The Moonlight's Enigmatic Inquiry
On the balcony, moonlight cascaded like a cold silver waterfall, silently spilling down and gently caressing the old wooden floor. Yet, this only accentuated the timeworn patterns on the surface of the wooden chest, as if they were congealed bloodstains or dried tears, reflecting a dim, eerie glow under the moonlight—whispering secrets that had been sealed away for a thousand years.
A faint night breeze, carrying the crisp chill unique to autumn, silently weaved through the air, stirring the thin silhouette of Princess Ying Yue. The tattered edges of her palace dress, like leaves gnawed away by time, trembled slightly in the wind, intertwining with her cascading dark hair, forming a still ink-wash painting—profound and mysterious. Her jet-black hair glowed with a cold metallic sheen under the moonlight, further highlighting the pallor of her skin, making her resemble a fragile sculpture carved from moonlight.
Her eyes, like ancient wells of unfathomable depth, gazed quietly at Li Wei and Su Qing. The moonlight condensed into two points of eerie blue light in her pupils, like flickering ghostly flames. In her gaze, doubts and confusion swirled like an impenetrable mist, lingering around her. Her deep pupils seemed capable of piercing through the most secret corners of the human soul, yet they also resembled bottomless voids, devouring all emotions and leaving behind only endless solitude that had endured for a millennium.
"Why… are you helping me?"
Her voice was so light that it almost blended into the night breeze—low and weak, as if it had drifted from a distant, forgotten time. There was a faint note of probing hesitation, like a blind seeker fumbling in the dark.
"I am merely a soul abandoned by time, sealed away for a thousand years, long since decayed. To you, I hold no value—perhaps even the potential for unforeseen disaster. Why would you take such a risk to help a ghost who has nothing to do with you?"
Li Wei felt a faint prick of pain in his heart upon hearing her forlorn question. He stood frozen for a moment, his gaze unconsciously falling upon the jade pendant in his hand. The moonlight, like a spotlight, illuminated every detail of the ancient object they had retrieved from the wooden chest.
The pendant was a flawless emerald green, as if made from the finest jade, shimmering softly under the moonlight. At its center was a red gemstone, gleaming like frozen blood, exuding an eerie glow. The carving on the jade depicted a woman's sorrowful expression, mirroring the face of Princess Ying Yue almost perfectly—as if it had captured her true likeness across the abyss of time.
Taking a deep breath of the cool night air, Li Wei lifted his head and met the princess's searching gaze with unwavering determination. His voice was steady and sincere, every word striking the air with weight and clarity.
"We help you not for any reward, nor for the thrill of the unknown. It's simply because I sincerely believe—you deserve freedom."
"To be imprisoned for a thousand years, to have one's soul unable to rest, unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation… that pain is unimaginable. It should not be ignored. Fate has brought us together in this moment, and so we cannot stand idly by and do nothing."
"Freedom…"
Princess Ying Yue repeated the word softly, her voice carrying an imperceptible tremor, like a flickering candle in the wind. She slowly lowered her gaze, her long lashes casting delicate shadows under the moonlight—like two intricate fans, shielding the complex emotions in her eyes.
The longing for "freedom" in her expression was a tangle of yearning and bewilderment. It was something she had dared not hope for after millennia of captivity, yet deep within her heart, it had remained like a dormant ember, refusing to be extinguished.
When she looked up again, the confusion in her eyes had begun to fade, replaced by something even more complex—gratitude, curiosity, and a warmth that was almost imperceptible, like a sliver of winter sunlight melting through her frozen heart.
Su Qing, who had been silently standing by with her phone tightly clenched—recording everything—finally decided to break the heavy atmosphere. Her voice was bright and cheerful, attempting to dispel the somber air.
"Yeah! Princess, you really don't have to overthink this! We just think you're really pitiful—being trapped here for so long, you must have so much to say and so many things left undone, right?"
"Just treat us as friends you can talk to or allies you can trust! Tell us, what do you need us to do? If it's within our power, we'll do our best to help!"
