Dust swirled in the sunlight like a thousand tiny ghosts as I knelt in the attic of the old house. Before me sat a
"Please open..." I whis
The lid creaked slowly open, releasing a scent of sandalwood mixed with mold and time. Inside, my mother's belongings lay carefully arranged: a silk s
My hands trembled as I reached for the pouch. I pulled the drawstring open. A blue stone the size of a thumb slid into my palm. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than glass—but in the sunlight, misty clouds shimmered and twisted within it, like something alive.
The Stone of Destiny.Ho
The stone suddenly grew hot—I nearly dropped it. And then, in a flash, visions overwhelmed me, flooding in like a crashing tide:
—My mother kneeling and sewing the stone into a rag doll.—Lu Zhentian and armed men breaking into—A faceless woman handing baby-me to—Zhou Yuchen, bloodied, lying limp
"Ah!" I gasped and released the stone. The visions vanished as abruptly as the
My phone buzzed—startling me. A text from Zhou Yuchen:"Found coordinates to the Lu family's Myanmar mine. Operation tonight?"
I exhaled slowly and replied:"Come to the old house. I found the stone."
After sending the messa
Scrawled on the back:"With Sister Yueru, the day we par
Yueru... Zhou Yuchen's mother.
The date chil
Footsteps creaked
"This place
I handed him the stone. The moment his fingers touched it, he recoiled slightly—his pupils narrowed in shock.
"What did you see?" I asked.
"My mot
I gasped.
"Not just memorie
"Then the first and third...?"
"The first is with Lu Zhentian. The third—possibly with Chen Mo."
I stared. "What?"
"She used to work at an orphanage in Myanmar—ten years ago. The orphanage basement led to the mine where the stone was firs
He showed me an old photo: a younger Chen Mo with children, a sapphire lotus pendant
"She might be Lu family?" I asked.
"Not confirmed. But she's definitely after the stones.
I show
His
He touched the photo gently, his expression soften
"Where?"
"Behind the Galaxy Yacht Club. Eagle's Beak C
I stood. "If we go there, we
"It's dangerous," he said. "Lu family owns that land now."
"Then we have to g
Zhou gave a wry smile. "I knew I couldn't stop you." He pulled a tablet from his backpack. "Let's review the terrain f
He showed a satellite image. Atop the cliff stood a small wooden hut. Waves crashed against the ro
"That hut's a Lu family observation post," Zhou said. "Only one guard tonight—the rest are
"Tonight, then?"
"Tonight. I'll get our disguises."
At 6 PM, I wore
"Here," he said, handing
Security was lighter than expected. We slipped past
"Stay low," Zhou whispered, draggi
He
"Fifteen minute
We crept forward and reached the wooden hut. Zhou pried open a side window, and we slipped inside.
The hut was filled with meteorological gear. A large na
"These form a triangle," I said.
"Exactly," Zh
I walked to the window—directly in f
I pulled out the stone. "If I use it here..."
It pulsed with light. Mist sw
Suddenly
May 18, 1999. Eagle's Beak Cliff.
Our mothers stood at the edge, each hol
"Hide them well," my mother said. "Lu Zhentian has gone mad. He believes re
"But he doesn't kn
"Our children will inherit that k
"Time's up." Yueru turned sharply. "Lu's men are com
The vision warped.
Next, we were in a hospital. My mother, pale, clutched a newborn. A nurse stood by.
"Are you sure?" the nurse asked.
Tears streamed down my mother's face. "Lu k
She tucked a blue stone into the baby's blanket. "Take her to the Zhou family's child. When
The vision shattered.
The door burst open. Three armed men r
"You really fell for it," sneered the leader. "Mr. Lu was right."
"Run!" Zhou pushed me
Gunfire exploded. We d
"Jump!" Zhou shouted, pointing to a reef below.
"You're insane!"
"Trust me!" He gripped my hand. "One, two—"
A shot rang out. Zhou staggered, hit in the shoulder. Blood gushed.
"Zhou!"
"J
Cold water swallowed us. I surfaced, gasping,
"Still h
I nodded. "Hold on!"
We reached a deserted beach. I dragged
"The bullet's... sti
"Don't talk." I pressed the cloth to his shoulder.
"Use this." H
I
"Don't sleep..." I whispered. "Tell
"She was... stubborn l
Tears bur
"Do you believe in fate?" I a
"People who've been reborn... don't get to believe," he murmured.
An engine roared ne
"Make sure.
The light approached
"Chen Mo!"
She jumped from the boat and ran toward us.
"Stay back!" I shielded Zhou.
She removed her scarf. Under the moonlight, I saw a familiar teardrop mole—ju
"Wanqing... it's me," she said. "Your mother sent me to protect you."
I froze.
"No time to explain," she said, checking Zhou's wounds. "The bullet must come out. My car has supplies."
"Why should
Chen Mo pulled
"This is...
"The third piece," she
"Prove it," Zhou gasped.
She removed the pendant's stone and held it to mine. They glowed blue. Runes appeared.
"This is part of the key," Chen Mo said. "Only when all three stones are united can the truth be unlocked."
Another engine roared. Gunshots.
"Lu's men!" she snapped. "We have to go!"
We hoisted Zhou onto the boat. Under gunfire, we escaped into the night.
Her safehouse was an abandoned factory. She removed the bullet with shocking precision.
"You a d
"I was," she replied. "Now, I study the Stone's effects."
Zhou finally drifted to sleep. Chen Mo turned to me.
"Your mother's alive," sh