Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Back at the hotel, Qiluo Ling immediately called Liu Shiran, inviting her to accompany her to Blycheno Manor the next day.
Unfortunately, Liu Shiran said she would be attending an academic conference starting tomorrow and wouldn't have time to join her.
Qiluo Ling felt a bit disappointed and wouldn't be able to shake it off quickly. She sat idly on the edge of the bed when she suddenly remembered the cross necklace that Madam Carolina had given her, so she took it out and examined it carefully.
It shone with a dazzling golden light, featuring an intricate design, with a warm and vibrant ruby set in the cross, exuding an unparalleled beauty that seemed to transcend time and space.
The cross has been a symbolic representation since ancient times; it originally represented the Babylonian sun god and symbolized light. Additionally, the cross also represents the Tree of Life, serving as a reproductive symbol where the vertical bar represents male and the horizontal bar represents female. Of course, it is well known that the cross is a symbol of Christianity, which Christians believe embodies meanings such as "redemption," "salvation," "faith," and "gospel."
Qiluo Ling stared blankly at the necklace. Did Duke Myse giving her this cross necklace hold any special significance? She turned the cross necklace over and over but couldn't discern any difference from other necklaces in the world. The black surface of the cross was exceptionally shiny, and she couldn't help but gently stroke its surface with her hand.
At that moment, something strange happened.
As Qiluo Ling lightly stroked the cross on the necklace with her right hand, she suddenly felt as if she had lost consciousness.
The surroundings vanished completely; her eyes seemed blind, unable to see her current reality, not even the bed in front of her or the tables and chairs nearby—she couldn't even see the room she was in.
Qiluo Ling's consciousness was drawn by some inexplicable intuition into another world. This space was a vast expanse of white, like an endless void. Yet this void captivated all her senses, making it impossible for her to escape. The void formed a whirlpool in the darkness, and her consciousness seemed to be sucked deep into its depths—a depth unfathomable.
As she traversed through that void, she found herself standing before a large mirror. However, in this mirror, she could not see a clear image of her own head and body; instead, she saw another unfamiliar yet vivid scene. The image in the mirror was even clearer and more vivid than what she saw in reality.
In that image was an old man's face. He wore a long black coat that looked somewhat worn out, with many creases suggesting it had been worn for a long time.
His facial expression was very complex—intelligent, capable, cunning—all intricately reflected on his face. The more sinister aspects were particularly evident. His nose curved upward like a vulture's sharp beak; his eyes bulged outward—large and dark—shining with a cold and ruthless light. His hair was grayish-white while his eyebrows remained thick and black.
The cold, ugly face stared at her in the mirror, and instead of looking away, she found herself hypnotized, unable to tear her gaze from it.
She didn't know how long it had been when that face began to twitch. Streams of blood suddenly flowed down from the forehead, dyeing most of the face a deep red like a splash of paint. The blood continued to seep, until eventually, his face turned completely crimson. The face started to burn, hissing as the flesh erupted in fiery light, casting various distorted shadows that danced before her eyes.
Qiluo Ling felt an overwhelming fear as her imprisoned self-awareness began to return. She suddenly screamed, feeling as if a giant stone was pressing down on her heart...
After what felt like an eternity, she finally woke from that illusory nightmare. She found herself drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, unable to calm down for a long time. Her mind was filled with images of that burning face. It loomed over her like a massive dark shroud, causing her heart to ache intensely.
But as Qiluo Ling calmed down, a hint of doubt arose within her. Soon, this doubt transformed into a desire—a denial of everything she had seen. This desire stubbornly dominated her thoughts, convincing her that it was merely the result of an overly tense mind...
The next morning, Qiluo Ling woke up early but did not get out of bed immediately. Instead, she sat half-reclined against the headboard, staring blankly at the ceiling with a muddled mind.
What did Mr. Kledinska mean by danger approaching? Who was Mr. Mice? Why did he leave Blycheno Manor to her in his will? Who was the evil figure in the mirror?
After pondering these questions, she remained utterly confused. Half an hour passed in a blur while she sat there lost in thought.
The more she thought about it, the more restless she felt. She wanted to play some music but remembered that this wasn't her home; it was a hotel, so she let it go.
Glancing at her watch, she realized it was already seven o'clock. Qiluo Ling had no choice but to get out of bed, wash up, and pack her belongings in preparation to check out at the front desk downstairs.
As she returned to the bedside and intended to read a book, the landline phone by the nightstand rang.
After a moment's hesitation, she picked up the receiver.
"Hello, may I ask if you are Miss Qi?" A deep-voiced middle-aged man spoke on the other end of the line.
"Yes, may I ask who you are?"
"Hello, I am here to pick you up on behalf of Madam Carolina."
"Oh, where are you?"
"I am downstairs at your hotel."
Qiluo Ling hung up the phone and walked to the window to look down.
Sure enough, there was a Black Sedan parked downstairs. Then she returned to the phone and picked it up again.
"Is that the Black Sedan?"
"Yes."
"Alright, please wait for me a moment, as I need to check out. It will take about ten minutes."
"Okay."
Qiluo Ling grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room. She went downstairs to the front desk and quickly completed the checkout process before exiting the hotel.
Once she reached the street, the driver had already stepped out of the driver's seat, beaming with a smile as he approached her and politely opened the car door for her.
The driver was in his fifties, dressed in a black suit. Although his temples were slightly gray, he exuded a gentlemanly demeanor.
Qiluo Ling smiled slightly and said thank you.
She got into the sedan and unloaded her backpack, placing it beside her.
This should be a car of considerable value. The black, shiny leather seats were spacious and comfortable, allowing her legs to stretch out comfortably. It was evident that this was a custom-made vehicle, as the interior featured hand-stitched "durand" in English, which is the surname Durand.
The driver returned to the driver's seat and asked if she had any instructions. If there was nothing else, he would start the car and take her to Blycheno Manor.
"How long does it take from here to Blycheno Manor?" Qiluo Ling asked.
"About an hour," he replied.
"Oh, then I have no problem."
The driver then started the sedan and drove towards Blycheno Manor.
"Miss Qi, I have a CD in the car, it's Chopin's Polonaise. I wonder if you like it?" the driver said from the front.
"I like it."
With that, the driver turned on the CD player, and cheerful music began to fill the car.
Comment 0 Comment Count