message from an unknown number popped up:
"How long do I have to wait? Come to the fort. I'm waiting."
Cheng and Laeretia exchanged serious looks. Laeretia nodded, her voice resolute. “We’re going there.”
But Lu Guang immediately stepped in, his voice cold and commanding. “No, we’re not.”
“What?” Laeretia spun on him. “But what if we find something important, Lu? Don’t be childish—”
“I said no,” Lu Guang snapped, cutting her off. “It’s not safe. We’re going to the library where Xhishi used to go, but not to the fort.”
Cheng sighed, rubbing his arms as the air grew colder around them. “Are you sure we’re heading in the right direction? It’s freezing out here”
Lu nodded, though his voice was distant, his mind elsewhere “According to the documents I read, this is the right way But… why does it feel like there’s nothing here? Right, Laeretia? ...Laeretia?”
When Laeretia didn’t respond both Lu and Cheng turned around their eyes widening as they realized she was gone
“Cheng,” Lu’s voice trembled slightly, panic slipping into his tone, “where’s Laeretia?”
Cheng’s heart raced as he looked around, scanning the empty street “What the… she was just here!”
Panic surged through them as they began retracing their steps frantically searching for her
“We need to find her” Lu said urgently, his worst fears creeping closer to reality “We can’t let her disappear.”
