Chapter Fifteen: Cui Kaixuan

Xiuming dared not move a muscle. Though he could see nothing, he remained vigilant, listening intently for the slightest sound that might arise around him.

“What’s wrong with you?” came Cui Kaixuan’s voice from behind.

Xiuming started in alarm—how had this fellow ended up behind him?

The faint clicking of the emergency flashlight echoed from behind, and a soft glow illuminated their surroundings.

“Why did you walk in front of me? I called you, but you didn’t respond,” Cui Kaixuan said as he approached.

“That can’t be. I was following right behind you,” Xiuming replied, puzzled.

Cui Kaixuan gave him a strange look. “Are you sure you saw clearly?”

Watching Cui Kaixuan walk ahead, Xiuming felt something was amiss in the past few minutes. Had Cui Kaixuan doubled back when he’d stooped to pick up the key?

“What do you think of Fei Xin?” Cui Kaixuan suddenly asked.

“Huh? Why ask that all of a sudden?”

Cui Kaixuan snickered, “You two have been sharing a room. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. Don’t you like her? Given our situation, we should seize the moment—maybe Fei Xin thinks so too.”

Xiuming recalled the impulse he’d felt by the fire, reading with Fei Xin, and a faint longing stirred in his heart.

“Come on, admit it—do you want her?” Cui Kaixuan’s laughter was low, his face barely visible in the gloom.

“I…” Xiuming could not deny it; he did harbor feelings, and such talk between men was hardly unusual. Yet his earlier resolve not to reveal his secrets kept the words locked in his throat.

He stood frozen, not realizing when Cui Kaixuan had stopped squeezing the emergency flashlight; darkness enveloped them once more. Just as Xiuming was about to speak, Cui Kaixuan’s voice came from behind: “Xiuming? Xiuming?”

A shiver ran down Xiuming’s spine. Only a moment ago, Cui Kaixuan had been right in front of him.

He whirled around. “Why are you behind me?” he demanded coldly.

If the first time Cui Kaixuan had appeared behind him could be chalked up to a lapse in attention, the second time was something else entirely.

“You kept walking forward. I called you several times before you finally responded,” Cui Kaixuan replied.

Xiuming clutched the key he had just picked up. Everything had seemed fine before he found it; afterward, something was clearly wrong.

“You just repeated yourself—you asked me the same thing twice.”

“What do you mean? Which thing?” Cui Kaixuan looked confused, then smacked his forehead. “I know. Do you remember what I told you last time?”

“From now on, trust no one—only your own judgment. Not everything you see or hear is real. Remember, I can’t explain why, but don’t trust anyone, and never reveal your innermost secrets.”

Xiuming remembered those words clearly. “I remember.”

Cui Kaixuan smiled. “Good. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. Then there’s no need to explain further. Let’s continue.”

“I just found a key,” Xiuming said, eyeing Cui Kaixuan warily.

“A key?” Cui Kaixuan turned. “Come, let’s check the spot where you found it.”

Retracing their steps, Xiuming pointed out the place. “Roughly here.”

Cui Kaixuan inspected the area with his flashlight, then moved forward slowly.

“Wait, shine the light upward,” Xiuming prompted, and Cui Kaixuan angled the beam overhead.

A faint glimmer caught their eye on the ceiling beam.

Xiuming retrieved the object—it was a funnel, but one end was much narrower than usual, crafted from thin, light copper.

“A listening tube?” Xiuming recognized its purpose at once. If you drilled a small hole in the wall and inserted it, you could eavesdrop on the room’s occupants.

“So, there are issues within the Church of Absolute Truth?” Cui Kaixuan mused.

Xiuming searched the floor for a hole, but given the tube’s size, it would be minuscule, likely blocked off to prevent light leaking through and revealing the surveillance. Finding it under current conditions was nearly impossible.

“This key might be crucial. Let’s wait until we’re with the others to discuss further. For now, let’s see if there’s anything else here,” Cui Kaixuan said.

“This should be the end of the left corridor. Ahead is the staircase, and beyond that, the right corridor and the library where the others are,” Cui Kaixuan explained as they crept forward, hunched.

If Xiuming’s suspicions were correct, this house was extraordinary—explainable only by advanced scientific theory, yet built in ancient times. If the situation matched his hypothesis, the Church of Absolute Truth’s doctrines could be of incalculable value. Perhaps a book in the library could propel human civilization forward, yet history made no mention of such a sect.

This was the very speculation he had wanted to share—what Cui Kaixuan had prevented him from voicing.

If the ancients could build such a house, then with this book, so could people today.

Should a nation possess such technology, it would surely dominate the world, yet in reality, powers compete for influence, none wielding absolute strength. It could only mean the Church of Absolute Truth had vanished into history, all traces deliberately erased before their downfall.

There was no sign that the church sought world domination; what they pursued must have transcended all else—perhaps immortality was but a lure for followers.

The thought that such a powerful group could be wiped out sent a chill through Xiuming. If he continued down this path, he would uncover an immense and unfathomable secret—and face dangers beyond comprehension.

“There are even desiccated mouse droppings here,” Cui Kaixuan remarked, glancing at Xiuming.

Xiuming nodded silently, his suspicions confirmed.

“Well, that’s the end. Nothing else stands out. Let’s go,” Cui Kaixuan said with relief—it felt like real progress at last.

Back in the library, the others were poring over books.

“Anything to report?” Gao Yi set down his book.

Xiuming caught a glimpse of the cover: Black Moon.

“We found a key,” Xiuming announced, holding it up.

Stamped on the key was L207.

“L for left corridor. Did you try it on your side’s doors?” Fei Xin asked.

Cui Kaixuan shook his head. “The key needs some work—give us some time.”

“L207?” Tao Tao suddenly spoke.

All eyes turned to her as she exclaimed, “I saw something about that room in one of these books. Which one was it?”

She scanned the volumes at hand. “I skimmed through these earlier. I remember, but I’ll need a moment to find it.”

“Perfect. Let’s hope you and Cui Kaixuan finish at the same time,” Gao Yi said. “We’ll pause for today. Take the books back with you, and rest before exhaustion sets in—it’s more efficient. Our limit is two days. We must get out of here within that time.”

“And if I discover anyone hoarding food, you will regret it.”