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墨書 Inktalez
In the moment the rocket tore through the darkness, Lin Dahe caught a glimpse of the entire cellar—a neat row of over thirty wooden boxes sealed with tape lined the eastern side, while the western side was piled high with moldy grain sacks. The air was thick with a pungent smell of spices, as if cheap sandalwood was being used to mask something else. The oilcloth torch at the tip of the arrow crackled as it burned, casting a distorted reflection of Zhou Liangzhang's face on the wall.
"Catch them! Don't let a single one escape!" Zhou Liangzhang's roar echoed through the cellar. The beads of his abacus clashed violently, sounding like some kind of malicious incantation.
Lin Dahe stuffed the ledger into his bosom and rolled behind the nearest grain pile. The grains beneath him made a faint rustling sound, and the decaying wheat emitted a nauseatingly sweet odor. He looked up to see One-Armed Veteran charging toward the grain transport passage with an iron box in his arms, deliberately shouting, "Protect the evidence!"
"Stop that cripple!" Zhou Liangzhang screamed hysterically, waving his arms. Four or five servants immediately chased after him, their waist knives glinting coldly in the firelight.
At that moment, a small figure darted out from the shadows. The newcomer wore a tattered straw hat and an oversized coarse cloth outfit, but Lin Dahe recognized those almond-shaped eyes instantly—it was Cui Xiaoman in disguise! Like a nimble lynx, she sprang toward the crossbow-wielding servant from behind and struck him hard on the back of his neck with her elbow.
"This way!" she whispered urgently, pulling Lin Dahe to roll behind a pile of empty burlap sacks.
The two pressed against the damp wall. Lin Dahe could feel Cui Xiaoman's breath against his ear, carrying a faint scent of herbs. Her pouch at her waist was slightly open, revealing silver needles used by veterinarians and several small porcelain vials.
"Ma Fei San..." she quickly traced characters in Lin Dahe's palm, "When I count to three..."
Outside, Aunt Ma's shrill voice rang out: "Master! They must have taken the secret passage! It's behind the wine vat!"
Lin Dahe grabbed a handful of moldy grains, their surfaces covered in purple-black mycelium. He exchanged glances with Cui Xiaoman and suddenly threw the grains toward the nearest oil lamp.
"Ah! My eyes!"
"It's poisonous! Hold your breath!"
The mold dust formed a yellow cloud in the air. Seizing the opportunity, Cui Xiaoman pulled out a porcelain vial and blew the powder toward the burning torch. With a muffled bang, acrid white smoke instantly filled the entire cellar. This was no ordinary Ma Fei San; it had been mixed with chili powder and lime—Cui Xiaoman's specially concocted "Escape Powder."
Amidst the chaos as their pursuers coughed and wept, they bent low and dashed toward the secret passage behind the wine vat. The entrance was narrow; Lin Dahe had to turn sideways to squeeze through. The damp walls were slick with moss, and every step crunched underfoot as he crushed insect shells.
"Slow down..." Cui Xiaoman led the way ahead; her firebrand illuminated only three steps in front of them. "This passage has forks..."
Lin Dahe noticed strange symbols carved into the walls—every ten steps marked by a pentagram accompanied by numbers. The markings at the top were already blurred, but they became clearer deeper inside, as if someone had maintained them regularly.
"It's Mad Old Woman's mark." Cui Xiaoman's voice wavered in the darkness. "She often brought me here when I was little... said below is 'Memory Warehouse'..."
Suddenly, the passage sloped downward; Lin Dahe slipped and fell into a shallow puddle. The filthy water soaked through his clothes, but he held up the ledger high above his head. The firebrand fell into the water and extinguished itself, leaving only their hurried breaths and distant shouts from their pursuers echoing in the dark.
"It's okay..." Cui Xiaoman fumbled to grasp his hand. "There should be an exit ahead..."
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