Her relaxed tone was almost carefree, as if they weren't dealing with a spirit trapped for a thousand years, but instead embarking on an exciting adventure or a thrilling treasure hunt.
Princess Ying Yue fell into silence once more. She seemed to be carefully digesting their words, weighing whether she could place her hopes on these two strangers.
After a moment, she raised her delicate hand, her slender fingers as pale as finely carved jade, and pointed toward the ancient wooden chest. Her voice, though soft, carried an undeniable firmness.
"I need you to find the jade pendant that binds my soul."
"Only by breaking the seal on the pendant can I be freed from this endless imprisonment… and return to the cycle of reincarnation."
Searching Through the Labyrinth of the Apartment
For the next few days, Li Wei and Su Qing's lives were completely consumed by this unexpected "treasure hunt." Their small apartment had become a giant maze, with every nook and cranny potentially hiding the key they sought.
Searching for an unknown-shaped, unknown-location "key" was like finding a needle in a haystack, but the two were brimming with energy, as if fueled by adrenaline.
They devised a detailed search plan, dividing tasks and working seamlessly together. Su Qing, with her natural eye for detail and patience, meticulously searched every corner of the apartment. She examined kitchen cupboards cluttered with jars, the crevices of the living room sofa where small objects might have fallen, the depths of the bedroom wardrobe, and even the soil beneath the balcony's flower pots. She was like an experienced archaeologist, carefully unearthing every inch of space.
All the while, Su Qing documented their search with her camera, snapping pictures of each area they combed through. She muttered to herself as she worked, almost like self-encouragement, "If I manage to capture the exact moment the key appears, this photo will be groundbreaking! It'll be on every news outlet! And my name—Su Qing—will go down in history alongside this mysterious key!"
Unlike Su Qing's boundless enthusiasm, Li Wei was quieter and more serious, his expression growing increasingly grim. His hands kept moving, methodically following their search plan, but his mind was racing.
That jade pendant, the hidden compartment in the wooden chest—where was the key that unlocked it?
Why was such a seemingly ordinary apartment hiding something so mysterious?
Was there a deeper, more dangerous secret behind all of this?
These thoughts gnawed at him like a serpent coiled around his mind, refusing to let him rest.
Three days passed like sand slipping through their fingers, yet their "treasure hunt" yielded nothing. The apartment was in complete disarray—previously neat rooms were now chaotic, the floor littered with displaced items. Dust stirred from old objects lingered in the air, making them cough.
Su Qing collapsed onto the living room sofa, rubbing her sore shoulders with a heavy sigh. Her tone carried a hint of frustration and helplessness.
"This key… is it invisible or something? We've knocked on walls, checked every crack in the floor, and still, nothing! Maybe the princess's memory is wrong? Or… what if the key doesn't exist at all?"
Li Wei, feeling just as exhausted, walked over to the water dispenser and poured himself a cup of water. His brows furrowed deeply as he spoke,
"What if… the key isn't actually in this apartment? Maybe someone took it? This place has had multiple tenants over the years—what if the key was taken by someone long ago?"
"No way!"
Su Qing immediately sat up straight, refuting his theory with absolute certainty. "The princess was very clear—the key is here. She may have lost many memories after a thousand years, but something this important? There's no way she'd get it wrong!"
"We must have overlooked something—some crucial clue, some small yet vital detail. We need to think carefully—where haven't we searched? What possibility have we ignored?"
Just as they found themselves stuck in a deadlock, unsure of how to proceed, Su Qing's eyes unintentionally landed on her camera, sitting on the coffee table.
For days, she had been taking pictures of everything—the search process, the apartment's layout, any suspicious objects. Absentmindedly, she started flipping through the pictures on the camera screen, hoping for even the tiniest hint.
Then—her fingers suddenly froze.
Her eyes widened in shock, as if she had just seen something unbelievable.
Sitting up abruptly, she cried out,
"Li Wei! Li Wei! Look at this! Hurry!"
