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墨書 Inktalez
In the moment the rocket tore through the darkness, Lin Dahe caught a glimpse of the cellar's full layout—over thirty wooden boxes sealed with tape were neatly stacked on the east side, while the west side was piled high with moldy grain sacks. The air was thick with a pungent scent of spices, as if cheap sandalwood was being used to mask something. The oilcloth torch at the tip of the arrow crackled as it burned, casting Zhou Liangzhang's distorted face against 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, resembling some sort of malicious incantation.
Lin Dahe stuffed the ledger into his bosom and rolled behind the nearest grain pile. The grains beneath him crunched softly, and the decaying wheat emitted a nauseatingly sweet odor. He looked up to see One-Armed Veteran rushing towards the grain transport passage while 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 in the firelight.
At that moment, a small figure darted out from the shadows. The newcomer wore a tattered straw hat and oversized coarse clothing, but Lin Dahe recognized those almond-shaped eyes instantly—it was Cui Xiaoman in disguise! Like a nimble lynx, she leaped behind a crossbow-wielding servant and struck him hard on the back of the 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 waist pouch was slightly ajar, revealing silver needles used by veterinarians and several small porcelain vials.
"Ma Fei San..." she quickly traced letters in Lin Dahe's palm. "When I count to three..."
Outside, Aunt Ma's shrill voice pierced through, "Master! They must have gone through the secret passage! Behind the wine vat!"
Lin Dahe grabbed a handful of moldy grains, their surfaces covered in purplish-black mycelium. He signaled to Cui Xiaoman and suddenly threw the grains towards 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 towards the burning torch. With a muffled bang, acrid white smoke instantly filled the entire cellar. This wasn't ordinary Ma Fei San; it was mixed with chili powder and lime—Cui Xiaoman's specially crafted "Escape Powder."
Amidst the chaos of coughing and tears from their pursuers, they bent low and dashed towards 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 echoed with the crunching sound of broken insect shells beneath their boots.
"Slow down..." Cui Xiaoman led ahead, her firebrand illuminating 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 topmost carvings were blurred beyond recognition, but they became clearer deeper inside, as if someone had maintained them regularly.
"These are marks from Mad Old Woman," Cui Xiaoman's voice wavered in the darkness. "She used to bring me here when I was little... saying below was 'Memory Warehouse'..."
Suddenly, the passage sloped downward; Lin Dahe slipped and fell into a shallow puddle. The filthy water soaked his clothes, but he held the ledger high above his head. The firebrand fell into the water and extinguished itself; in the darkness, only their hurried breaths and distant shouts from their pursuers could be heard.
"It's okay..." Cui Xiaoman fumbled to grasp his hand. "There should be an exit ahead..."
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