Startled by her sudden outburst, Li Wei nearly spilled his water. He quickly set the cup down and rushed to her side.
"What? What did you find?"
Su Qing, struggling to contain her excitement, pointed at the camera screen.
"Look! Look at this picture! The key… the key might be in this photo!"
Li Wei leaned in and saw an old, black-and-white photograph on the screen—not a digital photo Su Qing had taken, but an aged, yellowed photograph she had found a few days ago in the attic. It had been buried among old books, and she had taken a quick snapshot of it for reference without thinking much of it.
The photograph depicted a woman seated elegantly on a carved wooden chair, dressed in traditional, intricate garments. Despite the photo's age, the refinement of her attire was evident.
Yet, the most striking detail was the jade pendant hanging from her neck.
The pendant was a perfect circle, an exquisite shade of emerald green, even visible in the black-and-white image. At its center, a deep red gemstone gleamed ominously, like a sleeping ember, emitting a mysterious and eerie radiance.
Su Qing gasped, covering her mouth in astonishment.
"This pendant… Could it be… the one sealing Princess Ying Yue's soul? And this woman… could she be the princess herself?"
Li Wei took the camera from her hands, zooming in on the photograph, examining every detail carefully. Though the woman's features were slightly blurred due to the photograph's age, there was no mistaking the resemblance. The sorrow in her eyes, the melancholic curve of her lips—it was unmistakable.
A chill crawled down his spine, his heartbeat quickening.
"This woman… She looks just like the princess. Almost as if… they were the same person."
"Who is she? And why was this photo hidden in our apartment's attic?" Li Wei turned to Su Qing, his voice heavy with uncertainty.
Su Qing shrugged. "I have no clue. I found it in the attic, buried under old books. The attic had other antiques too—porcelain, calligraphy scrolls—whoever lived here before us must've been a collector. Or maybe…"
Li Wei's eyes darkened as a chilling possibility struck him.
"What if the person in this photo was the one who sealed the princess away?"
Su Qing's breath caught. Then, excitement flashed in her eyes.
"That makes so much sense! If that's true, then the key must still be here! And if this woman had it… then the attic might be hiding something even more important!"
The Secret in the Attic
The attic was located at the very top of the apartment building, hidden behind an old wooden door at the end of the hallway. The door was usually tightly shut, its surface covered in a thick layer of dust, as if it hadn't been opened in years.
Behind the door was a steep, narrow wooden staircase. The steps creaked underfoot, worn from age, and felt as if they might collapse at any moment.
Wearing gloves and masks to guard against the dust, Li Wei and Su Qing carefully pushed open the heavy, dust-covered door. Then, with cautious steps, they climbed the rickety staircase leading into the attic.
Inside, the light was dim, with only a few feeble rays of sunlight struggling through the cracked skylight. The air was thick with dust and the musty scent of aged wood, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
The attic was cluttered with a mess of old belongings—dust-covered wooden chests, worn-out furniture, scattered book pages, and rusted metal objects. Everything was piled haphazardly, like a forgotten storage room where time had stood still.
Li Wei and Su Qing stepped carefully over the debris, their flashlights cutting through the darkness as they searched for anything unusual.
Su Qing, ever the enthusiastic explorer, pried open an old wooden chest filled with faded silk dresses and stacks of yellowed letters. The handwriting was too faded to decipher.
Li Wei, meanwhile, turned his attention to an old wooden cabinet in the corner. The cabinet contained brittle, ancient books and rusted metal artifacts of unknown origin. He inspected each piece carefully, determined not to miss any potential clues.
Then—something caught his eye.
In the farthest corner of the attic, one of the wooden planks on the floor looked… different.
Unlike the others, it was smoother and slightly discolored, its edges more polished—almost as if someone had replaced it recently.
A thought struck him.
"Su Qing! Come look at this!" he called in a hushed but urgent voice.
Su Qing rushed over, eyes widening when she saw what he had discovered.
"A hidden compartment?" she breathed excitedly. "This has to be it! I bet the key is inside!"
Li Wei pulled a small screwdriver from his tool kit and carefully inserted it into the thin gap between the plank and the floor. With a gentle pry, the wooden board lifted, revealing a small hidden space underneath.
Inside, there was an ancient wooden box, its surface covered in intricate carvings. The symbols on it were strikingly similar to the ones they had seen on the wooden chest in the apartment.
Holding his breath, Li Wei reached down and carefully lifted the box out of its hiding place. It was surprisingly heavy, its surface cold to the touch.
Su Qing clapped her hands together, barely containing her excitement. "Open it! This has to be the key!"
Li Wei hesitated for only a moment before slowly opening the lid.
Inside, lying upon a faded silk cloth, was an exquisite jade pendant.
It was a perfect match to the one they had already found—only larger and even more intricately carved. At its center, the red gemstone pulsed with a strange, eerie glow, as if alive.
Just then, a voice—soft yet urgent—echoed directly into Li Wei's mind.
"That's it… That is the true seal that binds me."
Startled, Li Wei nearly dropped the box. He tightened his grip, turning to Su Qing.
"She's speaking to me again… She says this is it."
Su Qing's eyes were bright with excitement. "Then we did it! This is what we've been searching for!"
But Li Wei's expression remained tense. He couldn't shake the feeling that something—something unknown—was about to happen.
Unlocking the Chest—And Unleashing the Mystery
With the newly found jade pendant in hand, they hurried back downstairs to the balcony.
The night had fully descended, and the moon hung high in the sky, its silver light spilling into the apartment. The wooden chest sat in the moonlit glow, waiting.
Li Wei clenched the jade pendant tightly. He knelt beside the chest, his heart pounding, and examined the lock.
The keyhole… was an exact match for the jade pendant.
Taking a deep breath, he carefully inserted the jade pendant into the lock.
Click.
The moment the pendant clicked into place, an eerie gust of wind swept through the balcony. The air suddenly turned ice-cold, and a strange, tingling sensation ran up Li Wei's arms.
Then—
The chest's lid popped open on its own.
A wave of icy air burst forth, carrying a faint scent of incense mixed with something ancient and decayed.
Inside the chest, nestled in an ornate silk lining, lay a second, even larger jade pendant. Unlike the others, this one shimmered ominously in the darkness, the red gemstone at its center glowing with an unnatural, pulsating light.
Su Qing gasped. "This… This is…"
From the corner of the room, a faint, translucent figure began to materialize.
Princess Ying Yue.
She stood beside them, gazing solemnly at the chest. Her expression was unreadable, her dark eyes filled with a mixture of longing and hesitation.
"This…" she murmured, voice trembling. "This is the final seal."
Li Wei and Su Qing turned to her in silent anticipation.
"By opening this chest," the princess continued, "you have broken the first seal. But there is still one more step."
Su Qing, ever eager, leaned forward. "What do we do next? How do we break the last seal?"
Princess Ying Yue's gaze darkened, her voice taking on a more solemn tone.
"You must perform an ancient ritual."
Li Wei stiffened. "A ritual?"
"Yes. But…" She hesitated. "Once the ritual begins, there is no turning back. And I cannot guarantee what may be unleashed in the process."
A heavy silence fell over them.
For the first time, Su Qing's enthusiasm wavered slightly. "Wait… What do you mean, 'unleashed'?"
Princess Ying Yue's figure flickered slightly, her translucent form rippling like water.
"The seal has kept more than just me imprisoned. It has also contained forces beyond your understanding. If you truly wish to set me free… you must be prepared."
Her words sent a shiver down Li Wei's spine.
A deep, instinctual part of him knew—the real danger was only just beginning.
Su Qing swallowed hard, but then straightened her back, determination returning to her eyes. "Well, we've come this far, haven't we? No way we're stopping now!"
Li Wei let out a slow breath, nodding. "Alright. Tell us what we have to do."
Princess Ying Yue's lips curled into the faintest trace of a smile—like the first crack of dawn breaking through a dark sky.
"Very well," she whispered. "Let us begin."